School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses
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ItemThe opposition to Montanism from church and state: a study of the history and theology of the Montanist Movement as shown by the writings and legislation of the Orthodox opponents of Montanism( 1978)This thesis is primarily an examination of the ecclesiastical and imperial opposition to the Montanist movement throughout the four centuries of its existence (c. 165-550 A.D.). Section I deals with the pre-Constantinian period, arguing that the earliest ecclesiastical opponents were local bishops who, through oral controversy, conciliar condemnation, and literary activity, tried to negate the influence Montanism was having upon the catholic flock. During the third century a few non-episcopal ecclesiastical scholars joined in the literary struggle against Montanism. It is argued, however, that more important than their non-episcopal status is the fact that these scholars, like more and more third century bishops, opposed Montanism without having any personal contact with contemporary adherents of the sect so that by the end of that century opposition to Montanism had become literary warfare from a distance. The extant fragments of this warfare reveal that pre-Constantinian opponents charged Montanists with a variety of offences centering around three main charges: pseudoprophecy, novelty, and heresy. Each of these charges was vigorously defended by Montanist apologists, the chief of whom was Tertullian. The second section covers the same time-span as the first, but examines state opposition. Before 250 A.D., persecution of Christians was usually instigated by the local pagan population at times when the pax deorum appeared to be threatened. It is argued that, whilst Montanists suffered during these persecutions, pagans did not distinguish between Montanists and catholics even though, in some instances, Montanists may have been the indirect cause of these persecutions. After 250 A.D., emperors became more and more involved in instigating persecutions, but, again, they did not differentiate between various types of Christians. Despite the views of certain modern historians, there is no evidence that any pre-Constantinian emperor or governor instigated a persecution against Montanists, hence this section does not contain specific chapters on imperial opponents and their charges. The major issues discussed in this section are "charges" levelled at Montanists by modern historians, namely that Montanists were invariably volunteer martyrs, that they refused to flee during persecutions, and that, even in times of peace, they displayed a provocative attitude towards the state. Much of this alleged Montanist "fanaticism" disappears as a result of a careful scrutiny of all the available evidence. After Constantine became sole ruler of the Empire, he, and his successors, persecuted Montanists in an attempt to preserve the purity of the catholic church. The distinction between ecclesiastical and imperial opposition, therefore, becomes somewhat blurred for the last phase of Montanism (c. 324-550 A.D.). Hence, church and state opposition are both treated in Section III. During this period the trend of ecclesiastical opposition "from a distance", commenced in the third century, continued. Anti-Montanist tracts, letters, and sermons proliferated and large sections of heresiological surveys and church histories were devoted to condemning the movement. Much of this literature was composed by opponents who had no personal contact with Montanists. Charges still centred on pseudo-prophecy, novelty, and heresy, although the range of specific allegations multiplied. A number of the Christian emperors of this period enacted laws aimed at eradicating contemporary Montanism. As a result, a significant number of Western Montanists joined the catholic church, but many others, especially in Rome, Constantinople, and Phrygia, continued their separatist existence until the combined efforts of church and state finally wiped out the movement during the middle of the sixth century. This thesis also re-evaluates the history and theology of Montanism in the light of what is revealed about the movement by the writings and legislation of its orthodox opponents. The view of Montanism presented by the opponents is compared with the Montanists' self-assessment and both are judged in the context of all other available evidence. As a result, it is argued that Montanists did not practice, or believe, many of the things with which they were charged and that, even when there was some substance to a particular charge, the charge was not always applicable to Montanists everywhere. Montanism, in fact, was a very diverse movement. Despite certain modern assessments, the picture of Montanism which emerges from this study is that of an innovative prophetic movement intent on bringing Christianity into line with what it believed to be the ultimate ethical revelation of the Holy Spirit given to the church via its prophets.
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ItemThe emergence and character of women's magazines in Australia 1880-1914( 1975)Four major points relating to the emergence and character of women's magazines in Australia are explored in this thesis:- when they began, why they began when they did in the 19th century, what form they took when published and the views they expounded about the status and life of women in Australia between the years l880-19l4. Thirty-five women's magazines were consulted, but only one or two representative examples of each type are discussed in any detail. The magazines themselves fall into two distinct categories during this period - the general or service magazine containing fiction, fashion and homemaking features; and the suffrage or political magazine dealing with the implications of votes for women. The thesis is divided into three sections and follows a basically chronological pattern. The first section of four chapters deals with the English background of women's and family magazines to 1850; the popularity of these publications in the Australian colonies throughout the 19th century; the level of education and literacy among women in Australia during this period; and the early attempts to found women's magazines in Melbourne and Sydney in the 1880's. Section two discusses the suffrage and political magazines published for women in Sydney and Melbourne between the years 1889-1914. The first of these two chapters is devoted to a detailed examination of Australia's first successful feminist magazine, Louisa Lawson's Dawn (1888-1905); while the second discusses the suffrage and political magazines for women in New South Wales and Victoria, and compares their failure to the success of Mrs. Lawson's publication. The third and final section examines the emergence of the modern American-influenced magazines in Australia from 1894 to 1914, a whole chapter being devoted to the New Idea (1902-14) as the archetypal example of this trend.
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ItemA history of the Australian meat export trade, 1865-1939( 1967)This thesis is about the production, treatment and export of meat from Australia between the 1860s, when the trade began, and the Second World War. Primarily it is a study of those involved directly in the trade in Australia - graziers and farmers, meatworks operators and exporters - and of their actions and attitudes. To some extent, however, it has also been necessary to examine the trade in the broader context of Australian rural production as a whole, of domestic demands for meat and stock, and of the leading overseas markets and competitors with Australia in those markets.
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ItemThe economic and political development of Victoria 1877-1881( 1951)Alfred Deakin wrote in a short (unpublished) memoir on the period surveyed in this thesis, “Whatever the relative importance or interest of the years 1875 – 1882 may be, it is certain that the tide of political life ran then much more fiercely than at any subsequent period.” It was to see why political life was so bitter and ran ‘so fiercely’ that this work was undertaken. Letter books and other MS material belonging to members of the Victorian Legislature in the period have been made available by several Victorian families and the access given to this material has been of great assistance to the writer. The division into sections – Part I Economic Development and its relation to Politics, Part II, Political Development – has been made necessary by the pioneering character of the work. Although the whole theme of the thesis centres in the complex interaction of economic and political development, the division was found necessary in order to deal more completely with topics on which there has been no detailed study.
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ItemThe Psalm-commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi( 1974)The present dissertation consists of a detailed investigation of the commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi on Psalms 1-72. To begin with, the commentary is considered in its historical setting. Dionysius bar Salibi was a bishop in the Syrian Jacobite Church of the mid-twelfth century A.D. In a period marked by natural calamities and political and religious conflict, bar Salibi was an upright and strong leader of his people. His concern for integrity and moral rectitude among his parishioners and disciples is evident throughout the commentary. This strong ethical emphasis is combined with pastoral encouragement and comfort for those in need. An investigation of the liturgical setting of the Psalm-commentary has shown that the words of the Psalms provided a ready source for the composition of the prayers in the Jacobite liturgy. They also have an important place in the Daily Offices of the Church. The use of the Psalms in the Church's liturgies has strongly influenced the exposition of the Psalms in bar Salibi's commentary. Although a wider community no doubt shared in the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Hours of Prayer were largely celebrated by the monks and those seeking to join monastic communities. It was in the monasteries and schools that the Psalms gained a position of considerable importance, forming a basic part of the curriculum, and the fundamental ingredient of private devotions. It is suggested that Dionysius bar Salibi had people such as these monks in view as he wrote the Psalm-commentary. Dionysius did not claim originality for the ideas presented in his commentary. He saw his task as that of distilling from the works of previous writers the best teaching for the benefit of the people of his own day. Some of his sources he named, others he did not, but there is no simple formula to describe the origins of his work. The version of Scripture most frequently used in bar Salibi’s commentary is the Peshitta, though the Syro-Hexaplar is also quoted, as well as several other forms of the text. The Psalm-commentary, like all of bar Salibi's Old Testament comrnentaries, consists of two parts. In the "literal” commentary, the shorter of the two, the author generally interprets the Psalms in a historical sense, applying them to David, or some other person or occasion in Israel's history. The "spiritual" commentary has a much fuller, more homiletic character, and usually provides a Christological explanation of the Psalms. In fact, Christ is seen as the major subject of the Psalms which are used as a vehicle to convey the Church's doctrines about Man and God, and in particular about Jesus Christ. Finally an analysis of the extant MSS of this commentary was undertaken by the construction of a sample critical text, and the results evaluated. As a result of this investigation, the Sitz im Leben of the Psalm-commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi has been recognised in broad outline, and hence its general significance can be more clearly defined.