Jezikoslovno-duhovna promišljanja o kršćanskom nazivlju iz pera vrsnoga jezikoslovca i praktičnoga vjernika
Review of: Mile Mamić „Hrvatsko kršćansko nazivlje (II.)“, Informativni centar „Mir“, Međugorje. Review by: Marijana Bašić
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Review of: Mile Mamić „Hrvatsko kršćansko nazivlje (II.)“, Informativni centar „Mir“, Međugorje. Review by: Marijana Bašić
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Kako ovo lijepo zvuči! A tako je, jer nas je stvorio jedan Bog, jer su nas rodili mama i tata, osobe i članovi istog čovječanstva. Na blagdan sv. Franje Asiškog, u nedjelju, 4. listopada 2020., papa Franjo je hodočastio u Asiz na grob sv. Franje i potpisao novu encikliku (pismo) Svi smo braća (Fratelli tutti), to u talijanskom kontekstu znači – braća i sestre.
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The biblical book of Judith, a product of Jewish culture, belongs to the Greek canon of the Septuagint. The present study focuses on early interpretations of this book in the Eastern Christian tradition, particularly in the works of Clement of Alexandria and Origen. Through occasional quotations, both show how creatively and wisely Eastern Christianity of the second and third centuries CE understood the figure of this biblical, unique heroine.
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The content of the article is a literary-exegetical analysis of Mt 19:10–12. This pericope deals with the subject of celibacy. When Jesus speaks of the unmarried, he uses the word “eunuchs”. He distinguishes three groups of eunuchs, the first two of which do not raise any doubts. However, the most surprising is the third group, as they are the ones who made themselves “eunuchs” for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. We are dealing here with a metaphorical approach to the celibate. It is emphasized that this state of life is not understandable for everyone, but only for the chosen ones, for those who do it for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. In Jesus’ speech, we find traces of typically Semitic literary structures and figures. We are dealing here with the spiral structure of the phrase (Mt 19:12a–c), which is typical of the Semitic form of mashal, which confirms that we are dealing with ipsissima verba Jesu. The researched pericope constitutes its own material, characteristic only for the Gospel of Matthew. It perfectly fits the structure and editorial concept of chapters 19 and 20. The study shows the biblical, evangelical rooting of celibacy, the source of which is Jesus himself.
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For the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick no record in the Gospels can be found which would indicate clearly that Jesus instituted it directly. Hence the Reformation theologians questioned the sacramentality of this rite. The Council of Trent confirmed the Anointing of the Sick as a true sacrament, referring to the words of Mark 6:13 and James 5:14–15. This article attempts to provide a broader background for the institution of this sacrament, in the form of the entire Jesus’ activity toward the sick. The line of this reasoning is presented in three parts. The first one deals with the gestures and words of Jesus in the acts of healing as the original model for the sacramental service to the sick. The second part points to the spiritual aspects of Jesus’ healings, as an opening to grace. The third part, based on the material from the first two ones, is an interpretation of Mk 6:13 as a certain archetype of the practice of anointing the sick. In addition, the fourth part of the article indicates various other theories that attempt to solve this problem – they constitute a certain complement to the reasoning performed here, which sees in the salvific action of Jesus towards the sick the foundation of this sacrament’s institution.
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The article presents and justifies a thesis proposed by Wolfgang Oswald, according to which the tradition about the mountain of God (Horeb, Sinai) is a reminiscence of the tradition about Zion. The chronological order of names in the development of this tradition is as follows: “mo¬untain of God/YHWH”; “Horeb” – as the original appleativus “wilderness, ruin” in reference to the destroyed temple; Sinai – a symbolic reflection of the realities of the already functioning sanctuary in Jerusalem.
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The presented article raises a question concerning the relevance of the Mariological interpretation of the figure of “Woman” in Rev 12. The research showed that the Mariological understanding of Rev 12 results directly from the biblical text itself. However, this is not the only possible understanding of this passage. The figure of “Woman” can also be interpreted collectively – as a figure of Israel, the chosen people of the OT, who brings forth the Messiah to the world and then leaves the scene of salvation history. The “Woman” in Revelation 12 plays a dual role. Collectively, she represents the people of Israel waiting for the Messiah. In the individual aspect, which is subordinate to the collective one, there is here a reference to the figure of Mary.
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Review of: Mark W. Hamilton, K. W. Cukrowski, N. W. Shankle, J. Thompson, J. T. Willis Riječ koja preobražava. Biblijski komentari novozavjetnih knjiga, svezak III B Zagreb: Biblijski institut, 2020., str. 295.
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The Bible was not originally written for the modern reader, but the testimony of the Church is that it continues to speak God’s word to readers/hearers today. However, many modern Bible readers come across texts that need further explanation because the biblical authors did not offer clarification of their writings. They assumed the readers of their time were familiar with the background and could understand the reported events without further explanation. To achieve a “legit” interpretation of Old Testament texts, we first need to understand Scripture correctly, meaning that the biblical text must be read in its narrower and broader context. Only within a context does it become clear what the author meant to say. The main argument of this article is to exhibit that the Bible can only be fully understood against the backdrop of the Ancient Near East (ANE). The broader context consists of the knowledge of surrounding nations during Bible times (i.e., Hebrew Bible). By examining ANE texts and archeological findings we achieve a more complete and enriched comprehension of a given scriptural text or passage. This article exhibits through some concrete examples how archeological findings, inscriptions, and Ancient Near East texts can aid in understanding the broader context of the Old Testament world. In return, the wider context of the Bible world can enlighten or clarify a difficult, incomprehensible, or ambiguous biblical text and henceforth scriptural interpretation become more accurate and closer to the original message and meaning.
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Although in the light of science it cannot be stated with certainty that the Shroud of Turin is the cloth in which Jesus Christ was wrapped during the burial, by analogy there is a possibility to conduct comparative studies on the Lord’s Passion derived from the Gospels and with the results of research by the syndonologists dealing with scientific analysis of the Shroud. The article is an attempt to compare such the accounts of the Gospel writers with the data from the Shroud of Turin. It seems that there are no contradictions in these data, they even confirm the entire Gospel descriptions. Moreover, these descriptions in many points seem very concise. On the other hand, the study of the Shroud provides many details not mentioned by the Gospel writers.
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From the Encyclical „Laudato si” to the Encyclical „Fratelli tutti”. A Perspective on Spirituality and Social Ethics. The essay begins by showing that it is essential for all Christian thinking - and thus also for a Christian social ethics - to refer to a deeper meaning passively received from God. Starting from this Logos, Christian social ethical thinking tries to convey how to build a civilisation or a society of integral and humane capitalism whose inner building principle is love. This reception of meaning and love in order to be enabled to love takes place practically in liturgical worship as the author argues with Romano Guardini; here the absolute love of God is first received and vouchsafed as an unclaimable and yet profoundly vital gift. Liturgy focuses, like a burning glass, the experience of a greater freedom of the human being to do good in the face of a greater love, in the face of absolute love, in the face of God. In this view, liturgy is liberated freedom for the good and for the better, for the beautiful. From there, all human activity not only has a technical-instrumental and efficiency-oriented side, but is deeply ordered towards the realisation of higher values, so that the author can say: Culture grows out of cult. From here, he shows how a culture of law and ethics unfolds from the mere nature of man to faith in a personal God. In this perspective, law and morality are formulations of the primordial sense placed by God in human natural reason - the logos - and serve to shape a world conducive to life and worthy of human beings. This highlights in particular the space of political action, which plays a prominent role especially in Pope Francis’ encyclicals „Laudato si” and „Fratelli tutti”. In these encyclicals, the author primarily criticises a „technocratic paradigm”, in which human action is only reduced to questions of technical possibilities and efficiency, but in which the deeper meaning of human action is obscured. Starting from the parable of the prodigal son and the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is particularly prominent in „Fratelli tutti”, the author then develops the extent to which one must first convert to the incarnate Logos Christ in order to be able to realise the Logos instilled in man and the world, also in political thought and action. This is where the author sees the proprium of Christian social ethics as ethics of institutions and as inclusive capitalism, as also developed in the encyclicals of Pope Francis: The orientation of state, society and economy towards the realisation of higher values, of the Logos placed in the world by God.
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The article analyses and juxtaposes the images of the eschatological soteriological figures of Melchizedek in 11QMelchizedek (11Q13) and the “Son of God” in 4QApocryphon of Daniel (4Q246). Identifying the differences in the soteriological concepts reflected in 11Q13 and 4Q246, the author reaches the following main conclusions. God the Creator is transcendent to creation; Melchizedek is predominantly the spiritual head of the entire Universe (cf. also 4Q521, frag. 2, 2:1 of the “Messiah” of the Lord), who during the Eschaton will put an end to all the dark forces of creation led by Belial, atone for the sins of the worthy and retaliate against the sinful. As for the “Son of God” in 4Q246, his mission is mainly directed to earthly affairs, albeit on a global scale; he appears as a lay and military leader who comes at a critical moment to the aid of God’s people and is called to establish a just and righteous world order and in fact to become the sovereign of the united earthly kingdom. To a certain extent the image of the “Son of God” in 4Q246 may be compared with the personality of the eschatological “messenger who announces peace ( שלום )” (Isa. 52:7), i.e. establishes socio-political welfare on earth (cf., e.g., 4Q246, frag. 2, 2:5–6), and who is identified in 11Q13 2:16, 18 with the figure of the “anointed”/”prince” mentioned in Dan. 9:25 (the lay Messiah). Melchizedek, on the other hand, appears in 11Q13 as a divine figure on a universal, not just global, scale—one could even say like a second “God” within the created universe. As for the “messenger of good who announces salvation, saying to Zion: your God reigns” (Isa. 52:7), referred to in 11Q13 2:18–24, this is probably the Teacher of Righteousness of the Qumran community (the priestly Messiah).
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The Reliable Sources of Josephus in Contra Apionem. At the beginning of Contra Apionem, Josephus argues for the authenticity and reliability of himself and Jewish historiography. The Scriptures play an important role in this argumentation. In our study, we list the warranty criteria that the author names for the 22 historically authentic books. And we are looking for an answer to the question of whether, on the basis of these criteria, only these 22 books can be truly considered an authentic source of Jewish historiography. Josephus saw himself as a translator and interpreter of historical sources. His sources consist of various writings, including the 22 books. The authenticity and reliability of his interpretation is guaranteed by his ancestry, his knowledge of the Jewish “philosophical” schools, his prophetic abilities, and the constant correction of his work by others. It can be said with a high degree of probability that the 22 books appear as a justification in his argumentation: if the Jews were able to write, preserve, and pass on such documents, then the same accuracy and reliability could be presumed from later generations – up to and including Josephus.
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The paper deals with enigmatic symbols presented in Biblical allusions in the texts of contemporary Russian poets Bakhyt Kenzheev, Evgeny Lesin, Ilya Falikov and Oleg Komkov. Three types of artistic symbols may be distinguished according to the criterion of their interpretative depth: empathic symbols are connected with the most important characteristics of existence, eidetic symbols remain in our memory due to the exceptional brightness of images, while enigmatic symbols constitute riddles to be deciphered. Biblical allusions in modern Russian poetry often belong to the third class of symbols. The allusions in the poems analysed are predominantly tragic in tone and develop the ideas of Ecclesiastes, with an emphasis on the incomprehensibility of the divine plan. The images of retribution to Sodom and flights to Egypt and from it illustrate the eternal circle of human existence. Bakhyt Kenzheev offers a new reading of the story of the destruction of Sodom, in which God’s messenger comes to the ruins of the city to see if there are any survivors after the apocalyptical retribution. A new dialogue with Ecclesiastes includes an image of an endless line of lanterns which may symbolise an after-death meeting of souls. In another poem of this author there is an allusion to the world’s annihilation as a necessary stage of the development of the Universe. Evgeny Lesin calls his country the last Sodom, and a place which he is reluctant to leave even though he is aware of its imminent fate. A new interpretation of the Exodus from Egypt is given by Ilya Falikov. In his take it becomes an eternal journey in a circle with no chance of escape. Oleg Komkov also treats this narrative in a new way: as a never-ending chain of death and resurrection. These allusions emphasise the idea that after creation, there inevitably comes destruction. The emphasis in the analysed texts is on a tragic perception of the world blended with an ironic attitude to it. Interpreting enigmatic symbols requires from the readers a creative participation in the dialogue with poets.
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David, who is a model of true repentance throughout the centuries, has a less than whole moral attitude towards Mikal, his wife and Saul’s daughter. The complexity of both these biblical characters reflect a true love of Mikal and a political interest of David. Mikal loses something, her parental love, to gain something else, the love of a husband. David only manifests his political interest. The window appears in this context as an archetype of salvation and an image of moral integrity. It illuminates and delivers. Mikal remains in biblical history as a model of sacrificial love for her husband and a moral landmark of integrity.
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This article presents the role of the hymnography for the christian orthodox culture. From her earliest centuries, the Christian Church has used iconography and hymnography, both are artistic media bound within the frames of dogma that communicate a sacred curriculum to the faithful by engaging two of the five senses, allowing the eyes to see and the ears to hear. Some hymns unequivocally declare the great dogmatic truths, others the love of God, and others place our pain, problems and aspirations before God and His Saints. Orthodox hymnography and the homiletics are the most productive genres, viable in the twenty-first century. This study will explore the origin, evolution, structure of the Akathist hymn.
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Appoggiandosi sull’analisi fatta da George W. Savran riguardo alla struttura e tipologia delle teofanie trovatesi nell’Antico Testamento l’articolo cerca di identificare gli elementi essenziali dell’esperienza biblica su Dio che costituiscono nel loro insieme una certa criteriologia valida e modello spirituale per l’esperienza di fede e anticipano in certo senso il mistero dell’incarnazione di Cristo.
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Biblische Grundmotive verknüpfen oft wichtige Lebensfelder: konkreter, alltäglicher Gebrauch bestimmter Wörter bereitet einer anderen, symbolischen Sprache Platz. In dieser Studie werden einige biblische Geschichten und Konzepte im Zusammenhang mit Bauen auf ihren möglichen symbolischen Wert hin durchsucht. Es reicht ein Hinweis auf den Bau von Städten, Haüsern, Tempeln, bzw. auf den „Bau“ des menschlichen Körpers oder von Gemeinschaften, um diesen Tatbestand einzusehen. Dem Spruch Jesu vom auf Felsen gebauten Haus wird näher nachgegangen, um dann durch einige sehr konkrete Beispiele eine hermeneutische Anwendung auf unser eigenes Leben vorzubereiten.
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Was ist Mnemotechnik? Anhand mehrerer Beispiele erklärt für Dozent/inn/en. Dem Titel nach geht es um Methoden für Gedächtnishilfe im Studieren und Lernen. Anhand des Artikels der Psychologin Dáné Gabriella wird die Mnemotechnik als Begriff erklärt und viele Methoden gezeigt, um für hilfeleistende Lernverse zu schaffen. Nach dieser wissenschaftlichen Einleitung kommt meine Sammlung von mnemotechnischen Lernversen, die ich im Laufe meines Dozierens gesammelt habe. Die Sammlung ist nach Themen geordnet: die Heilige Schrift/Bibel (1–9), Kirchengeschichte (10–12), Kalender (Chronologie) (13–16), Katechismus, Glaubenslehre (17–23), Philosophie-Logik (24–25) also insgesamt 25 Lernverse. Am Schluss werden die Quellen der Sammlung angegeben.
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The following text analyzes the reception of the very significant theological concept of dwelling Jesus’ in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas and tries to underline the dynamics of this reception as re-contextualization with Jesus, one of his attributes or the Holy Spirit in the center. The dwelling expressed first of all through σκηνόω/ἐν-σκηνόω/ κατα-σκηνόω is linked with the activity and manifestation of Jesus as Logos and of the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile refers also οἰκέω/κατοικέω to the gradual dwelling of Jesus and his Holy Spirit in the bodies and souls of people. Nevertheless, implies dwelling also a human action.
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