Religion Commons^™

Remembering Drew Christiansen, S.J., Distinguished Advisor On Peacebuilding For The U.S. Catholic Bishops, Gerard Powers

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Beacon Of Hope In A Troubled Context: Sketches Of The Life Of Mons. Paride Taban, Shepherd And Bridge-Builder, Alberto Eisman Torres

The Journal of Social Encounters

Monsignor Paride Taban, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Torit in Southern Sudan, is a multifaceted figure. Apart from his role as pastor and religious leader, he is an outstanding peace builder and the co-founder of the New Sudan Council of Churches, one of the most significant civil society institutions during the second civil war (1983 – 2005). This institution spearheaded numerous ecumenical initiatives including development work, humanitarian relief, training of grass-roots leaders and last but not least peace mediation. He is a relentless fighter for peaceful coexistence and tolerance in an environment marked by violence, oppression and impunity and …

Review Essay: Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen: A Still And Quiet Conscience, William L. Portier

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma: Advocate Of Peace And Development, Loreta Navarro-Castro

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay describes the advocacy of Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, currently the co-president of Pax Christi Philippines and archbishop emeritus of the archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, Philippines, towards peace and development not only in Mindanao but also throughout the country. He is a strong proponent of interreligious dialogue and the importance of addressing the roots of the armed conflict so there can be an enduring peace in the Philippines and beyond.

Oscar Romero And Juan Gerardi: Truth, Memory, And Hope, Scott Wright

The Journal of Social Encounters

Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero and Guatemalan Bishop Juan Gerardi were prominent defenders of human rights during the civil wars that characterized their two countries during the 1980s and 1990s. By their public proclamations and prophetic witness, they laid the foundation for the United Nations Truth Commission in El Salvador, the United Nations Commission for Historical Clarification in Guatemala, and the Recovery of the Historic Memory (REMHI) project in Guatemala. Inspired by the need to dignify the victims of state-sponsored violence by refusing to forget, and accompanying the survivors in their struggle for justice, Romero and Gerardi were instrumental in uncovering …

An Angry Shepherd: Sudanese Bishop Macram Max Gassis, John Ashworth

The Journal of Social Encounters

Bishop Macram Max Gassis is a near-legendary figure in Sudan since he first spoke out against human rights abuses in his country before a committee of the US Congress in 1988. Targeted by the Islamist military dictatorship which ruled Sudan for thirty years, for protesting enslavement, religious oppression, forced starvation and mass murder in Sudan, he lives in exile, bringing help and hope to his persecuted people.

This essay is condensed from the 2021 book by the same author with the same title.

Archbishop Denis Hurley: ‘Ecclesiastical Che Guevara’ Or ‘Guardian Of The Light’?, Anthony Egan

The Journal of Social Encounters

Archbishop Denis Hurley, OMI (1915-2004) was a major figure in mobilising the Catholic Church’s struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Rooted in Catholic Social Thought and an active participant and implementer of Vatican II, he led by example, moving the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) into one of the foremost religious defenders of human rights. His theological skills and personal courage translated in ecumenical and interfaith activities that served justice and peace. He supported conscientious objectors and faced prosecution for exposing state atrocities in Namibia.

The Church And Ethnopolitical Conflict In Kenya: 1982-2013, David Tarus

The Journal of Social Encounters

The chapter examines the role of the church in addressing the problem of ethnopolitical conflict in Kenya from 1982 to 2013. Though ethnocentrism within the Kenyan Christian community goes beyond the years cited to the colonial period and the immediate years following independence, the intensity of the problem after 1982 calls for special attention. The single event that marks political change in Kenya is the 1982 attempted coup. Although this was not successful, the coup heightened opposition against Moi’s rule and thus, 1982 marks the beginning of the recent history of Kenya, a history in which three phases may be …

Martin Luther King, Jr., Archbishop Desmond Tutu, And The Quest For Justice And Reconciliation, Hak Joon Lee

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper studies Marin Luther King, Jr.’s and Desmond Tutu’s strivings for justice and reconciliation as the leaders of movements against white racist systems in the US and South Africa. Despite their differences in terms of nationality, age, religious denomination, and geography, the paper demonstrates how King’s and Tutu’s quests were grounded in the distinctive communal ethics informed by their Christian faith and their shared spiritual heritage as African peoples, which emphasize community, the ubiquity of religion, the moral order of the universe, and hopefulness. Contrasting their communal approach to a secular rational ethical approach to justice and peace, the …

Closing Keynote At The Catholic Peacebuilding In Times Of Crisis: Hope For A Wounded World Conference, H.E. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Opening Plenary Address At The Catholic Peacebuilding In Times Of Crisis: Hope For A Wounded World Conference, H. E. Cardinal Charles Bo

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Introduction - Volume 6, Issue 2, Ronald Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Challenging The Idea Of Divine Omnipotence: Jewish Voices And A Christian Response, John C. Merkle

Theology Faculty Publications

It is a widespread assumption that among Jews, as also among Christians and Muslims, omnipotence is considered one of God's essential attributes. Many people also assume that the idea of divine suffering is a non-Jewish idea, but many Jews, including prominent philosophers and theologians, have challenged the idea of divine omnipotence, and many have spoken of God's suffering along with God's creatures and of needing help to redeem creation. In the first part of this essay, I focus on four Jewish religious thinkers—Abraham Joshua Heschel, Hans Jonas, Edward Feld, and Melissa Raphael—for whom the idea of divine omnipotence is problematic, …

Anger And Hope In Rural American Liturgy, Benjamin Durheim

Theology Faculty Publications

Sociologists and political scientists have published a number of studies recently dealing with the tumultuous and often angry ethos of rural and small-town America. However, while a number of scholars have recognized that the anger and resentment present in much of the atmosphere of rural and small-town America is multifaceted and deeper than a simple desire for policy change, very little scholarly work has focused specifically on the role of ritual in exacerbating or alleviating social anger in these contexts. This article argues that the liturgical cultivation of hope is a powerful antidote to the vitriol of the political atmosphere …

Synodality As The Listening Church: Pope Francis Continues And Expands Vatican Ii's Teaching On Collegiality, Toan Van Phan O.Cist

School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses

At the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, 17 October 2015, Pope Francis affirmed that synodality is an essential dimension of the Church, and it is what the Lord asks the Church in the third millennium. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the origins and history of the concept of synodality in the life and mission of the Church in the light of theology and doctrine. The theoretical intention is to study what is old and what is new in Pope Francis’s idea of synodality and how the old is made …

A Letter From The Diocese, David Fremo, Mayuli Bales, Toni Hudock, Brenda Kresky, Janine Mettling Osb, Kent Schmitz, Philip Shefveland, Barbara Sutton, Ralph Zimmerman

Obsculta

No abstract provided.

Eucharist, Kenosis & Ignatius Of Antioch's Johannine Ecclesiology, Jayan Koshy

Obsculta

An anti-hierarchical ethos has been assumed in John’s Gospel by much modern biblical scholarship. The Johannine community functions, especially for non-episcopal communions, as an emblem of “flat” ecclesiology in the early Church, defying the Synoptic emphasis on apostolic ministry. However, recent scholarship destabilizes this consensus, drawing on figures associated with John in early tradition to present alternative Johannine ecclesiologies. Andrew Byers, for instance, seeks to harmonize Ignatius of Antioch’s high theology of the episcopacy with the theology of John’s Gospel. Building on Byers’ work, this essay argues that the Johannine tradition is not only compatible with Ignatius, but even supplies …

A Homily On Romans 10:14-15, Dinh Vo

Obsculta

In my studies within the course of Technology in Ministry, I was encouraged to use and promote the use of technology as a valuable means to proclaim the Good News to people where they are. In the “spirit” of Vatican II, the Church reaches out to her sons and daughters, especially the young, in an effort to make practical use of technology. Social media specifically comes into question when considering the use of high-tech communication to proclaim the Word. If we hold that the beauty of the feet of those who bring good news to the world from village to …

The Church In The Modern Context, Maria Milazzo

Obsculta

This paper on the Church in the Modern Context brings into conversation the goals of Vatican I, Vatican II, and those of Pope Francis in today’s modern context. It seeks to understand the context of the councils and where Pope Francis seeks to lead the Church today, especially one that resembles a field hospital.

How Big Are Your Arms, O God?, Carol M. Meier

Obsculta

Expansive images and expressions of God invite us all to experience God’s steadfast, faithful, and unconditional love in our lives. Out of this deep sense of belovedness, we are called to embody God’s loving presence. “How Big Are Your Arms, O God?” urges a broader imagination of God’s compassion and a more inclusive expression of that love in this world. As both a proclamation and a reminder, this song explores our understanding of and response to “the breadth and length and height and depth…[of] the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18, NRSV).

An Exegesis Paper On The Hanging Of The King Of Ai, Amy Wen

Obsculta

This paper analyzes Joshua 8 on the Hanging of the King of Ai. By utilizing contemporary biblical scholarship, this paper attempts to highlight elements of Ancient Near Eastern crucifixion and torture practices to shed new light on Jesus’ own crucifixion.

Liturgical Signs And Gestures, Chinh Nguyen Op

Obsculta

Fully, consciously, and actively participating in the sacred liturgy was one of the goals of the renewal of the liturgy called for by the Second Vatican Council. This paper explores the question, how do we enter in? The answer is there are many ways to help the faithful take part in the sacred action of the liturgy. One of the best ways is understanding what we are doing or celebrating in the Sacred Liturgy of the Church. The practical way is comprehension of the meaning of the liturgical gestures.

Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time - Year C, Chinh Nguyen

Obsculta

This is a homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – year C. Speaking God’s truth hurts, but love prevails. Being a prophet is difficult, but love never fails. SYNOD

Pope Francis' Leadership In The Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hang T.H. Nguyen Op

Obsculta

The essay writes about the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic to human existence in various aspects, particularly Christian faith. In the darkness and hardship of life, believers and non-believers need the help of good leaders so that they can overcome the crisis, but not lose their faith in God. In order to achieve this purpose, the leaders both in the Church and in the world need to acquire some qualities. What are qualities of a good leader? The essay is an attempt to answer this question by reflection on Pope Francis’ leadership. According to Orobator, Pope Francis is good leader …

On The Task Of Today's Theologian, Henry O. Widdicombe

Obsculta

This piece was written as a reading response paper for Kristin Colberg’s Documents of Vatican II course in the Spring of 2022. It argues that today’s theologian must take seriously the demands of the Second Vatican Council and that the task of the theologian is, in light of contemporary culture, offer an ever-new articulation of the Gospel of Christ Jesus that does not lose its ever-ancient truths. In that vein, the piece utilizes the assigned readings for a particular course meeting to, with the aid of Bernard Lonergan, outline a kind of pro-Vatican II panegyric.

The Generation Of The Smartphone, Anisabel Palma

Obsculta

iGen is the generation of those born after 1995. A common characteristic of teen iGen’ers is their lack of interest in school. Many of these kids attend school only because they must, not because school is a place where they are looking forward going each morning. The low interested has been increasing since 2012.. There is a link between iGen teens’ behavior including motivation to go to school to their use of technologies around them. In this paper, the author tries to find a response to this change and to offer some hope to those working with teens.

The Faith Of Jesus, Hang T.H. Nguyen Op

Obsculta

According to Jon Sobrino, a theologian of Liberation Theology, Jesus has faith since He is a believer “like ourselves,” the model of faith, the one upon whom we have to keep our eyes fixed to live our faith. In another reference, Sobrino insists that “Jesus was an extraordinary believer and had faith. Faith is Jesus’ mode of being,” and “Faith describes the totality of the life of Jesus.” J. Sobrino’s view on Hebrews 12:2 does not conform with that of the Catholic traditional faith on the immediate and intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. The essay is the arguments …

Contributor Bios, Obsculta Editors

Obsculta

No abstract provided.

The Church As Polis, Amy Wen

Obsculta

This paper aims to name a growing rift between belief and ethic in contemporary American society. It suggests the concept of liturgy as ‘primary theology’ and a liturgical anthropology as the solution to this rift. The paper picks up on voices from Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions to highlight an ecumenical approach in retrieving a Christian worshiping anthropology.

Climate Change: The Role Of Technology, "Dominon," And Our Pastoral Responsibility, Leah Wakefield

Obsculta

This paper briefly examines the correlation between burning fossil fuels, the increase of carbon in the atmosphere and resulting volatile weather, including hurricanes and floods. The paper then discusses possible technological solutions, including carbon dioxide scrubbers. Finally, the paper critically examines Genesis 2:15 and 1:26 and uses Laudato Si’ to reframe our understanding of “dominion” over the earth as a responsibility that calls for us to work to end climate change.