Hoc in brevissimo articulo virtus ac potestas crucis, quae tribus Sacrae Scripturae locis (Hab. 3,3-5; Is. 9,5; Exod. 17,9,11-14) a Cypriano Carthaginensi interpretatis expressae sunt, exponuntur.
II testo siriaco di provenienza giudeocristiana, attribuito alla scuola do S. Efremo, contiene elementi piu antichi, risalienti al III secolo. Nella narrazione del testo, un ruolo importante si ascribe alla Croce di Cristo come preveduta dalPinizio del mondo. II testo della Caverna ha servito come fonte di un altro apocrifo, II Com-battimento di Adamo.
The article treats of the symbol of the cross, which deconstruction creates the possibility to get out of the Christianity and to return to the Antiquity which gives the individual a chance of a more complete self-realization on the basis of a larger space of freedom and of a deeper contact with the own identity.
The author of the article Christ as the face of the Father’s mercy. A top-down and theophanic conception of God’s Mercy draws the most fundamental approach to the mystery of mercy as a form of the inner revelation of the Triune God's life from the ample Polish literature devoted to the issue of God’s Mercy, and analyzes it. Also practicing mercy, according to this conception, may be done in the right way if its features are recognized in Jesus Christ the Incarnated Son’s deeds. The author calls this perspective of theology of mercy “a top-down conception”, as humanity is not able to comprehend the essence of mercy without the aid of the supernatural world that, on the one hand, shows what God is like in His essence, and on the other, how one should follow God to be saved. God's self-revelation in the salutary events becomes – according to the author – the best interpretation key of God's theology of mercy, showing His Trinitarian character.
The existential story of Edith Stein is characterized by the pursuit of truth and by placing herself at its service. Starting from the philosophical discourse she reaches the word of the cross, the Logos of the analogy that relates separate determinations. Going through the various stations of her Way of the Cross in order to achieve her union with the Beloved, Edith Stein realizes the commandment of love: donate life to “save” forever every existence.
The article highlights issues related to the offense of religious feelings in the context of the main symbol of Christianity: the cross. Feelings in general, including religious feelings, are not imaginary. They play an important role in the lives of both individuals and the community. They motivate a person’s moral choices. There is no religion without feelings. Above all, insulting religious feelings is an offense against religious freedom. A deliberate public insult to a believer’s feelings is a violation of the law. There are several ways to offend religious feelings relating directly to a believer and his or her worship activities as well as sacred places. The most important symbol of Christianity, the cross, is often used by certain circles hostile to religion in general and Christianity in particular, deliberately seeking to offend religious feelings. In this way, it becomes a favored object of offense that is easy to manipulate.
The article is aimed at providing health services with a cross-border element. Closer attention is paid to cross-border cooperation in the field of emergency medical services on the Czech-German border. The legal regulation in this area was significantly modified together with the adoption of the Framework Agreement between the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany on cross-border cooperation in the field of emergency medical services. This agreement is aimed at strengthening and streamlining cooperation in the provision of urgent pre-hospital care. In addition to the initial definition of the issue, the article focuses mainly on the issue of so-called transfer of patients at the border and on the possibility of choosing a patient among the providers of emergency medical services, respectively downstream providers of acute inpatient care. The issue will be outlined in more detail, especially from the perspective of the Czech emergency medical service. In all cases, these are procedures that arouse the long-term interest of the professional and lay public.
The author presents early history of the Armenian crosses. The first impuls to rise the khatchkars were the following two factors: the discovery of the Crucifixion Cross by Constantine's mother Helena at the beginnings of 4th century and recovery the Holy Cross by emperor Haraclius in 629. As a result of first fact in the 5th century a feast of the „Invention of the Cross” was introduced to the Church's calendar on the 14th of September.
The article recalls the event of 27 July 2006, when Soile Lautsi, an Italian citizen, on behalf of herself and her two minor children Dataico and Sami Albertin, filed a complaint against the Italian Republic with the European Court of Human Rights. Soile Lautsi alleged that the presence of a crucifix in the classrooms of the school her children attended contravenes the idea of freedom of belief and religion and violates her right to raise and teach her children in accordance with her own religious and philosophical convictions (her secular worldview). As the judgment of the Chamber of the Court of 3 November 2009 caused controversy not only in Italy but also in many European countries, governments of many countries, NGOs and members of the European Parliament joined the proceedings before the Court as interveners as a third party.
As the purpose of the article unveiled above the author was going to show mysterium paschale interpreted by the Pope John Paul II through the prism of the theology of God’s mercy. The essential lecture of this subject can be found in the two first encyclicals of the Pope: Dives in misericordia and Redemptor hominis, however the problem was consequently present in the teaching of the Pope during his whole pontificate. In the presented article the author tries to unveil the perspective of God’s mercy in the mystery of the cross and Christ’s resurrection. Within each of these issues the author unveiled the problems that were special and complete expression of the merciful love of God. Within the question of the relation between the mystery of the cross and the mystery of God’s mercy the following problems were touched: acceptance of the suffering of Christ as an expression of solidarity with the creature, discovery of God who deserves mercy, the kenosis of the Son as the revelation of God’s mercy, the fidelity of God to the creature. In the elaboration of the problem of God’s mercy in the resurrection of Christ the following issues were touched: the Father’s mercy toward the Son, the God’s mercy towards the creature, the sign and the beginning of the eschatological mercy.
According to teaching of John Paul II looking at a reality of suffering in the perspective of a redemptive work of Jesus Christ is a vital moment which points at an essential correctness in presenting a sense of suffering. This is why it is around this view on the mystery of suffering a merit-related assessment of Polish preaching on the subject should be concentrated. Redemptive events are the basis for understanding a value of suffering which often touch human existence in a painful way. Thought of John Paul II is harmonious with homilies which try to explain the sense of suffering in the light of the mystery of redemption. A very positive element on preaching is showing a reality of suffering in the light of Christ’s victory that was won in resurrection. Among negative tendencies visible in the analysed homilies one should mention the fact that some preachers, looking for a sense of suffering in the light of faith, refer to the light that comes from the redemptive events only in a limited way, or show the value and meaning of the cross without their link to a soteriology. A serious weakness of many homilies is underlying the mystery of passion of Christ without its natural connection to the mystery of His resurrection. A certain group of authors cannot see a relation between the truth of a redemptive suffering and the truth of a primeval love of God for men.
This paper presents the struggle for the crosses in public places. It was fought in the years of 1981-1988 between the communist authorities and the Poles for whom the cross is the greatest value. The author pays homage to all those who defended the cross and very often risked repressions and persecutions from the totalitarian authorities. In this way they gave a beautiful and profound testimony of loyalty to God and to their homeland. The author based this study on the sources from the Division of the Institute of National Memory in Rzeszów.
The Christian “Lifetree” seems to be often omitted today in its fundamental role as the one, which brings us Christ’s redemption. As for Christians the “Lifetree” is the cross, Jesus Christ itself, His torment and resurrection, redemption of human from the original sin, and thereby giving him the eternal life. This way-in purely general terms- could be answered the question: what signifies the term “Lifetree” for Christians. However in order to explain it rightly, we need to relay on the Holy Scripture and look at its beginning, at Genesis, which explained us the world formerly an today - unfortunately - tends to be seen as fairy tale, which should moralize the human and teach him to obey God. No wonder, that the human has lost his ability to understand the reality and like by snake deceived Eve in paradise, is confused. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (J 14,6). However today-in the modern world involved in sin-this Truth is being questioned increasingly in its essential value.
Olsztyn Group has been formed in the later phase of the Migration Period (Phase E), developed in Masurian Lake District. This group had maintained lots of contacts with southern and western areas of Europe which can be proof, by the found goods of external origin. At the end-stage of Olsztyn Group (7th) round brooches with various ornament become popular. One of them was the brooches ornamented with the cross. Made of bronze and silver has in central part placed filigree cross or its imitation. These items are unique because that kind of ornament had been used in the western part of Europe in the area of upper Rhine. Popular among Franks, Alamans and Turings because dissemination of Christian religion. Strong believes about protective function of cross had been reason of placing it at ceramic and weapon by cultures of western Europe. The same symbol or its imitation had been used by culture at Mazurian Lakelands due the lack of union this kind of symbol with the local lands. Round brooches from Tumiany cannot be connected with influence of Christian mission. There is no evidence to support such a claim. Most likely, brooches with cross ornament had been used by citizens of Mazury as typical jewelry without connection with it religious meaning. But these artifacts may indicate extensive contacts with western Europe and earliest contacts with Christianity, in this part of the continent.
Jesus’s admonition to Peter is the result of Christ’s faithful realization of God’s plan of salvation, which includes passion, death and resurrection. Peter shows a misunderstanding of the Master’s words, responding to Jesus with words which express the wish that events, diffi cult to accept by human kind, would not be fulfi lling. The response of Christ is not so much an expression of rejection and condemnation, but a call to follow Jesus in the position as a disciple, who totally obeys his Lord. Jesus admonishes the Apostle so that Peter can understand his mistake and change his behavior. The message of Jesus has a universal dimension. Every one of His disciples is called to follow Him, taking his cross upon his shoulders, completely giving and entrusting his life to Him, because this is the only way which leads to eternal life.
PL
Upomnienie Jezusa skierowane do Piotra wynika z wiernej realizacji przez Chrystusa Bożego planu zbawienia, który obejmuje mękę, śmierć i zmartwychwstanie. Piotr ukazuje niezrozumienie słów Mistrza, czego wynikiem są słowa skierowane do Jezusa, wyrażające życzenie, żeby nie spełniły się trudnie do zaakceptowania po ludzku wydarzenia. Odpowiedź Chrystusa jest nie tyle wyrazem odrzucenia i potępienia, ile wezwaniem do pójścia za Nim w pozycji ucznia, który całkowicie podporządkowuje się swemu Panu. Jezus upomina apostoła, aby ten mógł zrozumieć swój błąd i zmienić swoje postępowanie. Przesłanie Chrystusa ma wymiar uniwersalny. Każdy Jego uczeń jest wezwany, by iść za Nim, biorąc swój krzyż na ramiona, całkowicie oddając i powierzając Jemu własne życie, bo to jest jedyna droga, która prowadzi ku życiu wiecznemu.
The mystery of Jesus’ Heart cannot be separated from the mystery of His cross. They both illustrate, but also realize God’s incomprehensible love for man – its realism and fact. They both also depict the divine-human dimension of salvation effected in the person of Christ. In this way the paradox of this love reaches its peak. Although they both express the same love, they are in a way beside each other, and they need each other so that the love could be expressed, be voiced. What happened on the cross is in a way complemented and consolidated in the image of the Heart. The core of this hermeneutics is: the act of Jesus’ Heart becomes clear in the cross, and the cross in the love of the Heart. At the same time in Jesus’ Heart – Jesus as the God and a man – the act of God’s love is joined in one thing, where human love is a reply to the priority of loving on the side of God; it is in it that it is fulfilled and verified. God’s love – the one that was crucified and wounded with the spear – only explains the significance of human love.
Although the relation between the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the sacrament of marriage was always treated as a minor issue, it has been present in the theology for ages. It is usually situated in the context of the searching for the “traces” of the Holy Trinity in the creation. The crucial moment in the theological approach to the relation between the mystery of the Holy Trinity and marriage was the reversal of the problem in question: marriage is not only a trace of the Holy Trinity in the world – as it is in classical theology – but rather it is expected to become an active reflection of the Trinity in the relations between husband and wife, in their mutual attitudes and it is supposed to express itself in the mission undertaken and fulfilled by husband and wife especially in their uniting and simultaneously fertile love. The Holy Trinity, especially as a mystery of the everlasting and rejoicing love, for a married couple should serve as a point of reference to understand their marital identity and to shape their mutual relations which express this identity. Trinitarian and Christological theology provide a rich material for a deepened understanding and recognition of the teaching of the former Popes who consistently emphasize the need of situating the fundamental questions regarding vocation, nature and mission of marriage in direct reference to the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the mystery of Jesus Christ. Theological perspectives unambiguously abiding by the conclusions of the theology of creation and natural law open an exceptionally broad view on marriage being the fundamental human and Christian reality, and at the same time a great mystery which has its origin in the highest mystery of the God in three Persons and which is fully revealed in Jesus Christ, the incarnated Son of God who died on the cross in kenotic love. Therefore it is primarily a perspective of personalism deeply rooted and directed Christologically. The mutual self-giving of husband and wife in the sacrament of marriage is a remarkable testimony given to Christ, since fidelity expressed in marital attitude reflects radicalism and greatness of love proved once and for all on the Christ’s cross. The fertility of physical union of man and wife reflects not only the immeasurable fertility of Christ’s death for mankind, but also the infinite fertility of Trinitarian communion which pours out on every created reality and becomes its original point of reference.
Krytyka dorobku Georgii O’Keeffe skupia się na obrazach abstrakcyjnych. Auto artykułu stawia tezę, że liczne obrazy z motywem krzyża na tle pejzażu Nowego Meksyku autorstwa O’Keeffe stanowią równie ważny dział jej twórczości, nieznany szerszej grupie odbiorców. Próba rekonstrukcji historii powstawania obrazów przeprowadzona na podstawie tekstów autorki oraz ówczesnej krytyki dowodzi, że znak krzyża w tych obrazach odgrywa kluczową rolę zarówno na płaszczyźnie kompozycyjnej, jak ideowej. Jednocześnie prace te dorównują pod względem rozwiązań formalnych znanym obrazom artystki powstałym w efekcie przekształcenia realistycznego tematu.
EN
The criticism of Georgia O’Keeffe’s output focuses on abstract paintings. The author of the paper states that numerous paintings by O’Keeffe with the motif of the cross against the New Mexico landscape constitute an equally important part of her work, unknown to a broader audience. An attempt at the reconstruction of the history of the creation of the paintings, conducted on the basis of texts by their author and her contemporary critics, proves that the sign of the cross in those paintings plays a key role both in the compositional and ideological aspects. At the same time, in respect of formal solutions, those works equal the well-known paintings by the artist created as a result of transformation of a realistic subject.
Przedmiotem niniejszej publikacji jest analiza polaryzującej funkcji krzyża, przedstawiona na przykładach wybranych sytuacji ze współczesnej historii Polski. Soteriologia w aspekcie przedmiotu badań wskazuje na to, jak dalece destrukcyjne jest wykorzystywanie symbolu krzyża w walce politycznej. Narzędziowe posługiwanie się elementami sacrum posiada tradycję biblijną. Podziały dyktowane brakiem akceptacji dla zbawczego przesłania zawierające się w krzyżu są warunkowane następującymi postulatami: wezwanie do zmiany, zachowanie czystości intencji oraz uznanie najwyższego autorytetu w Bogu. Każdy z tych postulatów zrealizował w sposób doskonały Jezus. Naśladowanie Mistrza z Nazaretu wiąże się więc z przyjęciem postawy ofiarności i niezłomnego trwania przy nauce Bożej. Nadzieja chrześcijańska wyraża się w tym, iż jedność porządku stworzenia (w tym również jedność społeczna) funkcjonuje ponad wszelkimi doczesnymi podziałami.
EN
The aim of this paper is to account for the fact that the cross as a symbol has a polarising effect on contemporary Polish society. The analysis takes into account various events from recent national history. Juxtaposing the universal, soteriological dimension of the symbol of the cross with numerous instances of its exploitation in the political debate shows that the spiritual and religious meaning of this sacred sign has been largely distorted. The Scriptures offer many examples of misuse of religious symbols. There are three conditions to be met if the use of the cross in a debate is to be considered just: the call to moral change, honest intention and recognition of God as the supreme authority. Jesus perfectly fulfilled all these. Following Christ means being able to give one’s love generously and to obey the divine precepts. The Christian hope is based on the belief that the unity of the order of creation (also the national unity) is superior to the temporal and worldly divisions among people.
The purpose of this article is to show cognitive value of the iconography of the Cross for fundamental theology and process of justification of credibility of this redemptive and salvific Event. Authors of article focuses on main motifs and themes of the staurological iconography and classify them in three groups: representations of the Trinity on the Cross (Throne of Grace), ecclesiological elements in representations of the Cross (connected with institution of the Eucharist and New Covenant, and establishing new people of God), and christological implications. Article indicates theological contents of each of that iconographical groups and shows that all of them make a contribution to understanding the reality of paschal mystery and the realm of the Church, help to reflect on the history of salvation, make it easy the contemplation of the mystery of the Cross. Iconography of resurrection of Cross has a sign structure and therefore it contains content of faith, and affects both the aesthetic and intellectual spheres of man. In this way the iconography of the Cross has cognitive functions and to some extent contributes to portraying the credibility of the Cross, Jesus Christ and the Church.
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