Roczniki Teologii Fundamentalnej i Religiologii

Doctor credibilitatis. Śp. ks. prof. dr hab. dr hc Marian Jan Rusecki (22 III 1942-15 XII 2012)

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Credibility of Christian Revelation in theological reflection of Avery Dulles

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American theologian Avery Dulles applies models to show different aspects of God's selfcommunication. But all models of revelation he integrates by using the idea of the symbol of participation, which is the external reality by which God reveals Himself to people. According to Avery Dulles revelation is the activity of God who gives Himself to a man through revelatory symbols and communicates his divine truths in order to welcome people to eternal, redemptive union with Himself.

In a question related to a rational character of revelation he explains the issues such as the possibility, necessity and nature of verification of revelation by human mind. The American theologian maintains that it is possible that revelation may occur and that it is essential to human eternal salvation. The author also claims that human mind can recognize divine revelation which is the first condition to accept revelation in faith. He maintained, moreover, that we may reach moral certainty in theology, not certainty of evidence, and that divine grace completes the rest of our religious knowledge. The next part of this article shows traditional arguments for the rational character of Christian revelation. According to Avery Dulles the argument from resurrection is the most important among other classic arguments. American scholar gives also new arguments for a rational character of Christian revelation. The argument from the testimony of Christians’ lives is typical for Avery Dulles way of thinking. Finally, when we justify God’s revelation, we can accept it reasonably.

The Time Dimension of the Structural Credibility of the Church in the Ecclesiology of Avery Cardinal Dulles SJ

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This article based on Avery Cardinal Dulles S.J. ecclesiological thought shows temporal dimension of catholicity of the Church. It is one of the lines of argumentation for the structural credibility of the Church, which demonstrates that the Church as a structure and in its structure preserves Divine Revelation and communicates it in time and space to everyone. Article shows catholicity of the Church in time, that means identity and continuity of the Church from creation to the end of time (fullness of Kingdom of God). According to Dulles the Church has different stages. In a visible form it finally emerged in Jesus’ live, death and resurrection and sending of Holly Spirit. Thanks to its sacramental structure Church is dynamical and in time it changes forms of its life to be a sign of salvation for all. Therefore the

Church is one and simultaneously diverse, it has to fit to all times to realize mission to preach Jesus Christ. To the structure of the Church in this time dimension pertain elements pointing to the unity in diversity of the Church: Tradition (as a not only static but also dynamic communication of Divine Revelation), reform (as a verification of the Church’s mission and the elimination of distortions of its function), doctrine of the Church (constantly interpreted preserves contents of Divine Revelation in a changing historical and cultural contexts), authority in the Church (hierarchical, theological and charismatic; they preserve purity of the Church’s teaching and fidelity of Divine Revelation). These elements participate in the Church’s transmission of Divine Revelation and salvation in time, and are premises of an structural argument of credibility of the Church.

Hope of Recognition and Realization of Human Identity in Complementarity of the Three Conversations

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The subject of interest in the article is the problem of human identity, in which there is a possibility of discovering a postulate of complementarity of “existence” and “understanding”. Hermeneutic interpretation of that complementarity is confronted by the question whether it is possible to understand human identity in its historical existence. Philosophical hermeneutics, being conscious of how complex the process to find the answer might be, points out the indispensability of the “CONVERSATION” category. Conversation is not only a “tool” defining human existence but also its essence. Searching for conversations (cosmological, anthropological, theological) in the complementarity of pluralism, a human being receives a certain information, while existing in the structure of a hermeneutic cycle (a part - a whole). The information includes a message that human identity, the cognizance of which are not fully embraced by spatial and temporal boundaries of history, is a historical promise and a task. Rationality of man's decision is expressed by a theological triad: I HOPE that what I BELIEVE in I realize by LOVE.

“Nostra Aetate”: At the Beginning of a Theology of Religions

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The Declaration “Nostra Aetate” of Vatican II is a new landmark in the relation of the Church with the followers of other religions. With it a new theological discipline begins, the theology of religions. The article discusses different Christian attitudes towards the other (nonChristian) religions (idolatry, expression of the religious longing of mankind, “praeparatio Evangelii”, a step in the intellectual and mental development of men, expression of the divine acting in a specific culture) before that Declaration. It analyzes its text, describes the debates in the Germanspeaking Catholic theology and argues (in the sense of Nostra Aetate) for a practical contest of the different religions in which the followers of a specific religion try to translate its noble ideals into a practical life.

Multireligious Prayer as a Signpost for Dialogue between Religions

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The interreligious prayer for peace and justice which Pope John Paul II initiated in Assisi in 1986 filled many with enthusiasm and caused storm of criticism. Some talked about the beginning of a new era in interreligious dialogue, others accused the Pope of syncretism and weakening of the Christian identity. In this article an attempt is made to assess theologically the prayer meetings in Assisi from the perspective of the official statements of the Magisterium Ecclesiae on interreligious dialogue and of recent developments in the theology of religions. The author focuses primarily on the teaching of John Paul II, who repeatedly referred to this issue after the first prayer meeting in Assisi. The Pope drew particular attention to the Holy Spirit present in every authentic prayer. Precisely this communion in the Holy Spirit - that precedes the ecclesial communion aimed at by the missionary activities of the Church - is the most serious theological argument in favor of the prayer meetings of Christians and non-Christians. Differences between religions, however, do not allow to make a common prayer. Therefore the Pope pointed out that the main reason for being in Assisi was not to pray together but „to be together in order to pray“. Thus one should distinguish between interreligious and multireligious prayer (Assisi). Some theologians, such as J. Dupuis, suggest taking a step towards interreligious prayer. This practice, however, could open a way to syncretism and blurring of Christian identity.

Theology of Harmony in Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Documents

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This paper presents a new perspective on theology, especially the theology of religions, proposed by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). The key concept is the harmony, striving toward which firmly inscribed in the religious concepts of Asian philosophical point of view. Understanding of harmony was outlined in the Eastern religions and the perception in the perspective of redemption in Jesus Christ and His Church. Shown are a number of documents and initiatives of FABC that refer to the idea of harmony as a common denominator for Asian theology. Triple form of dialogue (with the poor, with the culture and interreligious) selected as a criterion of activities of the Church in Asia seems to be most fully understood and implemented with a view of harmony.

Paul Knitters Pluralistic-Relativistic Model of Christology

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Pluralistic theology of religion is getting more and more popular in Poland. This kind of theology deals with such questions as: Are all religions equal? Does Christianity surpass all these religions? Is there any way to state clearly how one should relate to Jesus Christ today' word that strikes a balance between these two extremes?

No set of questions concerns Christian theologians more today. No questions have more practical relevance in the religiously most pluralistic country in the world. No American theologian has kept these questions on the theological agenda over the past three decades with more consistency than Paul Knitter. And none is more expert in his or her knowledge of the field. He is the chief disseminator of these views.

Paul F. Knitter is Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York He was formerly Emeritus Professor of Theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a leading theologian of religious pluralism. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1966) and a doctorate from the University of Marburg, Germany (1972). Knitter's journey into interreligious dialogue began in 1964 when he was a seminarian in Rome and experienced the Second Vatican Council firsthand, at a time when the Roman Catholic Church declared its new attitude towards other religions. Since publishing his acclaimed book, No Other Name? (1985), Knitter has been widely known for his religious pluralism. Along with his friend and colleague, the Protestant philosopher of religion John Hick, Knitter has come under harsh criticism from Cardinal Ratzinger (presently the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church).

Knitter is against using absolutist language to depict the Saviour in interreligious dialogue, and writes about the relational understanding of the uniqueness of Jesus: the Saviour is to be understood in relation to other saviours. Although Jesus is truly the Word of God, Knitter states that he is not the only word: he is God's universal, decisive and indispensable manifestation of saving truth and grace. According to Knitter, the creed and other Christian dogmas concerning Jesus are to be interpreted symbolically as expressions of the church's experience of Christ. Here Knitter's insight is contrary to the traditional church's teaching on Jesus as far as it has an ontological foundation. Knitter's teaching about the relational uniqueness of Jesus is naturally unacceptable to bishops, because it alters the way the faith is proclaimed and it also deviates from what is central to Christianity.

The pluralistic model of truth

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On the grounds of the analysis made by the author of the elaboration one can notice a strong tendency to the relativisation of truth performing in the context of the pluralist theology of religion. Representatives of the aforementioned trend want to question the objective character of truth. Such actions are aimed at leading to the statement that all religions are equally exceptional. To clearly understand the theses of pluralists, philosophical foundations of the pluralist theology of religion have been depicted. It must be stated that pluralists use philosophical notions selectively and instrumentally, which makes it possible to reach desirable conclusions.

The contestation of the absolute and objective character of truth has serious consequences and exerts an influence upon the understanding of interreligious dialogue. The problem of resignation from one's own religious identity appears. Defending themselves against such an accusation, pluralists introduce the concept of orthopraxis as the criterion of truth. Consequently, the determinant of truth is its ability to realize itself in the proper demeanour. Views presented in the pluralist theology of religion constitute a serious reproach to Christian truth as well as biblical truth.

The Resurection as a Hermeneutical Key in Reinterpretation Jesus Christ’s Words and Acts

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The article is an attempt to analyse the influence of Christ's resurrection for the reinterpretation of his activity by his disciples. In the first two sections biblical scenes are examined which demonstrate the initial misunderstanding of Jesus’ activity by his disciples and its reinterpretation after the resurrection. The third point focuses on the analysis of the verb “to remind” (gr. mimnos- komai), including its context. It demonstrates that this word does not only mean “recall the memory” of certain words and events, but their reinterpretation. The fourth point focuses on the role of the Paraclete, who helped (and even was necessary to) the disciples to make this reinterpretation of Jesus’ words and deeds, which initially they did not understand. At the end it has been noted that this after-resurrection reflection should be seen as an argument for the reality of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The metamorphosis that has taken place not only in the thinking, but also in the behaviour of the disciples, shows how powerful this event was for them.

Renewal of the Church from the Perspective of Hans Küng

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The article is an attempt to answer the questions: How to renew the Church? What means can a reformer use? On the basis of a book by H. Kung: The Council, Reform and Reunion, the author suggests that the link between divine and human elements in the Church causes a danger of deformation. That is why there is a constant need for renewal. The reform should follow four steps: (1) feeling pain because of the Church, (2) prayer for its intentions, (3) skilful criticism of errors, (4) prudent actions.

Heralds of Death in the Folk Tradition of Residents of Włodawa

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This article sheds some light on the heralds of death existing in the beliefs of residents of Włodawa. The given publication derives from ethnographic surveys carried out in the area of the city and its surroundings. The whole article is divided into three sections. The first paragraph describes omens originating from nature. The behaviours of the livestock, such as dogs or horses, bear significant meaning for interviewees. Moreover, not only the domesticated animals signalize approaching death, we can also observe that in the behaviours of wild animals.

The next section describes signs which appear among inanimate objects as well as unfamiliar occurrences, which take place in the proximity of deceased person. Here are illustrated all superstitious practices such as cracking of objects, inexplicable knocking or other phenomena beyond comprehension. Heralds of death according to the respondents are, among others: atypical events which are related to the corpse of the deceased and its area. Inhabitants of Włodawa recognize those as extremely dangerous.The third part lists other signs, which exist in the studied area. A very important part of this passage constitute dreams commonly interpreted as omens.

Wedding Rites of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Rudna Wielka in the Diocese of Rzeszów

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The aim of this article is to show the customs and rituals associated with the marriage ceremony in the parish of Rudna Wielka, near Rzeszów. The article consists of three points. These relate to: civil wedding and a church wedding, preparing of the newlyweds for the wedding ceremony and the course of the wedding Mass. This study is based on information obtained from ethnographic fieldwork on wedding rituals. The study was conducted in 2011 in the villages of: Rudna Wielka, Rudna Mała and Pogwizdów Nowy.

In the twentieth century, a young couple first got civil wedding, and then the church wedding. Since 1998, the couple can have a concordat wedding. From early morning the future bride and groom were preparing for the celebration in their own homes. When a groom arrived at bride’s home, the couple was blessed and everyone went to church. At that time, the inhabitants of a village made weeding gates and they blocked the couple's way to the church. Then the best man, or father of the groom, paid for making the way to the church with vodka. When the wedding procession reached the church Mass began. After taking the oath priest confirmed the validity of a marriage, blessed wedding rings, then to sign the marriage the spouses put the rings on each other’s right hands. After Mass, the couple signed the marriage act. In front of the church the guests were throwing money at the couple since it was believed that it will bring them luck. The guests congratulated the couple and gave them presents. After that they all took a picture in front of the church, and then went to the place of the wedding.

Michał Heller. Filozofia przypadku. Kosmiczna fuga z preludium i codą,. Kraków: Copernicus Center Press, Wydawnictwo WSE w Krakowie, WSIiZ w Rzeszowie i WSZiA w Zamościu 2011

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Jarosław Przytuła. Logika Objawienia. Argument werytatywny w świetle teologii Hansa Ursa von Balthasara. Lublin: TN KUL 2011

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Chrześcijanskie świadectwo dzisiaj. (Theologia Radomiensia t. 2). Red.D. Swend, P. Borto. Radom: Wydawnictwo Diecezji Radomskiej AVE 2012

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Międzynarodowa Konferencja Chrześcijańsko-Islamskiego Forum Teologicznego pt. „Posłańcy Boga. Proroctwo w islamie i chrześcijaństwie”. Stuttgart 9-11 marca 2012

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