Yearbook (“Babes-Bolyai” University Cluj-Napoca. Faculty of Orthodox Theology)

Credinţa mântuitoare

Valer Bel — 2023-12-31

The present study emphasizes that saving faith is, in the Savior’s intention, the main theme of this evangelical pericope. The faith is necessary to understand the message that Jesus will have to go through suffering and death to reach His glory. The narration of the healing of the lunatic child is the background for the message of Jesus, which requires faith to understand the Person and His saving mission, as well as the role of faith in the personal salvation of each one. Faith is man’s total and integral response to God’s call. It is a personal, free and synergistic act, the transposition of man into a new order of existence, into the existence of communion with God. The faith must be preserved, cultivated and made fruitful. In order to have a living and working faith, we must have the courage to confess it continuously, in all the circumstances of life, to take care of it and cultivate it through persistent prayer and a clean life.

Discursul absolut al teologiei

Nicolae Turcan — 2023-12-31

This article first defines the absolute discourse, then discusses its possibility in theology, as well as the relationships between language, thought, and reality as they derive from the spirituality and life of the Eastern Church. Theology must face several problems—including the paradox of transcendence, the violence of metaphysics, onto-theology, and the duplicity of language itself—, but the Revelation of the Absolute itself legitimizes the theological discourse. By using both affirmations and negations, theology reveals an iconic structure of discourse that opens itself towards life and spirituality. The conclusion is that, in the absolute discourse of theology, words, even ineffable ones, are insufficient without life.

Sf. Ierarh Petru Movilă și instituțiile de învățământ

Dacian But-Căpușan — 2023-12-31

The study highlights the activity of Peter Mogila, first abbot of the Pecerska Lavra, then Metropolitan of Kyiv as founder, organizer and supporter of educational institutions in today’s Ukraine. Peter Mogila introduced Western humanism, the study of the Latin language and interest in scientific research into the space of the Eastern Slavs. To him is due the first truly academic institution among the Orthodox Slavs and throughout Orthodoxy. It had a syllabus identical to that of higher schools in the West (very rich, emphasizing the humanities), a thoroughly trained teaching staff and a rich library. In 1833, on the foundation of the Theological Academy, the University of Kiev was formed.

The Metropolitan of Kiev also established other smaller schools, all financed by the money from the Pecerska Lavra, with the aim of preparing the students who will end up at the Movilean Academy. He also established a second Academy in Vinnytsa and a college in Kremenits. The schools organized according to the model of the Kiev Academy are also listed: in Iaşi, Putna and Moscow, as well as the ecclesiastical personalities who studied at the Kiev Academy: hierarchs (some passed among the saints), professors of Theology, scholars, people of culture and the Romanian graduates.

Cronica Facultății în anul universitar 2021-2022

Cosmin Trif — 2023-12-31

Preot dr. Roger-Cristian Safta, Centralitatea lui Hristos în teologia Părintelui Stăniloae, Ed. Universitaria, Craiova, 2019, 342 p.

Dacian But-Căpușan — 2023-12-31

Arhidiacon Dr. Vlăduţ-Iulian Roşu, Istoria veşmintelor liturgice din Răsăritul Ortodox de la origini până la Sfântul Simeon al Tesalonicului (+1429), Editura „Cuvântul Vieţii”, Bucureşti, 2022, 352 p.

Dacian But-Căpușan — 2023-12-31

O Facultate teologică «world-class», de reper internațional

Teofil Tia — 2023-12-31

The pillars that support a performance academic theological education in Cluj are centering education on the student and providing a consistent material basis for the training institution of the young missionaries of tomorrow, strengthening the teaching staff by stimulating high-level research and increasing the visibility of scientific research, with an emphasis on the doctoral level, the internationalization of the presence and activity of the Faculty of Theology in Cluj-Napoca, a relationship with society of great spiritual fertility and of great cultural-religious impact, the mission necessarily presupposing a convincing rational-cognitive backbone of the postmodern theological discourse, appropriately contextualized, with a particular attention to contemporary sensibilities.

Das Wirken und Engagement der Klausenburger orthodoxen Theologie angesichts der Herausforderungen des 21. Jahrhunderts

Vasile Stanciu — 2023-12-31

Orthodox theologians of the 20th century open a new perspective on the application of theology, which is based more on the social and liturgical dimension. The Romanian Orthodox Church was barely visible in the social sphere for about half a century until 1989 due to the political circumstances of the atheistic dictatorship. But we must not forget that the first welfare institutions were established by the Church. After 1989, the diaconal vocation and mission took a new form in the Romanian Orthodox Church. Dozens, even hundreds, of social institutions were created by the Church at all levels. Our faculty has a specialization in “Social Assistance”. The theologian Radu Preda developed the term “social theology” for academic theological training in the Church’s social teaching. The Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Cluj maintains the ecumenical dialogue with other partner institutions, especially in Europe. Specifically, our Faculty maintains several scientific and academic partnerships with other theological faculties in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, France and England.

Săptămâna Patimilor în frescele de la Biserica „Sfântul Nicolae” a Mănăstirii Probota

Marcel Muntean — 2023-12-31

The study includes an iconographic analysis of the episodes that illustrate the Passion Week in the ”Saint Nicholas” Church at the Probota Monastery, the princely necropolis of Petru Rares.
The painting dates from the 16th century and represents one of the most telling and truthful testimonies of the Moldovan mural art of that time.

The beauty of the compositions, the clarity of the drawing and the forms, the particularly rich chromatics characterize, define and individualize the scenes that follow in the median register of the church nave. At the same time, we mention the 21 iconographic scenes presented: The entrance to Jerusalem, the Washing of the feet, the Last Supper, the Prayer on the Mount of Olives, the Sleep of the Apostles, the Kiss of Judah, Jesus before Annas and Caiaphas, the Denial of Peter and the Judgment of Jesus, the Mocking of Jesus, the Restitution of Money and the Hanging of Judas, Jesus on the Way of Calvary, the Ascension of the Cross, Pilate on horseback in search of the Savior’s cross, and Joseph of Arimathea asking for the body of Jesus, The soldiers sharing the shirt of Christ, the Crucifixion, the Descent from the Cross and the Lamentation of the Savior, the Guard from the Tomb.

Sursele primelor volume ale traducerii Filocaliei greceşti de către Pr. Dumitru Stăniloae

Răzvan Perșa — 2023-12-31

As acknowledged in contemporary research, multiple Romanian translations of the Philokalic writings predate Father Dumitru Stăniloae’s translation, many of which are preserved in manuscript form in the Library of the Romanian Academy. Father Stăniloae received two volumes of the Greek Philokalia from Zian Boca, who brought them from Mount Athos following a scholarship awarded by Metropolitan Nicolae Bălan. In the preface to the first volume, Father Stăniloae expresses his regret over the absence of critical editions of the Philokalia text. The existing editions could not be utilized by the translator due to the material limitations of the time, specifically during the spring of 1944, when Fr Stăniloae started the translation of the Philokalia. Consequently, Father Stăniloae relied on the Greek edition of the Philokalia and the Greek texts within Migne’s collection, utilizing these sources to discern the meaning closest to a potential original text. From Father Stăniloae’s accounts, it is evident that three significant sources were employed in the translation of the Philokalia, in addition to the Greek edition: 1) the translation by Bishop Gherasim Safirin, preserved in manuscript at the Frăsinei Monastery; 2) the translations by Hieromonk Serafim Popescu; and 3) copies of older Romanian manuscripts from Athos brought by Serafim Popescu and Arsenie Boca. The article attempts to examine these three primary sources utilized by Father Stăniloae.

Cuvântul – pedagogul – educaţia

Gheorghe Șanta — 2023-12-31

The study emphasizes that the knowledge of some essential characteristics of the thinking process, affectivity and will, which manifests itself in each psychological stage of age, is necessary for the priest or religion teacher, in order to be able to elaborate the desired and expected evangelical message. The spiritual life of the believer being a complex structural unit in its manifestations, in order to be known by the shepherd of souls, research is needed in this field. Knowing these, the usual methods of knowing the spiritual life of the believer can be used: observation, conversation, experiment, introspection, etc. The theoretical knowledge of psychology, combined with that gained through practical observations on the spiritual manifestations of the faithful, can be applied in religious and spiritual education to outline and shape the moral and spiritual personality of the members of the mystical Body of Christ-the Church.

Doxologie, glasul IV antifon

Daniel Mocanu — 2023-12-31

The Great Doxology, mode IV. The Great Doxology, Glory to God in the highest, sung on Sundays and Holy Feasts at the Matins service, is an important hymn, in the morning service. Singing it in a solemn way, the liturgical community prepares for entering in the Holy Liturgy. In Transylvanian musical tradition, the most sung melodic version of the Great Doxology is the one on the 4th mode, on the antiphon form. The present melodic version, written in the Transylvanian manner, brings together the most used melodic formulas of the 4th mode, which we find in the oral musical tradition. By putting this composition into the liturgical circuit, we want to standardize the manner of singing the Great Doxology and offer an accessible musical version, with a medium degree of difficulty, with a church melodic line designed to satisfy the aesthetic tastes of the faithful.

Reflecţia teologică – opreliște în fața „epidemiei de mediocritate” ce agresează cultura

Teofil Tia — 2023-12-31

Cartea Psalmilor – expunerea Torei în formă lirică

Ioan Chirilă — 2023-12-31

The central element of Old Testament revelation, around which the other writings revolve, is the Torah or Pentateuch. Neviim and Chetubim also have the Law as their main theme but approached it from an apologetic and missionary-pastoral perspective respectively. The prophets are the most devoted defenders of the Law, but at the same time, they also reveal the ways and methods of inscribing the Law on the flesh tablets of the heart (Jer 31). On the other hand, didactic-poetic literature offers us practical lessons in embodying the Law. All these aspects draw our attention to how God reveals himself and works in history, causing the structures of salvation history to emerge clearly within it. These considerations convinced me to focus on the Psalter and to highlight how this book presents a Pentateuchal structure, how it focuses on the theme of the Law, and how it becomes a prayer book through which the believer comes to pray with the heart.

Jertfa lui Isaac în comentariile și omiliile Sfinților Părinți

Stelian Pașca-Tușa — 2023-12-31

Isaac’s sacrifice has been incorporated into the biblical typology from the beginning. The Church Fathers saw Isaac as a symbol of Christ and his sacrifice on Mount Moriah as a foreshadowing of the final sacrifice on Calvary. The patristic tradition has therefore been able to find in the text of Genesis 22, which describes the sacrifice, many elements that strengthen the link between Isaac and Jesus Christ. Contemporary scholars, most of them belonging to the critical school of interpretation, believe that this association is not clearly defined and there- fore needs to be solidly supported by arguments from the original text. The reasoning of these biblical scholars is not wrong, just as the approach of the Fathers cannot be considered incorrect. Here we are faced with two methods of exegesis that are not in harmony. The purpose of this study is not to find arguments in support of the patristic perspective, but rather to identify the starting point of the typology and to analyse its development in the sermons and commentaries of leading Eastern exegetes of the first six centuries of the Christian era.

Neînțelegerea și conflictele interpersonale – prilej de configurare a profilului identitar creștin

Bianca Sabou — 2023-12-31

Consistently, the question of man’s Christian identity has been treated as an essential anthropological component, which necessarily belongs not only to the individual but also to the communal perspective of human existence. The healing of the blind man from birth depicts the exemplary process of establishing Christian identity, which takes place from physical healing to the confession of faith, going through progressive stages that stand under the sign of the relationship with the representative members of an ignorant community, divided by conflicts. In contrast to the inflexible authorities, the healed carries the dialogue through an openness that allows him to deepen the identity approach. The healing of the blind from birth reveals to us the meaning of the encounter with Christ and the meaning that the term light has during the formation of the Christian identity. The three parts of the healing of the blind from birth correspond to the three ways of knowing, representative of experiencing God in Orthodoxy: I. knowing God in concrete circumstances of life; II. rational knowledge and III. apophatic knowledge.

Onisifor Ghibu și Nicolae Colan, promotori ai Marii Uniri din 1918

Ioan-Vasile Leb — 2023-12-31

Among the Transylvanian personalities who made an important contribution to the realization of Greater Romania, O. Ghibu and N. Colan stand out for their particular activity in preparing the union of Bessarabia with the Motherland, and in organizing the country.

The first, O. Ghibu (1883-1972), was then 35 years old and had a rich didactic activity, being school inspector for Transylvanian schools (1910-1914) and professor of pedagogy at the Sibiu Theological Institute (1910-1912). After the outbreak of the First World Conflict, he took refuge in Bucharest, where, between 1914 and 1916, he led an intense campaign for Romania's entry into the war alongside Antantanian against Austria-Hungary, which brought him a death sentence in absentia from the Hungarian Military Court in Cluj in 1915. In autumn 1916, after the occupation of Bucharest, O. Ghibu with his wife and three children (the eldest was only 4 years old) took refuge in Iasi, from where in March 1917, he settled in Chişinău, becoming the soul of the Besserabian revolution of 1917-1918. He was intensely active there, succeeding in opening Romanian schools throughout Besserabia from 1917 onwards. He also succeeded, with other Besserabian patriots, in founding the Moldavian National Party, within which he campaigned for the union of Besserabia with Romania. As an organ of unionist propaganda, on Oct. 1, 1917 he published "Ardealul", the first "sheet" printed in Latin letters in the entire Russian Empire. On Jan. 24, 1918, this became "New Romania" (România Nouă), publishing in its first issue the great "Declaration of Union with Romania". In 1918 he was appointed secretary to the Sibiu Governing Council, being elected to the Grand Council of Transylvania, achieving the takeover of the University of Cluj by organizing it on Romanian bases. He became a university professor and corresponding member of the Romanian Academy (1919). The second, N. Colan, was ten years his junior, but also imbued with strong national sentiments. He too came from the Sibiu Theological Institute, where his colleagues included L. Blaga, A. Oţetea, D.D.Roşca, H. Teculescu and others. Because of the war, he took refuge in Bucharest, then in Moldavia and Ucraine, arriving in October 1917 in Chişinău where alongside O. Ghibu, A. Oţetea, Ion Mateiu and others participated in the revival of the national feeling of Romanians everywhere. After the war he became bishop of Cluj, metropolitan of Transylvania and member of the Romanian Academy.

The Apostolic Succession in the Authentic Christian Faith and Life according to Clement of Rome

Ana Baciu — 2023-12-31

Bishop Clement, the 3rd bishop of Rome, wrote in the 2st century the First Epistle to Corinthians, through which he wanted to unite them in the name of the Holy Apostolic Tradition. Bishop Clement tries to explain the apostolic succession in the authentic Christian life and faith. The author of the epistle mentions and urges towards the sound and righteous faith, piety in Jesus Christ, achieving perfection through the love for Christ and fulfilling God’s commandments. Also, bishop Clement insists upon a pure and dignified conduct, preached by the apostles and by those who have a real and powerful faith in the Word of Truth.

Repere hrisostomiene privitoare la post

Nicolae-Dragoș Kerekes — 2023-12-31

In this study, we set out to research the Church's teaching on fasting (names, definition, kind, benefit) and the actuality of fasting reflected in the Homilies of Saint John Chrysostom to the book of Genesis and the Gospel according to Matthew.

Două documente inedite din Arhiva Arhiepiscopiei Vadului, Feleacului și Clujului referitoare la viața și activitatea Părintelui Gavril Burzo

Vasile Rojneac — 2023-12-31

In the present research we want to highlight some aspects regarding the life and activity of Father Burzo Gavril, based on two documents recently discovered in the Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj Archives, in 2021, which we will reproduce and analyze here. The two documents that we have mentioned contribute essentially to the biography and the missionary-pastoral and administrative activity of this worthy priest, who suffered in communist prisons, while at the end of our research, we will attach the originals signed by Father Burzo Gavril.

Izvoare referitoare la viaţa şi activitatea patriarhului Mihail I Cerularie (c. 1000 - 1059)

Laurențiu Lucaci — 2023-12-31

This article tries to index and analyze the main primary sources refering to the life and works of patriarch Michael I Cerularius. After a brief presentation of the obstacles in preserving the documents, the article will try to makes a short insight into the origin of the manuscripts and edited sources we can find today. By analyzing both intrinsic and extrinsic details of the source, we will try to determine the quality of the writings. As criteria we will take into account who the authors were, their mesage and the way the original texts have been picked up and copied.

Cronicile unui pictor uitat

Henorel Nica — 2023-12-31

In an attempt to bring new elements, possibly unpublished, related to the Miracle-Maker Icon of Nicula, in order to highlight this anniversary year directly related to the history of this artistic and Latin treasure of Orthodoxy, especially Transylvanian, the ,,surprise” factor was overwhelming in the discovery that would certify at least one of the plastic interventions on its pictorial layer.

The fact that the discovery initially made by the restaurer Dorina Idiceanu and made known with the publication of the work „The Weeping Virgins of Transylvania” by the museographer Ana Dumitran, that is, „one or maybe even two attempts at „refreshment”1, was officially confirmed by the research carried out, is not the most sensational thing, even if it is an important scientific step in the history of the Holy Icon. What is really noteworthy and even remarkable is the discovery that reveals the month and year of the intervention, July 1934, and especially the name of the artist who had the honour of doing this work, called in the source researched... „repair”. And all the more so, since our discovery was made in a source initially considered of no great importance in the scientific approach of historical research, which aimed to uncover possible accounts related to the miraculous manifestation of the object of research.

This discovery of a transdisciplinary nature, in this case of theology, art and history, shows us that even the consultation of banal accounting registers can provide details hidden from the untrained eye, even from the eyes of researchers, who see in them only economic and statistical information, normal and ordinary for any institution, but which, in the eyes of an inquisitive researcher, can constitute sources and sources of the first order, completing and even rewriting parts of the history of the object of study and making them true sources of documentation for part of our study.

Following this sensational revelation, it was the natural step to ,,discover” the artist to whom this action of intervention was entrusted: the „Havas painter”. Another direction of research, which proved extremely difficult, in the absence of documentary material and especially of information about his identity and activity even in historical and artistic circles. This information was finally answered after researches that involved institutions such as the National Archives – Arad, Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca branch, the National Széchényi Library in Budapest, the Art Museums in Arad, Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca, the City Hall of Arad and Pâncota, the Jewish Community of Arad and Cluj Napoca, as well as historical and artistic personalities such as Zoltán Tibori-Szabó, Jenő Murádin, Tiberiu Alexa, Daniel Lowy, Elena Rodica Colta or Raoul Vizental.

Harismele părintelui duhovnicesc în epistolele Sfântului Simeon Noul Teolog

Sergiu-Dan Maxim — 2023-12-31

We can not speak of a high spiritual life without a spiritual father. Has been written about this in the life of the Christian in both the patristic and the neopatristic eras. The importance of the spiritual father is also addressed by Saint Simeon the New Theologian, especially in his epistles. In these epistles, Saint Simeon raises a very important issue, that of the necessity of the ordination of the spiritual father. I will address this issue from the perspective of the Saint’s time as well as from the perspective of today. In addition to those mentioned, Simeon also speaks of the necessity of the confessor. Finally, he paints a portrait of the confessor by emphasizing three requirements that he is obliged to observe: intercessor, healer and counselor.