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POSTCONCILIAR ECCLESIOLOGY OF THE FRANCISCANS IN BOSNIA
Full text linkDisertacija odgovara na pitanja kakva je ekleziologija zastupljena u zajednici franjevaca Bosne Srebrene od Drugog vatikanskog sabora (1962. - 1965.) do danas, koji su modeli Crkve zastupljeni u toj zajednici, koliko je govor franjevaca o Crkvi u ovom razdoblju u skladu s koncilskom ekleziologijom te koji su dosezi i posljedice njihove ekleziologije za Provinciju Bosnu Srebrenu, kao i za crkvena i društvena zbivanja. Kako bi se došlo do pouzdanih zaključaka, rad je istražio što su i na koji način o Crkvi pisali i objavljivali franjevci ove zajednice u svojim periodičnim izdanjima, priručnicima, župnim i samostanskim listovima te autorskim djelima. Pozornost je posvećena kako djelima franjevaca ove zajednice tako i djelima drugih autora izvan ove zajednice, uključivo inozemne, koja su franjevci u svojim pisanim ostvarenjima objavljivali, odnosno prevodili, a imala su za temu fenomen Crkve. Ekleziološka strujanja prisutna u istraženim tekstovima i djelima uspoređena su s nekim od dominantnih pravaca pokoncilske ekleziologije. Učinjeno je to u svjetlu doprinosa Averyja Dullesa koji je, baveći se komparativnom ekleziologijom, kod protestanata i katolika u poslijekoncilskoj ekleziologiji razlučio pet glavnih eklezioloških trendova, tipova, odnosno modela Crkve predlažući na kraju i svoj, šesti. Istraživanje i teološka analiza tako su utvrdili kako je prevladavajući model Crkve u ekleziologiji franjevaca Bosne Srebrene u ovom vremenskom okviru sakramentalni model. Drugo najzastupljenije shvaćanje Crkve model je mističnog zajedništva, a nakon njega dolazi služiteljsko shvaćanje Crkve. Nešto je slabije zastupljen institucionalni model Crkve, kao i onaj koji Crkvu vidi kao navjestiteljicu Radosne vijesti. Model Crkve kao zajedništva učenika, potencijalni sintetički model Crkve, jedva da je uopće prisutan. Uz obilje plodonosne, izgrađujuće, životvorne i koncilske ekleziologije, značajan dio ekleziologije iz promatranog perioda u koncilskom smislu generira nepotpunu, nesustavnu i fragmentiziranu sliku Crkve. Ova je ekleziologija stoga propustila priliku biti koncilski više vjerna i bogata te s većim povjerenjem u unutarnje zajedništvo Crkve u kojem se dogodio Koncil, u kojem se neprekidno događa dijalog, odvija razmjena mišljenja i javna rasprava o svim pitanjima, prema prastarom načelu, in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas - u bitnome jedinstvo, u nebitnome sloboda, u svemu ljubav.This dissertation attempts to answer the question of what kind of ecclesiology is present in the community of the Bosnian Franciscan province (or "Bosna Srebrena" as it is officially titled) from the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965) until today; which models of the Church are present in that community and in what degree the talk of the Franciscans in this period is in accordance with the ecclesiology of the Vatican II; how far it reaches and what are the effects of their ecclesiology on the Province of Bosna Srebrena, as well as on Church and social events.
These questions are essential for this community given that it is about one of the largest Franciscan communities in the world which in the past extended from the Adriatic to the Dead Sea and from which another three Franciscan communities developed in time in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. After more than seven centuries of evangelisation and cultural activity, this Province up until today stayed an essential ecclesial and societal factor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with members working in fourteen countries other than Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fifty years from its beginning, and actually now even since the end of the Second Vatican Council (which spoke to the Church in a modern way), were the inspiration to search for scientific answers to these questions. The importance of the Council, as well as the ecclesiology it brought forth, for understanding of the Church and her relationship with the world, were at the same time decisive factors in focusing and in large part limiting this research particularly to the period of the Second Vatican Council and immediately after it. In order to arrive at reliable scientific answers to the question about the ecclesiology of the Bosnian Franciscans in the past half a century, it had to be researched what and in what way had the Franciscans of this community written and published in their periodic publications, manuals, authoring works, as well as parish and monastical newsletters. Thus, this dissertation paid special attention to texts and works of the Franciscans themselves, as well as the texts of authors outside this community including foreign authors, which Franciscans published and translated and which dealt with the subject of Church phenomenon. After the main elements of the Ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council had been succinctly presented, this dissertation has brought out a concise overview of the religious and cultural context in which the Franciscans of this Province found themselves in the period immediately after the World War II until the Second Vatican Council. This was followed by an analysis of ecclesiastical texts in the publications of the Franciscans of Bosna Srebrena which were published in this period or are being published to this day: Bosna Srebrena, Dobri pastir (Good Shepherd) (Nova et Vetera), Kalendar Dobri pastir (Good Shepherd Annual), Kalendar sv. Ante (St. Anthony Annual), Jukić, Bilten Franjevačke teologije (Franciscan Theology Newsletter), Svjetlo riječi (Light of the Word) and Bosna Franciscana. After that, the manual of ecclesiology as theological subject used in the same period by the students at the Franciscan seminary in Sarajevo was presented and the ecclesiastical texts taken from parish and monastical newsletters as well. This was followed by the presentation of the works which were authored or translated in the last half a century by the Franciscans of this community and which theologically dealt with the subject of the Church: Danijel B. Krželj, Ecclesia caritatis. Concilii Vaticani II doctrina de caritate pastorali Ecclesiae. Pars dissertationis ad lauream, 1972.; Luka Markešić, Crkva u samoupravnom socijalizmu (Church in the Self-Governing Socialism), 1986.; Vitomir Slugić, Crkva i Crkve (Church and Churches), 1987.; Miron M. Sikirić, La Communio quale fondamento e principio formale del diritto canonico. Studio teologico-giuridico (The Communion as foundation and principle of the Canon Law. Theological-Juridical Study), 2001.; dr. fra Luka Markešić, Crkva Božja, postanak, povijest, poslanje (Church of God, Origin, History, Mission), 2005. and Luka M. Markešić, Izgradnja Crkve prema Prvom pismu Korinćaninima (Building of the Church according to the First Letter to the Corinthians), 2005.
Ecclesiastical assertions in these texts and works are compared with theological statements of other theologians, domestic and foreign, as well as with the documents of the Second Vatican Council and other documents of the magisterium of the Church. Following that, certain theological conclusions were drawn in order to arrive at theological valorization of the content studied. Ecclesiological thinking present in texts and works of the Franciscans were compared in the end to some of the dominant directions of post-Council ecclesiology. It was done in the light of contributions by Avery Dulles who, talking about comparative ecclesiology in protestant and Catholic churches in post-Council era distinguished five main ecclesiastical trends, types, and actually models of the Church suggesting in the end a sixth one, which was his own. Research and analysis of this dissertation thus determined that the prevalent model of the Church in the ecclesiology of the Bosnian Franciscans in this period is a sacramental model. Next most prevalent: an understanding that the Church is a model of mystical communion, and after that comes understanding of the Church as a servant Church. The institutional model of the church is less present, as well as a model which sees the Church as a herald of the Good News. The model of the Church as a community of disciples, and a potential syntetic model of the Church, is barely evident. With the abundance of fruitful, constructive, life giving, and conciliar ecclesiology, a significant portion of ecclesiology from the researched period in the conciliar sense generates an incomplete, unsystematic, and fragmented image of the Church. This ecclesiology thus missed the oportunity to be more faithful to the Council, and more rich, and show more confidence in the internal communion of the Church in which the Council happened, in which dialog happens, in which exchange of opinions and public discussion about all topics happens, according to the ancient principle in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas - unity in necessary things; liberty in doubtful things; charity in all things
CHAPTER OF ZADAR, ITS GOODS AND DIGNITARIES DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VENETIAN REPUBLIC (1697 – 1797)
Full text linkGlavni je predmet doktorske disertacije Zadarski kaptol katedralne crkve sv. Stošije u Zadru, njegovi dostojanstvenici i dobra tijekom posljednjih sto godina vladavine Mletačke Republike u Dalmaciji. Tijekom istraživanja arhivske dokumentacije Zadarskoga kaptola, koja se čuva u Arhivu Zadarske nadbiskupije, i brojnih dokumenata Državnih arhiva u Zadru i Veneciji, kao i Tajnoga Vatikanskog arhiva u Rimu te dostupne dokumentacije Znanstvene knjižnice u Zadru autor je postavio temeljne ciljeve i teze: srednjovjekovna prošlost Zadarskoga kaptola relativno je obrađena u hrvatskoj crkvenoj historiografiji, kako će se u radu pokazati. Nasuprot tome, njegova novovjekovna prošlost još je neistražena. Ta je činjenica za autora bila primarni poticaj istraživanju ekonomskog aspekta Zadarskoga kaptola tijekom 18. stoljeća i njegova utjecaja na crkveni život u Zadru tijekom posljednjih sto godina mletačke vladavine u Dalmaciji. Stoga je bilo neizbježno analizirati povijesne okolnosti kao polazišnu točku istraživanja. U našem slučaju radi se o specifičnom odnosu između Mletačke Republike, kao predstavnice političke i društvene moći na istočnoj obali Jadrana i Svete Stolice, u ulozi duhovnog autoriteta cijeloga tadašnjeg poznatog kršćanskog svijeta. Taj je odnos direktno utjecao na Katoličku Crkvu u Dalmaciji, a onda i na Zadarski kaptol kao dio crkvene hijerarhije. Dva su temeljna događaja na području crkvenosti obilježila budućnost Katoličke Crkve, a u isto vrijeme budućnost Zadarskoga kaptola - s jedne strane Reformacija, a s druge Tridentski sabor. Odjeci tih događaja rezultirali su gubljenjem nekih starih prava, privilegija i povlastica Zadarskoga kaptola i prouzročili neprestana previranja između Kaptola i zadarskih nadbiskupa tijekom 18. stoljeća osobito o pitanju izbora i dodjele kanonikata i nadarbina. Uz to, česti mletačko-osmanski sukobi tijekom 16. i 17. stoljeća u bitnome su utjecali na materijalno stanje Zadarskoga kaptola jer su mnogi kaptolski posjedi u zadarskom okruženju bili uništeni i zauvijek izgubljeni. Budući je Mletačka Republika ignorirala tvz. ius postliminii prema kojemu se zemlja na ratom osvojenomu teritoriju trebala vratiti prijašnjim vlasnicima, Zadarski je kaptol ostao bez svojih posjeda u zadarskom okruženju. Zbog toga je Zadarski kaptol osiromašio i postao ovisan o pomoći i milosti Mletačke Republike koja je u to vrijeme uvelike utjecala na crkveni život u Dalmaciji i Zadru. Tijekom istraživanja pokazalo se da su ti društveno
politički događaji paralelno s crkvenim promjenama odredili stanje Zadarskoga kaptola u ekonomskome i eklezijalnome smislu. To je napose razvidno u usporedbi kaptolskih prihoda 16. i 17. stoljeća s prihodima 18. stoljeća i smanjenju kaptolskih posjeda u razmatranome razdoblju. Sintezom analiziranih činjenica proizišlih iz istraživanja arhivske dokumentacije otkriva se fragment života Zadarskoga kaptola, njegovih dostojanstvenika i dobara tijekom posljednjih sto godina vladavine Mletačke Republike u Zadru.The main subject of this doctoral dissertation is the Chapter of St. Anastasia's Cathedral of Zadar, its dignitaries and the goods during the last hundred years of the of the Venetian government in Dalmatia. During the research of the Chapter's archive documentation, preserved in the Archive of Archdiocese of Zadar, and numerous documents of the State Archives in Zadar, Venice and Rome as well as available documentation regarding this issue in the Scientific Library of Zadar, the author set the main goals which are presented in the following thesis: The medieval history of the Chapter of Zadar is relatively well known in the Croatian ecclesiastical historiography as it will be shown bellow. Opposite to that the Renaissance and the early modern history are still uncovered. That fact was the initial incentive to the author for researching the economic aspect of the Chapter of Zadar during the 18th century and its influence on the ecclesiastical life in Zadar during the last century of the Venetian government in Dalmatia. It was inevitable therefore to analyze the historical background as the starting point of the research. In our case, it is a specific relationship between two polarities – the Venetian republic, as a representative of a political and social power on the East Adriatic coast and the Holy See, as a spiritual authority of all known Christian world at the time. This relationship had a direct influence on the Catholic Church in Dalmatia and therefore on the institution of the Chapter of Zadar as a part of the Church hierarchy. Two main events in the ecclesiastical field marked the future of the Catholic Church and at the same time the future of the Chapter of Zadar – on the one hand the Reformation and on the other hand the Council of Trent. The echoes of these events resulted in the loss of some old rights, privileges and benefits for the Chapter of Zadar and caused the constant struggle between the Chapter itself and the archbishops of Zadar during the 18th century especially on the issue of the choosing and allocation of the canonries and prebendaries. Beside that the frequent Venetian and Ottoman wars during the 16th and the 17th centuries had a huge impact on the Chapter's material state since many of its possessions in the Zadar's hinterland were destructed and lost for good. Since the Venetian republic ignored so called ius postliminii according to which it would have been necessary to return the land in the re-conquered territories to its previous owners, the Chapter of Zadar remained without its old possessions in the Zadar's hinterland. Because of that the Chapter of Zadar became poor and dependent on the help and grace of the Venetian republic which had started to have a great influence on the inner ecclesiastical life in Dalmatia as well as in Zadar itself.
During the research it has been proved that these political and social events as well as the ecclesiastical changes had determined the status of the Chapter of Zadar in both economical and ecclesiastical sense. This is especially seen in the comparison of capitural income during the 16th and 17th centuries with the income during the 18th century and the extent of its possessions in that period. The analysis of the collected archival documentation and the synthesis of the results reached at, reveal an important fragment of the economic, political and social life of dignitaries who composed the Chapter of Zadar during the last hundred years of the Venetian government in Dalmatia
INFLUENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF KING DAVID IN THE FIRST BOOK OF CHRONICLE
Full text linkKnjige Prva i Druga Ljetopisa, Ezra i Nehemija napisane su oko 350. godine prije Krista, a napisao ih je pisac koji se zove kroničar. On opisuje događaje, uz manje ili više odstupanja, koji su već bili opisani u Prvoj i Drugoj knjizi Samuela i u Prvoj i Drugoj knjizi Kraljeva. Kroničar ne prepisuje događaje iz tih knjiga, nego dodaje nešto tekstu, mijenja ga i neke dijelove ispušta ili dodaje svoje izvore, a isto tako tekst iz tih knjiga stavlja u novi kontekst i opis tako dobiva novi smisao. U Prvoj knjizi Ljetopisa glavna i idealna osoba je kralj David koji ima posebni utjecaj i značenje u toj knjizi. Već kod pisanja rodoslovlja vidi se da kroničar vrlo brzo dolazi do Judina plemena iz kojega je kralj David. Kralj David je ustoličen za kralja nad čitavim Izraelom u gradu Hebronu. Prva briga kralja Davida je da osvoji Jeruzalem koji će postati glavni grad Izraela. Odmah poslije toga David prenosi Kovčeg Božji iz Kirjat Jearima u Jeruzalem. Kovčeg Božji stavlja u šator koji je prije pripremio. David postavlja pravila i uspostavlja kult i kultne službe u kojem glavnu ulogu imaju leviti i svećenici. David je od Boga dobio obećanje po proroku Natanu da će Davidova loza trajati dovijeka. David priprema sve za gradnju Hrama koji će izgraditi njegov sin Salomon. On je oko sebe okupio sav Izrael u idealnim granicama od Šihora do Lebo Hamata. Kroničar opisuje Davida kao ratnika koji nije okrutan u ratu i koji pobjeđuje neprijatelje koji imaju veću vojnu silu od Davida, jer on uvijek pita i sluša Jahvu. David je u ratu samo oružje u rukama Jahvinim. Svi budući izraelski kraljevi uspoređivati će se sa Davidom da li su dobri ili loši. David je u svojem djelovanju opisan po uzoru na Mojsija. On sa svojim postupcima ima utjecaj i važnost ne samo u kroničarskom djelu nego ima veliki utjecaj na Psalme i druge knjige Staroga Zavjeta, a Davida spominje i Isus u Novom zavjetu. Za kroničara David nije idealna osoba sam za sebe, nego se njime služi za uspostavu važnih institucija koje su nastale u Davidovo vrijeme i služe kao poticaj za obnovu tih institucija u poslije sužanjsko vrijeme, tj. u kroničarevo vrijeme.1 Chronicles
The first chapter of this paper deals with 1 Chronicles. This book is referred to in the title, “The Influence and Significance of King David in 1 Chronicles”. The Books of Chronicles cover the history of Israel from the origins of mankind to the return of the Israelites from the Babylonian captivity. The writer of 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah is the Chronicler. The Chronicler used the deuterocanonical books (1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings) as a template. There are two hypotheses about the writer and the text: one of these supports the opinion that there is a single writer of the Chronicler’s historical work (W. Rudolph, R. Mosis …). This is the hypothesis we support. The other hypothesis holds that two or more chroniclers wrote two separate works (K. Galling, A.C.Welch). One of these works would be 1 and 2 Chronicles, and the other Ezra and Nehemiah (S. Japhet). The Chronicler reshapes the events already described by the writer of the deuterocanonical books, omitting some and changing others or placing them in a different context, this giving them a new meaning. The Chronicler’s texts were written around 350 B.C. His work mirrors the theology and preoccupations of his time, i.e., in the post-captivity community, and shows that he was concerned with Yahweh, King David, the Ark of the Covenant, the Kingdom and the liturgical community. David’s time was in the past, but the Chronicler describes David as a model king who establishes God’s theocracy. The Chronicler endeavours to present the Temple, King David and the cultic roles in an ideal light to motivate his contemporaries to renewal after their return from captivity. The theological intent of the Chronicler is to show the worship of God in the Jerusalem temple through official representatives, priests and Levites. He projects contemporary institutions and circumstances into the past and links them to the person of King David. The Chronicler evaluates individual Kings of Israel based on their attitudes toward the practice of liturgy in the Temple. In the post-captivity period all political and religious institutions had been destroyed. The Chronicler does not expect global eschatological changes in the future, but the future of Israel must correspond to the golden age of David. In the history of Israel, the establishment of the kingdom is of prime importance. Yahweh is the true king of Israel and governs the state, Yahweh’s kingdom, through the king. When presenting the persons and achievements of other kings, the Chronicler draws a clear distinction between David and Solomon on the one hand, and all other kings on the other. In
David’s time permanent institutions were created which became obligatory for all the kings and people of Israel. The Temple is the central concern of David and Solomon.
2 The Purpose of the Genealogy
The second chapter explains that human history did not begin with David. The Chronicler wishes to legitimize David’s time by referring to previous periods in Israel’s sacred history. He does so by means of genealogies which have a theological significance. By means of genealogies the Chronicler takes the shortest route to persons important to him in order to lead us to David. The first period begins with Judah (1 Chr 2,3-5) because a king from Judah is central to the Chronicler’s book. The Chronicler gradually sets the stage for David’s takeover of the kingdom. By means of genealogies the Chronicler wishes to establish continuity between the past and present. The Chronicler’s text is therefore more of a theology of history, with David in the centre, around which everything else seems to take place in concentric circles. God’s covenant with David gives meaning to the past and to the present, which is open to the future. The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles describes three circles of nations: the first circle encompasses the nations of the world (1 Chr 1), the second the tribes of Israel (1 Chr 2-8), and, finally, the inner circle encompasses the holy city of Jerusalem, its inhabitants and the Temple with its attendants (1 Chr 9). The Chronicler sees Judah as playing a central role in the history of Israel to a far greater extent than it does in the deuterocanonical books. The tenth chapter does not stand on its own but has the purpose of introducing David into the text. This chapter deals with Saul and his house, which had to disappear for David to become king. In 2 Sam, after the death of Saul there is a struggle for the throne between David and Saul’s sons. The Chronicler omits this and Saul’s house dies with him. The Chronicler is anxious for David to become king of all Israel immediately and without any obstacles. In 1 Chr, immediately after his crowning in Hebron, David undertakes his two most important endeavours: capturing Jerusalem and transferring the Ark. Saul died because he was unfaithful to God: he did not seek the advice of Yahweh but of a medium at En-dor and he did not seek Yahweh, i.e., he did not care about the Ark. Nahshon is presented as the ruler of the tribe of Judah and so the Chronicler gets ever closer to David. The Chronicler gives the reason for Saul’s death: So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the Lord, i.e. he made the burnt offering himself and did not execute God’s punishment upon Amalek (cf. 1 Sam 13,5 – 14; 1 Sam 15,1 – 35)
3 David’s history
This chapter deals with David’s history, which begins with David’s ascent to the throne, making David the king of all Israel. David becomes king of all Israel immediately after his crowning and has no opponents. All of Israel as an ideal whole thus participates in David’s anointing as king (cf. 1 Chr 11,4 – 9) and in the transfer of the Ark (cf. 1 Chr 13). The Chronicler glorifies David, but he does so by making him part of his conception, which is to make Jerusalem the capital and centre of all Israel, where the Temple was to be built and where the Ark was to be brought. The expression “all Israel” is both the introduction to and conclusion of David’s history. The Chronicler describes the events of David’s ascent to the throne and capture of Jerusalem as following immediately one after the other. He wishes to show that David’s most important task after his crowning was to take over Jerusalem as the centre of all Israel. There are three salient features in the Chronicler’s description of the capture of Jerusalem: all Israel participates in the capture of Jerusalem; the name of the city, Jebus, is replaced by a new name: Jerusalem; and the importance of the military commander Joab in the capture and restoration of Jerusalem. The significance of the city as David’s personal property is minimized, which makes the text different from Chapter 5 of 2 Samuel. The first and second transfers of the Ark take place in this period of David’s history. We may say that the Ark of God travelled first from Kiriath Jearim to Obed-Edom’s house and then to Jerusalem, where is stayed in the Tabernacle until its ceremonial transfer to the newly built Temple in Jerusalem. The transfer of the Tabernacle is in fact the second stage of the transformation of Jerusalem into the political and religious centre of Israel. The idea and incentive for the first transfer of the Ark come from David, but it is the entire people who make the decision. Because of Uzziah’s misfortune the Ark interrupts its journey and ends up in Obed-Edom’s house. The second transfer of the Ark takes place from Obed-Edom’s house to Jerusalem. The reason for the interruption of the first transfer was that the Ark was not carried by Levites and therefore Uzziah was punished. If in future Israel wants to avoid the misfortune that happened in Saul’s time, they must bring the Ark to Jerusalem and take care of it. The motif of the transfer of the Ark consists in the blessings obtained by David for the first transfer of the Ark: the pagan king Hiram pays tribute to David and God blesses David with many children and gives him victory over the Philistines. During the second transfer of the Ark it is the Levites who carry the Ark. David assigns to the Levites the duties the are to perform before the Ark. David makes the liturgical rules for the group of Levites and priests, the purpose of which is to glorify and praise Yahweh. In the view of the Chronicler, David is the true worshipper of Yahweh who establishes the cult and the persons entrusted with cultic roles for the liturgy. This is not mentioned in the deuterocanonical books. David introduces singers, Levites and priests into the liturgy and according to his own ruling he does not interfere in priestly affairs and draws a sharp line between political and priestly activities. The Chronicler states that David introduced cultic music to the Temple although the Temple had not yet been built. In addition to subjugating Israel’s enemies David did a lot more and imposed taxes on many surrounding states (1 Chr 18,2). The reform of the Levites was conditioned by historical circumstances: there was peace and the Levites were no longer carrying the Ark, which was in the Tabernacle in Jerusalem. The Levites were now given new roles which may be classified into three areas: they are tasked with guarding the Temple and putting it in order, assisting the priests in the offering of sacrifices and providing the musical accompaniment to the liturgy. David announced to his son Solomon that he had ordained the priestly ministry and assigned the priests their duties. It is important to observe in the establishment of the priestly ministry that the initiative, authority, and responsibility for the whole endeavour lie with David. David was especially accommodating to two priestly ministers, Zadok and Ahimelech. Those serving in the Temple also include officials who have a role in all management activities. In the view of the Chronicler the distinction between politics and the priestly ministry will be a special yardstick against which all future kings of Israel will be measured. The Chronicler wished to underline that in all his actions, and especially when it comes to the cult, David was following the law of Moses. In the eyes of the Chronicler, David is probably more than simply one who continued and fulfilled the work of Moses. The Chronicler describes and judges every king by his death and place of burial, that is, whether or not he was buried in the city of his father David. The Chronicler calls upon all of David’s heirs to worship Yahweh as David did, and sets David up as the model and yardstick against which they are all measured.
4 Nathan’s prophecy
The Chronicler’s main theme in 1 Chr is found in chapter 17 where Yahweh makes a promise to David’s dynasty. The following chapters depict the beginnings of the fulfilment of this promise. Like Moses, David will be denied seeing its fulfilment. David wants to build God a temple to house the Ark of God. God rejects David’s wish, but now Yahweh himself builds a future for David through his heirs (cf. 1 Chr 17,1 – 6). Thus the theme passes from the building of the Temple to the building of the House of David. God chooses David to ensure the future of the people of Israel through David’s eternal dynasty. We can therefore say that David comes closer to Moses and Joshua than any other leader of Israel in carrying out the task given him by God. David’s house, i.e., his legacy, will be built in the future. The meaning of David’s house cannot be limited to Solomon, but extends to the entire dynasty started by David. The promise given to David refers not just to David’s sons but to all his future heirs. Yahweh thus wishes to ensure the existence of Israel by means of David and his dynasty.
5. The Temple
The condition for building the Temple was the establishment of peace. David did not fully achieve peace, but only defeated his enemies. David again gathers all of Israel when gathering gifts. The gathering of all of Israel occurs at important moments in Israel’s history. In Solomon’s time peace in the surrounding areas will be achieved and he will be able to build the Temple. David names his son Solomon as his heir. Solomon rises to the throne of the Lord with no difficulty or opposition. Along with the crowning of Solomon, Zadok is appointed priest, and the two represent secular and religious authority, respectively. Now that the Kingdom of Israel had become stable internally and externally, David began to prepare everything for the construction of the Temple. The Chronicler’s description concerns the building of the Temple and the establishment of the temple cult (1 Chr 21 and 1 Chr 22 – 29). David buys a site for the Temple and the Chronicler wishes to show David’s zealous care for the site on which the Temple was to be built. The Chronicler is unique in that he uses the census and the punishment of Israel as an introduction to the selection of the site where the Jerusalem Temple was to be constructed. In the passage where the people are counted, David is described as a repentant sinner interceding for his people with prayers and sacrifices. The reason for David’s decision to ceremonially gather the people is the enthronement of Solomon, but it seems that Solomon’s rise to the throne is subordinate to the main theme, which is the building of the Temple (1 Chr 28,4 – 5). David hands over to his son Solomon a model of the Temple with all the details of construction and the cultic objects.
6 David the warrior
In this chapter the Chronicler attempts to shield David as warrior from any thought of harshness or cruel conduct which might jeopardize his idealized image of David the warrior. He ascribes David’s victories in war not just to David but also to his heroes. He does not allow any glorification of David’s name or prowess in war. In the Chronicler’s view it is Yahweh who is the true mover, leader and winner of wars. The wars waged by David and his war booty are to be used for the construction of the Temple. The main topic of David’s speech in chapter 29 of 1 Chr, verses 1 – 9, is a call on the people and all leaders to offer gifts for the building of the Temple. David could not build the Temple because he was preoccupied with extending the kingdom and securing it from enemies. It is only Solomon who can finally build the Temple because God granted peace on all sides. Addressing his son Solomon and the gathered representatives of the people, David enumerates the reasons why he cannot build the Temple: because he is a warrior and has spilt too much blood. This is why God prohibited him from building the Temple. The only innocent blood for which David could be held responsible is that of the seventy thousand who died because of David’s counting of the people. David achieved three important goals in his waging of wars: he defeated his main enemies, by winning he established ideal borders and after his victories he imposed taxes on Israel’s enemies. The image of David as warrior in 1 Chr is completely different from that in the deuterocanonical books. In 1 Chr David fought against the Ammonites who were far stronger than in 2 Sam 10,6. The Chronicler presents David as a great warrior and victor and avoids any mention of cruelty that might be ascribed to David. This intention of the Chronicler is evident in the conquest of Jerusalem. Here the Chronicler passes over the report about the blind and the lame which is found in 2 Sam 5,6b – 8. These are offensive words in the context of David and the Chronicler does not wish to bring shame on David for harshness. The Chronicler omits David’s heroic deeds before he became king of Israel. He omits the text in which David cuts off Goliath’s head and brings it to Saul. He also omits the report in which David kills two hundred Philistines and brings their skins to King Saul in order to become Saul’s son in law (cf. 2 Sam 18,22). David is a great warrior, but his victories in war are not due to his skill in arms, but to his trusting in Yahweh. His warriors are important to David. The meaning and goal of the wars waged by David is to extend the borders of Israel, establish peace in Israel’s surroundings, and secure Jerusalem, the location of the future Temple and the Ark in the Temple. His heroic warriors are in the service of the transfer of the Ark. David’s wars also serve to collect building materials for the Temple. Thus David obtains a lot of building material from Hadadezer (cf. 1 Chr 18,8a) and looted much silver and gold from other nations (cf. 1 Chr 18, 11b). This war booty would be used to make many objects in the Temple.
Chapter 7 – The conclusion of David’s history
The evaluation of David’s reign is unanimously positive, and this the Chronicler and the writer of the deuterocanonical books have in common. By using the phrase “all Israel”, the Chronicler wishes to emphasize the greatness and unity of Israel under the leadership of King David (cf. 1 Chr 29,26). It is worth mentioning here David’s death in advanced old age, which is a sign of God’s blessing, placing David next to Abraham (cf. 1 Chr 23,1 and Gen 15,15). The Chronicler mentions three writers who made records of David’s reign: the seer Samuel, the prophet Nathan and the seer Gad. David’s history affects him, Israel and all the then important kingdoms of the world. God would preserve David’s house because of the covenant He made with David. Thus God’s promise extends to Solomon and all of David’s heirs. The Chronicler describes David’s kingdom as one in which the Davidic king possesses theocracy in Israel. The theocracy of Israel is ordained by God. The Chronicler is convinced that the ideal of theocracy was best achieved in David’s rule in a model manner. The theocratic idea can already be discerned in the promise to David’s dynasty (cf. 1 Chr 17,1 – 15). Although it may seem that the ideal of theocracy in the post-captivity community has been achieved, the Judean community was not satisfied with its situation. The post-captivity community expects the removal of deficiencies such as the lack of a king and the fact that they live in a hostile environment. God’s rule already exists but not yet, because there is the harsh reality in which the Judean community depends on the favour of worldly rulers. There are elements which are important for the existence of theocracy: Yahweh, the Temple of Jerusalem, the Jerusalem cult in the Temple, David’s kingdom, Israel with its territory. Everything was there except that the throne of the Lord’s rule over Israel was still vacant. In his text the Chronicler underlines the importance of David’s person, which influenced the history of Israel in David’s time and still does in the post-captivity period. David’s kingdom and the cult of Yahweh are an indivisible whole and mutually dependent. The purpose of David’s kingdom is to serve the cult of Yahweh. The Chronicler described David as an ideal person and removed all the negative aspects described in the books of Samuel and Kings. David is set up as a model for the Chronicler’s contemporaries. The Chronicler idealizes David’s life and the end of his life. David is described as dying in advanced old age having enjoyed life, wealth and glory. In this he is compared to Job, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This texts is concerned with Jerusalem as the religious and political centre of Israel. From the moment of his ascent to the throne David transforms Jerusalem into the cultic and political centre of Israel. In Chapter 9 the Chronicler enumerates the inhabitants of the land and especially those residing in Jerusalem. The Chronicler lists the laymen, priests and Levites who live in Jerusalem. This list shows how much he cares
THE VALUE OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNION IN CROATIAN AND BOSNIAN AND HERZEGOVINIAN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES FROM THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL UNTIL 2016
Full text linkDoktorski rad Vrednota redovničkoga zajedništva u hrvatskim i bosanskohercegovačkim redovničkim zajednicama od Drugoga vatikanskoga sabora do 2016. pod teoretskim i praktičnim vidom obrađuje vrednotu redovničkog zajedništva nakon Drugoga vatikanskoga sabora kao jednu od bitnih komponenti redovničkoga života. Radom su obuhvaćene redovničke zajednice u Hrvatskoj i Bosni i Hercegovini i to od 1972. do 2016. godine. U teoretskom je dijelu korištena kritičko-analitička i induktivno-deduktivna metoda, dok je za praktičnu razinu provedeno i analizirano kvalitativno empirijsko istraživanje obavljeno pomoću metoda fokus grupe i osobnog intervjua. Rad je podijeljen u pet poglavlja. Redovničko je zajedništvo najprije smješteno unutar ekleziološkog zajedništva (1. „Redovničko zajedništvo“), a njegove su bitne dimenzije osvijetljene uz pomoć poslijesaborskih crkvenih dokumenata o posvećenom životu (2. „Redovničko zajedništvo i dimenzije njegova ostvarenja prema crkvenim dokumentima“). U trećem poglavlju („Bitni naglasci redovničkoga zajedništva: Zbornici redovničkih tjedana (1973.-2002.), časopis Posvećeni život (1994. - 2016.), Vijećanja redovničkih odgojitelja i odgojiteljica (1972.2016.) i Redovnički dani (1998.-2016.))“ temeljito je analizirana tema redovničkog zajedništva prema zapisima najvažnijih skupova redovnika i redovnica u Hrvatskoj i Bosni i Hercegovini u vremenskom razmaku od 44 godine. U četvrtom je poglavlju („Izazovi i poteškoće zajedništva u redovničkim zajednicama“) izdvojeno sedam izazova i poteškoća redovničkoga zajedništva kao rezultat teološko-teoretske analize proizašle iz prva tri poglavlja. Peto poglavlje („Redovničko zajedništvo pred suvremenim izazovima – Empirijsko istraživanje“) donosi i analizira rezultate kvalitativnog empirijskog istraživanja provedenog u siječnju i svibnju 2016. godine u kojemu je sudjelovalo 70 redovnika i redovnica iz hrvatskih i bosansko-hercegovačkih redovničkih zajednica. Rezultati su potvrdili važnost vrednote redovničkog zajedništva, osvijetlili njegove pomake kako u pozitivnom tako i u negativnom smjeru, otkrili važne teme za potreban rast redovničkog zajedništva te otvorili teme o kojima se do sada nije raspravljalo ni pisalo. U ovom se radu po prvi puta temeljito analizira vrednota redovničkoga zajedništva kako pod teološko-teoretskim (od 1972.–2016.) tako i pod praktično-empirijskim vidom. Interdisciplinarni pristup u obradi tematike redovničkog zajedništva kao i dobiveni rezultati nude znanstveno utemeljeno polazište kako za daljnja istraživanja tako i za konkretnu primjenu u redovničkim zajednicama.The doctoral The Value of Religious Communion in Croatian and Bosnian and Herzegovinian Religious Communities from the Second Vatican Council until 2016 thesis focuses on how the value of communion has been lived by male and female monks in Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities in the period from the Second Vatican Council until 2016. The monastic communion is a natural and supernatural reality. Its ideal is the Trinitarian communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and its role model the first Christian community. The foundation of the monastic community is faith, characterised by two kinds of relationships: the first one is that of sonhood/daughterhood and the second one is that of brotherhood/sisterhood. While the first includes the relationship between the individual, the community, and God, the second presupposes mutual relations within a monastic community. The main goal of the doctoral thesis is to theoretically and practically analyse and provide an overview of the monastic communion in Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities in the period from the Second Vatican Council until 2016. The final goal is to show that the value of monastic communion always remains a value, no matter the changes, difficulties, and challenges it might be undergoing. In the theoretical part the author utilises the critical-analytical and the inductive-deductive method. The practical part consisted of a conducted qualitative empirical study that utilised the methods of focus group and individual interviews and whose results were then analysed. The study has been conducted during January and May, 2016. 36 female monks and 18 male monks, altogether 54 persons, participated in ten focus groups. 9 female monks and 7 male monks, altogether 16 persons, participated in individual interviews. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first three chapters analyse the value of monastic communion theoretically, while the fourth chapter presents and analyses, on the basis of results of the first three chapters, certain challenges of and difficulties with communion in monastic communities. The fifth chapter presents and analyses results of the conducted qualitative empirical study among monks of Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities. The first chapter entitled Monastic communion introduces the topic through the discussion of ecclesiology of communion and situates the monastic communion within the Church as communio. Furthermore, the chapter discusses the concept of Christian and monastic community and interprets main traits of the monastic communion. Confronted with various crises after the Second Vatican Council, monastic communities were struck by the crisis of communion. Among others Pope Francis also called for the renewal of monastic communion by announcing the Year of Sanctified Life that lasted from November 30, 2014 until February 2, 2016. The second chapter entitled Monastic Communion and Dimensions of Its Realisation according to the Church Documents treats essential dimensions of the monastic communion according to the Church documents in the period from the Second Vatican Council until 2016. The Church documents enlighten the way towards good monastic communion and present an ideal that ought to be realised, but they also analyse the problem of communion in an open and critical way while proposing ways and means of overcoming this problem. The following essential dimensions of the monastic communion have been analysed in the second chapter: the renewal of the monastic life after the Second Vatican Council with an emphasis on communion; contemplation; formation; brotherly and sisterly life in a communion; mission; the vow of chastity; the vow of poverty, authority, and obedience. The themes covered in the second chapter showed that the Church documents on sanctified life always followed circumstances and changes in monastic communities faithfully and have dealt with them in a successful and responsible way. The third chapter entitled Essential Emphases of the Monastic Communion: Collection of Papers of the Monastic Weeks (1973 - 2002), the Journal Posvećeni Život (1994 - 2016), Rulings of Male and Female Monastic Prefects (1972 - 2016), and the Monastic Days (1998 - 2016), presents an overview of reflections and essential emphases of the monastic communion by analysing and following collections of papers of the monastic weeks (I-XVII; 1973-2002), the journal Posvećeni život (1994 - 2016), which collected most of the lectures held during 32 monastic weeks in Croatia, counsels/rulings of male and female monastic prefects (1st-45th; 1972 – 2016) and the Monastic Days (1998 – 2016). The chapter first generally presents three specific and most numerous gathering of male and female monks in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Monastic Weeks (1973 – 2016), counselling/rulings of male and female monastic prefects (1972 – 2016) in Croatia, and, at the end, the Monastic Days (1998 – 2016) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This chapter analyses liturgical and prayer life of the community, ascetic practice, daily schedule, local council, the vow of chastity and affective maturity, the vow of poverty, authority and animation of a monastic community, dialogue and pluralism of thinking, and, at the end, spirituality of communion. All these topics have been analysed in the context of monastic communion. The analysis in the third chapter has confirmed the fact
that the monastic communion was important for monastic communities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is especially evident through these topics and a large number of participants at the aforementioned gatherings of male and female monks. On the other hand, it is much easier to discern the reality of monastic communities from the first twenty years of gatherings than from the last twenty years. However, when one takes into account that throughout the years the number of days and the number of lectures at the Monastic Days in Croatia have decreased, that collections of papers from the Monastic Weeks have ceased to be published, that some lectures from the Monastic Days in Bosnia and Herzegovina have not been preserved or published and that there were no records of papers delivered in individual sessions of the Monastic Weeks from the tenth Monastic Week onwards, one can only conclude that enthusiasm and openness for critical and clear reflection on monastic life in general and the monastic communion in particular has decreased over the years. The fourth chapter, entitled Challenges of and Difficulties with the Communion in Monastic Communities, specifies, on the basis of the first three chapters, seven challenges of and difficulties with the monastic communion that monastic communities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina faced since the Second Vatican Council until 2016. The chapter begins with an analysis of the problem of individualism and the influence of electronic media on the monastic communion. This is followed by the topics of life in small and big monastic communities, inter-generational relations, and the relation between the community and an individual. The chapter analyses difficulties of the monastic communion of female monastic communities that live and work in parishes and problems of monks-priests who are also parish priests in parishes. This chapter has confirmed that male and female monks are not spared of the problem of individualism, the influence of electronic media, and intergenerational conflicts. A positive shift has been discerned in the relation between the community and an individual. Each difficulty presents a challenge and a chance to rethink and renew the monastic communion. The fifth chapter, entitled Contemporary Challenges to the Quality of the Monastic Communion – an Empirical Study gathers and analyses results of a quality empirical study and deepens the topic of monastic communion while showing how male and female monks in Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities see and experience the value of monastic communion and what kind of meaning they ascribe to it. This chapter starts with a description of basic methodological data. It introduces and interprets the organisation and conduction of focus groups and individual interviews, provides methodological notes, explains the research question, and poses hypotheses. Methodological notes are followed by an exhaustive analysis of five study areas. Firstly, the issue of leisure time, secondly, new media, thirdly, interpersonal relations, fourthly, loneliness and addiction, fifthly, ascetic practice. At the end the author presents proposals of male and female monks on how to increase the quality of monastic communion. The first area of study, focused on the theme of leisure time and related common recreational activities, has shown that male and female monks, taking into account smaller or bigger discrepancies and in relation to the quantity of leisure time and the manner of its usage, do have leisure time after all. The common recreational activities are quite important and needed, but in terms of its existence and the manner of its conduction there are significant discrepancies from one community to another. In some communities the common recreational activities are often and regular, in some occasional, and in some other it has been reduced to watching TV together or does not exist at all. The second area, focused on the topic of new media, the internet, and smart phones, has shown that each monastic community has its own web site and that participants in the study use new media extensively. The purpose of this usage is, however, manifold. New media are used for various forms of communication, but also as a means of various kinds of pastoral work. The need for culture of using new media and education for media is quite pronounced. The third area of study focused on dynamics of interpersonal relations in a monastic community and it revealed aspects of interpersonal relations that are important to participants, as well as those that could be improved within communities. Among important aspects, acceptance, respect, trust, sincerity, communication, and forgiveness stand out. The area of interpersonal relations has also shown five ways of resolving conflicts in monastic communities of the participants. The most common way of resolving conflicts is through talking. However, there were also participants who are trying to avoid every conflict in their monastic life. There is a strong and close link between interpersonal relations and the apostolate of a community. The fourth area of study focused on the topic of loneliness and the problem of addictions. Male and female monks also suffer from the feeling of loneliness. There are various reasons for, kinds, and frequency of this feeling among the participants. The topic of addictions is still more or less a taboo within monastic communities. It is much easier to talk about an addiction of a monastic brother/sister than about one´s own addiction. The study has shown that male and female monks are not immune to addictions and that there are various kinds of addictions in Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities. There is awareness that this problem is present as well as openness for finding solutions to it. he fifth area of study focused on the importance of ascetic practice in the life of participants and confirmed that it exists and that participants engage in it in their personal lives and as a community. There was an attempt to link ascetic practice to careerism in monastic communities, which led to the conclusion that participants have different views on what constitutes career and careerism. For some participants these have nothing in common with ascetic practices and monastic communities, while some participants honestly admitted that male and female monks are not immune to the negative syndrome of careerism. Nevertheless, the majority agreed that careerism is more present in male than female monastic communities. The results of the doctoral thesis, both those of the theoretical as well as the empirical part of the study, confirmed the importance of the value of monastic communion and demonstrated both positive and negative shifts. They also revealed important themes that need to be addressed in the interest of growth in quality of monastic communion and opened up issues that were not discussed until now in Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian monastic communities. The shifts towards positive were manifested through the selection of topics for monastic weeks, days, and counselling of male and female monks. Especially in their first years, these gatherings emanated clarity, concreteness, and good theological background. Values such as dialogue, participation, and co-responsibility were ever more present in the everyday monastic life. Throughout the years the sensibility for initial and permanent formation also grew, especially when it comes to affective maturity of an individual. One can also discern a major positive shift towards respect for each individual person and his/her gifts within a community. Despite the increased tempo of life, male and female monks manage to find time for personal and communal leisure activities. They use media for communication and pastoral work, but they are well aware of dangers associated with these. One can also notice a positive shift in the continuous desire and struggle of male and female monks for building up good interpersonal relations, which also testifies in favour of the selection of good personal ways of conflict resolution. It is also encouraging to see that male and female monks are not afraid to admit that they feel lonely, that they are open to finding solutions for the problem of addictions within their communities, and that they largely engage in personal and communal ascetic practices. Shifts towards the negative are manifested through the phenomenon of ever more present individualism within communities, to which new media and the crisis of authority largely contribute. Although many monastic communities engage in common recreational activities, there are communities in which these have all but disappeared, while their place has been taken up by new media, especially the internet and smart phones. There are communities in which new media even disturb common meals. Negativity is also manifested through views on the problem of addictions that is still a taboo topic in most monastic communities, while finding a solution for individual cases of addictions is still expected from the head of a community and not from a community as a whole. The following topics have proved to be of extreme importance for the future of monastic communities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and it would be advisable to discuss them during upcoming gatherings of monks: interpersonal and inter-generational relations, new media, the problem of addictions and finding solutions to it, the issue of monastic communion of monks-parish priests. A possible way of dealing with the aforementioned negative shifts, as well as a signpost for further reflections and work in communities, can be discerned from individual proposals of male and female monks that they shared at the end of the empirical study. In this sense, the return to the Word of God, as well as personal and communal prayer, is of utmost importance. The encounter with the Word of God can also lead to good and quality interpersonal relations. There is also a need to return to the original charisma of a given monastic community. The initial and permanent formation are extremely important, especially the formation for good interpersonal relations and communion. More regular common encounters on the level of a community could also contribute to the quality of monastic communion. In conclusion, this doctoral thesis is a contribution to the overall reflection of male and female monks during all gatherings that they organised. For the first time, the thesis has gathered and analysed everything that has to do with the value of monastic communion in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the time span of 44 years (1972 – 2016). In both its theoretical part as well as in its empirical part, this doctoral thesis is a positive and valuable result of the risk of entering into a large number of Croatian and BosnianHerzegovinian monastic communities. Through their openness and complaisance, these communities have showed that they are not perfect, but that they are, nevertheless, willing to face the great challenges of contemporary monastic life. This doctoral thesis is, therefore, also a sign of gratitude to these monastic communities for their efforts in building up the Kingdom of God within the ecclesial life and in their relation to society in which they live and work. The monastic communion is an incomplete reality. This reality consists of many threads and small details of everyday life. It is always an opportunity for personal growth and formation. For each male and female monk it is what the examination of conscience at the end of each day ought to consist of. This doctoral thesis shows that challenges and difficulties of monastic communion ought to be discussed even more, while its contents and results offer
scientifically-based starting point for further research and concrete application within monastic communities
REFORM MOVEMENT AND CROATIAN OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH 1919-1929
Full text linkReformni pokret nižeg katoličkog klera u Hrvatskoj trajao je od 1919. do 1923. godine. Za to vrijeme on je prošao kroz više faza razvoja. Djelovanje preteča reformnog pokreta (1917.-1918.) pokazalo je, da dio nižeg klera nije bio zadovoljan tadašnjim odnosima unutar Katoličke Crkve. Ujedno je to bio nagovještaj da će uskoro doći do pokreta koji će imati za cilj provođenje reformi koje bi trebale demokratizirati katoličku crkvenu organizaciju i poboljšati materijalni i društveni položaj njenog nižeg klera. Svoj puni zamah reformni je pokret doživio u novonastaloj Kraljevini SHS. "Savremene želje", odnosno zahtjevi katoličkih svećenika u Hrvatskoj, formulirani na tzv. "Boljševičkoj sinodi", predstavljali su smjernicu u borbi za provođenje reformi u Katoličkoj Crkvi. Značajno je da niti jedan zahtjev nije dirao u temeljna vjerska pitanja, tj. dogme, nego su se isključivo kretali na području crkvene discipline i organizacije. Katoličke crkvene vlasti u Hrvatskoj oštro su osudile reformni pokret i njegove zahtjeve. Na prijelazu iz 1919. u 1920. godinu među svećenicima je došlo do diferencijacije oko pitanja daljnjeg vođenja akcije za reformu Katoličke Crkve. Većina je oštro ostala na tome da se tražene reforme moraju provesti legalnim putem unutar Katoličke Crkve. No, manjina je smatrala da je uspjeh jedino moguć ako se provede prekid svih veza s Katoličkom Crkvom i osnuje nova, neovisna vjerska zajednica. Koprivnička faza pokreta (1920.) pokazala je da jugoslavenski katolički episkopat, držeći se potpuno stava Svete Stolice prema češkom reformnom pokretu, nema namjeru prihvatiti sada ponešto izmijenjene zahtjeve sebi podređenog svećenstva i da je nasilno zauzimanje rimokatoličke župe te njeno pretvaranje u "hrvatsko-katoličku župu" neostvarivo. U svojoj posljednjoj fazi (razdoblje od 1921. do 1923.) reformni pokret zapada u naizgled bezizlaznu krizu i definitivno prekida organizacijske i dogmatske veze s Katoličkom Crkvom. Političke stranke i skupine u Hrvatskoj gledale su na reformni pokret isključivo s aspekta svojih uskih političkih interesa. U svrhu suzbijanja reformnog pokreta katoličke crkvene vlasti imale su, na zakonu utemeljenu, podršku najviših državnih organa. Jedini način da se prevlada kriza pokreta i ostvari željena reforma bio je prijelaz na starokatoličku vjeroispovijest. Nemogućnost provođenja reformi u Katoličkoj Crkvi u Hrvatskoj dovela je do stvaranja nove vjerske zajednice - Hrvatske starokatoličke crkve. U prvih pet godina svoga postojanja Hrvatska starokatolička crkva uspostavila je svoje institucije i proživila prve krize. Tako s godinom 1929. završava jedno razdoblje njezine konsolidacije.The reform movement of a part of the lower Catholic clergy in Croatia had several phases. The activity of precursors of the reform movement (until 1919.) showed that a part of hierarchically lover clergy was not satisfied with the existing relations within the Catholic Church. At the same time it was an indication that soon a movement would be formed with the aim to carry out the reforms which were supposed to democratize the Catholic Church organization and improve the material and social position of its lower clergy. The reform movement got its full swing in the newly founded Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. "The contemporary wishes", i. e. the demands of the Catholic priests in Croatia, formulated in so-called "Bolshevik synod", presented the orientation in the struggle for carrying out the reforms in the Catholic Church. It is significant that none of demands touched the basic religious questions, i.e. dogmas, but were limited to the questions of the church discipline and organization. The Catholic Church authorities in Croatia condemned sharply the reform movement and its demands. The turn of 1919 to 1920 witnessed the differentiation among the priests regarding the question of further conducting of the action for the reform of the Catholic Church. Most of them resolutely stuck to their opinion that the required reforms had to be carried out in the legal way within the Catholic Church itself. But some thought that the success was possible only if all the connections with the Catholic Church were stopped and new independent religious community formed. The Koprivnica phase of the movement (1920) showed that Yugoslav Catholic episcopate, complying entirely with the attitude of the Holy Chair regarding the Czech reform movement, had no intention to accept the demands, now somewhat changed, of the subordinate clergy and that occupation of the Roman Catholic parish by force and its transformation into the "Croatian-catholic parish" was not realizable. Regardless of the strict church punishments, the movement was kept, mor or less, within the range of the Catholic Church until first excommunication in 1921. In the last phase (the period between 1921 and 1923/24) the reform movement entered its seemingly hopeless crisis and stopped definitely its organizational and dogmatic relations with the Catholic Church. Political parties and groups in Croatia looked at the reform movement of the priests solely from the aspect of their narrow political interests. In order to stop the reform movement the Catholic Church authorities had the support, based on the law, by the highest state bodies. The only way to overcome the crisis of the movement and realize the longed for reform was to pass to the Old Catholic religion. The impossibility of carrying out the reform within the Catholic Church in Croatia made a part of dissatisfied lower clergy found new religious community - the Croatian Old Catholic Church. In first five years of her existing Croatian Old Catholic Church made his own institutions and go through an experience of firs crisis. With year of 1929 finish the time of her consolidation
Being born of water and the Spirit (cf. Jo 3,3-8) – exegesis and impacts in the work of F. Porsch and F. Libermann
Full text linkPolazna istraživačka hipoteza disertacije odnosi se na mogućnost tumačenja Iv 3,3-8 kao krsne kateheze s posebnim naglaskom na pneumatološki aspekt. Polazeći od znanstvene analize istraživanoga odlomka uz pomoć dijakronijskih (povijesno-kritičkih) i sinkronijskih metoda (retorička i narativna analiza) te pristupa po povijesti učinka teksta, cilj je istraživanja ponuditi širi model interpretacije koji omogućuje kontekstualizaciju ivanovske poruke o rođenju iz vode i Duha u okviru Ivanova evanđelja i Novoga zavjeta te njegovu aktualizaciju u suvremenom kontekstu. U prvoj se cjelini disertacije istražuje tema ponovnoga rođenja iz vode i Duha slijedom potanke egzegetske raščlambe, uz uvažavanje i kritički osvrt na egzegetske rezultate prethodnika. U drugoj i u trećoj cjelini rada analitički se okvir proširuje istraživanjem egzegetskoga i teološko-interpretacijskoga doprinosa Felixa Porscha i Françoisa Libermanna, s posebnim naglaskom na pitanje učinka Ivanova evanđelja na njihov pristup tekstu. Egzegetska analiza Iv 3,3-8 pokazala je da nije posrijedi jednoznačan govor o ustanovljavanju sakramenta krštenja, nego da on pretpostavlja razvijeni sakramentalni život primatelja evanđelja i prenosi tradiciju koja je Isusove riječi i djela uronila u konkretan kršćanski život. U tom smislu, priklanjamo se tumačenju ove perikope kao krsne kateheze. Ponovno rođenje F. Porsch i F. Libermann tumače kao proces koji se zbiva kroz čin vjere po djelovanju Duha Svetoga i pretpostavlja krštenje po kojemu se odvija prijelaz od tjelesnoga čovjeka prema duhovnom ili pneumatičkom biću. Gledajući u cijelosti, Porscheva egzegetska misao vođena je načelom znanstvenoga pristupa tekstu dopunjenoga nužnom hermeneutikom vjere i oblikovana je kao ranokoncilska misao s posebnim težištem na pneumatološkom aspektu. Libermann je zaokupljen duhovnim tumačenjem teksta i nastojanjem za posredovanjem biblijske riječi u aktualni egzistencijalni horizont čitatelja, što je u uskoj vezi s njegovom rabinskom naobrazbom i njegova poznavanja midraških hermeneutičkih tehnika. Učinak Ivanova evanđelja na F. Porscha vidljiv je u njegovu pneumatičkom pristupu tekstu i otvorenosti dinamizmu Božje riječi koja povratno utječe na njegovu interpretaciju teksta, dok se kod Libermanna učinak teksta proširuje na egzistencijalnu razinu kroz sakramentalnu milost krštenja koju je primio prelaskom na katoličanstvo. Poseban je znanstveni doprinos disertacije u analitičko-kritičkom pristupu tekstu, kao i u istraživanju aktualnosti Porscheve i Libermannove teološke misli iz perspektive povijesti učinka teksta.The basic research hypothesis of this doctoral dissertation concerns the possibility of interpreting Jo 3,3-8 as baptismal catechesis with special emphasis on a pneumatological and Christological aspects. The scientific analysis of the researched passage with the help of the historical-critical (diachronic) and synchronic methods (rhetorical and narrative analysis), and the approach to history based on the impact of the text, will shed light on the extensive interpretation which enables the contextualization of John’s message about the concept of being born out of water and of the Spirit within the Gospel of John and the New Testament and the actualisation of John’s message in a modern context. The interpretative principle of science is complementarily combined with the religious perspective while reading John's message about the event of being born out of water and of the Spirit in light of the whole Biblical tradition, and is in accordance with the tradition of the Church. The theme of being born out of water and of the Spirit is analytically studied from the exegetical and theologicalinterpretative perspective of Felix Porsch and François Libermann, with special emphasis on the impact of the Gospel of John on their approach to the text. The dissertation is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the theme of rebirth from water and the Spirit (Jo 3,3-8) with contextualization and re-questioning of the Gospel of John and the former exegetical results and in this part some assumptions are made in order to be able to answer the question of status quaestionis – the question of interpreting the researched passage as baptismal catechesis with the special emphasis on a pneumatological, Christological and ecclesiological aspects. The second part of this paper considers the exegetical and theological contribution of F. Porsch to the theme of rebirth with special emphasis on the impact of the Gospel of John on the work of F. Porsch and the formation of his scientific, theological and existential profile. The third part of this paper continues to investigate the history of the impact of the Gospel of John on the theological work and findings of F. Libermann with the aim of the final valorization of his theological contribution to John's pneumatology and to the interpretation of the theme of rebirth
HERMENEUTICAL TURN OF DAVID TRACY : FROM BLESSED RAGE FOR THE ORDER TO THE ANALOGICAL IMAGINATION
Full text linkDisertacija posebnu pozornost posvećuje teološkoj misli sjevernoameričkog teologa Davida Tracyja (r. 1938.) koji je cjelokupno svoje istraživanje posvetio fenomenu pluralizma. Svojim djelom Analoška imaginacija: kršćanska teologija i kultura pluralizma (1981.) Tracy je izvršio hermeneutički zaokret u odnosu na prijašnje djelo Blagoslovljeni bijes za redom: novi pluralizam u teologiji (1975.). Cilj je doktorskog rada kritički analizirati Tracyjevo djelo Blagoslovljeni bijes za redom kako bi se sustavno rekonstruirao Tracyjev hermeneutički zaokret u djelu Analoška imaginacija. Doktorski rad strukturiran je u tri cjeline i devet poglavlja. U prvoj cjelini teološka misao Davida Tracyja smješta se u kontekst teologije 20. stoljeća (1. poglavlje) te se iznosi pregled njegove misli kroz četiri glavna razdoblja (2. poglavlje). Zatim, autor opisuje najvažnija razdoblja i autore iz povijesti hermeneutike koji su obilježili razumijevanje iste (3. poglavlje i 4. poglavlje). U trećoj cjelini iznose se glavne teze Blagoslovljenog bijesa za redom (5. poglavlje) i Analoške imaginacije (6. poglavlje), zatim se opisuje Tracyjev hermeneutički pristup u navedenim knjigama (7. i 8. poglavlje) da bi se u zadnjem poglavlju prikazale temeljne značajke Tracyjevog hermeneutičkog zaokreta (9. poglavlje). Autor polazi od činjenice kako je u središtu knjige Blagoslovljeni bijes za redom revizionistički teološki model utemeljen na fenomenološko-metafizičko-korelacijskoj metodi koji želi ponovno ispitati dva teološka izvora: kršćanski tekstovi i zajedničko ljudsko iskustvo te jezik. U Analoškoj imaginaciji Tracyjev više ne favorizira tradicionalnu metafizičku analizu koja dovodi do istine, nego prednost daje hermeneutici koja unutar različitih tradicija pronalazi njihov bitni sadržaj koji naziva klasikom. Tracyjev hermeneutički zaokret temelji se na različitom shvaćanju hermeneutike u Analoškoj imaginaciji. Autor se služi sljedećim metodama: povijesno-teološkom, povijesno-kritičkom, komparativnom, analitičko-kritičkom, kritičko-evaluativnom te metodom prikaza i sinteze. Disertacija u širem smislu doprinosi boljem razumijevanju međureligijskog i interkulturalnog dijaloga, a u užem smislu boljem razumijevanju Tracyjevih radova.Dissertation pays special attention to North American Catholic theologian David Tracy (born in 1938). He has devoted his entire theological investigations to phenomenon called "pluralism". Main thesis of this work is next: in his book The Analogical Imagination: Christian Theology and the Culture of Pluralism (1981) Tracy performed hermeneutical turn in regard to his earlier work Blessed Rage for Order: New Pluralism in Theology (1975). The goal of this doctorate is to show Tracy's hermeneutical turn by critically analyzis of both his most important books. The two main hypothesis are as follows: central method of revisionist model in The Bessed Rage for Order is phenomenological-metaphyisical-correlational method, and central claim of Analogical Imagination is theological strategy of analogical imagination that is capable of becoming a part of broader dialogue in public. Author of dissertation splits his work into three sections and nine chapters. In the first section named Overview of David Tracy's theological thought, after short introduction to theology of David Tracy in reference to theology of the twentieth century (first chapter), author gives an overview of Tracy's theological thoughts (second chapter). His work is divided into four periods: early thinking, hermeneutical turn, interreligious-dialogical thinking and postmodern search. It has been shown that Tracy never stayed at the same point of view that he permanently change and evaluate his thinking depending on new theological situations and problems. Thus, after his doctorate about theological investigations of Bernard Lonergan, Tracy has found that Lonergan's thinking is inadequate to present situation. Lonergan's achievements on the method in theology are not in the focus of theological investigations any more. New problem that arises in our horizon is pluralism. Tracy leaves achievements of his teacher Lonergan and turns into problems that poses phenomenon called "pluralism". First, in Blessed Rage for Order, in the context of fundamental theology, he discussed pluralism in theology. Uncontented with resolutions of ortodox, liberal, neoortodox and radical theology he proposes revisionist model that will adequately relate two theological sources: common human experience and language, and Christian texts. After searching for adequate theological model he did hermeneutical turn in The Analogical Imagination. Within systematic theology and by expanding question of pluralism in theology to wider society and culture, he amounts theological strategy of analogical imagination. Afterwards he applies analogical imagination to interreligous dialogue with Buddhism and to the dialogue with psychoanalysis and philosophy, especially in his book Dialogue with Other: the Inter-religious Dialogue (1990) In the last period he wrote about postmodernism and theology in On Naming the Present (1994). Author summarizes that Tracy never stops on the merely one theological problem. His mind is never static. As culture and society change and pose the new questions he is focused on new theological strategies. Author conludes this section by statement that the key thought of his work is pluralism. Tracy never stops thinking about theology in always new pluralistic contexts. Second section is called Hermeneutics as precondition of understanding David Tracy's theological turn. Author is convinced that it is impossible to comprehend Tracy's hermeneutical turn without short introduction to the key authors of hermeneutic tradition (third chapter). Therefore author brings explanations of basic terms connected with hermeneutics and by historical-critical method and method of representation which presents main period in history of hermeneutics and key authors. He highlights that the biggest change in history of hermeneutics has happened when Friedrich Schleiermacher distinguished philosophical from biblical hermeneutics. Schleiermacher is the founder of philosophical hermeneutics which is then elaborated by Wilhelm Dilthey, Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur. Last two philosophers are in the focus of author's interest because Tracy's hermeneutical turn is primary influenced by Gadamer and Ricoeur. Author sums up that the key features in history of hermeneutics are as follows: first is school of Alexandria which is oriented on interpretation of Bible based on analogy, second feature is school of Antiohia which prefers literally intepretation and third is synthesis of this two traditions with his major representative in St. Augustine. Author has concluded that Tracy's hermeneutic strategy is mainly like the third option, respectively Tracy uses synthesis of Alexandrian and Antiohian school which means that he includes allegorical and literally interpretation. Also, in this section, author represents main characteristics of philosophical hermenutics of Gadamer and Ricoeur. He concludes that te major difference between them is based on their understanding of the method. While Gadamer directly criticizes method and focuses on comprehending the truth in tradition in a way of a game, Ricouer undertakes longer way of understanding the truth by affirming methods that can help in interpreting texts. In the last chapter of this section (chapter four), author brings short history of theological hermeneutics escpecially introducing understanding of theological hermeneutics in the work of Gerhard Ebeling, Ersnt Fuchs, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Emerich Coreth, Claude Geffré and Werner Jeanrond. Author states that theological hermeneutics are separated between hermeneutics that comes out from Christian revelation and faith and hermeneutics that begins from concrete situation of the reader. Author finds this dialectic as dialectic between "hermeneutics from above" and "hermeneutics from below". The third and main section is called Basic guidelines of David Tracy's hermeneutic turn. Author splits this section into five chapters: Revisionist model (chapter five), Analogical imagination – hermeneutic strategy for dialogue (chapter six), Hermeneutic approach in Blessed Rage for Order (chapter seven), Hermeneutic approach in The Analogical Imagination (chapter eight) and Main characteristic of David Tracy's hermeneutic turn (chapter nine). In chapter five author explains Tracy's revisionist model which is grounded on five thesis as follows: 1st, two theological sources are common human experience and language and Christian texts, 2nd, theological task is critical correlation between research results of two theological sources, 3rd, phenomenology of religion dimension is method of investigation of the first theological source – common human experience and language, 4th, historical and hermenutical method of investigations are key methods for Christian texts and 5th, to define the truth status of results of researches metaphysical or transcendental reflection is needed. Revisionist model involves revisiting of Christian texts and common human experience, but at the same time remains firmly connected with tradition. It assumes that common human experience is a specific theological source. Author underlines that Tracy uses Paul Tillich's method of correlation in a new way. Tillich correlates human situation and message which is based upon Scripture in the way that situation pose questions and message gives answers. Tracy allows multidirectional communication between situation and message and calls it "mutually critical correlation". Author clearly emphasizes the three facts about Tracy's revisionist model: firstly, revisionist model is Tracy's attempt to determine major features of Christian theology which has become pluralistic; secondly, and this is at the same time major weakness of the revisionist model, the whole model has introductory character which means that it is only propositional and it brings principles that are waiting for their application; and thirdly, the question of hermeneutics is only a question of method that can improve our understanding of Christian texts. This is elaborated in chapter seven. Dialogue and theological strategy of analogical imagination is of the main interest in chapter six. Author begins with Tracy's dictum that a theologian can be theologian only if he speaks to three publics: society, academy and church. Tracy's dictum assumes, as author suggests, that theology is usually oriented on church as theological public. According to this framework theology becomes marginalized and privatized like art. On the basis of this dictum author continues to present Tracy's model of dialogue as follows: every participant of dialogue has to find most important core of his own tradition or religion that reveals truth for him, which is named a classic followed by Gadamer. The classic is the richest part of some tradition and culture and doesn't need some legitimation from outwardly because he reveals himself as a classic by his own power of truth. Author underlines four features of classic in Tracy's interpretation: a classic is the fact of every culture, in the core of the classic is happening of the truth that is disclosed in the classic himself, he covers the subject that interprets him and he is public. Then, as author continues, Tracy tries to found definition of a religious classic. As Tracy suggests, a religious classic is the one which reveals the truth in some part of religion. Two strategies that help to understand religious classic are manifestation and proclamation where maifestation is oriented to ritual, myth and symbol and proclamation to the word. Tracy finds very helpful Mircea Eliade's work where manifestation is emphasized. As author argues, Tracy considers that tradition of manifestation is important for the real ratio between manifestation and proclamation. Furthermore, Tracy investigates what it could be a Christian classic. He insists that Christian classic is the person and event of Jesus Christ which is confirmed in the Bible because every aspect of Christianity could be understood only if it is connected with Jesus Christ. After the process of naming the classic, a participant of dialogue enters the process of dialogue risking his own tradition and beliefs. This whole process is a process of analogical imagination which results with authentic conversations between participants of the dialogue. Author highlights that theological strategy of analogical imagination like a strategy of revisionist theology in Blessed Rage for Order includes aspect of critical interpretation of tradition and common human experience, but it does not mean that Tracy stands in tradition of liberal theology. Instead, revisionist model confirms that he is critical to liberal tradition. Critical examination of Christian tradition opens up a participant of dialogue not to abandoning his own beliefs and tradition, but to a true and deliberate mode of dialogue. Also, author slightly announces hermeneutical turn which is the subject of chapter eight. In chapter seven author questions Tracy's hermeneutical approach in Blessed Rage for Order. It has been shown that there is no kind of hermeneutical model that is developed and shown systematicly, rather there is hermeneutical approach and model that serves to point limit character of Christian texts which indicate to transcendental dimension. Riceouer's and Gadamer's achievements are the most important for Tracy. Author considers that Tracy favors several contribution that hermenutics brings to us: it helps us to intepret Christian text because it abandons psychological interpretation, it focuses us on a sense of the text and aids theology to distinct from ethics and metaphysics. Subsequently Tracy emphasizes two main topics of hermeneutics: on one side, historical context of producing the texts and on the other side, temporal distanciation. Also, Tracy holds important three achievements of hermeneutic based on Gadamer and Ricoeur: firstly understanding of event and significance inside of discourse, secondly understanding of hermeneutics as relation between explanation and understanding the Ricoeur's tradition and thirdly fusion of horizons as a last step of interpetation. Furthermore Ricoeur's investigations of literary genres in the New Testament is very important for Tracy because it enables noticing the limit character of scriptural texts. But, author argues, instead of this hermeneutical features of revisionist model, that Tracy stays on a definition of hermeneutics as part of the revisionist model. Hermeneutical approach in The Analogical Imagination is of the main interest in chapter eight. Author argues that Tracy constitutes hermeneutics in The Analogical Imagination as universal method of interpretation. Hermeneutics is now a part of universal hermeneutics that covers philosophy and theology, respectively every act of thinking. Author holds that hermeneutics in Tracy's view has anthropological character which means that every human being has some kind of hermeneutical activity. Universal character of hermeneutics can be understood better by achievements of Gadamer. In the example of dialogue which is dialectic between questions and answers, Gadamer explains hermeneutics and emphasizes activity of questioning, setting into openness, horizon of question and fusion of horizons. Tracy, on the basis of Gadamer's explanations, as author argues, criticizes Gadamer's claim that interpreter and his texts are the static categories and finds them as dynamic categories. This means that the text can change intepreter's horizon and that displacement of his horizon is possible. The interpeter and his text have identity only in the act of reading. Author clarifies that Tracy has called this process "new fusion of horizons". Also, author underlines Tracy's proposal that in the hermeneutical process an interpreter self-expose himself, his tradition and beliefs. There is no fear that this self-exposure can be dangerous for Christians because they expose their tradition and risk their own interpretation in that kind of conversation. Instead, a Christian classic, as every classic, by its very nature wants to expose himself to the others. Further, author underlines Tracy's view of hermeneutical process as follows: an interpeter enters in dialogue with his own understanding which must be taken critically and warns broader community on the classic, then he establishes some relation to the text and finally uses all possible methods of explanation that can help understanding of the text. In the last chapter author emphasizes the main characteristics of David Tracy's hermeneutical turn. First, author argues that in Analogical Imagination Tracy has abandoned hermeneutics as auxiliary method which clarifies limit character of christian texts and accepts hermeneutics as universal method of understanding. There is now hermeneutics that will emphasize the core of different tradition which is called „classic“. Secondly, author considers very important the fact that Tracy holds that systematic theology is necessary hermeneutical theology which allows public character of theology. Thirdly, Tracy's model of dialogue, which is based upon Gadamer model of dialogue, is crucial for realization of bringing out classic into public realm. Fourth, Tracy criticizes Ricoeur hermeneutics. Tracy underlines that Ricoeur's model of developing understanding covers complexity of hermeneutical approaches. In that way this model doesn't allow existence of confrontations. Tracy brings out more complex model of understanding that is based upon Wayne Booth's theory of vitality. Booth holds that all interpretations vitalize hermeneutic process which means that diametrically opposite interpretations shouldn't be "killed", but vitalized in interpretation. Fifth, author concludes that Tracy favors Ricoeur's method of distanciation which can help interpreter move away from himself and lets him be opened to the text. In a broader sense dissertation contributes to better understanding and improving interreligous and intercultural dialogue which is needed in modern pluralistic societies. In the narrow sense it contributes to better understanding of David Tracy's theology in the context of Tracy's hermeneutical turn. There hasn't been any work yet that considers Tracy's shift from hermeneutics as a method in The Blessed Rage from Order to the hermeneutics as a general approach to interpretation which is an original achievement for understanding Tracy's work
INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST AS A MYTH IN JOHN HICK’S CHRISTOLOGY : critical analysis
Full text linkHickov pristup problematici utjelovljenja dijelom je njegova pluralističkog nasljeđa, koje ostavlja posljedice i na kristološkoj misli. Smatrajući nužnim reinterpretaciju doslovnog govora Kalcedonskog nauka, nadomješta ga metaforičkim, koji u konačnici ontološko pitanje ostavlja neodogovorenim, te ga, štoviše, na koncu i niječe, razarajući time ideju Isusova bogočovještva. Hick zastupa koncept mnogostrukih utjelovljenja, ustupajući mjesto Zbiljskocentrizmu, te tako omogućuje spasenjska posredstva i izvan kršćanstva. Isus Krist je promatran u svjetlu monofizizma i monoteletizma, što u konačnici rezultira posvemašnjim osiromašenjem kristologije kao i razaranjem Isusova bogočovještva. Tako mitološki, odnosno metaforički diskurs dovodi Hicka do govora o utjelovljenju kao o približavanju božanskog ljudima, a ne kao postajanju Boga čovjekom, zbog čega je njegova pozicija neprihvatljiva iz vizure katoličke teologije. Važnost obrađene teme utjelovljenja kao mita u kristologiji Johna Hicka prvenstveno leži u činjenici što je riječ o relevantnoj dogmatskoj problematici, a potom i u činjenici da o njoj ne postoji niti jedno sustavno obrađeno djelo, kako u hrvatskoj znanstvenoj literaturi, tako i u onoj inozemnoj. Ukazujući na dihotomiju pluralističke hipoteze sa katoličkim naukom o utjelovljenju, posebnu pažnju smo posvetili pitanju religijskoga jezika kao sredstva kojim Hick oblikuje vlastiti kristološki diskurs. Njegove smo argumente (povijesni, konceptualni, soteriološki i pragmatički), kojima on nastoji dekonstruirati doslovno shvaćanje ideje utjelovljenja, temeljito analizirali i procijenili da nisu razjašnjeni na odgovarajući način, te smo osporili njegove temelje. Na kraju smo potvrdili tezu o ovisnosti njegovih pluralističkih nazora i kristološkog stava naspram utjelovljenja Isusa Krista, jer bez te suovisnosti Hickovoj alternativnoj kristologiji manjka odgovarajuće opravdanje. Konačno, pokazali smo da je Hickov pokušaj dekonstrukcije tradicionalne kristologije utjelovljenja s ponudom one pluralističke, neuspio. Glavni razlog za takvu tvrdnju je manjak dostatnog uporišta za zamjenu tradicionalne kristologije onom mitičkog/metaforičkog tipa.This doctoral thesis provides a systematic demonstration and critical evaluation of John Hick's pluralistic Christology in the context of his understanding of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ as a myth, i. e. metaphor. Hick's approach is a part of his pluralistic legacy which leaves the consequences on his christological thought as well. He considers necessary to reinterpret literal speech, especially that of Chalcedonian doctrine, replacing it with metaphorical one that at the end leaves the ontological question unanswered, and moreover denies it, ruining the idea of Jesus’ divinity and humanity itself. He represents the multiplural incarnation concept, leaving the place for Realitycentrism, which allows legitimate salvific mediations even outside Christianity. Jesus Christ is regarded in the light of monofisism, deprived in deity. Thereby mythological i.e. metaphorical discourse leaded Hick to consider incarnation as approaching divine to people and not as God becoming human that is substantially disparate with the doctrine of Catholic theology. The first chapters of the thesis reconstruct Hick's path to pluralism in general, while the following ones demonstrate clearly incompatible pluralistic hypothesis to the orthodox doctrine of incarnation. Special attention was dedicated to the question of religious language which is the instrument for Hick’s christological interpretation. He sees Christianity as one of many salvific responses to the Real, and for that reason tries to dispute traditional soteriological docrine as well as the incarnational one. His arguments, which attempt to deconstruct the literal understanding of the idea of divine incarnation, are part of his pluralistic views, for, without them, his alternative Christology lacks adequate justification. We evaluated and examined his four arguments (historical, conceptual, soteriological and pragmatic) and have shown that they are not explicated in satisfactory way. Even more, we have shown that Hick’s attempt to deconstruct traditional incarnation Christology by offering a pluralistic one must ultimately be judged a failure. The main reason for such a claim is a lack of proper foundation for reconstructing mythical/metaphorical Christology. The final conclusion of the thesis underlines the characteristics of John Hick’s christological concept, emphasizing the differences between his thought and traditional Christology, and finally evaluating his vision and attempt of creating a radically new Christology for a pluralistic age
PASTORAL – THEOLOGICAL AND CATECHETICAL CONTRIBUTION OF BONAVENTURA DUDA TO THE CROATIAN THEOLOGY
Full text linkBonaventura Duda rođen 1924. u Rijeci, školovao se u Rijeci, Varaždinu, Zagrebu i Rimu a najveći dio života vezan je za Zagreb, Katolički bogoslovni fakultet te crkvu sv. Franje na Kaptolu 9 i franjevački samostana u kojem živi. U ovom radu prikazan je njegov teološkopastoralni i katehetski doprinos pod sljedećim vidicima. Koncilski: inkomporira misao Koncila u našu teološku misao i crkvenu praksu - važnost laičkog apostolata i poziva na svetost cijelog Božjeg naroda; razne koncilske i postkoncilske inicijative (Glas koncila, Teološko-pastoralni tjedan, Kršćanska sadašnjost). Biblijski pastoral: prepoznaje pastoralni „kairos“, sam prevodi dio evanđelja, organizira i animira prevođenja cjelokupne Biblije, liturgijskih knjiga i Novog zavjeta Duda-Fućak čime pridonosi njezinoj recepciji kod širokog broja čitatelja. Posredno, pridonosi biblijskoj kulturi kod djece i mladih (Ilustriranoj Bibliji mladih), sudjeluje u izradi vjeronaučnih udžbenika te člancima s područja biblijske kateheze. Publicističko i homileutsko djelovanje: kroz pisanu riječ te novine, radio i televiziju. Nova evangelizacija; prepoznaje poticaje Pavla VI i Ivana Pavla II, u njegovu pisanju i radu možemo zamijetiti tipične odlike nove evangelizacije. Rad ima četiri glavna poglavlja:
Prvo poglavlje pokazuje njegovu važnu ulogu u razumijevanju i ostvarivanju Drugog vatikanskog koncila u domovinskoj Crkvi osobito glede prepoznaje važnost laičkog apostolata i poziva na svetost cijelog Božjeg naroda te praćenjem njegove uloge u raznim koncilskim i postkoncilskim inicijativama na području današnje Republike Hrvatske.
Drugo poglavje prikazuje Dudinu ulogu u postkoncilskom biblijskom pastoral na hrvatskom jeziku. Dva centralna dijela ovoga poglavlja prikazuju Dudino prepoznaje znak vremena, pastoralni „kairos“, kada s ograničenim mogućnostima, uspijeva organizirati i animirati zahtjevno prevođenja cjelokupne Biblije na hrvatski književni jezik te njegovu ulogu u razvijanju biblijske kateheze i izrade katehetskih udžbenika i priručnika.
Treće poglavlje pokazuje Dudinu homileutiku te njegovo djelovanje kroz pisanu riječ a kasnije kroz novine, radio i televiziju kojom je nastoji evangelizacijski doprijeti do što većeg broja ljudi prilagođujući svoj diskurs širokom krugu čitateljstva – slušateljstva – gledateljstva .
Četvrto poglavlje pokazuje kako Duda ovakvom svojom pastoralnom zauzetošću postaje jedan od prvih značajnih promotora nove evangelizacije u Hrvatskoj već i stoga što u njegovu pisanju i radu možemo zamijetiti nekoliko odlika koje su upravo tipične za novu evangelizaciju: sudjelovanje svih kršćana u procesu nove evangelizacije; evangelizacija povezana s kulturom; evangelizacija usmjerena prema kristijanizaciji Crkve i društva; otvorenost i korištenje novih načina evangelizacije, osobito medija.Bonaventura Duda was born in 1924 in Rijeka; he received his education in Rijeka, Varaždin, Zagreb and Rome; he has spent most of his life working at the Catholic Faculty of Theology and living in the Franciscan monastery next to the church of St. Francis in Zagreb (Kaptol 9).
This PhD thesis deals with the theological, journalistic and public work and speeches of Father Bonaventura Duda, OFM, through pastoral-catechetical aspect. The thesis covers the period from Bonaventura Duda's birth in 1924 to 2012 (actually October 11, 2012). This specific date was chosen since it is the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council which, as it's shown, has permanently marked Duda's theological work, both in the academic and practical sense.
Bonaventura Duda as a prominent Croatian Franciscan, member of the Croatian Franciscan province of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, theologian, biblicist, professor at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb for many years, preacher, writer, poet and translator – to name only some of his functions – has had an important role in the life of the Church in Croatia in the second half of the twentieth century.
Since the author approaches his PhD thesis in a form of a monograph, the first chapter is actually Duda's biography put in the historical context of his lifetime. Duda is a well known person who has had a significant role not only in the Church, but also in the entire Croatian culture, especially when literacy is concerned, during the second half of the twentieth century, but there has not been an extensive study of his work and influence, so the author presents his life in total, searching for details from his early age, childhood and adolescence. He has worked within two different social and political systems (socialism in Yugoslavia and democracy in the Republic of Croatia) which influenced his writings. Duda's activities during the Homeland war in Croatia are analyzed as well. Merits of Duda's work within a team were shown in a number of biblical pastoral projects as well as in post-council initiatives. That was a good enough reason to introduce some of the persons he collaborated with, for example Marijan Jerko Fućak, Zorislav Lajoš, Tomislav Janko Šagi-Bunić, Josip Turčinović and Vjekoslav Bajsić. At the end of this section is a special chapter on Duda's work on canonization processes for several Croats who received the titles Blessed and Servant of God. These are, namely, Vendelin Vošnjak, Aleksa Benigar, Ante Antić, Alojzije Stepinac and Marica Stanković.
The second chapter is entitled Duda as a theologian and practitioner of the Second Vatican Council. The chapter discusses Duda's significant role in understanding and implementation of the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council in the territory of today's Republic of Croatia. The author studies Duda's written material and the emphasis put on the importance of the lay apostolate and the call to holiness of the people of God as well as Duda's role in a variety of council and post-council initiatives in the Republic of Croatia.
Due to so many details included in this chapter, the author analyzes it from several aspects within four topics. The first one deals with basic characteristics of the Council and its documents (especially Lumen gentium, Gaudium et spes and Apostolicam actuositatem) discussed in articles written by Duda. Dei Verbum as the dogmatic constitution on divine revelation is more discussed in the third chapter of the thesis since it is directly connected with Duda's biblical pastoral work. The second topic of this chapter covers Duda's articles on the importance of lay people as equal members of the people of God in the life and growth of the Church after Vatican II. Duda gradually “grows“ in this thought on lay apostolate so specific of the Second Vatican council. This is shown in his article Udio svih kršćana u Kristovu poslanju: svećeničkom, proročkom, kraljevskom (Role of all the Christians in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ) published in 1987 which is a summary and result of his earlier articles such as „Euharistija – čin božjeg naroda“ (The Eucharist – an act of the people of God), „Koncilska vizija Crkve“ (The Council vision of the Church) and „Opći poziv na svetost u Crkvi“ (The universal call to holiness in the Church). The article Role of all the Christians in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ was written as a lecture for the XXVIIth Theological-pastoral Week which was entitled “Shared responsibility of the lay faithful for the Church and world“, which meant that he sees our time as “the moment of laity.“ In this matter Duda was inspired by two chapters from Lumen gentium: the fourth chapter entitled The Laity and the fifth chapter entitled The Universal Call to Holiness as well as the Decree on the apostolate of laity Apostolicam actuositatem and the Pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes. By putting emphasis on the dignity, mission and task of the laity Duda in this extensive article gives dogmatic basis for a deeper and more productive understanding of the pastoral care as conceived by the Council.
The author has been using Duda's articles from his collection of papers Koncilske teme (The topics of the Council). The collection also includes his reviews on work and writings of the Council popes: Paul VI and John Paul II. Duda's comment on the inaugural encyclical of Pope Paul VI Ecclesiam suam about the importance of the dialogue is notable and it shows how seriously he took the Pope's call to the dialogue among all aspects of society and has been trying to apply it in his pastoral service.
The third topic of the second chapter emphasizes some practical initiatives Duda was a part of in the Church in Croatia initiated by the Council or their content was inspired by the Council ideas. The first initiative was starting Glas Koncila (The Voice of the Council), the only Catholic weekly newspaper in Croatian. As one of the initiators Duda came up with the name Glas Koncila. The second initiative was the Theological-pastoral Week, an annual gathering of mostly priests from all over what was then Yugoslavia. Today that Week is an opportunity for priests from Croatia and the Croatian communities that have formed outside Croatia to meet. Duda has always actively participated in it. The third one is Duda's involvement in starting Kršćanska sadašnjost publishing house which has had a significant role, especially in the time of communism not only in the territory of former Yugoslavia, but also in Eastern European countries.
The third chapter has a title The role and significance of Bonaventura Duda in the biblical pastoral care in the Croatian speaking area. At the beginning the author shows the crucial document on the Bible produced by the Council, the dogmatic constitution on divine revelation Dei verbum, especially its sixth chapter Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church. That text closely relates the biblical-pastoral and catechetical awakening after the Second Vatican Council the influence of which could be felt in the Croatian speaking area thanks to the Bible editions Duda worked on.
The author also presents another important document, The interpretation of the Bible in the Church by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, which provided a defined framework, content and definition of the biblical pastoral care in all its aspects. This document in its fourth chapter entitled The interpretation of the Bible in the Church offers pastoral-catechetical guidelines which are methodological framework of the chapter. These are: liturgy, lectio divina, pastoral service and ecumenism. Duda has been active within all four aspects of biblical pastoral care. At this point the author emphasizes his biblical apostolate which includes the translation of the Bible into Croatian, formation of biblical study groups, giving lectures, publishing articles, magazines with biblical themes and books.
The translation of the Bible into modern Croatian language has been extremely important. Duda had already proved to be a great translator with his work on less demanding, as quantity is concerned, harmony of the Gospels. After that in the turbulent year of 1968, Duda used the chance of several positive opportunities, recognized the pastoral kairos and formed a team which would work on a new contemporary translation of the entire Bible.
Even today we are impressed how fast this enormous translation work was done. The initial meetings and arrangements started during the first months of 1967, the translation process started on 1 May 1967 and the first copy of the translation was released on 20 September 1968. On the same day it was sent to Rome where Cardinal Franjo Šeper presented it to Pope Paul VI.
In this chapter the author shows the importance of this major edition of the Bible for the evangelization in Croatia. The author leaves for the biblicists to give their final, expert assessment of the value of the translation and emphasizes the pastoral component and the relevance that this translation has brought in the Croatian (biblical) pastoral care.
It is an indisputable fact that this translation was inspired by Dei verbum; reading the Bible is not possible without (quality) translations. “Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful“ (DV 22). The Zagreb Bible, as Duda himself named it, contributed to the great liturgical, pastoral, catechetical and basic biblical uplift in the country. The author writes about a number of friars who were involved in translating the Bible throughout history including Duda and his fellow priest Jerko Fućak who were the key drivers of the project.
The importance of this translation is also in the fact that it started and made easier printing and publishing a great number of books crucial for liturgical and pastoral practice: lectionaries, books of hours, a variety of professional and catechetical literature with biblical themes.
The two translations, harmony of the Gospels and the Zagreb Bible, Duda worked on were used in a Croatian version of the American book entitled The Bible for boys and girls by Joseph E. Kreuse (St. Thomas College, St. Paul, Minnesota) and dr. Samuel Terren (Union Theological Seminary, New York). He also worked on a Croatian version of The Illustrated Bible for the youth (Kršćanska sadašnjost, 1968), which was later sold in a million copies when translated into a number of Eastern European languages, including Russian. In this way Duda has indirectly contributed to the knowledge of the Bible among children and youth.
All this leads to Duda's activities in the field of the biblical catechesis which was a quite unknown theme in Croatian catechetics before the Second Vatican Council. His extensive article Biblical basis of the catechetics from 1965 is analyzed by the author who also presents his work on a number of catechetical textbooks used at the time religious education was not offered as an optional subject in schools as well as when it was returned to the education system with the establishment of democracy in Croatia. For example, he co-authored the textbook Snagom Duha (By the Power of the Spirit).
The fourth chapter is entitled Activities in the evangelization by the written and spoken word. Firstly, the author emphasizes Duda's homiletics. Along with the other works of the Church's magisterium at the beginning of this chapter the author refers to a significant text from the inaugural encyclical of Paul VI Ecclesiam suam. In it the Pope says: “No other form of communication can take its place; not even the exceptionally powerful and effective means provided by modern technology… In effect, the apostolate and sacred preaching are more or less synonymous terms. Preaching is the primary apostolate”(Ecclesiam suam 93). In this sense Duda has also had an outstanding influence. His comments and reflections on Sunday liturgy readings used to be released in highly circulated Liturgijsko-pastoralni listić (Liturgical and pastoral pamphlet) which were later published in a form of trilogy, Sijač je Sin čovječji, Sjeme je riječ Božja, U plemenitu srcu. The trilogy was released in several editions.
The guiding thought of all his activities in the evangelization is the image of God who loves man. It is also depicted in his reflections on the liturgical reading 1 Cor 4,15 (8th Sunday of the A year): “However, the basic message of the epistle can be put in the theme of this Sunday: God's messengers, apostles and preachers are a form of God's fatherly (motherly) care for his faithful. At least it should be like that. Our parish priests, catechists, all members of religious orders should think about it! Can people recognize us as fathers or mothers in our pastoral and catechetical service? Do we serve them as brothers and sisters, as human beings?“
There are somewhat fewer records on Duda's holding numerous spiritual retreats in Croatia and abroad, to groups of priests and nuns of various orders and congregations as well as to groups of active Catholic lay people. It is also a specific kind of apostolate typical for Bonaventura Duda. From the available records one can see that he is very familiar with The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius to which he added his Franciscan touch.
At this point the author shows Duda's writing ability to find what is an average Croatian believer interested in. However, his writing is never trivially nor superficially “pious.“ Accordingly, his topics range from the popular piety (Blessed Virgin Mary, Christmas), extensive pastoral studies, to more challenging topics such as death and eternal life. The author analyzes the following Duda's topics:
- Mariology; pastoral issues of two largest Croatian national Marian sanctuaries - Marija Bistrica and Trsat; attitudes on the Međugorje phenomenon, mariology of John Paul II - Christmas cycle, mystery of death and eternal life - Major themes of Franciscan spirituality
Many of these topics have caught attention of the media. Since he was one of the initiators of the biggest Croatian Catholic newspaper Glasa Koncila (The Voice of the Council) he may also be considered a journalist, but it is much more important to notice his contribution in many other Catholic publications. Over time, especially after the fall of communism, he, like no other Croatian priest and theologian, has stepped out of the framework of the Church press and has been present in the secular media as well. He has also written for some professional journals, for example Vijenac, a monthly cultural magazine, and some Croatian daily newspapers with largest circulation such as Večernji list, Jutarnji list, Slobodna Dalmacija and Novi list.
Duda has been there in all kinds of the media: electronic media, radio and television. In the archives of the Croatian Radio the author found a list of programs and shows Duda participated in. An overview of his shows at the Croatian Catholic Radio and Radio Maria Croatia is also provided. Duda was one of the first Catholic priests that has ever appeared on TV, especially during communism in the eighties of the twentieth century. Duda has also recognized the importance of the film industry and its role in the evangelization so in a manner of a real film critic he worked on two well known films with Christian themes: Jesus Christ Superstar and Jesus from Nazareth. Finally, in 2009 the Croatian Television produced a very interesting documentary film entitled Manji brat fra Bonaventura Duda (Friar Minor Fr. Bonaventura Duda).
If you Google for Bonaventura Duda, you will get about 105 000 different websites, photos, clips or texts mentioning his name. This information becomes even more impressive when you realize that Duda does not really use the Internet, including e-mail, as he confirmed to the author. Nevertheless, even inadvertently he accepts the suggestion made by the Pontifical Council for Public Communications to search the Internet and study the published material in order to create anthropology and theology of communication which will analyze the changes caused by the modern media. We can also find him in the Wikipedia, the largest online encyclopedia; there is a whole gallery of his photos on the Internet and you can also check video clips of him on Youtube.
As multimedia is concerned two CDs stand out, Ljudskost Božića and Ja Bogu povjerih svoj štap with texts from Duda's books released under the same titles. He also contributed to the evangelization of the blind who depend exclusively on audio biblical readings. The foundation Čujem, vjerujem, vidim with the project called Soba susreta by Mirko Hrkač who is also the editor of the Audio Bible in Croatian and a member of the Zamisli association, the entire Bible (The Jerusalem Bible published by Kršćanska sadašnjost) was audio recorded in 2008. Duda was one of the supporters and presenters of this worthy project for the blind in Croatia. The same foundation also released a CD entitled Božić. Iz Božićnog klupka fra Bonaventure Dude. These two projects put Duda among rare Croatian priests who made real contribution in the evangelization of persons with special needs, the visually impaired and blind persons in this case. Duda is a musician as well; he plays the organ and composes music. In 2002 his CD Dušo Kristova posveti me – Glazba moje duše (Soul of Christ santify me – Music of my soul) was released. The album contains 14 compositions for mixed and male choirs, one for a female choir, one for solo and an entire Mass composed for a male choir.
The last chapter of this PhD thesis is entitled The New Evangelization. Duda is presented as one of the pioneers of the new evangelization in Croatia both with his writing on the apostolate of the whole people of God in the evangelization and with his constant efforts to implement faith into culture. When talking about the evangelization which is directed to the complete christianization we can tell that Duda's work genuinely corresponds to what is called
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“full evangelization“ which does not neglect catechesis, morality, social doctrine and, above all, sacramental-liturgical life which has remained to be Duda's permanent preoccupation. It seems that Duda's continuous contact with the God's word and his openness to the ways the God's word can be relevant in the modern society and in the Church in general is his “recipe“ for being a prolific theologian and a real evangelist. Although Duda does not directly speak much about the new evangelization, through his writing, public speaking and pastoral activities he actually promotes it in Croatia in the way it was suggested by Paul VI and John Paul II.
In the conclusion the author says that Duda may be best described as an amazed disciple of Christ from the school of St. Francis who has grown through his theological, primarily biblical and ecclesias
Dr. Andrija Živković : a moral theologian in the context of his time
Full text linkDr. Andrija Živković, svestrani intelektualac svoga vremena koji se hrabro suočavao s različitim teološkim pitanjima i problemima, vrstan teolog, znanstvenik koji se nije povodio za trenutnim uspjesima, obilježio je svojim interdisciplinarnim načinom promišljanja teološko-crkveni i društveni život u Hrvatskoj u razdoblju od druge polovine 19. do prve polovine 20. stoljeća. Autorica ovim radom želi predstaviti zaokruženu preglednu studiju o Andriji Živkoviću na temelju bogate arhivske građe i koristeći se elementima istraživačke, interpretacijske, sintetičko-kritičke i narativne metode te donosi nove spoznaje o njegovu životu i znanstvenom radu. Znanstveni opus kao i bogati biografski podatci o tom velikanu povijesti moralno-teološke misli u Hrvata ne zaslužuju da ostanu zatvoreni u prostorijama arhivâ, već autorica želi da iziđu na svjetlo dana kako bi obogatili znanstvenu teološku misao. Andrija Živković bio je ne samo izniman znanstvenik svoga vremena nego je djelovao i kao svećenik, promicatelj vjerskog ujedinjenja i kršćanske kulture. Njegovo je djelovanje ostavilo duboke tragove ne samo na Katoličkome bogoslovnom fakultetu u Zagrebu, na kojem je i sam radio kao dugogodišnji profesor i pročelnik Katedre moralne teologije, nego i kod katoličke inteligencije i svećenstva. Da bi sadržaj rada bio što sustavniji, rad je podijeljen na tri poglavlja. U prvom poglavlju prikazuje se život i rad Andrije Živkovića. U drugom poglavlju autorica izborom tema iz fundamentalnog morala prikazuje teološku misao Andrije Živkovića, naglašavajući pritom rukopis Osnovnoga moralnog bogoslovlja iz 1948. godine. U trećem poglavlju autorica s upitnim prizvukom progovara o Andriji Živkoviću kao kritičaru društva ili socijalnom etičaruDr. Andrija Živković, a versatile intellectual of his time, who bravely confronted various theological issues and problems; an accomplished theologian, a scientist who did not pursue instant acclaim, who contributed to the interdisciplinary school of thought in theological-ecclesial and social life in Croatia in the period from the second half of the nineteenth century to fi rst half of the twentieth century. The author, through this work, has sought to present a broad synoptic study of Andrija Živković. Thus, on the basis of rich archival material, among which were found several hitherto unknown manuscripts (Osnovno moralno bogoslovlje[Basic moral theology], Kršćanske kreposti uopće, a bogoslovske i stožerne napose [Christian virtues in general, and theological and cardinal in particular], Friedrich Nietzsche kao protivnik kršćanskog morala [Friedrich Nietzsche as an opponent of Cristian morality], Razgovori o vjeri i nevjeri [A conversation on faith and disbelief], Razmatranja o etici i moralu [Considerations of ethics and morality]. Komunistički »moralˮ pred sudom fi lozofi je i znanosti [The communist »moralˮ before the court of philosophy and science], and Katolička društvena nauka [Catholic social doctrine]), and research methods, interpretative, synthetic-critical and narrative methods, fresh insights were gained into his life and scientifi c work. To make the content of this contributed presentation more systematic, this doctoral thesis is divided into three chapters. The fi rst chapter explores the life and work of Dr. Andrija Živković, regarding which based on hitherto unexplored archived materials we have arrived at new and important information on the life of this Catholic theologian. In this chapter of work the author reveals the personality of Andrija Živković, thereby positioning him in the context of his contemporary time period. Thanks to information that has remained recorded in the Personal diary of Professor Živković, we have glimpsed at the society in which he moved as well as the persons he encountered, and we have come to better understand his character traits. Homilije [Homilies] of Dr. Živković, which also remained among the heritage of archival material, represents a chronicle of a certain period while at the same time revealing his personality and thoughts. It speaks to us on the importance of personal faith in the life of the individual, of maintaining one’s relationship with God, and teaches us what kind of Christian to be in our world. Andrija Živković emphasized the value of church documents and encyclicals to make them more interesting during study, especially when considering one’s fellow priests in caring for their education. His ponderings on Christian culture have Christ as their basis, just as the foundation of European culture should also be. His special contribution to the society of his time is augmented by a rebuttal of the doctrine of ethical culture, which emphasizes man and his mind and construction of morality without God. Through his activities, Živković has spanned a longer time period than the magazine Bogoslovska smotra [Theological Review] with its multitude of presentations, reviews, sketches and scientifi c articles.
The second chapter of this doctoral thesis examines the theological thinking of Dr. Andrija Živković, regarding which the author states that, despite the immense effort invested by him in theology, he remained „trappedˮ in the framework of traditional theological thinking of the time in which he lived and was active. In his theological thinking Živković was a faithful follower of the Thomistic tradition, while also leaning on the original thinking of other church fathers and moral theologians who were of particular relevance in the time he lived and was active. Since his time was characterized by talk of morals without God, thoughts of the Christian giants (Augustine, Albert the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas, etc.) were entirely side-lined, and the press of the time killed the shame in man, infatuating him with false pride, all of which motivated him to reach for the thinking of great minds from the church tradition. Although he never digressed in his theological thinking from the scholastic tradition, Živković’s quality was in that he was very specifi c regarding moral issues, and sometimes very harsh in his judgements. He was never static in opinions, but developed his approach, which is also obvious from the fact that he never ran out of examples of man’s life, which he often entered as notes in the very body of his works, which also clearly emphasized his pastoral dimension. Živković’s special excellence lay in his close following of the events of his time not only regarding ideological currents among his contemporaries in society in general, but especially the theological currents within the Church. He expanded his thinking, not only referring to authors of his contemporary world’s area of discourse, but several. The main framework of this chapter of the thesis is based on the manuscript of Osnovno moralno bogoslovlje [Basic moral theology] of 1948, as compared with the printed edition from 1938, and (for the purpose of gaining the most objective insight into Živković’s theological thinking) in some places the author refers to the work Kristov zakon sv. I [Christ’s Holy Law I], by Bernhard Hӓring. The author deals with selected topics surrounding fundamental morality, attempting to demonstrate Živoković’s theological thinking as well as changes that he made to the aforementioned manuscript. When compiling the manuscript of Osnovno moralno bogoslovlje [Basic moral theology] Živković endeavoured to accept all criticisms offered by relevant theologians of his time on the published printed edition of 1938. It is for this reason that his manuscript gives great attention to the development of Croatian terminology. The novelty of that manuscript lies in the fact that the author introduced changes to the content and order of specifi c topics. So in the manuscript, unlike in the book, he positions his presentation on conscience ahead of his presentation about laws, and offers as his reason the fact that conscience is an inner or closer rule of action, and for that reason he fi rstly discusses conscience, and only then delves into laws that are an external or further rule. It is clear that Živković regards conscience as an inner rule of action, so he speaks about it as being God’s messenger in every man, but such an observation of conscience is due to the psychological perspective, which is especially outlined in the 1948 manuscript. Perhaps this kind of insight into conscience could entice us to conclude for a moment that Živković, in a certain sense, anticipated the doctrine of conscience of the Second Vatican Council. But this would be impossible, since the Council convened after Živković’s death. Rather, this is a case of a shift from a casuistic way of „theologising” through „general terms” and a movement toward „observation of man and his existence.” Conscience as an internal messenger is that which testifi es to every man about his actions, both external and especially those inside, it prompts one if an action is performed, but also if it is missed. This is conscience in psychological terms. As judgement, evaluation or knowledge on the moral virtue of each one’s intended or performed act, conscience dictates whether any action is good or not. This is conscience from a moral perspective, and it is the topic of moral theology, as Živković pointed out in his manuscript. Živković probes deeper in the manuscript into the human person, thereby shifting slightly from a purely objective observation and pursuing a more personal observation of what transpires within a man. From such a form of observation of the human person we arrive at the area of virtue, because a virtuous man can correctly judge on certain things in life. In the latter claim is also the most important emphasis in relation to Živković’s progress in the manuscript regarding the book Osnovno moralno bogoslovlje [Basic moral theology], the author points out. Thus from the area of the morality of duties there arises the morality of virtue. Prof. Živković approaches the question of belief and unbelief, which was as relevant in the past as it is today, in his manuscript entitled Razgovori o vjeri i nevjeri [Conversations on belief and unbelief]. Suvremena razmatranja [Modern considerations], in which he places emphasis on an observation of the ideology of communism regarding the question of faith. Despite the fact that Andrija Živković in his theological thinking adhered to the line of Thomism, and was unable to emancipate himself from the „entrapment” of his time, he was relentless in developing his character, his research, and his thinking, and as a consequence he exposed himself to innovation. His openness toward the new is especially manifested to us in the third chapter of the doctoral thesis, in which the author discusses Andrija Živković as a critic of society or social ethicist. Considering the period in which Živković was active, the author presents the relationship between church and state under the guise of political questions. Then, in the ensuing sub-chapters, ideologies that prevailed in society are discussed, namely capitalism, communism, socialism of that time, with each presented as they pertain to economic development. As to political issues, and views on the state of society at that time, Andrija Živković has left these for us in his manuscript Naši putevi [Our paths], regarding which it is stated that he wrote the same as a „supporter of the Catholic movement as it ruled at the time.ˮ Živković wrote a great deal on social subjects of his time, and the society in which he lived. The most credible evidence of this is the manuscript Katolička društvena nauka [Catholic social doctrine], which remained part of his legacy and which is also the most relevant indicator of discourse on the development of social thought. In the works of Dr. Živković the impact on offi cial church documents is clearly visible, especially the encyclicals Rerum novarum of Pope Leo XIII, and Quadragesimo anno of Pope Pius XI, which informed the development of his Catholic social thinking, as clearly shown by the author. By studying the social teachings of the Church, Christians gradually arrive at their beliefs, thus granting them the capability in specifi c cases to make a stand toward the judgement of their conscience. The vision of society given to us by Prof. Živković endeavours to strengthen people’s faith in Christ. Thus the Christian, as presented in his works, would be a fi ghter for faith and a man always having the objective of truth as his priority, despite all ideological trends in which he fi nds himself. The priority for Andrija Živković was the promotion of general good both in life and in work. When discussing social subjects we draw special attention to Živković’s discussion on social virtues, regarding which we emphasize his onus on the personalistic dimension, because all social virtues are a refl ection of our actions in accordance with the will of God. Ultimately the author suggests that the social issue is not, for Dr. Živković, an economic one, and how it cannot be limited to outward ownership, because this inevitably raises the question of the spiritual or the question of faith with all the diffi culties of conducting one’s moral life both within and outside the social community. Christians must develop the social dimension in their lives, as Živković emphasized, so that love of neighbour can be as fruitful as possible. Christ the Lord above all loved mankind, and in doing so left an example to follow. Therefore, we will certainly do no wrong if we repeat Živković’s words, that we cannot be passive Christians or „so-called Christians.ˮ Considering the rich scientifi c work that Andrija Živković failed to disclose during his life, we can say that this man, a Croatian priest and theologian, ploughed a deep furrow rooted on the Christian faith in the history of moral theolog