Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 May 2025 | Viewed by 4001
Special Issue Editors
Interests: theology and history of the Eastern Catholic Churches; ecumenism; inter-faith dialogue
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The proclamation of the Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches, Orientalium Ecclesiarum (OE), on November 21, 1964, marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church. This Special Issue seeks contributions that re-evaluate the relationship between the Roman Church and its Eastern Catholic sister churches. Since OE, significant pastoral and theological efforts have been made yet much remains to be accomplished. We are interested in your insights on this ongoing dialogue.
We invite scholarly contributions focusing on a specific Eastern Catholic Church to critically evaluate the impact of OE on its theology, history, and mission. Submissions should address themes such as the implementation of OE in the post-conciliar period, how OE has translated into actual practice, especially through canon law, and the churches’ responses to the Vatican II mandate to preserve and rejuvenate their spiritual heritage, including Eastern liturgies, spirituality, and iconography.
We invite scholarly contributions that critically evaluate the impact of OE within a specific Eastern Catholic Church, focusing on various themes:
- Conciliar Mandates and Rights Preservation: How has the conciliar mandate for the continued assertion of Eastern Catholic rights and freedoms within the fullness of the Catholic Church been preserved or neglected in the sixty years since the promulgation of OE? What efforts are required to overcome the Latinized ecclesiology that fails to comprehend patriarchates as viable and autonomous institutions within the Church?
- Synodality in Eastern Catholic Churches: How does synodality within the Eastern Catholic Churches compare to the synod on synodality of the Roman-Latin Church? Are there instances of micromanagement by curial officials in Rome over Eastern Patriarchates?
- Papal Titles and Responsibilities: Following Pope Francis' reinstatement of the title “Patriarch of the West”, how can Rome authentically act in accordance with this role?
- Development of Collegiality: How has Vatican II’s doctrine of “collegiality” (developed in Lumen Gentium) manifested within the Eastern Church?
- Ecumenical Mandates: How have Eastern Catholic Churches applied the ecumenical mandate of OE to foster bridges with the Eastern Orthodox Churches? In what ways can their experience of remaining in communion with the Bishop of Rome while preserving their Eastern traditions serve as a model for discussions on church unity and theological reconciliation?
- Impact of Current Conflicts: Have recent wars exacerbated tensions between Eastern Catholic Churches and the Orthodox Church?
We welcome interdisciplinary approaches which might include theological, historical, religious, canonical, and pastoral perspectives on the subject matter. These inquiries aim to deepen understanding and foster a nuanced discussion of the challenges and opportunities faced by Eastern Catholic Churches in a contemporary ecclesiastical context.
Prior to submitting a manuscript, we request that interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editors Prof. Dr. Ines Angeli Murzaku (Ines.Murzaku@shu.edu) and Assoc. Prof. dr. Ana Victoria Sima (ana.sima@ubbcluj.ro). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring a proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
Deadline for abstract submission: August 30, 2024
Deadline for full manuscript submission: March 31, 2025
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Ines Angeli Murzaku
Dr. Ana Victoria Sima
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Eastern Catholic Church
- latinized ecclesiology
- patriarchates
- synodality in Eastern Catholic Churches
- Roman-Latin Church synodality
- Pope Francis
- Patriarch of the West
- development of collegiality
- Vatican II
- Eastern Orthodox Churches
- church unity and theological reconciliation
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