On the Education of the Bulgarians in Adrianople and the Impact of the “Brothers of the Ressurection”

Author(s): Lyubomir Georgiev / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2014

The Bulgarians in Adrianople at the end of 19th – the beginning of 20th century had four secondary schools – one for boys and one for girls, respectively for the Orthodoxies and for the Eastern Catholics (Uniats). After a short introduction in the history of the Bulgarian Uniat secondary school for boys in the Thracian city, guided by the “Brothers of the Resurrection”, it is shown in the light of documents, hold in the Bulgarian historical archives of the St. St. Cyril and Methodius National Library in Sofia.

Transcendence as Objective Argument of the Existence of the Personal God

Author(s): Iacob Coman / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2016

In science, generally, the idea of research captures apriori the authority of the human being on the investigated reality. Researchers’ presumption of superiority in relation to what search is always clear and incontrovertible. Theological science and Theology researchers cannot benefit and cannot claim that presumption. If however they do, then we no longer talk about Theology, but about philosophical religion. In this study we will investigate the issue of God’s transcendence as objective argument of His existence. Given that we will not talk about chemical substances or about literary analysis, our research is enriched or impoverished not by the scientific competence that we have, but by the availability of God’s Being and our willingness to make of this study a scientific expression and a scientific experience of a dialogical meeting between us and God. When there are no common approaches to Theology and Philosophy, approaches based on our ability to intuit and determine the reality that surrounds us, we will evoke, as honest as possible, the reality of the scientific dialogue between us and God, a dialogue necessary in such a study. We hope that, based on the three chapters of this research, our thesis “Transcendence as Objective Argument of the Existence of the Personal God”, will convince both scientifically and in terms of the dialogue with God.

Roman Catholic-Anglican Mixed Marriages in Ecumenical Dialogue and Pastoral Practice

Author(s): Robert Samsel / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2015

The article entitled “Roman Catholic-Anglican Mixed Marriages in Ecumenical Dialogue and Pastoral Practice” presents the teachings of the Catholic Church with respect to marriage based on the encyclical of Pope Pius XI “Casti connubi” and apostolic exhortation by John Paul II “Familiaris consortio”. Presenting marriage with its fundamental features: unity, indissolubility, sacramentality, as being a natural union between a man and a woman, blessed by God and empowered to take on matrimonial and parental tasks, constitutes a basis for deliberations on mixed marriages between people baptized in various Christian confessions, in this case Roman Catholic and Anglican ones. The issue of the mixed marriage between people of those two confessions has become an element of works by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, ARCIC, which in 1975 published a document entitled “Theology of Marriage and Its Application to Mixed Marriage”. Its content became a basis for the presentation of the Anglican vision of marriage in the context of the ecumenical dialogue: points of contacts and differences. Because of schism, out of concern for spouses’ religious identity as well as the unity and stability of marriage, it is necessary to introduce the right rules of pastoral care and confession discipline, which constitute the final part of the presented material.

Die Rezeption der Matthäus-Passion von Johann Walter und die Passionstradition in Siebenbürgen

Author(s): Greta Konradt / Language(s): German Issue: _/2014

Seit der Entstehung der christlichen Kirche steht die biblische Geschichte des Leidensweges Jesu nicht nur im Mittelpunkt des christlichen Glaubens – sie ist über Jahrhunderte hinweg ein zentrales Motiv der religiösen Kunst gewesen. In früheren Zeiten diente die Leidensgeschichte nicht bloß als Thema der Kontemplation religiöser Frömmigkeit, sie verlangte geradezu danach, veranschaulicht zu werden. Ob in der Malerei, der Bildhauerei oder der Musik: die Dramatik des Verrats, der Verhöhnung und des abscheulichen Martyriums Hat unzählige Künstler gefesselt und sie künstlerisch inspiriert. Einige der wertvollsten Kunstwerke Europas stellen das Leiden und Sterben Jesu dar – Michelangelos Pieta ist zweifelsohne das berühmteste Beispiel dafür.

Rezeption der Wittenberger Theologie in Siebenbürgen: Die Formula Pii Consensus 1572

Author(s): Ulrich Andreas Wien / Language(s): German Issue: _/2015

Bereits 1519/1520 wurde die von Wittenberg ausgehende reformatorische Bewegung in Hermannstadt rezipiert. Dieser Ort war politisches und religiöses Zentrum der seit Mitte des zwölften Jahrhunderts dort als Gäste (hospites) angesiedelten Bevölkerung1. Diese zunächst als Flandrenses oder Teutonici benannte Gruppe stammte überwiegend aus der Rhein- Mosel-Maas-Gegend, mit moselfränkischem Dialekt. Sie sollte als Wehrbauerngesellschaft zum Schutz der Krone (ad retinendam coronam) die östliche Peripherie des mittelalterlichen Ungarn – Siebenbürgen/ Transsylvanien – besiedeln und schützen2. Dazu waren ihnen von Anfang an – auf dem Königsboden (fundus regius) – Privilegien verliehen worden, unter anderem die Wahl der Pfarrer3. Diese Sonderrechte der später sogenannten „Sachsen“ konkretisierten sich im Laufe des Spätmittelalters, als die blühenden Städte und deren selbstbewusstes Patriziat eigene Institutionen ausbildeten. Diese schufen Voraussetzungen für die Übernahme und Durchsetzung der deutschen Reformation in Siebenbürgen.

Kontrowersje wokół herezji XI wieku

Author(s): Piotr Czarnecki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2016

The article presents one of the most controversial issues in the history of the medieval heresies – the issue of the eleventh-century heresies – those discovered in Aquitaine (1016–1018), Orléans (1022), Arras (1025), Monteforte (1028–1040), Châlons-sur-Marne (1043–1048) and Goslar (1051). Their origins and character have been highly controversial since the middle of the 20th century. The article presents the conceptions of scholars, adherents of the two main streams of interpretation. The first of them was started by the works of the French Dominican historian Antoine Dondaine, who claimed that these heresies were dualistic in nature and were seriously influenced by the eastern heresies of this kind, mainly Bogomilism. The second one was created by the Italian Medievalist Raffaello Morghen, who believed that eleventh-century heresies were a genuine invention of the Westerners, trying to revive early, pure Christianity, based on the testimony of the New Testament. He and his followers deny their dualistic character. Besides these two streams, the article also presents the conceptions of the scholars belonging to the deconstructionist school, which has recently become more and more popular. Its adherents completely deny the existence of the eleventh-century heresies, claiming that in fact they were invented by the Church authors, trying to discredit the innocent reformers. All the conceptions mentioned above are compared with the testimonies of the sources describing the eleventh-century heresies. Their information concerning heretical beliefs and practices are strikingly similar to the analogous eastern (Bulgarian and Byzantine) sources about the Bogomils, which is a strong argument for the traditional interpretation of Dondaine and his followers.

Prezentari bibliografice

Author(s): Stelian Gomboş,Vasile Muntean,Cosmin Panțuru,Constantin Cilibia,Marius Florescu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 01-03/2017

Естетична символіка сакрального в українському мистецтві X V n-X V m ст.

Author(s): Victoriia Mykolayivna Pishchanska / Language(s): Ukrainian Issue: 2/2017

The purpose of the research is to analyze the aesthetic symbolism of the sacral in the artistic and picturesque expression of the Cossack art, where the true essence of the spiritual world of the Ukrainian Cossacks is reproduced in full. The methodology of the research consists in the application of methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, as well as in the use of ideological and content, terminological, historical and cultural approaches. This has made it possible to reveal the peculiarities of the spirituality of the Ukrainian Cossacks, which proved capable of conveying the main thing in its artistic creativity - its syncretic essence, the unity of religious and aesthetic, expressed in the Baroque art in the form of symbols. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that in the national cultural studies it is the first attempt of the new interpretation of the content of the symbols or artistic values created by the Ukrainian Cossacks. The principles of forming the syncretic essence, the unity of religious and aesthetic, expressed in the Baroque art in the form of symbols, that are a peculiar representation of the sacred in the spiritual culture of the Ukrainian Cossacks, are characterized. Conclusion. It is proved that, while honoring Ukrainian ethno cultural traditions, recognizing the dogmatic principles of Orthodox beliefs and experiencing the artistic tendencies of the Baroque, the Ukrainian Cossacks proved capable of conveying the main thing in its artistic creativity - its syncretic essence, the unity of religious and aesthetic, expressed in Baroque art in the form of symbols. It is substantiated that the spiritual principles of the culture of the Ukrainian Cossacks in the XVII-XVIII centuries had a significant influence not only on artistic education and further development of the Ukrainian art, but also on the confirmation of the aesthetic symbolism of the sacral through the iconography of symbolic images and signs. Above all they are reflected on the embodied in its spiritual essence the entire complex of religious and aesthetic principles of the Ukrainian people's culture, its moral and ethical, philosophical and value judgments and beliefs.

„Trnavské dilemy“ a Daniel Krman

Author(s): Svorad Zavarský / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 02/2018

This article identifies and explores one important phenomenon of the intellectual history of Slovakia in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. This phenomenon, referred to by Daniel Krman the younger as Dilemmata Tyrnaviensia (the Trnava dilemmas), is here discussed against the broader backdrop of its sources and influence. The article is a contribution towards a better understaning of the impact of religious controversies on the intellectual, societal and political development of Slovakia around 1700.

‘Raskolniks ’ and ‘Inorodtsy ’: A Mutual Attraction

Author(s): Elena Danilko / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Old Belief emerged as a broad social and religious movement in the second half of the 17th century as a result of church reform. The Old Believers who did not adopt the reforms were forced to flee to the outer reaches of Russia and were persecuted by both the church and secular powers until the beginning of the 20th century. This contributed to a great extent to the development of eschatological opinions and the striving for social and general isolation. A distinctive feature of the Old Believers’ culture is traditionalism, which is expressed in both everyday and religious practice. Old Belief, as a form of Christianity, is seen among most scholars and the general public as an exclusively Russian phenomenon. However, it was also quite widespread among a number of Finno-Ugric peoples; in the territory of the Ural and Volga region most of the non-Russian Old Believers were Mordovians or Komi-Permyaks. The main reasons for the process of transition from ‘inorodtsy’ (‘infidels’) to ‘raskolniks’1 (‘schismatics’) were the lack of social barriers (both were religious outsiders) and the conflict caused by the State’s policy of violent Christianisation. There were many different nuances in this process related to the problem of language, the perception among Finno-Ugrians of the use of books, and the closed nature of the group. In this paper, I would like to describe this based on archival documents and my own field research.

PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS AND SOCIAL CRISES IN ROMANIA

Author(s): Laurenţiu Tănase,Cezar Dascălu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The relationship between social crises and religious cults in Romania is a topic neglected by the specialized literature. In this paper, we propose a series of analyses regarding how social crises have influenced religious life in Romania and the mechanisms by which religious cults have played a role in solving or amplifying them. We will refer to the Romanian Orthodox Church, the majority religious denomination, and some of its positions on events/stages of these social phenomena between 1990 and 2023. This text does not propose a thorough examination of these relationships but attempts to sketch perspectives of analysis in response to the following research questions: What do Romanians think about the Church’s involvement in the life of society and implicitly in social crises? Why is it important to understand the position of religious actors on the evolution of social crises? How have religious denominations influenced the improvement/ aggravation of some dimensions of social crises? Official stances of Religious Cults during different social crises were examined, alongside instances of informal religious practices aimed at enhancing societal conditions. In Romania, religious cults have been essential partners of the State in reducing social crises, providing support through their rich infrastructure and human resources or their symbolic position in society. However, there have also been cases in which religious cults have generated conflictual social states and tension, producing or aggravating social crises.

Cristo Rey Schools and the Preferential Option for the Poor

Author(s): Julie Robinson,Pauline Cooney,Stephen McKinney / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Cristo Rey schools are a unique and distinctive form of Jesuit education. They have been very successful since the mid 1990s and are deemed to be coherent with Jesuit educational principles and the preferential option for the poor. They are only available to young people from low-income homes and are open to young people of all faiths and none. The Cristo Rey schools offer an intense and supportive environment for the students and prepare them for admission to college and university. Nevertheless, there are critiques of these schools that focus on: the financial model that means that the students must work one day a week; the nature of this work and questions about the ethical perspectives of the employers. There are further questions about cultural dissonance between the students and staff of the schools. This article explores the socio-logical and theological foundations of the Cristo Ray schools, evaluates their effectiveness and success and analyses the various points that are raised in the critique of these schools.

Posiedzenie SIGNIS Polska – SIGNIS Europe – listopad 2023. 20th European Festival of Television and Online Religious Programmes, Berlin 27-30.09.2023

Author(s): Mariola Marczak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2024

7 listopada 2023 roku miało miejsce spotkanie online przedstawicieli SIGNIS Europe z Czech, Holandii, Irlandii, Luksemburga, Malty, Niemiec, Rumunii, Węgier oraz Polski. Nasz kraj reprezentował przewodniczący SIGNIS Polska – ks. Krzysztof Ołdakowski, jezuita, który przez wiele lat pełnił funkcję szefa polskiej sekcji Radia Watykan, a jednocześnie był pierwszym szefem SIGNIS Polska – krajowej agendy SIGNIS Europe. Jak napisał w wewnętrznym sprawozdaniu z tego spotkania: „Miało [ono] charakter dzielenia się refleksjami na temat przyszłości SIGNIS EUROPE, szczególnie chodziło o to, w jaki sposób Stowarzyszenie może skuteczniej wspierać działalność swoich członków w Europie”.

Tożsamość, kondycja i wizja Europy w myśli papieża Benedykta XVI

Author(s): Mikołaj Tomaszyk,Bartłomiej Secler / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2023

The thought of Benedict XVI has been the subject of scholarly inquiry by representatives of various scientific disciplines, including theologians, anthropologists, historians, sociologists and political scientists. The multidimensional and multifaceted legacy of the late Pope Emeritus, who died on December 31, 2022, cannot be encompassed within the scope of a single discipline alone. This is the case, among others, with Benedict XVI’s reflections on Europe. Significantly, the issues addressed by the Pope in his teaching, speeches, lectures, books and interviews, form a coherent, cohesive agenda for Europe, stemming from a comprehensive study of its condition, whether theological, social, economic or political. The death of John Paul II’s successor afforded an opportunity to undertake research on the issues of contemporary Europe, as perceived by Benedict XVI. Because of the aforementioned range of concerns addressed by him, the authors of this publication were obliged to narrow down their focus to a few crucial topics. These have been translated into the title of the publication as well as the structure of the text. The aim of the article is therefore to analyze the thought of Benedict XVI through the lens of three criteria: identity, condition and vision of Europe. In this regard, it should be emphasized that, contrary to appearances, interpreting Benedict XVI’s Europe is not an easy process. For it demands a better understanding of the views of Benedict XVI prior to the events of 2005, namely the election of Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope. Thus, the authors assume that Benedict XVI’s thought on Europe evolved over time, beginning with the future pope’s university studies. Furthermore, it is also worth noting that Benedict’s Europe correlates to the diagnosis of the problems of the Old Continent that John Paul II spoke and wrote about for twenty-seven years of his pontificate. The source base included archival documents, memorials and studies.

Kırgızistan’da Protestan Misyoner Gruplar ve Tepki Çeken Faaliyetleri

Author(s): Kemal Polat,Bakıt Murzaraimov / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 60/2023

Since the first days when Kyrgyzstan gained its independence, the freedom of religion, belief and conscience policy in the country gave an opportunity to some western religious missionary groups to focus on Kyrgyzstan for their missionary activities. Therefore, after Kyrgyzstan’s independence in 1991, many religious groups and members of communities came to the country. Some of the most notable among these religious groups are Christian religious groups and communities. These groups, which exploit the religious feelings of the people, are dispersed to every region of Kyrgyzstan, even to some villages, and carry out missionary activities. These missionary groups, working even in the most remote areas of Kyrgyzstan, form separate communities in the places they go and are registered by the official organs of the state and secure themselves against the reaction of the people. The majority of the groups carrying out missionary activities in Kyrgyzstan are various sub-branches of Protestantism. These groups, which chose the Kyrgyz people and Kyrgyz citizens as the target, are moving towards the same goal without interfering with each other’s field of activity. The activities of these groups and some situations related to the people they have Christianized are met with a harsher reaction by the community, and this situation causes duality, turmoil and even chaos in the society.

Huazimet greke të sferës fetare

Author(s): Kolec Topalli / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 03-04/2019

Religious terms from the Greek source can be divided into two layers: an old, who has traveled to the northern regions, predominantly Catholic Church; another younger, who belongs to the Orthodox faith with stretch in Southern Albania and Arberesh settlements. In the most ancient layer, which has reached the North, we note some names of saints such as Mëhill, Llesh, Llezhdër, Toder, Biter. Among other terms borrowings note the following: avis, fli, idhull, ikóne katholik, këllogjën, kem, manastir, orthodoks, palare, potir, pregjim, prikë, qeli. Some other terms belong only to the southern dialect, where the Orthodox religion is greater extent. Such are: ajodhimë, arkimandrit, dhespót, dhjak, dhjdtë, fron, igumén, ikonóm, kamillàf kullure, llazóre, miro, naforë, pardjsë, Pendikósti, petrahil, pisë, poganik, psall, randis, rrógje, thimjàm, vangjelizmój etc. From the Greek are also some names ofthe months ofthe year with religious origins, such asjandr, shëmitër, shëmhill.

"POPE CLEMENT XI AND ALBANIA"- A JUBILEE SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE, ON THE 300th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ASCENSION

Author(s): Vitore Veli / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2021

The Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciature in Albania, held on July 15, 2021 the jubilee scientific conference ’’Pope Clement XI and Albania”, on the 300th anniversary of his death.

Sixtus Bolom-Kotari, Svoboda svědomí. Superintendent Michal Blažek a protestantská společnost pozdního osvícenství

Author(s): Eva Hajdinová / Language(s): Czech Issue: 01/2017

Review of: Sixtus BOLOM -KOTARI, Svoboda svědomí. Superintendent Michal Blažek a pro-testantská společnost pozdního osvícenství, Praha: Historický ústav – Matice moravská 2016, 565 s.

Innerkonfessionelle Buchdistribution und Lesen in slowakischen Landgemeinden im josephinischen Zeitalter

Author(s): Ivona Kollárová / Language(s): German Issue: 02/2013

The paper studies networks built up by Protestant pastors under Joseph II in Upper Hungary, ie. today’s Slovakia, with the aim of publishing, translating, purchasing and disseminating books that did not exclusively belong in the religious domain. The correspondence between pastors shows that the transmission process did not always rely solely on the work of booksellers but also on inter personal relations. The difficulties and failures of some publishing projects due to their unsuitability for the readership pastors aimed at, give a rare and valuable indication of the (in)abilities and expectations of the rural readership in the time of Enlightenment.

Празникът като духовно-музикално събитие при българите католици от двата обряда (с посвещение на Петър Динев по повод 135 години от рождението му)

Author(s): Maya Raykova-Hildegard / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The Holy Liturgy is the expression of religious celebration within the Church. With regard to it, this article provides concise notes on the liturgical order used by Western and Eastern Catholics – specifically, the Roman rite for Western Catholics and the Byzantine rite for Eastern Catholics. It also discusses the types of celebrations in the history of the Church as to outline, though briefly, the origins of the modern peculiarities of the music that accompanies the two rituals.The Bulgarian Catholics have a distinctive culture and partly, aspects of everyday life that set them apart from their Eastern Orthodox countrymen. What is more, each Catholic community has unique ethno-cultural characteristics that have been shaped by the community’s interactions with West European Catholicism as well as it creation and development within the borders of Bulgaria.At the end of this article, on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of his birth, I have examined the theoretical and musical works of Petar Dinev, the great Bulgarian musicologist and theorist of Eastern Church music.