Discipline Of Theology Research Articles

The origin of spiritual education in modern Russia

This article looks at the process of establishing spiritual education. The need for spiritual education to form the moral guidelines of modern society is proved. The place of religious and theological disciplines in the general education system is designated. Legislation regulating religious education is being studied. The reasons for the opposition to the consolidating efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church are indicated. The emphasis is on the need to educate a thinking citizen. Which, in turn, is an obstacle to the emergence of totalitarian control systems, as well as control systems from outside.

‘[A]nd when I came to her I found she was not a virgin’: A contextual re-reading of Deuteronomy 22:13–21 among Nigerian Christians

Verbum et Ecclesia is a theological research journal that challenges traditional discourses within and between the fields of biblical, religious, social and human sciences as well as the constructive engagement with the natural sciences. It is an instrument of engagement between theological disciplines, on the one hand, and theology and other disciplines, on the other.

Convergences: Canon and Catholicity

Convergences: Canon and Catholicity

Disrupting Disruptions: Charting and Challenging Notions of Gender in Philippine Feminist Theologizing

The growing discipline of feminist theology in Asia and in the world, which involves many Filipinas, entails an increasing attentiveness to gender diversity beyond heteronormative expectations and a broader sense of solidarity among women and others who have experienced exclusion due to gender. An analysis of writings by Philippine feminist theologians Mary John Mananzan, Judette Gallares, and Agnes Brazal, using a threefold schema of “inclusion/addition,” “deconstruct and transform,” and “critique, reject, and start again,” reveals heteronormative gender assumptions and a pattern of moving beyond these. This shows that feminist theologizing is a very dynamic activity that adapts and responds to new ideas flexibly. One common theme that emerges out of feminist theologizing is the image of the babaylan, which provides an opportunity for greater solidarity with various gender identities as a vernacular resource and root metaphor.

Die mediëvalistiese karikatuur van seksuele verval in Laat-Middeleeuse vrouekloosters

The medievalist caricature of sexual regress in Late-Medieval female monasteries: This article confronts the widely published medievalist caricature of sexual regress in Late-Medieval female monasteries by presenting a statistical analysis of the relatively low (measured against the Early and Central Middle Ages) frequency of sexual contact between monks and nuns, monks and monks, and nuns and nuns in 15th century England. C.H. Knudsen’s examination of the pastoral register of the bishop of Lincoln, William Alnwick, in the period from 1436 to 1449 is utilised to counter the common, yet profoundly modernist notion of the Late-Medieval ‘wayward nun’. Five idea-historical developments from the Early and Central Middle Ages are presented as a backdrop to this statistical analysis, showing that sexual encounters in monasteries in the Early to Central Middle Ages in the Latin West occurred more often than merely sporadic. Having defined medievalism as ‘post-Medieval ideological-reductionist and anachronistic reconstructions of the Middle Ages, whereby the Middle Ages is essentialised by one or more contingencies’, it becomes clear that the notion of ‘sexual regress in Late Medieval female monasteries’ with the image of the ‘wayward nun’ centralised therein, points to a form of medievalism: a single contingent aspect of Medieval female monasteries – the occurrence of sexual contact, however discreet – is used to present a fabricated totality of a complex socio-historical context. How complex this historical context indeed is, becomes apparent in Knudsen’s analysis of the bishop of Lincoln’s pastoral register during his 79 visits to 70 monasteries and interrogations of 217 nuns and 528 monks. Concluding that the ‘promiscuous monk’ was a far more general phenomenon than the ‘wayward nun’ in the Later Middle Ages, Knudsen’s analysis confirms that the Middle Ages is still as much a domain of research as it is a realm of fantasy today. The modernist fixation on the Late-Medieval ‘wayward nun’ is, for example, expressed in Heinrich Lossow’s (1843–1897) provocative painting Die Versündigung (ca.1880). It is argued that the ‘wayward nun’ in Lossow’s painting was a self-conscious attempt to escape from the impasse created by Victorian sexual repression: just as in every other 19th and early 20th century representation of sexual regress in Late-Medieval female monasteries, ‘she’ was nothing more than vulgar fiction.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This critique of the medievalist caricature of sexual regress in Late-Medieval female monasteries overlaps with a variety of philosophical and theological disciplines, including Medieval philosophy, Medieval history, church history, patristics, philosophy of religion and sociology of religion. Whenever these proximate disciplines are impacted by niche Medieval research, it may hold implications that these disciplines could take note of.

Дистанционная технология в богословском образовании: методические основы «классического» дистанционного обучения и возможности дистанционной поддержки очных курсов на примере дисциплины «Богослужебный устав и гимнография» программы профессиональной переподготовки «Теология»

The article analyses and compares methods of teaching theological disciplines using distant technologies on the Faculty of Advanced Further Education and in the Institute of Distance Learning at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University, as well as the experience of transferring full-time education to distance learning in spring of 2020 using the example of the discipline “Typicon and Hymnography” taught at the Theological professional retraining programme. It is shown that the transfer of the full-time course “Typicon and Hymnography” to distance learning encouraged the methodological convergence of two forms of education (full-time and part-time with the usage of distant educational technology) and at the same time identifi ed distinctive features of each of them. Full-time course was enriched by the inclusion of the distance learning technology tools with technical means, which added methodological orderliness. Moodle platform’s technical facilities allowed the teachers to keep practical orientation of the course (theory combined with the experience of attending church services) and integration of full-time course into the church calendar. The article also examines methodological opportunities of both forms of education, in context of an educative (that brings a person to church) mode of the course in Typicon and Hymnography. The article also describes features that form the communication between the teacher and students in full-time and in part-time education using distant educational technologies at the Institute of Distance Learning of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University.

Embodying Theology: Trauma Theory, Climate Change, Pastoral and Practical Theology

Since 2009, the amount of literature focused on the psychological and social dimensions of the climate crisis has increased exponentially. This growing interest in the topic is signaled especially in the American Psychological Association (APA)’s multiple reports on the mental health impacts of climate change. More recently, across different disciplines, links have also been made between trauma theory and the climate crisis. These rich discussions include overlapping concerns, areas of potential fruitfulness and theological implications for all the practical theological disciplines, especially for pastoral theology and practices of care. Given the implicitly existential, theological and spiritual dimensions embedded in the realities of both trauma and the climate crisis, there is an important opportunity for pastoral theology in particular, and practical theology more generally, to engage, learn from and contribute to the interdisciplinary conversation. In this paper, I first offer a brief overview of the literature in pastoral theology related to the climate crisis. Second, I present literature specifically on trauma theory and the climate crisis, outlining several of the key themes emerging across the interdisciplinary discussion. Third, I reflect theologically on the presented content, discussing and drawing forward areas of theological, epistemological and practical fruitfulness for practical and pastoral theology.

Orthodox feast of Intercession of the Theotokos in the axiological context of culturology

The purpose of this article is to comprehend the feast of the Intercession of the Theotokos, based on an axiological approach to the study of cultural phenomena. 
 The methodology. The research is based on an axiological approach in the context of a secular cultural science. The axiological comprehension of texts is organically combined with elements of semiotic analysis and the phenomenology of the sacred.
 The results. The role of values in the formation of the Mariological cult in the content of the feast in question has been studied. It is based on the idea of patronage in its global and multifunctional aspects. It has been established that the key importance is attached to the ethical values of love and mercy in their sacred expression. The aim of axiology is demonstrated to form in the minds of people a view of the Mother of God as a solid life support and a guarantor of genuine human welfare. The essential context for understanding the feast of the Interces-sion is the requirement for the implementation of a person’s spiritual transformation. The Mariological image is positioned as an unconditional spiritual standard that determines the indicated transformation in the aspects of liberation from carnal dependence and the achievement of spiritual purity in its sacred sense. The value-orienting and regulatory functions of this feast, as well as the relationship between the informative and performance functions of Mariological apologetics, are highlighted. At the same time, it is emphasized that the meaning of the eorthological text is not limited to the development of information about the sacred. Through endowing the sacred image with special aesthetic effects, the text seeks to encourage the reader to carry out a spiritual transformation in relation to the Christian ideal. The semiotic effect of the majesty and glory of the Mother of God forms the corresponding effect of the figure of the righteous man and, at the same time, the cultural space of the Christian tradition with the Mariological cult.
 The scientific novelty. The proposal substantiates an axiological approach to the study of the feast of the Intercession in the secular culturological paradigm. This approach is closely linked with the analysis of the semiotic effects of the constitution of the sacred image of the majesty of the Mother of God as an object of worship. The undertaken methodology makes it possible to pay attention to the efficiency of using the undertaken approach in the system of culturological eortology, the subject of which is a comprehensive study of holidays, including religious ones.
 The practical significance. The results of this publication can be used in reading religious studies, cultural studies and theological disciplines, as well as in the practice of forming a humanistic culture in relation to the Orthodox tradition.

Fundamental Theology at the Crossroads: Challenges and Alternatives After a Long Maturation

Fundamental Theology (FT) has undergone a slow evolution, as many other theological disciplines, since its inception in the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council. The lapsed time invites us to reflect about the current situation in this field and to what extent that theological section is pursuing its main objectives, especially for its teaching at different levels. After examining several issues that could have influenced that development, some suggestions for advancing the field and its teaching will also be given. Indeed, both the internal and external contexts have changed quite a lot in the last 60 years, and this probably will influence a treaty that should be more contextually sensitive and very bound to developments in religious education.

Back to the Future: Volf’s Eschatological Vision of Flourishing for a Psychology of Thriving

In this article, we aim to explain how Miroslav Volf’s theology of flourishing provides a new vision for psychologists. As the Henry B. Wright Professor and Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Volf is recognized as one of the most influential living theologians. His recent work offers a theology of human flourishing based in an eschatological vision of God’s homecoming, the unification of the Creator with His created. For Volf, the end provides a telos, a purpose, and direction, for current human life. He asserts that although proleptic, flourishing occurs simultaneously within the two eschatological “already” and “not yet” realities through the inbreaking of the Holy Spirit in the context of love. The true life is a life led well, going well, and feeling as God intends and is characterized by love, peace, and joy. In this article, we summarize Volf’s theology of the homecoming of God and human flourishing and bridge the disciplines of theology and psychology, by discussing how the psychology of thriving toward the telos of the Reciprocating Self provides a heuristic for psychologists. The heuristic offers psychologists a guide for research and clinical work that is aligned with Volf’s eschatological vision.

A crisis of community: how an epidemic of loneliness is contributing to social disconnection in churches

ABSTRACT Whilst loneliness is sufficiently proven to be a widespread, chronic issue in modern society, very little is known about how this modern epidemic is affecting local church communities of the United Kingdom. Hence, the purpose of this article is to establish the extent of this problem and offer responses which inform and support church leaders. This project is located within the discipline of practical theology, which utilises a methodology of critical correlation, drawing on the sources of theology and social science. Samples of existing data revealed that churchgoers often experience more chronic symptoms of loneliness than those who don’t attend church. The implications for this are found to disrupt the social cohesion of a community, which hinders the functionality of a local church. An exploration into potential solutions rendered three responses which practically address the issue of loneliness within local churches, namely meaningful connection, solitude and transcendence. These solutions, which are grounded in theology and guided by social science enable people to break the chronic nature of loneliness and find their way back to connection. Moreover, they are practically evident in the life of Christ and as such, offer compelling insight for local church pastors.

Christianity as Distinct Practices: A Complicated Relationship by Jan-Olav Henriksen

Reviewed by: Christianity as Distinct Practices: A Complicated Relationship by Jan-Olav Henriksen Gordon A. Jensen Christianity as Distinct Practices: A Complicated Relationship. By Jan-Olav Henriksen. Rethinking Theologies: Constructing Alternatives in History and Doctrine 2. London: T & T Clark, 2019. vii + 206 pp. In this second volume of the Rethinking Theology series, religious studies scholar Jan-Olav Henriksen examines the strengths and weaknesses of defining Christianity by its distinct practices. His book is engaging, challenging, irritating, and affirming, exactly what one expects in a good book. Using a methodology common to current religious studies practices, Henriksen, a professor at both the MF Norwegian School of Theology and the University of Agder in Norway, defines religion by its practices. Theology, on the other hand, has defined Christianity since the Reformation by its beliefs or doctrines. These clusters of practices, Henriksen argues, give Christian communities their identity in the community and as individuals. The focus on practices, however, is not without its challenges. Tensions arise, since it creates complicated relationships between current practices in Christianity and their originating traditions, and [End Page 120] between practicing communities of faith and individuals. These tensions may also introduce friction between the disciplines of theology and religious studies. The focus of religious studies on practices and theology's focus on doctrine, however, do not resonate with theologians concerned with the experience and practice of faith in community. Likewise, comparative religion studies also examine teachings, and not just practices. The tension arising over the focus of these related, but distinct disciplines creates an even more complicated relationship. A significant portion of the book explores the practices that define Christianity, since many current adherents to Christianity would be hard pressed to define their tradition by its doctrines. What practices define Christianity, however? The practices must be identifiable as everyday practices recognizable to all its practitioners, but they must also mediate symbolic resources for the community through orientation, transformation, and legitimization. In the process, community identity is formed. This requires, however, that the practices transform, and not just reflect, everyday practices. Henriksen concludes that a purely external or practical evaluation of Christianity is not sufficient, since the observable practices of Christianity are often not very distinct from that of other religions or even those not affiliated with any form of religion but who are still concerned with community well-being. Moreover, practices and beliefs shape each other. Thus, for Christians, faith is shaped by a focus on the Jesus story, a story of orientation, transformation, and legitimization, as it is experienced within the framework of faith, hope, and love. Distinct Christian practices thus have as their source both ordinary life and Jesus' story. Henriksen provides a challenging examination of how Christianity is commonly defined. In this dialogue, however, words and ideas can appear as red flags until they are explained. One such red flag was waved in the sixteenth chapter on "how to practice God" (175ff). For theologians insisting on the distinction between the Creator and the creature, this is an irritating obstacle. While Henriksen helpfully explains the phrase in the rest of the chapter, the phrase also raises questions about whether "God" is simply a symbol, idea, or a personal identity. Such red flags inspire the reader [End Page 121] to engage in the text in ways that are most helpful for further discourse. This work is a helpful personal reminder that theologians need to read the works by scholars of religion, and vice-versa, to better understand the common obstacles faced. Henriksen helpfully provides a way to bridge some of the gaps between religious studies and theology, and between defining Christianity according to its practices or its beliefs. Gordon A. Jensen Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Copyright © 2022 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Believing in the future Missiology’s future prospects

This research attends to David Bosch’s (1995) last publication, Believing in the future: Towards a missiology of Western culture, and uses the work as a guide to formulate prospects for missiology as a theological discipline. Following Bosch, it uses an exploration of current events as a heuristic semiotic to discern the future of the church and to develop prospects for missiology. The ‘post-world’ we currently find ourselves in is described in the following terms: Post-COVID but pre-disaster; a Volatile, Unstable, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) — a Post-stable world; Post-industrial revolutions — the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR); Post-stable climate. This is followed by the construction of missiology’s prospects, missiology for the “new normal”, suggesting several contours that may constitute the future of missiology. These include mission as theology and an expansion of the missio Dei ; The ecclesiological contour; The ecological contour; The 4IR as a new founding narrative; Public theology and faithful presence — the worthy walk of the missional community; Anticipatory leadership; Missional spirituality; and The rediscovery of joy.

Teaching of the church law in secular educational institutions of the Russian Empire: The origins

The article presents an excursion into the history of the origin of the scientific discipline of “church law” in the system of humanitarian knowledge of the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Church law throughout the 18th century was considered part of the spectrum of theological disciplines and was developed exclusively by professors of theology. The idea of teaching “ecclesiastical jurisprudence” in secular universities of the Russian Empire remained controversial for a long time. But with the change in the Statutes of Imperial Universities at the beginning of the 19th century, the practice of teaching church law began to enter university education. By the middle of the 19th century, the situation had completely transformed; church-legal topics became the object of scientific research by secular lawyers and jurists. The article reflects the institutional changes in the field of university education that have influenced the state of teaching church law. The work demonstrates the evolution of methods and approaches within the discipline of “church law”. Institutional changes in the charters of secular educational institutions gave a powerful impetus to the development of a unified methodology for teaching church law. Two research areas (theological and legal) that dominate the system of church law have improved this discipline, enriching it with methodological findings. In conclusion, the complexity and relevance of this problem in the study of church law at the present stage is presented.

Hearing the transformative potential of metaphor in scripture? Honouring J. Wentzel van Huyssteen

Christians worldwide are (re)discovering the power of scripture in their daily lives, especially in the context of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. The present turbulent time provides the biblical sciences an opportunity to support other theological disciplines and the church to search for ways scripture can give encouragement to people. The argument in this article is that the power of biblical writings lies in their metaphors which open an alternative moral world. For the appropriation of scripture in new contexts, the transformative potential of J. Wentzel van Huyssteen’s metaphorical hermeneutic is explored as a framework. The article gives a brief overview of the influence of his work as a mentor, colleague and friend.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article focuses on the dynamic nature and intentions of New Testament Studies (intradisciplinary aspects), and uses the philosophical hermeneutic of a systematic theologian as well as insights from literary theory and cultural anthropology to support the argument and open up interdisciplinary discourse.

"Dedykacja trzem Królestwom" – opis i znaczenie siedemnastowiecznego pansoficznego manuskryptu Jana Amosa Komeńskiego dla rozwoju nauki

The author presents to the Polish-speaking reader a little-known work by Jan Amos Comenius, titled Latin Dedicatio ad tria regna – Czech Dedikace třem královstvím – Polish Dedykacja trzem Królestwom – English Dedication to the Three Kingdoms. It acquaints us not only with its structure, composition and layout, but also with the main theses and assumed plans. It introduces us to a large extent to the subject matter of „repairing human things”. We see how Jan Amos Comenius persistently and with unprecedented persistence decidedly pursued the honorable goal that he set for himself – the panophilic repair of all human things. A picture of Comenius' hopes for these three European countries, ie Poland, Sweden and Great Britain, was also presented. We also learn how this manuscript in question was gradually modified by him over the course of the seventeenth century. An important fact is also that the described work is important for modern science, especially in historical, social, pedagogical, philological and theological disciplines.

Kalām in the crossfire: A historical survey of the legitimacy of the study of theology within the Sunni school of Islam

The aim of this article is to briefly introduce and to examine the views of the founders of the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence (namely, Abū Hanīfa Nuʻmān ibn Thābit, Mālik ibn Anas, Muhammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfʻī, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal) and that of their renowned students and followers, regarding the legitimacy of engaging in the study of Islamic doctrinal beliefs or Kalām. Different, and often conflicting, views have been postulated on this matter. Some Sunni thinkers have condemned the pursuit of theology as an act of heresy and denounced its practitioners as apostates. Other Sunni thinkers have extolled this discipline as the noblest of sciences whose learning and teaching are, at least under certain circumstances, incumbent. This fundamental dispute regarding the legitimacy of the discipline of theology has resulted in a rather contentious and opaque scholarly environment. In addition to the inherent importance of the discipline of theology as such, the significance of this dispute is compounded by the impact that the attitude one adopts toward this discipline can have on the development of the intellectual and rational aspects of Islam. A negative attitude toward theology, for example, can hamper the application of rational elements to Islamic doctrine. Our focus in this article is on analysing the views of the leading thinkers and jurists of the Sunni school and investigating the most authoritative sources of doctrinal tradition within this major denomination of Islam. Our study leads us to conclude that the disapproving views of the preeminent Sunni figures should be construed, not as a denunciation of the discipline of theology per se, but as a refutation of certain theological principles and persuasions that are viewed as incompatible with orthodox Islamic faith. In addition to and preceding that conclusion, this article provides a survey of the literature concerning the views of Muslim scholars on the legitimacy of Kalām. After categorising these views into the two opposite camps of Kalam’s legitimacy and illegitimacy, the article then proceeds to evaluate and critically analyse them, and to resolve some of their initial incompatibilities.Contribution: The article sheds new light on the historical development of the discipline of theology within the Sunni schools of Islam. This is a little-studied and often overlooked subject that can help in attaining a better understanding of how this critical field within religious studies has emerged into its present form.

Public Theology in the Age of Social Media

Abstract The ubiquity of social media is a defining characteristic of our contemporary life. It has significantly changed the patterns of communication and altered the landscape of the public sphere. As a consequence the discipline of a public theology needs to reconsider its methodologies. With the aid of the study of political and media scholars, this article contends that the traditional public sphere, which is relatively stable and homogeneous, is experiencing a process of destabilization and pluralization under the impact of social media. The theoretical foundation of the widely adopted bilingual approach to public theology has been shaken. This article proposes that a transformational approach that attempts to shift public perception with the language of faith as its resource may fit the changing landscape of the public sphere better.

Suicide as a sin and mental illness: A dialogue between Christianity and psychology

Christian doctrine has by and large held that suicide is morally wrong, however in psychology, suicidal tendencies and suicidal ideations are a major health problem, and for every suicide, there are many more who attempt suicide every year. In this article, we seek to advance the knowledge on suicide by identifying particular psychological characteristics and Christian spiritual controversies. This research proceeds to a transversal interdisciplinary conversation where practical theology and psychology reflect their voices about suicide. A transversal interdisciplinary approach articulates that theology and science can share concerns, and converge on commonly identified issues like suicide, although they differ in discipline. We aim to create a dialogue between psychology and the Christian faith concerning suicide. Christianity has always viewed suicide as a sinful act, and anyone who commits suicide would go straight to hell. Even though there are no direct scripture texts on suicide being a sin, biblical texts are used to prove that it is. However, God’s Word makes clear the sanctity of life, thou shall not murder. According to psychology, suicide is a highly complex and multifaceted phenomenon, and amongst others it can be a result of mental illness. We attempt to balance the non-theological interpretation with the theological discipline. This research challenges the Christian ideology of suicide as a sin; this perspective remains a challenge among our fellow ministers. This study is relevant for both theology and psychology because both the disciplines deal with the well-being of people.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The contextual perspective challenged by this research is the understanding of suicide according to theological and psychological perspectives. This research is done using a literature review on suicide according to both Christianity and psychology.

Diocesan advisers in women’s ministry in the Church of England: towards a theology of practice

ABSTRACT It is twenty-seven years since women were first ordained priests within the Church of England. At that time, it was suggested that each diocese should have an advisor in women’s ministry who would support and advocate on behalf of these new female priests. This paper explores the role of Diocesan Advisers in Women’s Ministry (DAWM) – what they do in practice and whether they are still necessary. The research is firmly rooted in the discipline of practical theology and uses qualitative research. A brief background to the research will be given as well as an explanation of the methodology. The findings of the research questions will be viewed through four lenses: ministerial pathways, mainstreaming, pastoral issues, and the Five Guiding Principles. The main aim of this paper, however, is to put forward a theology of practice of Diocesan advisors in women’s ministry, a practice which, it will be claimed, is rooted in advocating, attending, and embodying.