Pseudoepigraph 'Epistula Apostolorum' and its place in the development of early church theology

The Epistle Apostolorum is a pseudo-epigraph created in the middle of the second century, which provides opportunities for insight into the developmental path of Christian theology. In this paper, we will try to show how the Christians of the first centuries tried to express their faith and the content of the tradition. The goal was to preserve both divine unity and divine multiplicity, while at the same time opposing Gnostic speculations and doctrinal attitudes. This process was not easy, nor was it devoid of many temptations and deviations, which this document confirms. It is precisely the theological shortcomings and ambiguities that we observe in this writing that can help us better understand the achievements of later generations of Church Fathers and theologians.

Monasty of Pokajnica

Pokajnica Church, a chapel of worship, belongs to important Serbian culturalhistorical monuments. From its construction (1818) until 1954, it was a parish Church for several settlements (Velika Plana, Staro Selo, Novo Selo, Radovanje and Rakinac). In time, these villages built their Churches, and Velika Plana was the last to receive its place of worship, today the Cathedral, only in 1952, when it was consecrated on 14th of July. Then came two periods, ie. forms of monasticism, male fraternity (1954-1992) and female sisterhood (from 1992 onwards).

Cultural heritage in Kosovo through the eyes of Rebecca West

A large part of our public is familiar with the name of the British-Irish author Rebecca West. Domestic journalism abounds with texts about the author due to her extremely positive writing about Serbs and Serbian culture. In the travelogue Black Lamb and the Gray Falcon, West expresses great admiration for our cultural heritage and understanding of our identity, which she identifies with the poem The Fall of the Serbian Empire. During her stay in Macedonia, she was introduced to Bishop Nikolaj, whom she considered one of the most extraordinary people she had ever met. In her travelogue, the author draws a comparison between the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 and England in 1939. In this paper, we will try to present her experience of monasteries in Kosovo, pointing to the fact that she considered herself different from other Western authors who, like herself, wrote about the Balkans.

Origen's Influence on Augustine's teaching of time

The question of time represents the litmus paper on which we can see the underlying ontological view of the author. Reconsideration of influences on this field can help us in better understanding of movement of main thought during the time of the orthodox theology formulation. In our research we have been dedicated to finding the connection and influence between Origen and blessed Augustine. This kind of research can help us improve our overview of theological relations between East and West during the first 4 centuries, because it questions the connection between two great names from history of theology. We will see how, with the help of semantic analysis, the connection between the two theologians is being established. Origens teaching of time represents one creative attempt to formulate Christian understandings in a language of different philosophical schools. In perceiving new influences on Augustines understanding of time, we can contribute to clearer consideration of his thought, which, in the words of Otten, has the strongest implicit influence in Western theology of the early middle age, and in our opinion, that influence is extended all up until today

Testimony of Eusebius of Caesarea on the origin of hellenic philosophy

Adjective Hellenic represents the usual national determinant for the overall philosophical thought of the ancient world. Hellenes' commitment to recording philosophical thoughts and historical events is really fascinating, but deeply problematic. We have noticed that the ancient writers dealt incomparably more with the originality of the so-called Hellenic thought than the official representatives of the present-day science do. In the writings of Eusebius of Caesarea, we witness a special commitment to this topic, which is why we cite his testimonies collected not only from Christian writings, but also from philosophical sources and traditions still alive in his time. From the attached material we can conclude that the adjective Hellenic m aybe called into question in the final determination of the origin of the basic philosophical principles of the ancient world. We find it useful to point out the present-day problematic use of the phrase Hellenic philosophy as to the domesticated terminus tehnicus (like the "ancient Greeks"). In the background of the mentioned syntagm, we recognize the centuries long attempt to im - pose a certain life paradigm in trying to change life orientation among our people, too. At this historical moment when the Christological paradigm of existence is being most seriously questioned, we must be aware of every spiritual and historical change that has occurred as a result of our insufficient ecclesiology, which has opened the way to insufficiently verified " facts" about God, man and the world around us.

Asymmetric symmetry of Christology: The question of the number and unity of wills in Christ according to the 'Discussion with Pyrrhus'

The doctrine of will or wills in Christ was a great challenge for theology in the 7th century. Understanding the dogmas that were formulated in previous centuries, but also the future of theology, depended on the outcome of the disputes between monothelites and diotelites. This work seeks to present the overall complexity that Saint Maximus the Confessor faced when formulating the doctrine of the two wills in Christ, as shown in the book Discussions with Pyrrhus. The extremes of Monophysitism and Nestorianism, skillfully used by the Monothelites, were a constant threat but also an incentive for a great step forward that highlighted the person of Christ as a central place for understanding controversial theological issues. Christological asymmetric symmetry is the result of the above.

Christology in the works of Justin the Philosopher and the Martyr

Justin the Philosopher and the Martyr is an important figure in the history of the early Christian church. This paper will present Justin's thought, which is essentially Christocentric. The originality of Justin's Christology lies in revising the notion of the Logos and giving that notion a new meaning - the Christian meaning. The basic claim from which Justin starts is that the Logos is Christ who is God. The Logos, although God, differs from the Father only numerically, not by nature. That is why one of the main determinations of God the Father is the First God, while the Logos is the Second God. The conclusions that are imposed about the consequences of Justin's Christology directly affect the life of every Christian and they are multiple; namely, they concern man's salvation (soteriological consequences), ecclesiological consequences (liturgical life), but also eschatological consequences (hopes for the event of the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead). The aim of this article is to shed light on the main features of Justin's Christology, through whose prism Justin derives other aspects of the Christian faith and thus positions man as a relational being, primarily determined by three relations: to God, to the world and to himself.

Medieval churches and monasteries of the Branicevo episcopacy in the first half of the 15th century

Based on Serbian medieval sources and early Turkish cadastral censuses, the paper reconstructs the scope of the Serbian medieval episcopate Branicevo and its schematism in the first half of the 15th century: the number of monasteries, parishes and churches.

Christian-orthodox view of the world and environmental problem

Pollution of environment and the irreversible destruction of nature has become the way of life of the modern world. The consequences of that are obviously tragic for human life and for the survival of the entire planet Earth. This article has an aim to answer the question: what can the Orthodox Church do to stop this problem, if it cannot regain what has already been lost? To answer this question, the author first analyzes the causes of the ecological catastrophe, and then offers a theological answer to the posed problem.