Journals of Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Babes-Bolyai University (Romania)
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Ermil i Stratonik. Sveti ranohrišćanski mučenici beogradski (Ермил и Стратоник. Свети ранохришћански мученици београдски), ed. Dubravka Preradović (Дубравка Прерадовић), Balkanološki Institut Srpske akademije nauka i umetnosti, Belgrade, 2022, 216 p.
Get PDFOn the Jesus Prayer
Get PDFThis paper focuses on the Jesus Prayer, attempting to explain (1) how in this prayer, by the grace of God, our mind can be united with the heart and (2) what the fruits of this marvellous union are.
 
Gregory Palamas' Reading of a Seventh-century Pseudo-Athanasian Homily
Get PDFDuring the Palamite controversy of the fourteenth century, the works of the great Fathers of the Church were scoured by both sides of the controversy, which sought to ground their teaching in recognized authorities. Of these works, one of the most frequently cited by Palamites was a pseudonymous Homily on the Annunciation attributed to Saint Athanasius the Great and generally held to have its origin in the seventh century. This article analyzes the Homily’s range of use among the Palamite party before focusing on its most influential section, which discusses those things “perceived and named theologically around God” as contributing to “the totality and fullness of divinity.” It examines Gregory Palamas’ use of these terms in his own theological system and then considers how his system may serve to clarify a unique and theologically suspect etymological connection contained within the Homily, deriving οὐσία from ἰσία
The Literary Legacy of Kallistos Angelikoudes: An Attempt at Systematization
Get PDFThis article explores the little studied and partially unpublished literary corpus of Kallistos Angelikoudes, one of the most fascinating late Byzantine hesychast authors. It addresses some of the problems associated with the manuscript tradition of his writings and offers a new approach to the systematization of his oeuvre. Despite the uncertainty regarding the identification of the two groups of texts that make up the “books” of Angelikoudes’ literary corpus, that is, the Hesychastic Education and the Hesychastic Consolation, this article advances an argument with regard to the possible composition of these works
Theology and Rhetoric: Nicholas Kabasilas between Thomas Magistros and Makarios Makres
Get PDFThis article contributes to the ongoing discussion about the relationship between Nicholas Kabasilas and Palamite theology by examining Nicholas Kabasilas’ understanding of the life in Christ as expressed in his hagiography. In particular, it uncovers a new source for Kabasilas’ intellectualist approach to spirituality in his encomium on St. Demetrios Myroblytes (BHG 543), namely the Oration on Gregory of Nazianzus by Thomas Magistros. Kabasilas’ hagiographical encomia would later influence the writings of Makarios Makres, a fifteenth-century Palamite author with somewhat different theological commitments.
 
Die Unterscheidung zwischen der göttlichen Essenz und der natürlichen Energie Gottes nach Philotheos Kokkinos in seinen zwei Reden über das Taborlicht gegen Akindynos
Get PDFThis article explores the elaboration of the distinction between the divine essence and the essential energies of God in the two Orations on the Light of Tabor by Philotheos Kokkinos, directed against Gregory Akindynos and the Akindynists. Herein it is shown that Kokkinos follows a well thought out process of philosophizing when dealing with those dimensions of oikonomia (the activity of God in the world) that correspond directly to the realm of what is, par excellence, theologia (or God in himself). Within this framework, Kokkinos correctly formulates the main theses that provoked the opposition of the Akindynists to the distinction between the divine essence and the essential energies of God. These main points are elaborated through the coining of formulae (quite faithful to the authentic teaching of Gregory Palamas) that are occasionally more precise than the formulations of Palamas himself. Moreover, Kokkinos deals with the conceptual and practical dimensions of the distinction between the essence and the essential energies, without, however, exceeding the limits of the logic contemporary to him
Kenotic Dialogue - A Paradigm for Christians Relations with their Neighbours
Get PDF This article represents an attempt to argue that if we are to apply Christ’s kenosis to our relationships, then a kenotic dialogue will be the appropriate way to interact with others. Starting from Martin Buber and some Christian thinkers, this paper will also emphasize the relational dimension of God’s image in human beings and the subsequent dialogue this image entails. Assuming the premise that Jesus Christ is the perfect human expression of God’s image and that this reality also impacts our human nature, the consequence might be that his kenotic dialogue with the world prompts an analog dialogue between God and us (in prayers) and between our neighbors and us. Because kenosis can be a tricky concept, it is adequate to mention that the kenotic perspective employed in this paper is that set out by the Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae. Finally, we hope to convince the reader that Christ’s kenosis is simultaneously the foundation and the model for our relationships network and enables us to a new way of interacting with people. 
I Monaci Athoniti e l'Islam nel Sec. XIV: Le Fonti Agiografiche
Get PDFThe article aims to approach the theme of the progress of the Turkish brigades into the Byzantine territories, in particular the Mount Athos, during the fourteenth century. It provides a new perspective for this topic. Indeed, it focuses on the hagiographical sources and how they describe the reaction of the Athonite monks in front of this phenomenon. The sources have been set according to a thematic order: 1) cases of escape from the Holy Mountain after the Turkish raids; 2) reports of or from captivity; 3) the consequences of the Turkish progress into the Asiatic and Western provinces of the Byzantine Empire; 4) the psychological impact on the monastic communities of Athos, and finally 5) the relationship between Athonite monks and Islamic communities in the Holy Land as favorite pilgrimage destination. The perception of the violence of the Turkish troops forces the Athonite communities to a general reconsideration of lifestyle and of ascetical practices. Moreover, it indirectly causes the propagation of the hesychast lifestyle out of the borders of the Holy Mountain during the late Byzantine period. Out of fear for the Islamic enemies the hagiographers take the opportunity to praise the ethical qualities of their monastic champions. On the other hand, in these sources they do not deal with Islamic morals; the violence of the enemies is the unique theme they consider as a priori distinguished feature of Muhammed’s followers
Early Childhood in Today's Family. The Christian Landmarks in the Lives of our Children
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Early childhood represents the most important developmental period. Parents are nowadays confronted with serious challenges in their educational strivings. Many young spouses choose to learn about child psychology to overcome the difficulties raised by a baby’s presence. Christian parents delineate their educational efforts by taking into consideration God’s commandments. Prayer and patience are combined so that a loving dialogue conducts all the family interactions. Pre-schoolers are extremely attentive to what their parents do every day. Their kind gestures and words form the child’s personality. Participation in the liturgical program of a church proves the authentic faith of the parents. Accustomed to the intense atmosphere of a dynamic ecclesial community, the Christian children are taught how to use theological teaching in their daily life. They learn important rules and limits about emotional reactions, expressing compassion, and loving their family, friends, and even strangers. The model provided by mum and dad always had a formative effect. Christian parents instil in their children the willingness to follow love, faith, and trust as the main virtues that a human being can hope for.