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.