Christ Research Articles

Putin’s Holy War of the Fatherland: Sacred Memory and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

AbstractIn mid‐2020, Patriarch Kirill (Gundiaev) consecrated a new church known as the Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The cathedral was dedicated to the Soviet Union’s “Great Victory” over Nazi Germany, and its interior was covered with grandiose mosaics depicting Soviet glory on the battlefields of World War II. In this version of the past, however, Soviet soldiers were shown to have supernatural help from Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. This merging of Orthodoxy and Communism shocked many observers, who viewed the two ideologies as bitter enemies, dating back the Russian Civil War. Yet on the walls of the new military shrine, the lions and the lambs had laid down together. Angels shielded Orthodox Whites and atheist Reds alike, and the Virgin gazed down on both tsars and commissars. Two implacable foes, on different sides of the greatest rupture in Russian history, had been sutured together into a single and uncontradictory version of the past. But where had this sacred synthesis come from? Who was responsible for the politics of memory preached on the walls of the Main Cathedral? And what role did these sacred memory politics later play in the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

Jesus Christ as The Embodiment of the Wisdom of God: A Theological Commentary on James 3:13-18

From the time of the Reformation until contemporary times, the epistle of James has been considered to have no significant contribution to Christian theology. When compared to Paul's letters, the letter of James is less desirable or even often considered inferior to be involved in theological discourse. In reality, it can be argued that James 3:13-18 provides constructive theological implications when read with a theological interpretation of Scripture approach. This article proposes an assessment with a theological interpretation approach to James 3:13-18 to see the Christological indication that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s wisdom. Without neglecting the importance of the praxis of wisdom, this interpretation theologically testifies that the gentle, from above, pure, reconciling, gracious, obedient, merciful and so on wisdom that James refers to has been realized in and through the person of Jesus Christ. The church as a community of believers who read James 3:13-18 needs to realize its calling to become a community of wise people with the power of the Holy Spirit to imitate the life of Jesus who is the embodiment of God's wisdom.

مسیح علیہ السلام کی آمدِثانی :مولانا وحید الدین خان کے افکار کا جائزہ

In traditional Islamic eschatology, it is claimed that Jesus Christ will return in the Second Coming with Imam Mahdi to kill the Al-Masih ad-Dajjal ('The False Messiah'), after which with the ancient tribes Gog and Magog (Yajūj Maʾjūj) would disperse. While the public is of the opinion that miracles are contrary to reason, it is contrary to reality to judge them by experience or reason, therefore the news that we have received through Allah and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, whether they understand us or not, is not reliable. What will be done about the issue of the second coming of Christ, which is related to several news of the Qur'an and Hadith, so it is not appropriate to judge it by reason and experience, regarding the words that have appeared in the Qur'an and Hadith, and believe in them. Jews are not only waiting for the arrival of their Maseeh, but they are making regular efforts to seat him on the world throne. Even muslims should prepare thereself as a nation and according to the needs and requirements of this time.

The Implementation of Hybrid Education at Sunergeo Theological Seminary Banten as a response to the Great Commission

The research aimed to evaluate the level of preparedness and adaptability of Sunergeo Theological Seminary in using a hybrid education model to respond to the Great Commission. The Great Commission strongly emphasizes the value of training new disciples. It includes presenting the teachings of Jesus Christ, outlining the principles of the faith, and assisting people in comprehending the Christian faith and worldview. In response to the Great Commission, Sunergeo Theological Seminary thus aims to educate pastors and Christian religious teachers from remote areas with limited time and distance, which can be effectively implemented within the hybrid education framework. Pastors do not need to leave their ministry, and Christian religious teachers do not need to resign from their current employment positions because they can join the Hybrid educational model. After all, it is conducted using an effective Learning Management System. The research utilized a qualitative approach including data collection from books, journals, proceedings, surveys, and interviews. The models developed by Miles and Huberman were adopted in the data analysis. The results of the study indicate that all participants exhibit a high degree of flexibility, readiness, and adaptability toward implementing hybrid education at Sunergeo Theological Seminary. Additionally, it is imperative to consider the prospects and challenges of Sunergeo Theological Seminary in implementing hybrid education.

A Christian Engagement and Interpretation of Ga Rites of Passage and the Kpelelogical Theological Method

The paper studies the dialogical relationship between the gospel and Ga rites of passage. There is a paradox in this relationship which only becomes meaningful only by considering its mediation through the person and works of Jesus Christ. This view allows a mutual critical approach which resolves the paradox of the initial rejection of Ga rites of passage by the gospel and their later acceptance after they have been transformed and preserved by the mystery of Christ. In this way, Ga rites of passage become useful in the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, while the gospel adds on to itself the contextual elements of Ga holistic existence. The paper looks at how this paradoxical relationship between Ga rites and the Christian gospel underlies the processes transforming the liturgy of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and helping to preserve important Ga traditions and culture in Christianity for of church and of society.

Indonesian Eco-Ecclesiology: Defending Earth Against Ecological damage in Batak Land

This study focuses on efforts to build an eco-ecclesiology of liberation in Indonesia. The idea of restoring the earth is based on Leonardo Boff's ecological spirituality and KSPPM's ecological praxis. Ecological damage is a logical consequence of exploitative-destructive attitudes and actions of humans. This study promotes the spirit of defending or protecting the earth from the clutches of ecological destruction in Batak Land, Indonesia. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method with a comparative study approach on the ecological work of Boff and KSPPM and serves as the basis for the development of liberating eco-ecclesiology. Ecology must become an integral part of Christian theology and it must offer a new perspective on the relationship between humans and the earth. The sacrifice of Christ who was crucified and suffered for the redemption of the world (John 3:16) should be a spirit for the Christian community to initiate strong multi-faith and cultural cooperation to save the earth which has been granted to us. The church is also responsible for building an eco-literacy movement as a manifestation of faith in the context of vast ecological destruction, thus, the church as an ecological community should embrace the earth and the oppressed people through a transformative diaconia which is inspired by the love of Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world. The church must expand its ministry mandate to answer the struggles of all creation.

The Meaning of Sacraments as “Signs of Faith” – Reciprocity between faith and sacraments

God, through the Church, enters into a personal dialogue with man out of his desire to save him. This dialogue is carried out in different ways and based on certain criteria. One of these is the sacramental reality. The sacraments are a concretization of the divine action that fully realizes the mystery of salvation. In 2020, a document of the International Theological Commission was published with the title: Reciprocity between faith and sacraments in the sacramental economy. Here it is reaffirmed that the essence of faith is found in the principle of sacramentality. This principle represents the very nature of Christian revelation, namely, the dialogical response of the believer and the Christian community, such that there is no authentic sacramental celebration without faith. The theological study has always linked the doctrine of the sacraments and their celebration to the gift of faith that the believer receives from God exclusively based on the merits of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Christ, giving birth to the sacraments, also gives them the ontological power that works on the inner plane in the human being. This gives the believer a certain spiritual experience that enables him to live and act as a person of faith. It is therefore important to understand the relationship between faith and sacraments, starting from the meaning of the notion of faith

Perichoresis and the Theology of Solidarity: A Foundation of Social Cohesion for Christian Millennials in Indonesia

Shifting patterns of social relations among millennials due to the use of social media in networks without a theological basis for social cohesion is a challenge for Christianity now and in the future. The nature and work of the Triune God as stated in the Bible should always be relevant in various challenges of the times. Research on the theological foundations that form the basis of social cohesion among millennials is still very limited. Social cohesion among millennials tends to be limited to the use of social media in cyberspace as is characteristic of millennials in Indonesia. An important question that must be answered by the Christian faith is what the theological basis for social cohesion is, especially among youth so that Christian millennials can maintain their faith properly in social cohesion among them. This article aims to demonstrate the relational Nature of the Trinity and His work as the basis for the solidarity of believers. The first part of this article will examine the essence of perichoresis in the Trinity and the theology of solidarity. The second part demonstrates the theology of God’s solidarity in the story of creation and for Israel in the Old Testament. The third part seeks is to analyze God's solidarity in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The fourth part demonstrates God’s solidarity among believers in the New Testament. The fifth part aims to analyze the theology of solidarity for especially millennials in Indonesia, This is followed by a conclusion which hopefully encapsulates the notions expressed.

The Love of Christ in Husband - Wife relationships based on Ephesians 5:22 – 33 - Implications for Christian Families

The Bible contains important teachings about the mysterious relationship between Christ and the Church, as explained in Ephesians 5:22-33. This article highlights the deep relationship between Christ and the Church and has important implications for Christian families in the Church, where teaching about the Christian family especially from Ephesians 5:22–33 is only given or preached at the time of the marriage blessing, and even that is not explained well. So it can be said that the description of Ephesians 5: 22-33 is just a routine without meaning. In Ephesians 5:22-33 the apostle Paul uses the analogy of marriage to explain the relationship between Christ and His church. He compared the relationship between a husband and wife to the relationship that exists between Christ and the church. Just as a husband is the head of his wife, Christ is the head of the church. It emphasizes the surrender of the church to the authority of Christ and the love and sacrifice Christ gave to His church. This passage emphasizes even more the sacrificial love that husbands must have for their wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her, husbands are also called to love their wives as Christ loves and cares for the Church. This underscores the importance of selflessness, grace and devotion in a Christian marriage by each of the spouses. Ephesians 5:22-33 moderates the patriarchal view of marriage, and it re-expresses the concepts of submission and leadership in a family. The wife should always submit to her husband's authority as she would to Jesus Christ. The husband needs to always exercise his authority with love and try to imitate Christ.

Lesbianism: Deconstructing the Christian church and social hierarchies in South Africa

Christianity places a high value on one’s faith in Jesus Christ, and from this belief, one fosters a perception of LGBTQI people. The general patriarchal idea that the only true, biblical sexual orientation is heterosexuality is one of the elements contributing to the religious obstacle the LGBTQI face. Lesbian[1] spouses and their children are frequently subjected to animosity and rejection from members of the local community, where they choose to participate in religious activities. This is because lesbians and/or lesbian families depart from the so-called heterosexual norm. To analyse how the Christian church refers to homosexuality. I will use Michel Foucault’s philosophy on discourse and power as a theoretical underpinning to examine the preconceived concept of a fixed social hierarchy within the Christian church and society. The paper focuses on the biblical discourses that underlie lesbian identity. By highlighting how colonial impressions resulted in a homophobic reception of the bible, I argue for a positive reimagining between churches and the LGBTQI community and provide evidence that the Christian church and social hierarchies impact lesbian identity negatively through the implementation of the Biblical text and patriarchal ontology. [1] The term lesbian will be used to describe lesbian individuals with or without partners and children. Christianity’s emphasis on faith in Jesus Christ can shape perceptions of LGBTQI individuals. The notion that heterosexuality is the only biblically sanctioned sexual orientation, rooted in patriarchal ideals, presents a religiouschallenge for the LGBTQI1 community. Lesbian couples and their children often face hostility and exclusion from local religious communities, due to their departure from heterosexual norms. This article employs Michel Foucault’sdiscourse and power theory to examine how the Christian church and society maintain a fixed social hierarchy. Itfocuses on biblical discourses shaping lesbian identity and highlights how colonial influences have fuelled ahomophobic interpretation of the Bible. The argument advocates for a more positive relationship between churches and the LGBTQI community, asserting that the Christian church and social hierarchies negatively impact on lesbian identity through the use of biblical text and patriarchal views.

Hubungan Pendayagunaan Kaum Muda dalam Bidang Pelayanan terhadap Pertumbuhan Rohani Kaum Muda di Gereja Reformasi Yerusalem Noelbaki

By looking at the existing generations, it is very important to describe the great figures who were diligent in preparing generations, namely Moses educating Joshua in preparing the command of the line to go on a long journey, the same thing was done by Elijah by diligently educating professional cadres, namely Elisha, even the Lord Jesus too. He was active in educating his students and Paul was educating Timothy. This reminds us again that the Church should never neglect its obligations to young people because the risk is too dangerous, because the church will lose its strength, and even lose its young people. The study of science may give rise to doubt in the hearts of young people who are developing, because it seems like it is not in line with God's Word. True science will not conflict with the Bible, because scientific laws are from God and He is the one who inspired what is written in the Bible. The theories put forward by scholars may conflict with each other, or may provide incorrect interpretations of the Bible. According to the educational dictionary, methods mean ways and procedures for carrying out an activity to achieve goals effectively. And research aims to reveal phenomena in the field or in society so that they are clearly known and can be used as a basis for developing all kinds of needs for human life. rstabel Spearman with α = 5% and n = 9, then rstabel = 0.683 and from rstabel and rstabel it can be seen that rstabel ˂ rstabel is 0.658˂ 0.683 so it can be known for certain that Hi is rejected and Ho is accepted. This means there is no significant relationship between variable X (Counselor) and variable Y (student learning achievement). The regression coefficient is 0.482, meaning that each addition (because of the + sign) of one Counselor score will give an increase in score of 0.482. So, counselors can influence student learning achievement by 36.3%. The main foundation of the teachings disseminated to students by Christian Religious Education (PAK) teachers is the Bible, which is contained in II Timothy 3:16, so that teaching in the form of theory and practice must not deviate from this path. As a Christian Religious Education teacher, you must maintain that your teaching comes from God. With the aim of spreading the truth of God's Word (Matthew 28:19-20).

Battling with the baton: (Dis)connecting today and tomorrow’s leaders in African Pentecostalism

Leadership praxis, development and succession can become a bloody battlefield in Africa, mainly because of economic, cultural, theological and political factors. Just like some secular leaders who fail to serve their mandate paradoxically fight for further conquest and retention of power at all costs, certain spiritual leaders miscarry Christian leadership, struggle to deliver their missionary service and tragically battle to stay in power, instead of passing the baton. Church leadership ought to be successional, transformational and intergenerational enough to disciple and develop leaders to sustain and promote other-centred missio Dei and missio Ecclesiae. Yet, the majority of Pentecostal church founders and leaders are neo-patrimonial, authoritarian and serving themselves at the expense of God’s mission. That way, they deface the missionary identity of the Church. Engaging with available literature and observing multifarious leadership trends in Africa, this article unravels problematic Christian leadership development and succession in view of Jesus Christ’s servant leadership model. It disconnects self-centred incumbents and connects the few who are Christ-like with tomorrow’s leaders.Contribution: This article advances Christian leadership development and succession in view of Jesus Christ’s intergenerational servant leadership model.

Digital Discussions among Women Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Abstract Latter-day Saint women find comfort in community, including in online spaces. This study is a digital observation of a private Facebook group of thousands of lds mothers. It recognizes patterns around conversations of religion, politics, and gender roles. It examines how lds women create or maintain identity through interpretation of moments where vulnerable topics are discussed. The study expresses the importance in better understanding religious groups of women and their communicative practices that influence their identity within private online groups. The study also provides a framework for the methodology of exploring large but private groups on social media platforms.

An Agenda for the Study of the Jesus Letter

Abstract The ancient correspondence allegedly between the Toparch Abgar V of Edessa and Jesus of Nazareth is usually treated in modern scholarship as legendary, though possession of it was important for the legitimation of Armenia as the first Christian kingdom in ca. 314 A.D. (prior to Constantine’s ‘Christian’ rule of a united Roman Empire from 324, and well before Theodosius I’s Edict of Thessalonica in 380). This paper attempts to create a demythologized space in which to reconsider the historical probability that Jesus, widely reputed as a healer in the chief (Near Eastern) Jewish centre of influence, was asked for help by an ailing eminent and replied to his request. Along the way, questions will be raised for further research (italicized) and so in this sense the article takes the form of an Agenda.

The “Angel of Light at Work”: An Assessment of the Christian Mission in the Southern Hemisphere

Today, it is commonplace to hear that Africa is the hope of Christianity. Using the Ignatian image of “the angel of light”, this paper proposes to qualify this belief. I will show that this belief is verified quantitively. However, the lack of authentic Christian witness makes the above assertion problematic. My analysis will focus on the tradition of the églises de réveil (awakening churches) in Francophone Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This contemporary tradition is a hybrid Christian movement that combines Evangelical and Pentecostal attitudes. I will develop my analysis in three steps. First, I will discuss the nature of églises de réveil. Second, I will describe the modus operandi of these awakening churches. My discussion will indicate how this modus operandi works in urban and rural areas. Lastly, I will propose one perspective for authentic Christian growth. I will argue that a Christian mission needs to be radically Christocentric. This radical Christocentrism revolves around two major axes, namely a sign of contradiction vis-à-vis the world and a radical witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Authority as a Challenge

The early Christian world was diverse. Various groups of Christians held opposite views on crucial theological and social elements while claiming to be the true followers of Jesus Christ. In this diversity, two streams of Christianity were particularly popular: proto-orthodox Christians and Valentinian Gnostics. These groups were included in the sharp polemical discussions and battles, as they tried to gain a monopoly in the early Christian world. In the end, proto-orthodoxy won thus marginalizing Valentinian Gnostics. In that process, Church authors, such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr reclaimed the history of Christianity by defining themselves as the guardians of orthodoxy. Furthermore, they put the label of “heresy” on Valentinians claiming that they are not real Christians, but a subversive group that had corrupted the original message of Jesus and his disciples. In this paper, I have tried to demonstrate that one of the crucial reasons for the triumph of the Great Church was related to the concepts of authority and organization. To show that, I have analysed what kind of attitude Valentinian Gnostics had toward authority and organization. As sources reflect, Valentinian Gnosticism was an anti-structural movement that emphasized an individual approach to the divine through esoteric knowledge. Furthermore, their belief in the threefold division of humanity affected their attitude toward bishops and apostolic succession. Consequently, they rejected the authority of bishops and presbyters and put the emphasis on the small philosophical circle of students that would gather around influential teachers. Eventually, such a spiritual and religious perspective made it impossible to create a network of connected communities whose sense of universal identity would transgress local and regional borders. In the end, Valentinian Gnosticism was a conglomerate of independent communities scattered across the Mediterranean. In other words, Valentinian’s theological beliefs that modelled their attitude toward authority and social structure were a crucial factor in their marginalization within the early Christian world.

Jesus Koothu: A Contemporary Tholpavakoothu Shadow Puppet Performance

ABSTRACT Jesus Koothu is a contemporary shadow puppetry performance that narrates the life story of Jesus Christ through tholpavakoothu. Tholpavakoothu has strong traditional Hindu religious roots of one thousand years but Jesus Koothu narrates the biblical text of Christianity.

Pitfalls of the Pseudo-Biblical Films

In the first decades of the 21st century, more than 70 feature films have already been produced in various cultural and religious contexts, with Jesus of Nazareth as the central figure; among them there is the ambitious and innovative project of the series The Chosen, scheduled for seven seasons. The creators are inspired by the Gospels and other books of the Bible, but many of these works, uncritically adopted by some catechists, turn out to be films that depart from the content and meaning of the biblical books (e.g. The Shack, Noah). In this way, do attractive works of audiovisual popular culture, produced outside the context of the Church’s faith, reinterpreting profoundly the content of the Gospels, not become new loci theologici, however, leading the viewer into theological pitfalls?

Образ «живой земли» в главе «Троицын день» романа И. С. Шмелева «Лето Господне»

This article reveals the features of the artistic embodiment of the image of the “living earth” in the chapter “The Trinity Day” of the novel The Summer of the Lord by the writer of the Russian émigré of the first half of the 20th century Ivan Sergeevich Shmelev. The Summer of the Lord is the pinnacle work in the author’s oeuvre. The book is based on the autobiographical material. In the chapter “The Trinity Day” the author depicted his own childhood memories of celebrating the Orthodox holiday of the Trinity. In the picture of the lush Russian summer nature shown in the chapter “The Trinity Day” and filled with special value and meaning semantics, the image of the blessed “living earth”, correlated with the image of Russia, becomes the leading one. The artistic technique of color painting dominates in revealing the figurative and motif text range, which acquires a symbolic meaning. The motif of the “revival” of the earthly world on the day of the holy celebration reveals the connection of Christian ideas about God as a life-giving principle, the source of real life. Images of birches, motifs of light, brilliance, fragrance, and spiritualization of the earth receive the important symbolic and spiritual significance in the narrative structure of the chapter “The Trinity Day”. The image of the “living earth” in the text of the novel The Summer of the Lord acquires a universal, comprehensive meaning, includes not only images of nature, but also the home space surrounding the main character of the work – a seven-year-old Vanya, as well as images of the temple, Moscow, the Kremlin. The main idea of this chapter of the novel is the belief in the direct descent of the Lord Jesus Christ on the day of Trinity onto the earthly world in order to bless it. The nostalgic intonation of the adult narrator sounding in the chapter “The Trinity Day”, introduces in the text the idea of making the image of Russia sacred. The bygone childhood and Homeland, forever lost in terrible historical cataclysms, acquire a sacred character, appear in the author’s understanding as the blessed world of Holy Russia. The Russia of his childhood turns out to be included in the single circle of Christian Eternity and existential being.

The God of the cross is One: Engaging the theology of Bram van de Beek

The Dutch theologian, Bram van de Beek, has a radical Christological emphasis in his theology. In this world, we see the cross of Jesus. Essentially, God is One. The Father is the Father of the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit works primarily in the church and is not a general spirit or a spirit of goodwill. By participating in Jesus’ death and resurrection, the believer receives salvation. Van de Beek is of the opinion that understanding evolution is necessary and that evil in this world should also be regarded in the light of the cross. He is open to criticism in the light of his position on God and the creation regarding the view that death and evil are present from the beginning. One must, however, accept his Christological stance and his view that God is One, as highly acceptable.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article is largely in the field of systematic theology, but mission studies is also relevant in interdisciplinary interaction.