Junior Research Symposium on Western Classical Culture and Christian Culture
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Item The gods as expressed in homer and Hesiod(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Randiwela, R.M.D.S.Homer, a bard and an epic writer who lived in the 8th century B.C.E. Greece composed the two epics ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’ whose subject matter was the Trojan War, to entertain his aristocratic audience by referring to the heroic deeds of their Mycenaean ancestors. Hesiod, a near contemporary of Homer who was a peasant farmer in Boeotia composed ‘The Works and Days’ in order to advice his brother Perses, who by bribing the lords, secured the best and the larger part of the ancestral land. Depending on the different social backgrounds both writers are provided with, it is evident that they show different approaches in their beliefs presented through their works despite the fact that they were near contemporaries. This difference can also be identified in their presentation of ideas on the Olympian religion. The object of this research is to identify the differences distinct in each writer’s religious outlook, Homer in ‘The Iliad’ and Hesiod in ‘The Works and Days’. The research problem is to concentrate on how the different socio-political atmospheres became influential in the manner in which they presented their religious beliefs, mainly on the Olympian religion. The methodology is to examine the religious ideas presented in the works themselves along with readings on the socio-political background of the two writers.Item Political atmosphere that affected old Greek comedy and new Greek comedy in ancient Greece(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gunathunga, M.A.D.M.K.The objective of this paper is to examine the political atmospheres that have affected Old Greek Comedy and New Greek Comedy. Greek Comedy was a theatre performance in the 6th century B.C.E. Athens. Of Greek comedies that have survived the works of Aristophanes represent Old Greek Comedy and works of Menander represent New Greek Comedy. Aristophanes’ comedies were written during the 5th century B.C.E.. It was the period of direct democracy where they had power to speak and to participate directly in politics. Aristophanes lampooned the most important personalities and institutions where he criticizes politicians, fellow artists and philosophers. New Greek Comedy emerged in the late 4th century B.C.E. when Athens was conquered by Macedonia and Athens became a subject state. Hence Athens had no political freedom for artists and they could not express their ideas in political matters. The circumstances made Menander focus on the day to day domestic affairs as there was no freedom for him to express ideas on the larger context. This made Menander become the poet of the ‘humane’. Due to the political influences, political satire of Aristophanes ceased to be. Instead the New Comedy which dealt with safer subjects such as the rural, domestic and more humane subjects emerged. The objective of this study is to examine how the social political atmosphere of the respective types of comedy had affected their characteristics.Item How ancient Greeks transacted with the potentiality of ‘Totem’ and ‘Mana’ (with special reference to the bull and the snake)(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jayasekare, K.M.M.P.The early stage of Greek religion reflects primitive concepts of the natural phenomena, which had caused them to concentrate on mysteries and on the belief of the existence of supernatural powers in animate and inanimate objects. Totem worship was the tradition in which the ancients believed that extra-ordinary powers existed in symbolically selected animate and inanimate objects. Mana, on the other hand, was considered the force that generate supernatural power where the human could feel or have contact with the extra human forces. Both would meet the psychological desire of ancient man to acquire a certain amount of transaction with an unfathomable force. Primitive man felt helpless and hence needed an assurance for a peaceful and trouble free life. Due to this fear and instability they had invented modes to win over the good will of the unknown. They believed the interaction would ensure them a hazard free life and benevolence. The discussion examines the two selected totems, namely the bull and the snake where an inquiry would be made on the reason of worship, its nature, its manifestation and its impact.Item Role and Place of Academic Research in the Face of Information Explosion(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Hettiarachchi, S.The focus of this keynote address is on the sustainable importance of academic research with the unprecedented growth of information technology. Formidable challenge for the researcher is to identify information from research inundated with the flooding of information and the voracious human appetite for it. Scholarly research within the academia, such as universities and institutes as well as Research and Development Units within the workforce carry the responsibility to engage in serious investigation. However, the inadequate resources, lack of training, dearth of personnel have created a void in new research within the Arts and Humanities, resulting in disinterest and motivation and has rendered the capacity for innovative academic research virtually defunct. The workforce which is de facto a key product of research, suffer from multiple psychosocial issues and seek supplementary avenues to address the social and interpersonal deficits. Hence, concerted research must be encouraged both within the Sciences and the Arts and Humanities for a right balance.Item Constitution on the sacred liturgy - sacrosanctum concilium(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Madushani, P.I.D.Item Decree on the media of social communications - inter mirifica(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wickrama, S.S.N.Item Declaration on the relation of the church to non-Christian religions - nostra aetate(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Thamel, W.R.M.Item Does archaeology reveal homer?(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Perera, C.T.S.S.Homer is celebrated as a renowned epic composer who belonged to the 8th century B.C.E. of Archaic Greece. One of his surviving epics is “The Iliad” where he refers to a historical incident, believed to have happened in the Mycenaean era of Greece, which is placed around the 12th and the 13th centuries of Greece, in a romantic narrative manner of writing. In “The Iliad”, he narrates the last year of the Trojan War where the Mycenaeans invaded Troy. This epic is the premiere written record of a historical happening which was orally transmitted for a considerable period of time. The archaeologists who have done researches at the palace grounds and sites, where the epic heroes of Homer lived, have revealed many sites and artifact which Homer composes in his epics. The aim of this research is to observe how Homer’s composition on the Mycenaean era corresponds to the archaeological findings of the modern day. This study focuses on how the modern archaeological findings at the sites, where Homer’s epics are based on, support the ‘history’ in Homer and his epics. The study provides the reader reliable archaeological findings while taking exact phrases where Homer discusses the same fact in his epics. The discussion is conducted based on selected sections from Homer’s “The Iliad” and relevant readings from history. The arguments would be substantiated by pictures on archaeological findings, which includes the sites, buildings, and many other findings.Item Greek pederasty and Japanese Wakashudō(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gunasekare, C.A.Although the common assumption is that the practice of male homosexuality is either hardly mentioned or was disapproved in history, male homosexuality is widespread in both Western and Eastern history, and manifests repeatedly in human societies. Ancient Greek pederasty is a prototype of male homosexuality in a military based culture. Likewise, male homosexuality based on monastic relations was prevalent in Japan from the Heian period onwards and was later incorporated into the military traditions of the Japanese Samurai as wakashudō. Based on the practice of male homosexuality in the form of pederasty and wakashudō in ancient Greece and Japan respectively, the objective of this study is to examine the origin of male homosexual practices, the manner in which they were practiced, and the social reception of such practices in the ancient world. The main focus of the research is to analyze the similarities and dissimilarities between Greek pederasty and Japanese wakashudō in the context of the relevant culture, society, and historical period. The methodology used in this study is to review and analyze evidence related to male homosexual practices from literary sources and depictions in art.Item Dogmatic constitution on the church - lumen gentiu(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Nonis, P.D.T.Item Declaration on religious freedom - dignitatis humanae(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Fonseka, H.R.N.Item A critical evaluation on the history of the Thewatta national basilica(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Fernando, W.F.R.Item Decree on the up–to–date renewal of religious life - perfectae caritatis(2016) Randeni, R.A.D.S.D.Item Pastoral constitution on the church in the modern world - gaudium et spes(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Silva, S.A.P.P.Item Decree on the mission activity of the church - ad gentes(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) de Silva, S.K.Item Decree concerning the pastoral office of bishops in the church - christus dominus(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Lusena, H.I.N.T.Item Decree on priestly training -optatam totius, decree on the ministry and life of priests -presbyterorum ordinis(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Fernando, W.A.N.Item Decree on the apostolate of the laity - apostolicam actuositatem(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Fernando, W.I.D.Item Dogmatic constitution on divine revelation - dei verbum(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Perera, A.T.M.Item Decree on ecumenism – unitatis redintegratio(Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sewwandi, K.I.