Search Results (167)

Medieval liturgical exegesis presents a striking interpretative paradox: Advent, the opening season of the liturgical year, falls within the autumn–winter period and yet is frequently understood as a tempus renovationis, a time of renewal analogous to spring. This study argues that such an association is not merely a poetic metaphor, but the result of a liturgical and theological reconfiguration of time grounded in the adventus Domini. Focusing especially on the liturgical commentaries of Prepositinus of Cremona and related exegetical traditions, the article examines how the symbolic code of spring, widely attested in medieval cultural and poetic sources, is assumed and transformed within the liturgical sphere. It then considers chant as one of the principal media through which this renewed temporal condition becomes perceptible in ecclesial practice. Particular attention is given to the introit Ad te levavi, read as the sung threshold of the liturgical year, in which prophetic promise, ecclesial response, renewed breath, and ascensional movement converge. The analysis is finally extended to manuscript culture, where enlarged initials, figural programs, and the notated shaping of the incipit contribute to the visual and aural articulation of the same theological logic. The study concludes that the “spring” of Advent is best understood not as a merely seasonal analogy, but as a coordinated symbolic and liturgical phenomenon articulated across exegesis, chant, and manuscript mediation. Full article

This study addresses the conceptual gap between biblical prophetic traditions and contemporary sustainable church leadership models, which often prioritize managerial efficiency over spiritual–moral authority. It constructs a biblically grounded, three-dimensional model of prophetic communication—comprising ethical, transformative, and transcendent dimensions—and analyses its potential role in fostering leadership sustainability. Employing a qualitative methodology integrating biblical exegesis (semantic analysis of Hebrew nebu’ah and Greek propheteia) and theological synthesis of contemporary literature (2019–2025), the research identifies this model as a promising framework for church leadership. Findings suggest that prophetic communication may strengthen spiritual authority, foster systemic accountability, and cultivate truth-centred dialogue essential for navigating moral complexities of the digital age. However, the study acknowledges the hermeneutical challenge of moving from biblical texts to contemporary practice and calls for empirical testing of the model. The study concludes that embedding prophetic communication within leadership praxis warrants consideration as both a strategic and theological imperative for guiding ecclesial communities toward long-term health, resilience, and faithful participation in the Missio Dei. Full article

The aim of the study was to assess changes in athletes’ opinions on medical care in Polish Paralympic sport in 2004–2024 in the context of the evolution of the national legal framework. Against this background, to identify potential discrepancies between formal guarantees and functional access, the study analysed: (i) the evolution of Polish legal and organisational solutions governing medical care for Polish Paralympic athletes, and (ii) the longitudinal change in the opinions of Polish Paralympic athletes concerning the availability and quality of care in 2004–2024. The scope of the national legal framework was limited to statutory acts and regulations adopted by Polish institutions, understood as primary legal sources; the exegesis of normative material was supplemented with relevant documents from the legislative process. A total of n = 522 athletes with visual and locomotor impairments were examined, representing 97.4% of all Polish representatives who participated in the Summer Paralympic Games between 2004 and 2024. The study used a diagnostic survey protocol employing a questionnaire, as well as descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Student’s t-tests. The results indicate a clear increase in the percentage of athletes declaring participation in regular preventive examinations, as well as a significant improvement in evaluations of cooperation with physicians and physiotherapists when comparing 2004 with the period 2012–2024. At the same time, empirical data demonstrate that the introduction of legal solutions does not ensure full access to specialised medical care, and that the formal establishment of obligations and procedures does not automatically translate into the immediate adaptation of organisational practices. Full article

This article re-examines the formation of early Dilun Buddhism in Luoyang era Northern Wei China by foregrounding the role of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (Ch. Da banniepan jing). While previous scholarship has emphasized Yogācāra-related texts such as the Daśabhūmika-śāstra (Ch. Shidi jing lun), this study argues that the Da banniepan jing constituted an important component of the intellectual and exegetical environment within which early Dilun thought emerged. Drawing on prosopographical evidence, this article examines the recurrent presence of the Da banniepan jing among early Dilun-associated figures and situates it within the broader intellectual environment of early Dilun Buddhism. It further proposes that Nirvāṇa-related doctrinal concepts may have provided one important conceptual framework through which the graded bodhisattva path was interpreted: the concept of universal Buddha-nature renders progressive cultivation intelligible as the gradual actualization of an inherent potential. The study also situates this doctrinal convergence within the broader hermeneutical culture of Northern Buddhism, characterized by text-centered exegesis, and traces several layers of interaction among court patronage, monastic scholarship, and lay devotion in which Nirvāṇa-related learning remained visible. On this basis, the formation of early Dilun Buddhism is associated with a Northern scholastic culture in which Nirvāṇa-related learning constituted an important intellectual layer. Full article

This title and theme of this study will be preoccupied with the discipline of the psychology of religion. It aims at bringing closer the psychology of religion and the writings of the St Maximus the Confessor in an interdisciplinary perspective. Its objective will be focused on illustrating elements of spirituality as a psychological trend under modern psychological endeavours, such as those associated with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and in terms of identifying mental disorders, like anxiety and depression, and therapeutic interventions of change on them. In addition, it will present and discuss St. Maximus the Confessor’s psychological aspects on man that relate to fallenness, intrapsychic upheaval, and therapeutic suggestions. This topic will be presented as an empirical study, based on an inventory (PIPR—Philautia Inventory for the Psychology of Religion) that I have developed, which outlines items from St. Maximus the Confessor’s Christian Orthodox Psychology that are relevant to the spiritual anthropology and exegetical paradigm of that father’s interpretation of the condition of man. This is the second time that I have employed this inventory, for I have constructed it to be pilot-studied, and then to use it in a main study in the future. The items of the PIPR are validated through this pilot study (the present paper). The discussion which will derive from such a pilot empirical study will look into the interdisciplinary elements of spirituality according to a psychology of religion perspective, and the convergence and divergence between the psychology of religion and St. Maximus the Confessor’s writings. This empirical study will concentrate on the inventory I have suggested based on the pilot study that was conducted on each of its items. Last, but not least, I will also discuss and suggest how, by studying the writings of St. Maximus the Confessor, the psychology of religion can benefit, in view to presenting, discussing, and studying the human condition as a psychosomatic endeavour, and not simply as a psychological edifice, and connecting to how the faculties of the human mind operate and function. Full article

The biblical commentaries of Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444) represent a major contribution to the development of patristic exegesis. His Commentary on the Gospel of John demonstrates the close interaction between Christological theology, allegorical interpretation, and ecclesial polemic within late antique biblical interpretation. While Cyril’s exegesis has often been praised for its theological sophistication, modern scholarship increasingly recognizes that his interpretive framework also contains a pronounced anti-Judaic dimension. This study examines several key passages from Cyril’s Commentary on the Gospel of John in order to analyse how typology, supersessionist theology, and polemical rhetoric function together in his interpretation. Particular attention is given to Cyril’s portrayal of Jewish ignorance, his attribution of responsibility for the death of Christ, and his typological reinterpretation of Jewish law and history. The analysis demonstrates that Cyril integrates anti-Jewish rhetoric into a broader theological system in which the Mosaic law is presented as a provisional anticipation fulfilled in Christ and realized in the Christian Church. Full article

This study conceptualizes the theological principle declared by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9–10—“My power is made perfect in weakness” (ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται)—as the Perfection in Weakness Paradox (PIW) and examines it through an integrative lens with contemporary third-wave psychotherapies. A Reformed theological exegesis of 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 identifies two foundational axes: sola gratia (grace alone) and the acknowledgment of weakness. The core mechanisms of Self-Compassion (Neff), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes), Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG; Tedeschi and Calhoun), and Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RFCBT; Watkins) are then analyzed for their systematic parallels with PIW’s theological structure—acceptance of weakness, dissolution of self-criticism, meaning-making through suffering, and transformation of rumination. The evidence-based framework of Spiritual Psychiatry is applied to examine the relationship between spiritual practices and mental health from neuroscientific and clinical perspectives. The central thesis is bidirectional: (1) the revelatory principle of 2 Corinthians provides theological foundations for the healing mechanisms of third-wave psychotherapies, and (2) the empirical evidence of these psychotherapeutic theories offers convergent support for and strengthens the theological interpretation of 2 Corinthians in a contemporary clinical context. This integrative framework proposes a new model for interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and psychiatry and discusses implications for clinical practice. Full article

The Neo-Calvinist Johan Herman Bavinck was one of the most significant missionaries of the mid-twentieth century in the Reformed tradition. Bavinck considered the question of the status of non-Christian religion and religious consciousness the most pressing issue for missionary thought and practice. This article offers a text-driven account of Johan Herman Bavinck’s theology of religions. It argues that Bavinck treated non-Christian religion as a culpable yet always partial suppression of God’s universal self-disclosure, in which religious systems cohere around what he calls vague truths while lacking the determinate knowledge of God given in special revelation. Attention to his distinction between systems and persons clarifies how he believed missionary encounter could combine judgement with humility, as the Christian confronts unbelief while recognising the church’s own tendency toward pseudo-religion. The article situates Bavinck’s account within Reformed Augustinianism and eclecticism, such as in the use of Freudian psychology in exegesis. It then provides a preliminary application of Bavinck’s thought to select issues in Chinese Christianity as part of recent scholarly attention to the prospects of Sino-Reformed theology. Full article

As a pivotal patriarch of the Pure Land school, Shandao 善導 (613–681) played a decisive role in shaping Pure Land Buddhism and the broader history of Chinese Buddhism. A direct disciple of Daochuo 道綽 (563–645), he championed the dual framework of Dingshan 定善 and Sanshan 散善 practices together with Nianfo 念佛 (Skt. buddhānusmṛti), especially Chiming nianfo 持名念佛 (vocal recitation of Amitābha’s name). Existing scholarship has already demonstrated that Shandao was not a master concerned exclusively with vocal recitation but also a systematic exegete of Guanfo 觀佛, visualisation, and samādhi. This article therefore does not present that recognition as its own innovation. Instead, it reconstructs the internal architecture by which Shandao’s Guanjing si tie shu 觀經四帖疏 (Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles) integrates contemplative practice with three doctrinal commitments: the efficacy of ‘birth through ten recitations’ against the Yogācāra charge of Bieshi yi 別時意 (Skt. kālāntarābhiprāya, the identification of Amitābha’s land as a reward land, and the thesis that ordinary beings (Skt. pṛthagjana) may enter that land. Drawing also on the Guannian Amituo fo xianghai sanmei gongde famen 觀念阿彌陀佛相海三昧功德法門 (Method of Contemplating Amitābha Buddha’s Ocean-like Marks in Samādhi and Its Meritorious Virtues) and the Wangsheng lizan 往生禮讚 (Liturgy of Praise for Birth in the Pure Land), the article argues that Shandao’s originality lies less in any single doctrine than in the way these doctrines mutually support one another as a coherent programme of exegesis, practice, and Pure Land soteriology. Full article

Zhu Zongyuan’s short treatise Jiao she zhi li suoyi shi Shangdi ye (郊社之禮所以事上帝也, The rites of the suburban and earth-altar sacrifices are for serving Shangdi, the Supreme Lord) introduces the strictly monotheistic concept of God from Catholicism, shaping the Shangdi of the Confucian classics into a supreme and unique sovereign who commands all spirits. Through this theoretical construction, he convincingly argues that although the rituals of Jiao and She differ in form, their object of worship is ultimately the same, thereby resolving the long-standing Confucian debate between separate sacrifices and joint sacrifice at an ontological level. This interpretive approach elevates this treatise beyond mere proselytizing literature, establishing it as a representative work that engages with Confucian classical scholarship through Catholic theology. It signifies the emergence of an independent intellectual lineage within the Chinese scholarly tradition, characterized by a synthesis of Christianity and Confucianism. Full article

This paper focuses on the early Qing monk-painter Hongren 弘仁, systematically exploring the pathways through which the Chan Buddhist “emptiness contemplation” is manifested in his landscape paintings. As a representative monk-painter, Hongren produced works that profoundly embody the Chan contemplation of emptiness, yielding a singular style defined by austere coldness, minimalist simplicity, and profound quietude. Transcending conventional stylistic descriptions in art history and essentialist philosophical deductions, this study adopts a comprehensive empirical approach that integrates poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seals (shi-shu-hua-yin 诗书画印). By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective of philosophy, religion, and art history, this study argues that Hongren’s landscapes are not merely subjective emotional expressions or aesthetic pursuits; rather, they constitute a visual extension and a spiritual externalization of his emptiness contemplation. Through a multi-layered analysis of his form, brushwork, composition, and artistic conception, combined with the mutual corroboration of poetic inscriptions on paintings and textual inscriptions on seals, this paper reveals how the Chan philosophy of “emptiness contemplation” is reflected within his artistic language. While Hongren’s style is the cumulative result of various factors such as the Ming-Qing dynasty transition, his personal life, the inheritance of painting techniques, and the regional culture of Mount Huang, this paper specifically takes Chan thought as its analytical starting point, focusing on its unique expression in his work. Hongren’s path of “Painting-Chan” (hua chan 画禅) not only infused early Qing painting with a sublime spiritual power but also provides a vital religious exegesis of the deep-seated Chinese tradition of “Technique Ascending to the Dao” (ji jin yu dao 技进于道). Full article

This paper argues that English translations of the Qur’ān play a pivotal role in shaping interfaith dialogue, either fostering mutual understanding or reinforcing religious division, depending on the translator’s ideological stance. While interreligious relations have historically been marred by conflict, the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions marked a turning point toward more inclusive and dialogical engagement. In this context, translating the Qur’ān emerged as a crucial medium through which Islamic teachings could be made accessible to non-Muslim audiences. Several scholars, including Kidwai and Elmarsafy, have explored the Orientalist framing of Qur’ān translation; however, few researchers have examined how modern renderings consciously reposition the text as a site of interfaith ethics. This study critically examines whether George Sale’s influential translation of the Qur’ān—reprinted nearly 200 times—contributes to or hinders interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians. It compares Sale’s Qur’ān rendition into English with five contemporary translations. The paper analyzes the translations of five Qur’ānic verses promoting coexistence, with particular attention to key terms such as إِكْرَاهَ ikrah (compulsion), الدِّينِ ad-dīn (religion), تَّقْوَىٰ taqwā (piety), and مُسْلِمُونَ muslimūn (submitters). Guided by Munday’s theory of ideology in translation, the analysis demonstrates that Sale’s rendering adopts a distinctly polemical tone intended to assert Christian superiority. The findings indicate a clear shift from polemical to dialogical translation strategies. Sale’s Orientalist approach—evident in his footnote on Q.4:157, where he characterizes Muslim exegesis as intellectually deficient—ultimately constrains meaningful interfaith engagement. In contrast, Khattab employs an inclusive and ethically grounded approach that actively fosters interreligious dialogue. By positioning Qur’ān translation at the intersection of theology, linguistics, and interfaith relations, this paper demonstrates that translation choices hold significant power: they can either bridge divides or exacerbate tensions between religious communities. Full article

Mereological anti-realism denies the intrinsic reality of both composite wholes and their constituent parts. This paper analyzes the mereological anti-realist argumentation developed by the Sino-Parthian scholar-monk Jizang 吉藏 (549–623 CE) targeting the mereological realist doctrine of the Brāhmaṇical Vaiśeṣika tradition in his understudied Exegesis on the Middle Treatise (Zhongguan lun shu中觀論疏) and Exegesis on the Hundred Verse Treatise (Bailun shu百論疏). By counterbalancing Jizang’s critiques with the Vaiśeṣika mereological realist doctrine on its own terms, this paper critically assesses the viability and coherence of Jizang’s arguments that there are no entities that instantiate mereological relations or properties. An examination of Jizang’s critique of Vaiśeṣika mereological realism brings to light how the Madhyamaka Buddhist doctrine avoids metaphysical nihilism in accounting for how both wholes and parts can possess causal efficacy without being attributed intrinsic reality in and of themselves. Full article

This study offers a comparative analysis of the symbolism of the soul’s ascent in Gregory of Nyssa’s De vita Moysis and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Oratio. Rather than attempting to establish a linear or exclusive dependence, it focuses on a series of Mosaic themes that articulate a dynamic conception of perfection in both authors. Beginning with Moses as a paradigm of virtuous life, the paper examines the shared anthropology of desire underlying Nyssen’s notion of unending progress and Pico’s sacra ambitio. It then traces the ordered sequence of symbols as it develops in Gregory’s treatise: light and darkness, the mountain of the knowledge of God, Jacob’s ladder, the tabernacle, the eagle, death as consummation, and divine friendship. Through the interplay of these symbols both thinkers configure spiritual growth as an ever-deepening participation in divine unity and truth. Particular attention is given to integration of the classical disciplines of the ancient philosophical curriculum within the Mosaic itinerary, as well as to the conception of truth as gradually apprehensible but ultimately inexhaustible. The paper concludes by pondering the results of the comparative study and reflecting on Pico’s way of assimilating the wide variety of sources in his project of philosophical concord. Full article

Medieval biblical exegesis in the twelfth century was largely dominated by allegorical interpretation, often at the expense of the literal sense of Scripture. Richard of Saint Victor stands out as a significant exception. This article argues that his commitment to the literal sense of Scripture constitutes not merely a methodological requirement but a theological conviction that operates consistently across works of very different character. Through an analysis of Beniamin Minor, Beniamin Maior, and In Visionem Ezechielis, it shows that the literal sense functions in all three as the indispensable foundation upon which allegorical and tropological meanings are constructed. In the Beniamins, predominantly received as works of spiritual and allegorical theology, the literal sense quietly sustains the entire interpretative edifice—through etymology, onomastics, and precise biblical description. In In Visionem Ezechielis, by contrast, the littera itself becomes the object of an explicit and historically remarkable defence: Richard translates the complex architectural descriptions of Ezekiel’s Temple into architectural drawings that constitute some of the earliest known examples of representation in plan, elevation, and section. In doing so, he demonstrates not only that the literal sense of this contested passage is fully intelligible, but that word and image together can bear the weight of God’s revealed Word, enabling the reader to move from the literal and historical sense towards the spiritual meanings of Scripture and, ultimately, towards the contemplation of God. Full article