The article is dedicated to philosophical and religious aspects of the work of Russian writer and thinker Mary (Skobcowa). The aim is to investigate the key concepts that shaped her writings such as the problem of creativity, asceticism, the problem of the person. Particular attention was paid to the religious roots of her works. Her ideas are examined in the context of the theological thought of the twentieth century. Mother Mary synthesized the Sergiei Bulgakhov’s ‘philosophical system’ and the existentialist analysis of Nikolai Berdiayev. Special attention was paid to a critical rethinking of nineteenth-century Russian monastic tradition as well as polemic in the academic tradition of the early twentieth century.
The Department of Theology Section in Tarnów was established formally as a result of transformation of The Institute of Theology in Tarnów. This Institute was founded in 1822 for educating the clergy serving Tarnów diocese and its activities were always strongly connected to the Seminary in Tarnów. Since the communists took control over our country in 1945, the Institute existed only formally, but in fact, it was always identified with The Seminary in Tarnów.
Bishop professor habilitated doctor Józef Życiński, who was at that time the Tarnów bishop, transformed the Institute of Theology into the Theology and Pastoral Institute and strongly contributed to its aggregation to the Theology Department of the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Kraków in 1993. Since then, the graduates of the Institute have had the opportunity to obtain the MA degree in theology. Thanks to efforts of bishop doctor Wiktor Skworc, the Congregation of the Catholic Education established the Department of Theology Section in Tarnów of the Pontifical Academy of Th ology in Kraków (WTST) instead of the Institute.
In 2007 the Department of Theology Section in Tarnów obtained the rights to confer a PhD degree in theology. Since the aggregation of the Institute of Theology Section in Tarnów to the Theology Department of the Pontifical Academy of Thology, about 90 to 100 students receive their MA degrees annually. Approximately, half of this group consists of the secular and another half of the monastic. Since the beginning, the number of secular candidates accepted, has always been limited. There are the following profiles to choose from: sacerdotal, pastoral and catechetical, social and charity.
The scientific journal of the Department is „Tarnowskie Studia Teologiczne” – „Tarnów Theology Studies” issued half a year.
Der Autor antwortet auf die moderne Einwände gegen das Heimatrecht der Theologie in der Universitas litterarum (Peter Hünermann). Es geht um bleibende säkulare Anfragen, um pragmatische und postmodernistische Einwände und nicht zulezt um Bekenntnis- und Magisterium Ecclesiae-gebundenheit der Theologie.
The author examines Ways of Russian Theology in Georges Florovsky works in the light of contemporary trends in epistomology and a modern understanding of intelligibility. In the 20th century attemt were undertaken to develop a project of theology that would address the current intellectual demands and at the same time be in the service of faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. The currently prevailing concept of teology as an ongoing interpretation of the event of Jesus as Christ and Word of God revealed in history, recognizes an interdependece between the fundamental Christian experience (Tradition) and the historical experience of “here and now”
The Department was established at the University of Nicolas Copernicus on October 1st, 2001. Its faculty members were recruited from among the theologians working in two diocesan Seminaries – in Torun and in Włocławek. The first dean was prof. dr hab. George Bagrowicz. His successor, prof. dr hab. John Perszon was elected in 2005, to be then reelected in 2008. Currently, the Department comprises forty two full-time faculty members who specialize in various theological disciplines. There are 480 students.
The Department offers graduate degrees, i.e., master’s and doctoral degrees. Students can choose from among four diff erent specializations: priestly, pastoralcatechetic, “Caritas” social work and studies on the family. The programs operate with the Polish grading system as the formal grading, but students are also graded according to the ECTS grading scale.
One of the highest priorities of the Department has always been promoting international cooperation with other centers of theological studies. Among them, especially three are to be mentioned: Th e School of Theology of the University of Navarra (Spain), Katolisch-Theologische Fakultät of the University of Würzburg (Germany), The Department of Theology of the Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). Conferences attended by foreign theologians have been organized in Torun and our faculty members actively participated in conferences organized abroad.
The main academic periodical of the Department is “Teologia i Człowiek” (“Theology and Man”). There are also four theological series where members of the Faculty publish their papers: Euntes Docete, Scripta Theologica Thorunensia, Biblia et Patristica Thorunensia and Series Biblica Paulina. In cooperation with the Department of Pedagogy another semi-annual journal “Paedagogia Christiana”.
Among the most recent academic projects created by the Department of Th eology is an online collection of biblical articles (www.biblistyka.umk.pl). It is an indispensible means for research for all Polish theologians. The project is entirely sponsored by the University of Nicolas Copernicus.
The organization of graduate and postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Theology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw reveals the specificity of the theology in Warsaw. In the future, the Faculty of Theology should pay a special attention to the high level of the specialisations within the scope of the classical theology, but on the other hand should care about new specialisations, which should be more attractive.
Biblical studies, fundamental theology, dogmatic theology, moral theology are at the very heart of theology. It is necessary to foster doctoral and habilitation thesis in the field of these specialisations and to care for their high, world-class level. Considering the needs of the Church, the development of the liturgical studies and catechetical studies needs to be supported.
As far as future career opportunities for graduates of the Faculty of Theology are concerned, new specializations should be promoted, such as media education and journalism, theology of culture, tourism in biblical countries. A scientific reflection on the role of mass media and on the relations between theology and culture is also very important. Th ere should be place for vetera et nova at university, for the theology conceived in the traditional way and for attempts at practising theology in a new way.
Numerous films, especially reinterpretations of the Gospel, can be read as loci theologici. Nevertheless, it’s important to recognize that the commercially motivated interest of filmmakers has its theological consequences: a resulting challenge is the catechetical use of apocryphal films in the pastoral praxis of the Church. The paper recalls main documents of the Church, relating to the cinema, stressing the absence of official teaching on the cinema in the last 20 years. Films, produced with commercial motivation, are often kitsch; it’s a result of tendencies to gain the possibly large audiences and to fulfill their expectations. An analysis of selected films (e.g. The Passion of the Christ and Son of God) indicates that the kitschy audiovisual apocrypha, superficial, emotional and lacking of authenticity, become a false filmic transformation of the message of the Bible. The paper postulates the need of constructing a theology of film: its object could be audiovisual texts, which extra-ecclesial theologies influence religious imagination and thinking of the viewers.
The Faculty of Theology of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw is endowed with rich history. It existed at the Royal University of Warsaw, established in 1816.
It operated until the University was closed in 1831; then its activity was continued at the Main Seminary (1823–1835), and fi nally at the Roman-Catholic Clerical Academy (1835–1867). The Theological Faculty came into being again at the University of Warsaw in 1918. Aft er the World War II, the faculty became active in 1945, in 1954 it became part of the Academy of Catholic Theology and since 1999 it has been included into the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University. The achievements of the faculty are important, it has employed many eminent theologians and instructed thousands of graduates. Its merits for the Church and Polish culture are not to be neglected.
The following scientific grades in theology were awarded at the Theological Faculty of the Academy of Catholic Theology (1954–1999): 85 professional bachelor’s degrees, 4853 master’s degrees, 762 canonical licentiates, 313 doctor’s degrees, 92 nostrifications of doctorates and 89 post-doctoral degree.
The following scientific grades in theology have been awarded at the Th eological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (from 1 October 1999 to 16 June 2008): 3916 bachelor’s degrees, 5718 master’s degrees, 1315 canonical licentiates, 299 doctor’s degrees, 71 nostrifications of doctorates, 45 post-doctoral degrees and 23 professor’s degrees in theology. In addition, the Institute of Studies of the Family has awarded 1733 master’s degrees in studies of the family.
Nowadays, the Theological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University is composed of six institutes: Institute of Theology, Institute of Media Education and Journalism, Institute of the Studies of Culture, Institute of Theology in Radom, Institute of Apostleship Theology, Institute of Studies of the Family. The Theological Faculty includes as well the Non-local Didactical Centre in Gdynia. Three clerical seminaries are affiliated at the Theological Faculty: Higher Clerical Seminary in Płock, Gdańsk Clerical Seminary in Gdańsk-Oliwa, Higher Clerical Seminary of Catholic Apostleship in Ołtarzew. The following institutions are bound with the Faculty of Theology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University with the cooperation agreement: Archdiocese Clerical Seminary in Białystok, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łomża, Franciscan Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź-Łagiewniki, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Ląd nad Wartą, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Łódź.
Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Wrocław has inherited Leopoldinum Academy, which has been in existence since 15 November 1702, run by Jesuits and transformed into the University of Wrocław in 1811. Aft er the Second World War, the Department of Catholic Theology did not reappear at the University but started its independent existence, firstly at Priests’ Seminar as an Academic Theological Centre, and since 1974 as Pontifical Faculty of Theology, recognized by the Apostle’s Capital as the follower of the University of Wrocław. The Faculty conducts uniformed Master of Art studies and Doctorate studies. Moreover, it is in possession of the right to bestow habilitation. Th ere are 25 departments at the Faculty, which are grouped into 4 institutes, 33 independent University workers and 38 Assistant Professors lecture there. There are almost 1900 students studying in the daily system, extramural system, in PHD studies and post-graduate studies.
Lessing’s question about knowing God (the Absolute) in history has been a con-stant challenge for modern theology. The article collates views of Joseph Ratzinger and Walter Kasper on this subject. A clear difference was noticed: Kasper decidedly gives priority to history and revelation in it, whereas Ratzinger puts stress on the idea of the priority of God and in its light interprets revelation and history. Two different types of theology emerge here. They manifest themselves in different ways of present-ing Christology. The former originates from the historical witness to Jesus and on this basis strives to construct a coherent picture of the incarnated Son of God’s identity. The latter originates from – resulting from the Church’s faith – an assumption about the unity of the Scripture and presents in this light the witness of the Gospel to Jesus. A thesis is proposed that both types of theology need each other, although it is not possible to harmonize them.
This article presented the critical remarks relating to the understanding of the resurrection, proposed by Ph. Clayton and S. Knapp in their book The Predicament of Belief. Science, Philosophy, Faith. The main objections relate to the incorrect putting the research problem, that is interpretation of the resurrection compatible with modern science and erroneous approach to the New Testament’s relations about the resurrection of Christ. A way of solving of this problem is also causing reservations, that is to support the proposed understanding of the resurrection on the theory of emergence, its participatory approach and an understanding of the resurrection appearances as the personal but nonphysical theory of Jesus’ postmortem presence. Doubts are also caused by panentheism, and above all by the rejection of the deity of Jesus Christ. Taking all this into account, it turns out that the resurrection becomes subjective and deeply spiritual event, and the divine action is performed by the impact on the human minds and is not a miraculous event, and it does not suspend the laws of nature. According to the authors, such an approach is compatible with modern science. It is doubtful, however, whether their understanding of the resurrection of Christ makes it possible to understand the phenomenon of Christianity.
In Christian ethical and anthropological discourse, the concept of “human nature” represented one of the main criteria from which norms for social and individual ethics derived. The age of Enlightenment brought about a serious criticism of this concept refusing its metaphysical justification. New opinions prevailed in philosophical and scientific discourse of that time. They rejected existence of common anthropological determinants and supported a thesis claiming that people are primarily formed in society and that the concept of “human nature” entails a risk of abuse of power by promoting only one view of the human being. The presented paper studies the relevance of this concept today and examines it from the perspective of Jonathan Haidt’s social psychology, which, as the author claims, contributes to better understanding of human nature. Standard metaphysical and theological definitions of human nature that prevailed mostly in Christian discourse needs to be extended by including findings from social and exact sciences and use them as a suitable medium for a dialogue in a pluralistic environment, and push the limits of our knowledge about humans.
One of the oldest ways of showing the practical realization of a call to holiness is the imitation of Christ. In the past this idea, with additional role models included, was also used in the moral theological refection on human development and sanctifcation. However, those attempts found it diffcult to defne the subject of imitation as well as imitation itself. Also today, with some reservations, the idea of imitation can be used for a methodical presentation of the Christian vocation to holiness and of concrete ways how this vocation can be realized. When taken together with the biblical category of the vocation and of the gift, this idea allows to present Christian moral life in a synthetic way and can be the reference point for specifc moral obligations. However, when using the category of imitation in the correct presentation of a call to holiness, correct terms are needed as well as an understanding of the vocation as found in Revelation and in particular and modern behavioural sciences. Such a presentation would emphasize important features of Christian morality, especially its religious, personalistic and social character, and would manifest misconceptions of both extreme autonomy and extreme heteronomy.
The article presents a relation between a word and a picture against a background of art theology developing in Christianity. Such an assumption releases from the presentation of a selection of illustrations to biblical texts. Assumed deliberations have a form of an outline illustrated by the examples from the field of miniature painting and engraving, depicting in a literal sense a transformation of a word into a picture. The studies from the field of a word function in faith tradition created the whole theological and biblical literature. On the other hand analyses of the analo- gical role of a picture in Christianity are relatively new and only seldom are they conducted by theologians or art historians.
The title of the present dissertation constitutes a travesty of a sentence announced by St. John in the prologue of his Gospel: "And the Word was made flesh" (1:14). When John is talking about the Logos it means in our perspective a written word, that is the Revelation described in the Bible. Based on what St. Paul said in the Letter to the Romans (10:14-18) the expression: Fides ex auditu started to be used in theology. The question of the role of a picture in religion can be encapsulated in a paraphrase of this expression, as: Fides ex visu. Certain people in specific circumstances acquire faith through the sense of sight, through image.
The Prophets attributed to pictures magic forces and the power of influencing human souls. Therefore they pushed them into the field of magic and witchcraft, into the world of dark forces, using signs. According to their teaching a real cult does not need any material signs. A monotheistic religion wants to remain a religion based on reading and not watching „suspicious" pictures. Rejecting visual representations, the Old Testament favours verbal symbols. And not only has the image of a false godbecome the idol, but also a false image of the true God. The invisible God can be described, but not painted. Art is too weak to show the greatness of God. The undescribed God remained invisible. He made himself known to people only through the revealed word and depicting Him in paintings was forbidden because it was a threaten to the primary Plan of Salvation. In such an approach a word becomes a power and the rejected picture becomes weak because it is useless and even harmful. This was well expressed by Re'gis Debray, who wrote that art with its altars, paintings and figures was too heavy to be carried by the Jew, this eternal wanderer, on his way. Thus he took the book.
Despite strict bans we can find in the Old Testament statements containing human longing for watching God, either during the sleepas in the case of patriarch Jacob, or in a „face-to-face" meeting as Moses at Mount Sinai, or in a prophetic seeing as it was experienced e.g. by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, or the other ones „seeing".
The situation changed in the New Testament, when the eternal Logos - the son of God became a man. It was possible to see God through the incarnate Word, as Jesus Christ became the most ideal icon of God. The incarnation gave a possibility of depicting the one that was so far Invisible. This can be contained in a sentence that „the Word was made a picture". The Mystery of the Incarnation was invoked by the iconodules at the Second Council of Nicea, in 787.
Christianity is a religion of a word and a picture, but Protestants are different from Catholics in their approach to pictures. Taking a doctrinal assumption on the sole primacy of a word (sola Scriptura), certain sections of the Reformation rejected a picture as a form of superstition. The specific character of Protestant art became the custom of placing citations from the Bible on paintings, or even placing the sole citations or the sentences of the Reformation in altar reredos.
The Theology Department was opened in January 1918. It came into existence as one of the first four departments of the Catholic University of Lublin. Its activity became part of the university’s mission which is conducting research in harmony with science and faith, educating the catholic intelligentsia and contributing to christian culture.
The identity of the Department manifests itself in the high standard of scientific research and academic education as well as in deepening and promoting the christian concept of the world and man in the context of challenges of the present time.
This article presents an outline history, organization and the main trends in scientific research carried out in the Theology Department of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.