Scaffolds of the Church


Book Description

Unity is the categorical imperative of the church. It is not just the church's bene esse, but its esse. In addition to being a theological concept, unity has become a raison d'etre of various structures that the church has established and developed. All of these structures are supposed to serve the end of unity. However, from time to time some of them deviate from their initial purpose and contribute to disunity. This happens because the structures of the church are not a part of its nature and can therefore turn against it. They are like scaffolding, which facilitates the construction and maintenance of a building without actually being part of it. Likewise, ecclesial structures help the church function in accordance with its nature but should not be identified with the church proper. This book considers the evolution of some of these church structures and evaluates their correspondence to their initial rationale. It focuses on particular structures that have developed in the eastern part of the Christian oecumene, such as patriarchates, canonical territory, and autocephaly, all of which are explored in the more general frame of hierarchy and primacy. They were selected because they are most neuralgic in the life of the Orthodox churches today and bear in them the greatest potential to divide.




Scaffolds of the Church


Book Description

Unity is the categorical imperative of the church. It is not just the church's bene esse, but its esse. In addition to being a theological concept, unity has become a raison d'etre of various structures that the church has established and developed. All of these structures are supposed to serve the end of unity. However, from time to time some of them deviate from their initial purpose and contribute to disunity. This happens because the structures of the church are not a part of its nature and can therefore turn against it. They are like scaffolding, which facilitates the construction and maintenance of a building without actually being part of it. Likewise, ecclesial structures help the church function in accordance with its nature but should not be identified with the church proper. This book considers the evolution of some of these church structures and evaluates their correspondence to their initial rationale. It focuses on particular structures that have developed in the eastern part of the Christian oecumene, such as patriarchates, canonical territory, and autocephaly, all of which are explored in the more general frame of hierarchy and primacy. They were selected because they are most neuralgic in the life of the Orthodox churches today and bear in them the greatest potential to divide.







Modern Orthodox Theology


Book Description

Modern Orthodox theology represents a continuity of the Eastern Christian theological tradition stretching back to the early Church and especially to the Ancient Fathers of the Church. This volume considers the full range of modern Orthodox theology. The first chapters of the book offer a chronological study of the development of modern Orthodox theology, beginning with a survey of Orthodox theology from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 until the early 19th century. Ladouceur then focuses on theology in imperial Russia, the Russian religious renaissance at the beginning of the 20th century, and the origins and nature of neopatristic theology, as well as the new theology in Greece and Romania, and tradition and the restoration of patristic thought. Subsequent chapters examine specific major themes: - God and Creation - Divine-humanity, personhood and human rights - The Church of Christ - Ecumenical theology and religious diversity - The 'Christification' of life - Social and Political Theology - The 'Name-of-God' conflict - The ordination of women The volume concludes with assessments of major approaches of modern Orthodox theology and reflections on the current status and future of Orthodox theology. Designed for classroom use, the book features: - case studies - a detailed index - a list of recommended readings for each chapter







The Archaeology of Churches


Book Description

The definitive work on church archaeology.




This Old Church


Book Description

From the squeaky floors to the crumbling towers and from peeling paint to the falling ceiling, parishioners love to talk about any restoration work, as many have already had similar experiences with their own homes. But to move from talking to action is a long and costly road. Proper planning of any restoration work is a must to ensure good results. Such planning requires many groups of competent people. --Ion Grumeza This Old Church is not a book about how to build a new church building; it's a book about how to restore the church building you already have. Grumeza has taken his many years of experience as a church restoration planner and estimator and compiled his knowledge into one handy, how-to guide on restoring church buildings. The book: ¥ describes in thorough detail the logistical procedures to be followed before, during, and after the restoration process ¥ includes advice on how to relate to contractors, to your congregation, and to the public ¥ offers a wealth of easy-to-comprehend information for the various phases of a complicated and costly project Through this guide, Grumeza shows how to do everything from identifying the building's problems to choosing the right general contractor, and provides helpful checklists every step of the way. Also includes photographs that show the processes Grumeza outlines in this handy resource.







OSAHRC Reports


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Sessional Papers


Book Description