Church Tradition Research Articles

Un enseignement biblique avec les arts plastiques en milieu catholique

This research in practical theology examines the impact of biblical teaching offered since 1998 to youth aged 5 to 14 using artwork to create a personal Bible. Volunteers initiated this activity in a Catholic church in Quebec City in response to the deconfessionalization of schools, hoping to offer a biblical culture to young people. The research method includes a detailed description of this “religious practice” with data collection, a critical correlation with the Bible and Church Tradition, and a reinvestment of the practice. During the period 2005-2022, the practice called “Bible illustrée” (Illustrated Bible) reached 144 youth, mostly from Quebec but also from African and Latin American immigrant communities. In 2022, 26 people completed a questionnaire on their motivation to participate, artistic creativity, and contemporary Christian witness. A critical correlation showed that Illustrated Bible is an activity that allows participants to reflect on relationships with others, God and existence, a reflection often taboo in a secular society. The all-volunteer support has contributed to the sustainability of a joyful, reflective, and creative community. The concept of Illustrated Bible could be integrated into other places (parishes, camps, etc.) and would benefit from a future guidebook for its dissemination.

The inclusive potential of synodality: Pope Francis, merciful discernment, and a validity of a kind

ABSTRACT This paper explores Pope Francis’ vision of synodality, fundamentally underpinned by his commitment to mercy through discernment, to underscore certain grounds for the pastoral inclusion of the gay community, in particular same-sex couples, within the Catholic Church. This paper identifies the bases of Church tradition on the subject and identifies questions that have surfaced, both prior and during, the XVI Ordinary Synod of Bishops. This paper focuses on Francis’ treatment of synodality, through an exploration of the methods of his discernment and his gospel driven propensity toward mercy to those on the margins of society. These elements contribute to a vision of a validity of a kind which, when understood in light of Amoris laetitia, holds the potential for gay inclusion. The Synod of Bishops is further held as the platform of synodality regarding controversial issues, due to its reflection of the wider, universal Church.

“Sonata of Psalms” for two flutes, piano and human voice ad libitum by V. Kaminsky: artistic concept and its realization

The purpose of the article is to reveal the concept of V. Kaminsky’s“Sonata of Psalms” for two flutes, piano and human voice ad libitum, which vividly reflects the underlying image, idea, content, consonant with the voluminous and diverse poetic and spiritual genre palette of the composer’s work. Harmoniously combining the ideas and national spiritual heritage including the ancient traditions of church singing, the composer makes a breakthrough from the present to the past. The restoration of an ancient church tradition is based on the inplication of the 117th Psalm “Praise the Lord…”, the voice becomes the main criterion for the realization of the author’s idea. The work enriches our imagination about his achievements in the field of chamber-instrumental music, where increased attention is paid to the emotional, timbre, dynamic and technical aspects of performance.

Where Now for Visible Unity?

AbstractAgainst the background of the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, which will take place in 2025 around the theme “Where now for visible unity?” this article explores the marks of visible unity set out in the Gospel of John and the Letter to the Ephesians. The two texts show an astonishing convergence. Following a biblical exegesis, the article concludes that discussions about the visible unity of the church need first to establish the similarities and differences in the understanding of the eucharist. The question of the understanding of ministry must first be clarified in a differentiated way. If the unity of the church consists in the confessional fellowship of believers, then it is not the institutionalized uniformity of the ministerial structure that is decisive, but rather unity in faith in the one shepherd and Lord as head of the church and Saviour of the world. Unity becomes visible above all in common prayer and worship, not only within different traditions as in Ephesus, but even more so when different church traditions celebrate ecumenically.

Nineteenth-Century Free Church Apologetics Reconsidered

This article argues that the negative influence of Common-Sense Realism on Scottish Free Church evidentialist apologetics has been exaggerated. Mainstream scholarship claims that many nineteenth-century Presbyterian evidentialists, having uncritically imbibed Common-Sense philosophy, overemphasised natural reason’s role in evangelisation. In recent years, some scholars have argued that this interpretation does not apply to Old Princeton, since its major figures taught that to reason rightly requires moral renewal, which only the Holy Spirit can provide. This article shows that the same analysis holds true for the Scottish Free Church tradition. It uses James MacGregor’s trilogy of apologetics as a case study.

“Romantic” Poprishchin: History of the Concept of N.V. Gogol Story “Diary of a Madman”. Part 1

The article is devoted to the study of the hardest for interpretation N.V. Gogol’s works the “St. Petersburg” story “Notes of a Madman.” The diary of a hero going crazy presents the combination of the elements of madness, comedy, romantic alogism, authorial irony, satire and high tragic pathos that gives this work the character of an artistic riddle, the solution of which is possible only with the help of a consistent integrated approach. Numerous reminiscences in the work of images from world literature, contemporary journalism and artistic literature are examined in detail. The long-term observations of researchers on the poetics of Gogol’s story are summarized. A connection is established between “Notes of a Madman” and the poem “Dead Souls” and “Reflections on the Divine Liturgy.” Gogol’s polemic with European romanticism developed in this work is explored in detail. Gogol contrasts the playful “spirituality” of the romantics, which leaves a person to the mercy of imagination and subjective opinions, with a truly spiritual understanding of life, based on the Holy Scriptures and church tradition. The article is a continuation, based on new material, of a research work begun in 2022 – “German romantic V.G. Wackenroder and the 20th century: artistic foresight N.V. Gogol” (published in the collection of the IWL RAS “Literary process in Russia in the 18th–19th centuries. Secular and spiritual literature”). An attempt has been made to present a holistic concept of the work and a wide range of fruitful research thoughts in its interpretation. The work consists of fifteen sections: 1. Problems of interpretation of the story; 2. Background and history of the creation of “Notes of a Madman”; 3. “Soulful City” “Notes...”; 4. Idleness, bribery, threat of “scolding”; 5. Diktat of fashion, red tape; 6. Neglect of spiritual growth; 7. Vanity and the possibility of repentance; 8. From “Notes of a Madman” to “Dead Souls” and “Reflections on the Divine Liturgy”; 9. Pseudoculture; 10. “Donquixoticism”; 11. Cervantes and Ariosto; 12. The circle of romanticism: poetry, politics, philosophy, mysticism; 13. “Notes of a Madman” and romantic madness; 14. Poprishchin and music; 15. “Popular theology”. Eleven of the fifteen sections are presented in this publication. The continuation of the article and the list of references will be published in the next issue of the journal.

Engaging Story-Linking Through Conversations Between Mother and Daughter: Explorations in the Hermeneutics of Experience and Christian Religious Education

This article seeks to engage the often-overlooked voices of mothers and daughters in the face of patriarchal dominance. Conversations between mothers and daughters are important spaces for the exploration of faith experiences and provide transformative power. Through these conversations, the practice of story-linking comes to life, enabling re-listening to and re-telling Christian faith stories in the Bible entrenched in church tradition. This endeavor promotes a life-affirming approach to transformative learning. Reflecting on these conversations, this study contributes to Christian religious education within the family context, casting ripples of transformation throughout the church and society.

Концепция души христианских учителей Ранней Церкви

The article is devoted to the teachings about the soul, which were developed in the early Christian tradition before the 4th century. There is no shortage of research on this topic, how-ever, in this article, firstly, no attempt is made to develop a uni-versal patristic teaching, but, on the contrary, an overview of the entire variety of ideas that were formed in the Early Church is give; secondly, the observation is made that the opinion ac-cepted among scientists about the unconditional adherence of Christian authors to one or the other philosophical schools are not supported by the sources. Christian writers argue with their contemporary philosophy, and at the same time rely more on the authority of St. Scriptures and the church tradition, creative-ly reworking the philosophical heritage. Christians use only the general idea of the soul, which was developed by the Greek philosophical schools. Idealistic teaching was spread among the Hellenized Jews of the Diaspora. Christian church teachers used both the «Platonic» immaterial concept of the soul, as well as the «Aristotelian» materialistic one. The author of the article concludes that the choice in favor of one or another model de-pended more on regional specifics. In those provinces of the West and East where the degree of Hellenization was higher, there is a greater attraction to Platonic idealism. On the contra-ry, in Roman North Africa, where Hellenistic culture did not spread, and as the local population as a whole tended to reli-gious literalism and materialism, typical for Punic culture, the materialistic doctrine of the soul also spread. Since it is in Ro-man Africa that Latin Christianity was born, it is in it that Christian materialism would develop. It is precisely caused by cultural specifics of the Mediterranean regions, and not by the difference in Greek and Latin languages, that is usually esti-mated as a core factor of the split between teachings of the soul in the Eastern and Western Christian thought.

Rowan Williams’ Theology of Revelation

Abstract In this essay, I explore two main areas of Rowan Williams’ theology of revelation. The former is his reflections on the silence of God – God’s reticence to clarify himself to us amid our theological and spiritual confusion. I argue that he is not denying that God has genuinely revealed himself to us, but rather Williams is grappling with – and exhorting us to grapple with – the limits of that revelation. The second area I explore is his theory of revelation as generative phenomena, and how his theory underwrites his understanding of church tradition and, mainly, scripture. Williams argues that there is a division within scripture between the parts containing true divine revelation and the parts containing humanity’s broken response to that revelation. I argue that this view, while it is very well formulated and has some merits, cannot surmount the epistemological obstacle of how biased and interested humans can adequately differentiate between these parts within scripture.

Lutheran Theological Education to Christian Education in (South) Africa: A Decolonial Conversion in the African Church

It can be debated whether a Lutheran identity is still relevant in the midst of ecumenical development in (South) Africa, with special reference to theological education and Christian education. The Lutheran Church is a unique body within the ecumenical family as it contributes to work on the mission of God. Theological education and Christian education are educational centres which aim to promote social justice towards community development. These two educational centres are branches of the Lutheran Church. Taking into account the fact that theological education and Christian education were introduced by European and American missionaries with various church traditions in (South) Africa as part of community development, the purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of Lutheran theological education and Christian education, to demonstrate their contribution in the church, and call for their decolonisation and contextualisation.

Космическое христианство Мирчи Элиаде, подходы к интерпретации

The article deals with the construct of cosmic Christianity in Mircea Eliade's project of the history of religion. Links are established with other concepts of the author, such as creative hermeneutics, homo religiosus, the horror of history, etc. Parallels are also drawn with German Idealism, Protestantism, traditionalism, Jungian psychoanalysis, and conservative-revolutionary thought. The criticism of A. Lenel-Lavastin and D. Dubuisson is drawn upon, arguing that the construct of cosmic Christianity can work within a national-conservative synthesis, so that the nation becomes the guarantor of the purity of church tradition. Eliade's method by which he contrasts cosmic Christianity with Judeo-Christian messianism is discussed. As part of the concept of cosmic Christianity the implicit use of the author's original concept of tradition as a virtual chain of initiations is found. Eliade's assembly is viewed through the lens of P. Berger's social constructivism. It is argued that Berger bases his theory of secularization on Eliade's working definition of religion and concept of cosmization. The metaphysical opposition of Eliade's vital immanentism to Berger's transcendentalism is stated. Immanentism is correlated with the traditional and archetypal folk re-evaluation within cosmic Christianity, transcendentalism with the radical and historical interpretation of the Gospel in Lutheran theology. Eliade's history of religion is characterized as a modernist theory, with inherent qualities of M. such as: a desire for a totalizing worldview, an interest in building a synthetic ideology on the border of archaic myth and scientific knowledge, a sense of the removal of the divine and an acceleration of the end of history. A connection is established between Eliade's theory of religion and the metaphysical framework of the "natural" in Modern science and culture. The reality of the sacred is characterized as a living self-organizing system, and its manifestation as a hierophany of the natural. The conclusion is made that the essentialism and naturalism of such metaphysics do not allow the history of religion to transcend the categories of Modern science and culture, which, according to the author of the article, was the goal of Eliade's project.

O FUNDAMENTALISMO RELIGIOSO E SUA APROXIMAÇÃO DO MONOTEÍSMO

This research seeks tounderstand the approximation of fundamentalism to monotheism. Fundamentalism emerged as a rescue of the Christian tradition in themidst of sociocultural transformations. The modernity arising from the Enlightenment cause das plitw it hin fundamentalists that convergedin the formation of two theologicals trands. A liberal aspect that was associated with the humanists and the social sciences, becoming a liberal theology.Theo thers trandremained linked to conservatism and traditions of the early church. Fundamentalism lost its way when itcame across a cyclical society that was moving forward by leaps and bounds. This provoked severe and critical reactions to modern society. The advances led to the emergence of a media Pentecostalism that led fundamentalism to bankruptcy. In the Arab spring, the expansion of Islamism brought fundamentalism to the fore, but in an extremistway.This extremism revealed to the world all the violence and persecution of people and nations that to ok place as apreservation of Moral sand the defense of the name of God.

Archaic religious predicates in contemporary East Slavic folk Orthodox culture: Interpreting of symbols in the structure of religiosity

This academic work is an extension to the article “Christian theology and the archetypal in religion: A reconciliation experience for the stances” that was published in the journal “Issues of Theology”, 2024, no. 2. As a critical characteristic of spiritual culture, religiosity can be described as sacred acts significant for this culture, i. e. as religious predicates. The compiling of a “predicate pattern” of East Slavic religiosity is an intriguing and promising academic task which can aid in defining the key features of Russian culture in its ecclesiastical and folk Orthodox interpretations. The article draws attention to the fact that Russian culture, which was formed under the unquestionable influence of the Orthodox faith and Church tradition, experienced a considerable influence of pre-Christian ideas in the course of its development. The text presents an attempt to consider the phenomenon of Russian religiosity through the prism of religious predicates that are significant for the Eastern Slavs, which not only reflect the specifics of folk religious practice, but also determine the uniqueness of Russian ecclesiastic culture. The circumambulation and other variants of circular movement, drawing of a sacred symbol, tying and tearing apart, touch and remembrance are the most vivid religious predicates isolated on the basis of the semantic load they are conveyed and of the functions they perform. The analysis of predicates is followed by examples from modern folk ritual customs and Church tradition. The archetypal nature of many practices is evidenced. The article identifies and suggests possible solutions to the main problems associated with the isolation of predicates in the spiritual culture language.

Completing the Circle: A History of Psychedelics and Harm Reduction.

Harm reduction officially entered the public health lexicon in the 1980s as a response to the HIV/AIDS crisis and its spread amongst intravenous drug users, but risk prevention has been an important part of psychedelic consumption in ways that predate this formal conceptualization.We look at psychedelic drug trials in the 1950s and 1960s to consider how people-first perspectives informed those early clinical studies, and how pioneering psychedelic researchers themselves approached risk management at a time that predates the formal recognition of harm reduction. Next, we follow psychedelic drugs out of the clinic and into music scenes and festivals that proliferated during the war on the drugs, where community-based organizations stepped up to support music fans who chose to combine psychoactive substances with dancing and drugs at all-day festivals. Finally, we reflect on the longer history and traditions of the Native American Church as one specific example of how Indigenous ceremonies involving psychedelic substances combined spirituality and healing in a community setting curated to promote wellness. Ultimately, we argue that psychedelic risk management has deep historical roots in psychedelic communities representing biomedical, cultural, and Indigenous perspectives - we might heed these historical lessons as we consider how to promote sustainable risk management strategies with psychedelics going forward.

Christian theology and the archetypal in religion: A reconciliation experience for the stances

The term “archetype” became ingrained in modern humanities. This was greatly due to the works of the founder of analytical psychology, C. G. Jung. Jung himself linked the idea of archetypes with the collective unconscious, the concept of which took shape in his mind under the influence of E. Durkheim and L. Levy-Bruhl’s works. Since, in the mind of the author and his closest followers, the term “archetype” had a connection with the spiritual and cultural heritage accumulated by humankind, it resulted in attempts to analyze pieces of artistic creativity in order to identify archetypal models and plots in them and to explain the logic of the creating and social functioning for works of art, primarily the verbal one (M. Bodkin, E. M. Meletinsky, A. Y. Bolshakova). Another focus of research is the application of the theory of archetypes to the problems of mythology and religious studies (E. Neumann, K. Kerenyi, J. Campbell, M. Eliade). The facts observed by researchers of different areas require serious reflection based on the stances of Orthodox theology. This can be done only based on a centuries-old church tradition. The Christian spiritual heritage includes, in particular, the texts of the Holy Fathers (Corpus Areopagiticum, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, Rev. St. John of Damascus, St. Augustine), who use both the term “archetype” alongside with the terms close to it in meaning (“prototypes”, “predestinations”, “predeterminations”). All of them correlate with the doctrine of God’s original plan for the world.

UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALY IN NATIONAL AND GLOCAL CONTEXTS

The article focuses on the development of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) after receiving a Tomоs of Autocephaly. In particular, it briefly describes the structure of the Orthodox environment in Ukraine and distinguishes its key representatives as well as takes account of change in the configuration of the Orthodox map of the country after the formation of the ОCU. Special attention is paid to the institutional development and social activities of the ОCU, which include the formation of its religious network, the transition of parishes from the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) to the jurisdiction of the ОCU, and the establishment of the ОCU administrative and organizational structures. Interfaith dialogue between the ОCU and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) indicates that both churches are ready to jointly revive the Kyiv church tradition. The article also addresses the dynamics of confessional preferences of Ukrainians in the changing religious landscape of the country.
 The author argues that Ukrainian autocephaly is important for strengthening the humanitarian security of the state, leveling pro-Russian imperial messages in the national information space, as well as for comprehending the structural subordination of the UOC (MP) to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
 The establishment of the OCU is analyzed in the article not only as a significant achievement in the post-Soviet and post-socialist space in the context of leaving the orbit of the Moscow Patriarchate, but also as an impetus for renegotiating relations in Ecumenical Orthodoxy.
 Autocephaly enabled the ОCU to become a subject of international church policy, to conduct a direct dialogue with other Orthodox churches, and to apply for participation in representative religious organizations. Recognition of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine by the Church of Greece, the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa and the Church of Cyprus significantly contributed to the ОCU's progress.
 The leitmotif of this article is ​​the destructive role of the ROC in Ecumenical Orthodoxy at large and their interference with the recognition of the ОCU by the other orthodox churches in particular. The author concludes that the future prospects of the ОCU will depend on the elaboration and implementation of its own development strategy.

The Problem of Transmitting Church Tradition in the Works by Sergey Fudel

The article is dedicated to one of the most relevant issues in religious thought—the preservation of church tradition. The interest in this issue became particularly acute for Russian religious thinkers of the 20th century, who witnessed radical changes in living conditions and collective consciousness. The article examines the interpretation of the issue in the works by Sergey Fudel (1900–1977), a church writer and carrier of pre-revolutionary Russian culture. He had communication with outstanding spiritual figures spanning the late 19th to the 20th centuries, confessors of faith, and new martyrs. The church and historical context of Fudel’s works is explored, clarifying the connection between the writer’s views on the transmission of church tradition, his own biography, the figures of his mentors, and the existence conditions for the persecuted Church, evidenced in Fudel’s writings. The article sheds light on the writer’s response to changes in the conditions of church life in the mid-20th century and the feeling of a “generation gap” that emerged in him. It reconstructs Fudel’s notion of the “monastery in the world” as an environment where church tradition is preserved. The correlation between Fudel’s concept of church tradition and his ecclesiological views is illuminated. The research findings lead to the conclusion that the phenomenon of the “hidden Church” as an alliance of “two or three” disciples of Christ was not, in Fudel’s view, a temporary solution stemming from the era of persecutions. Instead, the writer regarded such an experience as an exposition of the Church’s original teaching about itself and an enduring model of church relations. Like many others, Fudel acknowledged the providential significance of trials undergone by the Russian Church. However, he insisted that the experience of the “hidden Church” revealed the original teaching of the Church about itself, preserved throughout the ages. The article also considers the relationship between Fudel’s views and other approaches to the “generation gap” problem. Fudel’s evaluation of previous eras, marked by the “external prosperity” of Christianity, allows characterization of his attitude towards various concepts of tradition, both classical, tracing back to the times of the Byzantine Empire, and those contemporary to the writer.

Pembacaan kembali Traditionis Custodes Paus Fransiskus terhadap penggunaan Missale Romanum 1962. Sebuah tinjauan Liturgis-Eklesiologis dalam terang reformasi Konsili Vatikan II

<p>Traditionis Custodes is an Apostolic letter issued by Pope Francis in the form of a Motu Proprio, i.e. on his own initiative. The content of this letter is about the use of the Roman Liturgy prior to the Reform of 1970. The main object of focus is the celebration of Mass with the Missale Romanum 1962. The Motu Proprio of the two previous Popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, permitted the use of the Missale Romanun 1962. The aim was to make room for those who were still attached to earlier forms of liturgical celebration. The implication is that the Missale Romanum 1962 is permitted as an extraordinary form of liturgical celebration, while the Missale Romanum 1970 is the ordinary or normal form. Pope Francis, through Traditionis Custodes, abrogated all the norms, instructions, consensus and customs of the previous Motu Proprio. He established the Missale Romanum 1970 as the only lex orandi (prayer order of the Church) of the Roman rite. This decision caused turmoil in the Church,<br />especially strong criticism from users of the Missale Romanum 1962. This Motu Proprio was seen as a regression of the Church and a personal desire to abolish Church Tradition. Is this really the case? Why did Pope Francis<br />abrogate the norms of the previous Motu Proprio? What is different about the 1962 and 1970 Missale Romanum? This article attempts to answer these questions with a liturgical-ecclesiological overview of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.</p><p><br />Key words: Ecclesial communion; liturgical reform; Traditionis Custodes; Summorum Pontificum; Missale<br />Romanum 1962.</p>

Place and Purpose of Vocal Ensembles in Liturgy

Over the centuries, singing ensembles have occupied assorted liturgical locations in church space. Nowadays – pursuant to music-related church laws – they ought to occupy a place duly highlighting their special participation and purpose in liturgy. Singing group place[1]ment shall take account of its composition as well. The placement and purpose of signing ensembles alike have to be viewed in the context of Church traditions and laws. In terms of the nature and tasks assigned to specific singing groups in liturgy, they may be classified as the choir and schola cantorum, respectively. A synthetic presentation of the topic will be particularly helpful to persons responsible for preparing solemn liturgical celebrations

Oryginał cyrylickich starych druków Ewangelii tetr wydanych w Poczajowie. Analiza świąt i świętych obecnych w menologionach

Out of 110 early printed Cyrillic liturgical Tetraevangelia, five were issued by the printing house of the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra. All of them appeared in the 2nd half of the 18th century and were intended for the use in the Uniate, i.e., Greek-Catholic, Church. A text critical study of different texts from various parts of Tetraevangelia has suggested that the Gospel edition issued in Kyiv in 1746 was used by printers in Pochaiv to prepare their first liturgical Tetraevangelion.
 This publication is focused on the textual analysis of menologia present in early printed Cyrillic Tetraevangelia, with particular attention given to the saints and feasts, as well as verbatim correspondence of commemorations and liturgical rubrics. Its results allow to conclude that the first Tetraevangelion issued at the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra in 1759, was prepared on the basis of the Gospel edition issued at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in 1746. Liturgical rubrics in the first Pochaiv Tetraevangelion were adjusted to the liturgical tradition of the Greek-Catholic Church. Four further Pochaiv liturgical Gospel editions copied, with some minor corrections, the menologion of the first one.