From “Let there be light” to “Lumen Christi”: created and uncreated light in Scripture, Patristics, and liturgy
Light between physics and theology: analogical convergence, epistemological limits, and the rationality of creation
This article examines the epistemological conditions under which light can function as a locus of dialogue between physics and theology, without concordism, reductionism, category error, or appeal to a “God of the gaps.” The guiding question concerns the methodological rules required for the two discourses to meet without one being reduced to the other. The thesis defended is that the only legitimate form of convergence is analogical and stratified: physics describes the properties, interactions, and cosmological role of light through empirico-mathematical methods, metaphysics interrogates the intelligibility of this description, and theology interprets creation in relation to the Logos and its finality — three distinct yet not isolated levels. The article draws on the author’s own interdisciplinary profile (engineering and theological formation) to propose a methodological model more precise than the simplified formula “science answers how, theology answers why,” refining it through the Thomistic rule of analogy and through four recent studies by the theologian Gabriel-Iulian Robu on the limits of conceptual language about the divine. The article discusses, as a methodological case study, the figure of the priest-physicist Georges Lemaître and formulates three serious objections to its own argument — epistemic asymmetry, the rhetorical risk of analogy, and the “God of the gaps” objection — to which it responds, concluding with three operational criteria for a responsible dialogue.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/DSTG1051
Dialog Teologic XXIX/58 (2026)
p., 17×24, ISSN 1453-8075, 25 lei.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/SQWH8546
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Florin-Emilian ŢURCANU
Light between physics and theology: analogical convergence, epistemological limits, and the rationality of creation
This article examines the epistemological conditions under which light can function as a locus of dialogue between physics and theology, without concordism, reductionism, category error, or appeal to a “God of the gaps.” The guiding question concerns the methodological rules required for the two discourses to meet without one being reduced to the other. The thesis defended is that the only legitimate form of convergence is analogical and stratified: physics describes the properties, interactions, and cosmological role of light through empirico-mathematical methods, metaphysics interrogates the intelligibility of this description, and theology interprets creation in relation to the Logos and its finality — three distinct yet not isolated levels. The article draws on the author’s own interdisciplinary profile (engineering and theological formation) to propose a methodological model more precise than the simplified formula “science answers how, theology answers why,” refining it through the Thomistic rule of analogy and through four recent studies by the theologian Gabriel-Iulian Robu on the limits of conceptual language about the divine. The article discusses, as a methodological case study, the figure of the priest-physicist Georges Lemaître and formulates three serious objections to its own argument — epistemic asymmetry, the rhetorical risk of analogy, and the “God of the gaps” objection — to which it responds, concluding with three operational criteria for a responsible dialogue.
This article traces the biblical, patristic, and liturgical trajectory of the motif of light, from the first creative command to the Nicene confession “Light from Light” and to the sacramental actualization of Baptism as “illumination.” The guiding question is how the biblical motif of light moves from created reality and sign of God’s saving presence to christological, sacramental, and ecclesial predication, without conflating created light with God himself. The thesis defended is that the canonical arc from Genesis 1:3 to Revelation 21 does not establish a physico-metaphysical identity between cosmic light and God; rather, it reconfigures the symbol of light christologically and liturgically: what functions as a created gift in the Old Testament finds its personal fulfillment in Christ, while the created–uncreated distinction safeguards both divine transcendence and the possibility of human participation in grace. The method combines theological exegesis of representative biblical texts with their patristic reception and liturgical actualization, integrating, as an element of novelty, four recent studies by the theologian Gabriel-Iulian Robu on the phenomenology of gift, the iconic, and the hermeneutics of Genesis. The article’s contribution lies in joining, within a controlled argument, four registers usually treated separately: the exegesis of Genesis, the christological concentration in the Johannine and Pauline writings, the Nicene patristic reception, and the paschal liturgical actualization.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/YPVK4115
This study offers a reading of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato si’ from an Ignatian perspective. The first part examines the structural elements of the encyclical through the lens of the Ignatian spiritual triad : contemplation, discernment, and action. The second part of the study provides an interpretation of the encyclical’s key concepts based on two fundamental contemplations from St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises : The Contemplation on the Incarnation and the Contemplation to Attain Love. This approach aims to highlight the contemporary relevance of the Supreme Pontiff’s vision, with the goal of providing a spiritual theological framework for potential initiatives centred on the spiritual and vocational formation of young people, families, and ecclesial communities.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/KIPD8238
This article examines the educational perspectives articulated in the encyclical Laudato si’, situating the document within the framework of Catholic social teaching and the broader context of the global ecological crisis. The study argues that Pope Francis proposes an integral pedagogy in which ecology becomes a transversal principle of human formation. It highlights the relationship among creation, social justice, moral responsibility, and education, as well as the role of the school in fostering ecological awareness, solidarity, and the common good. The main conclusion is that Laudato si’ offers contemporary education a normative and formative framework capable of moving beyond a purely technical model and of inspiring a culture of responsible and solidaristic care.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/SRYN8801
This article undertakes a comparative theological and metaphysical analysis of the divine attribute of Mercy (Misericordia) as it is implicitly and explicitly understood in the Neoplatonic Christian philosophy of Ioan Scotus Eriugena and as it is systematically articulated by the Sefirah of Chesed (חסד) in Jewish Kabbalah, particularly within the Zoharic tradition. While separated by chronology, geography, and religious tradition, both Eriugena and the Kabbalists grappled with the fundamental paradox of a transcendent, unknowable God who is simultaneously an immanent, compassionate, and creative force. This study argues that Eriugena’s concept of Mercy is not a distinct, isolated attribute but is deeply embedded within his holistic vision of the divine nature (physis) as a process of creative self-manifestation, procession, and return (reditus). Mercy, for Eriugena, is the very dynamic of theophany—God’s act of creating, sustaining, and ultimately redeeming creation by becoming knowable within it. In Kabbalah, Chesed is a foundational Sefirah, the principle of unbounded love and grace, which must be balanced by Gevurah (Judgment) to ensure the stable manifestation of the cosmos. By juxtaposing Eriugena’s processional Mercy with Kabbalah’s emanational Chesed, this article illuminates profound confluences in their understanding of Mercy as the engine of creation and the promise of cosmic restoration. However, it also highlights crucial differences rooted in their respective Christological and Torah-centric frameworks, particularly concerning the means and finality of divine redemptive action. The analysis reveals a shared „grammar” of apophatic theology and emanationist metaphysics, suggesting a common heritage of Neoplatonic thought, while underscoring the unique theological syntheses achieved within Christian and Jewish mysticism.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/KONL7110
This article was originally conceived as a conference held within the International Symposium entitled „Judeo-Christian Dialogue. Roots and Perspectives” organized by the „Congregation of Notre Dame de Sion”, the „Office of Biblical Pastoral Care”, the „Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Theological Institute” in Iași” and the „Faculty of Catholic Theology of the A.I. Cuza University in Iași” and which took place on October 22, 2025, in the Aula Magna of the „Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Theological Institute” in Iași. This Symposium was occasioned by the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Council’s Declaration Nostra Aetate and of the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum by the Second Vatican Council. The article aims at reconstructing the process of reflection that led the Fathers to the elaboration of these two documents that are the basis for a renewed vision of the founding texts (Sacred Scripture) of the Church and of its relationships with the Jewish people.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/MQWI1556
This article traces the origins and development of the Catholic Journeymen’s Associations, later known as Kolping Families, within the context of the social and economic upheavals brought about by the industrialization of Europe in the 19th century. Rapid modernization, the abolition of the guilds, and labor migration led to social insecurity, particularly among young craftsmen. Within this framework, Adolph Kolping developed an associative model based on solidarity, vocational training, religious education, and civic integration. His personal experience, from journeyman to priest, enabled him to directly understand the difficulties faced by young workers and to propose concrete solutions for communal support.
The associations initiated by Kolping sought not only to provide material support to young people but also to train them to become skilled professionals, active Christians, and responsible citizens. The movement’s expansion into Central and Eastern Europe was supported by the Catholic Church, parish networks, and collaboration with the local clergy. Through this expansion, the movement took on a European dimension focused on solidarity and social good. The migration of young people from Western to Eastern Europe was driven by the lack of economic prospects in industrialized regions and the demand for skilled labor in a modernizing society.
In this context, Wallachia, Moldavia, and the provinces of the Habsburg Monarchy became important destinations for migrating artisans. In Bucharest, the Catholic Journeymen’s Association was founded in 1859 with the aim of supporting young people from various European regions through vocational courses, civic education, and religious instruction. Although the founding process was difficult due to the temporary nature of migration and the local social context, associations nevertheless emerged in Bucharest as well as in the Banat, Transylvania, and Bukovina, within the parishes of some industrial urban centers.
These associations created the necessary framework for education, social interaction, protection, and integration and benefited from the support of the clergy, bishops, local political elites, and industrialists. They offered courses in vocational and religious education, assistance for the sick, access to libraries, dormitories, and cultural activities, thereby contributing to the formation of a stable community. In summary, this text highlights that the Kolping Movement served as an important model of social modernization, in which youth mobility, vocational training, civic education, and community support promoted both industrial development and social stability.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/CGUE1451