„Думи“ и „слово“ в латинската християнска литература на IV–V в

Author(s): Rosen Milanov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2018

The greatest and most important works of Latin Christian literature date back to IV–V cc. These works are a result of the specific Christian conception of man and the world. In the present paper I explore the attitude of the Christian writers towards the world and its words, towards the verbal communication and the ancient non-Christian literature. The genres and kinds of the Christian literature, as well as its subjects, are also considered. Тhe highest, eternal meaning of the Christian sermon is explained.

Безмерно преданы: о просветительской деятельности церковной интеллигенции Российской провинции в последней четверти XIX — начале XX в.

Author(s): Tatyana Aleksandrovna Krasnitskaya / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2022

The article analyzes the educational activities of the church intelligentsia of the Russian province in the last quarter of the XIX — early XX century on the basis of a wide range of sources. The goals, process and results of the educational work of the representatives of the spiritual department in the Vladimir eparchy are in the centre of attention. The analysis of the activities of the church intelligentsia is presented in 3 perspectives - the administrative links of the church-school system: the eparchial bishop, who was entrusted with the general care of the church schools in the eparchy (Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal eparchy Feognost), the eparchial observer, who supervised the educational institutions (V. G. Dobronravov) and the head of the school, who took care of its structure and maintenance (Archpriest K. A. Veselovsky). The author made a conclusion that the representatives of the spiritual department, having a common goal-to educate the people in the spirit of the Orthodox faith, acted in this direction in accordance with the assigned tasks and opportunities. The general motivation for the creation of schools in the Vladimir eparchy came from the eparchial spiritual authorities, whose leadership role determined the position and activity of the local clergy. The activities of the church and school inspection, which consisted of eparchial and district observers, allowed us to see the real picture of the development of school education and determine its further development. All the burden of opening schools and their functioning was assigned to the head of the school. The successful activity of the head of the school influenced not only the solution of the problem of the development of public education within the parish, but also changed the attitude of the peasants to education. The educational activities of the church intelligentsia played an important role in the development of the church-school system in Russia in the pre-revolutionary period.

Interview with Professor Karel Skalický about Czech Exile Journal Studie

Author(s): Karel Skalický,František Štěch / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2022

Teologia dziecięca jako teologia dla dzieci

Author(s): Adam Kalbarczyk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2022

The contemporary concept of religious education features a postulate which says that when talking with children about God, children should be treated as the subject of theological reflection. It is because children can “go on” about God, theologize, create their own theodicy and interpret the world around them in their own way. On the basis of such experiences and postulates, a new theological discipline called children’s theology – practised for many years at universities in western Europe – was created. One can distinguish its three interrelated aspects: theology of children, i.e. their own theological reflection, children’s independent theologizing; theology with children, i.e. joint theologizing involving adults and children, asking theological questions and answering them; theology for children, i.e. deduction-free introduction of children to academic theology. The third dimension is not well developed theoretically. The present article outlines a discourse on its essence, criteria for the selection of contents and the way of their conveyance, as well as its significance for such areas of practical theology as catechetics or homiletics.

A Case of Sceptically-based Christian Moralism: Isidore of Pelusium’s Epistles 1217 and 773 (II, 273)

Author(s): John A. Demetracopoulos / Language(s): English Issue: 28/2022

Scholars have claimed that Isidore of Pelusium’s Epistle 1217 forms a contribution to biblical exegesis. This seems inaccurate, for a closer examination of the text shows that what Isidore states is that certain things in the world (not in the Bible) are patently knowable, other things are not but nevertheless can be known by drawing conclusions from evident knowledge, whereas some things simply are beyond our reach. Actually, this insurmountable limit is, in the last resort, a positive element, because it gives us a moral lesson, teaching us humility. The true meaning of the Epistle is revealed mainly through its direct textual sources, which include passages from Sextus Empiricus, Philo of Alexandria, Basil of Caesarea, and John Chrysostom. In addition, the main point of Epistle 1217 is contextualised in Isidore’s thought by comparing it to certain other letters he wrote, primarily Epistle 773 (II, 273), which, as shown, is a development of Epistle 1217.

Бележки върху Distinctio XXXIX от Ordinatio на Уилям Окам: Utrum Deus possit scire plura quam scit?

Author(s): Oleg Georgiev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 28/2022

The present article is dedicated to Question XXXIX of William Ockham’s Ordinatio: whether God can know more (or fewer) truths than he does. However, Occam’s solution to the question of the specificity of knowledge, including God’s knowledge regarding the validity of true and false propositions about things, is not so much prompted by the attempt to prove the truth or falsity of the question. It seems that it was more important for him to answer whether it was possible to substantiate a theory of «objective» or «eternal» truths by means of propositions formed by the human intellect. The important question here is about the status of all that is in the mind: the difficulty of definition comes from the ambiguity of whether it is subjective (i.e. real) in the intellect, is only objective in the intellect and is subjective in the thing, or is objective only in the intellect and is not subjective anywhere else. In this situation, for him, an understanding of the status of true propositions that have a universal character and how they are formed is essential.

Николай от Куза и диалектиката на „живото огледало“

Author(s): Lydia Kondova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 28/2022

The main aim of this article is to provoke research interest in a rather undeveloped part of Cusan symbolic theology, namely – the mirror metaphor. Its persistent reappearance, together with its compatibility with the broad philosophical context of his system, allows us to assume that for the Cardinal himself this symbol functioned as an additional “key” to the final goal of the learned ignorance – the mystical ascent to the infinite. In order to elucidate this alternative approach, the article examines the images of the mirror, the living mirror, and the perfect living mirror as metaphor’s manifestations on the three general ontological levels – respectively, nature, human, and God. The following comparison of Cusan and Leibnizian uses of the metaphor allows us to conclude that, while the Cardinal’s symbols often “tempt” into drawing parallels between him and the Early Modern philosophy, his views are better understood as independent and should be freed from the prejudices of his protomodernity. This final claim is argued not in terms of the symbol used, but in terms of the motivation behind it.

Природа/същност според византийските философи

Author(s): Georgi Kapriev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 28/2022

Following the main line of Byzantine philosophical thought, the early authors already redefine almost all the concepts they inherited from the Hellenic tradition. An important place in this line is taken by the terms “nature” and “essence”, which were considered synonyms at least since the 4th century. In the text that has become known as Letter 38, Basil the Great introduces “nature” as a name referring to the universal nature (κοινὴ φύσις) and not to a specific being. The Cappadocians do not question the reality of being of the general nature also in the created world. But also according to them, it is not existing otherwise than in the individuals containing the respective nature. On the way, by which the difference between the common nature and the individual bearer of this nature is drawn, they put especially great emphasis. In the line of thought between the Cappadocians and John Damascene, the rule is established that the “essence” is predicated only with respect to self-subsisting beings. Maximus the Confessor summarizes in his definitions what has been achieved up to him and extends it. Damascene defines the nature as the common logos of the being of the things having the same essence, while “hypostasis” marks the independent existence of each nature. Already in the 6th century, in the work of Leontius of Byzantium, the essential difference between nature simply (or at all) and in itself on the one hand, and nature in the individual subject, on the other hand, is asserted. This position can be met almost literally in John Damascene, though he clarifies it further. Nature/essence is primarily conceived as a certain constitutive dynamic, which realizes itself through its own forces and energies. The essence or nature of a thing is primarily a source of energetic manifestations.

„Hagiologiczny Kerygmat”. Teologiczna „lektura” bazyliki San Stefano Rotondo w Rzymie

Author(s): Katarzyna Parzych-Blakiewicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 22/2021

The article presents the theological interpretation of the sacred space of San Stefano Rotondo in Rome. It is the result of research in the area of saints and holiness – that is, hagiology. The aim of the research undertaken is to define the temple as locus theologicus. San Stefan is a rotunda. In the middle there is a presbytery illuminated by natural light. Around it is a nave with 34 frescoes depicting scenes of the martyrdom of saints from the first centuries of Christianity. The theological interpretation concerns the whole interior, including its artistic furnishings and architecture. It was done in the perspective of papal teaching onholiness as a daily experience of closeness to God and taking into account the assumptions of aspectual hagiology. She has led to conclusions that include a proposal to use a new term– „hagiological kerygma” for use in further hagiological research aimed at „theology for innovation.”

„Mărgăritarul de mare preț”. Euharistia cosmologică a poetului sau botezul unui simbolism uitat în Imnurile Sfântului Efrem Sirul

Author(s): Tudor-Dragoș Paraschiv / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1-3/2022

The five hymns dedicated to the pearl make a distinct group among the most significant of St. Ephrem’s work. A symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven, and, in the New Testament, a symbol of the mystery of faith, the image of the pearl has a long history in Antiquity. Patristic literature records very few, brief reflections on the symbolism of the pearl, as expected – among early Christians interest for precious stones did not enjoy a good reputation, as they were the avatars of Greek and Roman paganism. In this context, the complexity of the symbolism of the pearl in the work of St. Ephrem appears even more intriguing. The Saint builds on the pre-existing symbolism of the pearl, as found in the New Testament, and develops new dimensions of the symbol, such as the Christological one, in a way that also relies on the cultural heritage of Antiquity. The “valorization” of Antiquity involves a thorough selection and purification of the former symbolism of the pearl, a process much similar to the fundamental mystery of Christianity, which is baptism. This is why I define this as “the baptism” of a forgotten symbol.Without a doubt, the genius and grace that were bestowed upon St. Ephrem translate as his unusual gift for symbolic thinking, and also as his skill of seeing even the most trivial aspects of life as “windows” open to the Kingdom of God. At the same time, his poetic gift is deeply connected to a special sense of the real, as noted by the researchers of his work. The set of poems dedicated to the pearl, a symbol of the Eucharist advances the idea that the poetic work itself becomes “the baptism” (of / into a symbol) that leads to the partaking of the Eucharist by the poet. The hymns dedicated to the symbolism of the pearls are not a kind of testament of St. Ephrem’s, but the expression of a subtle and unique ars poetica et theologica. This is what I aim to demonstrate in this study dedicated to an important but long-forgotten Christian symbol.

RELIGIJSKO I OPĆELJUDSKO BRATSTVO. MUSLIMANSKO STAJALIŠTE O TREĆOJ ENCIKLICI PAPE FRANJE FRATELLI TUTTI

Author(s): Nedžad Grabus / Language(s): Bosnian Issue: 2/2022

In this work, we deal with the basic postulates and the common question of brotherhood and sisterhood based on the encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli tutti, “We are all brothers and sisters”, the content of which, as is written in the introduction, was inspired by meetings with Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyib. Al-Azhar University has a distinguished reputation among a majority of Muslims around the world. The Pope refers to Saint Francis of Assisi, who, inspired by the content of the New Testament, addressed these words to all people: brothers and sisters, men and women, all people of good will, God’s creatures. We examine the links between the faiths and why it is important to read the Pope’s encyclical as an incentive to accept the other, to accept differences and to develop a culture of dialogue; and the implications the encyclical has for theological dialogue, ethical monotheism and social justice. The encyclical has a clear link to the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Coexistence that Pope Francis and Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmad Al- Tayyib signed on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi. In this text, we are primarily interested in the parts that indicate the necessity of developing and nurturing a culture of dialogue and accepting believers as brothers and sisters, and the importance of ethical monotheism, which strongly unites all followers of monotheistic religions. Three segments are important to us in our work: the theological openness of the Pope’s third encyclical, ethical issues and social context, and populism and liberalism. These questions are also important for our area, considering the centuries-old intertwining and common life of Christians and Muslims in this part of the world.

THE SOCIAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF SAINT GREGORY PALAMAS'S APPROACH TO DEFENDING THE HESYCHASTIC PRAYER

Author(s): Marinel Laurențiu Marcu / Language(s): English Issue: 5-8/2022

At the heart of the monastic spirituality is the development of hesychasm as a means toward achieving an experience of the divine (theosis), and this development proved to be of immense importance in the history of the Orthodox Church. This development of hesychasm, focused on the necessity of ceaseless inner prayer, greatly influenced later Orthodox Church history, spirituality and pastoral counseling. For reasons which will be discussed within this paper, hesychastic spirituality came to the forefront in the fourteenth century, especially through the substantial contribution of Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359), and since that time it has played a key role as a renewal movement within Eastern Christianity up to the present day. In his defense of hesychasm prayer, Saint Gregory Palamas formulated a solid theological justification based on the writings of the past Church Fathers, which means that he was in full conformity with the Orthodox Christian tradition.

Cnota męstwa fundamentem każdego powołania

Author(s): Henryk Majkrzak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2022

Today, technology, computer science and medicine are developing rapidly. Humanity can be proud of these achievements! However, the entire humanities have plunged into a deep crisis, so much so that there is talk of a crisis of philosophy, theology, ethics and literature. This, in turn, gives rise to a crisis of vocations, which is a well-known cause in Poland and Europe. Seminaries and monasteries are closing, and marriages often break up. The author of the article puts forward a thesis - which he then develops and justifies in the further part of the publication - that this crisis is also related to the lack of the cardinal virtue of fortitude. Its manifestation is the courage that is needed to choose a vocation and then pursue it despite the difficulties that arise. The vocation to the priestly, religious, married and single life, which is dedicated to God and people, is extensively discussed.

THE MORAL DIMENSION OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM’S PERSONALITY

Author(s): Mircea Cristian Pricop / Language(s): English Issue: 16/2019

The life and work of Saint John Chrysostom, the most revered Eastern Father, have - as we have already seen - mystical and especially deep moral connotations. As far as the Holy Hierarch is the author of the Divine Liturgy, his commentaries on terminology are becoming precious values for all the branches of Theology. His personal example actuates both monastics and married people on the path of philanthropy and fulfilling the good.

Moralne aspekty reformy Kurii Rzymskiej w przemówieniach papieża Franciszka do kurialistów w latach 2013-2021

Author(s): Wojciech Kućko / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2 (32)/2022

The purpose of this article is to describe the moral challenges of Pope Francis’ ongoing reform of the Roman Curia, based on an analysis of nine of his speeches to Roman curialists in 2013-2021, which resulted in the publication of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium in 2022. The text presents the value of the ethical sensitivity of a curial worker and the need to practice certain virtues, the need to combat various problems and ‘diseases’ in curial work, as well as the responsibility of the Roman Curia for the Church itself in its ad intra dimension and for ad extra reality.

„O, SZCZĘŚLIWA OBLUBIENICO BOGA, DUSZO CZŁOWIEKA SPRAWIEDLIWEGO!” KAZANIA DZIEWIĄTE, DZIESIĄTE I JEDENASTE RYSZARDA ZE ŚWIĘTEGO WIKTORA Z JEGO LIBER EXCEPTIONUM — WSTĘP I PRZEKŁAD

Author(s): Piotr Wilk,Łukasz Libowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: XXVIII/2022

The main part of this article consists of a translation of three sermons by Richard of Saint-Victor, an author who belonged to a long line of eminent intellectuals connected with the school, which had its roots in the abbey of Saint-Victor near Paris from the twelfth century onwards. These are the ninth, tenth and eleventh sermons contained by Richard in the tenth book of the second part of his encyclopaedic work entitled The Book of Excerpts; this tenth book is a collection of twenty-seven sermons. The proposed translation was preceded by a short introduction.

(Um)welt-ethos. Creation, ecology and environment in ecumenical perspective

Author(s): Pablo Blanco-Sarto / Language(s): English Issue: 22/2022

Christianity is sometimes considered as guilty of the ecological miscare throughout history. The words ‘economy’, ‘ecology’ and ‘ecumenism’ come from the same word (oikos – house) and remain very close in their respective developments. But Welt-ethos must be preceded by a Welt-logos and by an Um-welt-logos, that means that Nature has her own voice in our relationship with the Planet. This is a counter-intuitive principle in the history of Christianity, whose position has been sometimes ambiguous. An historical approach can help us to understand better these abstract ideas as incarnated in the present moment. This ecumenical and ecological spirituality is lived not only by monks and friars, but also by all believers in Christ, and the theology of creation is an ecumenical meeting-point between all Christians. In this study we will follow here a biblical, historical, ecumenical and comparative methodology, for understanding how was lived this issue in the Christianity, and how must be lived in the future.

Propheticness of the ecumenical social thought: the “Life and Work” Oxford Conference about the state and economic order

Author(s): Piotr Kopiec / Language(s): English Issue: 22/2022

Propheticness understood as a Christian interpretation of the world’s spiritual, ideological and social challenges, is the primary dimension of ecumenical social thought. History of the ecumenical movement has many times confirmed this prophetical vision which often ran counter to or preceded dominant political and socioeconomic orders. The World Council of Churches’ model of responsible society has exemplified such a vision. Although today forgotten, a prophetical voice of ecumenism sounded at the conference of the Life and Work movement held in Oxford in 1937. The gathering, even though it took place in a gloomy time of political totalitarianism and socioeconomic crisis and in the shadow of the oncoming world war, produced a theological interpretation of the state and the economy, which later became an abundant source of ideas for the next decades of the ecumenical social teaching. The article aims to manifest the comprehensiveness and freshness of the Oxford concepts and, thereby, to demonstrate the Propheticness of ecumenical social thought. Eventually, it wishes to prove the relevance and significance of ecumenical teaching about society today. A survey of the subject literature and literary analysis is the primary method svemployed in the article.

The concept and meaning of the family in the context of the deliberations of Blessed Father Michał Sopocko

Author(s): Elwira JOLANTA KRYŃSKA / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2022

The thematic scope of the article is related to the re-edition of the book by Fr. Michał Sopoćka, entitled – Family in legislation in the Polish Lands (Ethical and legal study), published in Vilnius in 1926. This is the published version of the doctoral dissertation on the basis of which Fr. Michał Sopoćko, received a doctorate in theology on March 1, 1926. The article does not pretend to be a comprehensive study of the issue contained in the title, it is only an attempt to draw attention to the topicality of the issue of the family raised by Fr. Sopoćko in his doctoral dissertation and the need to continue this issue in the context of legislation and ethics, and Christian morality. The reference to the family theory of Fr. Michał Sopocko – a zealous priest, theologian, social worker, servant of God, it is all the more justified that in the era of strong ideological, worldview, propaganda and ideological tendencies against the national and Christian culture, the 20th / 21st century family found itself in the face of difficult problems – there is even talk of a family crisis. Formerly hidden are coming to light: violence, harassment on various grounds, psychological torment, and even sexual violence against children, incest and crimes of infanticide. Hence, the reference to the Christian model of a family created on the basis of a humanistic approach to human existence is becoming particularly important today and – perhaps – most needed by people. It allows us to strive for the place and right of existence of the Christian vision of the world, the image of man and the Christian system of values in the public space. The more so because Fr. Michał Sopoćko, as an apostle of the truth and worship of Divine Mercy, recognized the truth about man, marriage and family on the basis of the intellectual tradition of personalism and Christian culture. Father Michał Sopoćko pointed out that without the family, its concern for education and service to life, there is no development of the nation and the Church.

ECCLESIA LIBRARY AND THEOLOGY BRANCH OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY OF CAROL I UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE BUCHAREST FACULTY OF ORTHODOX THEOLOGY

Author(s): Marius-George Coșarcă,George-Iulian Tatu / Language(s): English Issue: 24/2021

The aim of this study is to briefly present the activity of the two existing university libraries at the Bucharest Faculty of Orthodox Theology. This article presents the librarians who currently work in this higher education institution and highlights the contribution of the clergy and other people to the development of the libraries. On top of that, it is also captured the changes that have taken place recently at the Library of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and at the Branch of Orthodox Theology of the Central University Library in the capital.