A Half-Century of Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue (1967-2017)

Author(s): Józef Budniak / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

The pursuit of the unity in the Church is the primary task of all believers in Christ. This pursuit should take place on every level: spiritual (through prayer), practical (through concrete actions), and doctrinal (through dialogue about the main truths of faith). In the past 50 years (1967–2017), many common positions between Catholics and Lutherans have been worked out and recorded in the 2013 document From Conflict to Communion. October 31, 2016, which marked the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation as well as the 50-year anniversary of Catholic-Lutheran dialogue, has changed the way that Catholics and Evangelicals view each other. Pope Francis, as a representative of the Catholic Church, Bishop Munib Younan, and Fr. Martin Junge, who represented the Lutheran World Federation, co-hosted an ecumenical celebration that took place in Lund, Sweden, inaugurating the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. After the service, a joint document entitled Joint Declaration on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation was published. The document concluded with the following message: “We call upon all Lutheran and Catholic parishes and communities to be bold and creative, joyful and hopeful in their commitment to continue the great journey ahead of us. Rather than conflicts of the past, God’s gift of unity among us shall guide cooperation and deepen our solidarity. By drawing close in faith to Christ, by praying together, by listening to one another, by living Christ’s love in our relationships, we, Catholics and Lutherans, open ourselves to the power of the Triune God. Rooted in Christ and witnessing to him, we renew our determination to be faithful heralds of God’s boundless love for all humanity”. The 50-year Catholic-Lutheran dialogue should be an encouragement for Christians to testify together to a wounded and the divided world, to more passionately pursue further dialogue in order to overcome existing differences, and to be open to unity, which is the source of our common hope.

A papi utánpótlás veteményes kertje a ministrálás

Author(s): Xénia Jonica / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 19/2016

A szeretet gazdagító ereje. Jászboldogháza és Sinfalva testvérkapcsolatának 20. évfordulójára

Author(s): Dénes Pálfi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 2/2016

Alternativni religijski identiteti: Crkva Isusa Hrista svetaca poslednjih dana – opšti podaci i struktura organizacije

Author(s): Nina Kulenovic,Danijel Sinani / Language(s): Serbian / Publication Year: 0

U tekstu se predstavljaju rezultati istraživanja na projektu Ministarstva kulture i informisanja: Urbani kulturni identiteti i religioznost u Srbiji, kao i projekata Ministarstva prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja: Antropološko proučavanje Srbije – od kulturnog nasleđa do modernog društva i Transformacija kulturnih identiteta u savremenoj Srbiji i EU. Prva religijska zajednica s kojom je sprovedeno terensko istraživanje, kao i niz intervjua, jeste Crkva Isusa Hrista svetaca poslednjih dana (CIHSPD), čiji su članovi u javnosti nešto poznatiji kao mormoni. Razmatraju se opšti podaci vezani za osnivanje, učenje i praksu Crkve, kao i struktura organizacije i sveštenstva. Tekst je deo uvodne etnografije koja će biti predmet višestrukih analiza u narednim radovima.

Always a Theology of the People: Theology in the Anglophone Caribbean

Author(s): Ramon Luzarraga / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

Anglophone Caribbean theology is a theology of the people, developing autonomously from the theology of the people developed by Argentine theologians. Their idea that a people’s concrete, day-to-day practice of their religious faith carries the authentic culture of a country, is an authentic source of Christian wisdom, yields true insights of God’s presence and activity in the world. This faith of the people, contextualized but not suppressed within the life of the Church overall and tapped into by its theologians, serve to evangelize a country and its people by calling a country and its people to a conversion to who they ought to be, a people of God who incarnate the Christian faith according to their unique genius, and share the fruits of the wisdom drawn from the lived experience of Christian faith by participating in the Church’s evangelizing mission.This idea finds affinity with the mission of the Caribbean theological project: cultural liberation from colonialism and neocolonialism which brings about a sense of inferiority and dependency by the people of the Caribbean toward global social and political powers. Instead, Caribbean theology seeks to build a unique Caribbean identity which fulfills the full humanity of the people of that region.

An Aristotelian Account of Evolution and the Contemporary Philosophy of Biology

Author(s): Mariusz Tabaczek / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

The anti-reductionist character of the recent philosophy of biology and the dynamic development of the science of emergent properties prove that the time is ripe to reintroduce the thought of Aristotle, the first advocate of a “top-down” approach in life-sciences, back into the science/philosophy debate. His philosophy of nature provides profound insights particularly in the context of the contemporary science of evolution, which is still struggling with the questions of form (species), teleology, and the role of chance in evolutionary processes. However, although Aristotle is referenced in the evolutionary debate, a thorough analysis of his theory of hylomorphism and the classical principle of causality which he proposes is still needed in this exchange. Such is the main concern of the first part of the present article which shows Aristotle’s metaphysics of substance as an open system, ready to incorporate new hypothesis of modern and contemporary science. The second part begins with the historical exploration of the trajectory from Darwin to Darwinism regarded as a metaphysical position. This exploration leads to an inquiry into the central topics of the present debate in the philosophy of evolutionary biology. It shows that Aristotle’s understanding of species, teleology, and chance – in the context of his fourfold notion of causality – has a considerable explanatory power which may enhance our understanding of the nature of evolutionary processes. This fact may inspire, in turn, a retrieval of the classical theology of divine action, based on Aristotelian metaphysics, in the science/theology dialogue. The aim of the present article is to prepare a philosophical ground for such project.

An Infant in “Codex Iuris Canonici”

Author(s): Wojciech Góralski / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2015

The interest of the offspring (their conception and education), as one of the purposes of the marriage, requires taking special care of infants, thus, minors in the Church, who are below 7 years of age. The expression of this care can be, among others, ecclesiastical legislation, in the area of which, despite organic family law, the legal status of the infant has been stipulated distinctly. As far as the live-born infant is concerned, rights following from their individual natural personality, among others, right to life, parental care, human education or reception of baptism have been stipulated. As regards the baptized infant, who becomes persona in Ecclesia by reception of their first sacrament (can. 96 of CIC), provisions of the code sanction their numerous fundamental rights, among others, right to moral and religious education, to grow up in faith or right to other sacraments. The traditional, ruling for centuries, model regarding legal position of minors, which dominated in legal experience of the Church, has been amended by the Second Vatican Council, the post-council codification of the canonic law has overcome former situation only partially. However, it shall be added, that the ecclesiological renewal influenced slowly and gradually the canonic legislation and the doctrine, and this process has not been finished yet, and a new, post-council codification has overcome the former situation only partially. However, the focus of the doctrine on the central position of human person in the canonic law has progressively become even more visible.

Analogia ad legendum. Funkcja znaczeniowa, użytkowa i kompozycyjna dwóch ambon w kościele oo. Dominikanów w Lublinie

Author(s): Paulina Kluz / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

The Dominican church in Lublin contains an unusual example of two pulpits in a sacred interior, which are situated vis-à-vis at the rood arch. They were sculpted by Sebastian Zeisl, who, with the aid of his workshop, made the rococo furnishing of the church in the years 1756–1761. The sculptural decoration of the pulpits makes references to their preaching function, as well as to Dominican spirituality. The solution formally seems to have been inspired by the com-positional model of two pulpits on either side of the altar, an elaboration of the symmetrical (stage-like) organization of the sacred interior. The fact that the contractor was familiar with such layout could stem from the impact exerted by local inspiration (e.g. St. Anne’s church in Lubartów) or the artist’s earlier Central European experience, probably including his education among Viennese artists. However, the construction of two Dominican pulpits, both of which were used (none of them is apparent) may indicate that their roles could go beyond merely com-positional ones. It seems that their emergence was influenced by individual needs of the Lublin Dominican monastery, especially their preaching practices. The knowledge gained so far allows us to suspect that the construction of the two pulpits is related to their role in the liturgy, namely the polemical sermons practiced by the Order of Preachers in Lublin.

Anioła Ślązaka polemika z luteranizmem

Author(s): Robert K. Zawadzki / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2016

The article first gives a short presentation of Angelus Silesius (1624-1677) or, Johannes Scheffler, and then more thoroughly analyses the first part of his work entitled Idea causarum fundatarum, transeundi a Lutheranis ad Ecclesiam Catholicam; comprehensarum Illationibus duabus which has been forgotten today. The baroque writer used exclusively brief statements which confirm the truth of the Roman faith and simultaneously debunk arguments in favor of Protestant religion. Above all his work was supposed to provide polemical ammunition for the supporters of the Roman Catholic Church and to justify discontinuing relations with Protestantism. In order to achieve this purpose, the writer enumerated and discussed arguments related to the most important arguable theological issues, such as the apostolic succession, miracles, attitude to God's Word, religious life, celibacy, the figure of Luther and his adherents, etc.

Aniversarea unui reprezentant al Ortodoxiei din strainatate

Author(s): Marius Florescu / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 1-3/2016

On the 10th of April this year, Professor Dr. Reverend Ioan Sauca from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Switzerland has turned 60. He is the author of numerous studies and works of ecumenical and missionary theory nature. He has taught Orthodox Theology classes at several important theological institutes around the world, such as Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Israel and the Holy Cross Orthodox Institute in Boston (U.S.A.). On the 19th of August, 2007, he was named honorary citizen of the commune of Fârliug, located in the Caraş - Severin district. By his complex activity in attendance of the Orthodox Church and the ecumenical movement, Professor Dr. Reverend Ioan Sauca does credit to the Romanian Orthodox Church and especially to the Banat Church, whom he has been named the spiritual son of.

Apostolat maryjny i eschatyczny jako dominanta duszpasterskiego charyzmatu św. Stanisława Papczyńskiego (1631-1701)

Author(s): Ryszard Sawicki / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2017

Saint Stanislaus Papczynski has a place among the most remarkable Polish personalities of the 16th century, to which his life, pastoral work and literary legacy are all a testament. He was a holy monk, a valued teacher, a great worshiper of Virgin Mary, a preacher and a confessor who cared greatly for the profound spiritual development of the human being, as well as the founder of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary – the first religious order for men in Poland. The article presents the pastoral charisma of Saint Stanislaus Papczyński, whose dominant characteristic was Marian and eschatic apostolate.

Around the Bloc: New Fissures Appear in Ukrainian Christian Faiths

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 03/06/2018

Worsening relations with Russia over the Donbas conflict are driving a wedge between the two main Orthodox branches.

Audiatur et altera pars: Vzťahy a prepojenia rodín Zayovcov a Štúrovcov

Author(s): Ewa Kowalska / Language(s): Slovak / Publication Year: 0

Karol Zay je „obľúbenou negatívnou“ postavou historikov, démonizovaným protivníkom Ľudovíta Štúra, kvôli ktorému mal nepríjemnosti na prešporskom evanjelickom lýceu a musel ho následne opustiť. Jeho spisy a aktivity v rámci príprav reforiem evanjelickej cirkvi augsburského vyznania popudili najmä Jozefa Miloslava Hurbana, ktorý sa s ním dostal do ostrého konfliktu a viackrát s ním polemizoval. Celá komplexná osobnosť, akou je napokon každý človek, sa „zhutnila“ do niekoľkých charakteristík a predstavuje stelesnenie zla a hrozby pre celú evanjelickú cirkev, je redukovaná na symbol, stojaci v opozícii voči celému slovenskému národnému hnutiu v 30. – 40. rokoch 19. storočia a čiastočne aj v rokoch po revolúcii. Každá, aj negatívne vnímaná historická postava si však zaslúži podrobnejšiu analýzu, vysvetlenie možných motivácií jej činov, postojov a kontextov, v ktorých pôsobila. Časový odstup dvesto rokov je už dostatočný na to, aby sa aj (prinajmenej takto vnímané) citlivé otázky stali predmetom bádania, pri ktorom historika vedie nie snaha o obnovenie a upevnenie zažitého klišé, ale jednoducho o pochopenie človeka konajúceho v istých mentálnych rámcoch, dobových pomeroch a medziľudských konšteláciách. Namieste je teda pripomenutie si starej zásady rímskeho práva, ktorá priznáva nárok na vypočutie aj druhej strany, akokoľvek sa nám jej argumenty alebo skutky nemusia pozdávať. Z takejto perspektívy sa preto pokúsim priblížiť nielen Karola Zayho, najviac spätého s Ľudovítom Štúrom, ale aj celú zayovskú rodinu, v ktorej sa (spolu)formovali jeho názory a v prospech ktorej podnikal aj mnohé svoje kroky. Je dôležité bližšie spoznať práve najužšie, teda domáce prostredie protagonistov významných spoločenských procesov, keďže významne prispieva k utváraniu charakteru a postojov potomkov.

Az együttérzés áldása

Author(s): Sándor Kovács / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 2/2016

Az unitárius homiletika irodalma 1861–1918 között

Author(s): Botond Koppándi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 1/2015

This bibliographical study presents the most important literature pertinent to Unitarian homiletics, mainly volumes and collections of sermons.

Biblical symbols and their meanings in the Parable of the Sower, according to the American author Ellen G. White vision

Author(s): Ioan-Gheorghe Rotaru / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2015

The study refers to the biblical symbols and their meanings in the Parable of the Sower, according to the American author Ellen G. White vision, which in one of her books presents the parable and its symbolism. The symbolism is interesting because draws a profound presentation of the meaning of words in the parable mentioned, being actually a plead for valuing the seed - symbol of the Holy Word and giving priority in the concerns of life.

Biskup Samuel Štefan Osuský ako spoluformovateľ historickej pamäti na Ľudovíta Štúra

Author(s): Peter Macho / Language(s): Slovak / Publication Year: 0

Samuel Štefan Osuský (1888 – 1975) pochádzal z Brezovej (pod Bradlom). Po skončení teologického štúdia pôsobil ako evanjelický kaplán a farár na viacerých miestach Slovenska, od roku 1919 bol profesorom Slovenskej evanjelickej a. v. teologickej akadémie, v rokoch 1933 – 1945 zastával post biskupa Západného dištriktu Evanjelickej cirkvi augsburského vyznania na Slovensku. Okrem teológie sa venoval socioló- gii a psychológii náboženstva, dejinám filozofie a histórii, predovšetkým dejinám evanjelickej cirkvi a evanjelikov, najmä ich úlohe v národnom a kultúrnom živote Slovákov. Jeho cirkevno-náboženská, pedagogická, vedecká, kultúrna a organizačná činnosť bola naozaj mnohostranná. Patril k zakladajúcim členom Učenej spoločnosti Šafárikovej, bol predsedom literárneho a filozofického odboru Matice slovenskej, predsedom Štúrovej evanjelickej spoločnosti, ale aj tajomníkom (a predsedom) Spolku pre zbudovanie pomníka generálovi Milanovi Rastislavovi Štefánikovi na Slovensku (rozumej: Štefánikovej mohyly na Bradle). Angažoval sa aj v ďalších spolkoch a organizáciách cirkevno-náboženské- ho, kultúrneho, vedeckého, či sociálno-charitatívneho zamerania – napr. v roku 1937, teda v čase, kedy už niekoľko rokov zastával úrad dištriktuálneho biskupa, ho za svojho riadneho člena prijala Štefánikova astronomická spoločnosť slovenská, ktorá si kládla za cieľ vybudovanie ľudovej hvezdárne v Bratislave. Ako jeden z najvýznamnejších brezovských rodákov svojej doby bol zvolený za predsedu Vlastivednej spoločnosti Tomáša Tvarožka, rovnako patril k členom rodáckeho spolku s mierne bizarným pomenovaním Cech Tatarov.

Bóg Izraela – wojownik czy miłośnik pokoju?

Author(s): Grzegorz Szamocki / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 30/2016

Old Testament historiography represents theological reflections upon the ancient history of the world and of Israel. These literary expressions draw a certain picture of God based upon – and coherent with – conceptions and definitions well known to the intended audience of that day. For today’s reader of the Bible, however, some of these seemingly divergent depictions can be most difficult to understand and to harmonize with each other. Thus, this article attempts to address the problem of reconciling the image of YHWH-God as warrior with his presentation as a lover and a giver of peace. Analysis was carried out in essentially two stages, the first focusing on interpretation of the term „YHWH warrior” and the second on a proper understanding of the phrase „YHWH peace”. The result is the conclusion that the image of “YHWH warrior” is a literary way of projecting the theological message of the presence of YHWH-God in human life, of His omnipotence and faithfulness. As such, however, it is subordinate to the concept of a God who loves peace and desires to bestow peace upon his people.

Bosansko srednjovjekovlje u svjetlu političke teologije

Author(s): Dubravko Lovrenovic / Language(s): Croatian / Publication Year: 0

Nasuprot kritičkoj historiografiji koja je odavno napravila odmak prema romantičarsko-bogumilizirajućim teorijama, i dalje se podgrijava predodžba o srednjovjekovnoj Bosni kao heretičkoj (bogumilskoj) zemlji i Crkvi bosanskoj kao dualističkoj sekti. Vjerojatno nastalo u Bugarskoj tokom X. stoljeća, dualističko bogumilstvo negiralo je temeljne crkvene dogme, uključujući Kristovu inkarnaciju, i zagovaralo asketski način života. Kristologija Crkve bosanske koja se kao organizirana institucija javlja tri stoljeća kasnije jako je udaljena od takvih rigoroznih shvaćanja i ni na koji se način ne može dovesti u vezu sa bogumilstvom.

Być sobą w jedności z braćmi. Refleksja o tożsamości wyznaniowej w dialogu ekumenicznym

Author(s): Marcin Skladanowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2010

L’identité confessionnelle exprime la réalité des divisions dans le christianisme où il y a plusieurs Églises et Communautés confessionnelles. Tous ces groupes religieux constituent des groupes identitaires dont l’influence sur leurs membres est très forte. Des recherches théologiques sur la question de l’identité confessionnelle peuvent conduire à comprendre leur spécificité, leurs origines et les différences qui les séparent les unes des autres. Puisque l’identité confessionnelle (comme d’ailleurs toutes les identités collectives) est liée à la vie sociale des membres des groupes religieux, elle ne peut pas être dépassée ni oubliée dans le dialogue œcuménique. C’est pourquoi des recherches théologiques pourraient aussi amener à élaborer une vision renouvelée de l’identité confessionnelle sur la route vers l’unité des chrétiens. Une telle identité, ouverte et dynamique, ne fera plus d’obstacles à la réconciliation et à l’unité des chrétiens. L’article répond à deux questions très importantes pour le mouvement œcuménique. Le dialogue œcuménique, est-il dangereux pour les identités confessionnelles chrétiennes? Et aussi, l’identité confessionnelle, est-elle un obstacle pour ce dialogue? Pour répondre à la première question, l’article présente l’essentiel du dialogue œcuménique: il ne ressemble pas à un débat politique; il est plutôt une rencontre des personnes humaines, une construction commune, un échange spirituel. Un tel dialogue n’est aucun danger pour les identités des communautés confessionnelles. La seconde question exige le refus de tout fondamentalisme dans les relations entre les Églises et les Communautés chrétiennes. Une identité, purifiée et réconciliée, est indispensable pour le vrai dialogue œcuménique.