Historical outline of just war theory and its fundamental assumptions in medieval and late renaissance thought (St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas Aquinas, Francis Suárez, St. Robert Bellarmine)

Author(s): Robert Goczał / Language(s): English Issue: 27/2022

The paper examines how the just war theory (bellum iustum) emerged from traditional concepts in Cicero and Aristotle, but developed significantly in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Just war theory borders on ethics, political and social philosophy, and theology. It was studied by Christian philosophers of medieval provenance, politicians, military commanders and lawyers. The basic premise of this doctrine is that war can be justified in moral terms. While human morality recognizes war to be a terrible experience, the just war tradition holds that it may be considered as a reasonable denouement. It can lead to the lessening of greater evils and the prevention of greater cruelty or violence threatening people and states.

Vplyv svätováclavských legiend na hagiografické texty o svätých Borisovi a Glebovi

Author(s): Angelus Štefan Kuruc / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2024

The Borisogleb and St. Wenceslas cults form the basis of ancient cultural and literary ties between the Czech lands and Kievan Rus. The work solves the question of how far texts of Czech prove-nance were used in the creation of hagiographic texts about the Kiev sufferers, not only as an ideological model for the justification of the cult, but also as a source of specific topos (common place), adopted in the creation of hagiographic texts. As a result of the comparison of Czech legends about St. Václav with the Narrative about Boris and Gleb is acquaintance that the author (or authors) of the Narrative knew the texts about St. Václav and used them as a template not only for the narrative plan of the story, but also by taking over specific images and sometimes whole passages, but reworked them to the realities of the place and time of the Kiev saints.

За e-библиотека ORTHODOXY на Студентското научно общество при Университета по библиотекознание и информационни технологии. Кратката историческа енциклопедия на Милен Куманов „Православието в България“ – OPUS ARDUUS като част от трикнижие

Author(s): Alexandra Kumanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

Reference-encyclopedic edition by Prof. Milen Kumanov Orthodoxy in Bulgaria: Concise Historical Encyclopedia (Kumanov, Milen. Pravoslavieto v Balgaria: Kratka istoricheska entsiklopedia. Sofia, 2023) – panorama and basis of the e-library ORTHODOXY are presented in the cadastral tree of 31 e-libraries of the Student Scientific Society at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT) and its Research Center for Promotion of the Student Academic Activity in 2023. The last 221st reference-encyclopedic edition by M. Kumanov Orthodoxy in Bulgaria: Concise Historical Encyclopedia is taken as a model for the structuring of an encyclopedic hypertext which furthers to present and develop theoretically the fundamentals of the encyclopedica as a cognitive reference-information picture of the universal encyclopedic motion of the universe in the systemologic polyphonic unity and diversity of 84 encyclopedias in 1523 typographic units of different editions, written in 16 languages – the manual Encyclopedica (Kumanova, Alexandra. Encyclopedica. Sofia, 2023).Two books (Orthodoxy in Bulgaria: Concise Historical Encyclopedia and Encyclopedica) have been published in one edition – as a part of the diptych in information modeling of hypertext: Book I. Manual in Structuring of Encyclopedia. The other book of the diptych is the edition: Kumanova, Alexandra, Nikola Kazanski. Bulgarica: Academician Nikola Mihov. Sofia, 2023, which is Book II. Manual in Structuring of Bulgarica.The triptych (1. Orthodoxy in Bulgaria: Concise Historical Encyclopedia and Encyclopedica by M. Kumanov; 2. Encyclopedica by A. Kumanova; 3. Bulgarica: Academician Nikola Mihov by A. Kumanova and N. Kazanski) is published in two typographic monographs – ХХХІІІ (Book 1. and 2.) and ХХХІV (Book 3.) in the series Torchbearers of the Academic publisher of ULSIT Za bukvite – O pismeneh.The presented hypertextual encyclopedic production was realized in the framework of the project World topoi of the informatization in Bulgaria: Encyclopedica – Bulgarica (Generating of reference-bibliographic training information resources of the Research Center for Promotion of the Student Academic Activity at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies) – according to Contract № НИП-2023-01 of 16.02.2023 by the Regulation of the Ministry of Education and Science with manager A. Kumanova.

Mickiewicz poetą mściwym czy nauczającym przebaczenia? W poszukiwaniu „trzeciej drogi” przekładu interkulturowego na przykładzie "Zdań i uwag" Adama Mickiewicza

Author(s): Tingting Zhang / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2024

The literature of Polish Romanticism, which Marta Piwińska called “a Renaissance of Christianity”, from the beginning of its presence in China has had a contrastingly different reception from that of Polish readers. This article offers a reading of Adam Mickiewicz’s "Zdania i uwagi. Z dzieł Jakuba Bema, Anioła Ślązaka (Angelus Silesus) i Sę-Martena" ["Sentences and Remarks. From the Works of Jakob Böhme, Angelus Silesius and Saint-Martin"], conducted so as to open up a space for reflection on a set of questions that are crucial to cross-cultural studies: Will cultural differences always impede intercultural translations and, by the same token, the reception of works originating from one tradition by readers from another? Is it possible to find a platform that would allow for a dialogue between an author rooted – often in a dialogical way – in the Christian Romantic tradition on the one hand and a reader brought up in the Confucian culture on the other? The aim of this article is to propose an answer to these questions.

Holy Mothers in Pain: Childbearing and Breastfeeding in Byzantine Martyrdom Narratives

Author(s): Christodoulos Papavarnavas / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2023

The goal of this article is to study the nexus between motherhood and martyrdom through a close reading of two early and middle Byzantine narratives whose protagonists are mothers and martyrs: the Passion of Perpetua and Felicity (BHG 1482, translated from the Latin original), and the Passion of Pistis, Elpis, Agape, and their mother Sophia in its pre-Metaphrastic and Metaphrastic versions (BHG 1637z and 1638). A literary-critical approach to these martyr narratives will show two seemingly opposed perceptions of motherhood: being a mother as a serious obstacle to martyrdom and sainthood, and being a mother as a prerequisite for achieving holiness. In both cases, the separation of the mother from her child proves to be a sign of spirituality. Overall, the investigation of these examples from Greek Passions contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the concept of motherhood in a Christian religious and literary context.

Pozitivní reprezentace muslimů v Kastilii 13. století

Author(s): David De Pablo / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2024

The representations of Muslims in medieval Castile have generally been interpreted under a pejorative connotation, in which Christians identified the other as inferior or as negative (bad, sinful, etc.). However, in this particular case, the 13th-century sources show that, although less frequent, there were also positive representations of the Muslims who inhabited the Iberian Peninsula. This article delves into the creation, purpose, and temporal aspects of representations. It explores the positive applications of these representations and, most importantly, examines how they are articulated within the broader representational framework of the "other." This analysis contributes to theoretical discussions on otherness, specifically addressing whether the manifestation of the other to the self leads to a potential loss of their alterity.

Hebrajskie jednostki objętości/pojemności w Słowniku słowiańsko-polskim Józefa Lewickiego z 1830 roku

Author(s): Maria Bugajska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2023

In creating his dictionary, Lewicki relied on earlier lexicons of the Church Slavonic language. He also introduced new dictionary entries, including Hebrew volume/capacity units (ephah, hin, kab, kor, choenix). These units are found in the Bible. Lewicki, however, decided to use the conversion of units from the Talmud – the volume was converted into the number of chicken eggs. It is not clear why he chose such a conversion. Perhaps he considered it the most stable and unambiguous over the centuries.

Analýza apoštolského listu pápeža Františka Desiderio desideravi o liturgickej formácii Božieho ľudu, 1. časť (Desid. des. 1 – 29)

Author(s): Róbert Horka / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 2/2023

Since Pope Francis’ document on the liturgical formation of the People of God, entitled Desiderio desideravi, has caused quite a turbulent controversy in Slovakia, we have decided to analyze its message at least in its basic outlines, in order to show how firmly this apostolic letter is rooted in the tradition of the Catholic Church and how carefully and in depth the Holy Father discusses and explains the core of each liturgical celebration, especially the Holy Mass. Our intention is to compare, point by point, the text of this document with the biblical, patristic and doctrinal tradition of the Church, and to show that even in it, as always, Pope carefully draws the most important and necessary points of Catholic doctrine in order to refer and explain it and thus help the contemporary faithful to renew their faith through liturgical celebration.

Problem kary śmierci w doktrynie Kościoła katolickiego. Kilka uwag na marginesie bieżącej dyskusji

Author(s): Andrzej Szostek Mic / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2024

Autor swym artykułem wpisuje się w dyskusję na temat stosunku Kościoła katolickiego do kary śmierci. Temat ten stał się szczególnie aktualny po tym, jak papież Franciszek zaostrzył negatywny stosunek swój? Kościoła? do kary śmierci, opowiadając się za radykalnym abolicjonizmem. Na wstępie autor przypomina różne funkcje kary (retrybutywną, korekcyjną, prewencyjną) oraz stanowiska wobec kary śmierci (retencjonizm i abolicjonizm w ich skrajnej i umiarkowanej postaci). W części pierwszej artykułu krótko charakteryzuje poglądy na temat kary śmierci, jakie odnaleźć można na kartach Biblii, a następnie w historii Kościoła aż do pontyfikatu św. Jana Pawła II. Stosunek ten mieści się w granicach umiarkowanego retrybucjonizmu, choć podkreślić należy doniosłość biblijnego nakazu poszanowania życia każdego człowieka oraz znaczenie miłosierdzia. W części drugiej autor przywołuje nauczanie Jana Pawła II oraz dokonaną przez niego korektę Katechizmu Kościoła Katolickiego w kierunku znacznego ograniczenia dozwolonego stosowania kary śmierci. Tę tendencję papież Franciszek zradykalizował, opowiadając się za skrajnym abolicjonizmem. W części trzeciej autor odnosi się do pytania, czy stanowisko takie nie narusza stałości społecznego nauczania Kościoła, i opowiada się za tezą, że jest to raczej dopuszczalny rozwój tego nauczania, a nie jego radykalna zmiana.

About the Religious Marriage. From the Marriage by Confarreatio to the Marriage as Sacrament (μυστήριον/sacramentum)

Author(s): Nicolae V. Dură / Language(s): English Issue: 11/2023

The marriage, one of the ancient institutions of mankind, was initially regulated by divine law (both natural and positive), hence its religious character, that also can be found in the Roman marriage known as the confarreatio marriage. According to the provisions of the ius civile, a man and a woman enter into a marriage through a contract. But, by an imperial constitution promulgated by the Emperor Justinian, only the civil marriage contracted by a written contract in a Church is a iustas nuptias (‘legal marriage’) (cf. Novel 74). The marriage as institution — provided by ius civile — has evolved into the sacramental act of marriage when it was raised to the rank of a Holy Sacrament of the Church by our Savior, Jesus Christ, at Cana of Galilee (cf. John 2:1—11). And, from apostolic age, the Holy Sacrament (Mistyrion) of Marriage has been accompanied by the administration and reception of the Holy Eucharist by the groom and the bride, that is, by the man and the woman. And, this sacramental act of marriage was regulated by church law, that is the canon law of the Eastern and Western Churches (cf. can. 3 Trullan Council). From the year 893 the subjects of the Byzantine emperor had to receive the Sacrament of Marriage after they were contracted the civil marriage (cf. Novel 89 of Emperor Leo the Wise). Only in this way a marriage could be bearer of legal effects.

Matrimonia mixta — Doctrine, Law, and Spirituality. Reality and Challenges

Author(s): Przemysław Sawa / Language(s): English Issue: 11/2023

The fact that spouses profess different faiths is a major challenge for their life and for building a stable family. A closer examination of the reality of mixed marriages may be helpful in developing the pastoral care they need. The article shows what mixed marriages deal with in their spirituality, in the context of the existing doctrine, law and pastoral practice. It also discusses the shared values and expressions of Christian spirituality as well as areas where tensions or even crises may appear. The article is not only a recapitulation of the applicable laws and existing pastoral practice, but proposes some solutions, both pastoral and canonical.

АРХЕОЛОГИЈА АРХИТЕКТУРЕ НА ПРИМЈЕРУ ЦРКВЕ СВЕТОГ АРХАНГЕЛА МИХАИЛА НА ПРЕВЛАЦИ

Author(s): Mladen Zagarčanin / Language(s): Montenegrine Issue: 2/2023

In this paper we discuss the archeology of architecture on the example of the monastery of St. Michael on the Prevlaka island in Boka Kotorska. This part of archeology is almost unknown to archaeological science in Montenegro, and it is based on the experience of researching the Old Town of Bar in the period between 2004 and 2012, although it has been present in European archaeological science for decades. The Church of the Saint Michael on Prevlaka is a multi-layered building, which was systematically researched in 1956. and 1957, and in the period between 1997. and 2005., when it was completely excavated. It was built on the foundations of an early Byzantine church from the 6th century, and in the 9th or 10th century it was remodeled for the Benedictine monastery, which was demolished in the first half of the 11th century. Around 1220, the ruined remains of the basilica were rebuilt for the purpose of the bishopric of Zeta, which was enthroned on Prevlaka in this period. In the paper, we tried to show the methods of masonry of both eras, which especially refers to the altar area, which, according to new studies, was rebuilt on the foundations of an older basilica from the 9th/10th century. Also, primarily on the basis of comparing the vertical and horizontal stratigraphy, the genesis of the remodeling of its interior is followed, with all the main characteristics that allow us to understand how the architectural conception of the worship space changes, that is, how the church gets a new altar, dome, modified narthex, building from the north side etc.

ARHEOLOŠKA ISTRAŽIVANJA LOKALITETA ĆAF KIŠ

Author(s): Mile Baković / Language(s): Montenegrine Issue: 2/2023

At the site of Dubrava, there are remains of church architecture known as Ćaf Kiš. Around these remains is a vast necropolis, many still visible today. Protective archaeological research was carried out on a limited scale and showed that these are the remains of a church built at the beginning of the 16th century. Several explored graves testify that the church was built on an older necropolis. A cemetery was formed around the church, and after its demolition, numerous burials took place in it as well. On the remains of the architecture, we observed two basic building phases. First, a church was built with a deep apse, without a chancel. Shortly after construction, the northeast part of the church was demolished, and the apse fell to the northeast. It would be said that the collapse was caused by seismic action because no traces of ignition and destruction were observed. Soon, the church was restored, but now in a somewhat altered form, a new shallow apse was built, the nave was strengthened by constructing a buttress on the west side and the building was expanded by building the chancel. The architecture of the building, the church furniture and part of the movable archaeological material found unequivocally testify that the church ceremony took place according to the Latin custom. We determined the oldest archaeological layer to be in the 14th century, the church was built in the 16th century, and burials in and around it lasted until the middle of the 20th century.

Опитът на държавите в регулиране дейността на деструктивни религиозни организации и култовe

Author(s): Tihomir Solakov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

A number of countries in the world, while observing the activities of religious organizations, have found that most of those organizations develop destructive activity, leading to risks and threats to society and the state. On this basis, the states have created and developed their legal framework over time. This report aims to analyze foreign experience in countering religious organizations and cults showing signs of destructiveness.

Сектите и националната сигурност

Author(s): Tihomir Solakov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

After the advent of democracy in Bulgaria, freedom of religion was granted, which was taken advantage of by a number of destructive religious organizations. Their activities and disseminated destructive ideology pose dangers, risks and threats to national security, which is why the report examines the destructive activities of sects as a threat to national security.

Скривене религијске мањине у руралним предјелима постсоцијалистичких земаља – примјер сеоских адвентистичких заједница у Босни и Херцеговини

Author(s): Marko Galić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2024

The subject of this paper are the Adventist communities present in the rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are mainly concentrated along the northern border of the mentioned country. The text is based on the field work that was carried out in 2023. The research included the villages: Laminci, Kukulje, Nožičko and Grabik-Ilova, and in addition to visiting the mentioned places, it also included conversations with members of the Christian Adventist Church there. In the first part of the paper, general information about the specificities of neo-Protestant communities, as well as the place they occupy in the religiously diverse Bosnian and Herzegovinian society, is presented. The second part of the work, which directly concerns the Adventists, contains the data on the historical development of the aforementioned rural communities, as well as the upbringing, life and current state of individuals who are their members, or were in the past. Based on the narratives of ten interlocutors, born in Adventist families, as well as additional material from their private “archives” (photos, memoirs, brochures and diaries), this text will try to convey to the readers how the various events that took place in the wider socio-political plan during the previous few decades influenced these once numerous and quite lively Adventist “communes” to reach the state of “living on a life-support system”.

Rodzina i wiara w życiu mężczyzn osadzonych

Author(s): Mirosław Brzeziński / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2(34)/2023

Family and faith, despite the rapid social changes taking place, are still, according to many studies, fundamental values in human life, at least in a declarative sense. During their meetings with inmates serving sentences in various prisons, popes John Paul II and Francis the themes of values, family, faith, the meaning of punishment and the possibilities of making the most of this time were taken up. Using the method of analysis and synthesis of the texts of these two popes, the article intends to show in what way they speak to prisoners, and in what way they show these values, as well as to assess whether these values have meaning in the way in which a sentence of imprisonment is served. In order to show the perception and understanding of these values by the inmates themselves, the author conducted a short survey among men serving a sentence of imprisonment, who were given the chance and opportunity to study family science at the Centre for Studies for Prisoners at the Remand Prison in Lublin. We are aware that this is a small research group (about 30 men are currently studying there), and that most of them (over 70%) participated in the study. The analysis of this research will allow us to see if and what place these values have in this particular social group, also in the context of papal teaching.

ნათლის ღების იკონოგრაფია და მისი საღვთისმეტყველო–სახისმეტყველებითი ასპექტები

Author(s): Giorgi Vashalomidze / Language(s): Georgian Issue: 25/2024

The topic we present in this article is the iconography of the Baptism and its theological and typological aspects. It suggests discussion of the iconographic representation of this event. As is known, iconography is one of the most important means of communicating with God. According to the teachings of the Church, the basis of the veneration of icons is the Incarnation of the Second Person (Hypostasis) of the Holy Trinity. As a result of the Incarnation of God the Son, the invisible God became visible, the basis of which is the Incarnation of God. Iconography found its origin in the early Christian era. As it is well known, the Roman Empire was the center of the establishment of Christianity as a religion. Israel, where the Saviour lived and executed His ministry, was then under the rule of the Roman Empire. In those times, a large part of society was illiterate. Therefore, iconography was of great importance. In fact, it acquired the essence of “visual theology“. According to the Church Teaching, veneration of an icon does not mean veneration of the paint and material, but that of the image depicted on it. Saint John of Damascus says: “Veneration of an icon ascends to the prototype of its image “. In this regard, it was particularly important to illustrate the events of the Gospel. As is known, it is the book bearing great significance in the Christian Church, for it contains events related to the ministry of the Incarnate God in this world. Therefore, it is the most important duty of a Christian to know its content, which is why, in Christian iconography, special attention was drawn to the portrayal of the events of the Gospel. The Baptism of Jesus Christ is one of the most important events. As is known, the Incarnate God was baptized at the age of thirty. It was the Saviour’s age when the most important period of His ministry in this world began. All the four evangelists give their accounts of the Baptism of the Incarnate God. The Baptism of Jesus Christ took place in the following way: One day the Saviour went to John the Baptist who baptized people in the Jordan River. John stopped Him and told Him that, conversely, he needed to be baptized by Him, to which Jesus Christ answered: “Let it be so now, it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. “(Matthew 3:15). According to the Gospel, John “allowed“ the Saviour to come to him. The Lord went into the water and as He came up from it, the heavens were opened to Him and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and the voice of the Father came from Heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. “(Matthew 3:17) The Baptism of Jesus Christ is called the revelation of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity was revealed in the following form: the Father, Whose voice was heard from Heaven, the Son, Who was baptized in the Jordan River, and the Holy Spirit, Who in the form of a dove alighted upon the Lord. In addition, it must be noted that by going into the water of the Jordan River, Jesus Christ established baptism as a mystery. It is an interesting fact that in the iconography of the early Christian epoch, we come across episodes of deer who are drinking water greedily. For instance, in the 6 th century iconography of the Baptism in the Catacomb of Pontian, we see a scene of deer drinking from the river. Almost the same image is depicted on the Bitchvinta mosaic. The iconography of the aforementioned image represents an illustration of the following words from the psalm: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God“. (Psalm 42:1) According to the psalm, human beings should have a strong longing for deification, for being baptized. In the early representations of the Baptism, Jesus Christ is predominantly depicted as a Young Child. In later times, this depiction is replaced by the image of the Man. It is a known fact that the Saviour was baptized in an adult age, when He was thirty years old (below, this theme is discussed in detail). Why was the Lord portrayed as a Young Child in the era of early Christianity? This is a question that stirs up our interest. As is known, the Baptism is called in other words – “to be born again“. In the Gospel According to John, the Saviour says to Nicodemus: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ “(John 3:3) In the iconography of the Baptism, the depiction of the Saviour as a Young Child indicates the second, spiritual birth of a baptized person. According to the Church Teaching, an old man, burdened by sin, goes into the water and a new man, cleansed of guilt, is born anew and emerges from there. In the later period, the iconographic composition of the Baptism, which is known to everyone today, was formed. In the center of it, the Saviour stands in the Jordan River, John the Baptist is on His left side. He has put his right hand on the Saviour’s head. On the right side of Jesus Christ, there are angels who worship the Lord, bowing before Him. A dove descends from the sky above the Saviour’s head, which in many cases is accompanied by a beam that comes from above and is directed towards the image of the Saviour. The mentioned iconographic representation is fully consistent with the event described in the Gospel, according to which, while the Son of God was being baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father was heard from Heaven. The significance of the Baptism as the revelation of the Holy Trinity is vividly shown in the image mentioned above. The Son is portrayed as the Man in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit – in the form of a dove as described in the Gospel, and the Father – in the form of the beam which descends from the height of the Heaven and is followed by the dove. Particularly interesting is the latter. The iconography meticulously conveys the physical appearance of the Son and the Holy Spirit in the Gospel. Namely, the Son of God – in the form of a Man, the Holy Spirit – in the form of a dove. However, as we know, it is only possible to depict material forms (or nature), while it is not possible to do so with voices. Therefore, in this case, iconography uses the image of a beam, as the representation of the Father and His voice, which is directed to the Lord Who stands in the Jordan River. This beam is followed by the Holy Spirit, revealed in the form of a dove. The aforementioned is based on the corresponding exegesis, according to which, lest anyone should think that the voice coming from heaven belonged to someone else, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, emanating from the "Father's voice", alighted upon Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. In the composition of the iconography of the Baptism, a number of exegeses related to this feast day are represented. They are discussed in this article. As one of the examples of it, we offer the following: Until the 13th century, the Saviour was portrayed naked in the composition. In the later period, however, He was depicted with a loincloth around His waist. The naked image of Jesus Christ expresses the Gospel story, according to which He enters the Jordan River and receives Baptism. Apart from it, the expression of the naked Jesus Christ reflects several aspects of the relevant exegesis. By the nakedness of the Incarnate God, putting off the corruptible clothing of the human nature by a human being and his being endowed with divine grace are represented in iconography. As we learn from the book of "Genesis", God clothed with skin human beings who were cursed by Him because of their sin (Genesis 3:21). This is interpreted by exegetes in the language of typology as well: in particular, the human nature was deprived of God’s grace and was clothed with death, but at the Baptism, the nakedness of the Saviour released from death man clothed with sin, and endowed him again with divine grace. In the composition of the Baptism, we often come across the portrayal of the Cross. There are cases when the Cross in the form of a stele (stone-cross) is placed in the Jordan River. In some iconographic renderings, the Saviour stands on a crossshaped pedestal, under which a snake (a serpent) is lying, and there are also other images of a snake in the Jordan River, on which the Saviour stands and vanquishes it. The inclusion of the images of the Cross and the snake (serpent) in the composition of the Baptism is based on the theological teaching that Christ defeated death with the Cross; the mystery of baptism, which was instituted by the Saviour when He was baptized in the Jordan River has the following essence: when a person is baptized, the old man dies and a new man, cleansed of sins, is born again and emerges from the water. Exegetical and homiletic works clearly attest that iconography of the Baptism encompasses various theological and typological aspects. Not only the Gospel story of the Baptism, but also its exegesis is conveyed in it. Apart from it, the teaching about the significance of baptism as a Church mystery is also evident in it. It can be said that each rendering of the aforementioned iconography not only recounts the Baptism of Jesus Christ, but also calls those who look at it to receive baptism and start a new life.

Jolanta M. Marszalska, Waldemar Graczyk, The Lost Collection of Incunabula of the Seminary Library in Plock, Biblioteka Narodowa, Warszawa 2023, ISBN 978-83-8259-508-6

Author(s): Czesław Grajewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 63/2024

Akribično sumiranje diskusija o islamu i ljudskim pravima

Author(s): Benjamin Nurkić / Language(s): Bosnian Issue: 25/2024

Review of: Ajla Čustović, Islam i ljudska prava, Naklada Ljevak, Zagreb, 2022