Transcendent and Immanent in the Orthodox Theology

Author(s): Gheorghe Istodor / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2016

Transcendent and immanent are not valued in Orthodox Theology as simple concepts and they give sense to existence and salvation only in a personalist register. Their existence, both in the plan of eternity, as well as temporary, it is professed by the Church, and in the manner of which they relate and co-exist is the determining factor for understanding and preaching the truth of the hypostatic union in Jesus Christ, real God and real Man. The absolutization of the transcendence and immanence by philosophy or ideology is not accepted by Theology for the harmful consequences with regard to God, man and creation; also, the absolutization of these two lead to the elimination of Christ’s deity, reduced to a historical condition, marked either by the genius, or by the powerlessness and instinctually. From missionary perspective, distortion of the relationship between transcendence and immanence leads to the intensification of the process of secularization, but also to anti-Christian phenomena such as desacralization, indifference and unchristianizing.

XVI. konferencia Európskej spoločnosti pre vedecké a teologické štúdiá (ESSSAT) na tému: „Sme výnimoční? Veda a teológia skúmajú jedinečnosť človeka.“

Author(s): Mária Spišiaková / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2016

Around the Bloc: China Flexes Its Muscles in Central Europe

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English Issue: 10/25/2016

China threatens to take action against Slovakia after President Andrej Kiska meets with the Dalai Lama, while Czechs send mixed signals.

Kur’an’da Erẕeli'l-ʽumur ve Yaşlılık Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme

Author(s): Sevgi Tütün / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 2/2016

Human beings pass through a series of life stages since birth. These stages beginning at the infancy even in the mother’s womb are accompanied with a period extending to the senescence and the last stages of the life. Creation of human beings and various stages of the life are mentioned in the Qurʾān. Besides, it is referred to the senescence. In addition to the expressions sheikh, shayb, ʽajūz and kibar indicating to the senescence, ardhal al-ʿumur is also pointed out in the Qurʾān in this regard. This article aims to identify in which context and meaning the wording regarding ardhal al-ʿumur and senescence are used in the Qurʾān and to reveal the relation between these terms. Since, the term ardhal al-ʿumur and senile dementia are directly correlated in the commentaries usually and the interpretations build the perception that these two expressions are almost synonyms. Are ardhal al-ʿumur and dementia closely associated with each other? Are the other terms in the Qurʾān indicating to the senescence correlated with the dementia? Our study aims to explain the expression ardhal al-ʿumur in the Qurʾān in this regard. Furthermore, the other terms regarding the senescence expressed in the Qurʾān are reviewed in this respect.

The Relation of Religion and Reason in the Transcendent Wisdom - A Look at the Necessity of Philosophical Investigation in the View of Mulla Sadra

Author(s): Husain Agha Shiraz / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2014

The relation of reason and religion is a very important topic indeed. It has always preoccupied the minds of thinkers from times immemorial. Not only have human beings delved into this subject, but God Himself has spoken at great length in religious texts concerning this issue. This topic can be examined from a number of different points of view. What concerns us specifically is the necessity of pure rational/philosophical investigation in the eternal/religious felicity of man. What is more, we will be more specifically concerned with the view of one school of thought, rather, the view of the founder of that school of thought, in this regard. Philosophical investigation has always met with mixed reactions amongst Muslim thinkers. A very novel view regarding the necessity of philosophical investigation is that of the famous sage, Mulla Sadra. He was of the opinion that, not only is philosophical endeavor a necessity to understand religion and that it is by means of reason (as well as mystical intuition) that human beings can prove the tenants of religion, but what is more, the eternal and religious felicity of human beings depends solely on the degree of acquaintance with philosophy. This paper will examine the view of this sage as can be found in the introduction of his philosophical encyclopedia, the Asfar. As will be seen Mulla Sadra presented an elaborate rational demonstration to substantiate his claim. However, no matter how precise it was this proof was internally flawed in that one of its premises rest upon an interpretation of a religious tradition using philosophical jargon that would only come into existence hundreds of years after this tradition was initially stated.

İbn Fûrek’te Ulûhiyyet

Author(s): Hüseyin Doğan / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2017

The view of Muslim theologians about Allah, the universe, the relation between God and divine attributes has become the dominant element of the basic intellectual disciplines that they developed. Undoubtedly, this point of view has directly caused them to bring new interpretations and openings to both God and the universe as well as to God and human relations. Ibn Fūrak is one of the important representatives of the Ashʿarī kalām system. In fact, he has an important share in the formation of the Ahl al-Sunna, especially of Ashʿarī thought. Ibn Fūrak has undertaken a significant bridge in the transmission of the views and ideas of Imam al-Ashʿarī and the kalām system. There is no doubt that one of them is the understanding of God. He has placed his understanding of God, which he has included in the category of compulsory beings in a different place above the possible world. For this reason, all expressions and interpretations that are incompatible with the qualities of worthy and appropriate have been rejected or put into practice. In this respect, it is possible to say that he has an important influence in the development of the understanding of ta’wil in Ahl al-Sunna.Ibn Fūrak (d. 406/1015) is one of the important representatives of the Ashʿarī kalām within Ahl al-Sunna. He met the students of Imam Abu’l-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī (d. 324/936) and took lessons from them. He has a significant share in accessibility of the views and ideas of Ashʿarī that have been systemized mostly through these meetings and lessons. It is even understood that some of his works have been prepared in order to make the views and ideas of the sectary leader Imam al-Ashʿarī, which he has described as reputable, more systematic and easily accessible to people. When we look at his works, we observe that he applied and used ta’wīl which is an important method of interpretation in Islamic theology. It can even be said that he is one of the most extreme theologians among Ahl al-Sunna theologians applying this method. Ibn Fūrak defended the notion that not only the Qur’an but also the hadith should be interpreted (ta’wīl) and for this reason he prepared works. In this respect, it is possible to say that he has an important influence in the development of the understanding of ta’wīl in the theology of Ahl al-Sunna.Ibn Fūrak has an important share in the formation of Ahl al-Sunna, especially Ashʿarī thought. For this reason, scholars allied that he formed the third stratum of the Ashʿarī theology. Ibn Fūrak’s most important feature in this sculpture is to be an important bridge between beliefs and thoughts of Imam al-Ashʿarī’s and later generations. In this sense, he is not only a transporter but also has new perspectives build on the views and thoughts of his predecessors. In this regard, he was not deviated to be loyal and was consenting to his predecessors and his successors also set an example in the point of understanding, method and interpretation of the Islamic theology.Ibn Fūrak, who has received a lot of attention in terms of beliefs, views and thoughts that he has adopted and accepted, has also influenced the following theologians and left deep influences on them. For this reason, it is necessary to consider him as the continuation of a tradition or as the chief architect of the transfer to the future. In fact, his view of God and His attributes is only one of the remarkable ones, especially because it has space on the first pages of his work, albeit with value for every opinion and thought. No doubt, he has tried to perceive and analyze the matter of God and His attributes from the perspective of the Qur’ān and Sunna.Belief in God is another problem that Ibn Fūrak, who has opinion and thought about almost every theological problem tried to examine in his works. He has placed his understanding of God, which he included it in the category of compulsory beings at a different place above the world of possible. For this reason, all kinds of expressions and interpretations that are incompatible with positive and significant terms have either been rejected or interpreted. As it is known, the views of the Islamic theologians, the views of God and the universe and the meanings of the Essence (dhāt) and divine attributes have been the dominant elements of the basic intellectual disciplines they have developed. No doubt, this point of view has been directly determinant on bringing new interpretations and openings to both God and the universe as well as to God and human relations.The main point of theology that Ibn Fūrak defended is belief in God. According to him, God is an absolute being as Wājib al-wūjūd (Necessary Being). God has created all the world and creatures out of nothing. So much so that he has included God in the state of compulsory existence by abstracting Him from all creatures, objects and substances, and he has emphasized His incomparability. The substance, the matters and the signs are created later. Ibn Fūrak tried to explain the eternity of God with his “seniority”. Because in Ibn Fūrak, the seniority has a special importance and value in terms of expressing unity in the attributes of God. He perceives the worlds or the inhabitants as a reflections of the wrath of God. Ibn Fūrak said that the objects in the world do not express any meaning to themselves, nor can they be mentioned in their respective directions. For this reason, he accepted that he mentally exhausted the human and caused division and disintegration. According to him, all organs created in the world are preserving their essences exactly. But the accidents are created again each time as the result of God’s intervention, and the continuity and order of the movement in the world is provided in this way. He defended an active God on His presence and inhabitation by never accepting coincidences in the world. There is no power or quality to carry out the movement, change and transformation of all the sign, objects and organs the universe. For the movement, change, and transformation in sign, objects, and organs are all about the intervention of God’s omnipotence beyond the change of time and space.Ibn Fūrak went to God and his attributes in accordance with the organ-sign metaphysics he had adopted. He has settled the land, the object, and the substances in different statues by separating them in terms of their assets. It is also directly related to the philosophical understanding that the basic idea of the God and His attributes distinction is accepted as fitting to the theory of matter-matter. Indeed, in the system of thought of the Ashʿarite, every kind of harmony and order (purpose and order) which gives experience and experience in the world is the greatest proof that this world is created by a being who knows, hears, wills, possess might. It is necessary for God whose existence comes from Himself, to be effective on all actions in the world.

Eş‘arî ve Şâfiî Bir Âlim Olarak İlkiyâ el-Herrâsî ve Ahkâmü’l-Kur’ân Adlı Eserinin Kelâmî Boyutu

Author(s): Ahmet Çelik / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 1/2017

There are some categorical perspectives on the basis of the works that divide the sects into action and faith. A group that stands out among these categories is the Ashʿarī-Shāfi’ī structure. In order to understand this work, it is necessary to understand first the sources and scholars who feed this structure. We have specified a sample as the method of this article and we tried to examine al-Harrāsī in the first place by observing the axis of the Ashʿarī- Shāfi’ī, b­­ut rather the Ashʿarī. In this work we are also in the impressions of his life, we aimed to make a methodical contribution to the understanding of the contemporary Ashʿarī-Shāfi’ī structure both in the present era by giving some evaluations of the method and baling of al-Harrāsī. We have determined the examples we have given about al-Harrāsī as the axis of universalism that reflects the main elements of the generally reflecting process and the Kalām. Thus, Harrāsī's place in the history of Kalām becomes clearer. We also aimed to give an idea about the muta’akhkhirūn period Kalām’s foundations that became to mature in his own time.Ashʿariyya was adopted as the first representative school of the Ahl al-sunna. Although the founder of the Ashʿariyya was Abū’l-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī, the sect had undergone strong changes after him. The active Muslim theologians after the founder played an active role in this sectarian process. Especially in these, al-Juwaynī (d. 478/1085) and his student al-Ghazālī (d. 505/1111) are two important names. Many studies have been done especially about al-Ghazālī because he was influential in giving a new direction to kalām by including kalām in logic and criticizing philosophers. However, al-Ghazālī is not the only scholar in his age and he is not the only student of al-Juwaynī. Al-Harrāsī is also remarkable for both being a name al-Juwaynī refers to with praise and, like al-Ghazālī, he is an important madrasah teacher.The first point of interest about al-Harrāsī is that he is a dark Shāfiʿī follower. Although not all of the works given in the tabaḳāt books are present today, his Aḥkām al-Qurʾān has been an important source of reference for those who have been writing for the first time. In fact, Aḥkām al-Qurʾān is a kind of interpretation; it can be considered as a study of the kind of thematic interpretation. The works of this kind are written in order to explain rules (aḥkām) mentioned in the Qurʾān. However, a false judgment that arises here is that the interpretation of aḥkām relate only to duty and transaction. However, in view of the reader's interpretation of aḥkām, it also shows the prophetic direction of his own writer. This situation manifests itself in al-Harrāsī's Aḥkām al-Qurʾān. His ta’wīls, which he practically made in support of the Shāfiʿī sect and his belief, are in the coexistence of the Ashʿarī – Shāfiʿī in his age. This is a typical example of the religious structure desired to be established during the period. al-Kiyā al-Harrāsī is a scholar who works as a teacher at the al-Niẓāmiyya al-Madrasahs at a time when the Abbāsī state weakened and bowed to the Saljūqs. The Saljūqs were engaged in sectarian conflicts during this period. In particular, the Shīʿa and Bāṭinī movements have presented a structure threatening the state. In contrast, the Saljūqs built an institution to represent the Sunnī understanding as well as the military measures: al-Niẓāmiyya al-Madrasahs. In these al-madrasas, the most important scholars of the age have made efforts to establish the belief of the Ahl al-Sunna. Vizier Niẓām al-Mulk activated these madrasahs to prevent the ideological and practical conflicts already prevalent in the state before him and especially to prevent the occurrence of an event similar to Miḥna which was against As̲h̲ʿariyya. Within this structure, al-Harrāsī's point of view developed in Aḥkām al-Qurʾān sheds light on both the ages and gives an idea about the methodology of Islamic sciences.In al-Harrāsī's Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, his methodology is open to various forms. While he was evaluating the mandub, it was his figurative command; so there was no punishment for its abandonment. This view is parallel to Ḥanafī's sunna line. It is in the axis of sunna that it is possible that the ʿām can be allocated by the act of the prophet. But he has avoided expressing any positive or negative opinion on the subject of the appropriation with the syllogism of the ʿām. In the understanding of al-Harrāsī's scientific understanding, mutawātir ḥadīth weight to abrogate the Qurʾān. However, it is not possible to abrogate like this by syllogism. While al-Harrāsī was evaluating the abrogate, he kept it separate from his home and told Shāriʿ that he could change the previous sentence in naṣṣ. The procedural wisdom that al-Harrāsī used in dealing with the Sakīfe event is also remarkable in his Ashʿarī staidness. "Al-a’imma min Quraysh" ḥadīth is mentioned here, that the Imāms are in the sense that the recitation of Lām al-taʿrīf is expressing istighrāq, that is to say, generality. Abū Bakr therefore, when the envoy said this to them, the anṣār did not oppose him. All these examples show the balance and the balance he gives to reason and revelation.Considering that ʿUmūm al-Belwā is the evidence of khabar al-wāḥid, al-Harrāsī thinks that such ḥadīths cannot be used as evidence in the belief. In this way we find some examples of evaluating the ḥadīth of the fāsiqs put forward an authentic acknowledgment without evaluating the narrations and said that the ḥadīth of the fāsiqs could be accepted. However, this narrator has a tendency to accept the ḥadīth conditions. Or it should not be mentioned in the deeds fāsiq. It is not possible that an ijmāʿ that they made during the time of the scholars is destroyed in the next period. All of al-Harrāsī's evaluations of this process show that the sectarian work that has been made up to the time of the day is now being tried to be grounded. Although the name of al-Ghazālī is widely mentioned in the Ashʿarī and Shāfiʿī methods, al-Harrāsī seems to have an idea in a systematic way, just like al-Ghazālī.Apart from the procedural issues of al-Harrāsī, it is seen that Aḥkām al-Qurʾān also operates many theological issues in the Ashʿarī system. al-Harrāsī has made many theological assessments of the existence and unity of Allāh around ḥudūth demonstration. In the Qurʾān, Allāh commanded man to think and obey by looking at a world. This, in turn, points to the invalidity of the saying of not approaching the books in a rational way, that is, the Salafī discourse. According to al-Harrāsī, the most important basis in the ḥudūth is that the substance and the accidents are created later. Once a person understands the existence of any object or event, all the other things are self-evident. Allāh intervenes in this world as a constant creative actor. Also tasalsul is impossible. So, as philosophers claim, there is no sense of god that does not intervene in the world.In the examples that al-Harrāsī expresses his or her theological understanding, his approach to livelihood has an original appearance. Allāh gives the sustenance of mankind, but not in a collective manner at once. It connects people to their work. So, when a person works, he sees that he gets his labour back. This leads to the idea that man actually "leads to good results". Human beings understand that with these intellectual inferences, good works in the world will lead to good results in the hereafter. This evaluation of al-Harrāsī is a sociological ta’wīl example.Many other theological assessments are beyond the scope of these statements in al-Harrāsī 's Aḥkām al-Qurʾān. Although Harrāsī’s views, the place of Ashʿarī and Shāfiʿī line, it should be kept in mind that al-Harrāsī is an important member of the his age.

EVOLUCIJA ILI EVOLUCIONIZAM, KREACIJA ILI KREACIONIZAM

Author(s): Robert J. Schneider / Language(s): Bosnian Issue: 20/2004

Some discussion over the relationship of the scientific theory of evolution to religious belief in creation has appeared in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To help clarify the issues, this article distinguishes the terminology of science from ideology and argues that when science and religion are understood for what each really is, and their boundaries are respected, they are not in conflict with one another. A brief summary of the modern scientific world picture of Big Bang cosmology and biotic evolution is followed by comments on challenges to this worldview by two forms of creationism found among American conservative, mostly Protestant, Christians: “young earth creationism” and “intelligent design.” The arguments of these groups are rejected by almost all scientists on scientific grounds, and by other Christians for theological reasons: both criticize creationism because it improperly crosses boundaries and mixes science and religion together. And, it subordinates scientific knowledge to religious ideology.

Konsumpcjonizm — nową religią współczesnego człowieka?

Author(s): Małgorzata Gruchoła / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2017

The aim of the article was an attempt to form a reply to the question: is consumerism a new religion of contemporary man, understood in its sociological formulation? After initial terminological considerations (consumerism), sociological definitions of religion were discussed (objective and functional) as well as the symptoms of consumerism allowing it to be treated as a new religion. Objects of religious cult in contemporary consumerist culture were analyzed (trademarks, goods, places, services as well as sensations and pleasures associated with these), ways of celebrating and new feasts, significant persons (idols), religious functions achieved by consumerism, its compulsory dogmas-myths, convictions, as well as the behaviour of consumers (rituals and ceremonies) in the new religion. The whole was concluded with a summary.The analytic-synthetic method was applied in the article. The thesis accepted in the research process: consumerism is a new religion of contemporary man, was refuted.

През Морея до Мистра

Author(s): Vladimir Dimitrov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 36/2018

This travelouge about Peloponnese in Greece (known as the Morea during the late Middle Ages and the Ottoman era) is part of Dr. Vladimir Dimitrov travel writing series for SLEDVA focused on Christian iconography and medieval cultural legacy.

Имя святого в православной традиции

Author(s): Alla Kamalova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2018

The article is devoted to original language material – to names of Saints. Names of Saints perform sacral function, therefore, they have to be individualized. The author studied the list of names of Saints of Russian Orthodox Church and revealed repetitions of personal names. For example, the personal name Vasily repeats 131 times. The name of the Saint (agioanthroponym) has to per¬form function of the identifier of the specific person canonized, to distinguish it from others, bearing the same personal name. Agio¬anthroponyms are not presented only by personal names, individ¬ualization of the Saint is carried out by means of multicomponent structure of agioanthroponyms, two-component agioanthropo¬nyms seldom meet. The structure of the components of a particular agioanthroponyms depends on the situation in the system of Saints' names and testifies to the spiritual feat of Saint. Only the oldest agioanthroponyms (rank of holiness + name) can have two components, gradually the naming system became more com¬plex because of the differentiators, for example: rank of holiness + name + differentiator (nominees, descriptors, localizers, agno¬mens, cognomen, names, ethnonyms can function as a differenti¬ator). The author describes the agioanthroponyms with personal names Igor, Pimen, Varlaam, Vasily. The conclusion contains the idea about the structure and content of agioanthroponyms perform not only a differentiating function, agianthroponym is the conceptual core of the life of Saint.

Iran: A Regional Power on the Ascent

Author(s): Joshua P. Walcott / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2017

The United States of America is militarily and diplomatically disengaging from the Middle East. Concurrently, Iran as a Regional Power is on the perceived ascent. This article rationalizes the effects of America’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, the Arab Spring, and the Nuclear settlement with the P5+ group of nations on the distribution of power in the region. By utilizing Balance of Power Theory with reference to the distribution of power in the region, an examination of Iran interests in the region after 2017 and strategy for approaching these aims will be sort after.

Psychological Reasons of Participation to New Religious Movements: Quest of the Individual or Success of the Movement?

Author(s): Muhammed Kızılgeçit,Aytaç Ören / Language(s): English Issue: 51/2019

In the last half century, psychological studies on the New Religious Movements have shown a significant increase not only in the discipline of psychology but also in sociology, history of religions and other religious studies. Today, it is a judgement that people seek a measure to protect themselves from the alienating and degenerating effects of modern life. In this context, firstly the inclusion of a New Religious Movement (NRM) reflects a desire to take back time in behalf of experiencing the truth in the modern world. Secondly, this belonging refers, at the same time, to the desire to carry the ancient truth to modern times and move it into action on a contemporary and secular level. At this point, New Religious Movements are characterized as a protest against modernity. In the aim of this argument, there is the deconstruction of the institutionalized religion and the secular structure by the hand of individual. This situation realizes with the participation of the ‘new’ and the movement, which is a modern social structure, to the ‘religion’; and with the participation of the religion to the ‘new’, that is, the ‘secular’. For this reason, many New Religious Movements blend themselves with modern, anti-modern, sometimes even post-modern elements. These include both elements of adaptation to modernity and elements of resistance to it. The new religious movements are quite diverse and colorful. Some are theoretically highly conservative, but some of them are radically innovative. Some of them emerge from traditional religions, while others show an eclectic and syncretic appearance. It is a fact that the target group of the New Religious Movement is a group of young people aged 15-25. Since their target majority is young people, such religious movements are also defined as “youth religions/sects”. Is attending YDHs a strategic success only in New Religious Movements? Or is it the possibility that the lifestyle in the modern age presents the individual? Or a sense of meaning in which his quest corresponds to it? Or is this a grueling vicious circle that he can't afford to become an addict? In this context, the following elements are explained in general as the main reasons for the participation in a new religious movement for the individual: deprivation, alienation, the tendency to be engaged with religious issues, the instability of one's own personality and the experience of personal crisis. The individual experiences a life in “homeless mind” mode. In “homeless mind” approach, the individual perceives modernization and existence as secular, not as sacred as it used to be. The existence and life in the Western thinking experiencing this process have been seen as “rationally understood”, but the Western man feels himself homeless and free of refuge in the cosmos and social life when big problems are encountered. The New Religious Movements have precisely aspired the field of meaning that this feeling corresponds to, and they have met the individual in the claim of satisfying this feeling. In this study, the relationship between NRMs, psychology and personality are tried to be discussed with descriptive and partly analytic approaches. The nature of modern man's ontological entity requires the interpretation of the belief trend in the context of psychology and also requires developing a perspective that prioritizes the effectiveness of comprehension and analysis.

Eski Uygur Türkçesi Budist Metinlerinde 108 Sayısı

Author(s): Hacer Tokyürek / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 63/2019

Numbers which measure the whole universe as mathematical value contain cultural and religious various meanings. In this context, the number 108, as found in examples such as rosaries with 108 beads, the repetition of a dhāraṇī 108 times, or the repetition of the 108 name of Mañjusri Buddha in Old Uyghur, carries with it important numerical value because of its significance in Buddhism as well as other religions. When the number 108 in the Old Uyghur language is examined more closely, we seen that this number represents three different creations: (1) Universe, (2) World, and (3) Human. Firstly, in the creation of the universe, the distances between the sun, the earth and the moon are concerned. The second is the creation of the world, and it is linked to the golden ratio rule 108, an important rule in the world or in nature. Finally, the human body and spirit are associated with the number 108. The number 108 indicates the 108 pressure points in the human body and the distance between the body and the god. In addition, the number 108, which has mathematical and astronomical value is also tied astrology as well.

INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FROM A SWEDISH PERSPECTIVE

Author(s): Edgar Almen / Language(s): English Issue: 17/2019

I want to make a contribution to understanding the relation between interreligious dialogue and Religious Education based on my own experience of teaching non-confessional Religious Education in Swedish schools, training teachers in Swedish universities for such Religious Education and sharing in Sweden dialogues, rejoicing and disappointment with friends of religious background other than my own, i.e. Bosnian Muslims. I show how our way of teaching, at least in Sweden, often diminishes the readiness for and interest in true dialogue among our students. One reason is that information about religions and religious traditions tends to “make” religions static and non-relational, not showing that lived religion is a life process during which you change and are expected to mature. Another reason is based on the effects of hegemonic discourses within which students interpret our teaching. I discuss which of them are present in Swedish classrooms nowadays, how they determine the identity-discourse of second generation immigrants, and what we can do to help students to understand how these discourses work and to widen them.

ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE EVALUATION OF FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE RISK FOR ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

Author(s): Anamika Jain,Tim Carr,Magdalena Iorga / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2018

Adverse childhood experiences are the results of traumatic events that children are passing till their eighteen years old. Many factors are influencing the development of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and risk factors were also identified by many researchers. Family-related problems, environment, socio-economic status, abuse, etc. are all determinants of ACE. Many studies showed that there is a strong link between ACE and psychological and physical health problems in adult life, meaning that ACE should be treated as public health problem. But some ethical problems arise from identifying ACE during childhood. Accordingly, to the theory of Loftus, negative memories could be implanted. The evaluation of ACE should be done with a lot of responsibility, considering all ethical issues in order to assure a proper psychological recovery and to avoid adulthood health problems.

Између наде и страха. Антрополошка интерпретација 'Откровења Светога Јована Богослова'

Author(s): Milan Tomašević / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

On the basis of structuralist interpretations of religious narratives, the text offers an analysis of the messages contained in the Apocalypse, determined by the preteristic approach and the value of those messages for the original context in which the book is written. By analyzing the text pronounced by the main characters of the narrative in structurally distant episodes, a paradigmatic connection is established that reveals the relevant meaning of Revelation. First, paper analysis Jesus' letters addressed to young Christian communities in Roman Asia, from the beginning of the text. Then, it is analyzed the Third Angel's speech from the middle of the book. Finally, the message of the very God at the end of the text is seen. Through the analysis of formulatory statements and metaphors, the Apocalypse is recognized as a epistle addressed to a young religious movement that is in the middle of the process of establishing its identity, but also undoubtedly in a difficult and turbulent period full of challenges for the young Church.

Racionalita kresťanského posolstva: reflexia nad textom prednášky Jozefa Ratzingera Verità del cristianesimo?

Author(s): Milan Urbančok / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 4/2019

In his academic contributions, Joseph Ratzinger has dedicated a great attention to the issue of complementary science and rationality of the Christian announcement in the perspective of participation in Logos. Contrary to numerous analyses dealing with this issue and the established views of his theological manuscript, the following brief refl ection focuses on one of his earlier lectures and off ers a somewhat less conventional lecture of the rationality of the Christian message. Refl ection will turn its attention to those elements of rationality that support creativity and participate in shaping the content and meaning that is communicated. It is an integrating vision of rationality, not only freeing from cultural- -historical conditions and ideologies, enabling the development of dialogue between science and faith, but also especially strengthening the awareness of the relationship with the world and man.

Social-religious perception on women driving

Author(s): Mihaela Rus,Luminita Mihaela Sandu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

The changes that have occurred in our society lately have involved the woman engrossed in different activities which require a driving license in order to travel fast from one place to another. The need to get around quickly has increased so much in the last few years, that we are constantly on the move.The opinions concerning the presence of a woman at the wheel rely on different stereotypes like, for instance, ”the woman diver spells disaster or poses a real threat to road traffic”,”the steering wheel was designed only for men”on the one hand, and on the other there are opinions claiming that women are more responsible drivers than men, sticking to the rules more strictly and being more cautious in traffic, avoiding excess speed more often than men. Moreover, it is a well-known fact that women pass the theoretical driving test more easily than men, whereas men are more self-confident in the practical stage of the driving test. The opinions regarding the woman driver differ from one person to another and funnily enough, even women comment wickedly on the driving abilities of the person of the same sex, being persuaded that women drivers are a disaster for the roads”. Although the presence of the woman at the wheel has been more obvious in the last two decades, it used to be common even during the communist regime which recorded a marked tendency of turning women into heroines, of promoting the equality between sexes since women had undertaken jobs that were traditionally designed to be performed by men.

The impact of poultry meat atributes in the consumers’ behavior

Author(s): Irini Goga / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

Meat market has a vital rank position in the pool of a competitive market. Based on the FAO data, poultry meat products are widely most preferred products. The consummators are concerned about the nutrition and sensory aspects of meat products. Knowing better consumers’ preferences helps the producer to fulfill the consumer needs offering the type of products they really need. Meat product attributes are essential in the decision that consumers make choosing a specific product. In the meantime, many studies mention that the religion of consumers impacts the decision to buy a product. We carry out this survey to show out how various factors such as religious and the meat attributes impact the buyers’ behavior in selecting poultry meat products. Our study aim to figure out the impact of poultry meat attributes in the consumers’ preferences for this product and the role of the consumers ‘religion in the type of meat they consume. In this regard, was surveyed with 250 participants in Tirana – Durres region. Based on our study, it is shown that price, origin of the poultry meat product and the appearance (color/texture) of the chicken meat are very significant factors in the buyers’ decision also considering their religion. On this study is pointed the correlation between origin - price, and price - the appearance of poultry meat products. The results of this approach will be an orientation for the poultry meat industry, marketing strategy and all other meat market actors.