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»May the Old Customs Be Observed«: Canons on Custom and Their Significance for the Contemporary Life of the Serbian Orthodox Church
No full textThis paper represents an analysis of a custom from the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church, connected to the celebration of the feast of Saint Archangel Michael as a family patron saint day (Slava), commonly known as "Aranđelovdan" (Archangel's Day). In some Serbian regions, hosts refuse to prepare boiled wheat or koljivo for the feast of Saint Archangel Michael, claiming that koljivo is prepared exclusively for saints who have died. At the same time, maintenance of this custom is often justified by the argument that it is inherited from ancestors and, in that sense, represents part of family heritage or a certain kind of pledge. After an analysis of the Holy Canons, it is concluded that the criterion by which the canons accept a custom as legitimate is compatibility of that custom with apostolic tradition. From that perspective, we will seek to show why that is not the case with the aforementioned custom observed on Saint Archangel Michael's day
Laity in the Serbian Orthodox Church: Beyond Symbolism
No full textThis paper examines the theological and practical role of the laity in the Serbian Orthodox Church, arguing for a shift from symbolic participation to meaningful engagement. It traces historical developments that led to the marginalization of laypeople and explores contemporary opportunities for their involvement in Church life, particularly in media, education, politics, and diakonia. The author emphasizes the need for a theological reevaluation of the laity’s role, advocating for greater independence from state structures, enhanced social consciousness, and shared responsibility between clergy and laity. The study concludes with recommendations aimed at fostering a more inclusive and participatory ecclesial community
Богочовек Христос као онтолошка неопходност човекове личности по учењу Преподобног Јустина Ћелијског
No full textУ раду се разматра хришћанска онтологија човековог бића према учењу оца Јустина Поповића. Православна антропологија се објашњава и постаје у потпуности јасна, само у огледалу православне христологије. Ово је разлог због чега отац Јустин сматра да оваплоћење и појава Богочовека Христа у свету људских реалности ни са онтолошког, ни са психолошког, ни са исто-ријског гледишта није никакво изненађење за људску природу.Отац Јустин је експлицитан када каже да „са чисто онтолошког гледишта, Богочовек није чудо већ неопходност оваквог света и оваквог човека“. Према томе, отац Јустин јасно и недвосмислено сагледава и тумачи Богочовека Христа као Онога Који је једини могао остварити егзистенцијалну и онтолошку повезаност Бога и човека. Отац Јустин тајну спасења човека решава на најексплицитнији начин тиме што прибегава Ономе Који је објавио човека, и то као истинског, онтолошки оствареног, довршеног и савршеног, у пуноћи свих његових могућности и потенцијала, тј. директно прибегава Оваплоћеној и тајанстваној Личности Богочовека Христа. Најбитнији онтолошки захтеви и егзистенцијалне потребе човечијег бића задовољени су једном засвагда у Личности Богочовека Христа. Јустиново антрополошко учење се заснива на његовом чврстом уверењу да ми исповедајући Богочовека, посредно исповедамо христоликост (боголикост) човека, божанско порекло човека, божанску узвишеност човека, а тиме и божанску вредност и неприкосновеност човекове личности
Улога свештене јерархије у изграђивању Цркве у делима Преподобног Јустина Ћелијског
No full textУ овом раду се анализирају ставови Светог Јустина Ћелијског о улози свештене јерархије у изграђивању Цркве. Преподобни Јустин поистовећује изграђивање Цркве са изграђивањем у врлинама сваког хришћанина. У духовном руковођењу верним народом на путу усхођења по лествици хришћанских новозаветних врлина ћелијски богослов види главну мисију свештене јерархије. За њега је јерархија носилац исте власти коју је Христос предао Апостолима, а која се преноси путем Свете Тајне Свештенства од апостолских времена до данас. Међутим, следујући Светом Апостолу Павлу, Преподобни Јустин истиче да су у Цркви сви чланови, без обзира на њихове дарове и службе, потребни једни другима за достизање спасења. Његова молитвена промишљања о задацима свештенослужитеља нису била ограничена само на теоријску раван, већ је нудио и одређене практичне предлоге о особинама које свештенослужитељи треба да поседују, као и предлоге о организацији црквеног живота, пре свега на парохијском нивоу. Закључује се да за Светог Јустина свештенослужитељ на првом месту треба да буде делатни пример хришћанског живота својој пастви, и да су други фактори који су такође од великог значаја у мисији изграђивања Цркве, попут складности и уређености храма и богослужења, у директној зависности од његовог унутрашњег живота.In this paper, I aim to analyze the views of Saint Justin of Ćelije on the role of the sacred hierarchy in the building (οἰκοδομὴ) of the Church. For Venerable Justin, the Church is built in two ways: 1) by adding new members through the Sacrament of Baptism, and 2) by the growth in virtues of every single person. It is emphasized that for Saint Justin these two ways are interconnected, in the sense that Baptism represents for every Christian the beginning of his or her spiritual life. In the spiritual guidance of the faithful on their ascent up the ladder of Christian new-testament virtues, the theologian of Ćelije sees the main mission of the sacred hierarchy, and the sublimity of this duty is for him the reason of the greatness of Holy Orders. For him, the hierarchy is the bearer of the same power that Christ gave to His Apostles, and which is transmitted through the Sacrament of Ordination from apostolic times to the present day. There is no Church without hierarchy, as there is no hierarchy without bishops. They are the heirs of the Apostles in the first place. However, Saint Justin compares also the office of presbyters to office of the Apostles, and advises them to look to the Apostles as an example of sacrifice for their flock. However, he admonished bishops and priests not to idolize their nation, because in Orthodoxy, there is no place for national egoism. Nor shall bishops and priests belong to political parties, because their office is above political divisions. Although he is unambiguous about the fact that the Church cannot fulfill her mission without the hierarchy, following Holy Apostle Paul, Venerable Justin emphasizes that in the Church, all members, regardless of their gifts and functions, need one another in order to achieve salvation. Bishops are primarily heirs of apostolic power, but that power belongs also to the Church in her entirety in the meaning of the unity of all of her orders. At this point, Saint Justin is in agreement with other prominent ecclesiologists of the XX and XXI centuries, who considered that the power of judgement and apostolic succession belongs to the Church in her fullness. Because of this interdependence of all orders and offices in the Church, Saint Justin considered that the ancient practice of laity taking part in the election of its bishops and priests should be renewed. He did not confine himself to theoretical dimension but gave some practical advices regarding the mission of the hierarchy – edification of the faithful in virtues. For example, he considered that bishops should not change dioceses, and in this paper it is suggested that this attitude is based on Saint Justin’s idea that every bishop is connected with his diocese in the form of a mystical marriage. It is concluded that, for Saint Justin, a priest must be an example of Christian life to his flock, and that other factors which are of great importance for the mission of building of the Church, like the harmoniousness and orderliness of the temple and worship, are in direct dependence of the priest’s inner life
Tradition und Traditionen als ökumenische Herausforderung. Eine orthodoxe Perspektive
No full textDie Studie untersucht die Bedeutung und Vielschichtigkeit des Traditionsbegriffs im ökumenischen Dialog aus orthodoxer Perspektive. Während in den letzten Jahrzehnten bemerkenswerte Annäherungen zwischen verschiedenen Konfessionen erzielt wurden, zeigt sich, dass die grundsätzliche Übereinstimmung über die Rolle der Tradition nicht automatisch zu Konsens in konkreten Fragen führt. Innerhalb der Orthodoxie selbst bestehen unterschiedliche Auffassungen über die Auslegung und Fortschreibung von Tradition, was sich in liturgischen Praktiken und theologischen Debatten widerspiegelt. Die Spannung zwischen Treue zur altkirchlichen Überlieferung und der Anerkennung von Tradition als dynamischem Prozess bleibt ein zentrales Thema. Die Arbeit hebt hervor, dass eine differenzierte Betrachtung von „Tradition“ und „Traditionen“ sowohl für die ökumenische Verständigung als auch für die innere orthodoxe Theologie unerlässlich ist
The Church's Eschatological Identity and its Social Role
No full textThis paper explores the eschatological identity of the Church as a central aspect of Christian theology. By examining biblical foundations, patristic writings, and theological reflections, the study emphasizes the Church’s role as a community oriented toward the Kingdom of God. The eschatological perspective highlights the Church not merely as an institution bound by history but as a living anticipation of the ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Special attention is given to the dynamic relationship between the already realized salvation and the not yet consummated eschaton, which defines the Church’s mission, worship, and witness in the world
On the Christology of the Venerable Father Justin of Ćelije
No full textУ овом раду се истражује методологија коју отац Јустин користи у свом проучавању и излагању Христологије и констатује се да су примарни извори за Јустиново бављење Христологијом пре свега Свето Писмо и Свето предање, односно списи Светих Отаца као и ранохришћански символи вере, док њему савремене ауторе и богословско-философске правце о. Јустин
готово да не узима у обзир. У приступу догматици отац Јустин примењује метод који ће Флоровски назвати неопатристичком синтезом. Са друге стране, отац Јустин у Догматици не покушава да учење Цркве изложи из рационалне, апологетске, полемичке или неке друге перспективе, те у свом богословљу тежи да направи јасан отклон од западне схоластике и рационализма. Полазећи од поменутих методолошких принципа, отац Јустин развија
Христологију која за њега није тек једно од поглавља хришћанске догматике већ она чини херменеутички кључ и оквир за разумевање целокупне догматике о. Јустина.This paper examines the methodology employed by Father Justin in his study and exposition of Christology. It notes that the primary sources for his engagement with Christology are, above all, Holy
Scripture and Holy Tradition – specifically, the writings of the Church Fathers and early Christian creeds – while contemporary authors and theological-philosophical schools of thought are almost entirely disregarded. In his approach to dogmatics, Father Justin clearly employs the method that Florovsky would later term the “neopatristic synthesis”. Furthermore, throughout his Dogmatics, Father Justin does not tend to present the Church’s teaching from a rational, apologetic, polemical, or any other perspective. Instead, his theological work strives to establish a clear distance from Western scholasticism and rationalism. Based on these methodological principles, Father Justin develops a
Christology that, for him, is not merely one chapter of Christian dogmatics but constitutes the key and hermeneutical framework for understanding the entirety of his dogmatic theology
Serbian Orthodox Church and the Media
No full textThis paper explores the historical and contemporary relationship between the Serbian Orthodox Church and various forms of media. It traces the development of Church media from oral and written traditions through the adoption of print and electronic media, highlighting key milestones such as the establishment of Church periodicals, radio stations, and digital platforms. The study also examines the Church's interaction with secular media, noting both cooperation and conflict, especially in the context of political engagement, religious representation, and media literacy. The paper argues for a respectful and constructive dialogue between the Church and media institutions to better serve society’s spiritual and informational needs in a pluralistic environment
Relationship between the Church and State in the New Testament and Early Christianity
No full textThis paper examines the complex relationship between the Church and the State throughout history and in contemporary contexts. It explores theological, philosophical, and legal perspectives that shape the interaction between religious authority and political power. The study emphasizes both the potential harmony and the inherent tensions arising when the spiritual mission of the Church encounters the political responsibilities of the State. Special attention is given to the principles of religious freedom, the autonomy of the Church, and the moral responsibility of the State. The analysis aims to demonstrate that a balanced relationship between Church and State contributes to the preservation of human dignity, social justice, and the common good
The Rite of Blessing of First-Time Bridesmaid for Binding up the Head in the Great Euchologion of St. Justin from Ćelije
No full textАутор у овом раду проучава једно последовање из Великог требника, преведеног на српски језик и приређеног 1958. године од стране Преподобног Јустина Ћелијског. Реч је, наиме, о аколутији која носи назив Молитва првобрачној невести која хоће да по венчању уђе у цркву и добије благослов под којом се заправо подразумева чин благосиљања удате невесте ради ношења оглавља. Иако је тема покривања главе удате жене и таквог њеног учешћа у литургијском животу Православне Цркве већ била предмет различитих богословских истраживања, у раду бива анализирано наведено последовање уз неизоставни осврт на порекло и смисао овог, некада незаобилазног детаља, како из светотајинског, тако и свакодневног живота удатих православних хришћанки.In this paper it has been researched The rite of blessing of first-time bridesmaid for binding up the head, which had been translated in Serbian and integrated into the Great Euchologion, edited by St.
Justin from Ćelije 1958. Such an acoluthia implies the blessing of newly married woman in the Eastern Orthodox Church for headcovering. Although this research topic was in the focus of many different theological works, author has analyzed the already-mentioned rite, starting with study of the origin and meaning of headwear among the ancient Christian women in the Early Church. Further on, it has been examined the place of prayer for binding up the head of first-time bridesmaid through the manuscript and early printed sacramental tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and possible inspiration of St. Justin of Ćelije for inserting the research rite into the Great Euchologion.
Above all, it was St. Justin’s reasonable pastoral reaction to the upcoming secularization and dechristianization of sacramental and social identity of Serbian Orthodox Christian women