Monastic Traditions and Practices in Macedonia and Their Implications in Modern Times

The purpose of this paper is to present several fundamental aspects in the reconstruction of the issue related to the monasticism in Macedonia. In that sense, taken into consideration is the historical and spiritual continuity of the monasticism beginning from the ninth century to modern times, as well as the monastic practices established in the existing typicons, and the implications of the revival of the modern monasticism in Macedonia in the 1990s. Research at digressive methodological level points to the fact that in monasticism, the same traditional Christian values are cherished as they have been cherished in the previous period. Namely, monasticism does not represent only a spiritual accomplishment and enthusiasm, but also a movement consisting of cultural-educational, artistic and philanthropic tendencies

Book Review: Kurisumala: Francis Mahieu Acharya--A Pioneer of Christian Monasticism in India

A review of Kurisumala: Francis Mahieu Acharya--A Pioneer of Christian Monasticism in India by Marthe Mahiue-De Praetere

In Response: Geoff Childs, Culture Change in the Name of Cultural Preservation Himalaya 24, (1-2)

Response to Geoff Childs\u27 article in Himalaya vol. 24 (1-2

Was Benedictine monasticism conservative? Evidence from the sermon collection of Jacques de Furnes, abbot of Saint-Berlin (1230-1237)

The failure of papal attempts to impose the governmental structures of the religious orders on Benedictine monasticism in the early thirteenth century has long been considered a consequence of a typically Benedictine independent attitude. More precisely, traditional scholarship adhered to the notion that the Benedictines resisted these initiatives because of their reluctance to give up judicial autonomy in favour of a supra-monastic form of organisation. By looking at a collection of sermons drafted by Jacques de Furnes, abbot of the Flemish abbey of Saint-Bertin, I aim to reconsider the above views. In so doing, I look at, respectively : Jacques’s profile as a preacher ; the response of the community of Saint-Bertin to the papal reforms ; Jacques’s involvement in papal monastic policy ; and finally, his role in the coordination of regional monasticism. As such, this study contributes to revising the current narrative on Benedictine institutional development in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.Le monachisme bénédictine était-il conservateur ? Le témoignage de la collection des sermons de Jacques de Furnes, abbé de Saint-Bertin (1230-1237). L’échec des tentatives pontificales d’imposer aux ordres religieux des structures gouvernementales basées sur le monachisme bénédictin au début du XIIIe siècle a longtemps été considéré comme la conséquence d’une attitude d’indépendance typiquement bénédictine. Plus précisément, la recherche traditionnelle a adhéré à l’idée que les bénédictins ont résisté à ces initiatives en raison de leur crainte de devoir renoncer à l’autonomie judiciaire en faveur d’une forme d’organisation supramonastique. Sur la base d’un recueil de sermons rédigés par Jacques de Furnes, abbé de l’abbaye flamande de Saint-Bertin, je cherche à reconsidérer les vues précédentes. Pour ce faire, j’examine successivement le profil de Jacques comme prédicateur, la réponse de la communauté de Saint-Bertin aux réformes pontificales, l’implication de Jacques dans la politique monastique des papes et son rôle dans la coordination du monachisme régional. Cette étude contribue ainsi à la révision du discours actuel sur le développement institutionnel bénédictin au XIIe et au début du XIIIe siècle.Was het benedictijnse kloosterwezen conservatief ? De getuigenis van de prekencollectie van Jacques de Furnes, abt van Sint-Bertijns (1230-1237). Het falen van vroeg dertiende-eeuwse pauselijke pogingen om de bestuurlijke structuren van de religieuze orden aan de Benedictijnen op te leggen, werd lange tijd beschouwd als een gevolg van een typisch benedictijnse particularistische houding. Meer bepaald hielden historici vast aan het idee dat de benedictijnen zich tegen deze initiatieven hadden verzet omdat ze hun juridische autonomie niet wilden opgeven ten gunste van enige vorm van supra-monastieke organisatie. Via de studie van een prekencollectie opgesteld door Jacques de Furnes, abt van de Vlaamse Sint-Bertijnsabdij, tracht ik de bovenstaande opvattingen te herzien. Ik behandel achtereenvolgens respectievelijk : het profiel van Jacques als predikant ; de reactie van de gemeenschap van Sint-Bertijns op de pauselijke maatregelen ; de deelname van Jacques in het pauselijk monastiek beleid en zijn rol in de coördinatie van het regionale religieuze leven. Zodoende draagt deze studie bij tot de herziening van het huidige narratief omtrent de institutionele ontwikkelingen in het twaalfde-eeuwse en vroeg dertiende-eeuwse benedictijnse kloosterwezen.Belaen Johan. Was Benedictine Monasticism Conservative? Evidence from the Sermon Collection of Jacques de Furnes, Abbot of Saint-Bertin (1230-1237). In: Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire, tome 95, fasc. 2, 2017. Histoire Médiévale, Moderne et Contemporaine – Middleleeuwse, Moderne en Hedendaagse Geschiedenis. pp. 219-248

Behind the Veil: Mysticism and the Reply to Hiddenness in the Work of Travis Dumsday

Ever since J. L. Schellenberg formulated his infamous atheistic argument from hiddenness in his 1993 book Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason, the problem of divine hiddenness--the question of why a good God would hide Himself, even from those actively seeking Him--has troubled theists. Schellenberg\u27s argument from hiddenness has proven notoriously difficult for theists to answer, and perhaps this is why it is now second only to the problem of evil in popularity with atheists. While many theists have tried to find an adequate answer to the problem of hiddenness, and many have made good attempts, no response has been quite complete. Many such replies have been made by Dr. Travis Dumsday of the Concordia University of Edmonton. Dumsday has written prolifically on the subject of divine hiddenness, but in this paper I will look at only three of his replies to Schellenberg\u27s argument from hiddenness. These three responses, while each insufficient on their own, become a far more formidable reply to the problem of hiddenness when combined and synthesized around a more mystic conception of God imported from the Christian mystic tradition. Drawing upon the mysticism of Saint Francis of Assisi and the rigorous philosophy of Dumsday, I argue that the great mystery that we call God remains hidden in order to preserve the well-being of nonbelievers, and that He does indeed reveal Himself, but only to those who cultivate the requisite level of moral virtue and seek Him diligently

Learning from Jesus’ Wife: What Does Forgery Have to Do with the Digital Humanities?

McGrath’s chapter on the so-called Gospel of Jesus’ Wife sets aside as settled the question of the papyrus’ authenticity, and explores instead what we can learn about the Digital Humanities and scholarly interaction in a digital era from the way the discussions and investigations of that work unfolded, and how issues that arose were handled. As news of purported new finds can spread around the globe instantaneously facilitated by current technology and social media, how can academics utilize similar technology to evaluate authenticity, but even more importantly, inform the broader public about the importance of provenance, and the need for skepticism towards finds that appear via the antiquities market