Sinful Nature Research Articles

Reflecting on Evil and the Devil in Pentecostal Theodicy

Most Pentecostals, at least in the global South, believe that Satan and his demonic forces are responsible for much of the carnage and suffering that characterise life on earth. The broader context of the discourse is the challenge theodicy poses to Christian believers: if God is almighty and good, why do believers, just like unbelievers, suffer while living on earth? This paper aims to discuss Pentecostals’ response: they blame evil as Satan’s strategy to oppose God. They reason that his main goal is to handicap and double-cross creation because God threw him and his followers from heaven following his rebellion against the divine order. Thus, Satan is portrayed as the instigator of the first human couple, tempting them to sin, with all future generations implied by their choice and cursing human beings with a sinful nature at birth. Demonic forces employ human sinful nature to realise their ultimate goal, to separate humankind from the Creator by tempting them to sin while also threatening the rest of creation. This article investigates the Pentecostal theology of demonic forces in explaining the challenges posed by theodicy by comparing it to biblical data, using grammatical-historical exegesis and a comparative literature survey to evaluate their biblical grounding. It concludes that Pentecostals’ belief in such forces are justified if the the New Testament narratives are accepted as divine revelation. However, some Pentecostal speculations about demons’ origins, scope and reach are not biblically justified and complicates the response to theodicy, such as the origin of evil and its relation to human beings.

From Ecclesial Sin to Ecclesial Han: Ecclesiology Beyond “A Church of Sinners and Saints”

Debates within ecclesiology on the nature and possibility of ecclesial sin have regained interest in the midst of rising awareness of the church’s historical wrongs. Most theologies and metaphors of a sinful church, however, fail to consider the theological identity of the “sinned against” within the church. This article reads Andrew Sung Park’s theology of han (a Korean concept denoting a complex sense of woundedness) as the underside of sin against Karl Rahner’s theology of a church of sinners to point toward a vision of ecclesial han that attends to the woundedness within the church and its healing.

TRANSHUMANISM AS A TECHNOLOGY TO IMMORTALITY: HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL RAMIFICATIONS

In the article analytical-systemic, anthropological, conceptual, comparative-empathic, historical-chronological, historical-comparative and other approaches are used that allow us to rely on the terms: theohumanism, classical humanism, mechanistic-functional humanism, posthumanism, neohumanism. During the ancient period, different sources and approaches to understanding man as a natural being began to appear. There are a variety of origins and currents of understanding humanism. At that time, there was a slave system in which slaves were viewed as tools of labor with the ability to speak, in contrast to oxen, carts, spades and plows. Such relationships cannot be called empathic relationships, but at the same time, slave owners showed empathy for equals in their social class. In the Middle Ages, humanism emerged as based on the essence of some kind of deification a person as a god, his relationships with his own kind and the world through the prism of theocentrism. This approach formed the theory of theohumanism, on the basis of which theotranshumanism was formed, which used religious and spiritual technologies to improve the soul. At this evolutionary stage of humanism, the body is seen as a source of brute egoistic desires and sins. Theotranshumanism opens the way to immortality through deliverance from sinful thoughts and actions, and relationships between people are based on love through the divine spark in each individual. During the Renaissance, there was a return to human naturalness, but on a biological basis. This humanism is based on anthropoempathy and uses body-oriented technologies to improve the individual. Anthropohumanism, in contrast to theohumanism, considers human bodily needs not as a sinful nature, but as a source that allows one to conquer animals and the nature of one’s will. This evolutionary stage of humanism is based on anthropocentrism and anthropoempathy and sees human improvement through body-oriented technologies. Thanks to the active development of a variety of technologies plants and factories appear, emphasis is placed on the need to meet the ever-growing needs of society, and man begins to be viewed as a naturally functioning phenomenon. Mechanistic humanism emerges, within which the individual is identified with a mechanism, a clock and a perpetual motion machine, and uses the features of the operation of machine tools, machines and other mechanisms to improve his physicality. The use of mechanistic technologies makes it possible to increase the functional capabilities of a person, and physicality acts as a spatio-temporal limitation. At this stage, posthumanistic tendencies emerge. While mechanistic humanism considers technologies to improve functioning processes, posthumanism applies them in the aspect of improving the quality of the bodily container, which is the limit of human existence. There is a deeper understanding of the possibilities of human functioning and the prospect of realizing humanity's ancient dream of achieving immortality. Within the framework of posthumanism, the problem of establishing the boundaries of human existence arises. After all, their techno-transhumanistic violation leads to deformation of anthropocentrism and leads to the leading positions of technology and egoism. Within the framework of posthumanism, a new attitude to understanding man as a biologically artificial phenomenon is being formed. When using bioethics, the limit of human understanding is constantly changing and depends on the progress of science and technology. All this leads to the formation of a new evolutionary stage of humanism – neohumanism, based on anthropobiocentrism and bioanthropoempathy, and influences the formation of the modern planetary worldview.

Любовь, богатство, власть и греховность в «текстах желаний»: особенности бурятских заговоров

This article delves into the examination of “wish texts,” specifically Buryat conspiracies centered around the topics of love, wealth, and power. One of the earliest forms of oral poetry, conspiracies hold great significance within the traditional ritual folklore of the Buryats and were widely utilized in their magical practices. There are special Buryat conspiracies aiming to possess magical abilities, achieve material advantage, or possess a beloved person. These conspiracies are of particular interest since they reflect the ideas of the Buryats about sin, the traditional values of Buryat society. The sinful nature of conspiracies was not so much determined by their goals but rather by the methods employed to achieve them. The depiction of sinfulness is particularly evident in the text of the love plot origins, which explicitly portrays the fundamental spiritual values of the Buryats that the petitioner is willing to forsake in pursuit of their desires. The analysis indicates the existence of a unique category of social conspiracies within the Buryat, Yakut, and Tuvinian texts, primarily involving male individuals as perpetrators. The majority of these individuals were considered outsiders, who, for unclear reasons, were willing to defy societal norms and regulations, including both the impoverished and solitary individuals, as well as the wealthy and those who had fallen out of favor with authorities.

Human Technological Enhancement and Theological Anthropology

Human Technological Enhancement and Theological Anthropology

Signs of an Augustinian Original Sin in Milan? The Origin and Nature of Human Sin According to Ambrose

Abstract Ambrose’s conception of sin is seldom studied. When it is, scholars often regard Ambrose’s thinking as an imperfect preparation for that of his best-known pupil, Augustine of Hippo. The present article redresses this oversight by investigating Ambrose’s conception of sin in its own right. The starting point for Ambrose’s hamartiology is his belief in the personal choice of the will. On several occasions, he attributes the Fall in Eden entirely to human responsibility. Because of this first sin, Adam and Eve lost their potential for perfect virtue and immortality. Adam’s sin, moreover, had consequences for all humankind: mortality, the loss of godlikeness, and the dissemination of a tendency to sin being chief among them. Ambrose’s reflections on Christian baptism provide an important litmus test for his thinking about the impact of Adamic sin. What exactly does baptism erase? According to the Milanese catechist, baptism erases primarily individual sins. Though Ambrose accepts the pernicious impact of Adam’s sin, we argue that his doctrine of (original) sin may not be accurately considered proto-Augustinian. Unlike Augustine’s view, here it is not Adam’s sin per se that humankind has inherited, but rather a general tendency to sin. Ambrose also never speaks of inherited guilt, but of a contamination. Finally, Ambrose always tries to balance the negative influence of original sin with his belief in individual choice and his programme of moral improvement for all Christians.

Why talk about sin? Luther's understanding of sin and hopeful sin‐talk in the 21st century

AbstractFor Luther talking about sin and the sinful nature of human beings has a strong pastoral significance. His emphasis on the “bondage” of the human will is tightly connected to his insistence on the human sinful condition, and our inability to choose to be or not to be held captive by sin. My conclusion is that it is indeed important to continue to talk about sin if the Christian discourse about God's forgiveness and grace is to make sense. Furthermore, I believe Luther's understanding of sin as misplaced trust, the distinction he makes between sin and sins, and his idea of a justified sinner can indeed make a significant contribution to a hopeful sin‐talk within Christian communities today. It is, however, necessary to pay attention to Luther's historical context and to reevaluate his understanding of human nature and human sinfulness from a feminist critical perspective.The sin‐concept has gradually been losing its relevance within Christian communities. Therefore the question: why should we continue to talk about sin? The aim of this article is to explore Luther's understanding of sin and human sinfulness, in order to find out if, and then how, he might prove helpful when it comes to the interpretation of the concept of sin in the 21st century. The focus is on Luther's pastoral writings in The Small and The Large Catechism (1529), together with his Smalcald Articles (1537).

Komunikasi Terapeutik Rohaniawan pada Pelayanan Spiritual Pasien Gangguan Jiwa

<p><em>Therapeutic communication on spiritual services that is often carried out by clergy is one of the activities to help the healing process of mental patients. This study aims to find out and analyze therapeutic communication in spiritual services between clergy and psychiatric patients. This research uses phenomenology method with in-depth interview data collection techniques conducted on four clergy. The results of this study indicate that the clergy interpret mental patients from a biomedical and personalistic perspective. Mental disorders cause erratic physiological actions that make the clergy also interpret spiritual service as an effort to help patients get peace of mind by using religious practices. The stages of therapeutic communication carried out by clergy on spiritual service are the orientation stage, the work stage and the termination stage. Opened with orientation stages, clergy make small talk first to get to know more about psychiatric patients. Continued the work phase which raises religious values, and closes with the termination stage consist of follow up plan and subjective evaluation. Clergy often encounter obstacles to spiritual service, the obstacles are miss communication, emotional instability and</em> <em>the patient's habit of saying</em><em> </em><em>abruptly. Spiritual efforts to reduce barriers are guarding emotions, pausing. The method used by clergy in spiritual service is muhasabah, returning to nature, reflection, and release of sin.</em><em></em></p>

Beards and Texts. Images of Masculinity in Medieval German Literature

Beards and Texts. Images of Masculinity in Medieval German Literature

“Time Meant Nothing”: A New Reading of Pietro di Donato's Three Circles of Light beyond Autobiography and Stereotypes

“Time Meant Nothing”: A New Reading of Pietro di Donato's <i>Three Circles of Light</i> beyond Autobiography and Stereotypes

Gawain-poet, literature of revelation, dream poetry, Pearl, medieval poetry

This paper aims to analyse the spiritual transformation of the Dreamer/Narrator on his way from a sinful nature to divine virtue in medieval dream poem Pearl by the Gawain-poet. At the beginning of the poem, the bereaved dreamer is grieving for the loss of a girl, most probably his daughter and mourns for his lost “pearl”. He cannot comfort himself by any means and fails to surrender to the divine will as a consolation. As a typical aspect of the genre, the dreamer, then, sleeps and finds himself in a vision where he meets the “Pearl Maiden”. The maiden looks like his pearl, yet he notices that she has been transfigured. She marks that she lives blissfully as a queen in the New Jerusalem now as one of the brides of the Lamb. Through a theological argument, the Pearl Maiden intends to teach him divine values and make him abandon his worldly desires to which he is too loyal. After this peculiar experience, the dreamer wakes up and realizes that he is also transformed into a person who can now comfort his intense grieving by submitting himself to heavenly virtues. In this light, the paper examines the way the dreamer in Pearl changes his perspective from a penchant for worldly desires to a total heavenly conduct under the guidance of the Pearl Maiden.

Hamartiology: An Akan Perspective

Hamartiology, a branch of theology dealing with the nature and effects of sin is orally preserved in the Akan religious thought but not documented as they exist in Islam and Catholicism. Authors of African Traditional Religion have contributed to the problem when they wrote briefly on sin and reconciliation only in relation to other topics. This article uses the literary approach, specifically secondary sources to elucidate on the Akan concept of sin to dispel the notion that Africans have no or poor concept of sin. Issues like, what is sin? the evaluation of sin, conditions necessary for the forgiveness of sin and the effects of sin and reconciliation among the Akan would be illuminated. The findings and discussions on the problem elucidate that, the Akan have a profound harmatiology. The Akan perceive sin as a stain. The Akan morality has aesthetic value. Sin is a transgression against God and humanity. Sin from the Akan perspective is classified into serious and less serious wrongdoings. Three conditions necessary for the remission of sin among the Akan are, acceptance of guilt, confession of sins committed and penance, reparation of sins. Reconciliation restores the penitent to full communion with the divine and humanity. The paper fills the vacuum created that the Akan has poor harmatiology because it is not documented. It also serves as reference material on harmatiology from the Akan perspective. Keywords: Harmatiology, African Religious thought, Akan concept of sin, Effects of Sin and Reconciliation in African Worldview

A Gnostic Understanding of Coping for the Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

A Gnostic Understanding of Coping for the Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

An African perspective on hamartology and ecology: Assessing Jesse Mugambi’s contribution to the contemporary debate

Christian ecotheology offers a Christian critique of ecological destruction while simultaneously proposing an ecological critique of Christianity. One aspect of Christian ecotheology entails ecumenical discourse on the content and ecological significance of the Christian faith. This involves a reinterpretation of the classic Christian symbols – in this instance the doctrine of sin, more specifically the nature of sin – explored in the light of ecological discussions. Taking into account the radical diversity in contemporary forms of Christian ecotheology and the contemporary ecological crisis, this paper presents African theologian Jesse Mugambi’s contribution to such discourse. Following a brief overview of the Christian understanding of the nature of sin and how it is re-described in contemporary ecotheological terms, Jesse Mugambi’s position on ecotheological discourse through a discussion of anthropocentrism, domination in the name of differences of species, consumerist greed, alienation of humans from the earth community and sloth (backwardness) is explored. Mugambi’s African context is a key influencing factor in the formulation of his ecotheology. Science and technology, industrialisation, pollution and development are among the prominent emerging themes. The paper involves ecclesial scrutiny, namely Mugambi’s assessment of Christianity’s role in contributing to the current crisis and theological reflection on ecological sin, followed by alternative courses of action to appropriately attend to the issues in question. In closing, Mugambi’s overall contribution to the current ecotheological debate is assessed.

Early American Women, the Novel, and God

Early American Women, the Novel, and God

Nursing Enlightenment and a Grudge—Reinventing the Medieval Virgin’s Benevolent Breasts

This article expands upon the function of an adulterous episode in Chapter X, Book II of Alfonso Martínez’s Corbacho. The tale of adulterous deception may use, parodically, Madonna lactans imagery to reveal women’s sinful nature, the extent to which may be understood through an expression of inverted forces. That is to say, the import of Marian lactation in artistic and literary representations helps to fully address women’s particularly evil ways. A final consideration will be given to a particular image of Marian lactation, which represents the hagiographic legend of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153).

СОВРЕМЕННАЯ ИСПОВЕДЬ КАК РЕЧЕВОЙ ЖАНР

In this article, the author analyses modern confession, which is one of the representative genres of sacred communica-tion. The special attention to confession as a speech genre is of undoubted scientific interest, because it is important in studying religious discourse, which determines the relevance of this issue, the novelty of the research work. The purpose of the study is to characterize the functional, structural and substantive features of the genre of modern confession. The materials for the analysis are the following samples for writing penitential texts offered by the Church: The Con-fession of the novice, the Confession compiled in the Optina Monastery, the Model confession for the churched, etc. The study shows that genre-forming factors of confession are the subject of representation – the committed sins and the target setting – repentance, renunciation of sin and spiritual recovery. The genre under consideration is part of the complex speech situation «intimate conversation» which uses monologue as a form of speech. The uniqueness of confession is determined by the presence of communicants, one of whom belongs to the spiritual world. Confession as a genre is characterized by such features as intimacy, voluntary revealing of one's inner sinful nature before God, spiritu-ality, self-judgment, sincerity, openness, humility, reverence, fear of God, etc.

Marie de Gournay’s “Advis à quelques gens d’Église” and the Early Modern Rigorist Debate

Abstract This article examines one of Marie de Gournay’s forays into religious controversy in her short text “Advis à quelques gens d’Église.” First published in L’Ombre de la damoiselle de Gournay (1626), the text is an indictment of the abuse of the sacrament of confession by both penitents and confessors, and points to a rigorist stance on the part of the author nearly twenty years before it became the dominant position of the church once again. Tackling a range of thorny questions such as the aim of confession, deferred absolution, and the nature of sin, Gournay examines confession as a societal institution, outlining how it fails utterly to reduce the daily experience of petty injustices and wrongdoing. Placing that failure squarely at the feet of the clergy, Gournay includes advice for the confessors, making of the text a secular “manuel des confesseurs”—an extraordinary undertaking for a laywoman at the time.

An Orthodox perspective on hamartology and ecology: Assessing John Chryssavgis’ contribution to current discourse

This article is a sequel to my earlier paper entitled ‘Hamartology and Ecology: An assessment of Aruna Gnanadason’s contribution to the contemporary debate’. Christian ecotheology presents a Christian critique of ecological destruction while also offering an ecological critique of Christianity. It entails a reinterpretation of all the classic Christian symbols, in this case the doctrine of sin, specifically the nature of sin, explored in the light of ecological discourse. Considering the contemporary ecological crisis, this article highlights Orthodox theologian John Chryssavgis’ contribution to the current debate. Following a concise overview on Christian discourse on ecology, as well as the Christian understanding of the nature of sin and the ways in which it is re-described in contemporary ecotheological terms, this article explores John Chryssavgis’ position on ecotheological discourse through a discussion of anthropocentrism, domination in the name of differences of species, consumerist greed, alienation of humans from the earth community as well as denial and disdain. The Orthodox tradition is an important factor in the formulation of his ecotheology. The method employed here encompasses ecclesial scrutiny, namely Chryssavgis’ assessment of the Christian tradition’s role in contributing to the contemporary crisis, followed by theological reflection on his interpretations of ecological sin and finally, alternative courses of action to appropriately address the issues in question. In closing, the article offers an assessment of Chryssavgis’ overall contribution to current ecotheological discourse.

Are Global Disasters the Result of Original Sin or Part of Our Training as Co-regents?

Life on Earth has long been plagued by global calamities: pandemics, environmental disasters, climate change, and species extinctions. Humans have been witnesses and even victims of some of these; too often, we have contributed to the problem. Some people draw a direct causal link between those catastrophes and the third chapter of Genesis: our sinful nature and original sin. But perhaps we should also consider drawing another link coming from the first chapter of Genesis in which human beings are commanded to subdue and have dominion over a very good creation that had change, innovation, exploitation, and even death built into it. Humans were not yet up to that task: we were never omnipotent nor omniscient. But God wanted us to learn how to fill that role, and Jesus again redirected us into it when he inaugurated the arrival of the Kingdom of God on Earth.