The theology of creation in Bulgaria during the 20th century emerged within the context of a debate about religious education in state schools, positioning itself at the forefront of the conflict between powerful evolutionist sentiments and the traditional legacy of the Orthodox Church. The primary social and intellectual motivation for the theology of creation in Bulgaria before World War II was a polemical struggle against the secular ideas prevalent in a significant part of Bulgarian society at the time. In the second half of the 20th century, the situation gradually developed more denominationally oriented theological features, based on a revisited Eastern Orthodox spiritual heritage. This shift created a foundation of strong theoretical arguments in favor of a realistic creationism. Unfortunately, with the resurgence of the debate about religious education in state schools in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the long-forgotten discussion about the compatibility between Scripture and science reopened, reigniting an old-fashioned debate in the country.
Most Islamic thinkers consider Allah infinite. However, they differ in their interpretations of His infinitude, each attributing their perspective to Islam. Infinitude has various meanings, including numerical, extensive, intensive, and comprehensive infinity. Different schools of thought accept some of these meanings while rejecting others. But what is Islam’s perspective on this matter? The present study, employing a descriptive-analytical method, seeks to examine Ahl al-Bayt’s sayings regarding Allah’s infinite existence and to ascertain their perspective as the most eminent sages of their time. The key findings of this study are as follows: Ahl al-Bayt views Allah’s infinite existence as nearly self-evident and sees its denial as equivalent to denying Allah. They assert that finitude necessarily entails being created and that pure monotheism is founded upon divine infinitude. In addition, they have formulated a unique argument for Allah’s infinite existence, unparalleled in philosophical texts. Many of these points are also in Mulla Sadra’s ultimate philosophical outlook, highlighting the fundamental congruence between Sadrian mystical thought and Ahl al-Bayt’s perspective. Keywords: Allah’s Infinite Existence, Infinitude, the Negation of Limits, Indeterminacy, Ahl al-Bayt (AS). Introduction The Islamic tradition’s theologians, philosophers, and mystics consider divine existence infinite. Theologians regard only Allah’s actions as infinite, whereas philosophers extend this infinitude to His essence. Some philosophers, however, limit divine infinitude to the intensity (perfection) of His essence while confining His existential openness to a specific domain. Some others, following the mystics, consider His existential openness infinite; namely, His existence has no boundaries and encompasses all realms of being. Mulla Sadra, in particular, considers both His intensity and existential openness infinite and sees this as a foundation for the individual unity of existence.Each of these intellectual traditions attributes its interpretation to religious texts. But what do the leaders of Islam, namely Ahl al-Bayt (AS), say on this matter? Do they affirm Allah’s infinite existence? If so, do they extend this infinitude to His essence? And if they do, how do they conceptualize the infinity of the divine being? This study seeks to answer the above-mentioned questions.As far as the author knows, this study has no direct precedent. However, related studies include 1) comparisons between existential and quantitative infinitude, 2) investigations into the concept of infinity in Islamic theology and philosophy and its application to Allah, 3) discussions on Allah’s infinite existence based on the principle of basit al-haqiqa (Simple in Nature): its challenges and responses, and 4) misconceptions regarding infinity. The last of these studies presents a view contrary to the one proposed in this study, originating from the writings of theologians such as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, ‘Aḍud al-Din al-Iji, and Sharif al-Jurjani.Allah’s infinite existence and the individual unity of existence are closely related. While the latter has received extensive scholarly attention, the former remains neglected. The scarcity of research on this topic underscores the need for further study. Moreover, none of the existing works examine divine infinitude from the perspective of Ahl al-Bayt, making the present study all the more necessary. The author has previously explored infinity based on mystics and transcendent philosophy. This study is dedicated exclusively to Ahl al-Bayt’s perspective. Given the complexity of this subject, a comprehensive examination of the philosophical, mystical, and theological dimensions of divine infinitude requires multiple studies rather than a single paper. Materials and Methods This study is foundational in its objective, aiming to uncover Islamic religious leaders’ views on Allah’s infinite existence. It adopts a problem-centered rather than text-centered approach, gathering data from religious texts and software and analyzing the information through a descriptive-analytical method. Among the hadith collections that record the sayings of the Ahl al-Bayt, two books—Tawhid al-Sadūq and the section on Tawhid in Usūl al-Kafi—stand out for their reliability in both content and chain of transmission, making them the primary focus of this study.The research proceeded in four stages: A line-by-line examination of Tawḥid al-Ṣadūq and the Tawḥid section of Uṣūl al-Kafi to collect relevant narrations, supplemented where necessary with hadiths from other sources; Categorization of the collected narrations into three groups: explanation, proof, and implications; Comparative analysis within each category, leading to a final synthesis of findings; A comparative evaluation of the Islamic doctrinal position with Mulla Sadra’s ultimate philosophical stance. Although this study primarily focuses on Ahl al-Bayt’s sayings, its approach is not narrative: their sayings are analyzed for their ontological significance rather than merely their religious sanctity. In other words, Ahl al-Bayt are regarded as the greatest sages of their time, and this study examines their philosophical perspective on Allah’s infinite existence. Research Findings In Ahl al-Bayt’s perspective, Allah’s infinitude is so self-evident that its denial amounts to His rejection, a misunderstanding of His nature, or an act of blasphemy. Several religious texts employ divine infinitude to negate deficiencies such as corporeality, spatial limitation, and being born. In logical reasoning, the middle term of a syllogism must be more evident and intelligible than the conclusion. Therefore, if Allah’s corporeality is untenable, His infinitude must be even more apparent.The clarity of Allah’s infinity is such that it sometimes forms the foundation of monotheism: reason testifies that every finite being is created. If Allah’s existence is infinite, there is no other being besides Him; if no other being exists, assuming a second god is impossible. This use of divine infinitude as proof of absolute monotheism represents a rigorous and refined theological argument. For Ahl al-Bayt, anything finite must be a creation, so Allah must be infinite. They affirm that divine infinitude is not exclusive to Islam; previous prophets also emphasized this point.One might ask: Given the abundance of textual evidence, why do some theologians continue to resist attributing infinitude to Allah’s existence? The answer lies in their attempt to avoid the requisite, i.e., individual unity of existence, by rejecting its prerequisite, Allah’s infinite existence. They argue that negating limits from Allah refers only to negating quantitative limitations. Since Allah is not corporeal, He has no quantity; thus, quantitative limitations do not apply to Him. This is akin to negating blindness from a wall, which does not imply that the wall can see. Being finite and infinite is treated as a privation (ʿadam) and acquisition (malakah), both of which can be negated in a subject that lacks the relevant attribute altogether. However, this response is flawed. Words are assigned to meanings in a conceptual sense, not to specific instances. The meaning of limit is finitude, but finitude takes on a meaning appropriate to each entity. Theologians have interpreted finite and infinite only in a quantitative sense and deemed their negation from an immaterial referent permissible. However, the term limit also has immaterial and existential meanings, which are contradictory and cannot be negated. Thus, Allah’s existence is either finite or infinite. Since finitude entails numerous invalid implications, Allah must be infinite. Discussion of Results and ConclusionsAhl al-Bayt (AS) regards the infinity of Allah’s existence as self-evident and considers its denial equivalent to denying Him. They also view infinite existence as the foundation of divine monotheism. The clarity of infinity has sometimes led to its use as a middle term to negate certain deficiencies attributed to Allah. They have also associated finitude with being created, excluding Him from finitude. Additionally, sayings emphasizing the indeterminacy, simplicity, and absolute purity of Allah’s existence, upon deeper reflection, also imply His infinity. The Ahl al-Bayt have proven Allah’s infinity through a unique argument not found in the works of other philosophers. They have also outlined its implications, such as the individual unity of existence, the negation of incarnation and interpenetration, the incomprehensibility of Allah’s essence, the reinterpretation of essential monotheism, and the transcendence of the divine essence over Allah’s name. Among the intellectual groups in the Islamic world, the mystical perspective of Mulla Sadra aligns most closely with Ahl al-Bayt’s views. Although this alignment is not absolute, minor inconsistencies do not detract from the overall harmony.
Il nucleo centrale di questo lavoro risiede nella proposta progettuale di un percorso educativo sull’ecologia integrale e la sostenibilità che, attraverso un approccio integrato e innovativo, prepari gli studenti delle scuole superiori ad affrontare sfide complesse e a contribuire attivamente alla costruzione di una società sostenibile. Filo conduttore dell’intero percorso sono i valori e i principi etici dell’ecologia integrale e della sostenibilità; essi ne costituiscono l’ossatura e confluiscono in un modulo didattico appositamente strutturato per consentire ai discenti di sviluppare l’intelligenza emotiva e maturare una competenza ecologica specifica: l’empatia e il cambio di prospettiva, che li aiuti a sviluppare consapevolezza di sé e consapevolezza degli altri, virtù ecologiche e amore per la casa comune.
Karol Wojtyla y Edith Stein son dos filósofos que han escrito dramas. Podemos clasificar y comprender su obra dramática con la metáfora del continente y las islas usada por Gabriel Marcel. Marcel ha entendido sus obras de teatro como islas relacionadas con un continente que es su obra filosófica. Si ampliamos la metáfora podemos distinguir entre islas del continente intelectual, islas del continente vital e islas del continente vocacional. Los tres continentes están relacionados. Pero son distintos y permiten ordenar los dramas de Wojtyla y Stein. Aquí clasificamos de esta manera seis obras de teatro de estos autores. En esta ordenación la terminología teatral detecta un paso progresivo del teatro de tesis al teatro de compromiso. El continente vocacional es el que mejor muestra la vocación de servicio a la comunidad mediante la llamada a la mediación entre Dios y los hombres y mediante la crítica política.
Ecclesiology discusses the identity, essence of existence, and function of the Church concerning the identity and mission of the Church in the world. It explored aspects of the experience of the Christian community as a framework for interpreting the experience of faith. Conflicts on interpretations and applications of the Scripture’s messages about justification by faith in the sixteenth century were the cause of the doctrinal divisions and conflicts between the Lutheran Confession and the Roman Catholic Church’s Council of Trent. This study exploited a qualitative research method by exploring literature. By improving recent studies of Scripture and referring to the history of theology and dogma, the ecumenical dialogue after the Second Vatican Council resulted in renewed opinion towards ecumenical unity. Ecumenism means a religious initiative towards the oneness of the Church. It increased cooperation and better understanding between groups within Christianity or church denominations. The study results showed that the Roman Catholic Church had various views on the existence of churches. The context of the times, the dominant thoughts of the time, and the meaning of the Christian faith were the main contributors that gave birth to this diversity.
The Christianization of Knowledge in Late Antiquity: Intellectual and Material Transformations traces the beginning of Late Antiquity from a new angle. Shifting the focus away from the Christianization of people or the transformation of institutions, Mark Letteney interrogates the creation of novel and durable structures of knowledge across the Roman scholarly landscape, and the embedding of those changes in manuscript witnesses. Letteney explores scholarly productions ranging from juristic writings and legal compendia to theological tractates, military handbooks, historical accounts, miscellanies, grammatical treatises, and the Palestinian Talmud. He demonstrates how imperial Christianity inflected the production of truth far beyond the domain of theology — and how intellectual tools forged in the fires of doctrinal controversy shed their theological baggage and came to undergird the great intellectual productions of the Theodosian Age, and their material expressions. Letteney's volume offers new insights and a new approach to answering the perennial question: What does it mean for Rome to become Christian? This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
This sociological study of religion attempts to explain the relationship between humans and spirits in the syncretism of Theravada Buddhism tradition with case studies in Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar. In these countries, before the influence of the Indian Dharmic Religion, people practiced Theravada Buddhism side by side with folk beliefs. This study uses the theory of correlational theology from Paul Tillich as the search for common ground in reflection of the syncretic folk belief of worshipping Danghyang among Javanese people in Indonesia, Neak Ta among Khmer people in Cambodia, and Nat among Burmese people in Myanmar. The method used literature research and field observations in three countries in 2020. The results of this study are in the exploration of doctrinal concepts from religious texts and the acculturation practices on cultural heritage between the folk belief with the view of wholeness theology in Theravada Buddhism cosmology. Humans live in harmony with other creatures in this world according to the law of attachment and reciprocity, or Paticcasamuppada, consisting of 31 realms of existence. In the context of the three countries, these spirits articulate three relations: the relationship between guardian spirits and the people, the relationship between the deceased spirits and the living, and the relationship between spirits and the social environment, as in line with spiritual ecology (215 words)
This essay develops a program for defining doctrinal studies as the descriptive and normative study of contemporary Christian thought. “Dogmatics” is contemporary theology in the two-fold sense of studying current varieties of Christian doctrine, worldview formation and ethos, and of constructing coherent and self-reflexive proposals for Christian teachings in contemporary contexts. History of doctrine remains an important sub-discipline which serves the purpose of clarifying basic grammars and continuing patterns of Christian thought. Likewise, the study of major theologians exemplifies how well-winnowed theological proposals of the past may continue to inspire and inform contemporary theology. The focal interest, however, lies in analyzing and re-articulating contemporary expressions of Christian faith, while evaluating the potentials of Christian semantics for future Christian communication practices. The regulative rules of Christian grammars, the fluid forms of Christian semantics, and the communicative potentials of Christian pragmatics thus make up the core subject-matter of contemporary theology. It is furthermore argued that contemporary theology is to be pursued in the interest of the society at large. Yet the field has a special function for the Church. For while contemporary theologians propose, communities of faith dispose when it comes to the fate and fortunes of the theological proposals.
Receptive ecumenism is one of the most important contemporary methodologies of inter-Christian dialogue. The theological vision behind the concept of receptive ecumenism is a valuable source of inspiration for the revitalization of the culture of dialogue within and between our churches and societies. Receptive ecumenism has the potential to transform closed and exclusivist identities into open and mutually constitutive realities, which value highly the theological and spiritual riches of the Christian other and learn from them. This article argues that, even though the notion of receptive ecumenism has been elaborated by a Western Catholic theologian (Paul Murray), its implementation by Eastern Christianity should not be seen as the adoption of a methodology foreign to the ethos and spirituality of Orthodox faith. The article shows that the vision and practice of receptive ecumenism resonate with the main doctrinal formulations of Orthodox Christianity (Trinitarian theology, Christology, and eschatology).
ABSTRACT Regarding the relation between theology and science, it seems to me that Catholic theology provides a remarkable case given its distinctive notion of Catholic magisterial infallibility (under certain conditions) and its doctrine of transubstantiation. Here I argue that, in a very real sense, the current legal and doctrinal state-of-affairs linked to transubstantiation has quite substantial implications. These very implications articulately illustrate how challenging the situation is for Catholic scientists, especially for those who are working and, thereby, are contributing to research at Catholic Universities as defined and established by the magisterium and the competent authorities of the Catholic Church.
Catholic positions on contested moral issues are rejected by the majority in the secular West and are increasingly rejected by Catholics themselves. In this book, David Deane argues that there are two main reasons for this. First, the dominance of secular approaches deprives Catholic positions of their claim to coherence. Second, the Catholic positions, Deane shows, have lost contact with the theology on which they were originally based. In response, Deane undertakes a deconstruction of the dominant secular positions, and seeks to restore Catholic positions to their theological roots. The result of this is a moral theology reconnected with the Trinitarian understanding of God and God’s relationship with the world. Restored to its doctrinal foundations, the moral theology that Deane offers is more coherent, more beautiful, and more convincing than has been found in Catholic moral discourse for centuries.
This paper aims to examine divine values as a form of reflection on Pancasila values in Indonesian jurisprudence. This study is important considering that the current conditions for the establishment and enforcement of Indonesian law tend to pay little heed to divine values. Using the doctrinal writing method with a conceptual approach it is found that:Jurisprudence which believes in God is a form of reflection of Pancasila values and is part of Pancasila jurisprudence. Jurisprudence which believes in God is closely related to religious principles which in essence want humans to remain in their minds and consciences in living life. The essence of theology in theology of law focuses on strengthening aspects of morality with regard to the immunity of the legal structure, the establishment of legal substance and legal culture
Ojciec opowiada się za ludźmi prostymi. Objawia im więź istniejącą między Nim a Synem i jednocześnie zakrywa ją przed pychą uczonych (11, 25–27). Ojciec powinien spotykać się z bojaźnią ze strony ludzi, ponieważ rozstrzyga o ostatecznym losie człowieka. Wzmianka o możliwości definitywnego odrzucenia przez Ojca zostaje złagodzona Jego troską i wiedzą o każdym szczególe życia człowieka (10, 28–31). Z faktu, że Bóg jest Ojcem, wynika powszechne braterstwo łączące uczniów, które nie ma nic wspólnego z jakąkolwiek formą zależności. Uczniowie są bowiem zależni jedynie od Ojca w niebie (23, 9).