A Review of John Renard’s Islam and Christianity: Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective
A Review of John Renard’s Islam and Christianity: Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective A Review of John Renard’s Islam and Christianity: Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective
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Seen by:"Quidam dicunt quod aqua sive ablutio, quidam quod character". Discussioni sulla natura del battesimo fra la metà del XII e i primi decenni del XIII secolo
published in "Cristianesimo nella Storia", 31 (2010), pp. 387-417
Il sacramento del battesimo è al centro di un ampio dibattito teologico fra la metà del XII secolo e la metà del XIII... more
Il sacramento del battesimo è al centro di un ampio dibattito teologico fra la metà del XII secolo e la metà del XIII secolo. A partire dalla trattazione delle Sententiae di Pietro Lombardo si sviluppò un progressivo approfondimento dei vari aspetti del sacramento battesimale che vide fra i principali teologi impegnati Stefano Langton, Guglielmo di Auxerre, Alessandro di Hales e Ugo di Saint-Cher. Le loro dottrine ebbero evidenti influenze sulle opere degli autori successivi come Bonaventura da Bagnoregio e Tommaso d’Aquino.
The sacrament of baptism is at the centre of a large theological debate between the middle of XIIth century and the middle of XIIIth century. Starting with the position assumed by Peter Lombard in his Sentences a progressive study of the various aspects of baptism is developed. The main theologians engaged in it were Stephen Langton, William of Auxerre, Alexander of Hales and Hugues of Saint-Cher. Their doctrines had an evident influence on the positions of the subsequent authors such as Bonaventure of Balneoregio and Thomas Aquinas.
My Feminist Perspective of Authority – Part 1 by Elise M. Edwards
Originally posted on the Feminism and Religion project
I make a distinction between power and authority. Authority is a personal characteristic based on a relationship... more
I make a distinction between power and authority. Authority is a personal characteristic based on a relationship of trust between me and a text, a person, or their work. Power, on the other hand, is operative with or without trust.
This past weekend, I had the honor of participating in a workshop on Living Texts: Celebrating Feminist Perspective and Theo/alogy, Authority, and the Sacred in the Academy. The workshop was organized for the Women’s Caucus of WECSOR, a regional association of national organizations who study religion. I was delighted to connect with new friends, mentors and sisters interested in feminism and religion,
Feminism In Theology By Andrew Tripp
Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project
At the outset, I need to name and own my identities as a large white male. I have privilege and voice that makes me... more At the outset, I need to name and own my identities as a large white male. I have privilege and voice that makes me hesitant to even write to the audience of this blog. While I consider myself a feminist, I have met some who have told me that as a man I cannot be a feminist. Such folks have told me that I lack the existential knowledge of the systemic pressure put on women, and at best I can be an ally. With that said, if it was not for feminism in theology, I do not know if I could be a theologian.
My First Experience at a Women-Only Conference by Grace Yia-Hei Kao
Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project
“This ain’t your daddy’s conference!”
I knew that I was going to be attending a totally different type of... more
“This ain’t your daddy’s conference!”
I knew that I was going to be attending a totally different type of conference than I had ever been to before when I received the following instructions on additional items to pack: (1) my own mug with which to drink coffee or tea (“we will go green in this conference as much as possible”), (2) 3 oz. of water “from a source of nature near your home” to be offered during “opening worship,” and (3) a small, modest, pre-owned, homemade, or inexpensive “earth-honoring gift for exchange.”
Beyond “Liberal” Female Piety or “Women Read the Qur’an Too” by Amy Levin
Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project
I’m a teacher’s assistant for an undergraduate course at New York University called, “What is Islam?” The other day in... more I’m a teacher’s assistant for an undergraduate course at New York University called, “What is Islam?” The other day in class, my professor asked the students whether or not the Qur’an is considered a “book”. Fraught with anxiety over inheriting such a problematic scholarly tradition of defining and delineating what “religion” is, I kept quiet. While my professor was aiming more for something sounding like, “a book is read, while the Qur’an is recited,” I kept thinking about the physicality and sacrality of the Qur’an (among other authoritative religious texts) and the way it is handled, revered, preserved, loved, an constantly under interpretation. It was about a week later when news broke out that U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan were guilty of burning several copies of the Qur’an on their military base, followed by an unfortunate slew of casualties including at least 30 Afghan deaths and five US soldiers.
L'altro e il terzo. Alcune riflessioni sulla teologia filosofica di Bruno Forte
L'operazione di genealogia simbolica tentata da Forte cerca di mantenere la tensione tra soggetto e oggetto, e di... more L'operazione di genealogia simbolica tentata da Forte cerca di mantenere la tensione tra soggetto e oggetto, e di amplificare, è questa la nostra tesi, la relazione tra soggetto e soggetto, caratterizzata ineludibilmente dall'orizzonte dell'assoluta alterità, intesa come trascendenza assoluta che consente l'empiria della relazione tra persone, ma anche come relazionalità teologica trascendentale che inserisce la Chiesa stessa nel cuore della Trinità, modellandola su di essa
Gloria di Dio e legge terrena. Un approccio cattolico alla teologia politica
in Democrazia e diritto, 3/2008 “Teologia Politica”, pp. 147-188, numero chiuso in redazione il 1. Novembre 2009.
Nel sistema della filosofia del diritto di Hegel lo stato doveva essere autonomo dalla Chiesa, perché conteneva in sé... more
Nel sistema della filosofia del diritto di Hegel lo stato doveva essere autonomo dalla Chiesa, perché conteneva in sé la sua essenza, in quanto è la suprema realizzazione dello spirito oggettivo. Paradossalmente però la forma-stato poteva innestarsi solo in una coscienza religiosa diffusa e genericamente cristiana (ma non certo cattolica) che aveva il compito di educare le coscienze dei cittadini. Böckenförde riferisce questa considerazione alla contemporaneità: la forma dello stato attuale non si può più basare sulla religione, quindi il suo consenso è sempre sospeso, ed è per questo che spesso si riaffaccia l’idea della “religione civile”, prevalentemente come un retaggio di queste diffuse moderne cui si farà cenno. Di contro Habermas ritiene necessario un approfondimento sulle ragioni della separazione richiesta nelle costituzioni liberali tra Stato e Chiesa e sul ruolo che le tradizioni e le comunità religiose possono svolgere nella società civile. L’argomentazione di Habermas è compatibile con il liberalismo politico rawlsiano, e si fonda sul dato di fatto che la laicità è condizione necessaria ma non sufficiente per una equa garanzia della libertà religiosa.
In Italia tali tematiche sono state di recente riportate al centro dell’attenzione da pensatori come Cacciari Tronti e Agamben, per citare solo i più influenti. Delineare il rapporto che intercorre tra la manifestazione della gloria di Dio nell’uomo e la vita pubblica nelle sue due manifestazioni di politica e diritto è sempre un grande rischio e un azzardo, poiché significa fare i conti con la sempre manchevole risposta che gli uomini danno all’assolutamente gratuita opzione della kenosi, la sempre ingrata e imperfetta risposta alla scelta di offrire la propria grazia tramite il Cristo che si è incarnato e si è lasciato crocifiggere ed è risorto per unire a se tutti gli uomini nella visione celeste del Padre tramite il lumen gloriae.
L’interpretazione del katèchon come diritto naturale conobbe diverse traversie, fino a giungere alla nozione giacobina di un diritto naturale dei popoli di sovvertire i propri sovrani e persino di giustiziarli in nome del medesimo diritto. Fichte vede nella strada intrapresa dalla Rivoluzione Francese nel campo del diritto il fine stesso a cui tende tutta l’umanità fino alla definitiva scomparsa della forma-Stato in quanto non piú necessaria. Fichte e i teorici giacobini utilizzano toni messianici che riecheggiano le idee di Gioacchino da Fiore, il monaco medievale che teorizzava, dopo quella del Padre e del Figlio, un’età dello Spirito, nella quale si sarebbero realizzate tutte le istanze di liberazione dell’uomo . Questo lascia in ombra un fondamentale dilemma, ben enucleato da Koselleck: "Il problema storico da risolvere è se Luigi XVI sia stato assassinato, oppure giustiziato, o addirittura punito; non il 'fatto' che una ghigliottina di un certo peso gli abbia staccato la testa dal tronco" . Il lungo processo di secolarizzazione della sovranità e la sua trasformazione in calcolo maggioritario fu il rovesciamento del tradizionale rapporto tra lotta cruenta e politica: la politica quantificata secondo tecniche sempre più raffinatesi nei due secoli scorsi diventa la prosecuzione della lotta cruenta con altri mezzi. Quello che era l’arbitrio del sovrano diviene la sovranità del parlamento, seguendo l’esempio inglese in cui il problema centrale del costituzionalismo è come limitare questo potere ormai considerato normativo e naturale.
CHURCH NEWS: NEW UNITY MOVEMENT STEPS PROPOSED
by Daniel Keeran, MSW (distrbute freely without charge)
Against the unity prayer of Jesus in the gospel of John chapter 17, divisions within Christianity have been common... more
Against the unity prayer of Jesus in the gospel of John chapter 17, divisions within Christianity have been common from the beginning. New steps for unity are outlined that provide grass-roots opportunities in local churches and communities.
Fundamental to the new unity movement are principles and a change in paradigm that give a fresh approach to the ancient problem of divisions among people who identify themselves as followers of Jesus.
The “Christian” Assumptions of Secular Hermeneutics
by Karl Hand
Crucible 4:1 (April 2012)
The relationship between Christian theology and secular hermeneutics is complex, and it is questionable whether many... more The relationship between Christian theology and secular hermeneutics is complex, and it is questionable whether many of the discourses that draw on hermeneutic theory are consistent with the presuppositions hidden beneath the surface. This article demystifies the highly theologised debate between monism and pluralism within the discipline of hermeneutics, and criticises the way that this theology has been done. From a Christian perspective that is free from cumbersome theological categories, a simple, authentic interpersonal ethic is the most appropriate way to approach texts. The implications for scholarly praxis are explored with specific reference to John C. Mellon’s ‘recovery hermeneutic’ reading of Mark’s gospel.
It’s not easy being a full-time female missionary for the Mormon Church by Rachel Hunt
Originally posted on the Feminism and Religion project
Before I was born, but after I was conceived, my father had a dream. In this dream, he knew that I would be a great... more
Before I was born, but after I was conceived, my father had a dream. In this dream, he knew that I would be a great missionary. And because of this knowledge, (and because he a. didn’t see me in the dream and was b. Mormon*) he thought I would be a boy.
To my mom’s credit, she reminded my dad, “Girls can be great missionaries too,” and to my dad’s credit, he was not disappointed when I did indeed turn out to be a girl. He also never let go of his impression that I would be a great missionary. Perhaps because of this story, perhaps because of hearing his (and my brothers’) mission stories, I grew up sincerely wanting to serve a mission.
It wasn’t until high school that someone first told me that I shouldn’t go on a mission because I was a girl. The words were spoken by my female leader, with the explanation that men were to go on missions and women were to get married. My best friend and I were upset, because we were adamant that we were going, but we brushed it aside, letting it add flame to our desire.
Get Your Laws off my Body! by Elise Edwards
Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project.
After considering Virginia’s Transvaginal Utrasound Bill in light of the womanist critique, I wonder if... more
After considering Virginia’s Transvaginal Utrasound Bill in light of the womanist critique, I wonder if religiously-motivated lawmakers considered that they alone do not have access to God’s intentions, but that the divine spirit is operative in a pregnant woman as well, would they be so willing to negate her moral agency?
On Tuesday, the senate in Virginia approved a law that would require women to get an external ultrasound before an abortion. This is a scaled-back version of an original bill that mandated transvaginal ultrasounds prior to abortions. According to this Washington Post article, opponents like Sen. Janet D. Howell describe the measure as “state rape,” since it is the state, not the woman and her doctor who decides that she must undergo this procedure requiring the insertion of a probe into the vagina. Although proponents of the bill say that it is designed to give women more information about a fetus’ gestational age and development, most would agree that it is ultimately intended to discourage the women from having an abortion.
Life and Works of Abu l-Hasan al-Ash'ari (Spanish)
"Vida y obra de Abu l-Hasan al-Ash'ari," Revista Española de Filosofía Medieval 12 (2005) 253-60.
Abrahamic Religions and Non-Cyclical Time: Some Philosophical Reflections (Spanish)
"Las religiones del Libro y el problema del tiempo," Isidorianum 30 (2006) 187-204.
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Seen by:Where do Cats Go?: Reflections on Death Post Patriarchal Christianity by Sara Frykenberg
Originally posted on the Feminism and Religion project.
The reason I am speaking about death today is two-fold. First, I have been somewhat preoccupied with the concept... more
The reason I am speaking about death today is two-fold. First, I have been somewhat preoccupied with the concept of death since entering a new decade of my life. I no longer believe in the evangelical vision of heaven I learned about in my youth; but as an uncomfortable “un”-Christian, I also have no satisfactory vision to replace it. Or rather, there are many visions I find appealing, but none that I “believe in,” as I had believed in heaven. My family is getting older, my parents have been sick in the last few years, and I often feel that I have more to lose now than I used to.
My second reason for considering death today is that last Wednesday, Mimi, our family cat of 24 years—yes, 24—passed away. After spending all nine of her lives living, Mimi could no longer eat and was suffering. My mother had her put down after we all said goodbye; we held a funeral for her and buried her among the lilies in our yard, her home.
Turning Points in Identity and Theology: Bisexual Women Choosing Between Monogamous and Polyamorous Relationships
This study contributes to the development of nascent bisexual theology by examining bisexual women’s lives in relation... more
This study contributes to the development of nascent bisexual theology by examining bisexual women’s lives in relation to the stereotype that bisexuals desire concurrent male and female partners. Building on qualitative email interviews with forty bisexual women in the Greater Toronto Area, this thesis finds that monogamy and polyamory function as strategic identities. If bisexual theology is to speak authentically to the needs of bisexual women, it must provide a critical analysis of these identities, understand and respond to their role in shaping communities, moral agency and theological knowledge.
Chapter One sets the conflation of bisexuality with polyamory in its political and theological context. Four characteristics of Catholic sexual ethics—their foundational, sacramental, social, and moral character—frame this investigation about bisexual women as subjects of theological enterprise. The conflation of bisexuality and polyamory is posed as the key challenge for both secular politics and articulating a bisexual theological perspective. Chapter Two provides a methodological overview of the qualitative research project using voice centred relational analysis (VCRA) as an appropriate tool to conduct and analyse the interviews in their social context. Chapter Three summarises the results of the VCRA analysis and highlights key themes from the interviews. Chapter Four relates the results of the primary research to the theological writing of Robert Goss and Marcella Althaus-Reid by examining five common elements in their work to assess how their work meets the challenges raised by the interview analysis. The final chapter relates these common elements in the work of Goss and Althaus-Reid to the four characteristics of Catholic sexual ethics outlined in Chapter One to emphasize the importance of building bisexual women’s communities and how this relates to the development of bisexual theology. The thesis concludes with concrete recommendations for bisexual women’s community building and offers directions for further bisexual theological work.
“Toward an Apophatic Pluralism: Beyond Confessionalism, Epicyclism, and Inclusivism in Theology of Religions.”
by Kenneth Rose
Journal of Ecumenical Studies, Winter 2011 issue (46:1): 67-75.
Le Canon des Ecritures, vers la fin d'une fausse question?
by Régis Burnet
Communio 18/3, 2012, p. 5-17.
Depuis la fin du XIXe siècle, une vision très restrictive du canon a triomphé, qui en ferait une sorte de « brevet de... more Depuis la fin du XIXe siècle, une vision très restrictive du canon a triomphé, qui en ferait une sorte de « brevet de vérité ». Une fois pourvus de ce sauf-conduit, les textes se transformeraient en réservoirs à « vérités de foi ». Cette compréhension a multiplié les malentendus qui ont allumé une sorte de « querelle canonique », dont nous entrevoyons peut-être la fin. // Since the late nineteenth century, a highly restrictive view of the canon has won, that would make it a sort of "truth patent". With this safe-conduct, the texts would turn into tanks of "truths of faith." Such an understanding has multiplied the misunderstandings that have leaded to a sort of "canon dispute", whose the end we can maybe see today.
The Common Word: Reflections on Muslim-Christian Dialogue
Originally published by KeepingitHalal.com
This article proposes a method of theological Muslim-Christian dialogue – which is in fact a da`wah based on knowledge... more
This article proposes a method of theological Muslim-Christian dialogue – which is in fact a da`wah based on knowledge as opposed to adversarial debate or polemic – that seeks to fulfill the spirit of the Qur’anic emphasis on beautiful discourse:
“O mankind! We created you from male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (lita‘arafoo).” (Holy Qur’an 49:13)
This “recognition” (ma‘rifah) can only occur if all participants in the dialogue (as opposed to an adversarial debate) are permitted to clearly present the principles of their faith tradition whereby all parties are able to truly understand each others’ positions. The paper evokes one the most contentious issues which separate Christianity and Islam – the Christian doctrine of the Divine Sonship of Christ – which Muslims reject. However, the application of the above method to this specific Christian belief can actually allow a Christian to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Qur’an being the Word of God for Muslims and likewise, clear up Muslim misconceptions of Christian theology.

