THE ORTHODOX IDEALS OF THE "SILVER AGE" OF RUSSIAN POETRY: A. BLOK'S "POEMS ABOUT RUSSIA", N. GUMILEV'S "QUIVER"

В статье исследуются православные идеалы А. А. Блока и Н. С. Гумилёва, ярких представителей поэтического поколения конца 19 - начала 20 века, изучавших Закон Божий, в котором излагались общечеловеческие принципы мирного существования людей планеты Земля. Нагорная проповедь Иисуса Христа для поэтов - Новозаветный закон любви о путях и делах, через которые человек сможет войти в Царство Божие, то есть спасти свою душу. Для Блока и Гумилёва божественный «кодекс» совести не утратил своей актуальности: о неосуждении («Не судите, и не будете судимы; не осуждайте, и не будете осуждены»), о прощении («Прощайте, и прощены будете»), о любви к врагам («Любите врагов ваших, благословляйте проклинающих вас, благотворите ненавидящих вас и молитесь за обижающих вас и гонящих вас, да будете сынами Отца вашего Небесного»), об отношении к ближним («Во всём, как хотите, чтобы с вами поступали люди, так поступайте и вы с ними»), о силе молитвы («Просите, и дано будет вам; ищите и найдёте; стучите, и отворят вам») [Библия, 1990, с. 4 - 8] и другие заповеди. The article examines the Orthodox ideals of A. Blok and N. Gumilyov, prominent representatives of the poetic generation of the late 19 - early 20 centuries, who studied the Law of God, which set out the universal principles of the peaceful existence of people on our planet Earth. The sermon on the mount of Jesus Christ for poets is the new Testament law of love about the ways and works through which a person can enter the Kingdom of God, that is, save his soul. For Blok and Gumilyov, the Divine "code" of conscience has not lost its relevance: about non - condemnation ("do not judge, and do not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned"), forgiveness ("Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven"), love for enemies ("Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father in Heaven"), the attitude towards the others ("In everything as want that with you people acted, so do you also to them"), about the power of prayer ("Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you") and the other commandments [1, p. 4 - 8].

Upaya Transformasi Masyarakat Indonesia Pada Era Masyarakat 5.0 Berdasarkan Ajaran Yesus tentang Kerajaan Allah

Terkoneksinya antara dunia fisik dengan dunia digital sebagai ciri dari Masyarakat 5.0 memicu perubahan-perubahan kultur dalam kehidupan masyarakat. Hal ini memerlukan respons Gereja yang berbeda, baik pada konteks teologi maupun praksis transformasi. Upaya transformasi terlihat cenderung bersifat parsial, di antara pengutamaan pemberitaan Injil atau tanggungjawab sosial. Hal ini terjadi karena adanya tarik menarik pengaruh teologi yang bersifat membedakan (polarization) ataupun menyamakan (equalization) diantara keduanya, sehingga dampak transformasi kurang optimal. Dibutuhkan model upaya transformasi yang bersifat integratif dan relevan. Penelitian mencoba mengkaji kehadiran Kristus dalam menyatakan Kerajaan Allah tidak sebatas berita pertobatan juga melibatkan diri-Nya dalam pergumulan sosial masyarakat. Praksis-Nya melampaui upaya ekualisasi ataupun polarisasi tetapi menekankan urgensi integrasi keduanya. Praksis ini akan ditawarkan menjadi model transformasi masyarakat di Indonesia. Penelitian dilakukan melalui metode hermeneutika dengan memberi tekanan pada analisis historis dan sosial terhadap beberapa bagian teks tertentu dalam Injil berkenaan dengan kehadiran Kerajaan Allah yang digagas Yesus.The connection between the physical world and the digital world as a characteristic of Society 5.0 has triggered cultural changes in the lives of society. These cultural changes will require a different Church response, be it in theological context as well as transformation praxis. The existing transformation efforts is often seen as partial, between prioritizing the preaching of the gospel or social responsibility. This is due to the tug-of-war effect between the two theological influences with differentiating nature (polarization) or equalizing nature (equalization), so that the transformation impact is perceived as nonoptimal. A model of transformative effort that is integrative and relevant is needed. The research tries to examine the presence of Christ in proclaiming the Kingdom of God which was not only limited to conveying the message of repentance but also involved Himself in the social struggles of society. His praxis go beyond equalization or polarization and instead emphasize the urgency of the integration of the two. This praxis will be offered as a society transformation model in Indonesia. This research is conducted by hermeneutic method with emphasize on historical and social analysis towards certain texts of the Bible regarding the presence of the Kingdom of God initiated by Jesus.

The banquet of the kingdom

The use of virtual liturgy during the pandemic has shown dedication on the part of both clergy and laity. Employing virtual means to do this, however, presents questions and concerns about the nature of the Church and the eucharist in their eschatological dimension. This article explores this dimension and how it relates to the practice of virtual liturgy. In this article, the author describes the early eucharist as a meal involving physical bodies gathered to eat physical food and examines the meal as an anticipation of the kingdom of God, referring to literary and archeological examples and reviewing its historical tendency to be abridged into something immaterial. In the final section, the author notes how this history of abridgement, including virtual eucharists, destroys its eschatological dimension while promoting an individualistic, clericalist, and consumerist spirituality. A summary and suggestions for the better use of virtual media close the article.

The Meaning of Freedom and the Kingdom of God: A Struggle against the Fetishization of Our Present World

In their respective contexts of Roman empire and global neoliberal capitalism, the Jesus movement and the Zapatistas announce that another world is possible and that this world has irrupted in the struggle for that other possible world. This article argues that the practical and theoretical work of the Zapatistas offers to theologians a way to articulate the meaning of the kingdom of God as a world of hope and struggle that is actualized in and informed by struggles to resist fetishization.

Die koninkryk van God in die Ou Testament: ’n Kort oorsig

The kingdom of God in the Old Testament: A brief survey. The kingdom of God is a central concept in the teaching of Jesus, but the question posed by this article is the following: What does the Old Testament say about the kingdom of God? Several Old Testament terms convey the concept of kingdom, kingship and rule of God. This article focuses on the Hebrew and Aramaic ‘technical’ terms for kingdom: mamlākâ, malkût, mělûkâ and malkû. One finds only a few Old Testament references where these terms are directly connected to God, most of them in the post-exilic literature: 1 Chronicles 17:14; 28:5; 29:11; 2 Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 22:29; 103:19; 145:11–13; Daniel 2:44; 3:33 (4:3); 4:31 (4:34); 6:27; 7:14, 18, 27; Obadiah 21. A brief study of these specific references leads to a few preliminary conclusions: The kingdom of God refers to a realm and the reign of God, the God of the kingdom is depicted in different ways, God’s kingdom is eternal and incomparable with earthly kingdoms, the scope of the kingdom is particularistic and universalistic, the Old Testament testifies about a kingdom that is and one that is yet to come, et cetera. It seems that there is no real difference when comparing the ‘kingdom of God’ with the ‘God is King’ passages. One cannot unequivocally declare that ‘kingdom of God’ is the central concept in the Old Testament. However, we must acknowledge that Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom of God did not evolve in a vacuum. His followers probably knew about the Old Testament perspective on the kingdom of God.Contribution: The concept ‘kingdom of God’ is relevant for the church in South Africa, especially congregations who strive to be missional. Unfortunately, the Old Testament perspective was neglected in the past. The purpose of this brief survey is to stimulate academics and church leaders in their further reflection on the kingdom of God.

The Spirit in Matthew

It is clear that the Spirit of God plays a very important role in Matthew’s account. It is also important to note that Matthew refers to the Spirit in ways that are distinctive. For example, among the evangelists only Matthew speaks of the Spirit of God, and Matthew is unique in the NT in referring to the Spirit of the Father. This manner of nuancing the Spirit is analogous to the varied ways in which Matthew describes the kingdom, a concept qualified by such terms as “heaven,” “God,” “Father,” and “Son of Man.” This similarity is appropriate since a further unique feature of the Gospel is that Matthew alone decisively associates the Spirit of God with the presence of the kingdom of God. This discussion will focus first on Jesus’s experience of the Spirit and then on the work of the Spirit in the redemptive or kingdom activity of Jesus.

“Let the Children Come to Me…For unto Them, the Kingdom of God Belongs” Mk 10:13-16: The Pastoral Challenges of this Invitation in African Church Today

Africa is blessed with an overwhelming population of young people, who in the words of the African Synod Fathers, constitute its “numerical strength” but unfortunately, these have been kept in the cold, marginalized, exploited for selfish aims, manipulated and misled by political demagogues (Mbuy, 2001). Against this kind of backdrop the Gospel of Mark 10: 13-16 offer us a concrete, practical and pastoral way of welcoming the young people as Jesus did and giving them a sense of belonging. When I look back at some experiences I am touched by the attitude of Jesus when he said, ‘let the children come to me’… and then I ask, how can the Church be available and say the same, ‘let the young people come to me’? Many young people want to encounter the Lord through different forms of apostolate but maybe there are no serious youth apostolates or they are lazy to things of God or they had dreadful experiences of not being allowed to get near Jesus. Why? Perhaps, it is the attitudes of Jesus’ disciples. In most of our Churches is this not the common attitude of some of our pastors? But Jesus irrespective of what and who they are said “Bring the children to me.”