Verso una Chiesa vulnerabile? Riflessioni su una categoria fondamentale

The concept of “vulnerability” has gained increasing relevance across multiple disciplines, becoming a key framework for understanding the human condition in all its complexity. This paper explores the etymological and semantic roots of the term before briefly examining its significance from anthropological, philosophical, and biblical perspectives. It analyzes how vulnerability is not merely a state of fragility but also a resource that strengthens relationships and mutual responsibility. The reflection extends to moral theology and canon law, particularly concerning the issue of “vulnerable adults” and the Church’s response to abuse. Finally, it proposes an ecclesiology of vulnerability as a key to authentic ecclesial renewal, capable of overcoming clericalist tendencies and fostering a more welcoming, transparent, and just community.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/MNBP6054

Dialog 54-5 Turbuc

Lucian Farcaş: Die Problematik des relationalen Elends in sittlicher Sicht

For a moral-theological encounter with the issue of suffering, there is necessary to make a distinction within suffering. A distinction is made between pain and misery and the moral role of man. Liberation Theology dealt with the situation of contextual misery. This theology offers new possibilities for analyzing suffering from the perspective of the kingdom of God and identifying resources to combat it. The points of view of liberation theology caused dynamic discussions and arguments in society and the Church: initially they were partially rejected, later, however, accepted. This issue of social misery is also the focus of moral theology.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/CMBR5892

Dialog 51-2 Farcas

Florin Ursa, Lucian Dîncă: Conduct lacking ethical integrity. Discrimination and harassment of teachers by students in universities. Bullying and cyberbullying

The rules governing behaviour based on the values of good, moral-immoral, honest, sincerity, accountability, fairness, characterized by a high degree of interiorization, imposed by both his own conscience and the pressure of the attitude of others within the group of students , is moral. The code of ethics as well as the moral conduct concept signifies the ethics of the profession and establishes the right behaviour of the collective. Bullying in the workplace is a pattern of abusive behaviour, causing both physical and mental harm if it has a repetitive and persistent nature. The cyber bullying of the teachers by the students is still at the start, the latter can challenge the teacher authority by using digital media and therefore an anti-cyber map needs to be adopted. Universities must continue to develop an ethical environment and ethical practices at the institutional level to claim an ethical behaviour at the individual level, as well as the need to promote a culture of academic integrity in universities.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/IHIT1591

Dialog 50-8 Ursa

Ştefana Goţia: Discernment and relativity of moral codes

In this article I will present an analysis of axiological anticipatory discernment, I will insist on some limits of particular moral codes and possible main lines of efficiency of moral codes, with permanent reference to a universal moral code. This reporting is a useful mechanism in the analysis and the way of discerning the current social dilemmas, because, for a good social functioning, it is necessary to have a deep understanding and responsible assumptions of the codes, contexts and ethical infrastructures to which we refer.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/GBRP3819

Dialog 48-3 Gotia

Petru Ciobanu: Tra accettazione e condanna: l’aborto nell’Antichità

This article presents how abortion was received in the ancient world. As can be deduced from the title itself, this “crime”, as perceived by Christianity, was accepted, if we refer to the Greco-Roman world, including philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, as it was the state’s interest that should be put above the life value or the Stoics, who did not attribute any rights to the embryo, considering it a component part of the mother. Despite these views, there were others who opposed abortion, including among the great physicians of antiquity, among Roman poets or jurists, but even in this case it was not the life of the foetus that was defended, but, in general, the rights of the pater familias. An attitude of condemnation of abortion, from the same perspective, we notice in the Holy Scripture, in which only a single text explicitly refers to abortion (Ex 21, 22-25). However, as St. John Paul II states, the condemnation of abortion is implicitly included in the commandment “Do not kill”. In addition, there are numerous biblical texts that emphasize the value of the unborn life as a work of God. Also, there are provided attitudes towards abortion in the extra-biblical Judaism, apocryphal writings, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and other laws of Ancient Orient.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/KYUN4895

Dialog 47-6 Ciobanu

Petru Ciobanu: Incurrunt in excommunicationem: brief history of canonic punishment of abortion

According to the 1983 Code of Canon Right, the person guilty of abortion, followed by the effect, automatically falls into the excommunication latae sententiae given to the bishop. This article sets out the penalties for this crime, which the Second Vatican Council called an “abominable crime” (GS 51). The punishments based on the Holy Scripture are reviewed, then those provided by the councils of the first millennium and those proposed by the patristic teaching, and then, to analyze the penitential manuals and Byzantine right, following the presentation of abortion punishments in medieval jurisprudence and pontifical teaching until the codification of canon right. At the end, the text shows the punishments prescribed by the codes of canon right – that of 1917, that of 1983 and that of the Eastern Churches –, ending with an incursion into Orthodox law.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/GNRY6266

Dialog 46-2_Ciobanu

Petru Ciobanu: Defensor vitae: San Giovanni Paolo II contro l’aborto

The pontificate of John Paul II has remained in the history of mankind and of the Church as an important one from many points of view, known for his contribution to the construction of a more human world, closer to God. The intention of this study is to show that Pope Wojtyła was a true defensor vitae – a great defender of life –, having numerous interventions in favour of life, especially unborn life, life from the womb and threatened one, what the Second Vatican Council called an “abominable crime”, that is abortion. The article presents these interventions being structured in three parts, the milestone being the Encyclical Evangelium vitae of March 25, 1995.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/AZTD1099

Dialog 45-3_Ciobanu

Cristian Diac: Rolle Gottes im Freiheitsbegriff von Epiktet

Epiktet sieht im Erreichen der Freiheit die höchste Erfüllung des menschlichen Daseins. Die Freiheit eröffnet sich für ihn als einzige erstrebenswerte Möglichkeit, die Verbindung zwischen ihm, als Teil des Logos, und dem ganzen Logos herzustellen und aufrechtzuerhalten. Aus der Perspektive der Herkunft ist der Logos die Ursache für die menschliche Freiheit. Aus der Perspektive des Zieles ist bedeutet er eine authentische Einheit des Menschen mit sich und dem Kosmos. Der Heilsplan, den Gott nach Lukas in Jesus Christus ausgeführt hat, involviert die Partizipation gegnerischer menschlicher Faktoren, die paradoxerweise dazu führen, dass der Plan sich letztendlich vollzieht.

Dialog 41-1_Diac

Aurel Percă: Teologia morală între vechi şi nou

This article sustains a base idea, namely, that in the moral life domain, there was always a tendency of „old” to „new” passing. In consequence, the article shows the way the passing from the casuistry moral to the moral inspired by the 2nd Vatican Council’s doctrine took place. In succession, the first beginnings of the renewal are presented, in order to find a new model of moral theology. Anyhow, the passing from „old” to „new” went slow. After the presentation of the moral theology’s development during and after the ending of the Council’s sessions, the article shortly presents the main dimensions of the new moral theology’s model, namely, the personal and commune dimension. Finally, the renewal situation of the moral theology in the Seminary (Institute of Iassy), the difficult steps taken to pass from the individualistic, psychological and juridical mentality of textbooks, to the mentality of manuals that point out the biblical, historical and ecclesiastical perspective of the moral.

DT114_PS Aurel Percă

Lucian FARCAŞ: Isus Cristos şi etica omului de azi

Problemele de la care se pleacă în prezentul tratat sunt: relaţia dintre Cristos şi omul modern şi dacă se interesează Cristos de om sau omul este cel care se interesează de Isus Cristos. Răspunsul venit din partea omului trebuie formulat ţinînd cont de două elemente de importanţă deosebită: este bine să se ţină seama de faptul de faptul că bogăţia mesajului salvific propus oamenilor de Isus nu poate fi trăit în mod concret decât fragmentar pentru că fiinţa omului este limitată şi trebuie ţinut cont de faptul că răspunsul omului faţă de chemarea lui de creştin se desfăşoară într-un climat de aplicabilitate istorică. Isus promovează şi trăieşte o viaţă radicală, fundamentată pe împlinirea voinţei lui Dumnezeu şi trăită ca o slujire în favoarea oamenilor. De la evenimentele morţii şi învierii sale, Isus rămâne modelul de viaţă al omului de azi.

DT0412_Lucian Farcaş