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Teologinen
Aikakauskirja tel.
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In this number 2011Tiivistelmät / Abstrakter / Abstracts 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 4/2011VIRPI MÄKINEN For Bonaventure, creation was based on the self-diffusive goodness and love of the triune God, from which a community of relationships emerges (emanatio). All of creation is therefore in some way related to and even a sign of the Trinity (exemplarism). Like a mirror or book, creation reflects the power, wisdom and goodness of the triune God and is meant to lead humans back to Him. Bonaventure viewed the world as both sacramental and symbolic. Since every creature has its foundation in the uncreated Word of God, the incarnate Word of God reveals to the world its own meaning and directs the world to fulfilment and completion in God (consummatio). Creation is imbued with divine meaning and awaits the human person to give voice to this meaning. Only together do they form a symphony of divine praise and glory. KALLE HILTUNEN Once in a while, experience is cited as one of the main sources of the mysticism of John of the Cross. However, a careful study of the mysticism of John shows that the features which superficially seem to have been inspired by some sort of mystical experience prove instead to be part of the tradition where John lived. For example, John’s concept of the essential knowledge of creatures which the soul attains in union with God is inspired by the medieval debate on the cognition of God (especially John Baconthorpe) and the thoughts of Meister Eckhart. IRINA KARVONEN Adrian of Ondrusov was, as tradition holds, a monk who lived in the 16th century and founded the Ondrusova monastery in the Olonets region, in the proximity of Lake Ladoga. The precise founding year of the monastery remains unclear. Nineteenth-century literature presents contradictory views on the question. The Hermitage of St Nicholas in Ondrusova, edited by Hegumen Damaskin of the Valaam monastery in 1856, was until recently considered the earliest written hagiography of St. Adrian of Ondrusov. A newly discovered manuscript source provides more detailed information about the origin of the hagiography of Adrian as the founder of the Ondrusova monastery as well as the monastery’s historical development. AHTI LAMPINEN Michael Polanyi’s basic idea is that physical laws are not sufficient to explain natural phenomena. Biological processes as well as processes of perception, learning and communication can be described by boundary conditions and hierarchies that constrain or harness the physical laws. This idea can be extended to situations where our ultimate frame of reference is changing and where we may face problems associated with theology. Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi article discusses the problematics of gender and religion from the perspective of change and agency, i.e. actorship. In the Neo-Charismatic movement, the role of actor seems to transcend the often-quoted principle used to justify segregation of genders: ”it is a shame for women to speak in the church”. Even when gender roles are defined as per fundamentalist Christianity, attitudes to personal experience and the impact of the individual spiritual gift overridingly govern actorship. The discussion here focuses on how religious actorship is seen as gender-specific in the research literature and how religious actorship is manifested in a Neo-Charismatic environment in particular. A further consideration is how actorship defined from within a religious tradition may be used to change the structures of that tradition. 3/2011 TUIJA HOVI The article discusses the problematics of gender and religion from the perspective of change and agency, i.e. actorship. In the Neo-Charismatic movement, the role of actor seems to transcend the often-quoted principle used to justify segregation of genders: ”it is a shame for women to speak in the church”. Even when gender roles are defined as per fundamentalist Christianity, attitudes to personal experience and the impact of the individual spiritual gift overridingly govern actorship. The discussion here focuses on how religious actorship is seen as gender-specific in the research literature and how religious actorship is manifested in a Neo-Charismatic environment in particular. A further consideration is how actorship defined from within a religious tradition may be used to change the structures of that tradition. KIMMO KETOLA & JUSSI SOHLBERG Religious supply has increased markedly in Finland during the recent decades. Pluralisation of the religious field is most evident in the big cities, especially in Helsinki. This article provides an overview of the religious field in Helsinki in the year 2008. The religious field is described by documenting and classifying all religious communities and groups active in Helsinki during the research period. The results of the numerical analysis of communities belonging to different religious traditions show that about two thirds of them are of Christian origin and one third from other religions. Of the active membership, more than three quarters are Christians. These results show that while the religious field is becoming increasingly diverse, there is no single religious orientation or tradition driving the change. Christianity is diversifying along with the increase of immigrant religions and new spiritual groups. However, the results in some way confirm the sociological theories that emphasise the importance of individualisation in the sphere of religion. TUOMAS MARTIKAINEN The article discusses the opportunities and constraints in estimating the religious backgrounds of immigrants in Finland. It also estimates the religious backgrounds of first-generation immigrants from 1990 to 2009, based on information from the population structure statistics of Statistics Finland and the World Christian Database. According to the estimate, the religious backgrounds of immigrants in Finland in 2009 were as follows: Christians (53%–61%), Muslims (17%–19%), Non-religious (11%–21%), Buddhists (4%), Ethnoreligionists (2%) and Hindus (1%). ILKKA PYYSIÄINEN This article uses three cases of evil as a springboard to a discussion of the relationship between moral psychology, ethics and culture. Marc Hauser’s idea of a Universal Moral Grammar is used as one possible way of conceptualising human moral competence. The ways in which cultural ideas are grounded in human cognition while cultural parameters shape expressions of morality are analysed. 2/2011ARI HUKARI The idea of reconciliation could be seen as a purely Christian category of thinking, but it can be argued that the idea of reconciliation is recognisable in all religious traditions. The human condition or misfortune and the need for restitution are described variably in different faith traditions, sometimes in contradictory ways. But we might describe the principal aim of reconciliation as the desire to find balance and harmony in life. The way to inner peace varies from one faith system to another. By studying the cultic or liturgical practices we can best understand the dynamics of reconciliation in different faith communities. Various discourses of religious restoration are analyzed in the article. MIKA HIETANEN The article analyses techniques of verbal rhetoric based on recordings of prayer meetings from the first year of the Nokia Missio Church (2008–2009). The rhetorical situation is of particular interest in this charismatic congregation. The crowd can be examined from the viewpoint of the various participant groups, drawing on Lloyd Bitzer’s idea of the life span of a rhetorical situation. Classical rhetoric, verbal communication and psychology are used to augment interpretation. The analysis shows how rhetorical strategies are used at various points in the meetings. They include pathos, emotional music, personal testimonials, ethopoeia, leading prayer and messages from God. Particular focus here is on words of welcome, praise, testimonials and addresses to the congregation, with discussion of how the listeners are being persuaded according to their life situations. TOMI KARTTUNEN Eberhard Jüngel and Wolfhart Pannenberg played a central role in the German discussion regarding the Joint Declaration on the Justification (1999). Jüngel argues for an effective interpretation of the forensic act of declaring the ungodly as righteous. The basis for this is the eccentric act of faith and its orientation towards the act of justification. Pannenberg points out the ecstatic fellowship of a believer with Christ so that Christ is both outside (extra nos) and inside of us (in nobis). Due to the unity with Christ the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the empirical self of a justified person who thus can grow in righteousness. The article suggests that the model of Pannenberg is more ontologically oriented, argues on a broader biblical basis and is ecumenically more open than the contribution of Jüngel. LEENA AHTEENMÄKI-PELKONEN This empirical interview study is an inductive analysis of the goals of individual work counselling as presented by work counsellors (n=11) in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, in accordance with a qualitative research approach and a constructive paradigm. The work counsellors mentioned 1) goals related to the work counselling situation (atmosphere and interaction, establishing the basic task, discussing spiritual questions, and personal development goals of the counsellor) and 2) goals related to the client (coping at work, perspective of the workplace community, handling of customer cases and progress made by the client during counselling). In the conclusions, I compare these with my previous study of psychiatric work counsellors (n=6), demonstrating that church workers focus on the counselling process and the client, while psychiatric work counsellors focus on the work. The comparison raises the fundamental issue of the relationship and dialectic between counselling and work. Differing solutions lead to differing work counselling functions within the church and in society at large. 1/2011ELINA JUNTUNEN Diaconal workers in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland help clients for instance by offering financial support. This financial support is an essential part of diaconal work. The Church Order (chapter 4, section 3) stipulates that the purpose of diaconal work is to help people whom no one else will help in their extreme need. Despite this definition and the comprehensive approach of diaconal care, the financial support provided causes tensions within the Church and in society at large. This article discusses how diaconal workers understand the tensions concerning financial support. Data for the article were collected through themed interviews and questionnaires. The results show that there are tensions involved in the distribution of welfare work, the essence and professionalism of diaconal work, and support processes. These tensions testify to the unclear status of diaconal work within the Evangelical-Lutheran Church and in the social welfare system in general. TIMO ESKOLA Medieval criticism declared that the Qur’an is full of contradictions, errors and myths and therefore cannot be held as divine truth. As Bible criticism began to develop in the 18th century, Hermann Reimarus applied similar principles when assessing the historical and religious nature of the Bible. According to Reimarus, the Bible too appears to be a collection of separate fables and therefore cannot be regarded as divine revelation. Through David Strauss’s biography of Reimarus, these principles influenced the whole subsequent tradition of historical-critical study of the Bible. JUSSI KOIVISTO In recent decades, the homosexual issue has caused much controversy in churches. The Church of Sweden has been one of the forerunners regarding church ceremonies for homosexuals. This article analyses administrative development in the Church of Sweden between 1994 and 2009, the period when the Church made its most important decisions regarding church ceremonies for same-sex couples. In addition to administrative analysis, the article also evaluates decision-making from the argumentative and theological perspectives. JAAKKO OLAVI ANTILA From the late 19th century onwards, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland increasingly came to be seen as a ”church of the people”. As the Church became identified with the people and the nation instead of the hierarchical authority of the Tsar of Russia in his role as Grand Duke of Finland, relations between the Church and party politics became much more problematic, especially since the nation was divided. The ideal was to achieve a Church which would be highly democratic yet bound to the Word of God, and which would take an active stand in social matters yet not be identified with any political party. When ideologically different and political parties began to take part in church elections in the 1970s in keen competition, conflicting ideals of the ”people’s church” clashed.
Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
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