Conversion as the Path to the Recovery of Humanity in the Context of St John Paul II’s Theology of Holiness

The study focuses on Pope John Paul II’s view of conversion as an essential aspect of holiness. It explores why he emphasises the personal conversion of a Christian to God, and in a broader context, how conversion relates to the recovery of humanity and human dignity. The reflection is based on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, especially as presented in the documents Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium. Conversion is viewed from the perspective of spiritual theology and the union between God and the human person and focuses on some related features from John Paul II’s ‘Trinitarian’ group of encyclicals. The reflection also examines the importance of Christian conversion to God as an internal process of transformation in the human person in the context of both internal ruptures and external existential threats.

An interdisciplinary perspective on the theology of masculinity

In contemporary academic discourse, there has been a strong tendency to shape theology according to a viewpoint based on the achievements of other sciences, especially those found in philosophy, psychology, sociology and anthropology. This has been particularly illustrated in the issue of masculinity. In this context, a question arises as follows: does theology have something to say to the social sciences? Or, does it only have to submit to them and simply fulfil the role of a commentator? The setting of this study has been the contemporary crisis in understanding masculinity, and the theological reflection that this situation calls for. To address this challenge, we have used a historical-analytical method in which we traced the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the concept of masculinity, with a special focus on modernity, in order to clearly understand the present state of the debate around masculinity.As a result, we have proposed some direction for future theological development, demonstrating that theology may also influence and inspire the other sciences. In conclusion, we have encouraged a deeper collaboration of various sciences that have already developed a reflection on masculinity, whilst avoiding unnecessary biases and simplification; we have sought to establish a better collaboration between feminist movements and theological reflection as well as making use of theology’s potential to inspire other sciences such as psychology, sociology and anthropology in this endeavour.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Using such an interdisciplinary collaboration, theology can supply a more positive and hope-giving picture of the contemporary male human being facing an identity crisis, as is demonstrated predominantly in the social sciences. Special attention to this topic has been given in Spiritual Theology.

Foundations of Practical Spiritual Theology: Walter Hilton as a Case Study in Retrieval

This article explores the relationships between spirituality, spiritual theology, and practical theology. It proposes a synthesis of these disciplines – practical spiritual theology – as a method and methodology for retrieving the wisdom of historical Christian mystics for the purposes of sustaining and inspiring the spiritual life of contemporary Christians. The 14th century English mystic, Walter Hilton, is used to illustrate this synthesis in practice.

“History” as a Category in Contemporary Spiritual Theology

This article aims to explore and justify the usefulness of the category “history” as used in spiritual theology. Following an introduction to the main subject, the initial section shows the importance and usefulness of this category in contemporary theology, as dealt with by the theology of history. In the main section, the article discusses four fields in which the category of “history” lends its functionality to spiritual theology: biblical spirituality, liturgical spirituality, worldly commitment, and spiritual development. This section also explains how the category of “history” is operative in each of these fields. The last section of the article is a synthetic outline of the results of the research.

K Platónově Ústavě v kontextu spirituální teologie Michal Altrichter

The text commenting on Plato´s Republic in the context of spiritual theology reflects the current state of critical studies of Plato´s Politeia and situates it to the context of spiritual theology. It makes use of the methodology of topic genesis and prefers pure Plato´s message to the analysis of interpretations of various schools in the history of Christian spirituality. It emphasizes spiritual mood of the contemporary human being in relation to recurring problems that are similar to those in Plato´s times: the spiritual ontology is prior to the political situation. The author of the text tries to connect the basic ontology of Plato to political descriptions. He avoids the evaluation of „anomalies“ intentionally, such as the communism of women, etc., because commenting on such particulars could conceal real Plato´s contribution to the history of spirituality.

Transforming Friendship: Thomas Aquinas on Charity as Friendship with God

This article argues that Thomas Aquinas’s definition of charity in the Summa Theologiae as ‘a kind of friendship’ represents a distinctive and theologically significant development of both the Aristotelian and the Christian monastic traditions on which he builds. By approaching his discussion of charity in the secunda secundae through the gateway of friendship, Thomas is able to characterize the spiritual vision of this portion of the Summa through a twofold movement of grace and participation. The shape of this twofold movement has an implicitly incarnational character, and thus points to the divine Subject of the Summa’s third and culminating volume. But the participatory aspect of this spiritual theology also reveals the indispensable role of the human person, and thus allows Thomas to offer a nuanced explanation of the ways that friendship with God relates to friendships with other human beings.

Vocation and Lifelong Spiritual Formation: A Christian Integrative Perspective on Calling in Mid-career

This qualitative study examined perceptions of calling among 35 U.S. mid-career missionaries. Participants indicated that calling is a lifelong process of listening to God. They also emphasized ongoing personal and spiritual formation as foundational to living a calling. Current theological and theoretical research is discussed and evaluated to develop an integrative Christian perspective on the source(s), nature, means, and enactment of calling. Findings argue for the development of a robust spiritual theology of calling.