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This article explores ways in which faith influences our church’s liturgy in its contact with the broader spectrum of religious rites in an age of “religious disenchantment”. It is relevant even in the context of a conservative structure like the Hungarian Unitarian Church. In our technological society it appears increasingly important to develop a relevant concept of God, which is essential in interpreting religious rites. One of the reasons for this increasingly more obvious diffi culty is the transition from an exterior, naive, objective concept of the cosmos to an internal, sensual, and personal concept of God. Increasingly more claims are directed towards creating personalized liturgies, which feeds itself from the foundations of individualization. Concepts like modernity, immanence, and development need reinterpretation, even though they are right there for theological students’ fi rst course catalog as they are accepted into the curriculum for becoming ministers of this faith community. Since this transition between objective and subjective is not procedural, not linear, and mainly not homogeneous, gaps arise within the essential influence on liturgy which traditionally dealt with this transition. Yet concepts like globalization and fundamentalism, loaded with tension, become entangled with each other within the rite, and need to be acknowledged and interpreted. Th erefore, this article is merely an exploration. It contains neither grounded research, nor detailed analysis, both of which will be essential to the further study of ritual structure.
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A keresztény lelkiség és liturgia közti kapcsolat elválaszthatatlan.Ezen tanulmány célja az ún. pietas liturgica – liturgikus lelkiség bemutatása,továbbá annak jelentősége és alapja a lelki életben. Belőle fakad ugyanis aszemélyes vallásosság is. Egyértelmű, hogy olyan lelkiségről van szó, amelynekforrása és csúcsa a liturgikus ünneplés. Eme cikk a liturgikus ünneplésérdekes történelmi fejlődését mutatja be. Ebből kifolyólag ki kell emelni aliturgiai mozgalom képviselőinek igyekezetét, az őket követő egyházatyákat,akik felélesztették a liturgiai lelkiség fontosságát. Ez a tanulmány a pietasliturgica jellemző vonásaira is rámutat, és ebben a kontextusban a liturgiailelkiség hármas, ekkleziológiai, krisztológiai vonatkozására. Nem hiányozhatbelőle az a mariológiai vonás sem, amely azon Mária-ünnep kapcsán váliknyilvánvalóvá, melyeket az egyház a liturgikus év során megünnepel.A tanulmány módszeréül az elemzést választottuk, és a megszerzett ismeretekfelhasználásával került feldolgozásra.A keresztény lelkiség és liturgia közti kapcsolat elválaszthatatlan. Ezen tanulmány célja az ún. pietas liturgica – liturgikus lelkiség bemutatása, továbbá annak jelentősége és alapja a lelki életben. Belőle fakad ugyanis a személyes vallásosság is. Egyértelmű, hogy olyan lelkiségről van szó, amelynek forrása és csúcsa a liturgikus ünneplés. Eme cikk a liturgikus ünneplés érdekes történelmi fejlődését mutatja be. Ebből kifolyólag ki kell emelni a liturgiai mozgalom képviselőinek igyekezetét, az őket követő egyházatyákat, akik felélesztették a liturgiai lelkiség fontosságát. Ez a tanulmány a pietas liturgica jellemző vonásaira is rámutat, és ebben a kontextusban a liturgiai lelkiség hármas, ekkleziológiai, krisztológiai vonatkozására. Nem hiányozhat belőle az a mariológiai vonás sem, amely azon Mária-ünnep kapcsán válik nyilvánvalóvá, melyeket az egyház a liturgikus év során megünnepel. A tanulmány módszeréül az elemzést választottuk, és a megszerzett ismeretek felhasználásával került feldolgozásra.
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After World War II many questions were raised by the „generation of sons” to their fathers regarding the war. There was an urgent need to cope with the past somehow. In this past elaboration the voice of the victims was worth to listen to and forgiveness of the aggressors became a major question of the society. This article was born from a study of western forgiveness-discussions and presents the Hungarian forgiveness-ethos after the end of the Great War and the big changes of 1989. More precisely it presents some of the reasons why the subject of forgiveness was lacking in Hungarian reformed theology. Shortly after the trauma of the Great War pax sovietica arrived. There was no time to distance oneself enough from the harms of the previous period and to raise and develop a public discussion on subjects like forgiveness and reconciliation because new traumas had to be faced.There was no time to cope with the past of the war, and there was no possibility (because it was not allowed) to speak out those harms until the end of the communist regime.Due to the special geopolitical situation of Eastern Europe, the isolation from western theology and with country-borders divided, Hungarian reformed theology has developed into two different directions. In Hungary the “theology of the serving church” became the unison voice of the church, while in Transylvania, building on the foundation of “new reformation theology”, a special Word-theology was born and developed into a pan-homiletic direction. Homiletics became the crown of theological studies, and every study of theology (historical, biblical, systematic and practical) had to offer some results for preaching.
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This paper is devoted to the issues concerning the leadership of a parson over his parish in the era of transformations which are taking place in Central and Eastern Europe. These transformations are multiple and complex. The author of the paper focuses on the socio- cultural and religious transformations which constitute the essential background for the parson’s ministry. These transformations result in the fact that the previous model of leadership in the parish community is not sufficient or adequate to the contemporary challenges. On the basis of the theory of organization and leadership, the attempt was made to indicate the directions of the parson’s work which are to result in the transformation of a parish so that it could become more of an evangelizing community. On the basis of the teachings of the Church and this theory, the author indicated the features of a parson which are particularly vital in the leadership in a parish. The attention was also drawn to some ways of the priest’s formation which can help parsons to effectively pursue their mission.
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In the present paper, I examine the relationship between preaching and liturgy. I only focus on preaching in the services on Sundays and feasts. First of all, I offer an overview of Hungarian Reformed theoretical and practical liturgical books, service books, and books of liturgics concerning the relationship between preaching and liturgy from the 16th century to the recent days. The importance of preaching overshadows the liturgical function of the sermon; prayers, church music, hymns, and psalms are consequently losing relevance in the worship. The theoretical and practical books emphasize consistently, that the preaching must be presented and regarded as one of the elements of the liturgy/service. Preaching takes place within the service; the sermon has to be based on and contacted all the liturgical elements of the congregation’s worship. Balance between preaching and liturgy should be discovered, and established in order to worthily celebrate our services.
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The possibility of organ transplantation raises discussions not only in the fields of medical sciences but also in the related domains of pharmaceutics, immunology, biology, law, ethics, and even philosophy. In spite of major achievements not all risk factors could have been excluded. Therefore both science and ethics is confronted with questions that can only be answered in the future.
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In modern society, media is almost unoavoidably omnipresent. Mass media has become such a common part of daily existence that many people fail to realise its immense impact upon all, including cultural, political, economic and ideological, aspects of society. The mass media influences the things we buy, the way we act, the way we vote, the values we hold, and the way we perceive reality. The effects of mass communication on the individual and on the society can be positive as well as negative. This study deals with some important mass media theories, including bullet theory, two-step flow of influence theory, cultivation theory, agenda-setting theory, frame theory,encoding-decoding theory, and performance theory. It focuses upon the desired attitude of theology students towards these phenomena, attempting to formulate recommendations concerning viable methods to cope with mass media manipulation effects.
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Reinhold Niebuhr provides a specific analysis concerning the problem of history. His theological approach is based on Scripture and well as on documented historical facts. He was a prophetic voice, speaking from the past about the past but with significant relevance regarding present times. In his view all messianic expectation about the Kingdom of God will be fulfilled only at the end of history.
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In the Greek version of the Book of Sirach the term martu,rion (testimony) appears twice. Besides Sir 36:14, the word appears also in the Praise of the Ancestors in reference to Aaron (Sir 45:17). Moses’ brother is described there as the one who is to teach Jacob the testimonies (dida,xai to.n Iakwb ta. martu,ria), an expression that is missing from all other Biblical texts referring to Aaron. Therefore, the context of this expression, i.e. the praise of Aaron in Sir 45:6-22, is first analyzed and then various textual versions of Sir 45:17 are compared. Understanding the meaning of the term testimony in this context is made possible by the analysis of this word in other Biblical contexts, both those connected with the history of Aaron and the Sinai covenant as well as other, unrelated texts. Finally, the expression referring to Aaron is placed within the times of Sirach and those of the translator of the Greek version of the book. The key to understanding Sir 45:17 is found in the function and significance of the post-exile high priest. He is – as understood in the Book of Sirach – the only mediator between God and his people, and thus becomes the living symbol of covenant, responsible for transmitting testimonies: the Word of God, the content and requirements implied by the covenant made with God.
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For Romanians, Byzantine music was, in addition to folklore, for over a millennium, the main form of Romanian culture. In its simplest of forms – individual or collective musical learning existed ever since religion or the Christian Church appeared on these reams, since the forms of manifestation of religious practice entails singings, as well. This, however, required schools teaching liturgy, reading and writing, and church singings. Therefore, musical learning in Romanian countries originates, similarly to all the Christian world of the Middle Ages, in the Church’s need to prepare the officiants of the religious cults to carry out liturgical singings.
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Kształt antropologii zależy od kształtu teologii. Antropologia bezbożna wypacza obraz człowieka; zerwanie relacji z Bogiem sprawia, że wszelkie dziedziny życia i ludzkiej aktywności ulegają deformacji i degradacji. Człowiek, wyrzekając się swojego Stwórcy i zależności od Niego, traci poczucie sensu i smaku życia. Neurotycznie poszukując ich w innych przestrzeniach, zastępuje prawdziwe wartości substytutami, a prawdziwą rzeczywistość samodzielnie wykreowanymi rekwizytami. Ratzinger pokazuje, że utrata Boga i źle pojęta autonomia człowieka generuje smutek, pustkę i w efekcie bunt; wszystko w życiu staje się chore. Neognostycka mentalność, będąca mieszaniną antropologicznej frustracji, ślepej wiary w naukę oraz snobizmu elit; modne fascynacje zachodnimi wersjami dalekowschodnich religii, wspierającymi w sumie nihilistyczne zapędy ponowoczesności; narcystycznie kreatywna kultura oraz relatywistyczna twórczość sytuowana – w imię tolerancji i pluralizmu – poza dobrem i złem stanowią zdaniem J. Ratzingera/ Benedykta XVI najgroźniejsze dziś choroby kultury i duchowości. Lekarstwem może być tylko poznanie prawdziwego Boga i rozpoznanie w Nim źródła nadziei i miłości. Tylko z niego czerpiąc, człowiek jest zdolny współtworzyć świat, w którym ostatnie słowo nie należy do śmierci.
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In his commentary on Genesis, Ishodad of Merv, while following the practice commonly used in the 8th and 9th century, adapts and compiles various exegetical texts. The work of this bishop and theologian, regarded by Nestorians as one of the most prominent, includes the fragments of the earlier studies of Syrian and Greek exegetes, especially those of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Ephrem the Syrian, Henana of Adiabene (+610), Dadisho Qatraya (7th century), Basil of Caesarea and John Chrysostom. Ishodad also uses Jewish exegesis of the time. His positive view of anthropological and social position of a woman is relative: Eve is no longer Adam’s slave, yet she does not have such authority as he does. She is and will remain only half of a man. They both constitute a whole, and to create such a whole, one needs the other.
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The Ethical Issue of the Reformer Martin Luther is still an important impulse for the Protestant Churches today. The article shows that Ethics does not belong to the largest part of Luther’s writing. There some different models of interpretation of Luther`s Ethics especially in the understanding of the relationship of Christians to the politics.The article is an attempt to find relevance of Luther`s Moral Thinking to the postmodern World. His moral advice is still present in the theological and Church discussion. On the other hand, the moral teaching of Luther is completely irrelevant to philosophical discourse.
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This short paper analyses the article of the Apostles’ Creed concerning Christ’s descent into Hell. It is important to consider that in the Creeds the word “hell” does not denote the place of eternal punishment of the impious, but simply the Kingdom of the Dead. The first step of this analysis is the presentation of the biblical teaching concerning the Realm of the Dead. After presenting the exegesis of those biblical passages which imply the fact that the Lord descended into the Realm of the Dead we revisit the history of this article from the earliest Christian writings to the formation of modern theological thought. Here we can see that mainly as a result of the apocryphal tradition the scholastic theologians of the Middle Ages have taught that Christ descended into the place of eternal punishment of the impious. The Reformation departed from this interpretation. As a conclusion we can say that the descent into the Realm of the Dead on the one hand proclaims to us that there is light in the Realm of the Dead, and on the other hand shows the magnitude of the price the Lord had paid for oursins.
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Priestly formation was always an important issue for Paul VI, therefore, being the head of both Milan and Universal Church, he annually addressed his paternal words to the priests during the Lenten time. His teaching revolves around such topics as: priestly identity, sanctification, service and unity. Priestly identity stems from a living relationship between a priest, the appointed one, and Christ who appoints him and it is pursued in the concrete world’s realities which impose on Christians, especially priests, difficult choices and tasks. Sanctification consists in proclamation of God’s Word and celebration of sacraments, in which God himself acts. However, the first recipient of the sacred rites must be the priest himself. What is more, the priest’s service to man, the Church and the world, must be humble and have its source in love, in imitation of Christ in Cenacle, it should, moreover, be realized in the spirit of the Gospel and be directed at seeking the greater glory of God, never that of one’s own. Priestly unity provides essential assistance in improving the sphere of identity, sanctification and service. Deriving from the Last Supper and from Christ’s prayer, it guarantees fidelity to the chosen way of life, efficacy of pastoral ministry and stable development of the Church.
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