‘Our atheists are pious people.’ Stirner and Nietzsche on the relationship between religion and science

Author(s): Paul Stephan / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Atheism is commonly justified by opposing religious belief to scientific reason. By using ideas and arguments found in the works of Max Stirner and Friedrich Nietzsche it is argued that atheisms justified in this manner ignore the inner connection between religion and science; both religion and science are modes of abstraction from immediate sensuality, and are logically and genealogically linked. It is shown that this insight could open the space for a new reciprocal understanding, establishing a common ground between religion and science.

“God’s Elect Nation” Myth: Religious and Secular Dimensions

Author(s): Nonka Bogomilova / Language(s): English / Issue: 4/2017

The paper analyzes the religious and the secular dimensions of the “God’s elect nation” myth, outlining that associating religion and mythology is one of the social-psychological mechanisms used to create and maintain the nation. The cultural mechanisms of the paradoxical reduction of religious universality to the local/national, the transformation of that which binds into that which separates are explained. The thesis is elaborated that the “nationalization” of God, whereby his transcendence is replaced by historical immanence, holds a potential to engender conflicts even between communities of the same religious confession. A sufficient number of historical instances indicate that most nations and peoples have each their own specific religious or secular myth of divine election or messianic myth of some exclusive mission or value; these myths are activated under conducive conditions. The situations that provoke feelings of ethnic or national unity and activate messianic mythologies are outlined. The religious radicalization is analyzed either as resulting from political and ethnic radicalization, from war, or as involved in these processes. The functions of intellectuals, of rationality and reason are discussed.

“Io sono a scacchi”. L’identità ebraica nell’opera letteraria e teatrale di Janusz Korczak

Author(s): Giovanna Tomassucci / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 3/2016

This paper focuses on the problem of ethnic coexistence as presented in some of Korczak’s literary and dramatic works, from his earlier humorous short stories to the play The Senate of Madmen. Like many Polish writers, Korczak perceived literature as a space of freedom, but, unlike other Jews writing in Polish, he always stressed his Jewishness and his firm belief in an equal and double identity (Jewish and Polish). In his long literary career Korczak never practiced ethnic agnosticism: on the contrary, he brought the tradition of Ashkenazi humor and Yiddish literary topics (szmonces, schlemiel and nudnik, the shtetl) into Polish culture, converting these symbols of Jewish identity into universal cultural elements.

“Minimum Din Maksimum Demokrasi”: Müslüman Entelektüellerin Bakişiyla İran’daki Siyasal İslam Tecrübesinin Kisa Bir Tahlili

Author(s): Asiye Tiğli / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 3/2015

In this article, by dealing with the discussions on the relationship of religion and politics before and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, we tried to display the kind of change occurred in three prominent Iranian Muslim intellectuals’ approach to the problem in time, namely Mehdi Bazargan, Abdolkarim Soroush and Mohammad Mojtahed Shabestari, who were among the supporters of the Revolution, but later on became the pioneers of the opponents. According to these intellectuals, the problem is not only political, but also consisted of many subjects from universality of religious law to the perception of revelation. The study evaluates these intellectual’s political approaches within the framework of their own theological mindset.

“Moral interiority” and self-realization

The essential relationship between God and human being in Edith Stein’s thought

Author(s): Martina Galvani / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2019

The ethics perspective which I shall focus on in this chapter is necessarily founded on Stein’s investigations about the human spiritual dimension, in which her phenomenological and metaphysical-theological research are synthesized. Stein describes the human being as “essentially spiritual”, namely intellect and will. In fact, he can comprehend reality in its “meaning” (Sinn) and act freely in it. The ethical consequences of Stein’s anthropological reflections will be explained through what we shall call “moral interiority”. Following Augustine, Stein perceives the original consciousness of oneself (interiority) as "an inner place, not a place" (interiore loco, non loco), where to start explaining intellective knowledge, and most of all free acting and consequently ethics. Action is not just expressed outwards, and is first of all self-actuation – acting and being are mutually implied. The direction of moral actions is thus already present in the ‘essence’ (Wesen) of each individual and this essence, thanks to the creative ‘essentiality’ (Wesenheiten), is ab eterno in the Logos. In view of this complex theological node, the purpose of this essay is to show how we can say, with Stein, that Christ incarnates the only possible ethics.

“OLMAYANIN” YİTİMİ: “TANRI ÖLDÜ”

Author(s): Yıldırım ORTAOĞLAN / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 24/2018

Throughout the history of philosophy, many philosophers have made profound breaks in morals, knowledge, thinking, state, religion. Nietzsche is also one of the "prophets of extremity" that makes these deep breaks in all aspects of thinking. Nietzsche criticizes the Western’s metaphysics thinking tradition in various ways. This criticism is especially rooted in the expression "God is dead". The death of God is vital both for understanding the basic structure of modern society and for understanding Nietzsche’s perception of the Christian morality. The understanding of Christian morality has transformed some concepts negatively such as good, beautiful, truth which are fundamental to life. The man who can face this transformation is the overman. Because the overman exceed himself by removing all the worthlessness from the value and by doing so the overman affirms life. Nietzsche says that Christian morality is based on nihilistic forms. As the forms of nihilism such as ressentiment and guilty conscience can only be overcome by a new way of thinking that is an effective thought prevails. This way of thinking is extremely important in terms of opening new paths to "thinking". Moreover, the expression of "God is dead" uncover what God means to Nietzsche via investigating that expression. Nietzsche's declaration of the death of God is a clear indication of he’s believe in the natural Gods of the Greeks as opposed to the anti-natural God of Christianity.

“Speak your word and break!” On György Tatár's reading of Nietzsche

Author(s): Péter Pór / Language(s): English / Issue: 01/1991

The concluding image of György Tatár’s book is an Ariadne reference dating back to the last months when Nietzsche was still sane: Dionysus, responding to Ariadne’s impassioned plea, joins her at last, but with the words: “I am your labyrinth.” The reference, which leaves the reader pondering the infinite labyrinths of his own life and loves, epitomizes Tatár’s approach.

“The path to God”. Francisco de Herrera the Elder’s wall paintings in the Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure in Seville

Author(s): Andrzej Witko / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

In 1626–1627 Francisco Herrera the Older, back then Seville’s most renowned painter, decorated the walls of the local Franciscan St. Bonaventure’s church with a number of wall paintings dedicated to Franciscan history and spirituality, complemented with emblems related to theological works of the temple’s patron-saint. The paintings became the basis of an interesting iconographic programme with a strong theological and pedagogical message, due to the presence of young monks educated in the monastery, attributed to two notable Friars Minor: Luis de Rebolledo and Damián de Lugones. The collection, based on the works by St. Bonaventure, presented first and foremost the path to sanctity by acquiring wisdom: from philosophical knowledge through theology to mystic contemplation, in which we learn about and unite with God.

“Православний період” у становленні релігійно-філософських поглядів М. О. Бердяєва (1908-1911 рр.)

Author(s): Sergiy Tytarenko / Language(s): Ukrainian / Issue: 1/2007

У сучасному вітчизняному історико-філософському та богословському середовищі жваво обговорюється питання про приналежність російських філософів Срібного віку до православної традиції. Одним із помітних представників цього періоду є Микола Бердяєв. Сам Бердяєв неодноразово зазначав про себе, що є ревним християнином, проте не погоджувався з віднесенням своєї позиції до суто православного світогляду, вважаючи себе приналежним до духовного християнства. Такі відомі західні дослідники творчості російського філософа, як Е. Порре [6, 7] і Ж. Вернхам [8], дотримуються цієї позиції, обґрунтовувавши приналежність російського філософа до особливоїверсії християнства. Проте К. Пфлегер [5] і М. Бергос [4] висловлюють більш радикальне припущення про приналежність М. Бердяєва до власне православного гнозису.

„A te arcodat keresem, Uram” (Zsolt 27,8). Puzzle-darabok posztmodern korunk istenkeresőiről/-nek. Vigilia Kiadó, Budapest 2018. (ISBN 978-963-9920-62-0)

Author(s): Zsolt Szilvágyi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 2/2018

„Ar katalikų bažnyčia moko, kad nėra vienintelės teisingos filosofijos?"

Author(s): John F. X. Knasas / Language(s): Lithuanian / Issue: 34/2003

I assess various reasons for the claim that a Catholic should avoid being a proponent of a one and true philosophy. Rather, within limits, a Catholic philosopher ought to be a conceptual pluralist. These reasons include Pope John Paul II’s remarks in Fides et Ratio like the following: “The Church has no philosophy of her own nor does she canonize any one particular philosophy in preference to others.” (para. 49) Also, Gerald A. McCool in his From Unity to Pluralism: The Internal Evolution of Thomism argues that ironically the 20th-century Thomistic revival refuted the perceived call of Aeterni Patris to return to the conceptual formulations of Aquinas. In that respect I consider three “Thomistic” arguments for philosophical pluralism as put forth by J. M. Le Blond during a famous debate between French Dominicans and Jesuits following the Second World War. Le Blond’s “Thomistic” arguments include: the abstractive character of concepts, the equivalency of being and the true; and the epistemology of intellectual dynamism. My conclusion is that neither the Pope nor Aquinas are proponents of philosophical pluralism.

„Ar katalikų bažnyčia moko, kad nėra vienintelės teisingos filosofijos?”

Author(s): John F. X. Knasas / Language(s): Lithuanian / Issue: 33/2003

I assess various reasons for the claim that a Catholic should avoid being a proponent of a one and true philosophy. Rather, within limits, a Catholic philosopher ought to be a conceptual pluralist. These reasons include Pope John Paul II’s remarks in Fides et Ratio like the following: “The Church has no philosophy of her own nor does she canonize any one particular philosophy in preference to others.” (para. 49) Also, Gerald A. McCool in his From Unity to Pluralism: The Internal Evolution of Thomism argues that ironically the 20th-century Thomistic revival refuted the perceived call of Aeterni Patris to return to the conceptual formulations of Aquinas. In that respect I consider three “Thomistic” arguments for philosophical pluralism as put forth by J. M. Le Blond during a famous debate between French Dominicans and Jesuits following the Second World War. Le Blond’s “Thomistic” arguments include: the abstractive character of concepts, the equivalency of being and the true; and the epistemology of intellectual dynamism. My conclusion is that neither the Pope nor Aquinas are proponents of philosophical pluralism.

„Beaistrė aistra“ Grigaliaus Nysiečio In Canticum Canticorum

Author(s): Tatyana Solomonik-Pankrašova / Language(s): Lithuanian / Issue: 92/2017

It is the anagogic ascent (αναγωγή) of the Soul – the image of the Image – to the Archetypal Beauty (κάλλος) that lies at the heart of Byzantine aesthetics. In view of aesthetica interior (monastic aesthetics), the dwelling place of Beauty is the secret chamber of one‘s heart. The Soul’s kinship with the divine, the search for God and a reluctance to be satisfied with anything less than Him lies at the heart of Christian mysticism. The Soul is attracted by the Ineffable Beauty that is beyond the grasp of senses. This is where the tradition of Byzantine aesthetics meets Christian mystical tradition. Because the Soul is “wounded” by the Beauty of the Divine, it is inclined to escape the darkness of the sensuous world, admiring the Ineffable Beauty of the Divine. This article aims at deciphering the allegory of the Soul who puts on “the raiment of light” clinging to the Bridegroom through love in the In Canticum Canticorum by St. Gregory of Nyssa. My argument proceeds in the following way: first, to unravel the allegorical portrayal of the Soul as a Sister and a Bride – a reflection of the Ineffable Beauty, and, second, to unveil “the erotic images of the noetic imageless” – with reference to the rhetorical figure of speech, viz., oxymoron.

„Błogosławieni, którzy wprowadzają pokój” (Mt 5,9) w interpretacji ojców Kościoła

Author(s): Bogdan Czyżewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 30/2016

In the first centuries of the Church’s history, the Scriptures – both the Old and the New Testaments – were eagerly commented upon. Thus an interesting exegesis of the Seventh Beatitude – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Mt 5:9) – was offered by the Church Fathers, and the article presents the patristic interpretation of this passage from the Sermon on the Mount. In their exegesis, early Christian writers compare peace to love, warning against committing the sins that disturb peace and love, namely anger and envy. Bringing peace depends primarily on a man himself, who ought to live in harmony with God, with others and with himself. To make peace is to have control over carnal desires (the superiority of the mind over the body), to transmit to posterity a steadfast faith, to avoid divisions in the Church, and to actively preserve unity.

„Bycie-w-miłości-z-Bogiem” jako działanie łaski Bożej w teologii Bernarda Lonergana

Author(s): Krzysztof Szwarc / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2012

The article takes up an issue of a Divine grace in a contemporary theology of the Canadian theologian, Bernard Lonergan. It is a phenomenologically-transcendental attempt of formulating the reality, where instead of the traditional theological ideas the new concepts appear, that refer to a human experience of love. In this way, Lonergan wants above all to point out, that the grace is a relation of persons, wherein the love as a gift originated from a free initiative of God becomes through a response of the man, a link creating a relationship and going beyond the man himself towards the others. That is why, Lonergan accepts the love between the people as a pattern for the grace, since he wants to explain how the man, living in the grace, acts, behaves and affects the others. As a definition of the reality of grace, Lonergan uses an expression: being-in-love-with-God, and in the first place he indicates what the man accepts from the outside thanks to the grace, to exhibit afterwards what he passes on further, being himself in the state of grace.

ІДЕЯ ТЕОЗИСА В ХРИСТИЯНСЬКІЙ АНТРОПОЛОГІЇ

Author(s): Veronika Golisheva / Language(s): Ukrainian / Issue: 1/2013

The analysis of historical development of question of teosis is done in the article. Teosis is determined as a way from the man of corporel to the man transformed and his height in a spirit and truth. Paid attention to the studies about the difference of essence and energy as a necessary step for the correct understanding of teosis.

ШТА ОДРЕЂУЈЕ ОНОСТРАНУ СУДБИНУ ДУШЕ?1

Author(s): Zorica Kuburić / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 29/2018

In this text the author investigates whether there is a contradiction between theassertion that a soul’s destiny in life after death is determined by condition of one’s mindat the moment of one’s death, and the assertion that soul’s destiny in life after deathdepends on one’s deeds performed during lifetime. Although the viewpoints insisting on thequality of the mind and quantity of deeds seem inconsistent, the author will attempt torefute such an opinion. He warns of danger of unilateral insistence on only one out of twoaspects – pharisaically on evident deeds and gnostically on the state of the mind. Havingconsidered dilemma over whether God punishes sinners for educational purposes, orwhether one’s each sin brings one into trouble, and the teaching about the Judgment Dayand hell, the author claims that it is not so important which theological viewpoint wemaintain, but whether we truly remember that we will die and to which extent we reallylook after our soul.

ЭЛЕМЕНТЫ АРИСТОТЕЛЕВСКОЙ ДОКТРИНЫ О РОСТЕ И РАСТУЩЕМ У ОРИГЕНА, МЕФОДИЯ ОЛИМПИЙСКОГО И ГРИГОРИЯ НИССКОГО

Author(s): Valery V. Petroff / Language(s): Russian / Issue: 1/2016

The paper treats Origen’s reception of Alexander of Aphrodisias’ arguments concerning growth and growing. It is shown that Origen uses the reasoning and examples used by Alexander, in his doctrine of the risen body. Taking the principle that the form (eidos) of the body experienced quantitative change remains the same, Origen tries to prove that even if a resurrected body possesses different material substrate, the remaining identity of its eidos (“appearance”) allows to postulate the identity of the former (earthly) body and the new risen body. At the same time, Origen neglects two premises, crucial in the Peripatetic framework which produced the doctrine of growth and growing. First, enmattered eidos could not be separated from its material substrate. Secondly, only the remaining continuity of the substrate, absent in the case of the resurrection, allowed to affirm not only indistinguishability but also the identity of the risen body. Methodius of Olympus’ criticism of Origen’s doctrine is also considered, together with an example of Gregory of Nyssa’s inefficient recourse to this Origenian concept.

Японците

Author(s): Bratislav Ivanov / Language(s): Bulgarian

Bratislav Ivanov's new book is dedicated to the values and traditions of the Japanese culture. Already in the early twentieth century, French scientist Henry Dumolard draws attention to the fact that the Japanese people are guided by their logic and draw conclusions that are often incomprehensible to Europeans. To understand the Japanese people, we need to know the values that form the core of their culture. A key to their understanding is the geographical environment, mythology, religion, and Japan's history.

الإعداد التربوي للإنسان ضمن مفهوم التربية القرآنية البحتة الحقائق التربوي في قصة نبي الله يوسف عليه السلام أنموذج

Author(s): Refik Kasım / Language(s): Arabic / Issue: Special/2017

This article deals with the education model of the Qur'an in the life frame of the prophet Joseph. When the Prophet Joseph was a small child, his brothers threw it into the well, and the people in a caravan passing it took him to Egypt and sold them as slaves. The prophet Joseph was tested in the house where he was slave in Egypt. He wished to enter the prison to get rid of these troubles. After many years in prison, he was taken out of prison by pharaoh and made a finance minister. This article deals with the life education of Joseph the prophet.