Orthodox Missiology (III)

Course Code: TP407 • Study year: IV • Academic Year: 2022-2023
Domain: Theology • Field of study: Pastoral Orthodox Theology
Type of course: Compulsory
Language of instruction: Romanian
Erasmus Language of instruction: English
Name of lecturer: Razvan Brudiu
Seminar tutor: Razvan Brudiu
Form of education Full-time
Form of instruction: Lecture
Number of teaching hours per semester: 28
Number of teaching hours per week: 2
Semester: Autumn
Form of receiving a credit for a course: Grade
Number of ECTS credits allocated 3

Course aims:

to know and can apply the concept of missionary work;
to define and apply the concept of missionary exigency from a theoretical standing point;
to apply theories and methods to the missionary practical realities;
to explain the mission’s effects upon the Church;
to identify the most important aspects of the mission of the Orthodox Church.

Course Entry Requirements:

n/a

Course contents:

1. The sacrament of Baptism as a renewal of the missionary vocation; 2. The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick - opening man to the fullness of divine creation; 3. The Holy Eucharist - the culmination of the Church's experience; 4. The eschatological dimension of the body and martyrdom as a Eucharistic becoming in Orthodox spirituality; 5. Eucharist and martyrdom - ecclesial events in the mission of the Church; 6. Confession - Christianity's reinstatement in grace; 7. Holy Matrimony or the vocation to the sacrament of Love; 8. Theological issues regarding mixed marriages in the life of the Church today. Pastoral-missionary reflections on mixed marriages in the twentieth century; 9. The issue of mixed marriages in the 21st century. Missionary challenges and perspectives; 10. The mission of the Church through the Priesthood; 11. The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick or the continuation of the apostolic gift of healing; 12. Missionary introductions regarding the cult of the Mother of God; 13. The Virgin Mary and the event of the Annunciation; 14. "Fiat" - the cry of the Virgin whose acceptance was stronger than death.

Teaching methods:

Lecture, exemplification, conversation, debate, PowerPoint presentation, video-projections.

Learning outcomes:

Critical, selective and systematic attitude towards missiological information; ability of applying the principles for understanding a patristic document in an appropriate manner, respectively, to take into account all elements involved (linguistic, socio-cultural, religious, etc.

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Written paper-interpretative essay – 10%. Frontal evaluation / Oral exam: 90%

Recommended reading:

David B. Barret/George Kurian/Todd M. Johnson, World Christian Encyclopedia. A comparative survey of churches and religious in the modern world, Oxford University Press , New York , 2001 , X
Gheorghe Petraru, Dimensiunea penitențială și euharistică a vieții creștine, Doxologia Publishing House , Iași , 2015 , X
Christos Yannaras, Abecedar al credinței. Introducere în teologia ortodoxă, Bizantină Publishing House , București , 1996 , x
Marc Spindler, Baptême et mission, Editions du Cerf , Paris , 2001 , x
Ion Bria, Mergi în pace! Perspective ortodoxe în misiune, Reîntregirea Publishing House , Alba Iulia , 2015 , x
Andrew Louth, Introducere în Teologia Ortodoxă, Doxologia Publishing House , Iași , 2014 , x
Anthony Roeber, Mixed Marriages. An Orthodox Hystory, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press , New York , 2018 , x