Святой Евстафий Плакида в средневековой славянской традиции
О. В. Гладкова. Житие Евстафия Плакиды в русской и славянской книжности и литературе ІХ-ХХ веков. Москва, Индрик, 2013, 912 с.
More...We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
О. В. Гладкова. Житие Евстафия Плакиды в русской и славянской книжности и литературе ІХ-ХХ веков. Москва, Индрик, 2013, 912 с.
More...
The inscriptions analysed are situated in the lower row of the murals in the nave of St. George's Church at the Kremikovtsi Monastery. They are dated to the year 1493. There are three types .of texts: inscriptions of scrolls and books; names of saints; cryptograms and monograms. The former are on a white background, and the latter on a dark blue background. Three of the texts have a liturgical content, the remainder is of didactic nature. The letters are elongated and almost symmetrical.
More...
This paper is a revised version of a lecture presented on October 16, 2018, in a conference entitled “Diminishing Church, Increasing Responsibilities”, organised by the Union of Reformed Ministers in Transylvania. The author, who is also trained in church law, experiments with interdisciplinary methods. He is active as a spiritual counsellor and mentor even outside the church. He argues that the main danger for the church is not its diminishing numbers but rather its disintegration and dissolution, loosing it main traits, attractiveness and impact. He points to fields where the church needs to change its perspectives and be more effective.
More...
The author sums up the results of 30 years of exploration within all available ecclesiastical and archival documents. The author also collected data from the living traditions from ethnographic sources in the county. He illustrates his contentions with archive materials and newly made photos.
More...
Many archaeologists are involved in excavations in the lands of the Bible, and each year an increasing number collection of artefacts are unearthed that offer us a glimpse on the background of the biblical history and texts. This article presents the top archaeological findings connected to the Bible, reported in 2018. The incredible treasures from the tomb of prophet Jonah came to light thanks to tunnels dug by ISIS. The “Yerushalayim” inscription on an ancient column dated to 100 B.C. is the first known appearance of the name of Jerusalem in Hebrew or Aramaic written in stone. The clay pomegranate found at Tel Shiloh is dating back to the First Iron Age, to the times of the Tabernacle of ancient Shiloh. An extremely rare seal impression discovered at Jerusalem’s Western Wall plaza and bearing the inscription “Belonging to the governor of the city” confirms specific biblical information. A tiny stone weight engraved with ancient Hebrew letters spelling the word Beka, dating to the First Temple period, was discovered in situ on the north of the early City of David. During the renewed excavations at the foot of the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a minuscule bulla or seal impression was discovered, with the text probably reading “Isaiah the prophet”. It was discovered in the same layer where some years ago a similar seal impression was found with the inscription: “Belonging to King Hezekiah of Judah.”
More...
The assumption underlying the study is directly connected to the contemporary unrest aimed at, but more specifically against the existence of the religion class. By drafting the content herein, I have tried to display the different valences which the much-scrutinized religion class which, unfortunately, is quite vilified by the contemporary public opinion, may develop using a differently drawn up educational scenario. We are used for the teacher, during the Orthodox religion class, to set two courses, one of them being mostly quantitative, historical, with a commemorative perspective on several facts, characters and customs in the Old and New Testaments, while the other being the building and / or strengthening of religiousness and the conduct desirable from the learner’s moral perspective.
More...
The author deals with the theme of “mission as witness” in Luke’s Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. Then, he reflects on the concept of witness in the documents of the Church. He also presents the specificity of the vocation of the laity to bear witness in their everyday life. He also analyses the characteristics of the witness to peoples of other faiths in the light of the documents of the Missionaries of Africa. Showing a special interest in the Church in Africa, the author reflects on the new challenges which the concept of witness – through missionary activity – evokes in this continent. Today we need a change of perspective in the understanding of the mission of the Church on every continent. The new way of looking at the Church is dictated by the significant changes that have taken place in the social, political, religious and cultural levels throughout the world. The new vision of the Church will also result from the need for an in-depth analysis of those Biblical pericopes that have been misinterpreted and even distorted by individual local Churches and their missionaries in recent centuries. Missionary activity requires permanent biblical reinterpretation.
More...
In 1875, Father Arnold Janssen founded an institution that was to have a significant impact on the missionary work of the Church: the Society of the Divine Word. Following the evidence established during his beatification process, as well as other publications, the author identifies a number of factors that positively influenced Janssen’s work. He measures Janssen’s personality against criteria proposed by Alexandre Havard in his book Etyka przywódcy [Leader’s Ethics] (Gdańsk 2011; New York 2007). According to Havard, leaders’ assessment should take into account the classical notion of the cardinal virtues, as well as their generosity and humility; the latter two highly praised by the ancients. Critical analysis of Janssen’s life reveals him as an efficient leader, who allowed God’s grace work on his weaknesses. Though Janssen was not endowed with any special charisma, the sources reveal him as a man of God who achieved extraordinary perfection in the practice of the cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, courage and temperance. He did this thanks to his authentic humility and simplicity. His life work speaks for itself. Janssen’s greatness is rooted in the supernatural realm. Through unceasing and heroic human efforts and harmonious cooperation with God’s grace he became an universally admired leader, wholly deserving the title Dux, engraved on his tombstone in Steyl.
More...
The article presents the thinking and activity of the medieval Czech reformer, master Jan Hus, against the background of the historical and doctrinal context of ecclesiastical life. The ideas exposed by Hus in his theological work De Ecclesia, as well as the accusations against him at the Council of Constance, have been pointed up in a special way. Today, we can make an argument that the tragic history of master Jan Hus and his ecclesiological doctrine stand between the reformate Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, forming a common heritage. The ecclesiological thinking of Jan Hus, shown in the context of contemporary theological and doctrinal attitudes as well as in the perspective of criticizing abuse in Christian life, justifies the need to reform the Church, to search for the causes of divisions, and the need to renew the moral conduct of clergy and common believers. The article also poses a question: is the assessment of reasoning and activity of Jan Hus pointing to the defense of his confessional affiliation, or about seeking the truth?
More...
One cannot study theology of Rev. Martin Luther in isolation from his biography and the historical context. Family home, upbringing, education, religious life, personal experiences - all that had a great impact on the Reformer of Wittenberg and his theology. The main area of interest for the Father of Reformation was the question about God’s righteousness and righteousness (or lack thereof) of man. He was looking for answers in the Bible. There he found the truth that man would never reach righteousness without the grace of Jesus Christ, which justifies the sinner. Man receives this grace through faith and henceforth he may live the righteouness given him by Christ. Faith makes a person (fides facit personam) – said Luther. In these words, one can also find an ethical interpretation of the Reformer from Wittenberg. A good (just) deed is all that is in accordance with the commandment of God and what has been done with faith.
More...
The article presents a religious and theological reflection with regard to the life and activity of the Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), prevailing in the years 1350-1334 before Christ. Although the available documents are not very numerous, and the person of the ruler is an extremely controversial figure, his activity is worth considering. After a short presentation of the monarch’s biography, the author showed the doctrine of Atonism – a monotheistic religion that the pharaoh proclaimed and imposed on his subjects. Then he considered what reasons could lead to the adoption of this religion by the ruler. He drew attention to the similarities between Atonism and Jahvism (Mosaism-Judaism). One of the possible causes of the religious revolution of Akhenaten was the attempt of an intellectual (logical) look at the issue of the religion of ancient Egyptians. The author showed the figure of Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti as an example of a rational approach to religion.
More...
Analyzes carried out in this article aim at showing the essence as well as the role that concept of the highest good fulfills in the realistic morality of Thomas Aquinas and in the transcendental philosophy of Immanuel Kant. The notion of the highest good has a different meaning in both philosophical systems. The designatum of this concept in realistic philosophy is the good and the purpose that fully update all human potentialities. The highest good understood in this way is identified with God. Individual decisions and human activities are directed towards it as an ultimate goal. The analysis of Kant’s theory of moral behavior proves that the human moral actions are also aimed at the highest good. Kant understands them as nothing beyond anything else. Realization of the highest good is also the goal of morality flowing from the imperative of practical reason. However, this kind of good is not identified with God in the sense of realistic philosophy. It is a construct and the composition of two goals arising from human nature. One of them flows from a rational nature, the other from a sensual one. Only the a priori synthesis of these two approaches, that is virtue and happiness, constitutes the highest good. Its implementation, however, requires the adoption of human immortality and the existence of God, that is, postulates of practical reason.
More...
According to tradition, the history of the Church in India dates back to the apostolic times and is associated with the activities of St. Thomas the Apostle. Missionary work in India acquired a very evangelizing dynamism with arrival of the Jesuits in 1542, with St. Francis Xavier and Robert de Nobili among them. Their fruitful work led to an increase in the number of local communities. Likewise, its effect was the adaptation of Christianity to the local culture. The so-called accommodation disputes frustrated this great achievement. Despite many adversities, the Church in India endured and was consolidated. Since 1932, the Society of the Divine Word was contributing to her growth too. Among the Divine Word Missionaries working in India, there were also 10 Poles. First they got engaged in day-to-day pastoral ministry, later they undertook special tasks – in particular, in the field of inculturation. This study reminds of those personalities.
More...
Theologians are looking at the ecological crisis from a gospel perspective. The Asian bishops are aware of the ethical implications of the ecological crisis. They claim that the task of stewardship for creation is an obligation for any human being, it places us all squarely in creation’s ecology today in the face of climate change and climate justice. We should also learn more from indigenous people, regarding their understanding of the natural world. Christian communities and their leaders and theologians have to enter into dialogue with all religions and especially into dialogue with all Cosmic or Primal religions as they are part of the cultural Theologians are looking at the ecological crisis from a gospel perspective. The Asian bishops are aware of the ethical implications of the ecological crisis. They claim that the task of stewardship for creation is an obligation for any human being, it places us all squarely in creation’s ecology today in the face of climate change and climate justice. We should also learn more from indigenous people, regarding their understanding of the natural world. Christian communities and their leaders and theologians have to enter into dialogue with all religions and especially into dialogue with all Cosmic or Primal religions as they are part of the cultural and spiritual heritage of all indigenous peoples all over the world. There is much they can offer not only to Christians but to all members of contemporary plural and secular societies. Christians at grassroots level in their families and as members of Small Christian communities and parishes as places of communion of communities are adequate and relevant places where eco-theology and eco-spirituality is creatively received, practiced and further developed.
More...
The article analyzes pastoral letters of the New Guinean bishops on the subject of marriage and family. Discussion on these documents allows to distinguish pastoral solutions proposed by the bishops in a specific pastoral context. The Gospel has been preached in PNG for over 100 years, but cultural customs and practices from the past are still alive. The author first discussed the marital-family challenges in today’s Church in PNG and then presented the Church’s teaching with regard to four areas of pastoral challenges: birth control, polygamy, sexual and domestic violence. These challenges call for decisive action arising from the Gospel message and the Church’s teaching. The presented analysis of pastoral activities of the Church in PNG indicates an increase in faith in this region of the world as well as the need for further missionary activity in Melanesia.
More...
Investigations carried out in the first part of the study showed the technological development of the means of social communication, which aroused the Church’s interest from the very beginning. Missionary magazines issued after the Vaticanum Secundum were analyzed and their current crisis was pointed out. It is worth noting that the author presented the probable causes of this phenomenon.The content of this study refers to the issue of new missionary media in Poland, their origin, development and perspectives. The author presented new media in the Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 perspective, scrutinizing the portal, websites and web applications. In addition, he presented some possibilities of their use in information, formation and mission animation.
More...