Christ – RCS

Mystery of sufferings

Timofey Gennadievich Pushkov (Archimandrite Feognost) PhD in Theology, priest of the Lugansk Diocese (village of Prosyanoye, 40 let Pobedy Str, 8-a, 92444, LNR, Markovskii District)
abbas2000thg@gmail.com

Pushkov T.G. Mystery of sufferings, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 14–53.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2025-14-14-53

Language: Russian

The Bible contains conflicting views on the nature and meaning of suffering. This was pointed out by the American agnostic biblical scholar Bart Ehrman. However, the problem is resolved when we view the Bible as a collection of ancient Eastern literature. Each work presents a unique perspective that reflects the multifaceted nature of suffering in real life. In some places, suffering is the result of a mistake; in others, it is caused by external influences from evil forces; and in others, it serves as a test of righteous people. Also, as in the book of Ecclesiastes, suffering can be the result of internal burnout
The article is divided into two parts. The first part provides an overview of the various views on the nature of suffering found in the Bible. The second part provides an overview of the biblical advice on how to deal with suffering. The culmination is a reflection on the mystery of Christ’s suffering.

Key words: Sufferings, Bible, Christ, Cross, Cain, original sin, Christianity, theodicy

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/pushkov2025-en/

Clement of Alexandria’s Logos Pedagogue and Isaiah’s Servant (42:1–8 and 52:13–53:12): Missed Theological Perspectives

pdf

Timofey Gennadievich Pushkov phd in theology, priest of the Lugansk Diocese (Kuryachevka village, Markovsky district, 92444)
st077180@student.spbu.ru

Pushkov T. G. Clement of Alexandria’s Logos Pedagogue and Isaiah’s Servant (42:1–8 and 52:13–53:12): Missed Theological Perspectives, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2023, vol. 12, pp. 16–45.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2023-12-16-45

Language: Russian

The article is devoted to finding coincidences and differences between Christianity and other religions and substantiating them as going back to the general Revelation of the Logos of God acting at one level or another in all ancient religions. The author reveals the main early Christian teachings about the logos, presented in the Greek patristic tradition. Much attention is paid to comparing the concepts of the Logos in the Old and New Testaments. The author comes to the conclusion that Christianity does not identify pagan gods with Christ, but only gives them the place of prototypes born of prophetic intuition that anticipated the appearance of the Savior. Syncretism simply declares relevant all traditions emanating from a «Single Faceless Spirit». In addition, the universalism of the Church is based on the historical event of Christ, such as the Incarnation, assuming the human nature, death and Resurrection of Christ. Syncretism can rely on the sum of abstract ideas, searching for these ideas in other religions. Christianity firmly excludes mystical and liturgical relativism, i. e. recognizing the speculative theories of the pagans to be largely inspired by God, Christianity does not allow the idea of the equivalence of their cults with the church liturgy.

Key words: Christ, Logos, Teacher, Isaiah, interreligious dialogue, Clement of Alexandria

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-pushkov-2023/

English Church design in its liturgical practice and belief through the centuries

pdf

Jerrald Lawson Master of Divinity, Theological Educator, TheologicalInstitute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, d. 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
jerrald.lawson@lcms.org

Lawson J. English Church design in its liturgical practice and belief through the centuries, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2019, vol. 8, pp. 294–307.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2020-00012

Language: Russian

The article shares some reflections on the liturgical traditionsof the English Church. For more than a thousand years the English parish church had been the center of the Christian’s worship life. Its art andarchitecture reflected their beliefs, the Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi. Thebrief history of the development of the English ecclesiastical tradition isgiven from the early Middle ages till the Reformation. The author havingspent some years in England gives his view and estimations of the longChurch culture that is rooted in the medieval tradition despite the changesmade in the Reformation era.

Key words: altar, Christ, green man, Rood cross, the Reformation

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/ru/loursen-2020-en/

Martin Luther inspiriert und regt zum Widerspruch an. Teil 2

pdf

Rainer Stahl retired general secretary of Martin Luther Bund (Habichtstrasse 14 A, Erlangen, Germany, D-91056)
rainer.stahl.1@gmx.de

Stahl R. Martin Luther inspiriert und regt zum Widerspruch an. Teil 2., Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2018, vol. 7, pp. 44–67.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2018-00003

Language: German

The text «Martin Luther inspires and stimulates contradictions» continues the second part of the artcile based on the report read 11. April 2017 in Tscheboskary and published in the previous volume of the almanac. The author raises such questions as the Luther’s attitude to the new picture of the universe (of Copernicus), the reformer’s approach to the relation between Jews and Christians and his view on the Muslims. The author insists on careful historical understanding of Luther’s positions, especially then they are far from the modern one. In the Jewish question, Luther used to be very critical and severe, but the author emphasizes that no government followed specifically his suggestions and ideas. As to the Luther’s approach to the Muslims , in the author’s opinion, the only attractive theme is his demand to understand the other religion correctly. It’s clear that for the contemporary ethnical situation in Europe make necessary for Lutherans to re-estimate Luther. The author comes to conclusion that the only idea that should be taken today is Luther’s understanding of the Revelation as made by Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

Keywords: Copernicus, the universe, Judaism, Jews, Muslims, Islam, Turks, hymns, Christ, Revelation

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/stahl-2018-en/

The Christological hermeneutics of the Old Testament by Dietrich Bonfoeffer

pdf

Tomi Karttunen, adjunct professor, University of Eastern Finland (Yliopistonranta 1, Kuopio, Finland, 70210)
tomi.karttunen@evl.fi

Karttunen T. The Christological hermeneutics of the Old Testament by Dietrich Bonfoeffer, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2013, vol. 2, pp. 52–77.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2013-00019

Language: German

The article studies the views of the German XXth century theologian D. Bonhoeffer on the interpretation of the Old Testament texts. The figure and the role of Christ is the key to his theology, though he denies the reality of his presence in the Eucharist. For him, Christ reveals himself on the pages of the Holy Scripture, and that is the basis for Christological hermeneutics. Bonhoeffer, however, was strongly influenced by dramatic events of the XXth century.

Key words: Boheffer, Christ, Psalms, the Old Testament, hermeneutics

Permanent link: //rcs-almanac.ru/karttunen-2013-en/

Die lutherische Kirche in der Gemeinschaft der anderen christlichen Konfessionen und der anderen Religionen

pdf

Rainer Stahl, general secretary of Martin Luther Bund (Habichtstrasse 14 A, Erlangen, Germany, D-91056)

rs@martin-luther-bund.de

Stahl R. Die lutherische Kirche in der Gemeinschaft der anderen christlichen Konfessionen und der anderen Religionen, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2014, vol. 3, pp. 42–68.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2014-00004

Language: German

The article describes specifics of the Lutheran identity, mainly relying on the vision of Luther. The author emphasizes conservatism and orthodoxy of the Lutheran Church, drawing parallels between the preaching of Luther and the content of Orthodox icons. Within the Reformation the Rainer Stahl Die lutherische Kirche in der Gemeinschaft… 61 Lutheran tradion was developed, that includes strong attitute to science and education as well as availibility of faith and salvation in ordinary life. However, the relation with other religions is the most accurate for the determination of specifics of this Christian community. The author stresses differences in approaching to the Old Testament by Lutherans and Judaismbelievers. Relations with Islam formed in comprehensive historical situation, when the conquest of the Holy Roman Empire by Turkish troops was a real threat. However, Luther and his fellows devoted a lot of time translating the Quran into German and Latin, and the acquaintance with another tradition was the first step to dialog. The main thesis of the article can be reduced to an understanding of the Lutheran Church as a continuation of the Old Christian Church, that at the same time is open to dialogue (especially with the religions of the Old Testament) and development.

Key words: Martin Luther, Lutherans, Church, Christ

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/rainer-2014-en/