An Orthodox View of Philanthropy and Church Diaconia

According to Orthodox theology, philanthropy refers to the loveof God toward man, which man is called to imitate by lovinghis neighbor as himself. This love consists not just in emotionsbut requires specific acts of philanthropy toward our fellowman in need. The church, in keeping the commandments of Christ,has developed throughout her history a rich philanthropic work.The diaconia of the church has taken many forms, thus respondingto historical change and to the specific human needs at differenttimes. Concentrating on diaconia for those who are in need oflong-term care, this article presents the Orthodox view of thediaconia of the church, as realized through her own philanthropicorganizations as well as through her very specific contributionto the diaconia offered by state sponsored charitable institutions.     

Naming the Unnameable God: Levinas, Derrida, and Marion

In this essay I present the postmodern phenomenological approach of Levinas, Derrida, and Marion to the problem of naming the unnameable God. For Levinas, God is never experienced directly but only as a third person whose infinity is testified to in the infinity of responsibility to the hungry. For Derrida, God remains the unnameable “wholly other” accessible only as the indeterminate term of pure reference in prayer. For Marion, God remains the object of “de-nomination” through praise. In all three, the problem of naming the unnameable God is necessarily linked to how we relate to fellow human beings, to the hungry in Levinas, justice in Derrida, and charity in Marion. I also reflect on the merits and adequacy of phenomenology as such for speaking of divine transcendence.     

Calvin's View of Natural Knowledge of God

For Calvin, the relation between God's revelation in the sensus divinitatis and God's revelation in his works is not reducible to the distinction between internal and external revelation. Adams' contextual interpretation of Calvin's treatment of the natural knowledge of God in the Institutes illumines some the subtle complexity of Calvin's argument – an argument which is informed both philosophically and biblically. Both Calvin's positive evaluation of natural revelation and his pessimistic stance vis-à-vis the ability of humanity to appropriate it emerge from Adams' analysis.     

上帝是爱的圣经观

圣经观的问题,看似可以用简单的一句话就可以说明白。实际上,教会的圣经观关系到教会如何看待和解释圣经,如何用圣经的真理指导教会的灵命实践。所以,圣经观代表了基督徒和教会的上帝观、世界观、人生价值观和真理观。基督教会的历史,可以说是一部如何诠释圣经的历史。丁主教提出的上帝是爱的圣经观,使中国教会不再重走西方教会思想史上每每陷于复杂的教义争论的老路,而是引导中国教会重视圣经的中心信息就是上帝爱世人,上帝的创造和救赎最终目的是使人类社会更加和谐美好,因为上帝是世上一切真善美的源头。所以,丁光训主教提出上帝是爱的圣经观及神学框架,教导我们在一种动态的爱中去体验上帝与人的关系,去体验基督徒与世界的关系,而不再去争论教义的细节,不再人为地给教会设置一道无形的围墙;教导我们敞开胸怀接纳世上一切美好的真理,使教会作出更加美好的见证。丁主教的圣经观,为中国教会在今天的处境中解释圣经,并用圣经诠释引导教会的实践指出了一条可行之路。     

From facts to God: An onto-cosmological argument

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -