Annua Nuntia Lovaniensia – serie

The many numbers of divorces and remarriages today seem to place in question the concept of marriage as being «till death do us apart». How should we evaluate this development? Are the foundations of society being shaken to their core or does perhaps the great number of people remarrying indicate precisely that «conjugality» continues to be a fixed element in the human lifecycle? Scientific insights and loyality to the Christian tradition bring this multi-disciplinary theological reflection to a double movement: on the one hand, a re-appreciation of Christian marriage in terms of its evangelical roots, on the other a theological and pastoral dialogue with the several current forms that conjugality assumes upon a marriage's failure. We furthermore give special attention to the position of the children. From a faith perspective, marriage continues to be a pre-eminent path of salvation as a community of life and basis for family. La fréquence actuelle des divorces et des remariages remet en question la vision d'un «mariage pour toujours». Comment apprécier cette évolution? Faut-il dire qu'est ainsi atteint le fondement même de la vie commune? Ou bien le grand nombre de remariage confirme-t-il que la «conjugalité» reste une composante ferme de l'existence humaine? Les recherches scientifiques et la loyauté envers la tradition chrétienne orientent la réflexion théologique multidisciplinaire dans une double direction. D'une part, une redéfinition du mariage chrétien à partir de ses racines évangéliques. D'autre part, un dialogue théologique et pastoral avec les multiples formes actuelles de conjugalité, succédant à un échec du mariage. Dans ce contexte, nous accordons une particulière attention à la situation des enfants. Pour le chrétien, le mariage reste une exceptionnelle voie de salut, si du moins il est conçu comme une communauté de vie et le fondement de la famille.

This third volume of Understanding What One Reads includes forty-two studies of the New Testament. The three volumes cover 1992-2003 (I); 2003-2011 (II) and 2011-2014 (III). Though for the most part the content of this third volume falls under the category of responses to recent scholarly books or articles, some conference papers directed toward more general audience are included. In this volume Professor Lambrecht continues his defense of the thesis of Mark's dependence on Q. In addition, a major subdivision reflects on Paul. At the end of this third book there is provided a canonical list of his English articles written between 1992-2014 from Collected Studies on Pauline Literature and the Book on Revelation (Rome, 2001) as well as those in the three volumes of Understanding What One Reads. These additional features will facilitate endeavors to follow the chronological development of Professor Lambrecht's thought.

The relation between religion and state in modern European history is characterized by a dual exercise: safeguarding freedom of religion for all citizens and simultaneously guaranteeing civil governance free from domination by religious authorities. While both religion and state have potential power to suppress personal freedom and development and to keep societies in a deadlock, the present volume notes that in recent decades political and academic discourse has increasingly focused on the potential negative influence of religion. By consequence, historical attitudes of benevolence of European states towards religion are replaced by suspicion and historical religion-state relations are questioned and torn down. Meanwhile, a so-called secular humanist worldview is presented in the public arena as not just an alternative to religions, but as actually superior to religious worldviews. In this cross-disciplinary volume, ten scholars critically scrutinize these developments in two sections. First, theoretical considerations aim to rethink what healthy relations between religion and state should look like in contemporary secularized Europe. Ongoing negotiations on the meaning of terms such as secularity, neutrality and laicité are analyzed and the purview of the right to religious freedom is reconsidered. Second, case studies from throughout Europe demonstrate the effects of past and ongoing societal developments on religious agents and their communities, which seek to take up their place in society. As a joint effort, this book aims to contribute to ongoing scholarly debate, not by providing simple and direct answers, but by asking questions and offering nuanced perspectives on the topics at hand.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope in March 2013 with a clear agenda of internal reform of the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Yet the reformist Pope Francis has also developed an outspoken political agenda. After more than six years of his pontificate, one can say that he has become an idiosyncratic and remarkable world leader. Among other things, he brokered an agreement between the US and Cuba; brought South Sudan’s sworn enemies together in the Vatican, criticized ‘the globalization of indifference’ toward the plight of refugees and migrants; made the notion of ‘periphery’ central to his geopolitical approach; was the first Bishop of Rome to meet a Russian Patriarch of Moscow and to visit the Arabian Peninsula; signed an unprecedented agreement with the People’s Republic of China; and issued several wake-up calls to Europe. This volume collects the contributions of international experts on different aspects of the geopolitical arena. Its aim is to provide insights into the pope’s geopolitical approach and to help us understand the opportunities and challenges, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, of the Vatican’s international policy in the era of Pope Francis. With contributions from Sandra Arenas, Jan De Volder, Massimo Faggioli, Brandon Gallaher, Agostino Giovagnoli, Marco Impagliazzo, Terrence Merrigan, Stefano Picciaredda, Giuliana Rotola, Johan Verstraeten and Jan Wouters. Jan De Volder (ed.) is a Belgian historian with particular interest in the roles of the Catholic Church and the world religions in international affairs. Currently, he holds the Cusanus Chair in ‘Religion, Conflict and Peace’ of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the KU Leuven (Belgium).

This book is the outcome of a major conference held by Omnes Gentes on the thematic religion, violence, and peacebuilding, celebrating the 100 years of the publication of Quod Iam Diu, the Encyclical of Pope Benedict XV “On the Future Peace Conference” issued on 1st December, 1918. Authors from all continents have provided articles from their field of research and their context to illustrate the importance of religious insights and actions to promote peace in difficult times. Academics, ecclesiastical leaders, pastoral workers, and researchers from around the world, who are involved directly in the work of peacebuilding, shed light on specific contexts, historical perspective and actions, as well as inspiring prospects for the future. Omnes Gentes is a collaboration of the Faculties of Theology of KU Leuven and UCLouvain, Lumen Vitae, and Missio-Belgium. Ce livre est le fruit d’une conférence Omnes Gentes qui a rassemblé des académiques, des évêques et des chercheurs de tous les continents autour d’une thématique d’importance: la violence, les religions et l’édification de la paix, commémorant de la sorte les cent ans de la publication de Quod Iam Diu, l’encyclique de Benoît XV publiée en 1918. Les contributions de cet ouvrage s’enracinent dans des contextes troublés pour illustrer le rôle majeur des religions dans la promotion de la paix en des temps difficiles. Omnes Gentes associe les Facultés de Théologie de la KU Leuven et de l’UCLouvain, le centre Lumen Vitae et Missio-Belgique, afin de promouvoir la recherche et les publications dans le domaine de l’évangélisation, avec une attention spécifique au dialogue entre le Sud et le Nord.

How does the church come from Jesus? Previously, this was a much clearer and more settled question. It could be answered from dogmatic conclusions, rather than from historical investigation. Since the methodological revolutions in Catholic theology of the twentieth century that initiated hermeneutical processes of self-discovery, potential answers to this question are far less stable and comprehensive. The recovery of past elements of tradition and the uncertainty of the future demand creative answers to the challenges facing the church regarding its identity. This volume, prepared in honor of Bernard P. Prusak, attempts to constructively explore the question of ‘how’ the church comes from Jesus. The contributors have provided critical reflections from different theological disciplines in order to think this question anew from a more ‘synoptic’ perspective in line with Prusak’s own theology. His work consistently plumbs the depths of Christian history and traditions, alive to the liturgical and sacramental life of the Body of Christ, to address the concerns of Christians seeking understanding of their faith today. This volume is comprised of fifteen chapters across two parts, including contributions from four generations of theologians associated with Prusak and his theology. Part I investigates the identity of the church and what it means to encounter God’s revelation in history. It features contributions from biblical, liturgical, and systematic theologians on topics ranging from scriptural metaphors to receptions of the Second Vatican Council. Part II seeks to apply critically the principles of faith to the morally complex, ever-changing contemporary world. Contributions here explore systematic considerations of Prusak’s ecclesiology in dialogue with Pope Francis’s concept of mercy, the role of women in the church, ecclesial power structures, grace, and the future of the ‘church unfinished’.