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The Theopolitical `Other` in the Last Judgment Paintings of Bucovina’s Orthodox Monasteries

Author(s): Bülent Şenay,Nagehan Zeynep Ceylanlar / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2018

Theopolitics is related to the interaction between theos (god) and politics, or to that between theology—the systematization of the major ideas of a given religious faith—and politics. Theopolitics is a broad attempt to understand and extrapolate political action through the multidimensional lens of geopolitics and theology. Theopolitics, like geopolitics, includes analysis of geographical, historical, and cultural characteristics that influence political behavior. Theopolitics, unlike geopolitics, extrapolates political action based on further philosophical and theological premises that God exists and acts in human history. This research paper appropriates historical scholarship on religious iconography and theology where it helpfully reminds theology of matters requiring theology’s attention, as well as where it identifies nuances in the phenomenon of religious identity formation of which theology should be mindful. However, it is primarily a history of religion endeavor. The authors engage what they perceive as a significant representation of the other in the 16th century Orthodox Christian theopolitical iconography.

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Mănăstirea Antim din București în vremea starețului Vasile Vasilache, în lumina unor documente de arhivă (1944-1948)

Author(s): Antipa (Alexandru) Hierom. Burghelea / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 4-6/2020

In this study, new documents from the archive of the Antim Monastery in Bucharest, during the spiritual leadership of Archimandrite Vasile Vasilache (1944-1948), are published for thefirst time. These documents show us the administrative and spiritual effervescence of that time. Several reference works have been published on the efforts of the abbot Vasile and the life of the Antim Monastery; however, this study is valuable in that it presents previously unknown details that nuance and enrich those presented above.

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Apophatic Character of Christian Creatology According to Vladimir N. Lossky

Author(s): Michał Płóciennik / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

According to Vladimir N. Lossky, one of the most eminent Orthodox theologians of the twentieth century, the Christian doctrine of creation is not something akin to a philosophical preambula fidei but is a dogma of faith. This is because its subject is the God-Trinity, and the distinction between the Creator and the creation is inherently inaccessible outside the Revelation accepted in faith. This truth possesses a fundamentally apophatic character, grounded in the apophatic mystery of Trinitatis, the presentation of which is the purpose of the present text.Therefore, various issues such as creatio ex nihilo, the absolute freedom of the creative act, the Trinitarian character of creation, and creation in the perspective of theosis will be examined sequentially. The entirety of this exploration will be concluded with a synthetic recapitulation of the most relevant issues, exposing the profound apophatic nature of Lossky's creatology.

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The State, the Church, and the Demarcations of the Occult in Serbia

Author(s): Noel Putnik / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

The paper examines the complex social dynamics of publicly articulat- ed attitudes toward esotericism in present-day Serbia within the last three decades of its history. The focus of my analysis is twofold: the changing attitude of the State towards esotericism, and the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in shaping its public perception. I am inter- ested in the ways the Church articulates its impact on the State and the public and how it delineates the phenomenon of the occult as a menacing Other, a threat to the traditional Orthodox Christian and na- tional values posed by the processes of globalization and liberalization. I argue that, in some of its aspects, public discourse on esotericism in Serbia is dominated by an exclusivist, anti-modernist, and totalizing approach that views all the alternative forms of spirituality as harmful and potentially dangerous. The paper, thus, contributes to a better un- derstanding of the complex web of interactions between the Church, the State, and the public concerning the phenomenon of the occult.

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Andrei Şaguna în viziunea Mitropolitului Bartolomeu Anania

Author(s): Bogdan-Paul Ivanov / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 07/2023

The personality of Saint Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna is more luminous today, as he surpassed the stature of a great classic, admired, but less researched, not read at all or too little frequented, to remain in the posture of a living model, who did not lost his relevance and whose ideas and visions are confi rmed until our time. That is why in this article I propose to present Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna as seen for half a century by Metropolitan Bartolomeu Anania, and as he expressed himself in his personal writings, in his meditations, in the great moments of dilemma for the Church, to which the hierarch related with great confi dence.Topics as laymen in the Church, Şagunian stature, revisiting the Bible text are some leads I followed in my article, reading the most important texts of Metropolitan Bartolomeu Anania.

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Aspiraţia spre învăţătură în sate transilvane în vremea şaguniană. Documente inedite din arhive sibiene

Author(s): Ana Grama / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 07/2023

The study presents, based on new materials from the Archive of the Metropolis of Transylvania (Sibiu), several requests for scholarships to continue studies in Transylvanian gymnasiums, sent to the Orthodox Episcopate of Transylvania and Bishop Andrei Şaguna by various priests, peasants and students from Transylvania. The archival information captures the laborious evolution of the cultural and national emancipation movement of Romanians in Transylvania in the middle of the 19th century.

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Heraldica şaguniană: stemele mitropolitului Andrei baron de Şaguna

Author(s): Mircea-Gheorghe Abrudan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 07/2023

The anniversary of one hundred and fifty years since the passage to the eternal of Saint Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna (June 28, 1873) is the right moment to reflect on his portrait in history, his theological legacy, his positive role in the historical evolution of Romanians in Transylvania, Banat and Hungary in the second half of the 19th century. The study presents a topic less discussed in Romanian historiography and theology, namely: the coats of arms or the heraldic insignia of Andrei Şaguna, by the mercy of God “archbishop and metropolitan of the Orthodox Romanians of Transylvania and Hungary” and by the grace of His Apostolic Majesty Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria, Baron of the Austrian Empire. Among all Transylvanian Romanian Orthodox hierarchs, Metropolitan Şaguna is the only one who was raised by the Austrian emperor to the noble rank of baron. The title was conferred on him by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1852, being assumed by the hierarch both in his signature and in the official title used in correspondence with the civil, military and ecclesiastical authorities of the Habsburg Monarchy and the Romanian Principalities, as well as on the title pages of books printed in Sibiu. The royal titles and orders, the baronial coat of arms and the metropolitan emblem illustrate the historical effigies and aristocratic stature of the complex personality of Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna and represent the new legal status and public dignity that the Romanian nation and the Transylvanian Orthodox Church acquired during his pastorate.

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Şaguna şi tezaurul Bisericii Ortodoxe: prefaţa la Elementele dreptului canonic (1854)

Author(s): Bogdan-Nicolae Vîlcan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 07/2023

Aware of the richness in the writings of the Orthodox Church, which he studied throughout his ecclesiastical activity, Andrei Şaguna found resources in the Holy Scriptures, in the Canons of the Church and in the Writings of the Holy Fathers, which, through his works, he made, as far as possible, available to his faithful. This approach, presented in the foreword of the book Elements of Canon Law, was considered part of his misionary ministry as bishop. Venerating him as a Saint of the Church is an invitation for today’s christians to discover the spiritual character of the Great Andrei’s activity.

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„Ca toţi să fie una”

Author(s): Sorin Cosma / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 08/2023

The fact that the incarnate Son of God prayed fervently to the Father, before the Holy Passion, “that they all who believe in Him may be one” (Jn 17, 20-21), the fact that He left to the Holy Apostles and to all of us the new commandment of His love (Jn 12, 34), the fact that through His life and sacrifice He proved His supreme love (Jn 15, 13), compel all His worshipers to increase love among themselves: sincere, selfless and universal love. If hatred and selfishness always bring division, cruelty and death, love, on the other hand, gives birth to altruism, peace and unity in people’s lives and actions. Love directed to God is not separated from fellow men, but is bound to them by the bond of God’s love. Love means communication and communication means dialogue. The Church always prays for love, peace and unity. Saint John Chrysostom wondered: „if we all partake of the same bread, why don’t we show the same love and become one in this too?” The fact that Christians remain divided is one of the gravest sins. Considering that the one Church as the Body of Christ is meant to cultivate Christian unity, the Romanian Orthodox Church has been participating since 1961 together with the other sister Churches in the Ecumenical Movement that seeks the reconciliation in Christ of the divided Christian communities.

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„Rămâneţi în Hristos” Reflecţii asupra mântuirii în teologia Evangheliei după Ioan

Author(s): ALEXANDRA-NICOLETA ŞTEFAN / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 08/2023

In the theology of the Gospel according to John, one of the unique aspects that differentiates it from the register of the synoptics is the concept of „abiding in Jesus”, on which the Savior places a special emphasis in the account of the parable of the vine and the branches (John 15, 1-8) within the farewell discourse. What we follow in the present study is the way in which the author of the gospel presents the fact that the final fulfillment of the act of redemption, which is salvation, lies in man’s relationship with Christ, particularly in „abiding” in Christ, a concept that not only symbolizes unity and communion with God, but it also refers to a continuous and dynamic relationship between believers and Christ.

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Dimitrie Cantemir

Author(s): Mariana-Laura Pintea / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 08/2023

The present text is a commemorative article dedicated to the prince and man of letters Dimitrie Cantemir, 300 years after his death and 350 years after his birth. D. Cantemir was an encyclopedic personality, a Renaissance humanist in the era of the great Moldavian chroniclers. His life consists of three periods: in his country and in Istanbul, years of academic training, and in Moscow, the creative stage. He lived abroad more than at home. Overwhelming personality, scholar of European reputation, member of the Berlin Academy, well versed in twelve languages, Prince Cantemir’s work, written in Romanian or Latin, was later translated into many languages of universal circulation.

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Hermeneutica Sfintei Scripturi în opera Părintelui Andrei Scrima

Author(s): Valentin Cioveie / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 08/2023

Over time, Father Andrei Scrima commented on some of the books of the Holy Scriptures. In the present essay, the author proposed to shed light on Father Andrei’s Complete Commentary on the Gospel according to John with the help of a recent work that investigates the Gospel of John from a triple perspective: historical, exegetical and philosophical.

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Pseudo-istoria bisericească a lui Oliver Jens Schmitt

Author(s): Mihai Sasaujan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 08/2023

This article is a chronicle of the book Biserica de stat sau Biserica în stat? O istorie a Bisericii Ortodoxe Române (1918-2023), signed by Oliver Jens Schmitt and recently published by Humanitas Publishing House. In the analyzed volume, ideas inconsistent with reality are formulated and serious accusations are brought against the Romanian Orthodox Church. The book has a strong touch of subjectivity and the article presents excerpts from the book and critically analyzes the statements that are in contrast with historical reality. The Austrian author takes historical information out of context and completely ignores the historical context. He uses only those pieces of information or quotes that suit his hidden preestablished thesis that he intends to later “serve” to the reader and does not make even the slightest effort to contextualize that historical fact. Sometimes, he issues biased interpretations in reference to some historical realities of the 19th century only to then consider them valid for the entire 20th century too.

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Moartea în viziunea romilor şi cutume ale acestora privind ritualul înmormântării. Abordări pastoral-misionare

Author(s): Alexandru Baciu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 09/2023

Over time, Roma people have been defined as a hard-working, adaptable, surviving, determined, tradition-loving and spiritually inclined people. Although they have assumed the religion of their place of settlement and do not, at first sight, practice religious rituals that are different from those of the majority, such as, in the case of the Orthodox Roma, the assumption of elements of liturgical worship (baptism, marriage, burial etc.), there are nevertheless discrete nuances, specificities in the way they worship or religious differences that give particularity to their ethos. They do not deny their cultural heritage, which is manifested in the practice of religious life and beyond. In this study we will analyze the Roma view of death from a missionary and pastoral perspective, highlighting funeral rites, expressions of their culture. In presenting these elements we will consider Roma in general and focus on Orthodox Roma people.

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Minunea de la nunta din Cana Galileei: Primul semn al lui Hristos în Evanghelia după Ioan

Author(s): Teodor-Cristian Ștefan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 09/2023

This study offers an in-depth exploration of the first miracle of Jesus, the transformation of water into wine at the wedding in Cana, as described in the Gospel of John. Through detailed analysis, this research aims to unravel the complex tapestry of cultural, historical, and symbolic contexts surrounding the event, as well as their implications on the understanding of Jesus’ life and teachings. A thorough discussion is devoted to understanding the practices around marriage ceremonies in the first-century Jewish society, as well as the predicament at the wedding feast where wine runs out. Virgin Mary’s appeal to Jesus, the transformation of water into wine and the subsequent reactions are evaluated in light of this cultural backdrop. Furthermore, the research examines the symbolic aspects of the miracle, considering factors such as the number and purpose of the stone waterpots and the sequence of the wine service at the feast. Special attention is given to John’s emphasis on the event as Jesus’ first „sign” and the unveiling of His divine glory through the miracle.

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Raportul creştinism – autoritate civilă din perspectivă biblică. Scurtă exegeză şi paralelism intertextual: Romani 13, 1-7 şi I Petru 2, 13-17

Author(s): Raul-Ioan Glodean / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 09/2023

In human history, the geopolitical and religious context has differed from one era to another. The emergence of Christianity led to a new interpretation of inter-social relations and the relationship between Christians and civil rulers. In the transmission of biblical revelation, the apostolic ethical kerygma introduces an intensely debated paideia in modern biblical theology, over the centuries, concerning the relationship of Christianity with civil governing authorities. The paradigmatic ex-ample is developed by the Holy Apostle Paul in the Epistle to Romans 13:1-7, but an almost identical parallel is found in the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter 2:13-17.The analogical elements, which constitute the paideic content of the theme, are: obedience to civil authority, God’s will, order and specific Christian conduct elements of good, bad, respect, honor. The purpose of the study is to analyze and highlight the parallelism between the two biblical texts that express the relationship between Christianity and civil governance and issue a general axiom to establish whether the imperative of submission to civil order represents, in an apostolic key, the valid Christian model applicable to Christians of all times.

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„Strălucirea caldă” a milosteniei creştine

Author(s): Ioan C. Teşu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 10/2023

Recent research about life satisfaction and how people can achieve it has found that a person’s mental state can be improved by 15% when they place less importance on material things and a spectacular increase of 44% when they perform acts of selfless generosity towards fellow men. In other words, people become much happier when they contribute to the well-being and happiness of others. In technical terms, those who make “prosocial” or “proactive spending” for known or unknown individuals, directly or through foundations and associations, for the community or society, are much happier. In Christian words, these are “corporal works of mercy” and “spiritual works of mercy.” All these spiritual truths, preached by the Orthodox Church and Theology for two millennia, have been confirmed in various top branches of contemporary science, being proven, including by high-performance functional magnetic resonance equipment and by positron emission tomographs, which scan the brain and observe what is happening inside.

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Pensionarea: prilej de ofilire ontologică sau „ţel” al întregii vieţi?

Author(s): Teofil Tia / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 11/2023

After a short introduction highlighting the loss of public role caused by retirement, the study concludes around three truths: 1. Retirement requires a restructuring of the daily life and a resizing of time; 2. In the postmodern society, the dilemma “early retirement versus the abolition of mandatory retirement” will find a different solution; 3. The age of emotional loss forces the old man to open up to Transcendence and see how all progress in our lives comes at the cost of detachment. The study also ends on an optimistic note, noting how much the right inner attitude slows down aging.

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„De senectute” în Noul Testament

Author(s): Livius Petru Bercea / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 11/2023

The careful research of the lexicon of the New Testament allows not only linguistic conclusions, but can lead to the revelation of subtleties of an ethical nature, which we sometimes do not perceive during a superficial reading. The textual occurrences of the words in the lexical-semantic field of the notion of old age are usually marked negatively from a stylistic perspective and rarely positively or neutrally. Ethically, old age is a heterogeneous concept, which often involves a resistance to anything new, to the change, to other values than those already assimilated, traditional ones.

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Mirul dragostei sau inima bună a bătrâneţii

Author(s): Valeriu R. Bob / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 11/2023

“If you are having trouble, you should pray. And if you are feeling good, you should sing praises” (James 5:13, CEV) is a piece of advice given to us by “the brother of the Lord,” the Apostle and first Bishop of Jerusalem. On the one hand, the very interesting juxtaposition between “having trouble and feeling good” does not seem to be accidental since it is the very suffering that fills the heart with kindness, as will be proven hereunder. On the other hand, the actions suggested by James – praying and singing praises – are clearly analogous. Without any stretch of our reasoning, it is hereon that we come to the main idea of the teachings of this great shepherd of the early Church: irrespective of what we come across in our lives – health or sickness, joy or sorrow, youth or old age –, we must pray and sing praises to the Creator while we are fully committed to offering our compassion and support to the others, according to the words: “faith that doesn’t do anything is […] dead” (James 2:26, CEV).

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