Inter-Religious Polemics

André Dias de Escobar (c. 1357-1448) was a central figure in the history of the Church during the fifteenth century. While his life in the service of various popes reflects the turmoil of the Western Schism, his works and his engagement-as a participant and a theoretician-in the major councils of his day clearly express his determination to contribute to a reform of the Church. This article focuses on a neglected work of his, to wit, the anti-Jewish treatise De publicatione haeresum contentarum in Talmud, which André wrote after spending time at the court of the (anti) pope Benedict XIII in Tortosa (1414). During his sojourn, André attended the last sessions of the so-called Disputation of Tortosa, a Christian-Jewish debate on the Talmud convened by Benedict XIII. As we show by means of philological analysis, De publicatione, which has not yet been edited, turns out to be something of a treasure trove for scholars of anti-Talmudic Christian polemic literature. Compiling a wide range of both known and unknown sources, it seems to draw to a large extent on Pope Benedict's rich anti-heretical and, more specifically, anti-Jewish library. The article thus contributes to our understanding of the textual and doctrinal context of one of the major anti-Jewish disputations of the Middle Ages, while it also sheds new light on the history of Benedict's anti-heretical library.

André Dias de Escobar (c. 1357-1448) was a central figure in the history of the Church during the fifteenth century. While his life in the service of various popes reflects the turmoil of the Western Schism, his works and his engagement-as a participant and a theoretician-in the major councils of his day clearly express his determination to contribute to a reform of the Church. This article focuses on a neglected work of his, to wit, the anti-Jewish treatise De publicatione haeresum contentarum in Talmud, which André wrote after spending time at the court of the (anti) pope Benedict XIII in Tortosa (1414). During his sojourn, André attended the last sessions of the so-called Disputation of Tortosa, a Christian-Jewish debate on the Talmud convened by Benedict XIII. As we show by means of philological analysis, De publicatione, which has not yet been edited, turns out to be something of a treasure trove for scholars of anti-Talmudic Christian polemic literature. Compiling a wide range of both known and unknown sources, it seems to draw to a large extent on Pope Benedict's rich anti-heretical and, more specifically, anti-Jewish library. The article thus contributes to our understanding of the textual and doctrinal context of one of the major anti-Jewish disputations of the Middle Ages, while it also sheds new light on the history of Benedict's anti-heretical library.

André Dias de Escobar (c. 1357-1448) was a central figure in the history of the Church during the fifteenth century. While his life in the service of various popes reflects the turmoil of the Western Schism, his works and his engagement-as a participant and a theoretician-in the major councils of his day clearly express his determination to contribute to a reform of the Church. This article focuses on a neglected work of his, to wit, the anti-Jewish treatise De publicatione haeresum contentarum in Talmud, which André wrote after spending time at the court of the (anti) pope Benedict XIII in Tortosa (1414). During his sojourn, André attended the last sessions of the so-called Disputation of Tortosa, a Christian-Jewish debate on the Talmud convened by Benedict XIII. As we show by means of philological analysis, De publicatione, which has not yet been edited, turns out to be something of a treasure trove for scholars of anti-Talmudic Christian polemic literature. Compiling a wide range of both known and unknown sources, it seems to draw to a large extent on Pope Benedict's rich anti-heretical and, more specifically, anti-Jewish library. The article thus contributes to our understanding of the textual and doctrinal context of one of the major anti-Jewish disputations of the Middle Ages, while it also sheds new light on the history of Benedict's anti-heretical library.

The Qur'ân gave information on people belonging to other religions and beliefs, and called for Muslims to comprehend them and act accordingly. By acting on these divine advice and directions, Muslims searched the other, tried to benefit from their truth and sciences and to avoid their mistakes. In the end, Muslims both enabled them to convert to Islam by influencing members of other religions and beliefs, thus the circle of Islam expanded, and succeeded in overcoming the opposite side. However, the rapid spread of Islam and the superiority of Muslims caused the Muslims to be arrogant and to forget that this superiority is the result of divine help and acting within the framework of divine laws. Therefore, Muslims considered that it is unnecessary to understand the other, by belittling them. On the other hand, Christendom, which initially underestimated Muslims and did not gather information about them, came a cropper both in the fields of war and science, but over time, they realized their mistakes, tried to understand Muslims, sought the ways to influence them and to overcome them. As a result, Christendom has abundantly reaped the fruits of this attempt in the last two centuries. Muslim intellectuals who are aware of this situation also tried to learn the other side. In the present essay, based on the verses giving information about Christians, we tried to reveal that the basis of these efforts of Muslim intellectuals and their studies on Occidentalism was laid with the Qur'ân and their scripture encouraged such activities.

The purpose of the conference was for leaders and scholars in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions to identify those teachings and values in each tradition that promote peace, the failures of each tradition to live up to their ideals, and ways to improve the teachings and practices to achieve peace. The conference did this and so much more. The participants and observers left with many questions answered and with a commitment to continue discussions such as these and open them up to larger audiences.

Das kleine Buch des Heidelberger Neutestamentlers hat schon vor seinem Erscheinen für einige Aufregung gesorgt, weil hier erstmals ein Universitätstheologe in Sachen Ehe und Familie alle auf Synoden und Pfarrkonventen bis zum Überdruss wiederholten Argumente zugunsten eines fortschrittlicheren Eheverständnisses als historisch und exegetisch unbegründet aufweist. Becker stellt die Sachverhalte in einer Weise dar, die allen Behauptungen, Paulus bzw. die neutestamentlichen Autoren würden mit ihrer Argumentation hinter den gegenwärtigen Differenzierungen sexueller Vielfalt und ihrer prägenden Kraft zurückbleiben, den Boden entziehen. Aber er bleibt dabei nicht stehen, sondern skizziert "als Christ und Theologe", was das für die Gestalt von Ehe, Sexualität und Familie für Christenmenschen bedeuten kann (bzw. sollte), sofern für sie -wozu sich der Vf. selbst ausdrücklich bekennt -"Respekt vor dem Neuen Testament und seiner kanonischen Autorität als Heilige Schrift die argumentative Grundlage" (VI) bildet. Das im Taschenbuchformat gedruckte Buch enthält drei unterschiedlich lange Kapitel: Das erste, "Lebensformen im Kontext", ist hauptsächlich eine Beschreibung der Eheund Sexualitätsverständnisse, die im römischen Reich im 1. Jahrhundert geläufig waren. Was als "holzschnittartige[r] Überblick" angekündigt wird (5), ist ein quellenbasiertes Panoptikum, das keine Wünsche offen lässt: Vom Lob der Ehe und der Bereitschaft zu Kindern samt Verzicht auf außereheliche sexuelle Betätigungen bei stoischen und platonischen Philosophen über die Ablehnung der Institution Ehe und einem Plädoyer für "offene Beziehungen, … konsequente Promiskuität" und "die Kollektivierung von Elternschaft und Kindererziehung" bis hin zu "Päderastie, Bisexualität, käufliche Liebe und Inzest" (17) ist alles enthalten. Schon zur Zeit des Augustus, selbst nicht gerade ein Vorbild sexueller Sittlichkeit, wurde darüber diskutiert, inwieweit es einen Zusammenhang zwischen "sexuelle[r] Freizügigkeit einer Gesellschaft und deren kulturellem Niedergang" bzw. zwischen "Sexualitätsregulierung durch Monogamie und dem kultu-

This study examines gender bias in the investigative work of medieval inquisitors, focusing on Albert of Castellario's trial of the Waldensians in Giaveno, Italy, in 1335. Drawing upon advancements in sociological and criminological literature, we conceptualize an inquisitorial trial as a discretionary information-gathering endeavor contingent upon the inquisitor's judgment in deciding which leads to pursue. Employing social network analysis and survival methods, we evaluate whether Albert demonstrated gender biases in his investigative decisions, particularly regarding the weight assigned to testimonies from men versus women. Our findings demonstrate that Albert was more inclined to investigate men and prioritize their testimonies, even where similar levels of incriminating evidence were present for both genders. These results highlight the influence of societal attitudes toward gender on inquisitorial practices, on the representativeness of historical records, and on prevailing understandings of heretical groups. Furthermore, this study underscores the broader utility of our methodological framework for addressing related historical inquiries, including the political motivations behind the medieval inquisition.

Daß zwischen Juden und Ketzern in mittelalterlicher christlicher Sicht ein Unterschied bestand, darüber kann es keinen Zweifel geben. Daß andererseits beide religiösen Erschei nungen in ihrem Gegensatz zur vermeintlichen christlichen Wahrheit Gemeinsamkeiten aufwiesen, ist ebenso klar. Worin lag das Trennende, worin das Gemeinsame zwischen Juden und Ketzern in »katholischen« christlichen Augen? Wo differenzierte der mit der Amtskirche in Einklang befindliche mittelalterliche Christ zwischen diesen beiden Formen religiösen Andersseins und wo sah er sie konvergieren? Die Fragen zielen auf Theorie und Praxis der Christenheit gegenüber ihren intimsten Gegnern und suchen da mit das Weltbild näher zu bestimmen, das der christlichen Einstellung zum religiös Ande ren zugrunde lag. Das ist eine sehr weitgreifende Fragestellung, zu der die folgenden Ausführungen nicht mehr als eine Skizze bieten wollen. Einschränkungen ergeben sich aus dem vorgegebenen Zeitrahmen (11. bis 13. Jahrhundert), aber auch die Wahl der Beispiele, an denen die fol genden Überlegungen erläutert werden sollen, ist nicht frei von Eklektik, und wieweit sich die daraus abgeleiteten Erkenntnisse tatsächlich verallgemeinern lassen, bedarf der Nachprüfung. Soviel an Vorbemerkungen! Ich werde in vier Schritten vorgehen: (1) In einem ersten Schritt soll gezeigt werden, wie gemäß der dogmatisch fixierten Theo rie das christliche Bild von Jude und Ketzer aussah; (2) danach sollen konkrete historische Fälle und Felder betrachtet werden, wo Juden und Ketzer quasi in einem Atemzug genannt wurden, wo also die Konvergenzzonen beider Bereiche geschichtlich in Erscheinung traten; (3) schließlich sollen anhand einer wortsemantischen Untersuchung Differenz und Kon vergenz der Stereotypen über Juden und Ketzer in den Blick genommen werden; (4) ganz zuletzt sollen zusammenfassend die solchermaßen bestimmten Feindbilder auf ihren Aussagegehalt für das christliche Weltbild hin ausgewertet werden.

This article re-evaluates the historiographical legacy of Bartholomaeus Hoeneke, author of the so-called "Younger Livonian Rhymed Chronicle" (ca. 1350), long known only through the early modern prose adaptation by Johann Renner. Originally intended as a critique of the failed 19th-century reconstruction by Konstantin Höhlbaum, the study unexpectedly benefits from the rediscovery of a medieval manuscript fragment (GStA PK, XX. HA, Hs. 33 Bd. 22) that appears to preserve 32 verses of the original chronicle. While the overall transmission of Hoeneke’s work remains fragmentary and uncertain, the find provides an empirical anchor and confirms stylistic assumptions about the text's metrical structure and linguistic form—namely, that it was written in East Middle German rather than Low German, as previously thought. The article traces the historiographical reception of Hoeneke’s chronicle, its misattributions, and its role in later Livonian and Baltic historiography. It also critically revisits Höhlbaum’s methods and assumptions, demonstrating the limits of 19th-century source reconstruction and suggesting a revised understanding of Hoeneke's linguistic and historiographical context.

La religión y la violencia parecen ir unidas la una a la otra inevitablemente. La cuestión surge acerca de si la violencia es inherente al islam, y para contestarla, el artículo examina periodos sucesivos de la historia musulmana, desde este punto de vista. La investigación muestra que no existe una relación intrínseca y que el islam contemporáneo tiende mayoritariamente a separar la religión de la violencia.

This paper is the third 'study' or 'chapter', of about 14 or 15, of a very long study I have been working on for about three years entitled The murky politics of the Spanish frontier: Some historical and historiographical essays regarding the alliances, hostilities and struggles for power on both sides of the Pyrenees from 846 to 860: see for an introduction. https://www.academia.edu/129566012/THE_MURKY_POLITICS_OF_THE_SPANISH_FRONTIER_SOME_HIS TORICAL_AND_HISTORIOGRAPHICAL_STUDIES_REGARDING_THE_ALLIANCES_HOSILITIES_AND_S TRUGGLES_FOR_POWER_ON_BOTH_SIDES_OF_THE_PYRENEES_FROM_846_TO_860. I will initially release these studies/chapters one at a time but will eventually bring them all together in one document.

Amongst the various translations from Hebrew into Spanish produced in medieval Spain, those of Mishnaic tractates are inspiring scholarly interest in recent decades. The present article is concerned with some aspects of these texts. Particularly interesting are the questions of attitudes to them; their cultural/ intellectual significance and function; what they tell us about languages in the late medieval Iberian Peninsula. Finally, the article presents an edition of a previously unknown MS of such a translation from the Cairo Geniza. Entre las diversas traducciones del hebreo al español creadas en la España medieval, las de los tratados de la Mishná están inspirando el interés de la investigación en las últimas décadas. El presente artículo se ocupa de algunos aspectos de estos textos. Particularmente interesantes son las cuestiones de las actitudes hacia ellos; su importancia y función cultural e intelectual; lo que nos dicen sobre las lenguas en la Península Ibérica bajomedieval. Finalmente, el artículo presenta una edición de un manuscrito inédito que contiene una de estas traducciones. bhs, 101 (2024)

Military cooperation of the Teutonic Order with the episcopal territorial lords and the Danish Administration in Medieval Livonia functioned on the basis of negotiations carried out before each particular campaign. The other territories of Medieval Livonia were not compelled to participate in the crusades and military expeditions of the Teutonic Knights. Thus the Knights had no other means beside negotiations and occasional short-term treaties to ensure their participation in the military engagements of the Order

ABSTRACT: Better known as Righetto, Enrique Nunes has received
considerable attention from modern writers. This study considers
his nonreligious life based on a large number of contemporary
documents and shows that Enrique lived a far richer life than
that of an “adventurer,” as he has been depicted by some authors.
Molding him were his family’s great wealth, his extensive travels,
and the considerable time he spent in the company of European
nobility. The study also presents a new genealogical tree of the
Enriques family that includes the correct names and birth order of
his siblings.

The structure that is known as a “siršini” based on the content of the inscription of the Urartian king Minua (810–785 / 80 BCE) located at its entrance is a rock-cut chamber, consisting of a single room, situated on the northern slope of the Van/Ṭušpa Rock. This structure has been the subject of various research and studies since its discovery by Schulz in 1827. The studies conducted in the building between 1989 and 1990 and then in 2018 called for new interpretations regarding the space’s function. In this chapter, the rock structure known as a ‘stable’ in Urartian studies is re-evaluated in detail with new data.

In the area known as the ‘Horhor Water’ springs northwest of the Old Van City of Van and the southwest of the Van Fortress, a rectangular niche differs from similar examples, with the rock-cut steps connecting this area to the citadel in the north. In 2012, excavations were conducted in this area to understand the function and relative chronology of this niche connected to the citadel. The excavations have revealed that this niche was a fountain structure and provided insights into the water management architecture of the Urartian period. The word “taramani” or the plural form “taramanili”, known especially from the inscriptions of Minua in the north of the citadel, is believed to denote a “fountain or water spring” in Urartian. However, no architectural features related to water management have been found in this area. The Minua fountain in Ain-e Rum in Northwest Iran provides further information about its architectural aspects and the text inscribed on it. The “Minua’s Fountain” unearthed in Van Fortress may be related to the Minua’s Fountain in Ain-e Rum. In this respect, the architectural similarities between the two fountains are noteworthy, suggesting a chronological relationship between the two fountains, as well.

This article identifies and discusses three Quranic modes of interpretation: Genealogical, Anatomical and Anagnostic. Each mode constitutes a model of interpretation with its presuppositions, principles, and limitations. The opportunity of a fruitful collaboration between these three poles is considered as a hermeneutical triangle. Four preconditions for its effectiveness are outlined. The analysis of a short sura (Qurʾān, chapter 112) illustrates the interest of a dialogue between these three poles and its contribution to a renewed quranic hermeneutics.

Certain Quranic verses, particularly 5:116, seem to imply that there was a group of Christians who deified and worshipped Mary. Many efforts have been made to determine whom these verses address and blame. The present article serves as a critical review of the book Mary in the Qur᾿ān: Friend of God, Virgin, Mother, by Muna Tatari and Klaus von Stosch. The two predominant approaches within Islamic and non-Islamic exegeses of such Quranic verses are the historical approach and the polemical approach. The authors of the book adopt the historical approach, relying on historical evidence to demonstrate that the verses address Heraclius, the emperor, and his followers who lived during Prophet Muhammad's era. In this study, I concentrate on the internal context of the Quran, in addition to Islamic traditions and other factors, to point out the limitations of this interpretation. By failing to consider these elements, the book arrives at improbable conclusions. Accommodating these factors, this study aims to provide a more comprehensive and cohesive understanding of Quranic verses related to interactions with Christians.

The Qur'ān was translated into Armenian in seventeenth century Safavid Armenia. Around the same time, a compilation titled Refutation of the Qur'ān started circulating among Iranian Armenians. The current paper discusses the authorship, structure, content, and sources of the Armenian Refutation, establishing its affinity with the Latin tradition and linking it with the name of Stepʿanos Lehatsʿi. Through contextualization, the paper further attempts to reveal the polemical function this refutation assumed among Armenian literati in pre-modern Iran.

[...]
Há dois elementos fundamentais que entraram em ação recentemente na União Europeia. Um é o lançamento de um euro digital, que está prestes a tomar forma. Não há uma data precisa, mas obviamente não será daqui a dez anos. E graças ao Comissário Thierry Breton3, sabemos que uma carteira digital está sendo criada. Teremos tudo: cartões de crédito, carteiras de saúde, documentos de identidade, seguros e tudo o mais digitalizado junto de um euro digital. Evidentemente haverá um controle perfeito para saber também se o sujeito está vacinado ou não, e assim teremos um controle perfeito sobre o indivíduo. E tão logo for implantado o sistema, tudo o que terá de ser feito é apertar um botão e pronto.
Para entender então o que está acontecendo no nosso mundo, e no caso ucraniano em particular, quando se tem, por exemplo, em abril de 2022, Volodomir Zelensky4 dizendo para transformar a Ucrânia em um grande Israel, podemos nos surpreender por que ele não disse um grande Peru ou um grande Madagascar.
[...]

Gandhi believed in the unity of all religions, with Muslim Allah, the Christian God, and the Isvara of Hindus being one and the same. He opposed dogmatic, sectarian, and ritualistic religions and opposed institutionalized religion. Gandhi rationally interpreted Hindu religious scriptures and advocated for reinterpreting Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. He believed that every living faith must have the power of rejuvenation to live. This paper aims to understand Gandhi’s concept of religion and his views on reforming Indian and non-Indian religions.

Convorbiri (II)  ̶  este o precizare a misticii isihaste, a chipului său iconic, personalist și triadic, în raport de misticile metafizice și de tipurile și genurile de ternari, specifici acestora, ce sunt abordați de René Guénon, cu precădere în Marea Triadă. Demersul este unul apologetic, dar prioritar centrat antropologic, pentru că evidențiază chipul omului iconic, cel care face posibilă distingerea clară a trăirii isihaste, de fond personalist, ființial, față de experiențele caracteristice misticilor impersonale, energetiste. În acest orizont, se va remarca în volum o apăsată delimitare a isihasmului ecleziologic de ceea ce se dorește a fi un isihasm ezoteric, inițiatic, asociat unei forme de creștinism, declarat ortodox, dar circumscris interpretativ, în conținut, schemei guénoniene. Figură marcantă a diseminării acestei moșteniri inițiatice, André Scrima ascunde și transpare totodată, direcțiile ezoterice și pseudo-isihaste, în hermeneutica scrisorii lui Ivan Kulâghin publicată în Timpul Rugului Aprins, configurând un model al părintelui spiritual ca maestru al impersonalizării. Astfel sunt construite și tiparele formative ale unei comunități a itineranților, supusă unui proces de înstrăinare prin impersonalizare.

Volumul de faţă conţine transcrierea şi prelucrarea înregistrării convorbirilor dintre Adrian Olteanu şi Neofit ieromonahul. Dialogurile au avut loc la Dăeşti (Vâlcea) şi Glimboca (Caraş-Severin) între 16.12.2021 şi 16.02.2023. www.chipuliconic.ro Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României OLTEANU, ADRIAN Convorbiri / Adrian Olteanu şi Neofit ieromonahul.-Sânbotin :

Монографія Сергія Саннікова «Знаки присутності: Вечеря Господня в контексті баптистської сакраментології» досліджує теологію Євхаристії в баптистській традиції, розглядаючи її духовні та богословські аспекти. Це друга частина трилогії, присвяченої основним практикам баптистів, де попередній том охоплював хрещення, а наступний буде присвячений рукоположенню. Автор пов'язує своє дослідження з глобальними богословськими тенденціями, зосереджуючись на духовних потребах у постмодерному та новому світі.

The fact of early Christian travel is obvious, but the meaning of such nondiscursive physical movement is less evident. As a result, early Christian travel has elicited diverse scholarly interpretations. This article assesses five methodological approaches to the meaning and impact of early Christian travel. These are labelled as missional (travel as heroic evangelism), political (travel as imperial triumph), social (travel as identity formation), network (travel as group connectivity), and postcolonial (travel as hegemonic power). This categorisation admittedly imposes etic categories upon complex and overlapping interpretive approaches, yet it provides a broad framework for assessing the methods and tendencies of past interpretations of early Christian travel. The conclusion considers four interpretative tendencies prevalent among all interpreters of early Christian travel and proposes avenues for future readings of travel within early Christian networks.

This volume stems from my doctoral thesis as part of the ERC Project: CATENA at the University of Birmingham, Uk. It is a detailed analysis of the manuscript and textual tradition of this type of catena, the earliest attested tradition on the Pauline Epistles, through the examination of eighty-five manuscripts and the complete transcription of eight selected witnesses from the three different stages: the Normaltype, the Expanded Type and the Abbreviated Type. These manuscripts were transcribed in order to produce a forthcoming online critical edition of the text.

In addition to reconstructing the stages leading to the formation of the final layer of material (the Expanded Type, or der Erweiterte Typus), the book illustrates how the original sources, e.g., extracts from the homelies and commentaries of the Greek Church Fathers (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Cyril, Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, etc.), have been treated by the compiler of the catena to adapt to the new context by paraphrasing, removing material, adding connectives, etc. On the other hand, this is the first attempt to edit excerpts from commentaries preserved only fragmentarily in catenae and already partially edited by Karl Staab (K. Staab, Paulukommentare aus der Griechischen Kirche: Aus Katenen Handschriften gesammelt und herausgegeben (Münster: Aschendorff, 1933), or completely unpublished (e.g., the 920 numbered extracts, possibly from Oecumenius).

Finally, this volume explores for the first time the relationship between the Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena and other Pauline catenae, by collating the scholia in common. This will provide an up-to-date overview of the New Testament catenae on Paul.

The article is dedicated to the short paragraphs with hagiographical
notes about St Ioan Rilski and his followers in the most important
historiographical work for the Bulgarian National Revival, namely
Istorija Slavjanobolgarskaja ('Slavonic-Bulgarian History'). Its author, the
Athonite monk St Paisij, is more popular as a monk at the Monastery of
Hilandar but lived also at the Monastery of Zograf. St Ioan is considered
to be the heavenly protector of the Bulgarian nation and is venerated as
the founder of the Bulgarian asceticism. The study examines two thirds
of the manuscript copies of the Istorija in which these paragraphs are
preserved and edits the texts with the respective variant readings. The
conclusion is that, despite the impressive number of those readings
(more than 200), most of them are semantically irrelevant grammatical
innovations, small additions or clarifications, and therefore the textual
tradition is practically quite stable and uniform.

Colours are a unique phenomenon. They are used to describe humans, objects and even the abstract, as is true vice versa. They are also interpreted in various ways. The interpretation of colours extends even to various religions and languages. The Qur'an, generally believed by Muslims to be the most authoritative source and scripture of Islam, mentions the word colour in both singular (lawn) and plural (alwān) forms:

This article investigates the extent and limits of papal power to coerce non- Catholics’ conversion to Catholicism in the Papal States’ Adriatic port city of An- cona. With a long history as a crossroads of Mediterranean religions and cultures, Ancona hosted a substantial population of non-Catholic merchants into the six- teenth century. Since commercial diasporas were crucial to the financial success of the Papal States, Popes Paul III (1534–49) and Julius III (1550–55) took an ac- commodating approach to religious nonconformity in Ancona. Ancona’s lay elite, on the other hand, sponsored proselytization without papal support imme- diately after the first sessions of the Council of Trent, showing the extent to which local confessional impulses could diverge from papal agendas in the Papal States. Owing to multiple economic, political, and geographical contingencies, Ancona was both a nexus of commercial activity and a periphery of papal power.

It is ironic and tragic that Christianity, which began as a Jewish sect, became such a dangerous threat to Judaism since Jews were considered “deicides” who had crucified Christ. However in 1965, the II Vatican Council with its ”Nostra aetate” declared that Jews bear no responsibility for Jesus' death and that Jews and Christians shared a common spiritual origin (Abraham).  In April 13th 1986, Saint John Paul II, visited the Jewish Synagogue in Rome  and said ―”Judaism is intrinsic to Christianity”.
Looking into the past, in 1492, the Spanish Inquisition began and Jews were expelled from Spain and they settled in Calabria especially after the death of King Ferdinand I in 1494. In 1938, “Italian Racial Laws” ordered that Italian Jews be deprived  from school, university, politics, finances, professional world, and all sectors of public and private life. In 1940 the  Ferramonti internment camp was built in the town of Tarsia in the Province of Cosenza (Calabria). There Jews were confined but they appreciated the hospitality and warmth of the local people and the panorama of the Tyrrhenian Sea similar to that of Palestine. Ferramonti was not a concentration camp where inmates were subjected to forced labor and then exterminated.

One final comment:  the fruit cedar, used by Jews for ecclesiastical ceremonies,  is pehaps the oldest bond that unites Calabria to Jews. It is thought that its cultivation was spread in Calabria by Hellenized Jews during Moses‘ time, XIV centuries before Christ.

BRIANA CATLOSA O publikowana przez poznański Dom Wydawniczy "Rebis" obszerna monografia dziejów muzułmańskiej Hiszpanii pióra amerykańskiego religioznawcy Briana Catlosa jest pozycją niezwykle interesującą. Lektura książki pozwala na szczegółowe zapoznanie się z historią islamskich państw Półwyspu Iberyjskiego. Badacz nie stroni od erudycyjnych popisów i snucia barwnych opowieści o, często legendarnych, bohaterach tamtejszych literackich eposów. Kusząca jest jego wizja relacji chrześcijańsko-muzułmańsko-żydowskich, w której liniami podziałów są nie granice religijne, ale funkcjonujące w średniowieczu często niejednoznaczne podziały między poszczególnymi panami i zależnymi od nich ich klientami. Podkreśla także różnice między przybyłymi z Bliskiego Wschodu Arabami, a konwertowanymi na islam północnoafrykańskimi Berberami. Powyższy, nieoczywisty sposób myślenia Autora ma w zamyśle wyjaśniać podtytuł tej pracy: "Nowa historia muzułmańskiej Hiszpanii". Badacz pragnie, bowiem uciec przed stosowanym przez wielu autorów schematem islamski podbój -chrześcijańskie męczeństwo -chrześcijańska rekonkwista. W całej tej niezwykle ciekawej mozaice niemal każdy czytelnik z powodzeniem odnajdzie dla siebie coś, co przyciągnie jego uwagę. Kiedy ogląda się dzieło z daleka, mozaika wydaje się obiektem skończonym i pozbawionym wad. Problemy mogą pojawić się dopiero, gdy na niektóre opisywane przez Autora zagadnienia spojrzy się przez pryzmat wydarzeń historii średniowiecza całego obszaru Morza Śródziemnego i Bliskiego Wschodu, w których książka jest osadzona. Wtedy okaże się, jak po podejściu bliżej do dawnej mozaiki, że w monumentalnym dziele brakuje pojedynczych elementów. Takie kwestie wymagają szerszego komentarza, ale warto zatrzymać się też nad niewątpliwymi zaletami pracy i wskazać na ich innowacyjność. Narracja Catlosa zaczyna się w chwili, gdy stara się on zaprezentować dość zwięzłą historię powstania i rozwoju islamu oraz szerzej całej wspólnoty arabskiej. Jest to wprowadzenie o tyle dobre, że szybko wdraża odbiorcę w podstawowe pojęcia związane z tą religią. Zaskakuje jednak skrótowością, jeśli weźmie się pod uwagę, że między islamskim podbojem Półwyspu Iberyjskiego a początkiem ekspansji islamu, czyli drugą połową lat dwudziestych VII w., jest nieco ponad osiemdziesiąt lat. Czasu obfitującego przecież w rozliczne przełomowe wydarzenia.

The martyrdom of Columba of Córdoba in 853 AD serves as a compelling lens through which monastic ideals and Christian orthodoxy in 9th-century al-Andalus can be examined. Eulogius's Memoriale Sanctorum presents Columba's life and death as an intentional rejection of familial and societal constraints, positioning her sacrifice as both an act of devotion and civil disobedience against Islamic authorities. Columba’s narrative, deeply intertwined with Mozarabic liturgy, reflects the Augustinian conflict between divine law and secular authority. By emphasizing her adherence to the regula communis of Saint Fructuosus and framing her martyrdom within the structure of liturgical devotion, Columba's actions mirror the vita apostolica and serve as a model for Christian perseverance. The text reconstructs her sacrifice as a liturgical reenactment of Christ’s Passion, aligning her martyrdom with scriptural references and Eucharistic rituals. Through Columba's voluntary martyrdom, Eulogius not only legitimizes her act as a theological and spiritual necessity but also establishes a mythos of resistance and sanctity for the Mozarabic Church. Her death thus becomes both a celebration of monastic purity and a polemic against religious oppression, highlighting the broader socio-religious tensions of 9th-century Córdoba​

Estando próxima a Páscoa dos judeus, Jesus subiu a Jerusalém. No Templo, encontrou os vendedores de bois, de ovelhas e de pombas e os cambistas sentados. Tendo feito um chicote de cordas, expulsou todos do Templo, com as ovelhas e com os bois; lançou ao chão o dinheiro dos cambistas e derrubou as mesas e disse aos que vendiam pombas: "Tirai tudo isto daqui; não façais da casa de meu Pai uma casa de comércio" (Jo 2:13-16). Nos últimos anos, no contexto de crescimento da extrema-direita no Brasil e no mundo, vimos, com surpresa, proliferarem comentários, em especial, nas redes sociais, destacando a faceta violenta de Cristo. Apoiados na famosa passagem bíblica em que ele expulsa os vendedores e os cambistas do QUARTA TEMPORADA DO BLOG DO POIEMA CADASTRO NO SITE

This paper explores the concept of God within major world religious traditions, distinguishing between Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and non-Abrahamic traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and indigenous religions. The study highlights fundamental differences in divine attributes, the relationship between humanity and the divine, and the role of religious texts and cultural contexts in shaping conceptions of God. By examining these aspects, the paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the diverse interpretations of the divine across different religious landscapes.