scholarly journals Karol Wojtyła’s Philosophy on the Issue of Modernity

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-185
Author(s):  
Alfred Marek Wierzbicki

Karol Wojtyła’s anthropology is characterised by a synthesis of objectivity and subjectivity, and his combination of aletheic and agapic notions. By accepting the modern anthropological turn, on the one hand, he attempted in his works a synthesis of the classic philosophy of being with the philosophy of awareness, and, on the other, he strived to correct the extreme anthropocentrism of modern thought. The author of the article analysed the relationship between Wojtyła’s concept of awareness and subjectivity with the personalistic style of John Paul II’s ministry of “man as the basic path of the Church.” The other pillar of the analysis is the question about the meaning of human freedom. In Wojtyła’s thought and in the teachings of John Paul II, any discussion of freedom as the basic property of a personal being was combined with a reflection on its ethical dimension.

1985 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 135-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Hunter

To speak of ‘atheism’ in the context of early modern England immediately invites confusion, and it is for this reason that I shall place the word in inverted commas throughout this paper. On the one hand, I intend to deal with what a twentieth-century reader might expect ‘atheism’ to imply, namely overt hostility to religion. On the other, I want to consider at some length the profuse writings on ‘atheism’ that survive from the period: in these, as we shall see, the word if often used to describe a much broader range of phenomena, in a manner typical of a genre which often appears frustratingly heightened and rhetorical. Some might argue that this juxtaposition displays—and will encourage—muddled thought. But, on the contrary, I think that it is precisely from such a combination that we stand to learn most. Not only are we likely to discover how contemporaries experienced and responded to the threat of irreligion in the society of their day. In addition, by re-examining the relationship between the real and the exaggerated in their perceptions of such heterodoxy, we may be able to draw broader conclusions about early modern thought.


2021 ◽  
pp. 163-188
Author(s):  
Paola Guglielmotti

The essay addresses the problem of the relationship between large aristocratic families and “noble parishes” in Genoa, by considering the case of the Doria and the church of San Matteo, founded in 1125 and whose reconstruction was planned in 1278. On the one hand, three qualifying aspects of the Doria kinship are examined in order to understand the role of the small church in enhancing the coordination of the group: i.e., positions of leadership and command in the maritime city and in its government; dispersion and presence outside Genoa; numerical strength, residence and leadership. On the other hand, the article considers the insertion of San Matteo in the monastic network (not only in Liguria) headed by the abbey of San Fruttuoso, and how its reconstruction allowed for the diversification of the large family internal and external relevance. The conclusion, thanks to the comparison with the experiences of other important urban families, shows the uniqueness of this case study and how broader and more systematic comparisons should be made, even outside the Genoese context.


2021 ◽  
pp. 191-205
Author(s):  
Tomasz Nawracała

The long pontificate of John Paul II was a time for the Church to continue reflecting on the fundamental themes that constitute the identity of the community of Christ’s disciples. Among many subjects, the priesthood appears to be a special topic: on the one hand, through the pope himself and his pastoral activity, and on the other - through a series of documents devoted to the priesthood. This article will present the person of Christ as a priest since it is the starting point for reflection on the priesthood as such. In the mind of the Polish Pope, Christ is the only priest who connects His priesthood with the sacrifice on the cross. This sacrifice includes the perfection of mediation between God and people, and simultaneously, the completion of what Christ possesses eternally as the Son. Sonship, mediation and the priesthood are topics that should be considered together as they not only interpenetrate but also complement each other. Such a broad approach to the subject, however, is limited to the analysis of the Letters to priests for Maundy Thursday.


2018 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Tiziana Faitini

This article focuses on the exegetical interpretation of Luke's narrative of the census (or registration) carried out at the time of Jesus's birth (Luke 2: 1–5). After some brief remarks on the juridical institution of the census (the so-calledprofessio census) in ancient Rome, a selection of the exegetical interpretations of this pericope developed by various ancient and medieval authors is presented. Origen, Ambrose, Orosius, Bede and Bonaventure are discussed, among others. A number of medieval authors, including Dante Alighieri and Bartolus of Saxoferrato, are also considered. The analysis argues, on the one hand, that a spiritualization of the institution of the census occurred and led to the spiritual empire of Christ being seen as replacing the temporal empire of Augustus; on the other, that reference to this institution was used to legitimize political authority in the eyes of believers. This interpretative tradition is thus shown to offer a vivid example of the close intertwining of theological and juridical concepts and practices which has characterized the relationship between the Church and empire from the former's very beginning.


Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 622
Author(s):  
Judit Farkas

One of the reasons for the spread of the Western Hare Krishna movement is that it offers several alternatives for the practice of religion: devotees can be full-fledged members of the church in congregations located in complex urban or in simple rural contexts. An example of the latter is Krishna Valley, where approximately 130 Krishna-devotees live austere lives. My paper presents the interpretations of this settlement concentrating on (multiple) internal (emic) views: On the one hand, I will show how the leadership of the church contextualizes and interprets Krishna Valley and how they wish the inhabitants to conceptualize it. On the other hand, I will also show what Krishna Valley means for its ordinary inhabitants and what interpretations those living there attach to it. When I was gathering material for the current paper, Krishna Valley was in flux. The settlement has always favored following a sustainable lifestyle but—due in part to the strengthening of the Hungarian eco-village movement—it was at this time that the conceptualization of Krishna Valley as an eco-village gained momentum. This was the heyday of the Eco Valley Foundation, which was to strengthen the eco-village aspect of the Valley, and in the communication of Krishna Valley the ecological aspect became paramount, drowning out all other interpretations. Not all inhabitants of the village welcomed this change and in response some began to emphasize the interpretation of Krishna Valley as a sacred place. In the current paper, I will present these two processes and the relationship between them through the lens of the interpretations of the members of the community.


Ecclesiology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-178
Author(s):  
Adrian Suter

Old Catholic theologians have often underlined the relationship between papal supremacy and infallibility and the priority of the former: the pope has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, therefore he must be obeyed; but at the same time, he may be obeyed, because he will not mislead the Church due to his infallibility. This article analyses this relationship, applying differentiations on two axes: on the one hand, Bocheński’s typology of epistemic and deontic authority; on the other hand, the notions of personal, formal and constitutional authority. The fact that the infallibility dogma of Vatican i considers papal authority at the same time as epistemic and constitutional authority, is identified as a major weakness of the dogma. The article will then approach the question how church leaders should practise their deontic authority in a context where their (and everybody else’s) epistemic authority is considered to be fallible.


Horizons ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd A. Salzman ◽  
Michael G. Lawler

ABSTRACTArchbishop Bernardin recommended that, in the relationship between magisterium and theologians, two extremes are to be avoided. On the one hand, there should be no imperialism on the part of the magisterium, co-opting theologians merely as mouthpieces for magisterial teachings. On the part of theologians, on the other hand, there should be no secession from the magisterium that would give theologians absolute autonomy and freedom from accountability. This essay analyzes the diverse charisms of magisterium and theologians and argues that they are complementary and that both parties should relate in the dialogue of charity recommended for ecumenical discussions in Pope John Paul II's Ut Unum Sint. This dialogue of charity, the essay further argues, should not be restricted to only magisterium and theologians but should embrace also, for upbuilding the Church, the entire People of God journeying together to the Holy Mystery.


2018 ◽  
pp. 49-66
Author(s):  
Janusz Królikowski

The discovery of universal freedom is an achievement of Saint Paul, and an achievement of the Church is a consequent propagation of this fact throughout the centuries. The Christian character of this discovery was already noticed by Hegel. In today’s world, so strongly marked by the search of freedom it is necessary to reiterate the Christian vision of freedom which is a universal one. This vision is profoundly theological in character and deeply rooted in the mystery of redemption brought by Jesus Christ. This article touches upon this fact and points out its certain aspects, especially the soteriological one. Bearing in mind the theology of freedom we cannot ignore its abundant anthropological references. The article recalls the proposition of St. Thomas Aquinas, which has been largely accepted by Catholic theology and constitutes a benchmark of anthropological philosophy which has a special application in ethics. Christian tradition stresses the fact that for a human, freedom is above all “a vocation”. Therefore, on the one hand God’s definite design through Jesus Christ concerning man has to find its eschatological realization, on the other hand man’s freedom which is solidifying in this design has to revel and show itself to the full. Undoubtedly, the eschatological issue in Christian vision of freedom is worth mentioning as well.


Horizons ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-403
Author(s):  
James T. Bretzke

Many observers detect a noticeable change in tone and practice between the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI on the one hand, and that of Francis on the other, a shift from what some have called a more rigorously doctrinal and juridical approach to a more inclusive and pastoral one. This change has been dubbed “the Francis Effect,” and numerous commentators have attempted to discern its fundamental characteristics and its impact on the wider church. This roundtable, based on a “reading of the Roman tea leaves” first proposed by James T. Bretzke, SJ, at the 2015 College Theology Society Annual Convention and revised for this issue, offers an interpretation that focuses on the service (munus) of teaching and governing exercised by the pope and its practical impact on the church. In their responses to Bretzke, Julie Hanlon Rubio and Reid Locklin explore this impact further and point out both the strengths and the limits of the Francis Effect.1


Author(s):  
Dariusz Tabor

The medieval bronze doors and its pictorial cycles as an expression of liturgy: analysis of selected examples The principal goal of this paper is to discovery a relationship between pictorial pro-grams of bronze doors of some european churches and the liturgy celebrated in these churches. There is a group of doors, that have been decorated with images represent-ing scenes of Old and New Testament. These are doors from Hildesheim, Verona, Płock and doors made by Bonanus of Pisa – from cathedrale of Pisa and cathedrale of Dariusz Tabor CR122 Monreale. Its pictorial cycles reveal some balance between images of Old and images of New Testament. On the one hand the Old Testament pictures seems to forecast the events of New Testament. On the other hand the doors of Płock, Piza and Monreale have strictly christological image program, although at the beginning of narative Old Testament elements were also introduced. All these programs are the result of the theological knowledge and sensitivity of clergymen, who designed them at that time. Lech Kalinowski interpreted church doors as a symbole of Christ. However only the alegorical interpetation of liturgy, having its origine in the carolingian culture, can give answer to the question on the relationship between images of doors and liturgy. The course of liturgy and its acts were understood as a recontrsuction of events of Christ’s life. So the background of the pictorial, christological cycles of bronze doors was a christological interpretation of the liturgy. However it is not only the matter of presenting the episods of life of Christ, but also of visualization of two mysteries – the Mystery of Incarnation and the Mystery of Salvation. The Gniezno door with the life cycle of saint Afdalbert, th doors of Trani and of Ravello, made by Barisanus, where hagiographic and symbolic representations predominate, as well as the door of Augsburg, whose symbolic images make many difficulties in reading them, are the exceptions and special cases. There are considerable difficulties in finding theirs connections to the liturgy celebrated in the church. Therefore they must be researched in a special way in the future


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