Search Results (96)

The influence of Brahmanism on Buddhist thought, is plausible in the Pāli Canon. Words attributed to the Buddha say that he defined himself as Brahmā (AN 4.89) and that he can read the very thoughts of the Vedic god (aham asmi brahmā mahābrahmā DN 1.18, DN 1.221, DN 3.29). There are many other instances in the canon where Buddhists have interpreted terms in ways that did not develop from the context of orthodox Brahmanism. It has been documented even that Vedic Brahmins (who at the end converted to Buddhism) consistently asked the Buddha for the way to realize Brahma(n) (MN 2.206, DN 1.249), a hope also shared by Buddhists to be attained in the afterlife (AN 3.225, MN 2.76–78, DN 2.195), using the same formulas that the canonical tradition records as having been used by the Buddha to describe not his teachings (AN 3.371, AN 4.135) but the beliefs of ancient Brahmins (AN 4.103). Why is Buddhism understood in the light of Brahmanism? Why is Brahminical terminology and religious thought so present in the interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings? This paper discusses the historical influence of Upaniṣadic thought on the development and transmission of Buddhism. Here, I propose two significant theoretical frameworks to understand the development of Indian Buddhism: (1) the Buddha was praised as Brahmā: as the supreme Brahmin, represented by Buddhists as (2) the legitimate knower of Bráhman. Since the times of the Buddha, converted Brahmins, such as Sāriputta, seem to have influenced significantly the transmission of Indian Buddhism. This is reflected in Chinese translations, which portray an earlier interpretation of Buddhism, before the late opposition against Brahminism was established in Theravāda, and the decline of Brahmā and rebirth in the Brahmaloka were relegated in Buddhism as subordinate entities. Full article

Anyone who starts reading the Qurʾān out of linguistic and literary interest—whether in the original language or in a translation—very quickly becomes aware of the strong rhetorical effect of the text in its forcefulness and intensity. But by what means is this effect achieved? One means is duality, which, in Arabic, is already inherent in thought through the existence of the dual between singular and plural and is therefore of particular importance. The constantly repeated mention of God’s attributes in the Qurʾān—usually two terms of similar meaning, such as ġafūrun raḥīmun “All-forgiving, All-compassionate” (Arberry) or ʿalīmun ḥakīmun “All-knowing, All-wise” (Arberry)—determines the text as caesuras, and a second term is also often added to other terms in order to emphasise and intensify the statement, such as mā la-hū min waliyyin wa-lā naṣīrin “to have neither protector nor helper.” The phenomenon of merism—the totality ‘everything,’ ‘everywhere,’ and ‘always’ expressed by two opposing terms—is also used in the Qurʾān, for example, in ẓāhirun/bāṭinun “inward/outward,” meaning ‘all.’ Full article

The adherents of various religions have during times of prayer and worship oriented themselves toward a fixed, sacred direction or location. Since ancient times, followers of Judaism have turned in prayer to Jerusalem. Traditionally, Zoroastrians have prayed facing a source of light—typically the sun or a fire—representing divine truth and presence. By the second and third centuries of the common era, many Christian communities prayed facing the east when offering the Lord’s prayer and other supplications. Initially, Muḥammad and his followers prayed toward Jerusalem, called the “Qiblih” (a technical word first used in the Qur’án for the direction of ṣalát, the Islamic obligatory prayer), but near the midpoint of Muḥammad’s ministry, the Qiblih was changed to the Kaabah in Mecca. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Báb, founder of the Bábí religion, redefined the Qiblih as “Him Whom God shall make manifest,” a figure whose imminent appearance the Báb anticipated. Years later, Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, confirmed the Báb’s designation of the Qiblih and claimed to be the figure promised by the Báb—and, thus, the Qiblih. Since Bahá’u’lláh’s passing in 1892, Bahá’ís have regarded the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh near ‘Akká as their Qiblih. This paper considers three issues related to the concept of the Qiblih. First, it briefly surveys the concept in Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, and other traditions. Second, it examines the significance and implications of the Qiblih in Bahá’í texts and their antecedents in Bábí texts. In this regard, it argues that in Bahá’í theology, the Qiblih symbolizes the role, station, and authority of the Manifestation of God, the figure who, in Bahá’í thought, serves as the intermediary between God and humanity from age to age. Moreover, Bahá’u’lláh’s designation of a new Qiblih signaled the independence of the Bahá’í religion. Third, this study explores how from a Bahá’í perspective, Quranic verses concerning the Qiblih may be viewed. These include how Muḥammad’s alteration of the Qiblih to the Kaabah reflected his authority as the Manifestation of God to change a prior law. Further, attention is given to Qur’án 2:143 (“And thus We have made you a middle community…”), which occurs in the midst of the only verses in the Qur’án that decree a change in the Qiblih. Whereas Quranic commentators and scholars of Islam, influenced by the doctrine of Islam’s finality, interpreted the word “middle” (vasaṭ) in this verse as meaning just, moderate, or exemplary, Bahá’u’lláh affirmed the word’s more basic meaning and regarded the Muslim community as a religious community between other communities that preceded it and that will come after it, thus anticipating the emergence of a new religious community, which could potentially have its own Qiblih. Full article

The grammar and syntax of Philippians 3.3 presents a number of ambiguities, particularly in terms of the grammatical object of the verb “worship” (Gk. λατρεύοντες). Most modern translations render the middle phrase of the verse as “worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus” (e.g., CSB, ESV, NLT, NRSV, RSV, etc.). This rendering implies an intransitive use of λατρεύοντες. However, the word order of the verse, as well as the parsing of λατρεύοντες, strongly suggest it is better to understand “Christ Jesus” as the grammatical object of the verb. This essay challenges the prevailing translation of the verse, and argues that the middle phrase should better be translated as “by the Spirit worship and boast in Christ Jesus,” to reflect the grammatical relation between “worship” and “Christ Jesus.” This re-rendering is highly significant for our understanding of Paul’s Christology, as well as contemporary debates over early vs. late high Christology, as it shows points towards Jesus being worshipped as a divine figure by the early Christians, even as early the lifetime of the Apostle. Full article

This study demonstrates that John Eliot’s mission to Native Americans was fundamentally driven by his millenarian understanding of the Kingdom of God. In contrast with interpretations that portray his ministry as motivated by cultural imperialism or economic interest, this paper argues that Eliot’s theological vision—particularly his belief in the imminent establishment of Christ’s earthly reign—was the primary impetus for his work. Through a close analysis of Eliot’s writings, including post-Restoration texts, this research reveals his consistent adherence to millenarianism across time. The findings are summarized in three key points: First, Eliot’s millenarianism is evident in his references to the kingdom of God, which he understood as opposed to earthly powers, governed by the Word of God, and advanced through human responsibility. Second, millenarianism not only initiated but also sustained his Indian mission beyond 1660. Third, Eliot’s millennial beliefs shaped his ethical posture toward Native Americans, contributing both to the disruption of traditional tribal structures and to his advocacy for Native protection during Metacom’s War. Full article

Some studies have pointed to the Jewish background of the prayer that, according to the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus taught his disciples. However, the formulations of LP’s words do not necessarily presuppose the conclusion of the formation of Jewish prayers and do not necessarily presuppose a unidirectional influence of Jewish prayers on the formation of LP. This prayer and its “midrash” in John 17 may have influenced the formulation and final formation of some Jewish prayers. The differences between these prayers may indicate the mutual influence that, in some cases, took place throughout the history of their formation. This reciprocity may be due to the intention to establish and define the differences between the religious groups of Judaic origin that inherited these prayers and between the communities that recited them. The crystallization of biblical themes in these prayers highlights the common heritage of these groups and a different understanding of the fulfilment of God’s word in relation to the coming of his kingdom. While this process, characterized by a conflict of interpretations, took place “within Judaism,” it also led to the parting of the ways of Judeo-Christians from the Synagogue. Full article

The aim of the article is to analyze the relationship between the Christian faith and the spiritual traditions of the indigenous peoples of Latin America, seeking to identify elements that make it possible to trace paths of dialogue and mutual cooperation. It shows that historically, there have been tensions and conflicts between these traditions, but today, there is a path towards overcoming this reality through social solidarity, which serves as a basis for dialogue between the ways of believing. The research method is comparative and involves a qualitative analysis of the bibliography dealing with the relationship between the Church and Latin American indigenous spiritualities. The bibliographic base is documental, with emphasis on the conferences of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), the Synod for the Amazon (2019) and the magisterium of Pope Francis, read from the perspective of the Second Vatican Council and the current theology of religions. The conclusion is that the Church is developing an important social dialogue to promote justice and the rights of indigenous peoples. This dialogue serves as the basis for a dialogue with the beliefs and spiritualities of these peoples. The challenge for this is to review mission objectives and methods in order to overcome the conversionist perspective in the relationship with indigenous peoples, taking paths of mutual respect and acceptance and valuing them beyond being the recipients of evangelization. In this way, indigenous spiritual traditions can be recognized not only as “seeds” of the Word to be developed by evangelization but as an already mature fruit of God’s relationship with these peoples. Full article

St. Thomas Aquinas defines theology (sacra doctrina) as the communication of wisdom that comes from God and leads to Him. What is important here, according to Thomas, is to read the Bible as a whole and not as a cluster of random books. Revelation, and the testimony of it which is the Bible, cannot be reduced to a mere literal communication of divine truth. More fundamental than the biblical words (verba) themselves is the reality (res) to which they refer: the salvific truth communicated by God. The Thomistic approach to Scripture in theology is shaped by four complementary dimensions: auctoritas (power of authority), sensus (meaning), finis (purpose), and documentum (testimony). In this light, Scripture functions as the “alphabet” of theology—the foundational semantic structure through which revealed truth is expressed and transmitted. Full article

This article addresses the question, “Is an ethics without God possible?” This question is explored in a special issue, edited by Prof. Dr. James P. Sterba, which directly poses this very inquiry. I argue that an objective ethics without God is epistemically possible. Having addressed this initial point, I then make the case that an objective ethics without God is metaphysically possible. In other words, there are plausible explanations to support the thesis that ethics exists without God. Lastly, I propose that although God is not required for ethics, it is reasonable to postulate God’s existence to realize aspects of justice. Full article

The definitive demonstration of effective leadership is the ability to communicate with purpose in such a way that gives life to ideas and accomplishes organizational objectives. God’s message of grace to humanity was the Word, his Son Jesus Christ. God’s mode of communication is an example to us. As “The Word became flesh”—a living reality testifying of God’s grace—so must our communication have purpose and fulfillment. Because of its emphasis on building relationships through the communication process, leader–member exchange (LMX) theory provides a valid framework that describes how God demonstrated leadership and facilitated reconciliation with humanity through the Word. An exegetical analysis of John 1:1–18 considering LMX theory offered seven principles of effective communication. Full article

This paper offers a new explanation for the quotation of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8. There are at least three puzzles in this text: (1) the significance of the quotation within the argument in the Ephesians passage (and why the apparent interruption between 4:7 and 4:11); (2) the divergent form of the quotation from the MT and LXX vis-a-vis the giving of gifts versus receiving; (3) why is only one set of gifts—proclaiming/verbal gifts, not gifts of service or discernment—mentioned in 4:11–12? This paper argues three points. First, diversity of spiritual gifts is not the focus of Eph 4:7–16, but rather, the same gift given to many: the word of truth about Jesus’s identity as Messiah and Son of God and his resurrection. Second, Ephesians 4:8–10 is comprehensible in context if viewed through another lens: Romans 10:6–8, the motif of “Messiah ascending victorious after having previously descended”. Third, the invocation of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8–10 matches the Aramaic textual tradition, over-against the MT and the LXX. Paul’s use of the verse mirrors the proto-Targumic understanding of the “gifts given to the sons of mankind” as the Law of Moses. Paul is adopting this motif of “ascending with the Law-truth”, but with his own implied substitution of “the truth about Jesus”. Full article

By borrowing the metaphor of the ‘tapestry of existence’ to discuss the matter of fate in Homer’s Iliad, we selected four threads that are interwoven in the warp of each hero’s destiny—that of necessity/fatality, the relations between Zeus and the Moîra, the plots and tricks of the gods, and fate and human actions—with the aim of inviting the reader to appreciate the texture of the work with the passages that most caught our attention, without the intention of exhausting the subject. To do so, we draw upon the origin of the word Moîra in anthropology, as well as some of Heidegger’s ideas and those of other commentators to enrich the discussion. Full article

This article aims to explain why, in some European representations of the Annunciation, a bundle of rays of light comes from the mouth of God the Father toward the head/ear of the Virgin Mary. In order to find a satisfactory answer to this problem, the author first studies a series of biblical, patristic, theological, and liturgical sources referring to the supernatural human conception of the Word of God in Mary’s immaculate womb. He then analyzes eleven images of the Annunciation that present this peculiarity. Finally, through a comparative analysis between the doctrinal texts and these exceptional images, the author concludes that the latter illustrate as visual metaphors the textual metaphors contained in the writings of some Church Fathers, medieval theologians, and liturgical hymnographers; that is to say, the beam of rays of light emitted by the mouth of the Most High to the Virgin’s head/ear metaphorizes the human conception/incarnation of the Word of God in the virginal womb of Mary. Full article

This article invites reflection upon the spiritual theological nature of the conscience as a means to discern God’s word in the depths of the soul. Coming from the depths of love and truth, the conscience is an extraordinary, demanding the force of grace. This is because God nurtures the formation of human conscience with the prevenience of grace to give light in darkness. This article explores the darkness and weariness of human existence in terms of self-interest, indolence, fatigue, and boredom, and then seeks to reflect upon how the conscience evidences the invincibility of goodness through blessing, humour, and prayer. This means that the conscience, pronouncing love in truth, and the nearness of the Kingdom of God, is called to be a “light” shining “out of darkness” (2 Cor 4:6). The conscience serves to animate a pastoral and spiritual life and testimony of faith, labour, responsibility, humility, and wisdom, as St. Paul relates: “we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God” (2 Cor 4:2). Encountering “God’s mercy” (2 Cor 4:1), the conscience evidences a theophanic encounter of God’s grace that needs to be pronounced in the goodness of love in truth, of responsibility for-and-with-the-other. Full article

Pastoral supervision and spiritual direction are inherently personal in nature. They reveal a transformative life of spiritual and soul care demanding the formation of theological reflection, healing, guidance, and discernment. Whilst pastoral supervision serves to guide theological reflection on service and mission, spiritual direction facilitates the moments of awakening to the presence and narrative of God’s grace and work in the depths of the soul. Under the light of Catholic Social Teaching, the notions of solidarity and subsidiarity will be pressed into service to unveil a common spiritual–theological foundation animating the roots of both these ministries. To understand the common dynamics of pastoral supervision and spiritual direction, the article develops a spiritual theology to reveal that both ministries, however distinct in practice, share the same incarnational (creative) and redemptive (re-creative) qualities. In other words, they both share the same source, root, origin, or existence in God’s word and grace. This comes to light by learning to pronounce love in truth, a prophetical work of solidarity and subsidiarity, of friendship and sharing orienting integral human development to listen and respond to God’s movement. The actions of solidarity and subsidiarity are rooted in the beatitude of righteousness revealing the little goodness, a work of possibility and responsibility. Such actions serve to transform the time of ministry into spaces of blessing and mystery, of appreciating the sacredness and unknowability of the other with boldness, curiosity and gentleness. The article concludes by showing how both ministries of pastoral supervision and spiritual direction share the spiritual-pastoral appeal to form communities witnessing the little goodness of love in truth. Full article