Dumitru Stăniloae: Preot – Teolog – Mărturisitor. Acta Simpozionului Internațional „Dumitru Stăniloae”, ediția a XII-a, Iași, 14–16 mai 2025
Dumitru Stăniloae: Priest – Theologian – Confessor. Proceedings of the 12th Edition of the “Dumitru Stăniloae” International Symposium, Iași, 14–16 May 2025
Contributor(s): Paul-Cezar HÂRLĂOANU (Editor), Emilian-Iustinian ROMAN (Editor), Arhim. Hrisostom Rădășanu (Editor), Cristian-Alexandru Barnea (Editor)
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion, Religion and science , History of Religion
ISSN: 2821-6806
Published by: Editura Doxologia
Keywords: Dumitru Stăniloae; “Dumitru Stăniloae” International Symposium; Orthodox Theology; Romanian Orthodox Theology; Orthodox Spirituality; Priesthood; Deification; Communion
Summary/Abstract: The 12th Edition of the “Dumitru Stăniloae” International Symposium took place in Iași from 14 to 16 May 2025 and was dedicated in a particularly special way to Father Professor Dumitru Stăniloae (1903–1993), in the year of his canonization. Traditionally, this event, which seeks to be both academic and theological, focuses on the thought, work, and personality of the one who has been called the Theologian, and the present volume contains the proceedings of this symposium.
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-630-301-307-7
- Page Count: 549
- Publication Year: 2026
- Language: English, Romanian, Italian
Sublimitatea preoției și îndatoririle preotului
Sublimitatea preoției și îndatoririle preotului
(The Sublimity of the Priesthood and the Duties of the Priest)
- Author(s):Dumitru Stăniloae
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:13-29
- No. of Pages:17
- Keywords:Priesthood; Priestly Ministry; Priestly Vocation; Pastoral Responsibility; Orthodox Theology; Dumitru Stăniloae;
- Summary/Abstract:It is with great fear that I begin to write about the priesthood. For the priesthood is such an exalted ministry and mission that even the mere attempt to describe it seems an undertaking beyond human powers. Yet why should I not confess that this fear of addressing the priesthood is mingled with a profound delight and a great desire to speak of it? And in this very mixture of feelings with which I approach this task, the priesthood already reveals its sublimity. For the sublime is that which fills you with awe and, at the same time, attracts you through its grandeur, its immeasurable and ineffable power. Sublime is the boundless sea; sublime are the lofty mountains, dizzying and precipitous; sublime is the hero in whom commands and powers are at work that nothing can hinder and with which nothing can compare.
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The Play of the Word. Address on the Occasion of Receiving a Doctorate Honoris Causa from “Alexandru Ioan Cuza University”, Iași, Romania
The Play of the Word. Address on the Occasion of Receiving a Doctorate Honoris Causa from “Alexandru Ioan Cuza University”, Iași, Romania
(The Play of the Word. Address on the Occasion of Receiving a Doctorate Honoris Causa from “Alexandru Ioan Cuza University”, Iași, Romania)
- Author(s):John Behr
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:30-42
- No. of Pages:13
- Keywords:Theology; Joy; Playfulness; God–Human Relationship; Gregory the Theologian; Maximus the Confessor;
- Summary/Abstract:It is a great honour that you bestow on me today, and I am thankful to the Faculty of Theology, the Senate, and the University as a whole for this honour: I am deeply touched by this award and consider it a blessing both to be with you these days and now to be counted amongst your esteemed doctors. This is, of course, a solemn but joyful occasion, and I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the joyfulness that should accompany our study of theology, a joy that is found, as Saints Gregory the Theologian and Maximus the Confessor intimate, in the playfulness that characterises the relation between God and the human being and our engagement in the discipline of theology.
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Laudatio
Laudatio
(Laudatio)
- Author(s):Nathanael Neacșu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:43-54
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:John Behr; Doctor Honoris Causa; Orthodox Theology; Patristic Theology; Theological Scholarship; Christian Mission;
- Summary/Abstract:Doctor Honoris Causa is an honorary title conferred by an academic institution upon an individual for outstanding achievements in their field of activity, achievements and contributions considered to have a major impact on society, culture, and science, both in particular and in general. It is an honorary title that acknowledges the authority of scholarly work carried out over time.The distinguished recipient being celebrated today, the Reverend Professor John Behr, fully embodies the qualities described above. Born on 16 October 1966 in Great Britain, John Behr is a renowned theologian, Christian philosopher, phenomenologist, translator, and historian of Christianity, well known both internationally and within Romanian theological circles. His presence among us is due to the substance, importance, and influence of his scholarly, educational, and, above all, Christian missionary and evangelical work in academic, ecclesiastical, and wider human life.
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Deschiderea oficială
Deschiderea oficială
(Official Opening Ceremony)
- Author(s):Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina Teofan, Liviu-George Maha, Paul-Cezar HÂRLĂOANU
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:55-63
- No. of Pages:9
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; International Symposium; Orthodox Theology; Academic Theology; Theological Education;
- Summary/Abstract:Your Eminence, Metropolitan Teofan, Mr. Rector, Your Grace, Reverend Fathers, distinguished guests and participants in the “Dumitru Stăniloae” International Symposium, esteemed members of the academic community of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, dear colleagues, dear students from Iași and Chișinău, distinguished audience, Christ is risen!Although I have greeted you for the second time with “Christ is risen!”, I would like to begin by publicly expressing the emotions I feel at this moment, as we are gathered for a symposium with a long-standing tradition, marking an important occasion in the life of our Faculty of Theology.First of all, allow me to welcome everyone present here in the hall, as well as those joining us online, since I am firmly convinced that both the professors and the students of our Faculty’s branch in Chișinău are also taking part. At the same time, I would like to welcome all the participants in this symposium, whether attending in person or following us online, now or at a later time. We are gathered for the 12th Edition of the “Dumitru Stăniloae” International Symposium, organised, as always, by the “Saint Dumitru Stăniloae” Faculty of Orthodox Theology, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Iași, with the support, of course, of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, our alma mater, and the Iași City Hall.Today, I stand before you in a threefold capacity: as host of this event, as a representative of the Scientific Committee and the Organising Committee, and, at the same time, as moderator of this opening ceremony.
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Dezbaterea publică: Mai este nevoie de teologie astăzi?
Dezbaterea publică: Mai este nevoie de teologie astăzi?
(Public Debate: Is Theology Still Needed Today?)
- Author(s):Bogdan Tătaru-Cazaban, Cătălin-Valentin Raiu, Nicolae Dima
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:64-94
- No. of Pages:31
- Keywords:Theology; Contemporary Society; Theological Mission; Human Transformation; Science and Technology;
- Summary/Abstract:Theology is an experience as sweet as honey. Yet it conveys a message of change. If theology does not bring about change, it remains mere theory, and although this is possible, it is by no means desirable. The message is bitter, because every change is difficult and requires sacrifices, but the theology that conveys it is sweet.The theme of our debate is: “Is Theology Still Needed Today?” The question is intended to be provocative, and it raises many further issues. We could reformulate it as follows: What voices and tones should theology adopt in order to respond to the challenges of the world in which we live? These challenges are of two kinds: internal and circumstantial. Internal challenges are those related to the enduring aspirations of human beings, while circumstantial challenges are those related to technology, scientific knowledge, the course of world events, and the broader context in general.
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Conferința inaugurală I: Father Dumitru Stăniloae Among the Fathers
Conferința inaugurală I: Father Dumitru Stăniloae Among the Fathers
(Inaugural Lecture I: Father Dumitru Stăniloae Among the Fathers)
- Author(s):John Behr
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:95-112
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; Orthodox Theology; Patristic Theology; Philokalia; Church Fathers; Patristic Translations;
- Summary/Abstract:In the renaissance of Orthodox theology in the past century, one of the greatest luminaries was St Dumitru Stăniloae. The extent of his published work far exceeds any other Orthodox theologian of the period, and the range of his engagement was breathtaking. Most important of course was his edition of the Philokalia, not simply a translation of the 1782 Greek edition by St Nikodemus of the Holy Mountain and St Makarios of Corinth, but an extended - 12 volume - edition containing many other texts, such as the complete Questions to Thalassios by St Maximos the Confessor (for only a series of centuries of extracts had been included in the Greek edition) as well as writings from figures not included in the Greek edition at all, such as the Ladder by St John of Sinai, the ‘Questions and Answers’ of Saints Varsanouphios and John, and, significantly, writings of St Isaac the Syrian, one-time bishop of the Church of the East. In addition, Stăniloae also undertook numerous translations of Patristic texts, notably of course St Maximos the Confessor’s Ambigua and his Mystagogia, as well as texts by St Athanasios, St Gregory the Theologian and St Gregory of Nyssa, Dionysius the Areopagite and St Cyril of Alexandria: moreover, these were not, however, simply translations, for they were usually accompanied by lengthy scholarly commentaries.
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Despre credință
Despre credință
(On Faith)
- Author(s):Horia Dumitru IONESCU
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:115-122
- No. of Pages:8
- Keywords:Saint Dumitru Stăniloae; Philokalia; prayer; orthodox mysticism; atheism;
- Summary/Abstract:We are what we believe.The author-theologian Dumitru Horia Ionescu, grandson of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, gives this statement a completely different meaning than the one commonly used in preventive medicine (a disciplined lifestyle in terms of diet, desire for exercise, and respect for fundamental health norms). He started from the existential reality that it is easy for anyone to claim to be a believer, in the religious sense of the term, and emphasised the need to understand the fundamental truth of the statement: faith must be professed. At the same time, professing faith truly, realistically, with one’s entire soul, presupposes a state of mind full of sincerity, responsibility, and hope, that state full of optimism that comes from the saving love of God, which is difficult to attain through unceasing prayer. Revealing his own notes, more than 50 years old, made after short conversations with his grandfather in order to find answers and organise his thoughts, the author recalled the harsh conditions of the communist era, the atheistic, Marxist doctrines instilled in the younger generation by the educational system of the time, and demonstrated—supported by well-known and recognized theologians, doctors, and philosophers quoted in the work—that without God there is nothing, even our own lives would be nothing but nothingness and darkness. Atheism itself cannot exist without God. Without Him, there are no atheists to deny Him. Without God, atheists have no reason to exist. The key words of theology and, implicitly, of faith in God: repentance, perseverance, persistence (without which prayer is nothing but a form without substance) recur and are detailed in the work. His conviction that prayer is a continuous confession — a continuous dialogue with God that comes from the heart, is not formal, is not a daily duty, nor any kind of school exercise — which emerges from the entire work — emphasises the fact that when a person prays, they are no longer alone! Prayer changes people, and people change the world!
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Amintiri vii din viața și activitatea teologică a Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae
Amintiri vii din viața și activitatea teologică a Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae
(Vivid Memories of the Life and Theological Activity of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, Priest and Confessor)
- Author(s):Vasile CRISTESCU
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:123-130
- No. of Pages:8
- Keywords:the grace of the Holy Spirit; synergy; the Holy Father the Confessor; intercession; love; kindness; remembrance;
- Summary/Abstract:Remembering our Fathers who preached the word of God to us is an apostolic teaching and exhortation that we follow in order to express our gratitude and our desire to follow in their faith. By God’s providence, I was chosen by the Holy Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae himself the great Father, Theologian, and Professor to be his disciple for seven years and to rejoice in the gifts of the Holy Spirit that this exceptional Theologian received and put into practice in his theology and life. My memories of the Holy Father and Confessor are vivid and ever-present in my heart, as I rejoice in the kindness and love of his image, now asking him to intercede with Christ the Lord to help and strengthen me in the theological work that lies before me.
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Părintele Dumitru Stăniloae și traducerea Filocaliei grecești – între mărturisire și opresiune
Părintele Dumitru Stăniloae și traducerea Filocaliei grecești – între mărturisire și opresiune
(Father Dumitru Stăniloae and the Translation of the Greek Philokalia – Between Confession and Oppression)
- Author(s):Răzvan Perșa
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:133-152
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; Philokalia; Romanian Orthodoxy; patristic theology; hesychasm; Orthodox mysticism; theological translation; communist persecution; Eastern Christian spirituality;
- Summary/Abstract:This study examines the theological, cultural, and historical significance of Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae’s translation of the Philokalia within the context of twentieth-century Romanian Orthodoxy. It argues that Stăniloae’s work represents not merely a linguistic rendering of Greek patristic texts, but a creative and integrative theological act that reshaped the spiritual language of Romanian Orthodoxy. By adapting complex patristic terminology to Romanian linguistic and cultural sensibilities, he preserved doctrinal precision while making Orthodox mysticism accessible to modern readers. The article analyses the two principal stages of publication (1946–1948 and the 1970s), highlighting both the enthusiastic ecclesiastical reception of the early volumes and the severe disruption caused by the communist regime, including Stăniloae’s arrest in the Rugul Aprins case. Particular attention is given to the later volumes (especially V–VIII), which reflect his mature theological vision and editorial rigor. Despite ideological constraints, Stăniloae succeeded in safeguarding the authenticity of Orthodox thought, integrating Romanian hesychastic traditions into a broader patristic synthesis. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that Stăniloae’s Philokalia constitutes one of the most important achievements of twentieth-century Orthodox theology, revitalizing monastic and theological life in Romania and contributing significantly to the universal reception of Eastern Christian spirituality.
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Dumitru Stăniloae și epoca sa. Câteva aspecte
Dumitru Stăniloae și epoca sa. Câteva aspecte
(Dumitru Stăniloae and His Era: Some Aspects)
- Author(s):Adrian Nicolae Petcu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Theology and Religion, History of Religion
- Page Range:153-159
- No. of Pages:7
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; clergy in politics; Church and political movements;
- Summary/Abstract:Often, from a historical perspective, theologian Dumitru Stăniloae is given an ideological label. Sometimes, only because he wrote a feature article during the period in which he served as editor-in-chief of “Telegraful Român” - the church journal published in Sibiu - through which he tried to reposition the Church in accordance with the new political commands of the time, this great theology professor is accused, with the change of each political regime, of sympathising with or adhering to the most infamous ideology that dominated the 1940s in Romania. And this happens either from a deficit of documentation and accommodation to the more influential historiography of the period in which we live, or from a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of an extremely tumultuous period that Romania experienced before and after WWII. Within the span of a decade, if we only refer to the period 1938-1948, Romania experienced four different political regimes, with totally opposing ideologies, to which the Church was forced to accommodate itself so as not to give up on its mission. Our article aims to analyse how the theologian and publicist Dumitru Stăniloae related to the ideological and, in general, political challenges that occurred, in succession, from the interwar period until the installation of the Soviet-origin regime in Romania.
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Frumusețea Sfântului Dumitru Teologul
Frumusețea Sfântului Dumitru Teologul
(The Beauty of Saint Dumitru the Theologian)
- Author(s):Costion Nicolescu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:160-218
- No. of Pages:59
- Keywords:Beauty; God; Saint Dumitru the Theologian; Maria Stăniloae;
- Summary/Abstract:This text is the loving testimony of a man who, for nearly 15 of the last years of his life, was in close contact with Father Dumitru Stăniloae. His memories of Father Dumitru Stăniloae’s physical and spiritual presence in this world, in our Church, are subsumed to beauty—that beauty which, in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s inspiring words, would save the world. That beauty which Father Dumitru Stăniloae radiated around him along the years of his deification, in his ceaseless becoming into holiness. As if to perfectly illustrate Chekhov’s words (“in a man, everything must be beautiful…” – Uncle Vanya), everything was beautiful about Father Dumitru Stăniloae: his face, his stature, his movements, his speech, his communal expression, even his suffering… And, of course, in an eminent way, his poetic theology. The text also conveys a testimony to the beauty of the Father’s complete union with Presbytera Maria, herself a holy person, for sure.Father Dumitru Stăniloae was one of those beautiful elders that we read about in the Paterikon, with whom, with great humility, our Church has enriched the host of God’s saints throughout the ages. Originally from Vlădenii Făgărașului, an archetypal and beautiful Transylvanian village, Saint Dumitru the Theologian entered the Synaxarion of the Church alongside many generations of Romanian saints, some already canonised by the Church, others still waiting patiently in the hearts of faithful confessors. His theological ascent led to him being called “the greatest Orthodox theologian of the 20th century” (Olivier Clément). The fragrance of the holiness of Father Dumitru Stăniloae is entirely unique, stemming not only from an exemplary Christian life, continually bearing witness, but also from a theological expression of great genius, of the same spiritual height and subtlety as that of the Holy Fathers or that of the most brilliant contemporary theologians. For this reason, the qualifying name that suits him perfectly and should be readily attributed to him would be that of Theologian, as a successor to the other wonderful Theologians of the Church: John, Gregory, Simeon…Two lines by the great poet Ion Barbu seem to capture very well the presence of Father Dumitru Stăniloae in this world: “– Stand as a luminous figure in front of the Lord,/ In thoughts — a nimble flash of future lightning!” (Portrait, from the cycle Secondary Dance). He was our Saint, in all his ways, a luminous figure, and his theological thoughts were, for the future of the Church, nimble flashes of theological genius, brimming with divine grace. From the company of the saints, where he is now at rest, Saint Dumitru the Theologian is continuing his work, pouring out upon us the grace of a Tabor-like theological beauty, drawn directly from divine beauty.
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Sfântul Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae sau despre teologia cea îndumnezeitoare
Sfântul Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae sau despre teologia cea îndumnezeitoare
(Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, the Confessor Priest, or On Deifying Theology)
- Author(s):Ioan C. Teșu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:221-232
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae; theology; Orthodox Spirituality; ascesis; mystics; deification;
- Summary/Abstract:Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, the Confessor, is considered the most important Orthodox theologian of the 20th century. He was called the “Saint of Books” and the “Saint of the Philokalia” due to his translation of this masterful collection of ascetic-mystical writings and his rich theological notes and commentaries, in which he delved deeply into the teachings of the Holy Fathers of Orthodox Spirituality. He is considered a true “gift” and a great “blessing” for Orthodox theology, the complete or integral theologian, in whom scientific knowledge was intertwined, in the highest and most joyful way, with spiritual experience.His monumental work, both in scope and, above all, in value, is characterised by complete fidelity to the unadulterated sources of the Orthodox faith, presented and analysed in a contemporary manner; it is a theology that is comprehensive and open to current moral and spiritual issues and debates.The theology of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, the Confessor, is, at the same time, a theology of love and perfection, a theology in which, through the ascetic effort of renouncing sins and passions and cultivating Christian virtues, culminating in the supreme virtue of love, the ascetic person reaches, through experience, holiness or deification. As it becomes better known, translated, and explored, the rich and profound body of work by this Romanian theologian will demonstrate its importance and relevance, offering deep answers to the existential problems of the contemporary world.
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Mission as Deification in Orthodoxy and the Rebuilding of Plausibility Structures Today. Perspectives from the Theology of Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae for the Mission of the Orthodox Church in the West
Mission as Deification in Orthodoxy and the Rebuilding of Plausibility Structures Today. Perspectives from the Theology of Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae for the Mission of the Orthodox Church in the West
(Mission as Deification in Orthodoxy and the Rebuilding of Plausibility Structures Today. Perspectives from the Theology of Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae for the Mission of the Orthodox Church in the West)
- Author(s):Dragoș HERESCU
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:233-250
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:Deification; Plausibility Structures; Mission; Orthodox Theology; Dumitru Stăniloae; Ecclesiology; Secularisation; Witness;
- Summary/Abstract:This article explores the intersection of Orthodox theology, contemporary mission, and the sociological concept of “plausibility structures”. In the 21st century, the Church faces a significant challenge: the erosion of shared societal constructs that once rendered faith credible and accessible. Drawing on the theological insights of the Saint Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae and the pastoral reflections of Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, this study argues that the mission of the Orthodox Church must transcend institutional, denominational, or “branded” identity. Instead, it must be rooted in a transformative process of deification (theosis).The article posits that the restoration of religious plausibility structures is inseparable from the personal and ecclesial restoration of the human person. True mission is not merely the promotion of an organisation or a static worldview; rather, it is a prophetic, eschatological witness that requires self-reflective ecclesial metanoia. By adopting a critical distance from political power and moving away from institutional self-sufficiency, the Church can reclaim its missiological authority in both society and the lives of individuals.The article demonstrates that mission as deification entails a “Christification” of life that encompasses asceticism, sacrifice, and active engagement with society’s pursuit of justice and communion. Specifically, it examines how these principles can inform the witness of the Orthodox Church in the West, urging diaspora communities - including the Romanian Orthodox presence in the UK - to move beyond ethnic or historical insulation. Ultimately, the article contends that when the Church lives as a genuine, vulnerable, and Christ-centred body, it becomes the most effective plausibility structure, mediating the Kingdom of God and answering humanity’s fundamental questions regarding its purpose and connection to the Divine.
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Pledoarie pentru atenție. Reflecții filocalice contextuale
Pledoarie pentru atenție. Reflecții filocalice contextuale
(A Plea for Attention. Contextual Philokalic Reflections)
- Author(s):Cristian-Alexandru Barnea
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:251-266
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:attention; spiritual vigilance; prayer of the heart; mindfulness;
- Summary/Abstract:The article aims to draw attention to the value of … attention. In recent years, we have heard so many voices talking increasing more about the lack of attention among students—and not just among them. This decline in attention leads to everything from academic failure to a lack of the skills that should foster independence and social integration, as well as a lack of “presence” and concentration—and the consequences do not stop there.In the context of the development of sophisticated and irresistible digital technologies, the impact on attention is becoming increasingly difficult to quantify. It is easier to get swept up in the frenzy of multitasking than to selectively prioritise one’s own future actions in a realistic manner. Finding a balance between the need for attention and the demands of social media remains, for some of us, an elusive goal. On the other hand, the spiritual experience summarized in the Philokalia texts shows how important attention, mindfulness, guarding the mind, and vigilance are in the spiritual ascent. This approach is deepened and enriched by the writings of Saint Isichius of Sinai, Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae, and Father Miron Mihăilescu. Even though they are not mentioned in the proposed title, their thoughts, reflections, and philokalic and pastoral syntheses will provide an opportunity for personal reflection on how attentive we are to Christ, to ourselves, and to others. From general attention to the discernment of thoughts and vigilance, inner conversion is arduous and requires “sweet” ascetic struggles, but also moments of spiritual insight. The path from the senses to the heart passes through the liturgical experience of Eucharistic communion: “Let us stand aright! Let us be attentive, that we may present the Holy Offering in peace!”
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Sf. Pr. Dumitru Stăniloae: Sfințenie în familie, suferință, deschidere ecumenică și activitate intelectuală
Sf. Pr. Dumitru Stăniloae: Sfințenie în familie, suferință, deschidere ecumenică și activitate intelectuală
(Saint Priest Dumitru Stăniloae: Holiness in Family Life, Suffering, Ecumenical Openness, and Intellectual Activity)
- Author(s):Radu BORDEIANU
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:269-276
- No. of Pages:8
- Keywords:Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae; biography; ecumenism; communism; family; intellectualism;
- Summary/Abstract:The twentieth century saw a host of Orthodox theologians who had a dramatic impact on Christian theology in general and Eastern theology in particular. Bulgakov’s creativity, Florovsky’s neo-patristic synthesis, Schmemann’s liturgical restoration, or Zizioulas’s theology of communion are just a few examples that would qualify any of these figures as the greatest theologian of the past century. Where does Father Stăniloae stand among these authors, and what are the reasons for which he can be considered the greatest Orthodox theologian of the 20th century? In addition to the academic arguments that will be briefly addressed in this article, the reasons why Father Stăniloae is venerated as a holy confessor are of great importance.The 20th century saw a host of Orthodox theologians who had a dramatic impact on Christian theology in general. Among the many reasons for this, we will first examine holiness within the family, the raising of children, and the tragedy of losing infants. Second, we will discuss the suffering Father Stăniloae endured in communist prisons, the persecution following his release from prison, and the persistent betrayal by those who should have been close to him. Third, Father Stăniloae’s holiness is evident in his ecumenical openness. It is a tragedy that he has become, in the imagination (and manipulation) of some, a representative of the anti-ecumenical movement, when in fact Father Stăniloae published dozens of articles dedicated to ecumenism and, at various stages of his career, he engaged in ecumenical dialogues with an openness that is hard to imagine in today’s climate. In the fourth—and final—section, we will focus on the importance of study, highly serious intellectual endeavors, creativity, and the responsibility of theology for our times. These elements stand in contrast to the anti-intellectualism that characterizes certain Orthodox circles which proclaim themselves to be traditionalist, but in fact do not represent the Orthodox tradition as embodied by Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae—the greatest theologian of the 20th century.
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From Human to Superhuman and Thence to Metahuman. The Development of Machines, the Spirit of Technology and the Persecution of the Human Body. The New Dialogue Between Theology and Science
From Human to Superhuman and Thence to Metahuman. The Development of Machines, the Spirit of Technology and the Persecution of the Human Body. The New Dialogue Between Theology and Science
(From Human to Superhuman and Thence to Metahuman. The Development of Machines, the Spirit of Technology and the Persecution of the Human Body. The New Dialogue Between Theology and Science)
- Author(s):Chrysostomos Stamoulis
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theology and Religion, Religion and science
- Page Range:277-287
- No. of Pages:11
- Keywords:imagistic society; hybrid reality; suprahumanism; posthumanism; disembodiment; Incarnation; theocentric humanism; eucharistic anthropology;
- Summary/Abstract:The text argues that humanity is being reshaped by digital culture and posthuman ideologies which decrease the value of the embodied person. In this context, the Church must respond by reaffirming the Incarnation of Christ as the foundation of true human identity and meaning.
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Ascetica și mistica Sfântului Dumitru Stăniloae și dumnezeiasca Euharistie
Ascetica și mistica Sfântului Dumitru Stăniloae și dumnezeiasca Euharistie
(The Asceticism and Mysticism of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae and the Divine Eucharist)
- Author(s):Marius Portaru
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:288-298
- No. of Pages:11
- Keywords:St. Dumitru Stăniloae; Orthodox spirituality; Eucharist; purification; illumination; deification;
- Summary/Abstract:This study aims to address the following exegetical challenge: although Saint Dumitru Stăniloae’s ascetic-mystical synthesis, Orthodox Spirituality (1981), was published at a significant distance after the liturgical turn (1969) and the spiritual stage (1974–1979) of his Eucharistic theology, the Eucharist plays no role in the presentations, analyses, and systematization found in Orthodox Spirituality. This paper examines the place and role of the divine Eucharist in Orthodox Spirituality and proposes a series of hypotheses that may explain the absence of the Eucharist’s integration into the theological discourse within the synthesis of asceticism and mysticism.
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Conferința inaugurală II: Stăniloae the Palamite – The Recovery of Palamas’ Hesychast Teaching by Dumitru Stăniloae and Its Role in His Theological Outlook
Conferința inaugurală II: Stăniloae the Palamite – The Recovery of Palamas’ Hesychast Teaching by Dumitru Stăniloae and Its Role in His Theological Outlook
(Inaugural Lecture II: Stăniloae the Palamite – The Recovery of Palamas’ Hesychast Teaching by Dumitru Stăniloae and Its Role in His Theological Outlook)
- Author(s):Norman Russell
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:299-319
- No. of Pages:21
- Keywords:Crainic; Burning Bush; deification; Hesychast Controversy; mystical theology; Palamas; Romanian Philokalia; Stăniloae;
- Summary/Abstract:Dumitru Stăniloae first encountered Palamas at the beginning of his doctoral research. His pioneering study of Palamas was only published in 1938, however, in response to hostile Roman Catholic critiques of Palamism. In this study Stăniloae presents the Hesychast Controversy as an East/West dispute, a judgement he did not modify in the 1993 reissue of the work despite his deepening appreciation of Palamas in later life. The evolution of Stăniloae’s understanding of Palamas as a mystical theologian is best understood through his contacts with Nichifor Crainic, his experience of imprisonment, and most of all his augmented translation of the Romanian Philokalia.
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Luminând adâncurile: notele de subsol ale traducerilor Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae în cadrul colecției Părinți și Scriitori Bisericești
Luminând adâncurile: notele de subsol ale traducerilor Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae în cadrul colecției Părinți și Scriitori Bisericești
(Illuminating the Depths: The Footnotes in the Translations of Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae within the Fathers and Church Writers Collection)
- Author(s):Alexandru Prelipcean
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:323-344
- No. of Pages:22
- Keywords:Saint Dumitru Stăniloae; Fathers and Writers of the Church; patristic studies; Romanian translation; footnotes;
- Summary/Abstract:Starting from the history of the appearance of the Romanian patristic collection Fathers and Church Writers, the present study attempts to emphasise, on the one hand, the contribution of Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae within this collection, and on the other hand, to offer Romanian readers some reading suggestions for the footnotes that the translator introduces within the translated volumes, along with a thematic and onomastic index. We believe that such a study, beyond being a useful working tool regarding the work of Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae, will contribute even more to the understanding and value of footnotes within various works.
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Theognosia, „Forma Bisericii” și „Sobornicitatea deschisă” – teme de referință pentru dezvoltarea teologică în Tradiție. Viziunea Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae
Theognosia, „Forma Bisericii” și „Sobornicitatea deschisă” – teme de referință pentru dezvoltarea teologică în Tradiție. Viziunea Sfântului Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae
(Theognosia, the “Form of the Church”, and “Open Sobornicity” – Key Themes for Theological Development within Tradition. The Vision of Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae)
- Author(s):Nicolae Moșoiu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:345-383
- No. of Pages:39
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; theognosia; Form of the Church; open sobornicity; neo-patristic synthesis; apophatic-cataphatic theology; kenosis; christomorphism; deification (theosis); Orthodox ecumenism; hypostatic union; uncreated light;
- Summary/Abstract:Father Dumitru Stăniloae, one of the most creative and influential Orthodox theologians of the twentieth century, offers a profound neo-patristic synthesis that integrates natural and supernatural revelation, Christocentric anthropology, and ecclesiology within the living Tradition. This study highlights three interconnected reference themes in his theology: theognosia, the “Form of the Church”, and “open sobornicity”.Theognosia is understood as the personal, experiential knowledge of God, rooted in divine condescension and the hypostatic union. It overcomes any rigid separation between apophatic and cataphatic approaches through a noetic, mystical elevation that culminates in the vision of uncreated divine light, while preserving the personal and relational character of divine-human communion.The “Form of the Church” emphasises the visible, kenotic extension of the incarnate and risen Christ into humanity through the Holy Spirit. The Church is the dynamic realisation of salvation, where believers are progressively christomorphised, receiving the “form” of Christ (morphe) via the Holy Mysteries – especially Baptism – and the synergistic work of grace and human virtue, transforming the faithful into living members of His Body.Through the expression “open sobornicity”, Father Dumitru Stăniloae proposes an authentically Orthodox ecumenical ethos: while firmly upholding the Orthodox Church as the “full Church”, it yet remains open to the positive elements and apostolic structures found in other Christian traditions, without relativising its own dogmatic integrity. It rejects both confessional isolation and doctrinal relativism, fostering dialogue, friendship, and mutual enrichment in the spirit of the undivided Tradition, with the ultimate goal of visible unity in the one Church of Christ.These three themes together reveal Father Stăniloae’s coherent vision: the knowledge of God leads to transformation in Christ within the Church, which in turn radiates an open, universal sobornicity grounded in the mystery of the Trinity.
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Sfântul Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae – teologul comuniunii și cunoașterii lui Dumnezeu
Sfântul Preot Mărturisitor Dumitru Stăniloae – teologul comuniunii și cunoașterii lui Dumnezeu
(Saint Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae – The Theologian of Communion and the Knowledge of God)
- Author(s):Ilche Micevski–Ignat
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:387-406
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; communion; knowledge; God; unity;
- Summary/Abstract:Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, the confessor priest and the greatest Orthodox theologian of the 20th century, is a theologian of love and a theologian who, in almost all of his work, insists on the communion between man and Christ God, as well as on the purpose of this communion, which is the knowledge of God. Christ becomes the center of man’s life and the reconciler between man and God, through the communion that is realised between Christ and man seeking truth. The communion between Christ and man becomes a close bond, which reveals the closeness of Christ to man and the ever-increasing tendency of man to unite with the beloved Christ. In this communion, a spiritual and gnoseological intimacy is created, which allows man, through Christ the Lord, to know God to the extent that God reveals Himself to man according to his understanding. Considering these teachings in the theology of the Holy Priest Confessor Dumitru Stăniloae, we believe that they can become a role model for Orthodox Christians of the 21st century.
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A fi sau a nu fi (singur) în lume. Repere ale unei raportări critice a Părintelui Stăniloae la câteva concepte heideggeriene
A fi sau a nu fi (singur) în lume. Repere ale unei raportări critice a Părintelui Stăniloae la câteva concepte heideggeriene
(To Be or Not to Be (Alone) in the World. Key Aspects of Father Stăniloae’s Critical Engagement with Several Heideggerian Concepts)
- Author(s):Cristian Moisuc
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:407-420
- No. of Pages:14
- Keywords:Heidegger; Dasein; worldliness; Gnosticism; loneliness;
- Summary/Abstract:The present text aims to highlight the main lines of Father Stăniloae’s criticism of Heidegger’s theses on Dasein (in Being and Time, paragraphs §26-40) and on the relationship it maintains with others and with the world. We will examine the Heideggerian assumptions on the worldliness of the Dasein to see if the criticism of Father Stăniloae is justified and, if so, how he intends to overturn Heidegger’s theses. The Romanian theologian’s position is similar to that of another philosopher and historian of religion who has also observed and criticized the same characteristics in Heidegger’s existential analysis.
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Transparența – taina creșterii persoanei întru Persoană în viziunea Părintelui Dumitru Stăniloae
Transparența – taina creșterii persoanei întru Persoană în viziunea Părintelui Dumitru Stăniloae
(Transparency – The Mystery of the Person’s Growth into Personhood in the Vision of Father Dumitru Stăniloae)
- Author(s):Georgiana HUIAN
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:423-438
- No. of Pages:16
- Keywords:man; image and likeness; transparency; deification; relationship; communion;
- Summary/Abstract:This paper explores the theological anthropology of Father Dumitru Stăniloae through the lens of the concept of “transparency,” examining its functions in his dogmatic thought as well as in his ascetic and mystical theology. Perfect transparency is found in the Holy Trinity, where it appears as a mode of the perichoresis of the divine Persons. For humanity, transparency appears as an essential potentiality and as the goal of personal becoming in Christ. Darkened by the fall into sin (opacity), human transparency to the Light of God is restored in the Person of Christ; it is given to us through the Holy Eucharist and is perfected in the Kingdom of God. Situated between the rigour of the concept and the ineffability of the mystery, transparency allows for an overlap between the cataphatic and apophatic understanding of the Person. Thus, the ascent toward knowledge and contemplation does not diminish, but rather enhances the Mystery of the Person, the mystery of the other and of the Other. Thus, transparency defines the path of spiritualisation and sanctification of the human being; it entails a Eucharistic and eschatological realisation. The vision of the human person as an inexpressible mystery rooted in the mystery of the Triune Godhead becomes thus the cornerstone of an apophatic anthropology.
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La persona alla scuola della Persona di Cristo: umiltà e comunione
La persona alla scuola della Persona di Cristo: umiltà e comunione
(The Human Person at the School of the Person of Christ: Humility and Communion)
- Author(s):Sabino Chialà
- Language:Italian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:439-449
- No. of Pages:11
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; Christology; Anthropology of Communion; Deification (Theosis); Humility; Philokalia; Isaac of Nineveh; Tenderness;
- Summary/Abstract:Il presente contributo analizza lo snodo fondamentale tra cristologia e antropologia nel pensiero del teologo romeno Dumitru Stăniloae. Partendo dalle radici filocaliche della sua riflessione, profondamente influenzata da figure quali Isacco di Ninive, Massimo il Confessore e Gregorio Palamas, lo studio illustra come per Stăniloae la “Persona di Cristo” sia il modello e il fondamento della piena umanizzazione dell’essere. L’autore articola l’analisi lungo due direttrici principali: l’umanità come umiltà e la persona come comunione. Viene evidenziato come la divinizzazione non sia un superamento dell’umano, ma il suo compimento attraverso l’assimilazione a Cristo, l’umile per eccellenza. Infine, il testo esplora la dimensione relazionale e cosmica dell’antropologia di Stăniloae, in cui la santità si manifesta come trasparenza di Dio e capacità di comunione universale, offrendo spunti preziosi per affrontare l’attuale crisi antropologica.
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Are o etică Dumitru Stăniloae? Schița unui răspuns social-teologic
Are o etică Dumitru Stăniloae? Schița unui răspuns social-teologic
(Does Dumitru Stăniloae Have an Ethics? An Outline of a Social-Theological Response)
- Author(s):Andreea Cosmina PREDA, Radu PREDA
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:450-491
- No. of Pages:42
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; Orthodox social ethics; person; communion; Philokalia; Gregory Palamas; communism; post-communism; discernment;
- Summary/Abstract:This study starts from the question of whether and in what sense a form of social ethics can be identified in the theology of Saint Priest Confessor Stăniloae. Starting from the modern difficulties of Orthodox theological language and the relationship between dogma, doxology, and orthopraxy, the analysis focuses on three periods in the saint’s life: interwar journalism, where his theological discourse is vulnerable to contamination by the nationalist and purifying imagery of the era; the communist period, in which the Philokalia, Palamite theology, Christian personalism, communion, creation, and God’s love become the premises of his ethics of patience and inner resilience; and the post-communist era, when freedom requires moral discernment, not merely institutional change. Without transforming Stăniloae’s work into an absent treatise on social ethics, our study aims to read it as an internal grammar of responsibility: the person against massification, communion against collectivism, love against fear, creation as a gift against the reduction of the world to a resource, and freedom as truth against freedom as mere liberation.
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Trepte și conținuturi în viața spirituală la Sfântul Părinte Dumitru Stăniloae. Surse, argumentare și interpretare
Trepte și conținuturi în viața spirituală la Sfântul Părinte Dumitru Stăniloae. Surse, argumentare și interpretare
(Stages and Contents of Spiritual Life According to Saint Dumitru Stăniloae. Sources, Argumentation and Interpretation)
- Author(s):Preasfințitul BENEDICT
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:495-511
- No. of Pages:17
- Keywords:spiritual stages; growth; purification; illumination; unification; ascetic life; Mystics;
- Summary/Abstract:The Holy Father Dumitru Stăniloae is well-known as a dogmatist, but also as a specialist in ascetic and mystical theology. His book “Ascetical and Mystical Theology” has remained a paradigmatic textbook in academic theological education. His perspective on spiritual life gives authenticity to his entire theology, especially along two coordinates - the holiness of life, as the peak and finality of spiritual life, expressing in the highest terms the anthropological profile of humans in their Christian version and indicating maximum standards with reference to growth and development; and, secondly, the character of authenticity is also given by the awareness of continuity at the level of faith, as well as at the level of experience within the framework of the unchanged Church. Holiness remains a constant element, as well as a present, dynamic, active, and equally attractive proof of the orthodoxy of our faith. The present research aims at a succinct analysis of Fr. Stăniloae’s vision on spiritual life in terms of sources, especially patristic ones, of the argumentation of these sources and research tools, all in a proper development of a practical theology in terms of interpretation. We are interested in the concept of growth, the stages of this process and its content. The entire approach goes along with a practical perspective, in the sense of the connection between academic theology and spiritual life in the Church.
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Părintele Dumitru Stăniloae și filosofia
Părintele Dumitru Stăniloae și filosofia
(Father Dumitru Stăniloae and Philosophy)
- Author(s):Florin Crîșmăreanu
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:512-522
- No. of Pages:11
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; theology; philosophy; patristic tradition; hermeneutics;
- Summary/Abstract:This study investigates the complex relationship between the theology of Father Dumitru Stăniloae and philosophy. The analysis highlights, on the one hand, the theologian’s critical attitudes toward philosophy, and, on the other hand, a more nuanced position in which philosophy is not entirely rejected by Stăniloae, but rather delimited by the truth of revelation. The article also examines the tensions between philosophical metaphysics and Trinitarian theology, as well as the use of a philosophical conceptual framework within theological discourse. Although Dumitru Stăniloae criticises autonomous philosophical systems, he nevertheless makes frequent use of philosophical instruments in the development of his own thought.
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Concluziile simpozionului
Concluziile simpozionului
(Symposium Conclusions)
- Author(s):Paul-Cezar HÂRLĂOANU, Dumitru Horia IONESCU
- Language:Romanian
- Subject(s):Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
- Page Range:523-528
- No. of Pages:6
- Keywords:Dumitru Stăniloae; Orthodox Theology; International Symposium; Theological Dialogue; Theological Research; Academic Cooperation;
- Summary/Abstract:Beyond all these aspects, this year’s edition aimed to bring Saint Dumitru Stăniloae closer to priests, theology students, people of letters, and those engaged in culture or philosophy. We wanted to bring him closer to the heart and mind of each of us. You know, when we proposed this theme, we thought that we should always feel his presence close to us. I do not know whether or not we succeeded in achieving this. In any case, listening to everything that took place, I reflected on several conclusions that could begin with the very opening of the symposium, with that roundtable discussion, that debate which began, as you may remember, with the question of whether theology is still needed today.
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