Undergraduate Projects/Long Essays

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    The Temptations of Jesus And the Tempter In the Gospel of Matthew
    (Tangaza University College, 2003) Ranzenberger, Pablo Cirujeda
    The temptations of Jesus and the action of an adversary to God, be it called Satan, the devil, or the tempter, have, in the past, inspired many a research work, as well as movies, novels, pious legends, and stirred up the imagination about mythical beasts and creatures who approach human beings with all kinds of evil intentions. Matthew's gospel partly contains this legendary vocabulary. It is not, though, a tale about good and evil, but a carefully constructed account about Jesus, the Son of God, his suffering during his public life among his fellow people, and the way he has overcome death once for all. Matthew proclaims the early Christian kerygma throughout his Gospel account: Jesus suffered, died and rose from death. And all those who believe in him, through faith, may share in the eternal life he has attained for all. And what is faith? As we will see, faith is obedience to God our Father. Obedience to do what? The answer to these and other questions is found in this long essay. But I am not going to advance anything else in this introduction, apart from saying that Satan, the tempter, has many faces, but none of them is the face of a monstrous beast. Rather, his aspect is rather decent, and so are his proposals. This essay is primarily a biblical and exegetical research paper I have used the English Revised Standard Version of the Bible, and occasionally the Greek New Testament, in the way they have come down to us today. I do not attempt to carry out any formal textual criticism on the texts used, but will nevertheless use some elements of form, source and redaction criticism. I take for granted that the present final redaction of Matthew's gospel is shaped for his audience best, and therefore I will use it for my analysis. but without questioning its final editing. In my research I have come across excellent exegetical commentaries on the temptation narrative in Matthew, and I am aware that there is nothing I can add in this essay to what has already been written. Nevertheless, by compiling these materials and further venturing into some applications which can be drawn from the present study, I do hope that some clear insights into the nature of the Son of God and his mission may be eained, even if it is only for my own better understanding. I will also try to present some practical applications based on the results of this mainly exegetical study. These applications will be a result more of my own reflection since there is not much material available on the pastoral consequences of the exegesis. Nevertheless, I understand that drawing pastoral applications is also part of the aims of literary criticism, since I understand that through the study of the final form of a bible text we can bring it closer to our present pastoral context.
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    The Role of Women in The Gospel of Matthew And Its Implications in Today's Church
    (Tangaza University College, 2003) Akimana, Concorde
    The purpose of this work is to find out whether the love of Jesus, shown to women, one of the marginalized groups of his day, is put into practice in today's Church. The present work has three chapters. To facilitate this study we shall need to begin by looking at the position of women in Graeco-Roman Empire before and during the time of Jesus. This is because the sacred writers of the New Testament, including Matthew, were influenced by different cultures. In the first chapter, we shall look at Greek philosophy and the Roman Law, without however forgetting what the Old Testament says about the position of women. Our intention is not to show a negative side of looking down upon women by the Bible world. It is rather to let the reader know the impact of prejudices of the patriarchal society on women in the Scriptures. In chapter two, however, we will study how, Jesus, a male Jew, goes beyond the bias of the Old Testament. Matthew presents to us Jesus who is truly human born of a woman (1:1 — 18). We shall find out why Matthew includes in the genealogy only five names of women among so many names of men. It will be considered important to know motive of the author and the nature of community that was made of the groups of marginalized people in the Jewish society. In this case women were not an exception.Thereafter, only when we have seen how Jesus preaches and heals both men and women will we now seek to know any longer that he has no discrimination. In addition, the Matthean Jesus sees divorce as an act of undoing what the Creator has done. Women in return, as true disciples will not remain indifferent or passive. They will play an important role by sharing a great sense of fidelity at Jesus' passion, death and burial. Moreover, women will become credible witnesses of the resurrection by announcing to the Apostles that Jesus is risen. The third chapter will examine whether the teaching of Jesus is put into practice. We shall, briefly, go through the entire history of the Church. We will consider the Church Fathers. They tried to balance the Old Testament with the New Testament. That is why they will allow both married women and virgins to play the key role in the development of the early Church. Some names like Macrina, Paula, Felicita, Perpertua, Monica and the mother of Gregory and Basil are unforgotten. In medieval period, women in the Church will continue to struggle for holiness. Though they are silenced, women will still remain active in Crusades, Monasteries and mysticism. The role of Catherina of Siena during Avignon Captivity is a factor that will make her a Doctor of the Church one of only three in the history of the Church. The period of the Reformation and Counter - Reformation, we shall find that reformers and counter — reformers were not only men, but also women. While some nuns were leaving monasteries because of their brothers who forced them to do so, other women had exceptional courage to remain in the monasteries, others joined religious life not only as cloister nuns, but also as active women. While Teresa of Avila busy reforming the Carmelite Order, Angela Merici and Mary Ward are worked tirelessly to be active in the world for the sake of the Church. The Second Vatican Council will make way for women's active participation in the Church and in the world. Its work has yet not ceased to make sure that women may enjoy the threefold ministry of Jesus by the virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation. The role of Mary as a woman in the Church, will not be left out. Her apparitions in different places throughout the ages are significant.
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    Jesus' Inclusive Attitude Towards the Gentiles In the Gospel of Matthew: A Challenge to The Osu Cast System In Igboland, Nigeria
    (Tangaza University College, 2003) Uzoeto, Charles OnyeKachukwu
    Having journeyed with Matthew in his Gospel, I was greatly fascinated by how this text presents Jesus as the Messiah for the Jews and the Gentiles right from his birth, during his earthly ministry and consummated after his resurrection. It is clear, as we shall see in chapter one, that Matthew's Gospel is more Jewish than the other synoptic gospels. Notwithstanding that fact, Matthew includes 'Gentiles' as one of his main themes and presents Jesus as one who welcomes the Gentiles into the plan of salvation. The particular approach of Jesus invokes in me a consciousness of the reality of the Osu Caste System (which is like the Gentiles of today) in Igbo Land of Nigeria where I was born and brought up. The approach of Jesus to the Gentiles of his time poses a great challenge to the Catholic Christians of Igbo land. There are many texts in Matthew's Gospel that speak about the Gentiles, but I have decided to choose some particular ones which portray Jesus' inclusive attitude towards those who came to him with great faith. In these texts Jesus marvelled at and praised the faith of these two Gentiles.
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    Is The Place and Role of Women in The Community and Gospel of Matthew Reflected in The Church Today? With Special Reference to Ting'ang'a Parish in The Nairobi Archdiocese-Kenya.
    (Tangaza University College, 2002-02) Thuku, David Mwaura
    Who are the cornerstones of our church? Is it men as tradition has it or women who are considering themselves as forgotten partners in the Roman Catholic Church that is patriarchal, pyramidal and male defined. The question of women's place and role in the church has acquired particular importance in recent times. The growing volume of important literature addressing this concern indicates the significance that is being attached to this question in the present decade. It is one of the pressing pastoral problems and issues facing the church today. Lane says, " Anyone who is remotely in touch with pastoral rumblings will realise how serious the question of women in the church has become in recent times"! Okure writes: This issue of women's place and role in the church and society constitutes, perhaps the single most important theological question of our century. Indeed, some scholars2 have compared it to the question of the Gentiles in the early days of Christianity. Not surprisingly, as arguments rooted in scriptures were used to sustain the practice of forcing Gentiles to undergo circumcision as a condition of salvation, so too today, scriptural arguments are advanced to justly the age-old practice of excluding women from certain leadership and ministerial roles in the church. Until today, despite the ongoing debates, literature, seminars, workshops and conferences on women's role in the church, and despite the new biblical studies and new interpretation about the church community as a discipleship of equals4, the church is still holding a very rigid position regarding the type of ministry women can exercise. Women are not only the silent majority but they are also the silenced majority.5 A story is told of St. Bernard, that one day while he was praying before the altar of the Madonna, Mary suddenly opened her mouth and began to speak: 'Be silent! Be silent'! St. Bernard cried in desperation; 'women are not allowed to speak in the Church."6 The response of St. Bernard seems to be the same response of the Roman Catholic Church to all women. No wonder this year's theme on Women's International Day, Women breaking the Silence7, though a fitting theme, left many asking the major question, to whom do women break their silence? To whom do they tell their story when those meant to hear it are either blind to it, or do not care?8 This shows that they have little to celebrate. However, Pope John Paul II offers some hope to these silenced and marginalised women when he declares, "The hour is coming in fact has come, when the vocation of women is being acknowledged in its fullness, the hour in which women acquire in the world an influence, an effect and a power never hitherto The Pope affirms that women too are called and elected by God.1° Ironically there are still so many roles in the church that women are denied." The Catholic Church is invited to discover an appropriate role for women. Unless this happens the Church will continue to face this critical issue. Both women and men should therefore have more than a passing interest in this issue. This essay, therefore, endeavours to be my contribution to the noble and worthy cause of women's role and place in the hierarchical Catholic Church. It intends to offer an encouragement to those women who are working for self-empowerment and to have their voices heard.I2 achieved