Book Review Go Forth in Peace Orthodox Perspectives on Mission (original) (raw)
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A Critical Analysis of the Theological Positions and Ecumenical Activity of Ion Bria (1929-2002)
A Critical Analysis of the Theological Positions and Ecumenical Activity of Ion Bria (1929-2002), 2022
The Orthodox Churches are part of the ecumenical movement with the inner wish to clarify the theological elements which keep the whole Christianity divided. For this goal, every Church is represented somehow in discussions by her theologians who are training to carry a theological dispute at this level. The Romanian Orthodox Church was indirectly represented in the World Council of Church by professor Ion Bria (1929-2002), who had worked officially at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva for more than 20 years. This theological research has the aim to speak to us about Bria’s personality and ecumenical activity. In order to accomplish this goal, I will expand my research in three chapters. In the first one, I will present his biographical life. Until this moment he remains the most important Romanian theologian involved in the ecumenical dialogue. The second chapter deals with the history of the modern ecumenical movement and also with Bria’s perspective on the dialogue between Orthodoxy and ecumenism, which are for him two correlative elements. Bria comes to confront the anti-ecumenical part within the Orthodox Church who does not accept the Christian dialogue being afraid of heresy. Bria explain how through dialogue, the line between Orthodoxy and the other Christians can be overrun. In the third chapter I explain the missionary concept ‘liturgyafter the Liturgy’, both historically and theologically. Being aware that there are some uncertainties around this concept I decided to clarify it in a proper way. Bria is known as the promoter of this concept, so I will search to find out who is the originator of this expression as such. In the same chapter I will analyze the ecclesiological elements from Bria’s writings. The ecumenical dialogue is interpreted of being an ecclesiological problem par excellence so I will outline Bria’s position regarding the teaching of the Church. In conclusion I will present in a synthetic way the results of this study.
Contemporary Critical Reflections on Ion Bria's Vision for Ecumenical Dialogue
RELIGIONS, 2024
In this study, I will expose the perspective of the ecumenical dialogue in the theology of Fr. Ion Bria, one of the well-known Romanians involved in the ecumenical movement. In the first part, after a short introduction, I will present the most important biographical milestones of the Romanian theologian, as well as some details about his activity in the World Council of Churches. Then, in the second part, I will critically present the most important aspects of Bria’s ecumenical theology, as well as the reception of these ideas in contemporary Orthodox theology, in discussion with common witness and eucharistic communion within ecumenical dialogue. In the last part, I will present the critical remarks on ecumenism in Bria’s theology. Through this analysis, I will emphasize important directions that the ecumenical dialogue can exploit today to overcome some historical, cultural or theological preconceptions and misunderstandings.
When I finished writing this book eight years ago, and turned it over to be printed in Belgrade, I did not even dream that it would continue its life in other Countries and in other languages. Four years after the Belgrade edition, this book saw the light of day in Moscow, in Russian. Four years following that, dear readers, it is here before you in English-speaking regions. The fact that this book in one part speaks of liturgical happenings in America, the Country in which is has just been now published, evokes within me a special joy. This shows that theology, in its different forms and appearances, forges unceasingly forwards to-and enriches-differing ends of the World and all the people who rush to it, and who live by it. I take this opportunity to express my warm gratitude to all those known and unknown that have unselfishly contributed to the publication of this book. Among them Fr Geogre Kokhno and my publisher Jack Figel from Eastern Christian Publications are highlighted.
Pro Edu. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 2021
The volume Teologie și misiune creștină [Christian Theology and Mission] (2019, 536 p.), edited by Bibliotheca Publishing House/Valahia University Press (Târgoviște), is the result of the academic labor and effort of His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Nifon, Archbishop of Târgoviște, in his quality of university professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and Educational Sciences, Valahia University of Târgoviște, but also in his quality of Patriarchal Exarch for the relations of the Romanian Patriarchate with international Christian institutions and European institutions. This anniversary volume, edited at 20 years of service of His Eminence in the archiepiscopal see of Târgoviște, includes a series of theological and missiological studies, meant to promote the national culture and history, but also the young generations’ education under the aureole of Christian values and treasury of Orthodox culture and spirituality. Realized in a scientific, rigorous, realistic manner and approaching each topic complexly, the studies and research work integrated in this volume present pertinent solutions to sensitive challenges of today’s world context: ecological crisis, effects of globalization, economic crisis and sustainable development, spiritual theological grounds related to the concept of democracy, issues concerning migration in Europe, Christian values in politics, the role of young generations in the Church mission etc., offering an objective theological and spiritual answer. Consequently, the works integrated in the volume become true formative and educative beacons for today’s society, contributing to the understanding of changes, challenges, limits, but also of opportunities that emerged along with the political, economic, and social changes that take place worldwide through the contemporary process of globalization, by overcoming the cultural and national differences, that inevitably lead to important effects on the medium and long term.
Romanian theology: A theology of dialogue
Hts Teologiese Studies-theological Studies, 2009
This article offers an overview of the development of Romanian theology through the 20th century, especially after 1989, which constituted a new era for the evolution of Romanian theology. The author believes that the greatest challenge for the Romanian Orthodox Church after 1989 is the one that aims at the reconfi guration of the mission of the Christian martyria within the new forms of religious and social freedom. The author states the necessity for Romanian theology for its own katharsis (purifi cation) as well as the necessity for eliminating the idea that between theology and the other sciences there is a relationship of antinomy. The author fi rmly states his credo as a theologian, namely the theological theme of deifi cation/theosis, understood either in the way of Saint Paul as 'gods through grace' or in the way of Saint Peter as 'partakers of the divine nature': homo-Deus.
Ecumenical Convergences: Romanian Evangelicals Exploring Orthodoxy
Religion, 2021
Historically, in Romania, the relations between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the evangelical communities have been characterized by tension and mutual distrust. That is why, unfortunately, there has been no official dialogue between the two communities so far. The present article investigates the theoretical possibility for such an ecumenical dialogue to occur by analysing the contributions of several evangelical theologians who published research studies on theological topics specific to Eastern orthodox theology. Their positions were analysed from the perspective of an inclusive theology which allowed us to identify some common themes for both traditions: the authority in interpreting the Scriptures, salvation as a process, and the Church understood through the application of a perichoretic model. All these convergent themes could constitute the basis for a future official ecumenical dialogue between the evangelicals and the orthodox from Romania.
The Romanian Philokalia Volume VII / Saint Dumitru the Restorer of the Christian Theology
Content Writings by: Nicephorus from Loneliness, Theoleptos of Philadelphia, Saint Gregory the Sinaite, Saint Gregory Palamas About prayer, Watchfulness, and Guarding the Heart, of Nicephorus from Loneliness 3 Nicephorus from Loneliness. Short Biographical Note 4 Word about Prayer. Of Nicephorus from Loneliness 8 From the Life of Our Pious Father Anthony 10 From the Life of Saint Theodosius, the Cenobiarch (The Exarch of the Coenobitic Communities) 11 From the Life of Saint Arsenius 12 From the Life of Saint Paul from Latro 12 From the Life of Saint Sava 13 From the Life of Saint Agathon 14 From Abba Mark (towards Nicholas) 14 From Saint John Climacus 15 From Abba Isaiah 16 From Makarios the Great 17 From Diadochus 17 From Isaac the Syrian 17 From the Carpathian 18 From Simeon the New Theologian 18 Of Theoleptos Metropolitan of Philadelphia. Word about the Toils of the Monastic Life. And Word about That Word Hidden into Christ 28 Metropolitan Theoleptos of Philadelphia His Life and His Writings 28 The Word of Theoleptos, Metropolitan of Philadelphia, about the Toils of the Monastic Life 36 Of the Same Theoleptos of Philadelphia, Word about That Word Hidden into Christ 56 Of the One amongst the Saitns, our Father Gregory of Sinai Very Useful Heads in Acrostic And other Writings 62 Saint Gregory the Sinaite. His life 63 The Writings of Gregory Sinaite 74 Of the One Amongst Saints, Our Father Gregory Sinaite Very Useful Heads in Acrostic, of which Acrostic is this: Diverse Words about Commandments, Dogmas, Menaces and Promises, and even about Thoughts, Passions, and Virtues; and then about Appeasement and Prayer. 80 Other Heads of the same One 140 About the Passionate Transformation 141 About the Good Transformation 142 Of the Same One Detailed teaching about appeasement and prayer, about the signs of the grace and of the deceit; and then, about the difference between warmth and work; and that without an adviser there comes easily the delusion. (Head in The Greek Philokalia: 10; here we have 14 heads). 143 About the Way One Can Find the Word 145 Of Saint Gregory Palamas Word for Them Who Appease Themselves Piously 154 The Third Word of the Last Ones About the Holy Light 155 The Second Word from the Last Ones About Prayer 180 The Third Word from the Last Ones About the Holy Light 215 Of Saint Gregory Palamas Out of the Word of Saint John Chrysostom at the First Martyr Stephen 309 Of Saint Gregory Palamas About the Godlike and Deifying Impartation; or about the Godlike and Above-Nature Simplicity 311 The Hagiorite Tome 344 Of Saint Greogry Palamas, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki 150 Heads about the Natural Knowledge, about the Knowledge about God, about the Moral Life, and about Doing 355
EUROPEAN DIMENSIONS IN ROMANIAN THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSE
AJOL, 2009
This article underlines particularly those aspects of Romanian theology that distinguish it from other theological refl ections. By making use of liturgical discourse, Romanian theology refl ects the ecumenical dimension of the prayers of the Divine Liturgy. It is this specifi city that provides Romanian theology's missionary dimension within the European context. The author introduces the idea that theology is not an academic mission reserved to a group of intellectuals or to the hierarchy of the church; it is rather open to every believer-every believer is asked to be a theologian, to be a person of prayer, to speak about God while being in God. Another point of interest is the God-humanity-world relationship in an era of globalisation, with regard to which the author stresses the need for equilibrium between spiritual and scientifi c values and that Romanian Orthodox theology is an authentic theology of equilibrium.