Unity and Fellowship of Christians from a Pentecostal Perspective

Jedinstvo i zajedništvo kršćana iz pentekostne perspektive

Author(s): Stanko Jambrek / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

Beginning with the historical development and the specification of the Pentecostal-Charismatic Movement, the first part of this article deals with the applied biblical ecclesiology of independent churches. Then it explains the role of the Holy Spirit in realizing and maintaining the unity of Christians. The unity of Christians does not require or assume uniformity of practice nor complete unanimity of teaching. Pentecostal churches excel in the various ways of worship and organizational structures, even in variety of teachings. The challenge for Christians today is living in unity without demanding that the worship, structure and the theology of the churches be more uniform than those of the New Testament churches. Jesus Christ lives within Christians through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, and Christians live in fellowship with one another by the Holy Spirit. While realizing God’s will, the Holy Spirit creates different fellowships with Christ’s disciples, binds them with one another and as a church. Most Pentecostals in Croatia do not support the ecumenical movement because they consider it to be founded not on biblical, but rather, on humanistic principles. They do believe in the spiritual unity of Christians and support fellowship with all the biblically founded churches and communities.

Christian Unity and Fellowship in Light of the Ecumenical Movement

Jedinstvo i zajedništvo kršćana u svjetlu ekumenskog pokreta

Author(s): Danijel Berković / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

In the beginning of this text author wishes to reflect on the questions of Christian unity and fellowship from the perspectives of biblical texts. From the contemporary context we also face questions of definition and understanding of ecumenism and Ecumenical Movement. There are also those non-theological questions of gender, social class or sexual orientation, which inevitably influence or burden questions of Christian unity and fellowship. In the latter part, the author points to those questions which may be building our Christian unity or work against it. Finally, author uses an imagery of a bird which uses two wings to be able to fly. So is the Church in need of two wings, one institutional and the other the wing of the Spirit. The two wings working in unison, can make the Church ‘fly’ over and beyond all its divisions.

Unity as a Prerequisite for a Christian Mission: A Missional Reading of Rom 15:1-12

Jedinstvo kao preduvjet kršćanskog poslanja: misiološko čitanje Rim 15,1-12

Author(s): Ksenija Magda / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

This article seeks to show that it is ecclesiologically useful to read Romans primarily as a mission-strategic document. The understanding of Paul’s global mission helps us recognise how, in the paraenesis of the epistle, Paul’s call to unity connects to the pastoral problem of ethnic division among Roman Christians. Unity, it seems, is understood by Paul to be the prerequisite for the success of his world mission. This kind of unity could be equally as important for the Christian witness in a postmodern global village.

Roman Catholic Understanding of Christian Unity and Fellowship

Katoličko razumijevanje jedinstva i zajedništva kršćana

Author(s): Jure Zečević / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

The catholic doctrine says that the basic unity among Churches already exists, but there are also cuts in the unity, cuts, bruises, swales and wounds, that distort the wholeness and completeness of that unity. Instead of talking about schism, divided brothers and the absence of unity, it is more appropriate to to talk about the state of incomplete and/or imperfect unity. Since the thing connecting Christians is bigger than that which divides them, it not only more appropriate, but it is also more correct to describe other Christians and name them by that which is bigger (unity), than that which is smaller (separation) and that has to be put to practice on all levels. Ecumenism as an effort to achieve full or satisfactory unity and fellowship is not about establishing a now completely non existent unity, it is about the already and still existing unity: 1. being lived and implemented through proper degrees of interchristian fellowship and 2. being completed, perfected to the point where a fellowship of altar (Eucharistia and communion) and pulpit (preaching) is possible and visible. Christianity is either ecumenic or it isn’t Christianity. The Church of Christ is either “una sancta”, “one holy” or it is in serious violation of the will of Christ expressed in the Holy Scripture. Unity exists – it has to be recognized. Unity is not complete – it has to be completed.

Christian Unity in Stone-Campbell Movement

Kršćansko jedinstvo u pokretu Stone-Campbell

Author(s): Douglas A. Foster / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

Author offers review of the backgrounds to Stone-Campbell concepts of Christian unity, insides on the early unity impulse in the Stone-Campbell Movement, as well as the development of the idea of unity in the Post-Bellum Period. A valuable explanation is offered on the twentiethcentury understandings of unity in the Three Streams, and on the efforts at internal unity in the Stone-Campbell Movement.

The Kingdom of God and Christian Unity and Fellowship: Romans 14:17 in Context

Kraljevstvo Božje i kršćansko jedinstvo i zajedništvo: Rimljanima 14,17 u kontekstu

Author(s): Corneliu Constantineanu / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 1/2008

Beginning with a reminder of the centrality of the concept of the Kingdom of God for Jesus’ ministry and teaching and for the early church, the presentation attempts to show that, despite some contrary voices, the notion of the Kingdom of God is still a very useful and significant category for the present Christian ethical reflection in general, and for Christian unity and fellowship in particular. Being given such a specific and limited purpose for the presentation, after some brief but necessary clarifications about the meaning of the Kingdom of God (sovereignty/ reign/ realm – present/future – inward/external – transcendent/immanent), the article offers an exploration of several ways in which the concept of the Kingdom of God is significant for Christian unity and fellowship, from a New Testament/Pauline perspective.

Being Children

Biti djeca

Author(s): Vojislav Pejović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Pedagogy and Responsibility: Notes on Literature Education

Pedagogija i odgovornost: razmišljanja o nastavi književnosti

Author(s): Ana Kolarić / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Not Only For The Market: Towards A Social Consensus On Key Competencies Of The Next Generation Of Citizens

Ne samo za tržište: ka društvenom konsenzusu o ključnim kompetencijama sledeće generacije građana

Author(s): Aleksandar Baucal / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

In the first part of the presentation I will examine the role of economics in governing future education development. I will argue that this question has often been simplified, which creates the impression that there is an unresolvable conflict between, on the one side, those who claim that the future generation competencies are undoubtedly matter of economics and, because of that, economic aspects must be considered while governing the education in Serbia (frequently asked questions, ”who will pay for that“, ”how will that be financed“, ”what is the rational between the investment and the outcome“, etc.), and, on the other, those who claim that education is public good and as such cannot be regulated based on economic parameters and ”invisible hand“ of the market. In conclusion of the first part I will argue that whilst education as public good cannot be regulated solely by the question ”how can education cost us less“, governing the education as public good should involve economic dimension as well. In the second part of the presentation I will argue that further development of education in Serbia requires social consensuson the following question: what are the key competencies that next generation of citizens should develop in order to simultaneously pursue their own interests and contribute to the society development when they take part in the life of a society? As one’s life in a society cannot be boiled down to economic life, similarly, the list of key competencies cannot come down only to those which enable individual to participate in economic life and overcome its challenges. As an example of the tendency to reach social consensus on key competencies I will present OECD project DeSeCo (Defining and Selection of Key Competencies). In the conclusion, I will argue that similar project should be conducted in Serbia.

Education After A Moral Fall: In Defense Of The Context-Specific Perfectionism

Obrazovanje nakon moralnog pada: kontekstualna odbrana perfekcionizma

Author(s): Nenad Dimitrijević / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

The presentation will focus on the question of the right educational policies after the mass atrocities committed in the name of the nation. The point of departure is the assumption that in the transition from the criminal re-gime to democracy the state is duty-bound to pursue the politics of truth. Applied to the field of education, the assumption reads that students should be taught the truth about recent crimes; this truth should be presented as the binding distinction between right and wrong. The core educational message would be simple: the crimes were wrong and no interpretation aimed at their justifi-cation should ever be allowed. Such a perfectionist value orientation, however, seems to be at odds with the basic liberal tenets of individual autonomy, moral pluralism, and the state neutrality. Still, it will be argued that the context-specific liberal perfectionism is both possible and necessary.

Civic Education In A Democracy: A Policy In The Public Interest

Građansko obrazovanje u demokratiji

Author(s): Patricia White / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Things as different as public parks and a national defence system are often claimed to be in the public interest. What is it for a policy to be in the public interest? Can experts determine such policies? Is the provision of a civic education in the public interest? This presentation argues that it is.But what form should that civic education take? To help determine such an education it is useful to think about what is involved in being a democratic citizen. Knowledge of the political system and of the values – for instance, justice, freedom and the rule of law – underpinning it are involved. Other kinds of knowledge too are needed; potential examples are countless – knowledge of economics, financial systems, statistics, science and more. The citizen also requires a range of political skills to participate in the political system, from simple things like voting procedures to knowing how to make one’s voice heard in the political arena. But, most important, the citizen needs a range of specifically democratic dispositions. These include a sense of fairness, tolerance, hope, confidence, trust, honesty, decency and, perhaps on occasion, courage. But what are dispositions and how can they be fostered? The presentation argues that public educational institutions have a crucial role to play and from the earliest years.But can there be a onesizefitsall civic education? Democracy, after all can take different forms, maximal and minimal: citizens may, legitimately perhaps, be more or less active. Democracies also have very different histories and have to grapple with very different problems. Can anything useful be said then in general about civic education? I will argue that it can.

Right To Education

Pravo na obrazovanje

Author(s): Jadranka Jelinčić / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Annotations On Women At University Positions Today

Razmišljanja o poziciji žena na univerzitetu danas

Author(s): Rima D. Apple / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

On Stories And Knowledge

O pričama i znanjima

Author(s): Aleksandar Baucal / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Humanities And “Public Interest”

Humanistika i “javni interes”

Author(s): Predrag Brebanović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Positioned within the field which is delineated by tradi-tional humanities, on the one side, and contemporary crit-icisms of Bologna educational reform, on the other, this paper aims to indicate social significance of studying and teaching literature today. The following question is used as a starting point for analysis: did ”culture wars“, which significantly influenced our understanding of art and art production in the last decades, indeed prove the necessity of overcoming all those literary-educational models that are often connected, sometimes having a negative con-notation, to the adjective “humanist”?The concept of humanities explored in this paper was defined by the Chicago school (R. McKeon, R. S. Crane) in the mid-twentieth-century; slightly modified, it was advocated among Yugoslav scholars by literary theorist and historian Svetozar Petrović. Instead of identifying hu-manities with specific objectsof analysis, or abstract aimsof analysis, identifying should be made with methodsof analysis and interpretation, which are used in the encoun-ter with ”unusually excellent“ works and achievements.However, one might ask whether such an understanding of humanities can put an end to all misunderstandings and contradictions inherent to the study of literature? In order to answer the question, roles of teacher,researcher,and criticare examined, relying on Crane’s and Petrović’s points of view. It is then emphasized that those three functions must be integrated in the process of education. In conclusion, concrete public interest is recognized not only in stopping negative university trends and tenden-cies, but also in enriching existing institutional frame-works with specific type of ”charismatic“ pedagogy.

One Step At A Time

Korak po korak

Author(s): Vojislav Pejović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Overview Of The Educational Situation In Serbia: Between Past And Future

Obrazovanje u Srbiji: između poznate prošlosti i nepoznate budućnosti

Author(s): Tünde Kovacs-Cerović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

This presentation aims to provide a rich contextual back-ground for the subsequent discussions. It gives a sketchy account of education policy making in Serbia from the perspective of the last 20 years of its development. Four discrete phases of this development will be described: 1) the nineties, with a special focus on civic activism and the development of a vibrant NGO community, 2) the begin-nings of reforms 2000-2004, characterized by post-war enthusiasm and the wish for “catching up with the world”, 3) the 2004-2008 period of conservativism in education and 4) the 2008-2012 social inclusion period. The case study of introducing inclusive education will be also presented, to il-lustrate the variety of barriers, views of diverse stakeholders and the interplay between national, local and school policy.

Text, Context, Story

Tekst, kontekst, priča

Author(s): Vojislav Pejović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Nationalism In Literature Textbooks In Bosnia And Herzegovina

Nacionalizam u obrazovanju, na primjeru dejtonske Bosne i Hercegovine

Author(s): Nenad Veličković / Language(s): Bosnian / Issue: 83.29/2013

This paper first briefly describes educational system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In theory, this system consists of twelve distinct administrations, which have equal rights.In reality, there are only three administrative bodies, which are under the rule of three nationalisms (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian). These nationalisms, which determine aims and purposes of education, cause discrimination, endanger child rights, and disregard publicly promoted European values. I will identify legal regulations which legitimize such discriminatory and oppressive practices within the field of education and thus take care about national(ist) interests rather than human rights in general and child rights in particular. Second part of the paper examines how nationalism affects school subjects, in particular literary curriculum. I will argue that literature has a privileged place among school subjects, mainly because of its specific way of thinking about moral values. (Storytelling, reader’s imagination and empathy are central to literature, which makes literary study more adequate for moral and ethical formation of children than history, geography, religion and other nonnational subjects.) To support my argument, I will present results of the research done on literature textbooks which are used in higher grades in elementary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Not only this research recognized the relationship between ideology and literature, it also explored different types of that relationship. In conclusion, I will present alternative solutions for creation of literature textbooks, regarding their contents as well as critical interpretations.

Does Serbian History Curriculum Prepare Pupils And Students For War?

Nastava istorije kao predvojnička obuka

Author(s): Dubravka Stojanović / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 83.29/2013

Serbian history curriculum and lessons have more in common with military prep schools than with academic discipline that should foster critical and analytical thinking. Teaching history boils down to mere memorization of facts, reinforcing the authoritarian model of education: teachers and textbooks offer “the truth” that ought to be taken for granted. Textbooks are often apodictic, because they aim to represent their contents as unquestionable facts and interpretations. Even the most controversial events from the past come down to simple sentences leaving no room for questioning (for example, ”The first Balkan war was liberation war. The second Balkan war was unjust.“). Content analysis shows that history textbooks are based on the warrior morality and ethics: to sacrifice life for one’s homeland is the greatest achievement, whereas being passive and inactive is considered to be an ideal form of political behavior. Frequent quotes from epic poetry are used to maintain and reinforce the way of thinking specific to the nineteenth century; these quotes serve to emphasize aims and wishes of the collective instead of individual. History curriculum and lessons provide space for producing and spreading authoritarian way of thinking, ethnonationalism, xenophobia, and picture of the past in which “we” are represented as victims of all neighboring countries and powerful nations.