The article addresses the dogma of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, which poses a challenge for contemporary theology, especially in the context of feminist sensitivity. The author analyzes the historical and theological meaning of this dogma and attempts to reinterpret it in a way that could become significant for today’s Church. The text consists of three main parts: a reconstruction of the original meaning of the dogma in its physical and spiritual aspects, considering the historical context in which the doctrine was developed; a critical analysis of feminist proposals for reinterpretation, with particular emphasis on the concepts of Elizabeth Johnson; and an attempt to answer the question of whether and to what extent it is possible to reconcile the traditional understanding of Mary’s virginity with the postulates of feminist theology. The author uses a historical-theological method, referring to the writings of the Church Fathers, council documents, and contemporary Catholic and feminist theology. The main conclusion is that the perpetual virginity of Mary, understood in both a physical and spiritual sense, constitutes an integral part of the Church’s deposit of faith. Despite controversies, its reinterpretation in a feminist spirit can yield positive results, provided that fidelity to the original meaning of the dogma is maintained.
Review of the book: Justin David Strong and Ruben Zimmermann, eds., Animals in the New Testament: Perspectives from Animal Studies and Ancient Contexts (The Library of New Testament Studies 701. London: Clark, 2025). Pp. xvi + 277. 120 USD (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-5677-1582-1 (hardcover), 978-0-5677-1583-8 (PDF), 978-0-5677-1584-5 (EPUB).
Luigi Giussani’s teaching on the religious sense of man is one of his most unique and enduring contributions. For him, the religious sense is best understood within the context of its relationship to, and contradistinction from faith. Although on a simplistic and superficial reading it may seem that the two concepts simply coincide, this is not the content of Giussani’s teaching. The aim of this paper is to explore how Giussani marked the difference between man’s religious sense and faith, demonstrating that these two distinct realities exist in a complementary and reciprocal enriching, yet essentially asymmetrical relationship. Through analysing Giussani’s presentation of these two phenomena, we observe that the religious sense is understood not as something that must simply be demonstrated rationally prior to the assent of faith, a sort of praeambulum fidei, but rather as a praeparatio fidei, a preparation— which is not merely a preceding activity, occurring chronologically prior the encounter with Christ and the arrival of faith, but which coexists with the experience of faith and also, in a specific sense, arises as the fruit of that experience.
This article examines the preferential option for the poor as an ecclesiological principle in the light of Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation Dilexi te. The analysis begins with the biblical witness to God’s particular concern for the marginalized, a theme that continues in the Church’s mission and evangelizing activity. Special attention is given to the Church’s commitment to those in need, presented as a key dimension of ecclesial renewal and a sign of fidelity to the Gospel amid contemporary social and spiritual challenges. Methodologically, this study employs a close theological reading of the exhortation, correlating its key themes with the broader biblical and magisterial tradition and interpreting them within an ecclesiological framework. This approach makes it possible to identify the internal coherence of the document and its implications for the Church’s self-understanding. The main conclusion of the analysis is that the preferential option for the poor is not merely an auxiliary pastoral guideline but a constitutive element of ecclesial identity, shaping the Church’s mission, spirituality, and structures in a way that reflects the very logic of God’s self-giving revealed in Christ.
The present article attempts to provide a synthetic approach to the issue of resurrection, particularly the “resurrection in death” model developed by the German exegete and theologian Gerhard Lohfink (1934–2024). The article’s focus is strictly biblical and theological, and its structure begins by presenting the biblical foundations of the doctrine of resurrection, including the resurrection of all the dead. Next, it presents the fruit of Lohfink’s reflections on resurrection, known in theology as the “resurrection in death” model. The final section of the article presents a Catholic assessment of the presented model and comprehensive conclusions. To achieve these goals, a comparative method was used to juxtapose and analyze the biblical sources on the resurrection, followed by a theological method treating the teaching of the Church and the Magisterium as one of its guiding principles. The analyses presented in this article lead to a conclusion that, on the one hand, highlights Lohfink’s exegetical contribution in relation to the truth of the resurrection, and, on the other hand, demonstrates the incompatibility of the “resurrection in death” model with the Catholic doctrine.
