Theology Students Research Articles

Knowledge of and attitudes towards epilepsy among first- and second-year students at a German university

ProblemLittle is known about university students' knowledge of and attitudes towards epilepsy. MethodsWe invited first- and second-year students of different study subjects at Rostock University to complete a questionnaire. ResultsOverall, 497 students took part in the survey (209 medicine, 105 theology, 94 primary education, 89 computer science). Of all students, 38.0% knew someone with epilepsy, and 27.2% had already witnessed a seizure. Fewer computer science students than medical students knew someone with epilepsy (p = 0.002) and had witnessed a seizure (p < 0.001). From five presented symptoms, all were correctly assigned to a possible seizure by 27.0% of all students. If they had epilepsy themselves, 43.7% would tell their fellow students about it; and 76.1% would definitely be friends with someone with epilepsy, and 53.7% would definitely date a person with epilepsy. On a 5-point Likert scale, computer science students expressed less willingness to be friends with (p < 0.001) or to date someone with epilepsy (p = 0.004) than medical students. The willingness of theology and primary education students did not significantly differ from that of medical students. We found no statistical differences between medical students and the other student groups for correct assignment of all symptoms and the readiness to tell others if they had epilepsy themselves. ConclusionFirst- and second-year students showed gaps in knowledge and reservations about people with epilepsy, regardless of their study subject. However, computer science students have had particularly little contact with people with epilepsy and expressed less positive attitudes. Medical students, on the other hand, hardly differed from students of theology and primary education.

1970-1980년대 신학생들의 자아정체성 고찰 - 신학교 교지에 실린 글을 중심으로

본 고는 학생운동이 가열되고 학생운동세력이 역사변혁의 중심으로 넓어져 가던 1970-1980년대를 중심으로, 당시 한국의 민주화와 변혁운동 과정과 신학생들의 사유가 어떠한 관련을 가지는지, 그 중에서도 학생이자 청년이면서 신학생인 그들이 모색했던 자아정체성은 무엇이었는지를 고찰하였다. 이를 위해 신학대학에서 발간된 교지를 주 텍스트로 하였다.<BR> 신학생들은 예언자로서의 직임을 자신의 정체성으로 삼으며 예언자 인식으로 세상을 교정하고 기존교회를 비판하고 민중에 관심을 구비하는 과정을 보여준다. 그러나 1980년대 후반으로 갈수록 신학생들은 자신을 중간자, 요나, 방관자, 도망자, 무의식, 강자를 흉내내는 자 등으로 규정하는 정체성의 혼란을 보여준다. 본 고는 예언자 인식과 도피자 인식의 공존 요인을 신학생들이 실존적으로 가진 죄인이자 의인의식, 그리고 1980년대 기독학생회의 IT논쟁, 레닌-마르크시즘 혹은 주체사상과 신앙과의 괴리로 보았다.

The Bible in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: ‘What’s in it for me?’

The society in which we currently live and operate is globally the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and locally our (unique) environment or community. Although we are still in a lag period between the 3IR and 4IR, the 4IR already has a global disruptive effect, with artificial intelligence being gradually implemented, with fluid contexts, and where nobody agrees on anything. Deep learning, unlearning and relearning must take place on a daily basis. The question could well be asked if there is any place for the Bible and Christianity in this new vibrant global community. All theology is contextual. Although theology deals with what is most absolute in reality, citing Mellert, it is also relative in that there is never a final or last answer to most religious questions. The handbook and norm for our theology and religion is still the Bible – a compendium of books written approximately 2000 years ago with no new information added to it ever since. The challenge of the church is to make that information contextual in this ‘disruptive’ era and to bring the gospel in a new and fresh way to everybody without compromising the basic truths and normativity of the Bible. This article argues that the Bible should still take centre stage in the academic training of our theological students, in our preaching of the gospel on a daily basis, in our engagement with people in need and in the transformation of our societies in general. As the centre of Jesus’ preaching on earth was the (coming of the) kingdom of God, he also acted as the perfect example of how to establish the kingdom of God and the flourishing life on earth. Contribution: This is a more practical article and puts the notion of the significance of the Bible within the environment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As this is a disruptive era, it requires from us to also present the word of God in a ‘disruptive’ way. We will have to present the ‘old’ word of God in a brand-new way so as to make sure that the people of this era will grasp it.

Wkład środowiska wielkopolskiego w rozwój patrologii

The proposed topic allows to learn about the scientific activity of the Wielkopolska researchers of the early Christian Church: Jan Sajdak (1882–1967), priest Józef Nowacki (1893–1964), priest Bronisaw Gadysz (1892–1943) and priest Ludwik Gadyszewski (1932–2009). They contributed to the development of patristics not only in Wielkopolska, but also in Poland and in the world. Wielkopolska is also associated with the Scriptures of the Fathers of the Church in which translations of writers of the first centuries of Christianity are published. Patrology textbooks have also been published. The most important of them was written by the priest Szczepan Piestoch and is intended especially for students of theology. Wielkopolska is also a Faculty of Theology which has been operating since 1998 at the University of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. It includes the Department of Patristic Theology and currently the Department of Patristic Theology and Church History. Under the supervision of the faculty lecturers doctoral theses, master’s and bachelor’s the- ses, as well as monographs related to the period of Christian antiquity are prepared.

A study on theological students’ perception of artificial intelligence and the Christian educational implications

Rapidly developing modern science &technology have a profound impact on Christians and pastoral work. Recently, the 4th Industrial Revolution has induced lots of discussions in the field of church and theology, and artificial intelligence (AI) has become an important issue in many ways. Nevertheless, there is a lack of empirical research on how the AI would affect church and pastoral work. This study examined and analyzed the theological students’ perception of AI. A survey was conducted on the perception of seven sub-areas of 220 male and female theological students at major seminaries in Korea. The seven subareas were including the degree of interest in AI, social influence, AI’s alternative influence, and AI’s church influence. The results showed that theological students generally agree with the academic relevance of AI or the need for education on AI. However, it presented alow perception of the impact of AI on the church. Such recognition may reflect the following belief. Students are aware that the AI is a necessary and important part of social and general education, but at the same time, they think the AI may not significantly threaten the church. Therefore, wes uggest that considering a response of Christian education to raise the perception of theological students of AI, courses related to science and technology should be organized in the curriculum of seminaries at various levels from the perspective of the Christian worldview.

Servant leadership as part of spiritual formation of theological students in contextualisation of 21st century theological training

The theory of servant leadership with its key concepts of servanthood and leadership has emerged during the last few decades. A person who has a heart for people and serves them whilst leading them practices servant leadership. Servant leaders are not motivated by attaining higher positions but by serving people. Leaders call people to follow a set vision. In the church, that vision ought to be a God vision, premised on the Word of God. Leaders in the church should lead people according to the guidance of the Bible and inspiration from God. He is the one who calls people, gives them an assignment and will require an account from them. The church has been in the spotlight in recent times because of the conduct of their leaders, who are the pastors assigned with the task of leading believers. Understanding the principles of servant leadership can contribute to spiritual formation of theological students in contextualisation of 21st century theological training. The article begins with a reflection on the findings of an empirical study, followed by a short view on the servant leadership of Moses, David, Paul and Jesus Christ. Thereafter, the article focuses on servant leadership characteristics and competencies or skills according to contemporary scholars, and the article concludes with a proposed model for servant leadership as part of spiritual formation of theological students.Contribution: Although the article is context specific to the Faculty of Theology, Mahikeng campus, the principles of servant leadership can contribute to the spiritual formation of all theological students and is especially relevant to the discourse of contextualised 21st century theological training.

Dinler Tarihi dersinde sanal gerçeklik gözlüğü uygulamasına ilahiyat öğrencilerinin bakışı: Hatay örneği

Sanal Gerçeklik, gerçek ya da hayali dünyanın bilgisayarda bir simülasyonudur. Sanal gerçeklik genellikle çok çeşitli uygulamaları tanımlamak için kullanılmaktadır. Sanal gerçeklik teknolojisi son yıllarda eğitimde sıkça kullanılmaya devam etmesine rağmen bu teknoloji daha önce Dinler Tarihi dersinde uygulanmadığı görülmektedir. Sanal gerçeklik teknolojisinin geleneksel öğrenme paradigmalarına önemli bir katkı sağlayacağı görüşündeyiz. Bu çalışmada; son yıllarda teknolojinin eğitimde uygulanması konusunda yenilikçi uygulamalardan biri olan sanal gerçeklik gözlüğü ile Dinler Tarihi dersinin işlenmesinde İlahiyat öğrencilerinin yaklaşımları ve görüşleri incelenmiştir. Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilere hem sanal gerçeklik gözlüğü ile dersin işlenmesine yönelik geliştirilen tutum ölçeği uygulanmış hem de öğrencilerin kişisel görüşleri nitel veri olarak değerlendirme imkânı sağlayacak sorular yöneltilmiştir. Araştırmaya Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi İlahiyat fakültesinde okuyan ve Dinler Tarihi dersi alan 35 öğrenci katılmıştır. Öğrenciler uygulama sayesinde farklı dinlerin mabetlerini ve kutsal mekânlarını sanal gerçeklik gözlüğü ile görme imkânı elde etmiştir. Elde edilen veriler SPSS 20.0 veri analiz programı yardımıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin Dinler Tarihi tutum ölçeğinden elde edilen ön ve son test puanları arasındaki farklılıklar, Bağımlı Gruplar Testi ile analiz edilmiş ve elde edilen verilerde anlamlı bir farklılık olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. İlahiyat fakültesi öğrencileri, sanal gerçeklik uygulaması ile derse olan ilgilerinin ve öğrenme isteklerinin arttığını ifade etmişlerdir. Dinler Tarihi dersinin konusuna ve amacına uygun olarak sanal gerçeklik gözlüğü kullanımının uygun olduğu ve olumlu sonuçlardan hareketle benzer içeriğe sahip diğer derslerin işlenmesinde de kullanılmasının faydalı olacağı önerisinde bulunulmuştur.

Nicolaus Mulerius (1564-1630): Dissimulating Copernicanism in the Revolting Dutch Republic

Nicolaus Mulerius (1564-1630) was nominated in 1614 at the newly created University of Groningen as professor of Mathematics and Medical Science. His favorite topic concerned “mathematics” which, in practice, implied astronomy. In due course he published a textbook of astronomy (1616) and a new edition of Copernicus’ epochal De revolutionibus, the third since 1543 and the first annotated version (1617). Defending Copernicus at the new University -that is: at a University meant to produce ministers for the Reformed Church and therefore bound to the word if not the letter of the Bible- required quite some diplomatic skills. So Mulerius took care to have his new edition of Copernicus prefaced by the founder of the University, Ubbo Emmius, a beacon of Calvinist orthodoxy, while inventing various ways to subtly manifest his predilection without being “unmasked”. This attitude may be called “honorable dissimulation”. There was indeed all reason to be careful since -well-paying- theology students, not only Dutch Calvinists but also Lutherans from the German lands, constituted the core of the University’s population. As a matter of fact, in sticking to the letter of the Bible the Groningen theologians did not give way to their Roman-Catholic colleagues of the Curia in Rome. Mulerius’ “honorable dissimulation” is all the more remarkable. The discovery of a unique copy of the auction sale catalog of Mulerius’ private library (1646) made it possible, in this connection, to shed a more revealing light on his astronomical stance.

COLLABORATIVE-COOPERATIVE LEARNING MODEL TO IMPROVE THEOLOGY STUDENTS’ CHARACTERS: IS IT EFECTIVE?

The Collaborative-Cooperative Learning Model (CCL) helps improve students’ characters. This study is aimed at finding out the effectiveness of the CCL instructional model in improving the characters of the theology students in the subject matter class Self Development. The study used the quasi-experimental research design. The research sample consisted of 58 students of the Surabaya Excelsius Institute of Theology. Data were collected by way of a test in a pre-test and posttest for the experiment and control groups and analyzed by way of an independent sample t-test on the SPSS software program of Amos 25. Results show that (1) the CCL model is found to be able to improve students’ characters. Experts’ reviews conclude that the CCL syntax can be categorized as having innovative aspects based on the rationality model on the score of 3.29; (2) The CCL model is found to be effective in improving students’ characters by the Mann-Whitney test (sig. = 0,012) and the paired sample t-tes (sig. = 0.000) showing a significant difference in the mean scores; (3) the CCL model can improve the characters of self-discipline, social discipline, and religious discipline in the theology students in the subject matter class Self Development and can be used for subject matter classes with the same characteristics, be followed-up by research in wider subject-matter contexts, and be integrated with research from other academic fields.

Optimism, Happiness, Life Meaning and Life Satisfaction Levels of the Faculty of Divinity Students: A Multi-Sample Correlational Study

This research was conducted to determine the optimism, happiness, life meaning, and life satisfaction levels of the Faculty of Theology students. Also, within the scope of the research, it is aimed to determine the relations between these concepts. The research was designed as a correlational survey type that is one of the quantitative research methods.The multi-sample group consisted of 943 students studying in the faculties of theology at the universities of Ankara, Istanbul, Marmara, Ondokuz Mayıs, Ataturk, and Dokuz Eylul. The sample was determined by maximum diversity sampling. ”Oxford Happiness Scale Short Form”, “Life Orientation Test”, “Life Meaning Scale” and “Life Satisfaction Scale” were used to collect data. In addition to descriptive statistics, correlation and hierarchical regression techniques were used to analyze the data. As a result of the research; It was determined that the level of optimism and happiness of the students was medium, whereas the perceptions of life meaning and life satisfaction were low. While women are more optimistic, happy and their life satisfaction is higher than men are, men have more perceptions about the meaning of life than women do. Besides, a significant and positive relationship between optimism, happiness, life meaning, and life satisfaction were determined.

Women, priests and patriarchal ecclesial spaces in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa: On ‘interruption’ as a transformative rhetorical strategy

In spite of the presence of women in previously male-dominated ecclesial spaces, patriarchal normativity continues to be re-inscribed through the reproduction of knowledge, which sustains skewed gender power relations amongst the clergy. This was a case in point when a newly ordained woman priest in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa was recently addressed as, and given the official title, ‘mother’ during the vestment ritual at a church service where she was to celebrate the Eucharist for the first time. This while the male priests present had retained the title ‘father’ without any critical reflection on the male-headship theology it perpetuates. If one considers that the ordination of women has opened the possibility for them to celebrate the Eucharist, which gives authority to preside at (or head) the ‘Table’, then one has to be mindful of the subtle ways in which language is used to regulate the production and reproduction of gender bias in a patriarchal system. Being the guest preacher at the celebratory service of this former Ethics and Theology student, I could do no other but interrupt the sermon I had prepared. In this article, I argue that interruption is a helpful theoretical concept – both as a transformative rhetorical strategy in the interpretation of biblical texts and also as an act of resisting discourses and practices that uphold and re-inscribe patriarchal norms. I will approach the hermeneutical concept of interruption from what I call a feminist theo-ethical perspective.

Intercultural Sensitivity and Ethnocentrism Levels of Theology Students in a Turkish University Sample

In this study, we aimed to examine the intercultural sensitivity levels and ethnocentrism levels, as well as some variables that affect them, of students studying in the Necmettin Erbakan University Theology Faculty in Turkey. A descriptive survey research method was adopted to realize this aim. The Intercultural Sensitivity Scale and the Generalized Ethnocentrism Scale were used as the data collection tools. The sample of the study consisted of 326 students studying in the Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Theology during the 2018–2019 academic year. According to our findings, the intercultural sensitivity level of the theology students was “high,” whereas their ethnocentrism level was “low.” The intercultural sensitivity levels of the theology students differed based on age and exposure to individuals from another country or culture. Ethnocentrism levels in the students differed based on gender, the nationality of the students (Europe, Turkey, Asia-Africa), the size of the settlement unit, and exposure to individuals from different countries or cultures.

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception. Volume 16: Lectionary–Lots

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception. Volume 16: Lectionary–Lots

Faith in the Research Process: Information Behavior at Claremont School of Theology

Faith significantly affects the educational experience in graduate studies of religion and theology. This study explored the roles of graduate theological students’ religious faith and degree program affiliation in their information behaviors, particularly their degree-related research behaviors at Claremont School of Theology. The purpose was to explore problems in information action inherent to the dichotomy between academic study of theology that leads to Master of Arts (MA) degree and professional study of theology that leads to Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. The research design incorporated interviews of MA and MDiv students regarding the roles of their religious faith, degree program affiliation and interpersonal information sources in their research processes. Data were collected, coded and analyzed as a lens into the social network of the theological research community. The study found that information behavior does relate to degree program affiliations and students’ religious faith. Degree program affiliation and religious faith background are relevant to graduate theological research processes and may be useful to consider in research consultations and bibliographic instruction in graduate theological education.

Orality in its Written Traces: Bilingual reportationes of Sermons in France (Thirteenth Century)

The intense practice of preaching became a prominent feature of religious life in the Western Church during the thirteenth century and afterwards. The new orders of mendicant friars considered preaching as their main duty, and equipped the libraries of their convents with many tools for putting together sermons. At the same time, attending sermons and taking down notes which could be reused for delivering new sermons became a habit with theology students in Paris. Manuscripts written by these students for private use document this process in various states of composition. Bilingualism, either with the juxtaposition of French and Latin words or in the use of a Latinised French which could be easily transposed into the vernacular, does not reflect the oral performance. But these reportationes, which are a selection of what the preacher said, suggest that their authors paid particular attention to the challenge of integrating elements of biblical commentary into the culture of the laity: interpretations of biblical narratives, verses and proper nouns are prevalent and, reversing the process, we find an exploration of the rich resources of words which belong to common culture but also have a resonance in the field of religious experience.

Coins as Cultural Texts in the World of the New Testament by D. H. Wenkel

Reviewed by: Coins as Cultural Texts in the World of the New Testament by D. H. Wenkel Barrie A. Wilson Wenkel, D. H. 2017. Coins as Cultural Texts in the World of the New Testament. London/New York: Bloomsbury T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0567670731. Pp. 224. $128. David Wenkel provides the reason for writing this book in the second paragraph of his Introduction: “This volume will provide an introduction to the relationships between numismatics and New Testament studies” (xii). He rightly notes that most theological students receive little instruction in the material culture of the NT because the academic disciplines of archaeology, classical studies, and biblical studies are often isolated from each other; NT scholars often feel ill-equipped to teach about specialised fields like numismatics, and text-based curricula in theological institutions provide few opportunities for lectures on topics of material culture. Wenkel provides ten compelling reasons why the study of ancient coins is beneficial for students of the NT (xix–xx), then notes four limitations of the scope of his study (xxi). The volume thus appeals to a niche audience interested in learning more about the topic. The book comprises fifteen chapters in four sections. The four opening chapters deal with coins as cultural texts, as speech-acts, as currency and as context. The explanation of the Roman and Jewish currency systems nicely introduces the nine types or denominations of coins mentioned in the NT. A chart presenting these nine types and their values would have been a useful visual addition. Section I addresses “The World in Front of the Coin” by looking at payments in antiquity through the lens of trust, fear and taxes. Sections II and III look at “The World of the Coin” and “The World Behind the Coin,” respectively, through two lenses: propaganda and power. Jewish and Roman coinage provide examples for Wenkel’s discussions. Chapters 5–15 each close with a section, “Implications for Studying the New Testament,” which seeks to contextualise the discussion for readers. Section IV (chapter 16) is a mere four-page conclusion that presents fifteen connections between numismatics and NT studies. A one-page appendix of “Events related to First-Century Numismatics” and a Bibliography close the volume. [End Page 423] Seven illustrations accompany the text. Since coins are such visual objects, more would have been welcome. A glossary of abbreviations would likewise have been helpful. Missing too is a section recommending further resources to help readers take the next step. For coins of Asia Minor, I regularly consult the websites www.wildwilds.com and www.asiaminorcoins.com. Macquarie University’s website on “The Coinage of Ephesus” nicely presents this city’s numismatic history. Other volumes that are helpful with numismatics and the NT are The Pocket Guide to Saint Paul by Peter Lewis and Ron Bolden (2002). The coins that Paul would have encountered on his travels are presented in chronological order. The British Museum exhibition catalogue, Defacing the Past: Damnation and Desecration in Imperial Rome by Dario Calomino (2016), presents coins and inscriptions that illustrate the fascinating topic of damnatio memoriae among Roman emperors. Coins continue to generate universal interest and excitement. I collected them myself as a youth. Recently I travelled with an American doctor whose passion is collecting ancient coins with a biblical connection. He became animated while speaking about his collection and graciously presented me several of his duplicates. Ancient coins create such enthusiasm but, unfortunately, this book with its pedantic style does little to excite the reader and collector. Nevertheless, it provides a basic introduction to the subject. However, its high price will deter many libraries and potential readers from purchasing it. [End Page 424] Barrie A. Wilson York University, Canada barrie@yorku.ca Copyright © 2020 The New Testament Society of Southern Africa (NTSSA)

Everett Tilson: Pioneer in the Condemnation of White Privilege

Everett TilsonPioneer in the Condemnation of White Privilege Paul Burnam (bio) In 1986, Dr. Peggy McIntosh of Wellesley College delivered a paper at the Virginia Women’s Association conference in which she explained at length the phrase “white privilege.” McIntosh began her presentation by explaining how she became deeply aware of what she called “male privilege”—that is, how most men unconsciously accept many advantages in higher education curricula that women cannot access. At that time, McIntosh taught women’s studies at Wellesley. She offered examples of male privilege in higher education beginning with the claim that men figure most importantly in the curriculum because they are the principal actors in life and civilization. McIntosh proceeded to explain that in discussions about curricular development when the reduction of the prominence of men’s contributions gets proposed, then male academics fall back on the inevitability of present gender relations and the distribution of power. She continued by pointing out how precedent, socio-biology, and psychobiology served as justifications whereby male domination functioned as a norm and resulted unavoidably from evolution. Other defenses of male privilege show in arguments putting forth human experience, religious doctrines, and social responsibility.1 After that acknowledgement of male privilege, McIntosh raised the bar by identifying white privilege. She [End Page 87] explained white privilege as a bundle of many advantages white people invoke without awareness every waking hour using terms such as “codebooks,” “emergency gear,” and “passports” that people of color can seldom, if ever, employ.2 In a later essay, McIntosh pointed out how oblivious whites are to the advantages and dominance they enjoy in society. She stated how strongly enculturated this attitude is in the United States to perpetuate the myth of meritocracy and the myth that democratic choice is available to all.3 With McIntosh’s juxtaposition of those two words, “white” and “privilege,” one encounters the phrase “white privilege” daily thanks to the explosion of multiple forms of media that swirl around and throughout contemporary American society. The phrase accelerated in its use and public awareness with the election of Barack Obama as president in 2008. Then white privilege became even more frequently mentioned with the 2016 election in which the Republican presidential nominee laced his rhetoric with frequent derogatory remarks about people of color, women, Muslims, LGBTQ persons, and anyone else outside the white male power structure. The concept of white privilege certainly existed long before McIntosh delivered her presentation in Richmond. She invested the most effort to construct and define the notion that makes white privilege a very important element in any discussion of economic, political, and social conditions in the United States today. Many others besides McIntosh wrote about and discussed the concept of white privilege years before she did. A late member of the faculty at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO) railed against the concept of white privilege at least 30 years before Peggy McIntosh. Charles Everett Tilson (1923–2006) taught theological students about the Old Testament at Vanderbilt University Divinity School before he joined the faculty of the newly created MTSO (located in Delaware, Ohio) in 1960. Therefore, the purpose of this essay will be to highlight how Everett Tilson recognized and condemned the phenomenon now commonly called white privilege starting in the 1950s and on through his life. This essay will commence with explaining the significance of Everett Tilson in relation to the civil rights movement and his involvement in that historic turn in American history. The essay will point out where Tilson [End Page 88] identifies white privilege during the momentous events in which he participated. The two most well-known civil rights events in which Tilson played a part—the efforts to overcome lunch counter segregation in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1960 and the integration of white churches in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1964—serve as examples of Tilson’s opposition to racial segregation. In addition, those events offer evidence of Tilson’s early criticism of how whites acted without understanding or sensitivity in their relations to people of color. Everett Tilson, in an oral history he recorded for the Nashville Public Library, told how his life started in a part of the...

From the history of ultramontanism in Galicia: the role of the University of Innsbruck in the formation of ideas and views of Onufriy Volyansky

Based on the epistolary and journalistic legacy of the Greek Catholic priest Onufriy Volyansky and on the example of his life the studies at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Innsbruck as one of the main ways of spreading of the ultramontanism among the Greek Catholic clergy of Galicia in the early twentieth century are analyzed. It is noticed that although ultramontanism as an ideologi-cal phenomenon was, first of all, widespread in the Roman Catholic Church, it also had an important impact on the ideological atmosphere within the Greek Catholic clergy and, in general, on Ukrainian society in Galicia. It is marked that ideas of Onufriy Volyansky were the most striking example of ultramontanism among Ukrainian clergy in Galicia. It is highlighted that for the first time in Ukrainian historiography the impact of Innsbruck studies on Volyansky`s worldview and, in general, examples of ultramontanism in Ukrainian society of Galicia in the early twentieth century are investigated. It is shown that the example of Volyansky’s impressions and experiences, the conservative and ultramon-tane nature of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Innsbruck, the selection of teaching staff and studying programs – all of that clearly demonstrated the key role of Innsbruck in forming of his ultramontane worldview. It is approved that the most notable was the impact of Catholic dogmatic studies (which received much less attention at the Greek Catholic Seminary in Lviv) and lectures on the social mission of the clergy in the modern age. It is summarized that comparison of Volyansky’s letters and his press articles shows that social issues became the most popular topic in his future writ-ings not only because of his own interests but also as a consequence of the unfavorable for the Greek Catholic clergy ideological atmosphere of the early twentieth century – a time of secularization and growing popularity of radical, often anti-church and anti-religious, movements. At the same time, the insurmountable obstacles that led to the failure of ultramontanism both among the Ukrainian and Polish clergy and societies in Galicia are defined. It is also added that a separate aspect of the studied topic is the role of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in spreading of this ideological trend among Ukrainian theology students, including Onufriy Volyansky.Keywords: Onufriy Volyansky, the University of Innsbruck, ultramontanism, theology, social issue, Galicia, Andrey Sheptytsky

Learning of Catholic theology in the digital age

This article focuses on the intersections between theological knowledge and the use of the Internet to access study resources for students studying Catholic theology at tertiary institutions. In the 21st century, the use of the Internet to access electronic resources (ERs) is gaining momentum as a tool for obtaining needed information among theology students, to support many aspects of their learning activities. This is mainly because of the proliferation of online theological libraries, as well as the fact that theology students ought to resist the easy path of uncritical passivity and select reliable data from other resources, and welcome it without merely imposing their critical theological opinions and views. Recent literature indicates that the hierarchical nature of Catholic doctrine needs not to exclude openness to the more rhizomatic approaches to knowledge structures that students’ independent accessing of online ER represents. This intersection in learning theology requires a theoretical paradigm shift for adult theology students which can contribute greatly to the enlargement of the theology students’ academic horizon and enriches their minds for an open theological dialogue and discussion with different theological opinions and views.

Differing views on forgiveness: how do graduate-level theology students in South Korea perceive divine and human forgiveness?

ABSTRACT How do graduate-level theology students in Korea perceive human and divine forgiveness? Are there certain aspects of forgiveness that they see as more different than other aspects because of their theological and cultural assumptions of human and divine forgiveness? Theology students from two Protestant divinity programs in South Korea showed higher endorsements for abandoning a desire for revenge, developing goodwill toward the offender, and restoring relationships in the context of divine forgiveness than human forgiveness. They did not differ on their level of endorsement for reconciliation as a necessary component of divine and human forgiveness. We discuss our findings within the context of South Korea and provide implications for clinical practice, limitations, and directions for future research.