AN EASTERN ORTHODOX CRITIQUE OF THE SCIENCE–THEOLOGY DIALOGUE

On the basis of both philosophical arguments and the theological perspectives of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, a critique of two beliefs that are common within the mainstream science–theology dialogue is outlined. These relate to critical realism in understanding language usage and to naturalistic perspectives in relation to divine action. While the naturalistic perspectives on the history of the cosmos that are predominant within the dialogue are seen as generally acceptable from an Orthodox perspective, it is argued that they require theological expansion. This expansion suggests an understanding other than the “causal joint” model commonly adopted in relation to “special” divine action. This alternative model renders the distinction between “special” and “general” divine action redundant, and is based on what has been called a “teleological‐Christological” understanding of the cosmos, rooted in the fourth gospel's notion of the divine Logos. The relevance of this critique to scholars outside of the Orthodox community is urged.     

哲学思考范式的反思

人类是否仍然是理性存在,或者,是否必须把他们在一个不断扩张、充满毁灭性和荒诞性的领域中的生产活动视为对其本体论上非理性本质的说明,而这种本质只不过是柏拉图定义的“两足无羽毛”的存在,在这两个问题上是不无争议的。然而,毫无疑问的是,他们是永久地生产文本———即一个由符号学、语义学和语用学充斥的他们自身在世界上的存在空间———的存在。从宗教仪式人体画———它把我们的祖先刻成神圣化的自然世界断片,直到有关接合的概念诗和超现实主义散文的现代高级实验:这就是文本空间的明显扩展。从婴儿牙牙学语,试图用人类的原始母语…     

TORAH MIN HASHAMAYIM IN ORTHODOX THEOLOGY

The meaning of Torah min HaShamayim has been debated by Jewish theologians across the centuries and these discussions have intensified in the light of modern science and critical historical and biblical studies. The understandings of what is meant by the divinely revealed Torah have historically marked the boundaries of the Jewish community, and in the contemporary world define the limits of Orthodox Jewish identity. The recent statement of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) on Torah is the starting point for an analysis of two novel models of revelation by Louis Jacobs and Emmanuel Lévinas. The conclusion focuses on their ongoing relevance to the contemporary debates at the very heart of Orthodox Judaism.     

REFLECTIONS ON THE FAILURE OF THE LOVERS OF ZION

This article considers the important role of archival photographs in the work of historians, artists and writers of the generation after the Holocaust. Powerful “points of memory” linking past and present, memory and postmemory, individual remembrance and cultural recall, photographs can offer evidence of past crimes and function as haunting specters that enable an affective visceral connection to the past. And yet, photographs may also be limited and flawed historical documents, promising more than they can actually reveal. The article argues that such ambiguous evidence may be a resource for historians seeking to grasp and transmit the past's emotional truth.     

MISUNDERSTOOD IN THE DIASPORA: THE EXPERIENCE OF ORTHODOX SIKHS IN VANCOUVER

Heroism and martyrdom are central values in contemporary Sikh historiography and primary symbols in their collective memory. Both are replete with the stories of numerous heroes and martyrs who faced death, unflinchingly fighting in defense of the Sikh faith and its believers (constituting the Panth or community) against overwhelming odds. Conversely, it is considered shameful for Sikhs to become mere victims, succumbing to attacks against faith and community without fighting to the death. It is also insisted that true Sikhs do not themselves attack those who are weak or harmless; on the contrary true Sikhs come to the defense of such persons even if they are not of the same faith. However, during the last half century, Sikhs have many times become victims, as well as perpetrators of violence, being unable to act in a way consistent with their central values. The consequence has been an inability to integrate their modern history successfully into a narrative consistent with those values and to find appropriate ways of memorializing what has been done to many Sikhs and what many Sikhs have done to others.