Church, Community, Society

  1. Lemma
  2. Църква, Общност, Общество
  3. Bulgarian
  4. Nachev, Ivaylo
  5. 30-1-2019
  6. Стоядинов, Мариян [Author]. Църква. Общност. Общество
  7. Църква. Общност. Общество - Велико Търново: Праксис, 2009.
  8. secularization - ecclesiology - Цанков, Стефан

    1. The book represents a collection of six essays written by Stoyadinov in recent years. The works are linked by the idea for a needed conversation about the Church.  Although the Church is beyond words and concepts, it is a shared secret, the author pointed. Another concept that connects the essays is community. In that work community is depicted not just as a social but as an ontological category. Therefore the answer to the question what the Church is doing comes through the understanding of what the Church is. Additionally, the answers demand answering the question what the Church is not due to layers of historical and ideological congestions. Social functions dominate in the conversation about the Church and that is the case not only in Bulgaria but also globally. Functionality in contemporary epoch is a criterion for existence.  

      The author sees the ecumenical movement in the 20 century as another new major challenge (seen in the long period since the 11 century) to the Orthodox theology and Church. In a time of total secularization, the Church faces the question for its essence and borders. Thanks to a number of Orthodox theologians (Georges Florovsky and John Zizioulas) ecclesiology is among the most dynamic theological fields. In that field there are contributions as well of prof. Stefan Tsankov. Orthodox Christology is a point of departure for understanding ecclesiology and Christian Anthropology. The Church has always avoided publicity saving the core of its teaching.

      Stoyadinov notes that the crisis in the Church is due to various reasons. One is that the Church started to be valued only in national-historical context, becoming element of the folkloric tradition. In that fashion the Eastern Orthodoxy is becoming just another ideology while the Church identifies itself with secondary functions. Moreover, there is the problem with very wide-spread superstitions among the Christians today.