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Jean Le Laboureur, a Catholic priest, accompanies Renee du Bec-Crespin, the widow of Marshal de Guebriant, as her secretary on a journey towards the Spanish border where the Treaty of the Pyrenees is being negotiated. She dies unexpectedly in Perigueux in September 1659, but the journey goes on, now headed by the young wife of the Marquis of Vardes, captain of the Royal Regiment of the Cent Suisses, who follows the court. Among the many comments about the provinces through which the travellers slowly proceed, the manuscript contains remarks about antique monuments (Bordeaux, Nimes), famous pilgrimage destinations (Sainte-Baume) as well as remarkable castles and parks (Cadillac). As a Catholic the author is shocked by the huge destruction of churches and monasteries caused, during the recent religious wars, by the “heretics” as he refers to the Protestants. He is also concerned by the vitality of the Protestant communities, which remain numerous and powerful, especially in the south-west and south-east of the kingdom.
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The authors challenge the belief in an economic, financial and land crisis which the clergy apparently faced for over two centuries. They examine the crisis, using a questionnaire allowing them to question the sources and thus to determine to what extent it is really possible to assume that we are dealing with such a crisis, then to bring to light factors which could explain it, and, finally, to establish whether the crisis was overcome or not. It seems that the clergy had to face several crises, all more or less associated with changes in the attitude of the state, as well as with reactions of the faithful and of society as a whole. The clergy themselves should not be exempt from responsibility due to the uneven quality of their management, although it has been affected by unfavourable economic circumstances. It would be wrong, however, to believe in a general, continuous, irreversible crisis, as there were moments of respite, opportunity and salvation; some ecclesiastical institutions have managed to overcome the crisis better than others by reaching a critical size or thanks to their skills, or by chance.
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The author describes the contents of one of the most valuable and most extensive (802 pages) surviving manuscripts of the Poor Clares of Gniezno. It is kept in Archdiocesan Archives in Gniezno, in the fonds Zakon Klarysek Gniezno [Poor Clares of Gniezno], no. 3. The manuscript was begun in 1609, when Dorota Bromirska was the prioress (1609–1617). We can distinguish in it characteristic features of the handwriting of several dozen people (probably the nuns); the dominant language is Polish and there are signs suggesting the manuscript was in frequent use. The manuscript is a veritable silva rerum; it combines characteristics of a chronicle, catalogue, obituary of nuns as well as inventory and description of their property. It contains information about various spheres of the convent’s activity and daily life, facts associated with the history of the convent, of Gniezno and of Poland – though that last group is the least numerous. Approximately half of the entries deal with the convent’s economy, including inspections of the property (from 1610, the most detailed is from 1615) as well as inventories from 1624, 1627, 1631, 1632, 1661, 1667, 1673, 1676, 1682, 1686 and 1689. Data about the daily life comes from inspection reports and descriptions of elections of prioresses. There is little information about customs and morals. Very little information concerns matters happening outside the convent, apart, of course, from contacts with the Franciscan Sisters of Gniezno, who were spiritual guardians of the Poor Clares.
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In the paper the system of doctrinal classification (pànjiào 判教) created by the Buddhist scholar of the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618–907) Guifeng Zongmi (Guīfēng Zōngmì 圭峰宗密, 780–841) has been analyzed. The paper consists of two parts. In the first part the author describes Zongmi’s doctrinal classification, focusing on the process of the deconstruction of consecutive Buddhist doctrines. In the second part the author compares particular doctrines with the most important theories on the essence of religion. The comparison aims at revealing the limitations of those theories, when applied to the understanding of the religious systems, based on the gradual attaining of gnosis, such as the system of panjiao. In the conclusion the author suggests the creation of a synthesis of the enlisted concepts of religious studies, based on the synthesis of the Buddhist doctrines combined within the panjiao system.
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This article presents a new interpretation of the ideological message of Blatná Castle after its expansion by Benedikt Ried, commissioned by Zdeňek Lev of Rožmitál around 1520-1530. The key to deciphering the biblical code of the residence of this powerful magnate is found in two columns standing in front of the castle façade, which have not been included in previous research. Their dilapidated state, as well as residually legible profile forms and ornaments, un equivocally point to their dating back to the time of Ried’s expansion. In the history of art, they are a well- known imitation of the bronze pillars of Jachin and Boaz, placed in front of the Old Testament Temple of Solomon. The expressive oriels of the part of the castle erected by Ried may be a reference to a diagram similar to a pentagram, often appearing on the pages of codices called the clavicula Salomonis. In the beginning, they contained the instructions of the great biblical king to his son Roboam. This is reflected in the family situation of the builder, as it is generally agreed that Blatná Castle was built by Zdeněk Lev in connection with the marriage of his son Adam. References to Solomon were quite common at the time, both at Prague Castle and at theresidences of several Silesian dukes. They should not be surprising in the case of someone who, for more than 20 years (1507-1530), was the most important person in the state after the ruler (the highest burgrave of Prague Castle). Zdeněk Lev was a very active and influential politician with a Catholic orientation and nationalist, Bohemian disposition, who liked to moralize andjudge and use biblical examples or episodes from Bohemian history.
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The way humans treat animals is ambivalent: we bury our pets in animal cemeteries, and we slaughter and eat others. Even though the use of animals and coexistence with them has shaped people’s lives since time immemorial, Theology has long misjudged the importance of a theological reflection on animals. This has also led to blind spots in theological ethics. In the meantime, there are not only important approaches to a theology that takes animals into account but also a range of approaches within Catholic moral theology has been developed that seek to do justice to the intrinsic value of animals. They require a profound change in the human-animal relationship in the light of the Christian faith and call for more humane treatment of animals. This article presents the most important of those approaches from the German-speaking region and attempts to show common concerns but also different figures of argumentation.
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Since the middle of the 19th century, animal husbandry has been industrialised and subdued to economic efficiency to an unsurpassable degree. Animals as living beings and fellow creatures have largely fallen by the wayside. Whereas philosophical ethics has reflected this situation critically since the 1970s, theological ethics entered the debate only with a notable delay in the 2010s and was enormously fostered by the encyclical Laudato si’ in 2015. The article discusses different theological approaches to animal ethics and links it with the origins of Christian animal ethics in the patristic era. Finally, it focuses attention on the most debated controversy in animal ethics, namely meat consumption, and argues for the postponing of this question in favour of progress in animal welfare.
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The article is an approach to a temporary understanding of inspiration as a theological key concept. Starting with the difficulties of a theology of inspiration, the contribution follows three main questions: 1. How can the Holy Scriptures be understood as an inspired document of revelation? 2. How can the conviction of faith in the inspired Word of God be plausibly expressed? And finally, 3. How can the doctrine of inspiration be understood in the horizon of revelation? The contribution traces back to the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and suggests, according to phenomenological thinking, inspiration as a challenging hyperphenonemon that inspires a new way of thinking the word of God.
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In my article, I will discuss Gregory’s view of beauty from a theological-anthropological perspective, focusing on why beauty is deceptive and where the limits and boundaries lie between beauty as a theological category and beauty that becomes an idol and does not lead to God. The key question will be how beauty, whose source is God – the essential beauty – can be deceptive. I want to emphasise that although Gregory sometimes speaks about the deceptiveness of beauty, the ambiguity lies not in the beauty itself but in the ability or inability of the human being to discern the beautiful. Here I draw on the foundation of Gregory’s anthropology, namely the creation of human beings in the image and likeness of God. I will further analyse Gregory’s concept of the knowledge of beauty and its relationship to desire and passion in Gregory. I will conclude by reflecting on the moment when beauty becomes an idol that leads people away from the path of knowledge of the truly beautiful.
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Župa svete Ane Radunice smještena je između gradića Žepče, Maglaj i Zavidovići. Svoj pisani trag ima od 1869. (1870.!) godine. Ovdje se donosi nastavak djelovanja franjevaca Provincije Bosne Srebrene u Župi Radunice. Vrhbosanska nadbiskupija je obnovljena 1881. godine. Nosi naziv po staroj biskupiji Vrhbosna. Prvi nadbiskup dr. Josip Stadler. On pokušava što bolje organizirati crk veni život u svojoj nadbiskupiji. Sam obilazi župe i također piše poticajna pisma pastirima u više navrata. U mjesecu listopadu 1885. Vrhbosanski nadbiskupski Ordinarijat preko dekana dostavlja mapu – kartu župa Vrhbosanske nadbiskupije. Uz ostalo, dostavlja se po župama i mali katekizam pretiskan iz „biskupovače“ – koji je napisao biskup Augustin Miletić. Nadalje, Ordinarijat traži od žup nika da svaki za svoju župu izradi kartu uz pomoć činovnika ili vojnika koji se u to razumiju.1 U gradu Maglaju su stacionirani vojne postrojbe, a sam grad potpada pod župu Raudinice. U istom okružnom pismu dekan podsjeća na nadbiskupov nalog da se prestane uzimati od svijeta desetina jer to više ne postoji. Umjesto toga stavljeno je pitanje u novom izdanju Miletićeva katekizma, opaska gdje se veli da je narod dužan davati godižbinu žup niku. Same crk vene zapovijedi imaju se tako učiti kako su u tom malom i u školskom katekizmu.
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Despite limitations of the Lithuanian language in the terminology of love, st. Thomas Aquinas’s various conceptions of love can nevertheless be reflected upon in Lithuanian, if one starts with the analysis of natural love (amor naturalis). “Amor naturalis”, as a definition of love, functions in all forms of love in a fundamental sense. The concept of “amor naturalis” as “inclinatio boni” also reveals how human nature functions on a metaphysical level. Natural love, defined as an inclination towards the good, appears as a precondition for all human action because the object most loved becomes the guiding principle for all areas of life. This article also analyzes how the metaphysical principle “gratia supponit naturam” is consistent with the concept of “amor naturalis”, and operates in Thomas Aquinas’s understanding of charity. The creature loves the Creator more than himself through natural love. Thus, the action of grace through caritas does not abolish natural love, but actualizes its potential.
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This article analyses the guarantees of the human right to the protection of life from the perspectives of the constitutional law of the Republic of Lithuania and the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. The main focus of the study is on the issue of the protection of the right to life of the unborn. The article concludes that the Order of the Minister of Health of 12 August 2022 “On the amendment of the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania of 28 January 1994 No. 50 “On the procedure for the performance of termination of pregnancy surgery” does not have a proper legal basis, and the norms of the Criminal Code providing for liability for illegal abortion do not actually protect the life of the unborn human. The study further reveals why such a regulation cannot be considered to be in line with the Constitution and constitutional doctrine, which provides binding conditions for the legislator and state institutions to regulate the legal protection of human life. The article also points out that canon law establishes an additional type of liability for killing a human being, inter alia, an unborn human being, which is classified in constitutional doctrine under the group of religious norms that protect the human right to life.
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Once an undemocratic political regime is established in the country, the government representing it acquires monopoly rights to shape the culture of remembrance and present its own narrative of history, which would only serve to increase its symbolic capital and political legitimation. The article tries to answer the question whether the 20th century in interwar Lithuania, when the authoritarian regime of A. Smetona was in power, historical narratives represented by social movements unrelated to the political regime or even opposed to it could exist in the public space. In search of an answer to this question, the Lithuanian Catholic organization “Ateitis”, which included a group of well-known historians, was chosen for the study. The story of the 19th century presented by future historians was chosen for the study. Lithuanian national revival. It is said that the biggest collective scientific project implemented by future historians in the bars of history was in 1936. “History of Lithuania” edited by A. Šapoka was published. This synthesis of Lithuanian history was recommended by the authorities to be used as a school textbook. Thanks to the “History of Lithuania” edited by A. Šapoka, the story presented by future historians about the 19th century was officially established. Lithuanian national revival, which emphasizes the particularly important role of Lithuanian Catholic clergy in the Lithuanian national movement. In this way, the creators of the historical narrative about the Lithuanian national rebirth officially recognized by the government were not the representatives of the political regime, but the historians opposing it, who were the ateitininkai.
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There are many studies examining the relationship between the quality of parent’s relationships and satisfaction with marriage, but there are still few that examine this relationship based on Bowen’s family systems theory. The study sought to determine the relationship between retrospectively evaluated parental relationships, self-differentiation, and satisfaction with one’s own marriage, based on Bowen’s theory. The sample size of the study was 384, but during the study, during a questionnaire survey, 218 respondents were interviewed (77.52 pct. women), so the study is evaluated as exploratory. The research questionnaire was composed according to the Scale of Quality of Parental Relationships, the Self-Differentiation Scale, and the Satisfaction with Couple Relationships Scale. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated for data analysis between the dependent variable (marriage satisfaction) and independent variables (quality of parent’s relationships, self-differentiation). The Student’s t-test was applied for comparing two samples, and ANOVA was applied for comparing more than two samples. The study found a positive, weak, statistically significant relationship between the quality of parent’s relationships and satisfaction with marriage. A negative, weak, statistically significant relationship was found between self-differentiation and satisfaction with marriage. The dimension influencing satisfaction with marriage was emotional detachment (negative, moderate, statistically significant relationship). A negative, very weak, statistically insignificant relationship was found between the quality of parent’s relationships and self-differentiation.
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In this paper, we will analyze the representation of Ibn Arabi in the text by Jusuf Ramić entitled “Ibn Arabi and his method of interpreting the Qur’an”, published in the VIS Gazette in 1977. At the very beginning, we will explain the historical background and reasons why Ibn Arabi was not written about in the publications of the Islamic (religious) community in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 40 years. Then, we will analyze the text itself and compare quotations from the text with the literature available at the time the text was written, as well as with the current research results related to Ibn Arabi’s work. We will refer to certain misconceptions that still follow Ibn Arabi’s name, such as the authorship of certain works, and the background of certain sayings/views. In the last part of the paper, we will discuss certain aspects of Ibn Arabi’s method of interpreting the Qur’an. In the conclusion, we will summarize the results of the analysis, attempting to position the text within the wider picture of the academic study of Tasawwuf in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the SFRY period.
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The author, in an imaginary dialogical form, like Plato, seeks to present the deepest knowledge of the philosophy and religion, which are presented by a sage (hakīm) to an inquisitive student. The student reveals that a sage possesses a special kind of knowledge for which it is necessary to have spiritual readiness. In this context, the sage tells him about the partial intelligence and the Intelligence. What particularly bothers the student is the problem of evil. The sage will emphasize to him that only wise people can really answer that question through the heart. In the end, he will advise him to remove the curtain of evil in order to truly live.
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Since ancient times, priests of any cult, coming to offer sacrifice to their deity, did not come dressed haphazardly but in special attire. Just as the high priests, priests, and Levites of the old covenant had garments for services and sacrificial offerings, Christians, right from the beginning, while breaking bread, adorned themselves in garments to serve Christ. Even today, when a Christian enters the church and sees the beautiful clerical vestments, they immerse themselves in the specific liturgical atmosphere. However, beyond mere admiration, some Christians, driven by curiosity, seek to learn about the history and etymology of these beautiful garments. In their aid comes the work compiled by Archdeacon Dr. Vlăduț-Iulian Roșu, which, as he himself states, is the most comprehensive and complex work on this subject.
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Orthodox theology is an inexhaustible source of teachings and dogmas that remain relevant in all times, thanks to the wisdom of the Holy Fathers of the Church and, above all, thanks to the profound impact that the Saviour Jesus Christ had on humanity, giving us the chance to save our souls from the death of sin. Today, the world is facing a host of anthropological and ecological ills. Man has been given the chance of salvation, but he has misunderstood his mission in the world and has neglected the special role he has had since his creation: i.e. to be an steward of the world.
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The modern world requires companies to work on strengthening their responsibility. In recent years, the concept of sustainable business was placed in the forefront, and it relies on three pillars: ecologically acceptable profiting, good corporate governance, and care about social issues. That is the core of the abbreviation that has been increasingly present in Serbia, as well. The author explains the term ESG, as it is insufficiently familiar in her region, starting from the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in a proclaimed consensus and harmonisation of developed and developing countries. Starting from the aim of this Agreement, which is an efficient and advanced response to the threat of climate change, companies will from here on out have to adopt strategies to reduce their environmental impact, which is ultimately reflected on global warming. The author proves that ESG standards are powering the resilience of the new business models for all companies, which should lead to reaching climate neutrality in the future.
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