Minimal Religion, Deism and Socinianism: On Grotius’s Motives for Writing De Veritate

Grotiana ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk Nellen
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Divine Revelation ◽  
Rational Beliefs ◽  
The Core ◽  
Hugo Grotius ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
Second Category ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Very High

This article goes into the intentions and motives behind De veritate (1627), famous apologetic work by the Dutch humanist and jurisconsult Hugo Grotius (1583-1645). De veritate will be compared with two other seminal works written by Grotius, De iure belli ac pacis (1625) and the Annotationes in Novum Testamentum (1641-1650). The focus will be on one particular aspect that comes to the fore in all three works: the way Grotius reduced the Christian faith to a minimal religion by singling out the essential tenets this faith had in common with other religions. The core of Grotius’s argumentation consists in the idea that believers and, in particular, civil authorities have to distinguish between a few essential religious tenets that could be made rationally acceptable, and a set of supernatural dogmas, derived from divine revelation, that did not pass a certain, albeit very high degree of probability. As far as the second category was concerned, civil tolerance was called for. As becomes clear from contemporary correspondences, Grotius did not develop these rather controversial ideas in an intellectual vacuum. During his exile in Paris, he fostered contacts with members of the circle that formed around the French monk Marin Mersenne (1588-1648). This circle functioned as a kind of hothouse for the development of a minimal Christian creed. Members of this group saw promotion of a minimal creed as a solution to current religious controversies and the ensuing political turmoil and (civil) war, which were abhorred for their detrimental effects on the advancement of learning in the first place. On the other hand, it is also apparent that overt adherence to such an ideal was considered to be dangerous, because it would at least evoke the embarrassing and even repressive attention of the authorities in Church and government. An additional problem was that by defending such a religious stance, members of Mersenne’s circle laid themselves open to accusations of endorsing ‘rational beliefs’ like Socinianism, generally considered to be the worst heresy among all Christian denominations.

scholarly journals Algemeen of bijzonder Christelijke ethiek in een moderne cultuur

1998 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Velema
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
The Other ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Divine Revelation ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The One

In this article the author investigates the relation between faith/revelation on the one hand and ethics on the other; the relation between the "particular” and the “general”. It is argued that Rendtorff and Pannen­berg are basically in agreement that ethics does not depend on Christian faith and divine revelation, although there is a connection between the two. On the other hand, the author of this article (in agreement with Douma) relates faith/revelation and ethics very closely: ethics is directed by a life and world view - a stance illustrated by a discussion on abortion and euthanasia. The issue of consensus on moral issues between Christians and non-Christians should be resolved from the perspective of the general goodness of God and his law, given to all men.

Recht, Strafrecht und Sozialmoral

1981 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Lüderssen
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Very High

AbstractIt is shown by means of four examples that the demarcation between law and morals has become problematical. The study of more recent developments in ethics and in law indicates that in both fields the relevance of discourse and consent has grown. Though both law and morals aim at agreement their degree of dependance on it differs. The definition of law and morals suggested in this article is based on this view. Legitimate law consists of norms, which besides fulfilling other conditions have attained a certain degree of consent. On the other hand one can only talk of social morals when a very high degree of consent has been reached. The consequences of this definition are explained by means of the examples presented at the beginning.

scholarly journals HEINRICH MEIER E LA SFIDA DELLA TEOLOGIA POLITICA

Il Politico ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-116
Author(s):  
Marco Menon
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Political Theology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Carl Schmitt ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
The Political ◽  
Leo Strauss ◽  
Divine Revelation ◽  
The Core ◽  
Political Problem

This paper offers a short overview of Heinrich Meier’s books on Carl Schmitt’s political theology, namely Carl Schmitt und Leo Strauss, and Die Lehre Carl Schmitts. These writings, published respectively in 1988 and 1994, and recently translated into Italian by Cantagalli (Siena), have raised both enthusiastical appraisal and fierce criticism. The gist of Meier’s interpretation is the following: the core of Schmitt’s thought is his Christian faith. Schmitt’s political doctrine must be unterstood as political theology, that is, as a political doctrine which claims to be grounded on divine revelation. The fundamental attitude of the political theologian, therefore, is pious obedience to God’s unfathomable will. The hypothesis of the paper is that Meier’s reading, which from a historical point of view might appear as highly controversial, is essentially the attempt to articulate the fundamental alternative between political theology and political philosophy. Meier’s alleged stylization of Carl Schmitt and Leo Strauss is a form of “platonism”, i.e., a theoretical purification aimed at a clear formulation of what he means by “the theologico-political problem”.

Reforming universities in the Middle East

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-92
Author(s):  
Daniele Cantini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Middle East ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
The Core ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
High Degree

This article addresses the core-periphery nexus by looking at some of the reform packages proposed in the 2000s in these two pivotal countries in the Middle East, Egypt and Jordan, as well as the resistances they generated. These reform packages include internationalisation and privatisation policies, as well as World Bank–sponsored programmes intended to enhance the higher education sector. These programmes are marked by a high degree of isomorphism with global trends: they belong to an unquestioned centre, with peripheries as receiving points of policies elaborated elsewhere. In this article, I examine some of the resistances they were met with in Egypt and Jordan and show how their translations were shaped by the logics of the local contexts so that they were rarely implemented. Looking at post–Arab Spring developments, the article reflects on the continuity of reform packages amidst political turmoil, and the ways in which these reforms are altering or reinforcing processes of peripheralisation.

Non-Mobile Software Modernization in Accordance With the Principles of Model-Driven Engineering

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-60
Author(s):  
Liliana Maria Favre
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Model Driven Engineering ◽  
Static And Dynamic Analysis ◽  
Model Driven ◽  
The Core ◽  
Mobile Software ◽  
Cross Platform ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Software Modernization ◽  
High Degree

Smartphones are at the core of new paradigms such as cloud computing, pervasive computing, and internet of things. Frequently, the development of mobile software requires adaptation of valuable and tested non-mobile software. In this context, most challenges are related to the diversity of platforms on the smartphones market and to the need of systematic and reusable processes with a high degree of automation that reduce time, cost, and risks. To face these challenges, this chapter presents an analysis of non-mobile software modernization through an integration of MDE (model-driven engineering) with cross-platform development. Two approaches are analyzed. One of them is a lightweight process that combines MDA (model-driven architecture) with traditional static and dynamic analysis techniques of reverse engineering. The other approach is based on ADM (architecture-driven modernization) standards. A scenario for the migration of C/C++ or Java software through the multiplatform Haxe language is described.

VIII. On the structure and development of the skull in the ostrich tribe

1866 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 113-183 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
The One ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Very High

T he present paper is intended to be the first of a series on the Anatomy of the Vertebrate Skull; and I have chosen the cranium and face of the Ostriches as a startingpoint, principally because of the mid position of these birds in the vertebrate subkingdom, and, in some degree also, because of their generalized character. Indeed, to any one familiar, on the one hand, with the structure of the skull in the higher mammalian types, and on the other with that of the osseous fishes, the skull of an Ostrich is interesting and important in a very high degree; serving, at it does, as a key to open up the meaning of parts so extremely unlike as the true homologues in the Fish and in the Mammal often are. And further, whilst aiding the anatomist in revealing the true morphological counterparts in the highest, as compared with the lowest types, the skull of an ostrich does also form a link of the utmost value for connecting together that of a cold-blooded and that of a warm-blooded creature.

Mire vegetation in the basin of the Muroyagun River (Surgut Polesje, West Siberia)

2003 ◽  
pp. 62-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. Smagin
Keyword(s):  
Field Research ◽  
West Siberia ◽  
River Valley ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Core ◽  
Mire Vegetation ◽  
Poor Fen ◽  
Vegetation Complexes ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Descriptive Survey

The author’s field research, performed in July 2000, was aimed at the descriptive survey of the diversity of mire vegetation in the poorly known West Siberian area, the so called Surgut Polesje. The palsa ridge-and-lake and palsa ridge-and-pool bog complexes dominate the area landscape. Such bogs make for the core of vast and heterogeneous mire systems, the other elements of the latter being transitional bogs and treeless or wooded fens. The mire systems are separated from each other only by rivers; the fens are located on river valley slopes. The following mire vegetation complexes (mire sites) were described: 1) oligotrophic palsa ridge-and-lake or palsa ridge-and-pool; 2) palsa ridge-and-hollow; 3) meso­trophic or heterotrophic aapa-mire; 4) mesotrophic-eutrophic sedge or sedge-peatmoss poor fen; 5) wooded sedge fen with low Betulatortuosa; 6) wooded sedge fen with one or two layers of Pinussibirica and Betulapubescens. The investigated mire vegetation displays a high degree of syntaxonomical diversity, belonging to the 4 classes, Oxycocco-Sphagnetea, Scheuchzerio-Cariceteanigrae, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea,and Alneteaglutinosae, with 4 orders, 6 alliances, and 8 associations, listed in the tables. There are no rare communities in the area, to the possible exception of some types of wooded sedge fens. The mire system margins along rivers and flowing lakes seem to be potentially most interesting for a vege­tation scientist.

scholarly journals De Traditionele Hofhouding Bij de bin Kanyok van Zaire

Afrika Focus ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 21-63
Author(s):  
Patrick Wymeersch
Keyword(s):  
Political System ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
The Other ◽  
Political Organization ◽  
The Political ◽  
Royal Family ◽  
Royal Court ◽  
The One ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Very High

The Traditional Royal Court Among the bin Kanyok of Zaire This description represents what was more or less an ideal conception of political organization and kingship before the colonial period. If the traditional systems of ruling still remain, the material symbolism of kingship disappeared mostly in the scene of daily life in the king’s large capital. Looking at the political organization, two seemingly contradictory features emerge. On the one hand, there are the politically quasi-independent lineages living in the villages. The chief or eldest of a lineage is at the same time chief of the whole village. On the other hand, there is the formal political organization, build on a hierarchical model and imposed from the top. This political system is notable for its very high degree of centralization, and especially for the strong authority and power of the divine king. For the purpose of government, the kingdom is divided into sub-districts, containing several villages of an area, districts and provinces. They all depend, in hierarchy,from the capital. The capital accommodates most of the members of the royal family, numerous wives and children from the king and the ministers. The king’s compound, standing in the middle of the capital, is surrounded by a fence. This compound is divided into four specific parts and contains several houses and the palace of the king. On both sides of the royal compound, there is a main street where the ministers and their families live. The king’s person is surrounded by a number of taboos. No one could see him eat in his private kitchen. The principal problem in the political organization is that of the administering the rest of the Kanyok empire, of keeping as a political unit a population divided into autonomous lineages. The model that is followed is, in general, typical of the kingdoms of the southern savanna belt of Zaire. Therefore the structure is pyramidal: the king at the apex delegates his power and authority to the governors. Their position duplicates that of the king, but on a smaller scale. The king is assisted by his ministers to whom he assigned highly specific functions. The king still remains the main focus for all the Bin Kanyok.

Bearing Witness in Great Britain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Dilbeck
Keyword(s):  
Great Britain ◽  
The Other ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Bearing Witness ◽  
Church Of Scotland ◽  
Free Church ◽  
The Core

This chapter describes Douglass’s extended speaking tour of Great Britain following the publication of his first autobiography. It shows how Douglass’s time abroad helped solidify the core convictions of his prophetic Christian faith. Attention is paid to two particular religious controversies related to slavery embroiling Great Britain at the time—one concerning the Free Church of Scotland, the other concerning the Evangelical Alliance.

scholarly journals Exploring the language layer of the dānastuti genre

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-105
Author(s):  
Georges-Jean Pinault
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Poetic Language ◽  
The Core ◽  
Distinct Part ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Made In

Abstract The linguistic variedness of the ancient Vedic texts is a well-known fact. This can be observed within the Ṛgveda itself, the most ancient collection of hymns, and if one compares the language of the Ṛgveda with that of the Atharvaveda. Glimpses of Vedic dialects can be detected in several passages and words, although the poetic language displays a high degree of convention and normalisation. Among the hymns of the Rigveda few specific features can be attributed to the different families of bards, even though one can surmise that they belonged to different regions of the Vedic world. It is also likely that some families or so-called “branches” were linguistically mixed. The hymns resort to different genres of discourse. The dānastuti, lit. ‘praise of the gift’, marks a distinct part of the poetic competence. The passages in question, which are often limited to a single stanza, although others are more developed, making up a substantial part of the poem, are devoted to praise of the generosity of the patron, who is expected to reward the poet appropriately for his work. A comprehensive survey of these parts of the hymns of the Rigveda was made in the dissertation of Manilal Patel (1929), a student of Karl F. Geldner. This meritorious book describes mostly cultural, historical and ritual features. On the other hand, the familiar, and in cases crude or mischievous, tone of these pieces has been noted by several commentators of the Rigveda. It would be too simple, however, to consider that these parts faithfully reflect everyday speech. The paper aims to explore the linguistic traits of the dānastutis which contrast with the standard layer of the Ṛgvedic language at all levels: phonology, morphology, syntax, vocabulary. On the level of stylistics and poetics, it will be shown that the phraseology of the dānastutis relies on sophisticated devices derived from the standard phraseology which was used otherwise for the praise of the gods and goddesses in the core of the hymns.

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