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Copyright of Church in the World / Crkva u Svijetu is the property of University of Split, Catholic Faculty of Theology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article delves into the issue of religious crises, both in the past and present. The author explores the causes of these crises and how Christianity historically provided solutions. The author points out that crises of faith can disrupt the lives of individuals and communities, and there are both internal and external factors that can contribute to them. Throughout history, heresies and persecutions have been the most significant threats to faith. The article highlights the persecution of believers and the Church in the first centuries, particularly in mid-3rd century, as an example of external attacks on Christianity. The author also discusses the example of St Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, and the impact of the persecutions on the believers' faith. Cyprian emphasizes that, while external attacks can cause crises of faith, disunity and schism within the Church can be even more damaging. It seems that when the faith was challenged by heresy and schism, it also faced an internal threat from sin and the sinful behaviour of believers. This caused a crisis for those who were vulnerable to the temptation of sin or scandalized by sinners. The author asserts this crisis was rooted either in a deviation from God or a complete rejection of Him, which allowed for an ungodly lifestyle. The author also suggests that these crises always originate from within, where the soul abandons its foundation in God, even if the initial impulse comes from external sources. When individuals or groups of believers lose their connection to God, they inevitably experience a crisis that can lead to spiritual death. This serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of staying connected to God and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Interestingly, while the Holy Scriptures may present faith as a path that leads to a crisis, in this case, the crisis is interpreted as a choice, a discernment, a selection, a decision, and not a rupture. Jesus used these crisis moments in his deeds and preaching, and they can also be seen throughout the Old Testament. However, it is important to understand that Jesus never intended for these crises to lead to unbelief or impiety. Rather, he aimed to build believers who had an authentic, personal, and firm faith. The author believes this same approach can be used to transcend the crisis of faith that the Church faces today. This crisis cannot be overcome simply by changing structures or renewing them. Instead, a renewal of our direct and living communion with the living God is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author explores the Jerome phrase: „Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ“, and places this in a broader patristic context. Accordingly, the work is divided into two sections. The first touches on several historical situations from early Christianity in which the Church had to stand in defense of Scripture against distorted interpretations. It had been in conflict with Judaism since apostolic times, and during the 2nd century had to resist Marcion, Montan, and the Gnostics. The great challenge was to confront pagan philosophical and scientific thought. These were the demanding circumstances in which the Church took a stand and gave birth to the principles of reading and interpreting the Word of God. In the second section, the author examines the theological premises or principles that underlie Jerome’s exegesis. The first of these principles is: Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ, and the second is derived from the first: Ignorance of Christ is ignorance of the Scriptures. The third premise of Jerome’s exegesis is that Scripture is one and unique, and the fourth is that it should be read in a „spiritual“ way in the community of believers – the Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Slovo (05836255) is the property of Slovo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this article, the author discusses the crisis in which the Church descended in the last few decades, especially the scandal of paedophilia. In the first chapter, he analyses pos sible causes of the crisis by starting with opinions of theologians who dealt with this matter. He points out that there are two groups of theological opinions on causes of the crisis, followed by two very different explanations. One group is of the opinion that the crisis was caused by outdated structures such as celibacy and the lack of personal liberties. They are convinced that the real solution consists in releasing priests from the obligation of celibacy and they insist on freedom of decision in accordance with the moral principle of conscience that ought to be the highest norm of action. The other group of theologians detects the problem in the crisis of identity, caused by the influence of the modern world, as well as in the insufficient formation of priests or in the change of pastoral paradigm after the Second Vatican Council, to which many priests failed to adapt. By keeping in mind various theological approaches and opinions, the second part analyses the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church on priesthood and celibacy, starting with conciliar documents and all the way until John Paul II's Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis. The author points out that the Magisterium of the Church sees priests as prophets not only because of their task to preach, but also because of their way of life in celibacy. In the third part, the author offers his own evaluation of the issue and possible trajectories of thinking as an orientation for authentic theology of priesthood. Firstly, he points out that priesthood is a vocation and mission in front of God and in front of the Church. Through the Holy Order the priest is made in the image of Christ in order to perform his service in the world. Furthermore, the priest is called to be Christ-like in his life and activity. Of equal importance is his ecclesiastical responsibility, which are a source of moral and spiritual imperatives in his life. An attempt to reform the priestly office structurally under the pressure of modern times is, according to the author, unseemly, because priests are called to be prophets by giving the testimony of pure and virtuous life and not by annulling moral demands in order to placate wishes of false freedom. Wrong theological premises lead to morality of compensation and reduced spirituality, which are the true causes of crisis among priests. As a possible answer to the crisis, the author points out the way indicated by Pope Benedict XVI and Francis, who called priests to stronger faith, renewal of sanctity, and necessary cleansing in the fear of God. This is the way that ought to be followed by all theological efforts of raising the quality of formation of seminarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Obnovljeni zivot is the property of University of Zagreb, Society of Jesus and Faculty of Philosophy & Religious Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

From its beginnings, spreading among the pagans, Christianity was in contact with Hellenistic culture, and especially with Hellenistic philosophy. As a result of this, Christianity began, albeit reluctantly, a process of close engagement with Hellenistic culture based on mutual respect and highlighting those elements of the culture that Christians regarded as being sound. Far from being painless this process was in fact very painful and it was characterized by tension and by fundamental disagreements. Disagreements arose first of all within the Christian community, which did not have a common stand about accepting or rejecting philosophy; it was therefore necessary to establish internal clarity. At the same time, the relationship with philosophy as an external collocutor was problematic because it was necessary to avoid extreme solutions--from one side a radical rejection and from the other non-critical acceptance. The process reached its conclusion in a positive way with mutual respect, thanks to those Christian writers who understood as well trained philosophers that there was no fundamental contradiction between Christianity and philosophy--a truth which these writers learned from their own rich life experience. In the article, which is divided into three parts, the author shows that Clement of Alexandria was one of the most meritorious of the early Christian fathers, the first to explain and defend wholehearted acceptance of Greek philosophy, contrary to some Christian circles which preferred a radical rejection of philosophy. The first section describes how in the early Christian era the "question of philosophy" was complex and delicate and how acceptance was accompanied by resistance, for example in the writings of Tatian and Tertullian. Resistance can also be seen in some circles of the Alexandrian Church who criticized Clement's position. The author seeks to reconstruct central arguments of "enemies of philosophy". In the second and third sections of the article the author describes Clement's method of addressing these arguments and his demonstration that philosophy serves as a helpful propaedeutics of Christianity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]