"Continental Philosophy for Eastern Evangelical Theology" - a New Issue of Theological Reflections
Dear Readers and Authors, we are pleased to introduce a new issue of Theological Reflections: Eastern-European Journal of Theology vol. 19.2 (2021), which is devoted to the dialogue of Eastern European Evangelical Theology and Continental Philosophy.
Are Eastern European Evangelical theology and Continental "atheist" philosophy unlikely companions? Do they have the chance for friendship or at least for peaceful coexistence? Can Continental philosophy be valuable for the Eastern European context? Theological Reflections that are wanted to be explored in this Issue.
The section "Articles" contains several papers devoted to the theme. Iryna Horokholinska, in particular, demonstrates that methodological approaches of postmodernity are close to Christianity and shows the breadth of continental philosophical-theological available resources from which to draw in response to post-secularism and the need for robust Christian ethics in the public sphere (in Ukrainian). Joshua Searle, in detail, analyses and explains the relevance of existentialism in the context of post-Soviet Eastern European society and supposes that protestant theology can make a significant contribution towards the renewal of post-Soviet society through the creative application of the main concepts and ideas related to existentialism avoiding the pitfalls of postmodern nihilism and new authoritarianism (in English). Anna Yampolskaya also reveals the interrelation of philosophy and theology. She brings her readers' attention to the concept of prophecy and its interpretation by Levinas as a critical characteristic of human existence, a way to identify and express responsibility for our neighbor in need (in Russian). Anatoliy Denysenko focuses on the German Jewish philosopher Benjamin's notion of "weak messianic force" as a demand from the past, considering voices and experiences of oppressed and repressed, for the realization of happiness and liberation in the present, which can be a highly relevant topic for Eastern evangelical believers (in Ukrainian). The article by Kseniia Trofymchuk gives a helpful overall narrative of postmodern, post-metaphysical developments using the sensibility of "theopoetics," which can be a welcome challenge to our theological perspectives that may be so easily entrenched and stalemated by hegemonic traditionalism (in Ukrainian). Andrii Kulyk studies the notion of the "absence of God" in the works of Simone Weil to show how the effect of "absence" becomes the paradox of meeting with God – through the metaphysical break with orthodoxy (in Ukrainian).
In the section "Essays," Serge Taran explores the types of existential philosophy, its current state, aims, and perspectives, which can serve as a propaedeutic of theological issues (in Russian).
In the section "Translations," we continue publishing another fragment of a new translation of the Book of Psalms into Ukrainian by Dr. Dmytro Tsolin. This translation is a part of the new Ukrainian translation of the Bible sponsored by the International Bible Society "Biblica."
Also, in the section "Dissertation Abstracts," we introduce the readers to the recently defended dissertations.
In the section "Academic Life," the readers can find out the information about the International Theological Conference "Religion and Science: From Opposition to Complementarity" with Alister McGrath, held in May 2021. The Editorial Board announces the theme of the next Issue of Theological Reflections – "The Communion of Saints: Biblical, Theological And Contemporary Perspectives." We invite You to work together on this subject. Submissions should be sent electronically via the Journal website http://reflections.e-aaa.infoInstructions for Submissions and Author Guide are available on the website. The deadline for submissions: November 30, 2021. Date of publication: April 30, 2022. For additional information, please contact us via email reflections@e-aaa.info.
You may order the journal by email reflections@e-aaa.info. Previous issues of Theological Reflections can be found at http://reflections.e-aaa.info.
Sincerely, Editorial Board
