Izlaskom kršćanstva iz Palestine, vrlo izolirane sredine, u područje Mediterana ujedinjenog grčkom kulturom i rimskom državom (pravom), kršćanstvo se susrelo s mnogim poteškoćama. Premda je Rimsko ...Carstvo bilo prilično tolerantno društvo, osobito u religijskom pogledu, kršćanstvo se susrelo s mnoštvom njemu neprihvatljivih religijskih i etičkih stavova i moralnih ponašanja, poput politeizma, moralnog liberalizma pa i odnosa prema pobačaju i čedomorstvu koji su u antičko vrijeme bili česti, moralno i društveno prihvatljivi. U ovom radu želimo odgovoriti na nekoliko važnih pitanja: a) koji je ranokršćanski stav o početku ljudskog života; b) što ranokršćanski autori misle o ljudskom zametku (fetusu); c) koji je ranokršćanski moralni stav o pobačaju i čedomorstvu; d) koje su eshatološke posljedice svojevoljnog pobačaja i čedomorstva. Kršćanstvo, od svojih početaka, ima jasan stav o abortusu kao ubojstvu i smrtnom grijehu, smatrajući da je fetus od svoga začeća živo ljudsko biće, stoga je za kršćane svojevoljan prekid trudnoće moralno neprihvatljiv i smrtni grijeh. Već u najranijoj kršćanskoj književnosti pobačaj je označen kao »put smrti« koji je kršćanima neprihvatljiv jer se protivi ljubavi prema bližnjemu, jer uništava Božje stvorenje. Osuđuju se svi koji sudjeluju u pobačaju. Apologetski pisci drugog stoljeća svoje protivljenje abortusu opravdavaju kršćanskim poštivanjem ljudskog života. Božja zapovijed »Ne ubij« jednako se odnosi na rođeno i nerođeno dijete. Jasnu osudu abortusa nalazimo i kod mnogih drugih ranokršćanskih pisaca koji ga izjednačuje s ubojstvom.
Leaving the Palestine as a isolated area and spreading across Mediterranean which was bound together by Greek culture and Roman state (by the Law), Christianity faced many privileges as well as many difficulties. Although the Roman Empire was well organized, law respecting society and quite tolerant society concerning the different religions, Christianity met many unacceptable religious and ethical attitudes and moral behaviour such as polytheism, moral liberalism and their view on abortion and killing children which in ancient times were often, morally and socially acceptable. Based in Biblical tradition and Jewish practice, for Christians, such pagan attitudes towards abortion since the beginning were unacceptable. Abortion was rejected as morally unacceptable and a deadly sin for they thought that from the very beginning (conception) the foetus is live human being, and breaking off pregnancy by someone own will was considered as a murder. In the first five centuries early Christian authors designated abortion as a »way of death« and it is against love towards neighbour. Already the second century apologetic writers emphasised an obligation to respect human life and God’s commandment »Thou shall not kill«, equally toward born and unborn children. The article brings the most important early Christian texts concerning abortion and we can summarize them in a few generally accepted conclusions: 1. An embryo is a human person from the beginning and abortion is unacceptable in all cases; 2. Any methods of abortion (even contraception before and after) are also unacceptable; 3. Abortion and rejection of new born children is a murder; 4. Abortion is a deadly sin which will be punished by hell. Some early Christian authors such as Tertullian i Augustin, under influence of Platonic and Aristotelian Philosophy about graduate development (shaping) of human foetus and it’s »becoming more spiritualized«, have some different opinions. In the light of its own teaching (»traditionalism«) Tertullian thinks that child inherits the body and soul from his parents; the body and soul becoming mature and live together, and when that process is finished, we can speak about human being in its fullness. Augustin also speaks about »becoming more spiritualized« but his attitude is not clearly stated and precisely explained. According to early Christian scholars, Theological (Christological) teaching at councils in Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451), clearly says that Jesus Christ is real and fully human being (person) from his conception.
Članak je napisan prigodom 1600. obljetnice smrti sv. Jeronima, velikoga ranokršćanskoga pisca, bibličara i teologa. Jeronim se rodio u Stridonu, gradiću na granici Dalmacije i Panonije, koji su Goti ...razorili još za njegova života. U članku je prikazan Jeronimov nauk o naravi i stupnjevima zaređenih službenika prema zbirci pisama koja sadržava 154 pisma, od kojih je Jeronim napisao 116, a 16 je pisama upućeno njemu. U zbirku su uključena i pisma od kojih je neka Jeronim preveo na latinski, a neka su apokrifna. Važnost i bogatstvo zbirke pisama očituje se u mnoštvu različitih tema i brojnosti osoba s kojima se Jeronim dopisivao. O zaređenim službenicima Jeronim piše u 27 od 116 autentičnih pisama, ponekad samo u naznakama, a u četiri pisma opširnije raspravlja o svećeništvu. Jeronim koristi tada uobičajeno nazivlje o zaređenim službenicima: episkop, prezbiter i đakon. Vrlo rijetko koristi i latinske nazive sacerdos i sacerdotio, koje primjenjuje isključivo na episkope i prezbitere, ali ne na đakone. Kada želi jednim nazivom ujediniti sve zaređene službenike, koristi naziv clericus. Da bi netko postao službenik u Crkvi, prema Jeronimu, odlučan je izbor i poslanje zajednice, polaganje ruku samo je potvrda poslanja. U svojim pismima Jeronim govori o biti i različitim stupnjevima zaređenih službenika (episkopa i prezbitera), povezujući ih s apostolima, sakramentima i Crkvom. Najvažniju ulogu koju imaju u zajednici slavljenje je sakramenata, napose euharistije. Jeronimova je posebnost da on odlučno niječe bitnu razliku u stupnju svetoga reda između episkopa i prezbitera, razlikuje ih samo služba koju svaki ima u Crkvi. Razlika je, dakle, više sociološka nego ontološka. Ðakoni se bitno razlikuju od episkopa i prezbitera, oni su nasljednici sedmorice koje su apostoli izabrali i odredili za služenje u zajednici. Premda Jeronim smatra da ne postoji bitna razlika u svetom redu između episkopa i prezbitera, on ne niječe različitost ulogâ i službi koje obnašaju u Crkvi. Korijeni te različitosti nisu teološki, nego društveni i ustrojbeni. Budući da je Crkva također i ljudska zajednica, ona mora imati ustroj sličan drugim ljudskim zajednicama, primjerice vojsci ili posadi broda u kojima se sluša zapovjednika.
This article was written on the occasion of the 1600th anniversary of the death of St. Jerome, the great early Christian writer, Bible scholar and theologian. Jerome was born in Stridon, a small town on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia which was destroyed by the Goths during his lifetime. The article presents Jerome’s teaching on the nature and degree of ordained ministers based on a collection of 154 letters, 116 of which were written by Jerome and 16 of which were written to him. The collection contains also letters which Jerome translated into Latin, some of which are apochryphal. The importance and wealth of the letter collection is evident in the multiplicity and diversity of themes and in the considerable number of persons with whom Jerome corresponded. Jerome writes on ordained ministers in 27 of the 116 authentic letters, sometimes only implicating them, while he discusses the priesthood at greater length in four letters. Jerome uses terms applying to ordained ministers which were customary in his time, namely, bishop, presbyter and deacon. He very rarely uses the Latin terms sacerdos and sacerdotio, which apply exclusively to bishops and presbyters and not to deacons. When he wishes to unify all ordained ministers under one name, he uses the term clericus. In order for someone to become a minister of the Church, according to Jerome, the decisive factor is selection by and the mission of the community, while the laying on of hands is only a confirmation of the calling. In his letters Jerome speaks of the essence of the different degrees of ordained ministers (bishops and presbyters) and links them to the Apostles, the Sacraments and the Church. Their most important role in the community is the celebration of the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist. Jerome’s particularity lies in his resolute negation of an essential difference in the degree of Holy Orders between a bishop and a presbyter: he distinguishes them only through the ministry of each in the Church. Thus, the distinction is moreso sociological than ontological. Deacons are essentially different from bishops and presbyters as they are successors to the Seven chosen by the Apostles and designated to serve in the community. Although Jerome considers that there is no essential distinction within Holy Orders between a bishop and presbyter, he does not negate the difference in their role and the ministry they carry out in the Church. The roots of these differences are not theological, but rather societal and structural. Seeing as the Church is also a human community, She must have a structure similar to other human communities, such as the military or ship crew who are subservient to authority.
The author deals with permanent philosophical-theological question about relation of religion and mind, approaching to this problem especially through the experience of the early Christianity, which, ...with its relation to philosophy, considerably determined attitudes of Christian writers and entire theology till today. The view about incompatibility of religion and mind (Christianity and philosophy) was supported by the minority of the early Christian thinkers, while the majority thought that harmony and unity exist between rational cognition (philosophy) and religious cognition (theology). Prominent advocates of such view are Justin, Clement of Alexandria and Augustin. That harmonious relation, which has lasted for centuries, is now disarranged with separation and indifference that caused mutual impoverishment. The encyclical letter of the Pope John Paul II Fides et ratio warns about that. It wants to reestablish that forcibly disrupted harmony between these inseparable realities in accordance with the Church fathers.
The author deals with permanent philosophical-theological question about relation of religion and mind, approaching to this problem especially through the experience of the early Christianity, which, ...with its relation to philosophy, considerably determined attitudes of Christian writers and entire theology till today. The view about incompatibility of religion and mind (Christianity and philosophy) was supported by the minority of the early Christian thinkers, while the majority thought that harmony and unity exist between rational cognition (philosophy) and religious cognition (theology). Prominent advocates of such view are Justin, Clement of Alexandria and Augustin. That harmonious relation, which has lasted for centuries, is now disarranged with separation and indifference that caused mutual impoverishment. The encyclical letter of the Pope John Paul II Fides et ratio warns about that. It wants to reestablish that forcibly disrupted harmony between these inseparable realities in accordance with the Church fathers.
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