Transitions Online_Balkan Eye-Praising Stillness Amid the Whirlwind
During his state visit to Bulgaria in early May, the pope offered words of contemplation for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
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During his state visit to Bulgaria in early May, the pope offered words of contemplation for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
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Christian anthropology is based on the fact that human body as created by God is good, and thus human sexuality and the transmission of life can hardly be sinful in themselves. The body itself is intended for resurrection. Human person exists only as the unity of soul and body. Nevertheless, in the spirituality and preaching of the church, we often encounter distrust of and contempt for corporality, especially for human sexuality. The body is viewed as the prison of the soul. Disregard for sexuality and suppression of corporality will become a fundamental sign of a more sublime form of Christian life, and marriage is valued only as a cure for lust for those who are incapable of celibacy. In reality Christianity is primarily a religion of life, and both ancient and medieval Christianity show significant vitality. In modern history Catholicism is under the influence of pietism and puritanism. Sermons continue to express strong aversion to and distrust of human sexuality. At the turn of the 1950s, the complexity of human existence begins to reappear, and corporality starts to be regarded as something positive and valuable.
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In this paper, we outline the basic characteristics of body and corporeality as presented in Claude Tresmontant‘s work. We logically organize and interpret his thought tendencies in mutual interrelation. We will point out the importance of body and corporeality in Christian theology, and emphasize the argumentative language of Tresmontant‘s philosophy and its contribution to modern theological anthropology.
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This essay focuses on the theme of Jesus’ corporality in the Fourth Gospel. While Johannine studies rightly tend to underline the various ways in which John communicates Jesus’ divinity and union with the Father, this gospel is also filled with texts that stress Jesus’ humanity. From the prologue to the resurrection scenes Jesus periodically appears not only as fully human, but also as fully bodily. The introductory part of the article traces some of the occurrences of the motif of Jesus’ humanity/corporality. In the attempt to point up their significance and function, the two main parts then identify the texts which describe Jesus’ body parts and his physical postures. The essay notes John’s particular interest in drawing attention to Jesus’ body parts and postures, a feature that contributes to John’s being „a maverick Gospel“ that continues to fascinate its readers. As the Son of God in constant communion with the Father, Jesus, as portrayed in John, emerges as a fully human and bodily person.
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It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the history of philosophy from Plato to Hegel is the history of a loss of human corporality, which has destructive consequences, because human body is the most universal symbol in every culture and society. Ludwig Feuerbach is trying to return the corporality back to human beings through the rehabilitation of emotions and of the intersubjectivity based on the love between the concrete, personal, physical Me and a concrete, personal, physical You. The Christian idea of God should not be based upon the picture of human being without body, but should closely match the entire and real essence of human being that is primarily rooted in nature.
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The article deals with the prehistory of the biblical text of 2 Ki. 21:1-18 which describes King Manasseh’s life and appraises him. The article consists of two parts: an analysis that identifies the scope of the editors’ interference in the biblical texts and a synthesis which tries to reconstruct the editorial process. The second part of the investigation is based on the results of the previous part. (transl. Olha Zatwardnicka)
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This article is an analysis of the two units of the Song of Songs 2:3 and 2:14 that show the importance of a conscious choice of the Bridegroom and the Bride in shaping the relationship of love. Motives present in them, that is the shadow of an apple tree and the voice of a beloved one, have been also recalled in the last part of the book (8:5 and 8:13) and owing to that we can observe the transformation and maturation of the couple, a kind of a new birth, the fullness of life experienced by them and their love being spread among others. The structural semiotics method indicated in the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s document Interpretation of the Bible in the Church was used in order to extract the depth of experience and the transformation of the characters, as well as to show causes of the events.
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The entire Christian worship centres around the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the miracle that Jesus Christ left us. Tracking the various forms of offering sacrifices to God gives us a broader insight into the sources of what the Saviour ordered to do for his memorial. This article examines the cult of Israel with its various forms of offering sacrifices in order to highlight the direction in which the understanding of offering gifts to God developed. This allows one to see the changes that led to the worship and the most perfect sacrifice, the Sacrifice of the New Covenant. The article considers various forms of offering sacrifices in the Old Testament, with the special distinction of the Passover as the immediate announcement of the Eucharist. The theology of places of offering sacrifices (material and spiritual), that is temple and synagogue, was also taken into account.
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The article deals with the verse Matt. 16:23 in which Jesus addresses Peter in the following way: “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (KJV). One of the meanings of the word provided by dictionaries is analysed: ‘skándalon is the native rock rising up through the earth, which trips up the traveler’ (http://biblehub.com/greek/4625.htm). Syriac dictionaries explain the meaning of the word used in the Peshitta as a stumbling-block, that is the rock upon which people stumble. The expression kefo d-tuqalto in Peshitta Rom. 9:33, referring to Isa. 18:14, is a particularly interesting use of this word. Considering an original Aramaic version of the Peter’s name Kefo, the wordplay difficult to be translated into Polish is analysed: in Matt. 16:18 Jesus names Simon with a new name Kefo meaning the Rock as the foundation of the Church, and a few verses farther He calls him [kefo] d-tuqalto meaning the rock that sticks up on the road for everyone to stumble. Moreover, an analysis of the related words in the Hebrew Bible, the Peshitta and the Targums provides additional interesting details, for example about the millstone mentioned in Matt. 18.
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The article presents an outcome of the analysis of Jesus’ first Passion and Resurrection prediction. After establishing the text and the context of Lk. 9:22, it focuses on the authenticity and historicity of the Lucan passage. The immediate context is similar in all three Synoptic Gospels. In the case of the Gospel of Luke, we must mention some omissions that result from the conception of the structure of this Gospel. The study of tradition and edition of the first Passion prediction has shown us a large number of problems concerning especially the authenticity and historicity of the logion. Many arguments are presented to defend the pre-Easter origin of this prediction. In the section dedicated to the analysis of the vocabulary and the commentary, meanings of particular words and expressions are studied in detail. Eventually, we can state that Jesus, while pronouncing the words about the Son of Man’s suffering, Passion and Resurrection, was consciously predicting His future.(transl. Olha Zatwardnicka)
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The issue of joy in Christians’ life seems to be an important part of contemporary magisterial teaching. On the other hand, from a psychological point of view, happiness appears to be one of the most missing goods today. Therefore, it is worthwhile to consider the theme of joy from the perspective of the Word of God which is the primary source of the Christian life. That is why the motif of joy in the Gospel of John is the subject of this article. All pericopes in the Gospel of John that include terms describing joy (χαρά, χαίρω and ἀγαλλιάω) are analysed. The following conclusions are presented in the second part of the article: joy results from the faith in Jesus, it is connected with the fulfilment of God’s will and has a relational dimension. Moreover, the joy given by Jesus is durable and full. (transl. Olha Zatwardnicka)
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The article deals with the issue of using icons in catechetical biblical interpretation. The Baptism of the Lord icon can be used at the stage of theological understanding, which includes biblical, doctrinal, and liturgical context. The passages about St. John the Baptist and the Jordan River are important in the biblical context. St. John the Baptist is regarded as the lamp, the voice, and the friend of the bridegroom. He is also shown in relation to the prophet Elijah who was to come. As far as the doctrinal context is considered, John Paul II’s catecheses dealing with the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River are important, along with the new Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. The liturgical context points out the connection between the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord and the Epiphany. The article, coming within the range of material catechetics, is intended mainly for the researchers in the field of catechetics who are interested in programming of catechesis.
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В начале своего изложения автор замечает, что имеется два типа личных имён восточного происхождения: 1. имена которые носят преимущественно югославские мусульмане и которые принялись в процессе исламизации; они происходят из языков: арабского, иранского, турецкого и древнееврейского. Приведём некоторые из них: АСИМ, ДЖЕМАЛ, МУХАМЕД, МУСТАФА, ФАТИМА, МИРЗА, ОРХАН и др. 2. имена которые носят представители християнского населения в Югославии (сербы, хорваты, словенцы черногорцы, македонцы!, югославские евреи и др. Они происходят из следующих языков: древнееврейского, акадского, арамейского, древнеегипетского и некоторых других восточных языков. Приведём некоторые из них: ИЛИЯ, ЙОВАН (ИВАН), ЯКОБ (ЯКОВ), ЙОСИФ (ЙОСИП), ЗАХАРИЕ, САЛАМОН, МАРИЯ, СУЗАНА и др. Рассматривая проблематику мусульманских личных имён восточного происхождения, автор считает, что в так назыв. „Большом правописании” и приложенном к нему словаре не уделено должное внимание, хотя они и являются составной частью югославской антропонимии. Оттуда вытекают некоторые недоумения в их написании. Поэтому автор предлагает некоторые решения относительно улучшения орфографической нормы этих имён: а) произношение и написание согласного X в тех именах где ему место по этимологии: ХАЛИД вместо КАЛИД, ЗУЛЕЙХА вместо ЗУЛЕЙКА, БЕХАДЕР вместо БЕАДЕР, ОХРАН вместо ОРКАН и др. б) написание согласного Й в положении И + А, И, Е. Например: АЛИЯ, ФАЗЛИЯ, РАБИЯ, ЗЕКИЯ, АЛИЙИН, РАБИЙИН, ЗЕКИЙИН и тп. В обратном положении А, И, Е + И согласный Й не следует писать. Например: Фаик, Гусейн, Муид, Айша, Сеид, Смайл, Узеир и др. в) произношение и написание КЙ вместо К в именах, которые содержат арабский согласниый КАФ (кеф) перед гласными заднего ряда. Например: КЯМИЛА вместо КАМИЛА, КЯЗИМ вместо КАЗИМ, ШЕКЮР вместо ШЕКУР и др. г) написание звонких согласных рядом о согласным X, например: ЭДХЕМ, МИДХАТ, СУБХИЯ, ЭЗХЕР, ВАХДЕТ, БЕГХАНУМА и др. д) устранение геминатов в тех именах, где они имеются, напр. Абдурахман, Гайрудин, Сидик и др. Среди мусульманских имён восточного происхождения имеются и такие, у которых последний согласный произносится и звонко и глухо. Автор поэтому считает, что надо их писать: АХМЕД и АХМЕТ, МАХМУД и МАХМУТ, АЛМАС и АЛМАЗ, ЮНУС и ЮНУЗ, ИДРИС и ИДРИЗ . . . С другой же стороны, он допускает и написание согласно этимологии: АХМЕД, МАХМУД, АЛМАС, ЮНУС, ИДРИС . . . (только так). Вторая часть статьи посвящается написанию иностранных имён восточного происхождения, главным образом из арабского языка. В связи с этим автор выступает против общепринятого написания арабских имён посредством английской или французкой транскрибции или посредством арабских диалектов. Он предлагает, чтобы в нашей орфографии написание арабских имён нормировалось с учётом ЛИТЕРАТУРНОГО арабского языка. Ратует за формы: НЕДЖИБ, ДЖЕМАЛ, ХАЛИД, а не НАГИБ, ГАМАЛ, КАЛЕД.
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Since the mid-20th century numerous factors have emerged which have substantially influenced the change in the form of spiritual service to the sick. The author indicates four such basic domains in which the most important changes in this respect have occurred. In medical sciences we are currently witnessing the passage from the biomedical paradigm to the holistic one, which implies an appreciation of cultural factor influence on the treatment process. This results in recognising the value of the chaplain service in the hospital. As far as the civil law is concerned, in the 90s of the 20th century in Poland regulations were introduced which regulate relationships between the state and religious communities. These regulations ensured legal guarantees for the chaplain service in hospitals. The Second Vatican Council initiated a reform of the sacrament of anointing of the sick, which has deeply transformed the form of the pastoral sick care. In this respect, the author analyses the recent instruction on this subject, issued by the Polish Bishops’ Conference. Finally, the forth part of the paper outlines the ecumenical dimension of the spiritual help for the sick of other denominations, which is currently of an increasing practical importance in view of the growing migration movements in Europe. Ultimately, the goal of the paper is to indicate guidelines for chaplains servicing the sick which would be adequate in the context of the above mentioned modern determinants.
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In this paper we will consider some ritual ceremonies that are made for bread, which we have registered in the areas of Tetova and Gostivar with the surrounding area. Bread and other dough processing represent the oldest way to prepare this food. In this regard, we will present material collected from the field, which are inherited from paganism to this day. These rituals that are made with bread and are done to bread, follow the human from birth to death. We have found it present in Muslim and Christian Albanians, and they accompany every religious and family celebration.
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The article represents the theoretical or conceptual description of the phenomenon of charisma, which is related to social work as professional activity and is focused in social worker, who is the leader in his / her professional activity. So why it is accentuated that personal charisma of a social worker is a constellation of complex social and emotional skills that allows charismatic individuals to influence others at deep emotional levels, communicate effectively with them, and build strong interpersonal relationships. Authors of the article discuss the possible answers to the following research question: How to recognize, accept and (self)develop personal charisma in social work? In the article the interdisciplinary pont of view is provided and amotional and social skills are discussed in relation to social worker‘s charisma. Authors conclude that Some of charisma-related skills are born innate, others are perfected over time, but the most important is proper application of skills. Charisma of a social worker is related to emotional intelligence, which consists of self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Different social work situations require differently developed skills, which msut be developed through long life education, in which the self-managed learning through interactions and within the professional environment must be the priority.
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The article discusses the collection of scientific articles by Archpriest George Florovsky published in 2017 under the title «Testimony of Truth». From 41 articles of Father George in this collection, only one work is published in the original version in Russian, and the remaining forty — in translations from English, German and French, the compiler of the collection, the St. Petersburg researcher Alexey Anatolyevich Pochekunin. The peerreviewed publication also has an introductory article and an afterword. As a preface, the article is published by the famous expert on Russian theology, A. A. Yermichev. The afterword was written specifically for this publication by the French translator Yves-Noel Leluvière and the compiler of the collection A. A. Pochekunin. In general, the «Testimony of Truth» compilation turned out to be very informative. It includes many works of Archpriest George Florovsky on the Christian Sacred Tradition, on the history of the Church, on the problems of ecumenism. There is also a collection of articles by father George dedicated to individuals in history and the church life. All this can be very relevant in the research of historians, religious scholars, philosophers, and cultural studies. It is worth taking into account the nature and style of the scientific works of Archpriest George Florovsky. The depth and sharpness of his thoughts, the clarity of formulations, extensive erudition give his writings a real fundamental nature. A rooted in the foundations of Christian dogma — and significant stability in the context of the changing conjuncture of scientific research. Therefore, the opinions and assessments of Father George often become more weighty and significant over the years. Despite the fact that the collection «The Testimony of Truth» has as many as three editors, it contains many stylistic errors and even mistakes in grammar and terminology of translations of Father George’s works into Russian. Such flaws in their own way only set off the high level reached by the eminent theologian and intellectual of the Russian abroad, Archpriest George Florovsky.
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The true meaning of the image of the goddess Venus, its role and place in the philosophical poem of Lucretius, reveals itself through a comparative analysis of the word usage in Lucretius and contemporary Roman poetry (and prose) taken in the context of philosophical and religious quest of Roman writers of the first century BC. All 31 cases of using the name Venus in Lucretius are analyzed. New arguments are being advanced in favor of Cl. Beltrão da Rosa and M. Eichler’s apprehension of the ‘De rerum natura’ as a poem in the genre of physical theology stricto sensu. Cf. Varr. De Rer. Div. Fr. 8, 2–5 Cardauns.
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The paper examines what texts of Christian poets were used by Bede the Venerable in his De arte metrica; how he quoted them. It is discussed how the norms of classical poetry were superseded in the schools of the early Middle Age, and how they were replaced by Christian ones.
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