- This paper delves into the theological and philosophical significance of Friedrich Schellings' doctrine of the soul, as articulated in his 1804 work Philosophy and Religion. It foregrounds the soul as an immaterial entity whose relationship with the body, oscillating between separation and unity, has been central to Western thought from Plato and Aristotle through Augustine, Descartes, and Kant. While Kants'criticalphilosophy discredited metaphysical discourse on the soul, replacing it with the transcendental subject, Schelling uniquely defied this interdiction, reclaiming a transcendent perspective. The paper posits a philosophical thesis: Schelling's treatment of the soul integrates metaphysics with freedom, finitude, and the concept of the Fall, proposing a view where human subjectivity bridges the finite and infinite. This understanding challenges the Kantian paradigm, offering theological depth by interweaving the soul's essence with divine freedom. The ethical and political implications are profound, as Schellings' later critique of the state emerges from his anthropology of freedom, suggesting that human dignity resides beyond state structures in a deeper, metaphysical unity. Thus, this study illuminates Schellings'contribution to contemporary debates on individuality, freedom, and the soul's role in the ethical and theological framework of human existence.
In September 2023, a documentary series on Flemish television (God-vergeten, Godforsaken) harshly confronted Flanders once again with the crisis of sexual abuse in the church and the church's inability to handle it credibly. In the first part of this contribution, I analyze the commotion caused by this series in society as well as its consequences for the place of church and faith. Afterwards, I situate the child abuse crisis in the church within a broader and worldwide perspective, and continuing with the German-Austrian theologian Hans-Joachim Sander, I shed light on the ecclesiastical and theological urgency of this crisis. Together with Sander, I discuss how the sexual abuse affected the church and the resulting internal and external loss of credibility. Inspired by Jean-Fran & ccedil;ois Lyotard, I then develop how this sexual abuse in and by the church can be regarded as the prime counterexample that both produces and attests to the implausibility of the grand Christian narrative. The testimony of the victims, as well as the shock of believers, pushes this narrative to its limits, and interrupt its hegemonic logic. Because of this, from now on, we are urged to speak differently about God, faith, and church: we can no longer adequately do so despite the abuse crisis and the church's implausibility, but should do so in relation to this crisis and implausibility, starting from these.
- The controversies surrounding the reception of Amoris Laetitia include accusations from critics that the exhortation undermines Veritatis Splendor's teaching on "intrinsically evil" actions. This article reexamines the debates surrounding this concept, focusing on Peter Knauer's critique of intrinsically evil acts and Veritatis Splendor's teaching. Using the case of homicide, it argues that the encyclicals' reasoning relies on its ability to distinguish between the intended and unintended effects of an act. The article suggests that this position is difficult to reconcile with the Catholic tradition on just war. As a result, unresolved questions persist about the role of intrinsically evil acts in moral theology, requiring further clarification of the place of moral absolutes. Drawing on Eberhard Schockenhoff'swork, andprescind-ing from other issues the concept might raise, the article proposes that maintaining the foundational role of intrinsically evil actions can coexist with recognizing ambiguities in defining the concept's boundaries. It concludes that the tensions between the two magisterial documents should be understood as part of an ongoing process of refining the foundations of Catholic moral theology.
This article examines sexual abuse in ecclesiastical contexts through a comprehensive analysis of the perpetrator perspective, offering a critical evaluation of three dominant ethical frameworks: diabolization, banalization, and ethicization. It challenges simplistic moral dichotomies and argues for a nuanced understanding of power dynamics within pastoral relationships, emphasizing how perpetrators employ fragmentation and self-deception to justify their actions. The analysis extends beyond individual cases to address systemic institutional factors while exploring the complex interplay between Christian ethics, forgiveness, and accountability. The article proposes that authentic forgiveness requires meeting five essential conditions: sincere repentance, acceptance of punishment, restitution, prevention, and memory work. It introduces the concept of " l'impardonnable" (the unforgivable) and examines its theological implications, particularly in cases where perpetrators maintain patterns of self-deception or victims are unable to grant forgiveness. The discussion culminates in advocating for a theology of Silent Saturday, proposing this as a framework for institutional remembrance and victim recognition. Through this analysis, the article contributes to understanding how religious institutions can address historical abuse while developing more effective preventive measures and supporting healing processes for victims, perpetrators, and the broader religious community.
This article explores how contextual biblical interpretation and the normativity of the future approach can be fruitfully employed in the pastoral care ofprofessional men. It introduces a gender-specific model ofpastoral care of working-age men, which includes the use of biblical texts. A short case study serves as illustration. A contextual interpretation of the Lukan depiction of Simon Peter leads to the cluster of experiences often referred to as "mid-life crisis."After a brief review of extant scholarship on mid-life, the fourth section brings the results into critical dialogue with the normativity of the future approach. This article concludes that the normativity of the future approach can provide useful impulses when applied in pastoral conversations about some of the pertinent issues most men encounter during middle age.
This article investigates the extent to which the Song of Songs, or Canticles, can be categorized as pornography or erotica. First, a concise background is provided concerning feminist exegesis of the Song. Subsequently, several scholarly views are discussed, in particular Roland Boer's writings on the Song, after which a distinction is made between the concepts of erotica and pornography. Furthermore, building on Christopher Meredith as well as Els Vos' artwork and a concise reference to Dostoevskys' novel "The Idiot," a connection is made to the more fundamental and existential levels of meaning that are to be distinguished in the Song. The levels of existentialism, mysticism and spirituality that are, be it implicitly or explicitly, present in the Song, are used to argue against a pornographic categorization of the Song, as well as to invite its readers to reflect outside of the boundaries of previous scholarly and religious interpretations of the Song.
- According to Thomas Kuhn in his seminal 1962 work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, paradigms determine what is rendered visible and what remains obscured. This Roundtable article investigates these dynamics of visibility and invisibility by first critically engaging with Kuhn's theoretical framework (Jens Van Rompaey) and subsequently examining concrete approaches to the (in)visible. Anomalies play a vital role in this exploration, as they often serve as early indicators that a paradigm is approaching its limits. Theologians and scholars of religion, in particular, encounter numerous "anomalies" that challenge prevailing norms and expectations; however, these anomalies are about people, their lives, and their experiences, not about wavelengths or particle physics. Maite De Beukeleer and Hannah James each examine what occurs when scholars turn their attention to what has been marginalized, what is difficult, or even who is rendered invisible. De Beukeleer addresses the challenges of decentering men in (church) history, while James contends that the church bears a fundamental responsibility to support the healing of abuse victims-even when doing so requires stepping beyond institutional boundaries.
This article examines how Augustine structures his pedagogy in the early Cassiciacum Dialogues around the metaphor of the turbulent sea, symbolizing the instability and illusions of worldly existence, in contrast to philosophy and Christian wisdom as the safe harbor where true learning begins. More specifically, we explore the educational significance of Augustine's nautical imagery within the broader tradition of philosophical travel in antiquity, demonstrating how these metaphors not only encapsulate his intellectual and spiritual journey but also anticipate his later theological developments-most notably, the eschatological vision of the City of God as the ultimate destination of the Christian pilgrimage.
The paper examines the concept of female corporeality in relation to witchcraft and possession through the Memoriale of Flaminio Parisio, bishop of Bitonto, written in 1594. Parisio sought to justify to the Holy Office the trials, tortures, and violent exorcisms carried out by himselfand archdeacon Ottavio Bovio against women accused of witchcraft and apostasy. The Memoriale was written in response to a cardinal's inquiry, likely Giulio Antonio Santoro, while a commission investigated Parisio and Bovio for violating legal principles by denying the accused a proper defense and appeal to Rome during the 1594 trials. The alleged witches, likely lower-class women, prostitutes, or midwives, were subjected to extreme violence based on demonological treatises, as their bodies were perceived as sites of demonic possession. The document, rich in juridical references, highlights the construction of witchcraft accusations and the control of the female body as a symbol of the devils' influence.
The Apostolic Constitutions is a fourth-century text comprising material taken from other early Christian documents, including the Didascalia. The existing sources are reworked by the compiler who, in doing so, creates a new unique document. Whilst the Apostolic Constitutions clearly utilises the Didascalia for its discussion of ritual purity, the way that the compiler uses, and more significantly differs from its source has not been examined sufficiently. This paper will outline the ways in which the Apostolic Constitutions uses the Didascalia in relation to its comments on menstruation and menstrual impurity. I will demonstrate that although the Didascalia is clearly the frame for the discussion of menstruation, the Apostolic Constitutions departs quite significantly from its source. Whereas the Didascalia polemicises against Christians following menstrualpurity practices associated with Judaism, this is much less prominent in the Apostolic Constitutions. By contrast, in the later text, the emphasis is on affirming the goodness of sexuality on the one hand and on the other hand affirming the laws of the Pentateuch.
- This article examines how insights from feminist theology and scholarship on men and masculinities can transform the pastoral care of men by focusing on corporeality and emotional intelligence. It highlights the pioneering contributions of feminist theologians, who have revalued the role of the body in theology, and explores how these insights challenge the traditional cognitive focus ofpastoral care. The article outlines how men have been conditioned to adopt restrictive emotionality, leading to a disconnection from their bodies and emotions. Such disembodiment is linked to a range of personal and societal issues, including relational problems, mental health struggles, and violence. By drawing on feminist retrieval of corporeality and research on emotional deficits in men, the article proposes a pastoral care model that is embodied, affective, relational, and experiential. This model addresses the need for men to reconnect with their bodies and emotions, fostering emotional intelligence through practices such as mindfulness, creative interventions, and relational activities. The article suggests that these approaches can lead to more holistic care that supports men in developing healthier relationships, emotional awareness, and spiritual growth. The conclusion underscores the scholarly and societal implications of this model, advocating for broader changes in pastoral care practices and suggesting that fostering emotional intelligence in men can have wide-reaching benefits for both individuals and communities.
- The purpose of this article is to show how the topos of the immuration of the female body was used in Hungarian literature of the early twentieth century, in a play about building a castle for God. In 1863, one of the most important folk ballads of Hungarian culture was published1: The Ballad of Kelemen Mason's2 Wife. The heroine, walled into the rising building, was supposed to ensure the indestructibility of the structure. Half a century later, Hungarian author Ern & odblac; & Aacute;brah & aacute;m wrote a mystery play based on this ballad titled The Castle of God. In this play, in order for a permanent structure to be built in honour of the Lord, the wife of the chief engineer, Kelemen Mason, had to be walled up. However, the bricking of the woman into the castle structure not only strengthens the building, but is also a redemption of the sin she committed, which enriches the semantics of the work with a religious dimension. As does the fact that after the act of walling up, the Blessed Mother sends a host of angels to fetch the mason's wife to lead her on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven. The foundation sacrifice becomes a symbol of the sacrifice made on the altar of love for the fatherland. The castle for God can be seen as a symbol of the Hungarian state, which the Hungarians considered destroyed by the peace agreement signed at Trianon in 1920.
In this article, I seek to rethink the "liturgy after the liturgy" model of Christian mission (= LALMM) and propose a way in which this model can flexibly and inclusively facilitate Eastern Orthodox social communication and engagement. First, I present LALMM and explain how, within the Eastern Orthodox theological context, its emphasis on eucharistic participation can fuel inflexible and exclusive theological attitudes that hinder Eastern Orthodox social communication and engagement. Second, I focus on the Russian religious philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev (1874-1948) and draw on his view of human creativity to expand the traditional Orthodox understanding of the Eucharist and render LALMM capable of flexibly and inclusively facilitating the Orthodox faithfuls' communication and engagement with society.
- Along with the general acknowledgment of the insufficiency of critical biblical methods, there has been a corresponding marginalization of DV 19 within the fields of biblical studies and theology. Although not a wholesale assault on the Second Vatican Council itself, this marginalization of DV 19 often downplays or simply ignores the historical context of the debates that accompanied the drafting of the constitution itself. By ignoring these debates, the intentions of many of the Council participants are set aside in order to promote an approach to the Gospels that resists critical questions in favor of a more dogmatic approach to exegesis-one that is prone to reinforcing traditional doctrine in a relatively uncomplicated way. Through an initial overview of the production of DV 19, an examination of the reception of DV 19 within the ebb and flow of critical biblical scholarship in the decades following the council, and by highlighting some of the aggressive dogmatism that has emerged in recent English-language biblical publications, this paper argues that the singular contribution of critical scholarship, endorsed at the council, ought to be recovered in the life of the Church that is always called to reform and purification as it journeys through history.
- "When confronted with suffering, how do Christians understand God's rule in creation and on the cross and what does it mean for the church to embody the rule of God in its own structures, doctrines, and symbols?"I attempt to answer this question, which I received from the organizers of the Schillebeeckx lecture 2023, through the lens ofanother question: How is the reign of God being revealed through the suffering experience of the marginalized? In my overarching project, I take the Lukan image of "the bent-over woman-standing up straight" as the paradigm for all who are marginalized because ofgender, sexual orientation, or race. With a particular focus on the ways these groups experience marginalization in the church, I enter into analysis of the revelatory possibilities of their experience through engagement of Edward Schillebeeckx's insight into the "superior power of Gods' defenseless vulnerability in Jesus on the cross" and ask what this implies for the church in its institutional and doctrinal structures. I argue that the global suffering of women, the marginalized, and indeed the earth itself constitutes an ethical imperative for the church and a summons to institutional conversion. I conclude by envisioning what it might mean for the church to embody the "vulnerable rule of God" in its own structures, doctrines, symbols, and rituals.
This article aims to explore the theological foundations for the necessity of interreligious dialogue in the notion of the catholicity of the church. The argument outlined here is that for Christians, interreligious dialogue is inherent to living out the catholicity of the church. As one of the marks of the church, the meaning of catholicity first and foremost points to the fullness of divine life that God shares with the world, of which the church is a sacrament. However, while the church plays an indispensable role in manifesting Gods' salvation, it remains a limited reality, for it has both divine and human dimensions. Therefore, in living out its sacramentality, by which it mediates God's grace to the world and creatures' responses to it, the church is not only in constant need of repentance and renewal but also of mutual learning through dialogue with other religious communities. In short, the necessity of interreligious dialogue for the church flows from its sacramentality, which is inherent to the understanding of its catholicity.
With the apostolic letter Traditionis custodes , issued motu proprio in July 2021, Pope Francis severely curtailed the circumstances in which the pre -conciliar form of the Roman Rite may be celebrated, reversing the position of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. For some so-called traditionalist commentators, this was an inappropriate restriction upon liturgical diversity. This article will review the development of the understanding of liturgical diversity and unity in the magisterium since the council, and explore how Francis' restrictions restore the model for diversity developed out of Sacrosanctum Concilium . This article will then propose a theological reading where the tension between diversity and unity contribute to a liturgical demonstration of the catholicity of the church.
Many commentators have noted the marked change of tone in magisterial teaching with the current papacy of Pope Francis. Recognised, for example, as Time Magazine s' Person of the Year in 2013, Francis is understood to have dragged "the papacy out of the palace and into the streets" (Nancy Gibbs, managing editor of Time Magazine ). When one considers his social teaching, as epitomised by the encyclicals Laudato si' (2015) and Fratelli tutti (2020), the concept of "dialogue" - not least dialogue with those beyond the church - is evidently an important element of his theological approach. However, one could ask how dialogical is the theology of Pope Francis in action and what could this mean for his understanding of pluralism and difference within the church? Catholics who feel attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, for example, might point to Franciss' motu proprio, Traditionis custodes (2021) as falling short of a truly dialogical theology. With the help of Emmanuel Levinas, this article explores the potential limits of the philosophicaltheological foundations of Francis's dialectical approach to dialogue in his social teaching, with particular focus on Fratelli tutti . It is proposed that only a theology which transcends a dialectical paradigm can escape the tendency for one version of unity to have the definitive priority in any encounter with otherness in a way that ultimately assimilates or ignores that which is different.
In considering the importance, nuances, and challenges of catholicity as a mark of the church, an interesting and underappreciated case study may be found in the up-dating of the Breviary by Pius V in the bull Quod a nobis , promulgated in 1568. This short document, which accomplished the standardization of the Liturgy of the Hours into the Roman Breviary, and suppressed all other forms of this ancient prayer, offers an important source for considering the complex relationship between catholicity and diversity, placing the crux between these two in apostolicity. In this article, I propose that a consideration of the presuppositions and justification of Quod a nobis offers a complex and engaging assessment of how to reconcile unity and catholicity.
