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Scholars have often focused on the doctrinal and canonical reasons for the lack of a just war tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The consensus seems to be that the Eastern Orthodox Church, for historical as well as theological reasons, has never developed a doctrine for the justification or the containment of war but was rather orientated to the question of peace (albeit without being pacifist) and the theological imperative of deification. There is, however, another reason why just war concerns never found fertile ground in Eastern Orthodoxy. Byzantine political theology carried an anarchistic theocratic dynamic that remained in tension with any effort to sanctify the Empire or its martyrs. Such a perspective has more in common (without being identical) with conceptualisations of just peace or just war as a tradition of ethical restraint on war rather than as a doctrine for the moral justification or legitimation of war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalation of ecclesial and religio-political conflicts since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has further complicated the convoluted ecclesial situation in Ukraine and has been addressed in a series of sermons, formal statements and documents issued by senior Russian and Ukrainian ecclesiastical figures. Their ideological and theological rhetoric demonstrates the active participation of senior Russian Orthodox clerics in the justification of the Russian military effort which represents some radical ruptures in Eastern Orthodox ecclesial involvement in war-making and mobilisation. The Moscow Patriarchate's war-legitimisation stances and policies have major repercussions for the current debates on and reconceptions of the Christian just-war tradition in the frameworks of just peace, peacebuilding and reconciliation, as well as the potential key role of Christian religious actors in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of the Russian state has been closely linked with the development of the autocephalous Russian Orthodox Church. Russian identity is deeply rooted in Orthodoxy: Russian literature, music, architecture and philosophy all bear a strong religious mark. The birth of the Russian state is also tied to the concept of Moscow as the Third Rome. Over time, the head of the Russian state has been invested with this mission to preserve orthodoxy embodied in Russian statehood. The attempts of the state to politicise religious institutions or to use religious teachings for political gains are not a new phenomenon and are certainly apparent to Russian Orthodoxy, including in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. The disturbing absence of distance displayed by the Church authorities towards the use of force has isolated the Patriarch, but has also triggered discontent within the ranks of the clergy. Dissonant voices have spoken regardless of the pressure exerted to silence them. In the complex history of State—Church relations, the symphony between the temporal and spiritual powers has fluctuated from complete subjugation of the Church under the authority of the State to a more autonomous and independent Church. On the margins of this volatile relationship, Orthodox believers and movements have always emerged to challenge both. This article pays tribute to the long tradition of dissonant Russian Orthodox voices and attempts to demonstrate the continuity of this tradition in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between the Orthodox Church and the state in Ethiopia has undergone various phases throughout the country's history. Emperor Haile Selassie, who came to power in 1930, sought to modernise Ethiopia by adopting Western educational and administrative systems. This included restructuring the Church administration to establish a centralised hierarchy for easier control. The military regime that seized power in 1974, inspired by Marxist and Leninist ideologies, showed strong hostility towards religion. When this regime took over the Patriarchate in Addis Ababa, Church administration shifted back to influential monasteries in rural Ethiopia, leading to a period of reduced activity, often termed hibernation. Communist propaganda which aimed at secularising the urban youth population gained some traction until the regime's overthrow in 1991 following the collapse of the USSR. The quasi-democratic regime of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, which took power in 1991–92, liberated all religious communities from political suppression. They introduced an ethnic federalism system, dividing the country into states based on ethnicity. However, this regime later faced accusations of favouring a single ethnic group, leading to the rise of the current oligarchical government in 2017. Consequently, the Orthodox Church saw a decline in its political influence. This paper examines these historical and political developments in relation to Church history to understand the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's role in past, present and future peace restoration efforts, particularly following recent conflicts in northern Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The war in Ethiopia is ongoing, causing immense bloodshed, destruction of infrastructure and displacement of people. Communities involved in war that experience gross violations of human rights and excessive violence are likely to experience long-term trauma and deep psychological consequences. Religious leaders could support conflict-affected communities by facilitating peacebuilding activities and trauma-healing. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), as a country-wide and prominent religious institution, would be in position to play such a role had it made efforts to promote dialogue and peace at the peak of the conflict and openly condemned the violence in Tigray. Instead, the inactivity of the Church leadership resulted in the Diocese in Tigray declaring its separation from the EOTC. The current paper seeks to examine the challenges that the Church leadership faces in encouraging dialogue and reconciliation in the country given the rifts it has experienced within. It also explores the ability of the Church leadership to influence state actors to make peace and to rehumanise those dehumanised by the politics of war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image of 'the people' has occupied a central place in the discourse of the contemporary Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) for many years. However, the ROC's ecclesiastical 'populism' has not been systematically analyzed. The study at hand aims to fill this gap by examining the representations of 'the people' articulated at the Bishops' Council of the ROC in the last three decades. Following and modifying Ernesto Laclau and his followers' approach to studying populism, the analysis of the Council's documents shows that the official Church plays a dual language game, simultaneously constructing a hegemonic order in Russia and its alleged 'civilizational space' and promoting a seemingly counter-hegemonic project in global politics. However, the role of 'the people' in this setting is far from Laclau's conception of radical popular agency. Instead, the Bishops' Council calls for the preservation of traditional identities and local hierarchies in order to ensure Russia's continuity and greatness. Thus, the official Church has been contributing to the elitist, statist, and great-power nationalist hegemony in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper undertakes an examination of the teachings of Dumitru Stăniloae, with a specific emphasis on his profound understanding of personal growth and the spiritual metamorphosis of the human soul. Stăniloae's viewpoint on these matters is carefully analyzed and placed within the broader context of Eastern Orthodox Christian theology. The paper examines Stăniloae perspective regarding the quest for illumination, emphasizing the profound expedition that individuals undergo as they endeavour for spiritual progression and inner metamorphosis. Moreover, it explores the practical implications of Stăniloae's teachings for individuals who are actively seeking personal development and a deeper comprehension of their spiritual existence. His exploration of theosis and the dynamic interplay between human agency and divine grace provides invaluable insights for individuals embarking on a spiritual expedition. In conclusion, innate capacity for personal growth and the collective dimension of religious existence, Stăniloae's teachings persist in illuminating the journey towards spiritual enlightenment within the Eastern Orthodox faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the historical foundations and significance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s role in transcending national divisions within the Orthodox Church. It explores the importance of the city’s historical significance and its local level of synodality within the Church, alongside the challenges posed by the federal interpretation of Orthodoxy, the emergence of national churches, and their repercussions on the life of the Church. While acknowledging the legitimacy of national identities, this paper emphasizes how their misuse can stifle the Church’s vitality and mission. A confederation that emphasizes allegiance to one faith without a tangible affirmation of administrative unity emerges as a problematic concept that disrupts the Church. This work approaches the topic both historically and systematically, highlighting the significance of synodality, particularly within the context of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which transcends these divisions, affirming itself as not solely an ancient or national institution, but as a global center of Orthodoxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The war in Ukraine has generated a debate both within the orthodox church and on an inter-Christian level regarding the religious legitimation of military conflicts. The inability of inter-Orthodox and ecumenical bodies to formulate a common stance in the face of war has raised questions about the current methodology employed by ecumenical assemblies. Some have suggested exhausting the instruments of dialogue, while others have proposed expelling churches with a pro-war profile from ecumenical organisations. This article aims to demonstrate how this problem also arises from the politicisation of ecumenical assemblies, which detracts them from the ecclesiological principle that should guide Christian witness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a holistic, interpretive qualitative ethnographic approach, this study explored the pedagogical practices of traditional educational systems in Ethiopia and their implications for contemporary education practices. Qualitative data (ethnographic observations, informal interactions and semi structured interviews) were gathered over a 3-month period. Interview data from 17 participants and observations of classrooms were collected in three traditional Qene (poetry) church schools. Observations provided insight into the teaching and learning methods, assessment and evaluation practices, classroom organisation and management, teacher student interaction, school environment and daily life of students in Qene church schools. The data were analysed using thematic descriptive narration based on themes created by the basic questions of the study. Central findings indicated that Qene church schools have their own indigenous pedagogical practices such as Qene 'Qotera', 'Negera' and 'Zerefa' that involve various collaborative and independent learning strategies. The findings also indicated that the practices of cooperative learning, reflective learning, critical interpretation, argumentative oral defence, differentiated instruction, authentic formative oral assessment, and scaffolding are central to the Qene education system. We conclude that Qene schools' pedagogical practices provide valuable insights for the pedagogical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the religious issue in Ukraine has become much more acute. Since then and to the December 2023, about 900 parishes transferred from the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC) to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), according to the official data of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience. But more than 8,000 parishes remain in the UOC despite the Russian aggression. For many citizens, it is unclear what else needs to happen for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to unite with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, or at least not falsely to leave the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to present the concept and actions taken by the Soviet diplomacy and the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church to subjugate the Orthodox communities in the communist Balkan countries. The mechanism of the subjugation of the Balkan churches has been included into a comparative perspective and integrated into the broader concept of the Moscow Patriarchate towards gaining a leading role in the Orthodox world in the first years after the end of the Second World War. The process of dependency and its effects are reflected in diplomatic documents, but also in those produced by the Orthodox Churches themselves. The key element for gaining central position in the Orthodox world by Moscow was the organisation of anniversary celebrations and conferences to integrate the community and to involve it in the implementation of plans towards Soviet political domination. The results of these efforts were very limited in relation to ambitions outlined by the leadership of the Soviet state, revealing differing positions of the major patriarchates, as well as a real strength of authority and prestige that the Ecumenical Patriarchate invariably enjoyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to review academic literature devoted to the Union of Brest and its followers, written between 1915 and 2022 by students and scholars associated with Warsaw. It includes major publications by alumni of universities and other higher education institutions in the capital of Poland, but also minor sketches (mostly unpublished) authored by Warsaw-based Greek Catholics. It explores the resurgence of scholarly interest in the Uniate question in the interwar period, its stagnation during the Polish People's Republic, and its rekindling in the Third Polish Republic. It dwells on the realization that the authors' viewpoint and the science policy of their employers - be it the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church or the Communist Party - was the determining factor in the works' ideological skew. Another trend observed in the late 20th c. was that the religious affiliation of researchers and writers had lost its former significance mainly due to increasing privatization of religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The missionary ethos of the Orthodox Church reflects the character and message of Christ and, broadly speaking, remains constant in all Local Orthodox Churches. However, there can be subtle nuances of differentiation between the various Local Churches and in different time periods, depending on the current context and challenges, as well as the priorities they address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the “Age of Revolution,” European empires reconfigured to become the modern states associated with the era. This symbiotic relationship between the historical center and the periphery increasingly acknowledged among scholars has its equivalent with respect to the Eastern Mediterranean. With these changes in European empires’ metropole as a backdrop, this article explores heretofore ignored actions of Albanian Ottomans, adaptations, and even resistance that informed the evolution of diplomacy and international law after the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913. By monitoring the collective action of a particular group of Albanian Orthodox Christians who established themselves in diasporas in Egypt and North America, it may be possible to discover new contributions to the transformations impacting the larger Ottoman Empire and its Balkan/ Eastern Mediterranean territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study concerns the issue of monastic incarceration of members of the Old Calendarist Orthodox Church in interwar Romania. The practice of incarcerating individuals in Orthodox monasteries was common across Orthodox Eastern Europe, especially in Imperial Russia. Even though this constitutes a neglected aspect of Romanian history, monastic incarceration seems to have been a practice that affected the Old Calendarist communities during the interwar period. When the Old Calendarists were seen as a threat to the Romanian state and the Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod decided, in October 1936, that the fate of the Old Calendarist nuns and monks was to be arrested and sent to detention at isolated sketes. There they were put to work and forced to accept the new style calendar. The archives of the secret police, as well as the National Archives of Romania, preserve various documents in the form of letters, postcards, declarations, and Gendarmerie reports which prove that monastic incarceration of Old Calendarist believers was a phenomenon that extended during a longer period of time and involved at least four Orthodox Monasteries in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Annunciation" Orthodox Church in Guşteriţa is the only church founded by Metropolitan Andrei Şaguna in the surroundings of Sibiu. But it was not the first Orthodox church built in this little community. Despite the unfortunate historical context, the beginnings of the Orthodox parish in Guşteriţa were not as modest as one would think. This paper reconstructs the historical context and follows the traces of the first Orthodox church in Guşteriţa, pointing out that at the end of the eighteenth century, the Romanian community had managed to build a worship place made of stone. While the structure has long since been demolished and knowledge of its exact location has been lost, the site of this important structure can now be approximated based on available topographical evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following document explores the intricate problem of the Orthodox Diaspora, tracing its historical roots from ancient Jewish dispersion to contemporary Orthodox challenges. It delves into the theological, canonical, and organizational complexities surrounding this issue, examining the tensions between ethnic and territorial principles within the Orthodox Church. Moreover, it scrutinizes the proceedings and outcomes of the Holy and Great Council of Crete in 2016, which sought to address the diaspora problem but ultimately failed to achieve consensus. Amidst geopolitical conflicts and ecclesiastical schisms, the document underscores the urgent need for dialogue, peace, and restoration within the Orthodox world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belarus is one of the least religious societies of the former Soviet Union. Nevertheless, two Christian denominations – the Belarusian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church – do have a specific impact on social discourse, be it through facilitating the discourse on conservative moral values or linking their political and societal strategies to their Russian or Polish mother churches. However, neither of the churches has actively participated in civil protests criticizing the political regime. The protests before and after the Belarusian presidential election in August 2020 affected the churches and seriously challenged their self-perception. This article shows how the churches turned out to be heterogeneous structures with different levels of theological awareness in political crisis, civil self-consciousness, and the ability to mobilize. These findings and the fact that religion became a visible element of the 2020 protests significantly questions the concept of the church as a homogeneous and state loyal institution. Combining both empirical and theological approaches makes it possible to reassess the role of religion in post-Soviet social and political processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other commentaries on the Sāṅkhyakārikā , the Yuktidīpikā (circa sixth to eighth centuries) problematised the Sāṅkhya tradition's equivocal attitudes toward the Veda. While submitting itself to the authority of the Veda, the Yuktidīpikā 's commentary on Sāṅkhyakārikā 2 illustrates how Sāṅkhya thinkers of the post-Gupta period safeguarded the identity of Brahmin renouncers. Aligning its doctrine with the Upaniṣad, the end of the Veda, the Yuktidīpikā launched a Sāṅkhya navigation of the central concern of Indian intellectuals, Vedic hermeneutics, and attempted to secure Sāṅkhya's place within Vedic orthodoxy. This article discusses the Yuktidīpikā 's strategy for surviving the peer pressure of Vedic ritualists, as represented by the Mīmāṃsakas, while maintaining Sāṅkhya superiority by exploiting the inner division within the Veda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of Historical Sciences / Przegląd Nauk Historycznych is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Eastern Orthodox Church has a long history of women's ordination to the diaconate. Equally consistent is the absence of female priesthood and female episcopate. This article inquires – theoretically, as it is not a call to action – whether there are any theological reasons for this latter absence, or whether it is based exclusively on precedent and practice. Such an inquiry first presupposes an introduction to the history of the female diaconate in the East in order to establish that Ordination is not restricted to males. Second, it necessitates a historical approach to the question of women's ordination to the priesthood, short as this history might be. Third, it challenges theological arguments against women's ordination from the perspective of Eastern Christology, soteriology, anthropology, sacramental theology, and the relationship between theology and culture. The article concludes with some practical considerations regarding the negative consequences of the excessive masculinization of the Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to analyze the repression of the clergy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the UAOC) in Chernihiv Region. The main basis for the source-based analysis is criminal investigative cases from the Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine in Chernihiv region (hereinafter - the archive of the SSU in Chernihiv region), the Branch State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine (hereinafter - BSA SSU) and the State Archive of Chernihiv region (hereinafter - SACR). The work presents a small historiographical excursion of the problem. The author analyzed the reasons for the persecution and pressure on representatives of the UAOC, described the socio-economic life of the clergy during the period of repression. Using the statistical method, the researcher establishes the age and national composition of repressed persons, their level of education and participation in military operations during the Civil War. The author cites the memories of priests, which, in turn, makes it possible to reconstruct their lives and activities during the period of repression. The article establishes the exact number of repressed archbishops and bishops of the UAOC in the region. With the help of various research methods, the peculiarities of falsification of criminal cases of the clergy are indicated. The article defines the types of punishments that were applied to representatives of the UAOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows the actor-centered approach in studies on deep mediatization and religion in the aim of introducing the concept of 'media settlers', which refers to how churches, being corporate actors, actively use digital media and respond to the trends and consequences of deep mediatization. In so doing, churches undertake actions defined as strategies intended to both expand and maintain community – and assert authority. The article draws on the results of qualitative analyses of the media ensembles of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Orthodox Churches in Poland and the UK, along with interviews with media professionals from these churches. The conclusion is that the media settlers concept expands and develops our grasp of the religious-social shaping of technology [Campbell, Heidi A. 2010. When Religion Meets New Media. London: Routledge] by investigating how religious organizations actively shape their media to attain institutional goals, and in consequence transform their media ensembles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The birth of liturgical research in Russia is a phenomenon that deserves careful study. The development of liturgical studies took place mainly in the Theological (Spiritual) Academies of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv and Kazan. The publication of liturgical source materials was the first step towards the establishment of an independent scientific school of liturgical studies in Russia. Thanks to Nikolai Krasnoseltsev, Ivan Mansvetov, Alexei Dmitrievskij, Ivan Karabinov and other prominent liturgists, we have a number of outstanding treatises on the liturgy of the East and West, the Typicon, both of Greek and Russian liturgical traditions, the Sacramental rites and other orders grown out of use. At present, the considerable range of matters addressed in these studies is poorly recognized, although the hypotheses of Russian scholars and their gains in methodology anticipated some of the achievements of the liturgists in the second half of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate's liturgical renewal movement has a spontaneous character, but without a well-defined agenda. This paper examines some of the reflections from renowned Romanian theologians about the liturgical renewal in the Orthodox Church and explores how they define the notion of liturgical reform, how they perceive the idea of change in worship, and what a liturgical renewal might look like. Moreover, it examines some concrete reforms that have already been put into practice, but without specific authorization from the Romanian Church hierarchy. The purpose of this approach is to find a starting point for an official synodal and academic debate on the possibility to implement a systematic liturgical reform at an institutional level.** [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the imperial court of Byzantium, the two-headed eagle waswell known as a graceful and memorable motive of oriental origin. It appeared on silken robes but was not used on garments worn by the emperor himself. Coats of arms did not exist there back then. However, from the 13th century on, people in present-day Greece were familiar with this heraldic animal of Latin Europe origin, which represented universal power. This was due to the existence of Latin principalities there. Around 1420, it became a symbol of power in the despotate of the Morea, which was governed by the House of Palaiologos. It was also used in Albania and Montenegro to openly show one's resistance against the Ottoman Empire. In 1472, Sophia Palaiologina, a niece of the last Byzantine emperor, got married to Ivan III, Grand Prince of Muscovy. However, the two-headed eagle did not appear in the Muscovy yet. This presumably happened only later when Ivan III formed an alliance with King Maximilian I against the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1491. The first negotiations between Muscovy and the Holy Roman Empire were meticulously recorded because the Russians felt a deep need to appear on a par with the last remaining Empire. It was not until the 16th century that Tsar Vasilij III took the golden two-headed eagle in red colour -- the sign of Palaeologus -- as his coat of arms. This happened in the context of the independency from the Tartars and the prospective reign over Russia and the reclamation of Kiev. Only after this event, a word for coat of arms came into existence in the Russian language. The orthodox clergy most likely supported the idea of transferring the symbol because of its endorsement of a "Third Rome".Latin Europe accepted it and integrated it into its conception of history. Subsequently as a sign of irredentism, the two-headed eagle was attributed a false anciennity. It was seen as a symbol of the perished Byzantine Empire by the Orthodox Church and it is still perceived this way in present-day Greece. In 1993, the two-headed eagle was revived as the Russian symbol of state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grace, according to the Orthodox definition, can be summarized as "the uncreated divine energy poured out by the Holy Spirit upon us through the risen and ascended humanity of Jesus Christ." Thus, grace represents living communion with Christ in the Holy Spirit, which is why the Orthodox Church does not see grace as a good that can be separated from God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orthodox Church has always taught that human life begins at conception when a sperm fuses with an egg to produce a living, genetically unique being. Just as the Church takes special care of helpless and defenseless human beings, so much more does she take care of human embryos and unborn babies, that is, helpless beings. By accepting and legislating the artificial interruption of pregnancy, paradoxically, hospitals and maternity hospitals, places meant to protect and give life, became cemeteries for those who were to see the light of day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity of one being represents the basis of our Christian faith and living, at the same time being the living soul of the Church, which it makes live from the triune life, graciously shared with all its members, in an endless kenosis of love, which elevates, perfects and deifies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Directory for Catechesis emphasizes that care for creation is "an integral part of the Christian life" and indicates that appropriate catechesis should heed "the signs of the liturgy." In Laudato Sí, Pope Francis focuses on the Eucharist as "a source of light and motivation for our concerns for the environment." With particular reference to writers from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which has retained a strong awareness of the cosmic aspects of Christian faith and the sacraments, the article considers the relationship between human beings and creation that is expressed when bread and wine, fruit of the earth and work of human hands, are offered to God in the Eucharist. Christ fulfills the biblical understanding of humanity as steward, even priest, of creation, and the regular celebration of the Eucharist, through him and with him and in him, forms the Christian community in a right relationship with creation. The ecological problem is seen to be primarily spiritual in nature, and to need a solution that is essentially religious. Rightly understood, Christianity holds the key to its solution, though for too long, particularly in the West, it has seemed concerned only with the salvation of human beings or even simply with saving souls. Christ promised the new heavens and the new earth, and the current crisis is an opportunity for Christians to embrace once again the full dimensions of the salvation he has won and to bear witness in the world accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hesychast spirituality (HS) is traditional for Eastern Christianity system that integrates and organizes beliefs, experiences, and practices with the aim of spiritual transformation1. In the 20th century, due to the massive migration of the Orthodox population, Orthodox Christianity from the local context relocated to the West2. In this background, established local Orthodox parishes have become not only homes for Orthodox immigrants but areas of multiple conversions to Orthodoxy, and nowadays, this process is in its climax; Typically, Orthodoxy becomes a conscious choice of educated adults from Western backgrounds, often after the long spiritual search. However, the principles of asceticism, regular prayer, active church life, eudemonic life principles, and mystical experience habitual for HS are often in opposition to the principles of individualism, rationalism, and materiality in the modern West, which creates a certain tension. Based on that discovery, I intend to demonstrate that the pricey processes that comprise one of the most complicated spiritual systems are not as contradictory to modernity as they appear. Instead, many of the HS's fundamental principles now actively resonate with common life concepts. To that end, in this article, I will define HS and describe the contemporary context in which it operates. Second, I will discuss the links between HS, positive and cognitive psychology, namely the concepts of self-transcendence, virtue development, and meaning in life. Third, I will present three actual examples of how HS is linked to current philosophy, sociology, and literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title of the paper recalls a well-known statement by Saint Isaac the Syrian about charity. It is widely assumed that charity and compassion are properly directed towards our fellow human beings. This paper explores their extension to all of creation by St Isaac and other Fathers and saints (both ancient and modern) and outlines a theological rationale for this extension. Contemporary Orthodox accounts of our responsibility towards the non-human creation often focus upon our role as priests of creation. In this paper, I argue that such a sacramental approach is necessary but not sufficient. Without careful qualification, the priesthood metaphor (like the dominion and stewardship metaphors) is too anthropocentric to offer a viable basis for genuinely compassionate care for creation. For Saint Isaac, compassion for all creatures was expressed primarily through prayerful concern. I argue that such prayerful concern entails righteous action. Finally, I briefly explore the practical meaning of righteous action in relation to an environment compromised by anthropogenic climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Orthodox tradition, the day begins the evening before, so the evening service is always dedicated to the upcoming day. Therefore, on Great Thursday evening, the Matins of Great Friday is celebrated, which includes the reading of the twelve Gospels about the sufferings of Christ. The 12 Gospel readings cover the events of the last days of Christ's life, from Thursday to Saturday, according to the four evangelists. The readings start with the Gospel of John and the farewell at the Last Supper. They continue with the prayer in the Garden, the arrest, the trials before Herod and Pilate, the scourging, the condemnation to death, the journey to Golgotha, the crucifixion, the actual death on the Cross, and the burial. This extended service with alternating readings is enriched with Orthodox hymnography that accompanies the Gospel texts. Holy Friday, as the cornerstone of our community, establishes the bedrock for our existence and the realization of our purpose. We are created for a love that involves self-sacrifice and community, with the anticipation of everlasting joy in the future Kingdom. This aspiration is actualized here within the Liturgy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the Confessions, Augustine repeatedly complains about heresy with a special focus on the heresy he once belonged to, Manicheanism. To those of us who live in a culture in which respectable people rarely, if ever, care about religious orthodoxy to such a degree, these complaints seem rather bizarre. Despite this initial appearance, Augustine presents in the Confessions several plausible reasons for thinking heresy is sinful and, therefore, detrimental to a person's sanctity and ultimate salvation. In this paper, I argue that Augustine considers heresy sinful because it involves as many as three kinds of idolatry: loving a lie/false conception of God instead of the true God, loving one's own beliefs more than the Truth, which is God, and loving the worldly praise one receives from developing novel opinions more than God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an Orthodox reading of the Unity Statement adopted by the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches held in Karlsruhe, Germany in August to September 2022. The pastoral character of the Unity Statement is discussed, as well as its aim and significance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The topics addressed by the Unity Statement are examined, including humanity's distance from God because of sin and the need for repentance, Christian love and unity.

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Copyright of Acta Musei Brukenthal is the property of Brukenthal National Museum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Postcolonial Jamaica provided a surprising new avenue for mission for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. A new religion, Rastafari, refocused its practitioners not only away from England but also sought to chart a cultural course independent of Cold War competitors. Many Rastafari sought connection with the 'Zion' they identified with Ethiopia. As Caribbean Rastafari interacted with the Ethiopian Church, Rastafari were challenged by finding an Ethiopian Church that did not accord with their expectations. The Ethiopian Church, especially through Archbishop Yesehaq (Mandefro) struggled to navigate a foreign context with little institutional or financial support. Yesehaq's interactions with Rastafari (and most curiously with his spiritual son, Reggae artist Bob Marley) demonstrates the complexities of mission in a specific context. The Orthodox-Rastafari interaction challenged the limits of what Orthodoxy could assimilate. It also challenged Orthodoxy's new Caribbean members who could not simply cast away the tight web of relationships and culture in which they lived. Thus, demonstrating that mission rarely implicates doctrine and institutional forms alone, but also involves a web of social and cultural contacts. Navigating this web often benefits from the presence of empathetic and energetic pastors such as Archbishop Yesehaq and suffers in their absence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two decades, Russian state actors and the Russian Orthodox Church have come to play an increasingly important role in the undermining of established understandings of international human rights law by reinterpreting its aims and repurposing its institutions, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the European Court of Human Rights. Russian state and church leaders have appropriated and coopted the language of human rights in order to advance an illiberal and nationalist agenda that undercuts democratic values and targets particular groups and their rights and freedoms—most notably liberal civil society, political opposition, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Written from the angle of a constructivist sociology of human rights, this article brings together three case studies of Russian rights appropriation around the topics of traditional values, family, and homeschooling and draws six lessons on the (mis)appropriation of human rights for illiberal purposes. The analysis of Russia's rights appropriation sheds light on the background and build-up for current events in Russia's war against Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]