Roman Church Research Articles

Was Christum treibet

The hermeneutical problem with the Holy Scriptures, namely, the distance between the authors’ worldview and the present day, can be seen in all periods of Ecclesiastical History. Seeking answers for the present day is, intrinsically, the function of theologians. However, the question that remains is: to what extent can the current context influence the reading and interpretation of the Bible? Could the sacred texts be distorted when compared to the present day? This article aims to research the theology of Martin Luther, with regard to his hermeneutics in dealing with the Holy Scriptures. Luther was a great defender of the correct interpretation of the Scriptures from their center, that is, from that which promotes Christ – was Christum treibet. Based on the search for sources and the history of Luther’s debates with the Roman Church of his time, as well as his adversaries, the author wants to expose his theological decisions here. Luther does not have a literalist reading of the texts, but he uses the center, which is Christ, as his sieve. It is from this center that all the other parts are elucidated. Therefore, it is important to study grammar, as well as to count on the action of the Holy Spirit, so that the texts can be well distinguished and understood based on what promotes Christ.

THE ROLE OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE IN TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: CASE STUDY OF TEBESSA, ALGERIA

The research explores the importance of architectural and urban heritage for its positive impacts on cities and societies. It highlights how such heritage embodies cultural identity, connects past and present, and promotes tourism and economic development. Tebessa, in eastern Algeria, serves as a case study due to its rich architectural and urban heritage, influenced by Phoenician, Numidian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic civilizations. Key landmarks in Tebessa include the Temple of Minerve, Caracalla Gate, Byzantine Wall, Roman Theatre, Roman Church, Archaeological Park, and Ancient Mosque. These sites create an open archaeological space within the urban fabric, serving as cultural heritage and vital resources for tourism and economic revitalization. The research initially adopts a theoretical approach to identify and describe various heritage sites. It then employs fieldwork, involving the Directorate of Tourism, the Directorate of Culture, and the Department of Archaeological Sites, to assess the status and significance of these monuments. Findings reveal several issues, such as the lack of strategic and institutional efforts to protect and utilize the heritage for cultural tourism and economic development. There is significant neglect and deterioration due to inadequate restoration programs and weak promotional initiatives. The research recommends adopting a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy for preserving the heritage of Tebessa, including comprehensive projects, legal frameworks, digital integration, and a participatory management approach. Collaboration with local and international heritage organizations and educational programs to raise awareness are also essential. These measures aim to preserve the architectural heritage and boost tourism in Tebessa.

La vita privata del nobile romano Lorenzo de Cinque (1552–1618)

This profile of Lorenzo de Cinque’s private life in Rome at the end of the sixteenth century is derived from reminiscences in his Libro di Memorie, recently transcribed and published. It depicts the uneasy transformation from the moral freedom of pagan Rome to the formally virtuous life advocated by the Church of Rome after the Council of Trent (1545–1563), and also the practical consequences of the debt crisis which afflicted Rome at the end of the century.

The Battle of the Biographies: Early Modern Life-Writing on Martin Luther

Abstract: Early modern printed polemic appeared not only in doctrinal treatises but also occasionally in biographies. In the 1520s Thomas Murner and Johann Cochlaeus expressed their revulsion for Luther with personal as well as doctrinal criticism in satire and enflamed reports, often misrepresentations, of Luther’s activities and teachings. Shortly after the Reformer’s death, Cochlaeus published the first polemical biography of the Wittenberg professor, beginning a tradition that continued into the twentieth century. Lutherans slowly rose to defend Luther with both favorable accounts of his life and refutations of Cochlaeus and a series of other Roman Catholic biographers, who throughout the second half of the sixteenth century, held orations or published treatises disparaging Luther’s person and teaching. These exchanges reached something of a climax around 1600 in the works of the Jesuit Conrad Vetter, who published a series of attacks on Luther from various perspectives, highlighting his betrayal of the faith and the Roman Church. Lutherans, especially Philipp Heilbronner, professor in Lauingen, responded. Biographical polemic served to challenge or defend Luther’s authority as a teacher of the faith, for character combines with biblical faithfulness in the evaluation of theologians.

Reimagining Christendom: Writing Iceland’s Bishops into the Roman Church, 1200–1350 . by Joel D. Anderson (review)

Reimagining Christendom: Writing Iceland’s Bishops into the Roman Church, 1200–1350 . by Joel D. Anderson (review)

The role of the Church during the First War of Scottish Independence

The work examines the actions taken by the Scottish Church during the First War of Scottish Independence (1296– 1328), as well as the preliminary period starting from 1286. The main objectives are to determine the direct role of the Scottish clergy in diplomatic and political activities, to assess the impact on the national liberation movement, as well as to study the position of the Scottish Church in the Christian world at the end of the First War of Independence. Great attention is given to the propaganda activities of the bishops, as well as the relationship of the secular and spiritual authorities with the Roman Church before and after 1302. The transformation of the position and structure of the Scottish Church in relation to the Roman See and the entire Christian world, both legally and spiritually, is analyzed.

Between the king and the emperor: the epistles of the popes to the bishops of Arles during the Three Chapters Controversy

The discussion surrounding the posthumous condemnation of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus and Iva of Edessa occupies an important place in the church history of the VI century. The attempt at reconciliation with the Monophysites, undertaken by Justinian, not only failed to achieve its original goal, but also led to a new schism. To support his initiative, the emperor turned to the Roman bishops, which put them in a difficult situation: on the one hand, Justinian demanded from the popes support for the condemnation of the Three Chapters, on the other – the churches of the western provinces reacted to this initiative with condemnation and distrust, seeing in it the undermining of the authority of the Roman Church and the entire institution of ecumenical councils. One of the episcopal sees closely associated with Rome was Arles (Arelate), an important ecclesiastical center of Gaul. An analysis of the papal epistles to the bishops of Arles, as well as to the Frankish kings, allows us to conclude that the Gallic clergy were rather poorly aware of the essence of the contradictions that developed around the condemnation of the Three Chapters: the popes repeatedly sent messages confirming their adherence to the canons, but without touching on the very essence of the differences. Such a streamlined position also testifies to the difficult position of the Roman see, which was forced to take into account the position of both Justinian and the Western churches. To convey their point of view to the Gallic clergy, the popes used the bishops of Arles, who had serious regional influence, which Vigilius and Pelagius further strengthened by granting them the status of papal vicars. The appointment and activities of the vicar were actively discussed with the secular authorities – the Byzantine ruling couple, as well as the Frankish kings – which also indicates the weakness of the papal positions during this period

Особливості поширення раннього християнства у римській провінції Африка

The purpose of the article is to research the first origins of Christianity in the Roman province of Africa, to establish the geographical and chronological origin of early Christian doctrine in this region, and to determine the nature of its initial development. The research methodology is based on the principle of historicism and social approach. The article uses chronological, comparative historical approach, and analytical methods. The scientific novelty consists in the wide use of various source: written (early apologetic, hagiographic), archaeological and epigraphic, linguistic comparison of written sources, as well as the involvement of the latest historiographical research on Christianity in Roman Africa. Conclusions. Roman Africa underwent its initial Romanization after victory of Rome in the Punic Wars, and Proconsular Africa became a province of the Roman state in the first century B.C. The extensive trade network of Proconsular Africa with the Eastern and Western provinces of the Roman Empire contributed to the rapid urbanization and economic growth of the region. The constant trade and economic communication of the province made it possible for early Christianity to spread to the area. The first references to Christians date back to the second half of the second century AD and are typically written Christian texts of an urbanized nature. The Latin and Greek versions of these sources indicate the initial bilingualism of the early Christian ecclesia of Africa. The spread of Christianity in Africa came from both the Roman church and the churches of the Eastern provinces, and from there thanks to the Jewish trade diaspora. The beginning of the third century AD is characterized by the rapid development of the church in Africa and the work of the early Christian apologist Tertullian, who left behind a large written heritage. The earliest references to Christians in Proconsular Africa also indicate sporadic conflict between pagan society and local authorities against Christians.

A New Look at The Problem of the Ecclesiastical Separation between the Church of Rome and The Patriarchy of Constantinople

A New Look at The Problem of the Ecclesiastical Separation between the Church of Rome and The Patriarchy of Constantinople

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between Czechoslovakia and the Holy See After the Creation of Czechoslovakia in the Fall of 1918

The present study deals with the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between Czechoslovakia and the Holy See immediately after the creation of Czechoslovakia in the fall of 1918 which underwent a dramatic and turbulent change. The most acute questions to discuss included the filling of Czech and Slovak bishopric thrones, the Church administration in Slovakia and the matters of Church education while the filling of the bishopric thrones in the Czech lands and Slovakia proved to be of crucial importance for the proper functioning of the Church administration in Czechoslovakia. The study is based on source material, mainly of diplomatic nature, from the Archive of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague and the Vatican archives, the study reconstructs the character, form and transformation of diplomatic relations between the young Republic and the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Rome at the turn of the 1910s and 1920s. Extensive archival funds have been confronted with numerous literature sources, including contemporary history texts.

Welcoming One Another” (Romans 14-15): A Paradigm for Mutual Cooperation Among Christians in Nigeria

Decades of discussions have occurred over whether Romans 14–15 is directed to any particular circumstance in the Roman community, as it contains arguments similar to those found in 1 Corinthians 8-10. Some scholars feel it is a generic admonition, while others say it is a reply to the Roman community's particular predicament. The concept of mutuality fits within the setting of Romans, and the chapters (Rom 14–15) speak of Paul's exhortations from the preceding chapters (Rom.12–13) being applied contextually. In Nigerian churches/Christianity, the scenario of separation and categorization found in the Roman Church exists. Certain Christians have been labeled as "weak" or "strong" as a result of this; ethnicity and other factors are most likely to blame. As a result, the negative effects exceeded the favorable effects among Christians over the last few decades. This paper examines Paul’s style for eliciting mutual collaboration (brother/sister metaphor), arguing that if Christians read, comprehend, and embrace Paul's call to welcome one another in Romans 14 –15, the walls of division will fall and mutual cooperation will ensue.

ТЕОДОР СКУМИНОВИЧ: СПРОБА РЕАБІЛІТАЦІЇ ІМЕНІ

Background. In the article it is analyzed the dedication and preface to the work of the little-known in Ukraine polemicist-theologian of the 17-th century Theodore Skumynovych "Przyczyny porzucenia Disuniey przezacnemu narodowi ruskiemu podane" (1643), which is considered a bibliographic rarity. The relevance of the research of the creative work of Theodore Skumynovych is explained by the fact that it has not been studied in detail. Methods. The research uses cultural-historical, comparative-historical, descriptive and textological methods of analysis of monuments of literature. Results. The publication provides biographical information about Theodore Skumynovych, examines the objectivity of the accusations brought against him by former co-religionists, and outlines the main ideas of his polemical work. In the dedication of the work to the bishop of Vilnius Abraham Woyna and the foreword to the reader, Theodore Skumynovych briefly spoke about the reasons for his conversion to Catholicism, shared the details of his move from Volhynia to Vilnius and the difficulties he had to face. The image of Theodore Skumynovych, which appears in the introductory part of the work, contrasts with that how he is negatively presented in the complaints made by his opponents in the judicial books, which gives reason to question the credibility of the accusations made by them. The article clarifies the constants of theological and writing thinking of Theodore Skumynovych, reveals his point of view on the reasons of the decline of Byzantium. Conclusions. According to Kasiyan Sakovych, Theodore Skumynovych belonged to the most educated theologians of Ukraine in the 17-th century. Before converting to Catholicism, he was the Father Superior of the Orthodox St. Michael Monastery in Goshcha, the rector of the local school, and also a member of the metropolitan consistory. As an Orthodox clergyman, Theodore Skumynovych sharply criticized the dogmatics of the Roman Church. However, after reading the works of Patriarch Gennadius Scholarius, in which he explained the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans with the "Great Schism", reflecting on the Creed of Athanasius the Great, studying the works of the Greek fathers of the church and observing the crisis of monastic and church life in the Kyiv's Metropolitanate, he changed his opinion about the Catholics. The books written by Theodore Skumynovych were highly rated among famous scientists of Western Europe. In particular, his works were admired by Gottfried Leibniz, Jacob Masen and Plempius Vopisk Fortunatus.

De damnabili ritu Graecorum: Osualdus de Lasko’s Sermons Regarding Orthodox Christians in Late Medieval Hungary

ABSTRACT Among the various inhabitants of the Hungarian Kingdom during the Middle Ages, there were also Orthodox Christians, frequently designated as schismatici. Secular and ecclesiastic authorities often sought their conversion and the mission of the Order of Friars Minor in this area targeted them as well. A change of attitude was imposed, at least for a time, in 1439 by the decree of union agreed at the Council of Florence (1438–39). A half a century later, Osualdus de Lasko (c. 1450–1511), a Hungarian Observant Franciscan, wrote a Lenten homiletic cycle exhorting a profound commitment to the true faith by addressing the question of the Byzantine rite in three of his sermons. This article offers an analysis of the sermon collection entitled Quadragesimale Gemma fidei, focusing mainly on the three sermons de damnabili ritu Graecorum. I will argue that, on a spiritual level, Osualdus intended to strengthen the faith of the Catholic inhabitants of Hungary, to resist and correct deviances, in order to regain God’s mercy. On a temporal level, he promoted the return of the ‘Greeks’ to communion with the Roman Church, through conversion, probably in the interest of a stronger front against the Ottomans.

The Legend of the Roman Church—Peter and Paul

Ernest Renan'ın adı geniş bir Türk dinleyici kitlesi tarafından ilk kez Mart 1883'te Paris'te verdiği İslam ve Bilim başlıklı konferansın akabinde duyuldu. Bu meşhur risaleye gelen tepkiler yazara kötü bir şöhret kazandırdı. Bu konferanstan üç yıl önce, Ernest Renan, 1847 yılında Robert Hibbert tarafından kurulan Enstitüde Hıristiyanlık ve Roma arasındaki ilişki konusunda ders vermek üzere davet edildi. Çevirisini yaptığımız eser, Renan’ın 1880 yılında Londra'da verdiği 'Roma'nın Hıristiyanlık Üzerindeki Etkisi' başlıklı konferanslar dizisinin ikincisidir. Serinin diğer konferansları da çevirmen tarafından yayınlanacaktır. Çevrilen konuşmadan ve serinin diğer konuşmalarından anladığımız kadarıyla bu konuşmalar, 1870'teki Birinci Vatikan Konsili’nden sonra Papa IX. Pius tarafından ilan edilen papalığın yanılmazlığı doktriniyle ilgilidir. Protestan ülkelerde büyük öfke ve endişeye sebep olan bu gelişme bağlamında, Papa IX. Pius'un ölümünden iki yıl sonra İngiltere'de böyle bir konferansın düzenlenmiş olması anlamlıdır. Konsil toplandığında, İngiltere'de 1845-1852 ve 1870 yıllarında yaşanan iki büyük İrlanda kıtlığından sonra adaya göç etmek zorunda kalan büyük bir İrlandalı Katolik nüfus vardı. Dönemin meşhur başvekili W. E. Gladstone, 1870'ten itibaren yazdığı bir dizi broşürde, İmparatorluk ve Papa'nın çatışan emirleri karşısında Katolik Britanya tebaasının hangi tarafa meyledeceği konusunda şüpheleri olduğunu ve bu şüphelerin üstesinden nasıl gelinebileceğini açıklamıştır. Renan bu konuşmasında Roma'nın Kilise hiyerarşisindeki tarihteki prestijli konumuna yükselişinin ve düşüşünün bir tarihini verir. Pagan dönemin ve Remus ve Romulus'un yerini Petrus ve Pavlus'un aldığı yeni dönemin bir panoramasını sunar. Renan, serideki diğer derslerinde olduğu gibi bu dersinde de Roma Kilisesi'nin meşruiyet iddiaları ve bu iddiaların geçersizliği etrafında bir rota çizmiştir. Renan, papalığın Mesih'i temsil etmekten uzak, dahası O'nun ideallerine karşıt olarak geliştirilmiş bir yapı olduğunu ileri sürmektedir. Bu iddiayı Hıristiyanlıktaki Pavlus ve Petrus anlatıları ve Neron'un eylemleriyle ilişkilendirerek, papalığın, daha doğrusu Roma Kilisesi'nin, Neron'un korkunç eylemlerini yüzyıllar sonra Birinci Vatikan Konsili'nde karara bağlayarak ve Kilise'nin doktrini haline getirerek resmileştirdiğini savunur. Bu savını desteklemek için Roma Kilisesi'nin asıl kurucularının Pontuslu bir Yahudi olan Aquila ve onun eşi Priscilla olduğunu iddia eder. Ayrıca, başta Yakub ve Petrus olmak üzere diğer havarilerin, Pavlus'un misyonlarının etkisiyle mücadele edebilmek için Yeruşalim'de bazı karşı misyonlar başlattıklarını ve dolayısıyla bu misyonlarda Pavlus'un güzergahını izlediklerini belirtir. Pavlus ve Petrus arasındaki çatışmanın esasen Yahudi-Hıristiyan ve Helen olmak üzere iki gelenek arasında olduğunu ve pagan Roma'nın Remus ve Romulus'un halefleri olarak Petrus ve Pavlus şeklinde bir ikilik kurarak kiliseler arasındaki konumunu sağlamlaştırmaya çalıştığını belirtir. Ancak bu uzlaşma iki havarinin ölümünden sonra gerçekleştirilebilmiştir. Çünkü Renan'ın da işaret ettiği gibi, Pavlus ve Petrus yaşamları boyunca birbirlerinin amansız rakipleriydi. Ancak Pavlus'un Helenizmi ile Petrus'un Yahudi-Hıristiyanlığının birleşmesi Roma Kilisesi'nin gelecekteki başarısı için elzemdi. Zira Renan'a göre Yahudi-Hıristiyan geleneği, onsuz hiçbir şeyin korunamayacağı muhafazakâr ruhu temsil ederken, Helenizm, onsuz hiçbir şeyin gerçekten var olamayacağı ilerleme ve gelişmeyi temsil etmektedir. Roma Kilisesi'nin başarısı bu iki zıt ucu bir araya getirme becerisinde yatmaktadır.

Terminologia religioasă românească și diviziunile confesionale – versiunea ortodoxă și cea greco-catolică a Dumnezeieștii Liturghii

Religious Terminology in Romanian and Confessional Divisions – the Orthodox and Greek Catholic Versions of the Divine Liturgy The articles presents some differences regarding the terminology used by the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the one hand, and the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, on the other. The analysis is based on the text of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. The differences concern not only strictly religious terms, but also neutral words. This seems to be the result of a deliberate linguistic policy of the Greek Catholic Church, which often uses different terms than the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Orthodox terms in question were borrowed from Slavonic or Greek, while the Greek Catholic terms are Romanian words inherited from Latin or recent loanwords from Latin and modern Romance languages.

The Roman and Viennese indices of prohibited books in Austrian and Bohemian lands under Maria Theresa

Under Maria Theresa (ruled 1740‒1780), handling books in Austrian and Bohemian lands was largely governed by the Index librorum prohibitorum, which the Catholic Church in Rome started publishing in 1559, and the Catalogus librorum a commissione aulica prohibitorum, which the Court Book Censorship Committee in Vienna published from 1754 onward. Through censorship secularization, the Viennese index gradually replaced the Roman one, but that did not mean it did not copy it or that it was more liberal. It was created under the influence of the (moderate and Catholic) Enlightenment, but its main goals continued to be protecting the faith and the Church, as well as pursuing the interests of the (Catholic) ruling dynasty and its state. The Viennese index soon reached the same length as the Roman one, but it by far exceeded it in the frequency of its updates and releases. Compared to the Roman index, it had a more internal character: it did not list the names of the ruler (and co-regent) and responsible officials, nor the areas it applied to. It was more forgiving toward scholarly and older Protestant, political, and philosophical works. It treated pseudo-scholarly and more recent Protestant works, as well as old literature, in a similar way as the Roman index (i.e., mostly strictly), and it was stricter toward religious Catholic works and more recent political and philosophical works and literature (especially plays).

The Shrine of Heaven: The Organization of Curial Ceremony inside the Sistine Chapel in Late Quattrocento Rome

The following paper proposes an interpretation of the first pictorial program inside the Sistine Chapel on the basis of the development of Curial Ceremony. With the construction of a new chapel inside the Vatican Apostolic Palace, which effectively replaced the previous cappella magna, an ambitious program in stratifying the Caeremoniale Romanae Curiae according to Pope Sixtus IV’s administration of the Roman Church through the construction and affirmation of papal ecclesiastical supremacy.

Hoping for More: Tocqueville and the Insufficiency of ‘Self-Interest Well Understood’

ABSTRACT Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) was convinced that without a new possibility for transcendence, democracies would be ill-prepared to allow for actual freedom. In Democracy in America, his study of the United States, he explained that when self-interest was enlightened, individuals would tend to identify their personal benefits with the well-being of the community. By transcending their individualistic tendency to self-enclose, they would contribute to forming and maintaining a real sovereignty of the people. However, unless the “doctrine of self-interest well understood” was aided by a higher ideal, by itself it would eventually fall short, thus paving the way for new forms of despotism. Religion, and more specifically, reformed versions of Christianity, seemed to effectively elevate the outlook of the early Americans. As I will argue, however, Tocqueville ultimately held that those versions lacked the profundity and stability required to resist the strong materialistic and individualistic tendencies of people living in a democracy. Tocqueville’s apparent, if anxious-ridden, preference for Catholicism as the more adequate civil religion resonates with important aspects of Augustine’s theory of the Two Cities, the earthly and the heavenly city. For both Tocqueville and Augustine, the Roman Church’s stable doctrine was what could more successfully teach mankind the truth about their limited condition, hence making them more capable of learning the “art of being free.”

The Orthodox Romanian Churches of Guşteriţa

Abstract The “Annunciation” Orthodox Church in Guşteriţa is the only church founded by Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna in the surroundings of Sibiu. But it was not the first Orthodox church built in this little community. Despite the unfortunate historical context, the beginnings of the Orthodox parish in Guşteriţa were not as modest as one would think. This paper reconstructs the historical context and follows the traces of the first Orthodox church in Guşteriţa, pointing out that at the end of the eighteenth century, the Romanian community had managed to build a worship place made of stone. While the structure has long since been demolished and knowledge of its exact location has been lost, the site of this important structure can now be approximated based on available topographical evidence.

Law and moral theology in Christian Europe: the limits of sacralization in the late works of Paolo Prodi

ABSTRACT This essay analyzes the work of Paolo Prodi (1932–2016), which is characterised by a constant reflection on secularisation. As a democratic Catholic, he explored the relationship between the Roman Church and the modern world starting from the Council of Trent and from the dual figure of the pope as a temporal ruler and spiritual guide. His original contribution concerned the conflict between law and conscience: a problem that led him to design a triptych of books on the foundations of the western world. He was influenced not only by Verfassungsgeschichte (German constitutional history), but also by Harold Berman. If for Weber the modern world was born from the Reformation, for Berman it was the ‘Gregorian revolution’ that changed the fate of Latin Europe. For Prodi, too, the medieval conflict between canon and civil law introduced a peculiar structure in Europe that would last until the triumph of the nation states and the so-called ‘political religions’. In his three books (the first dedicated to the oath, the second to justice, the last to economics), Prodi placed at the centre of his analysis the notion of forum; the history of moral theology and casuistry and the relationship between penitence and justice.