scholarly journals Manifesting the Sacred: John La Farge’s The Lampbearer as a Model for Catholic Presence in the World

Lumen et Vita ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin LaBadie

What does it mean for the Church to be in the world? In this paper, I propose that it means for the Church to be sacred, i.e., all Catholics are called to live sacredly. How is the sacred defined? To answer this question, I look to the American artist, John La Farge (1835-1910), whose works are currently being displayed at Boston College's McMullen Museum. The exhibition examines La Farge's "lifelong efforts to visualize the sacred." Given this, I offer a theological reflection on La Farge's painting of the Wise Virgin in order to elucidate what it means to live sacredly: being in tension between the transcendent and the imminent. In other words, to live sacredly means to be attentive, patient, and faithful to the ultimate coming of God's kingdom, yet also to be present, patient, and concerned with the practical worldly challenges of today. This sacredness begins to manifest God's love and kingdom on Earth even if there is still a longing for God’s full glory which is not yet present. This is how the Church is to be in the world. The Church should be attentive to the numerous challenges on Earth while remembering her ultimate end is union with God in Heaven. To forget this latter point would make the Church a mere NGO detached from God while to forget the former would make the Church an arthritic institution detached from those who suffer. Therefore, all Catholics are called to live in the tension between the transcendent and the imminent.

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 526-535
Author(s):  
Cindy Bolden

Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well is a paradigmatic text for the Church, showing new possibilities for how the Church can engage the world, specifically engagement through invitational conversation and acts of charity at modern-day community wells. A Place at the Table is a pay-what-you-can café in Raleigh, North Carolina. Patrons can pay the suggested price, less than the suggested price, redeem a token worth the cost of a meal, or pay by volunteering at the café. Patrons who are able to “pay it forward” can further support the mission by tipping or buying meal tokens for others. At this café, a space reminiscent of an ancient “community well,” thirsty travelers receive the life-giving waters of acceptance, connection, and sustenance. The custom of hospitality is a life-giving and transformational practice for the Church, a viable and tangible way to connect with its neighbor and draw all persons into the experience of God’s love.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason S. Sexton

This article considers the nature of public theology by assessing essential features of western public space and precisely how Christian confession takes shape in those contexts. In doing so the article argues that instead of understanding theology as something done primarily from the church to the world, perhaps it is best acknowledged that theology is done within the setting of common societal structures, in particular locations and in situations where believers are enabled to confess the hope within them. An understanding of this dynamic nature of Christian confession and the variegated expositions of theological reflection corresponds to the dynamic expressions of faith, in word and deed, which correspond to the Christian missionary impulse.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-101
Author(s):  
Robert P. Menzies

AbstractIn this article, Menzies notes that Reformed theologians have tended to read Luke's writings in the light of Paul's epistles. As a result, their theological reflection on the Spirit has centered more on his work in the Word and sacraments, the 'inner witness' of the Spirit, and less on his mission to the world. Additionally, this methodology has encouraged Reformed scholars to associate the Pentecostal gift (i.e. Spirit baptism) with conversion and regeneration. However, through an examination of key passages in Luke-Acts, Menzies argues that Luke has a unique contribution to make to a holistic biblical theology of the Spirit. Luke's understanding of baptism in the Holy Spirit is different from that of Paul. It is missiological rather than soteriological in nature. The Spirit of Pentecost is, in reality, the Spirit for others - the Spirit that compels and empowers the church to bring the 'good news' of Jesus to a lost and dying world. It is this Lukan, missiological perspective that shapes a Pentecostal understanding of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Menzies concludes that the clarity and vigor of Luke's message is lost when his narrative is read through Pauline lenses. Luke has a distinctive voice and it is a voice the church needs to hear.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2(16)) ◽  
pp. 167-181
Author(s):  
Ignacy Bokwa

Nowadays pluralistic theology of religion is rightly regarded as one of the greatest threats to Christianity. It specifically concerns Christology. A threat to the Christian belief in the Trinity, which is created by pluralistic theology of religion, is seen more rarely. Many scholars consider pluralistic theology of religion as a further step of the modern fight against Christianity and the Church. The increasing spread of religions of the Far East plays a significant role. Pluralistic theology of religion refers to the basic ideas of Buddhism, trying to create a universal religion of the world. Pluralist theology of religion treats every religion of the world with affection- with the exception of Christianity. It is Christianity that is supposed to be tolerant and to adapt to other religions by means of losing its own identity. Pluralistic theology of religion relativizes the Person of Jesus Christ, undermining the uniqueness of the incarnation of God. Jesus of Nazareth was only a prominent man standing near Reality itself (God). Since Jesus Christ was not an ontological Son of God, the doctrine of the Trinity is being undermined. Representatives of pluralistic theology of religion reject the idea of a personal God, at the same time hitting in all monotheistic religions. From their point of view, God is for the human mind unattainable reality which no revelation is able to bring. Various religions are only stages of searching for the final Reality itself. Father, Son and Spirit are nothing more than a projection of human yearnings and religious pursuits. Faced with such claims, Christian theology cannot remain silent. One should be reminded of development of faith in the Triune God in the life of the Church. This is a theoretical- scientific dimension of the problem. It also has its practical and existential meaning. Although Immanuel Kant claimed that the doctrine of the Trinity has no practical importance, contemporary theological reflection presents a new aspect of this problem. Communio- theology comprehends the mystery of the Trinity as an event of constant communication in which Father gives Himself to the Son and so they create the Holy Spirit. The mystery of diversity reconciled in the unity stands at the beginning of every reality. The mystery of the Holy Trinity has its significance not only inside (life of the Church) but also outside (life of the secular, political and economic community). Nowadays the latter has a special meaning in particular. It is a theological and moral surface of the reflection, showing that one should not be afraid of multiplicity and diversity but treat them as an opportunity. In the era of new conflicts and divisions that are increasing and the renewal of the old traumas, it turns out that appeals of the representatives of pluralist theology of religion are fake and are supposed to challenge the principles of Christianity, whereas Christian theology offers modern societies interesting proposals acceptable not only for those who believe.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
José De Souza Paim ◽  
Pedro Iwashita

Resumo: Este é um estudo teológico sobre o mistério da Encarnação do Verbono pensamento do Papa Francisco como fundamento sobre o qual ele se apoiapara propor, a partir da Evangelli Gaudium, uma renovação eclesial inadiável1,uma Igreja em permanente estado de missão2, a partir do Evangelho, núcleocentral do anúncio, para a manifestação da beleza do amor de Deus, reveladoem Jesus Cristo morto e ressuscitado3. Para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisaserá feita a análise de alguns números da Constituição Dogmática Dei Verbumcom o fim de melhor explicitar a revelação divina e a encarnação como ápiceda revelação. O resultado desta pesquisa é ajudar na percepção que o Papatem do Concílio Vaticano II sobre a Igreja e sua dimensão pastoral no mundo ecomo ele, nos passos do Concílio, propor uma renovação eclesial.Palavras-chave: Revelação. Papa Francisco. Evangelii gaudium.Abstract: This is a theological study on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Wordin the thought of Pope Francis as the grounds on which he relies to propose,from Evangelii Gaudium, an unchanging ecclesial renewal (EG 27), a Church in permanent state of mission (EG 20), from the Gospel, the central nucleus ofthe announcement, for the manifestation of the beauty of God’s love, as well asrevealed in Jesus Christ died and resurrected (EG 36). For the development ofthis research some numbers of the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum will beanalyzed in order to better explain divine revelation and incarnation as the apexof the revelation. The result of this research is to help understand the Pope’s per-ception of the Second Vatican Council on the Church and its pastoral dimensionin the world and how he proposes an ecclesial renewal in the steps of the Council.Keywords: Revelation. Pope Francis. Evangelii gaudium.


Author(s):  
Heri Purwanto

AbstractThe mission will always change. This change occurs because of a shift in the mission paradigm in line with the context. The mission is not anymore understood and defined in a traditional, exclusive, and singular way, otherwise the mission needs to be modified to be more open, inclusive, and have multiple meanings. In fact, the mission will always follow its context and locality. The mission of the ecological vocation of the church is needed by the world amid the global ecological crisis and various natural disasters that occured at this time. One of factors that causes ecology crises and natural disasters is natural damaged. It is caused by human who does exploitation to the nature massively. Theologically, the church is called to work on God’s kingdom mission as a work of salvation for the world. The mission of salvation is not only for humans but also for whole of creation as a universal union with God. In implementing this ecological mission, Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia through the Mennonite Diakonia Service (MDS) have participated in carrying out various forms of the church’s mission, including ecological, as a church integral mission to overcome crisis and natural disasters in Indonesia. AbstrakMisi akan selalu mengalami perubahan. Perubahan ini terjadi karena adanya pergeseran paradigma misi seiring dengan konteksnya. Misi tidak lagi dipahami dan didefinisikan secara tradisional, eksklusif, dan tunggal. Sebaliknya, misi perlu dimodifikasi agar lebih terbuka, inklusif, dan memiliki banyak arti. Faktanya, misi itu akan selalu mengikuti konteks dan lokalitasnya. Misi panggilan ekologi gereja sangat dibutuhkan oleh dunia di tengah krisis ekologi global dan beragam bencana alam yang terjadi saat ini. Salah satu faktor yang menyebabkan krisis ekologi dan bencana alam adalah kerusakan alam yang terjadi berbagai tempat. Ini disebabkan oleh manusia yang melakukan eksploitasi terhadap alam secara besar-besaran. Secara teologis, gereja dipanggil untuk mengerjakan misi kerajaan Allah sebagai karya keselamatan bagi dunia. Maka, misi keselamatan itu bukan hanya bagi manusia tetapi juga bagi seluruh ciptaan sebagai kesatuan universal dengan Tuhan. Dalam menjalankan misi ekologis, Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia melalui Mennonite Diakonia Service (MDS) turut serta menjalankan berbagai bentuk misi gereja, termasuk ekologis, sebagai misi integral gereja untuk mengatasi krisis ekologi dan bencana alam di Indonesia.


2020 ◽  
pp. 294-315
Author(s):  
Елена Владимировна Копыл

Во второй части статьи продолжается исследование богословской мысли о святых местах Палестины, представленной в сочинениях выдающихся агиографов палестинского монашества VI-VII вв.: в «Житии прп. Феодосия Киновиарха» авторства епископа Феодора Петрского, в серии житий, составленных Кириллом Скифопольским, и в «Луге духовном» блж. Иоанна Мосха. В свете патристической традиции рассматривается содержание нравственно-аскетических и экзегетических тем этого раздела богословия, среди которых: 1) святые места как жизненная среда палестинских подвижников; 2) поклонение святыням, бегство от мира и стремление к безмолвию как тройственный фактор притяжения подвижников в Палестину; 3) Авраам (см. Быт. 12, 1) как библейский прообраз монашеского удаления в Святую Землю и духовного странничества в свете тропологическо-буквальной экзегезы; 4) любовь Божия как нравственно-мистическое основание для пребывания вблизи Святого Града; 5) важность молитвы у святых мест, участия в таинствах и обрядах, а также поста как подготовительного подвига ко встрече со святыней; 6) нравственно-аскетические ограничения на пребывание у святых мест. Анализ нравственно-аскетических и экзегетических тем богословия святых мест выявляет в житийной литературе множественные следы интертекстуальности, позволяющие говорить о корпусе этих текстов как о проявлениях последовательной и живой патристической традиции. Обе части исследования позволяют сделать вывод о том, что её истоки следует видеть в богослужебной, экзегетической традиции, практике почитания святынь, а также догматическом и нравственно-аскетическом богословии палестинских и иных патристических авторов христианского Средиземноморья. The second part of this article continues the exploration of theological reflection on the holy places of Palestine in the works of these eminent hagiographers of Palestinian monasticism of the 6th-7th centuries: the Life of St. Theodosius by Theodore of Petra, a series of Lives compiled by Cyril of Scythopolis, and the Spiritual Meadow by John Moschus. In the light of patristic tradition a diverse range of moral, ascetical and exegetical topics of this theological field is examined, including: 1) the holy places as the living environment of Palestinian ascetics; 2) the veneration of the holy places, the flight from the world, and the desire for hesychia as a threefold factor of attraction to Palestine for ascetics; 3) Abraham (Gen. 12, 1) as a biblical typos of monastic retreat to the Holy Land and of the spiritual xeniteia in the light of tropological and literal exegesis; 4) God’s love as a moral and mystical basis for living near the Holy City; 5) the importance of prayer at the holy places, participation in sacraments and rituals, and fasting as a preparation for encounter with the holy places; 6) moral and ascetic restrictions on living at the holy places. This analysis of moral-ascetical and exegetical topics within the theology of the holy places attested in hagiographical literature shows multiple traces of intertextuality, which enables us to state that this theological reflection is a manifestation of a coherent and living patristic tradition. The two parts of this article seek to show that the origins of this theology flow from liturgical and exegetical traditions, the practice of venerating the holy places, and the dogmatic, moral, and ascetic theology of Palestinian and other patristic authors of the Christian Mediterranean.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-171
Author(s):  
Aris Elisa Tembay

Salah satu tugas gereja dan orang percaya adalah pekerjaan misi. Misi adalah semua kegiatan yang bertujuan untuk mengabarkan kematian dan kebangkitan Yesus Kristus sebagai pengorbanan untuk penebusan dosa manusia serta jaminan hidup yang kekal dalam nama-Nya. Jadi pekerjaan misi adalah Pengabaran Injil/penginjilan.Selanjutnya gereja bukan hanya mempunyai misi, tetapi seluruh kehidupan gereja itu adalah misi. Tugas memberitakan Injil adalah tugas setiap orang percaya. Gereja yang kuat dan bersinar adalah gereja yang bersedia pergi memberitakan kasih Allah kepada dunia, sehingga dunia mengalami kasih Allah. Sehingga masa depan dunia ada ditangan gereja. Gereja haruslah memiliki hati Allah. Tugas gereja memuridkan dan mengutus para murid untuk melaksanakan Mandat Agung Kristus. Maka, memberitakan kabar baik segala perbuatan dan karya Allah adalah tugas semua orang yang telah menerima anugerah keselamatan. Benih Injil haruslah terpancar dari semua aspek kehidupan orang percaya. Gereja yang kuat dan bertumbuh adalah gereja yang terlibat dalam pelaksanaan misi Allah bagi dunia. One of the tasks of the church and believers is missionary work. Mission is all activities aimed at proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for the atonement of human sins and the guarantee of eternal life in His name. So missionary work is evangelism / evangelism. Furthermore, the church does not only have a mission, but the whole life of the church is a mission. The task of preaching the gospel is the duty of every believer. A strong and shining church is a church that is willing to go to preach God's love to the world, so that the world experiences God's love. So that the future of the world is in the hands of the church. The church must have the heart of God. The task of the church is to make disciples and send disciples to carry out the Great Mandate of Christ. So, to preach the good news of all the deeds and works of God is the duty of all those who have received the gift of salvation. The seeds of the gospel must be emanated from all aspects of a believer's life. A strong and growing church is a church that is involved in carrying out God's mission for the world.


MELINTAS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-333
Author(s):  
Parsaoran Parhusip

In Christianity, incarnation marks the culmination of the manifestation of God’s love in the world. Through the historical presence of Jesus Christ in the world, salvation is made possible. The salvation of human beings not only addresses worldly issues, but also restores their inner dignity as God’s creation. The Christian doctrine of incarnation gives hope to those who are in the situation of oppression, suffering, and injustice. The presence of Jesus Christ through the incarnation realises God’s love in defending, saving, liberating, and elevating human dignity. This article sees incarnation as  an event in which God’s act of love is experienced by human beings. This event needs to be echoed by the Church today in its mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. The event of incarnation brings the image of the Church as God’s people who are liberated while still in pilgrimage on earth.


2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 879-899
Author(s):  
Kathleen McManus

The Catholic Church’s evangelizing and healing presence throughout the world also entails the unintended reinforcement of cultural forces of misogyny that contribute to the suffering of women. This presents an urgent ethical imperative for the church to examine and reform its patriarchal structures of decision-making, ministry, and worship. Ecofeminist epistemologies and Schillebeeckx’s theory of the proportional norm are employed in a movement through the steps of a theological reflection process that the author learned in collaboration with women theologians from Latin America. The symbolic paradigm guiding the movement is the Lukan Gospel’s bent-over woman, standing up straight and glorifying God.


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