THE RELIGION CLASS IN THE CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

Author(s): Carmen-Maria Bolocan,Pavel Lungu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

In this study, we intend to emphasize the role of the Religion lesson in the formation of the student’s moral character, in a modern context, which is not exactly appropriate to achieve this goal. We will focus in our endeavor on several aspects such as: the Religion teacher, the person who proposes and coordinates the lesson; the Religion class – a spiritual meeting between the teacher and his students, the Religion professor – the evaluator of the lesson; the student – the subject of the lesson; the cooperation between the teacher and the students for the best progress of the lesson and not only these. The Religion class has a formative dimension, even in the contemporary context of the educational process, which goes beyond the didactic environment. It reaches its full goal only when the students become interested and practicing, when they become aware of the fact that they belong to the mystical Christ’s Body– the Church.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL

Author(s): Mirela Kyuchukova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The article analyses data on innovative schools in Bulgaria and the teaching of the subject "Religion". The study shows that the "Religion-Orthodoxy" is preferred more in innovative schools. Contemporary religious education in Bulgaria integrates innovative teaching methods, textbooks, games, individual and collective projects and creative activities. The subject 'Religion' itself could be considered as an innovation in the innovative school and support its objectives.

CHALLENGES AND NEW APPROACHES TO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR ADULTS

Author(s): Polina Spirova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The paper explores the possibilities of hosting online activities in the field of catechesis (religious education) for adults (over 18). The described activities are hosted as a part of a course in catechesis for adults in the Pokrov Bogorodichen church in Sofia during both school years during the pandemic (2020/21 and 2021/22). New approaches to the religious education of adults are presented, according to the new situation caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

THE EUCHARISTIC DIMENSION OF CHRISTIAN ЕDUCATION ACCORDING TO SOME HOLLY FATHERS AND ОRTHODOX AUTHORS

Author(s): Cvetelina Sapundzhieva / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The purpose of this paper is to present the dimension of the Eucharistic education in two directions: first, to determine that the Eucharist as the chief factor of Christian Education as viewed by some Orthodox authors; second, to revel the position of some Holy Fathers, concerning the importance of the Holy Eucharist for education. The introduction points out that the pivot of Christian upbringing is man’s incorporation into the living Body of Christ in the sacrament of the Holy communion trough faith, communion, and grace of the Holy Spirit. Christian authors emphasize the fact that the goal of Eucharistic upbringing is achieving on over all alteration of the person which means transformation of the human mind, heart and will. The most important part of this process is the alteration of the heart as viewed by the Holy Fathers quoted in this paper, namely, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Palamas and St. John Damascene, St. John of Kronstadt . The inference from their writings synthesizes the chief aspects of Eucharistic education which are: reaching „deification", acquiring the Holy Spirit as well as changing one’s life trough thanksgiving, repentance for wrongdoing and love for God and the fellowmen.

EFFECTIVENESS OF PREACHING IN TIMES OF CRISES: CHRISTIAN VALUES AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

Author(s): Ventsislav Popivanov / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Preaching to contemporary Bulgarian flock, we sincerely believed that concerns as civil or world war and local or global pandemics are not highly likely to reappear from the near past of homiletics as holy church tradition. Church literature is rich in providing support to people in crises, but our generation hoped that in our lifetime in our advanced civilisation of post-post-modern age, such issues are not central to our life, because of value and cultural advancement. These years, global human society has been preoccupied with problems seemingly new to Orthodox spiritual healing tradition. The emergent global situation challenged especially those of us who had grown up yet in the 20th century, or before Internet, social media, and artificial intellect. And nowadays the risk of our preaching effectiveness is not only to sound outdate, and be unable to meet recent needs of our parishioners. Loss of interest in church preaching is even milder problem, than the danger to reach the hearts of believers by a homily leading to troubles as discrimination or incrimination, and church message that is populist and ideologised and could divide and polarise Eucharistic community. Given that we had reached certain homiletic effectiveness, but suddenly we were influenced by civic spirit, it is better for our parishioners to be rigid to our messages for some time, as they manage to overcome media noise and fake news, instead of leaving church gathering.

A Textual-Critical Study and Interpretation of the Liturgical Response

Author(s): Jack Khalil / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

This paper explores the hermeneutical background of the response to the final diaconal acclamation prior to the initiatory dialogue of the Eucharistic anaphora currently used in both Eucharistic formularies of the Orthodox Church, those of St Basil and St John Chrysostom. Specifically, this study examines the response, «Ἔλεον εἰρήνης, θυσίαναἰνέσεως», to diaconal command, «Στῶμεν καλῶς· στῶμεν μετὰ φόβου· πρόσχωμεν τὴν ἁγίανἀναφορὰν ἐν εἰρήνῃ προσφέρειν». After presenting the historical data and variants of the above response (as found in patristic quotes, liturgical commentaries, manuscript variants, ancient Latin translations and other Eucharistic formularies such as the Hagiopolite Liturgy of St James), this study provides an outline of the way in which contemporary experts in the field of liturgiology have understood this phrase. To follow, this paper explores the syntactical structure of the response in relation to the preceding acclamation. Particular analysis will be made of the grammatical and syntactical use of the present, active, infinitive«προσφέρειν». Finally, this paper demonstrates that the response in its current form offers a specific biblical hermeneutical understanding of the Eucharistic oblation (anaphora) in relation to the Old Testament sacrificial offerings.

Un demers exegetic contemporan: analiza expresiei „sânul lui Avraam”

Author(s): Cezar-Paul Hârlăoanu / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

In the Orthodox funeral service is used the expression „Abraham’s bossom”. Borrowed from Luke’s gospel, mainly the parable of rich man and Lazarus, the expression itself speaks about eternal life. Actually, the entire parable the opposition between good and bad, between rich and poor, between believers and non-believers. But above all this, this expression comes with a very powerful meaning: the eternal life means being hold, being tight to the chest by God the Father.

Saint Syméon le nouveau théologien et Saint Grégoire Palamas, les Pères fondateurs de l’hésychasme

Author(s): Fadi Giorgi Porphyrios / Language(s): French Publication Year: 0

Two saints, Symeon the New Theologian and Gregory Palamas, played a crucial role in reviving Patristic theology during the period preceding the Great Captivity of Constantinople. Both monastic writers are known as the theologians of the Uncreated Light and they remain among the most prominent spokesmen for Orthodox theology until our times. Even though three hundred years separate them, one finds in the writings of Saint Gregory an organic continuity of Saint Symeon’s teaching. This text explores Palamas’ reception of the New Theologian’s theology and the continuity between the teachings of these two leading figures of Christian spirituality which results in shaping the self-consciousness of Hesychasm.

Church and Change with a Special Focus on the Romanian Institutional Ecclesiology

Author(s): Dan Sandu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Pre present context views the Church as a construct of human mind, promoting religiosity and a certain ritual (mostly needed by the people with no reference to a living God) whose main role is to provide social services in a given society, or, in a more plastic exposure, "the club of Christ". And this is in general accurate given that she passed through history making use of the same means and instruments of any human organisation. Her transcendent dimension was entrusted to the mystical minds and liturgists who defined her as a boat of salvation and the foretasting of the Kingdom. Is such an institution subject to change? If yes, what can be changed and when, in what extent and for what length? The study aims at a few attempts to accept change as a form of subsistence. The faithful have their own expectations from the main Church, the experiences of the Romanian Church members abroad bring new challenges facing this conservative institution. One cannot speak of real change, but rather an adaptation to the new context where the mythical approach of religion leaves more room for the rational approach and even to the pluralistic one. This is presented as the normal evolution of the future religion which expects to be more spiritual than institutional, in line with the new discoveries of neuroscience, evolution and hard sciences, towards an integral (even super-integral) approach.

Implicații bioetice în intervențiile medicale specifice persoanelor transgender

Author(s): Ionuț-Paul Anea / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

In the desire for an anatomical conformation to the gender that certain transgender people claim to have, they resort to modern medical technology. These interventions mainly refer to hormone therapies, genital surgeries and specific psychotherapies. The principles of Christian bioethics that aim at the uniqueness and integrity of the human person, his dichotomous structure, his psycho-physical well-being are the basis for accepting or not any medical intervention on the human person. Mainly, Christian bioethics considers a few references: the cause, the way and especially the purpose for which a person requests or requires a certain medical act. Christianity has always viewed with aversion and canonically sanctioned any mutilation of the person's body, the famous case of the castration of Origen being well known. Preserving bodily sexual integrity is a Christian bioethical principle, given the sacredness of the human body, "the temple of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor. 6:19). Interventions that can be accepted aim at the same principles that reject unnatural medical interventions. The cause that determines the desire for such an intervention is pursued, if this cause is a just one and in accordance with Christian ethics; likewise, the way in which it is intervened, as well as the purpose for which it is intervened, being accepted only the therapeutic medical interventions, those interventions that seek to restore the affected psycho-physical health (for example, reparative surgery of genital malformations).

Rugăciunea în educația religioasă act de cunoaștere a lui Dumnezeu și sfințire a elevilor

Author(s): Camelia-Maria Angheluș / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

In this article I tried to present the prayer as the rising of the soul to God and also as a secret conversation between man and God, representing the practical dimension of faith because in that moment you are in front of God, sharing his presence. The prayer as a formal act, even in the educational context, only makes sense when we see it as a preliminary stage of honest, hear felt prayer. For the religious education teacher, the prayer represents calling God among them, it is the help he asks for from the One he serves. Without praying, the religious education class would be as any other class, remaining strictly limited to the informative dimension. Without our personal relationship with God through praying, faith remains at the level of theoretical knowledge and conviction. The prayer adds a plus of religious depth to morality, which attracts the manifestation of God’s love in the life of the believer.

Babai cel Mare și sistematizarea doctrinei hristologice în Biserica Siro-Orientală (sec. VI-VII)

Author(s): Justinian Mîndrilă / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

The Church of the East, or the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, as it is officially called, was known for a long time in the Church History books of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity as well as of all Western Churches as the „Nestorian” Church. The reason that stays behind this label – and thus behind the schism between the Church of the East and the Church within the Roman Empire was represented by the different views regarding the Christological doctrine. Since this remains until today the bone of contention between these churches it is needed to have a precise knowledge of the East-Syriac Christology. As the systematizer of this teaching in the Church of the East, the study of Babai the Great’s theology is a suitable starting point for this purpose. Until present times, the interest for his writings and teachings in the Romanian theology was quite low, if at all. Therefore, the present study aims to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the Christology promoted by Babai the Great and the Church of the East, by providing the context of its formulation, and explaining and evaluating his main theological concepts based on Babai’s writings, considering the latest research on this topic.

Biserica Ortodoxă Rusă în spațiul baltic între anii 1836-1848

Author(s): Andrei Gaju / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

In the first half of the 18th century Russia enlarged its borders and became an empire stretching from the steppes of Central Asia to the Baltic Sea. As a result, along with the territories and different ethnic groups, the religious traditions of these countries are incorporated into the Russian Empire. By extending its borders to the North-West, the Russian Empire is subjugating several peoples who traditionally profess Protestantism. Like any empire, Russia tries to merge the annexed peoples and territories by building a single state with a single political centre. Thus, in the mid-19th century, the political issue was not only the Russification of these peoples, but also their conversion to the majority confession of the empire - Orthodoxy. Therefore, this paper aims to give a brief historical account of the events of 1836-1848, when a massive process of accession to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Protestant population of the Baltic region took place.

Dezvoltarea curentului isihast prin lucrarea misionară pan-ortodoxă din secolul al XVIII-lea. Sfântului Nicodim Aghioritul, continuator al lucrării misionare inițiate de Sfântul Paisie Velicicovschi

Author(s): Vasile-Lucian Goldan / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

Nicholas, the future monk Nicodemus, arrives in the Holy Mount Athos at the moment of the public conviction of “alms”. A situation not exactly favorable for prayer and meditation, given the fact that at that time more and more monks were leaving Athos due to the dispute of the "alms". Despite all these shortcomings, Saint Nicodemus is the one who, together with Saint Metropolitan Macarius of Corinth, manages to start a cultural-religious project, focused on the rediscovery of Orthodox church spirituality, on the spiritual and national rebirth of the Greeks. His work was recognized and appreciated during his life, in Athos, in the pan-Orthodox and in the Western space, but he was also valued by the entire Greek people after the 1921 revolution, being the basis of national and spiritual emancipation of the Greeks.

Cântărețul bisericesc – analiză cantitativă și calitativă a ocupației

Author(s): Lucian-Mihăiță Filip / Language(s): Romanian Publication Year: 0

The church singer is a trained person with musical abilities who sings and reads in and out of the church, along with the priest, in religious services, and who deals with the training of believers to learn religious songs. The church singer, in addition to faith in God, shows musical sense and the ability to correctly reproduce church songs using hearing, rhythmic sense, ability to consciously control breathing and artistic sound emission, resistance to continuous physical exertion, ability to concentrate, sensitivity, artistic expressiveness, naturalness, ease, interpretive intelligence and spontaneity, creativity and the ability to improvise, self-control, personal balance and the ability to overcome emotions and adaptability in various contexts. This study will present the perspective that the church singers in the Archdiocese of Iasi have on the profession called church singer.

Изкуственият интелект и конфликтът с ислямската теология в Европа

Author(s): Asen Kolev Asenov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The role of artificial intelligence is an essential point in the theology of Islam, which, as a religion of nearly 1.7 billion people, occupies an important place in the way of life of the Muslim community. In Islamic theology, it is categorically stated that Allah „created“ man, gave him water, fruits and sustenance. This moment of the Holy Qur'an shows that any attempt to change this basic thesis will be rejected and not recognized by the Muslim community. Its uniqueness is a fundamental postulate in Islam, and this can be the basis for rejecting artificial intelligence. Thus, in certain situations, with just one fatwa, the relationship between Muslims and Christians in Europe can be changed in a very short time in a negative aspect, and artificial intelligence can become an occasion for a holy war (jihad). The subject of an impending conflict between artificial intelligence and Islamic theology is real. At this stage, these processes are not yet registered, but they are coming as a serious test for the future of humanity.

Суфизмът като инструмент за противодействие на радикалния ислям

Author(s): Vesela Todorova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The influence of radical islam is spreading not only in the Middle East but also around the rest of the world. With the surge of the terrorist attacks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and USA, commited in the name of radical organizations such as Islamic State and Al Qaeda, there is an urgent need of finding a solution to counter radicalization among the muslim population and converts around the world. In this paper the roots of the modern doctrine of the radical islam are explained as well as the reason why sufism can be used as an instrument to fight the radicalization in islam.

Българското участие във францисканските мисии в Югоизточна Европа през XVII в.: Павел от Петокладенци

Author(s): Elmira Vasileva / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The Bulgarian Catholics’ history should not be studied independently but in connection with the general Roman Church’s Balkan policy in the Ottoman period. The Bulgarian Catholics and their Franciscan priest were in contact with other Catholic groups living under the Ottomans, as well as outside the Empire. They are part of a sort of religious network that goes beyond political and geographical borders. Bulgarian Franciscans participated in Roman Church’s missions in the 17th century, being sometimes appointed to important positions. They are educated in the Catholic colleges in Italy and, being fluent in Italian and Latin, are familiar with the European intellectual trends and political concepts of their time. Actually, they are the main bearers of modern ideas among the Bulgarians.

Семантика и литерарна функциjа „симбола“ у житиjама Jевтимиjа Трновског

Author(s): Polydoros Gkoranis / Language(s): English,Macedonian,Old Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Света гора Сливенска и Света гора Атонска. За два сакрални района преди християнството

Author(s): Georgi Kovachev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

This article compares the ancient heritage of two medieval monastery societies, the Holy mountain of Sliven and the Holy mountain of Athos. Apollo, Dionysus, Zeus, and the Great Mother Goddess were celebrated in both regions as described by ancient sources, art works, archeological and numismatical evidences, and contemporary customs and folklore. According to the research, Dionisos and Orphical rituals were practiced in Antiquity in both areas, perhaps by domestic organized male societies.