PROFILUL UNUI CARTURAR ILUMINIST: DIMITRIE VAIDA
PROFILE OF A SCHOLAR OF THE ENLIGHTEMENT: DIMITRIE VAIDA

Summary/Abstract: Dimitrie Vaida (1760-1818) was one of the first Romanian scholars preoccupied with the issue of interpreting the Scripture, next to Samuil Micu and Teodor Pop. His interest for this subject is explained by the activity as teacher at the Greek-Catholic Theological Seminary fromBlaj and as tutor of aspirants to priestly dignity. This text focuses on the analysis of the significations of his first work (from 1809), previous to the involvement within the polemics with Petru Maior, as supporter of bishop Ioan Bob. We refer to Învatatura povatuitoare spre cunostinta Sfintei Scripturi, a translation after creation of Fleming Jansenist theologian Joannes Opstraet, De locis theologicis dissertationes decem […], existent both in the library of „Holy Trinity” monastery from Blaj, and personal libraries of clerics Stefan Salciai and Alexandru Fiscuti. From the work of Opstraet, Dimitrie Vaida translated selectively theses referring to Holy Scriptures, Tradition, Church, Fathers of the Church and ecumenical synods. The selection aimed at omission of eminent theological issues, that weren’t indispensable to priests or those who prepared to become priests; on the other side, avoidance of more problematic issues and the other theses (related to authority of Roman pontifs, history, scholastic theology, philosophy and natural reason) resulted in offering a more Orthodox view, from doctrinal point of view, than that characteristic of Opstraet. Translation of Dimitrie Vaida is comparable with another contemporaneous traslation from the creation of Opstraet (printed in Blaj in 1811), known as Tractat despre locurile theologhicesti; differences between versions prove the fact that they were made by different translators. Importance of work Învatatura povatuitoare spre cunostinta Sfintei Scripturi, which remained in manuscript, is conferred mainly by its character of textbook; it rendered rules of lecturing and interpreting the biblical text and fundamental doctrinal notions related to the Holy Script, Tradition and Church, together with their mirroring in the writtings of the Fathers of the Church and canons of the ecumenical synods; last but not least, it is important by ample reproductions from the work of Saint Augustine, De Doctrina Christiana, referring to the exegesis of the Scripture and requests of Christian life.

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