Kajetan Kraszewski a kwestia unicka na Podlasiu w świetle Silva rerum. Wybrane problemy

The article presents Kajetan Kraszewski’s opinions on the Uniate Church in Podlasie, included in his Silva rerum. The views of the author of Kronika rodzinna (Family chronicle) are confronted with the statements of the researchers (mostly historians, literary scholars and linguists) within the broad context of the political, social and cultural life of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the partition periods. By comparing research literature and excerpts from Silva rerum, the article analyses the effects of the Union of Lublin and the Union of Brest for the peasant community of Podlasie in the 1860s and 1870s. As presented in Kajetan Kraszewski’s Kronika, the tragedy of the followers of the Uniate Church in Podlasie resulted from the social and religious conditions that fuelled the divides during the time of the Russian partition (divide et impera). Kraszewski’s Silva rerum constitutes an image of the distance with which peasants treated Podlasie’s Uniate Church members, similar to the latter’s during the “masters’” uprising of 1863 (“in the masters’ uprising – we stayed aside watching”).

Peran Komunitas Gereja terhadap Peningkatan Self Awareness untuk Mencegah Peningkatan HIV/ AIDS: Kajian Literatur [Role of the Church Community in Increasing Self Awareness to Prevent an Increase in HIV/AIDS: Literature Review]

<p><em>Background: People infected with HIV (PIWH) are increasing in number in Karo Regency every year. Therefore, all sub-districts or villages contribute the incidence of HIV / AIDS. While the HIV prevention </em><em>program already exists at KPA GBKP (Commission on HIV /AIDS Prevention of Batak Karo Protestant Church) but has not seen its effect. Methods: Literature review are conducted using the PRISMA model. All studies reviewed were quantitative, with most studies using cross sectional studies (14.29%), using literature reviews (9.52%), using experiments (28.57), using quasi experiments (33.33%, and using Randomized Control Trial/RCT (14.29%). Sample sizes varied from 134 to 1444 participants. The dependent variable is HIV/AIDS prevention. Independent variables are church members, family support, and increased self-awareness. Of the 1173 articles, 21 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for the study. The articles were collected from 4 database sources including Proquest, EBSCO-CINAHL, Springer Link and Google Scoler. Result: HIV/AIDS prevention was influenced by self awareness (18.1%), church members (9%), family support (54.5%), and interventions to prevent HIV/AIDS (27.2%). Although some countries had revealed that the promotion of HIV/AIDS health and prevention was improved and the concern of all communities to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: Increased HIV/AIDS prevention was influenced by the role of church members, community, family support, and increased self awareness.</em></p><p><strong>BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRAK: </strong>Latar Belakang: Orang yang terinfeksi dengan HIV (ODHA semakin meningkat jumlahnya di Kabupaten Karo setiap tahun. Oleh karena, semua wilayah kecamatan atau desa ikut menyumbangkan angka kejadian penyakit HIV/AIDS. Sementara program pencegahan HIV sudah ada dilakukan di KPA GBKP (Komisi Penangulangan HIV/AIDS Gereja Batak Karo Protestan) tetapi belum terlihat pengaruhnya. Metode: Kajian literatur dilakukan dengan menggunakan model PRISMA. Semua studi yang ditinjau adalah kuantitatif, dengan sebagian besar studi menggunakan studi cross sectional (14,29%), menggunakan tinjauan literatur (9,52%), menggunakan eksperimen (28,57), menggunakan quasi eksperimen (33,33%, dan menggunakan <em>Randomized Control Trial/RCT</em> (14,29%). Ukuran sampel bervariasi dari 134 hingga 1.444 peserta. Variabel dependen adalah pencegahan HIV/AIDS. Variabel yang tidak tergantung adalah anggota gereja, dukungan keluarga, dan peningkatan <em>self awareness</em>. Dari 1.173 artikel, 21 artikel yang memenuhi kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi yang dipilih untuk penelitian ini. Artikel-artikel tersebut dikumpulkan dari 4 sumber basis data meliputi Proquest, EBSCO-CINAHL, Springer Link dan Google Scoler. Hasil: Pencegahan HIV/ AIDS dipengaruhi oleh <em>self awareness</em> (18,1%), anggota gereja (9%), dukungan keluarga (54,5%), dan intervensi untuk mencegah HIV/AIDS (27,2%). Meskipun beberapa negara telah mengungkapkan bahwa promosi kesehatan dan pencegahan HIV/AIDS ditingkatkan dan kepedulian semua masyarakat untuk mengurangi stigma HIV/ AIDS. Kesimpulan: Peningkatan pencegahan HIV/ AIDS dipengaruhi oleh peran anggota gereja, komunitas, dukungan keluarga, dan peningkatan <em>self awareness</em>.</p>

As we were or seeking what we ought to be? A practical theological rethinking of the communio sanctorum in the light of COVID-19

The focus of this article is on a 69 year old Dutch Reformed congregation in Lichtenburg (North West province), South Africa. It reflects on the congregation’s understanding of the communio sanctorum, the practice of which was halted due to COVID-19. Initial responses to the crisis suggested a deep longing for the communio sanctorum and a yearning among inactive church members to reconnect to the faith community. This created an expectation of a large-scale return to public worship once social distancing measures were relaxed. Also that the leadership would pursue opportunities to reconnect inactive church members to the faith community post-COVID. It however transpired that the congregation was merely trying to restore its pre-COVID-19 homeostasis. A brief historical probe of the communio sanctorum is compared with results of a small-scale empirical enquiry into congregants’ perceptions of the communio sanctorum from an insider-perspective. The article argues that the congregation may have missed an opportunity to re-imagine the communio sanctorum due to a reductionist view. It concludes by alluding to a need for a reframing of COVID-19 as a kairos moment with a view on a reorientation towards the meaning of the communio sanctorum.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: By engaging church’s historical and empirical insights from an insider perspective of a South African congregation within a practical theological framework, the research challenges reductionist views of the communio sanctorum held by faith communities. The resultant view, that the communio sanctorum has both inward and missional meaning, has implications for post-COVID congregational studies and congregational praxeology.

Pentingnya Disiplin Gereja bagi Seorang Pejabat Gereja dalam Sebuah Pelayanan

At this time, we often encounter many church officials who do not carry out their duties properly in a church service that the congregation has untrusted to them. In this paper I will present some reflections on the life of a church official who does not discipline himself in a church service. According to some people think that, discipline in the church is a major omission in some churches today where a leader is afraid to discipline the church to members of the congregation either to a church official, because it is considered contrary to the “love of God” which can cause division in a fellowship with in the church discipline in a congregatin &amp; church, can cause the loss of church members who are affected from outside. Mean while, the major misunderstandings that occur in the church occur due to differences of opinion regarding the meaning, purpose, and nature of church discipline. Many see church discipline as a curse and presentation to a church official or to members of the congregation rather than to be seen as healing love. The purpose of writing this paper is to explain the correct understanding of the importance of church discipline for a church official in a church ministry today

Ujian Kesetiaan Persembahan Dimasa Pandemi Covid-19 Berdasarkan Maleakhi 3:10

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the financial structure of church members. The dilemma when it comes to paying offerings and tithing or making a living. Based on this dilemma gap, the purpose of this study is to describe the offerings and tithes of the Natar district congregation and to analyze the faithfulness of church members in paying tithes and offerings. This research method was qualitative with a descriptive approach. The data collection technique used were financial data from the church treasurer about offerings and tithes giver. The first stage was to create a data graph to see the giving unit and the second stage was analyze the economic situation of the congregation and the level of faithfulness of the congregation. The results of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic research increase the faith of church members through the provision of integrated offerings that increase during the pandemic and the giving of tithes given every month. Evidence of increased faith is that they are more enthusiastic and active in preaching the gospel.

Praying through the pandemic: Religion, uncertainty, and care

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Roma Pentecostal converts in England continued to meet for religious gatherings and communal prayer, either outdoors or in private homes of church members, despite measures put in place by the British government that limited the number of social contacts between individuals and at times forbade visiting other households. Among the members of the Life and Light church are many who belong to one of the high-risk categories for complications from Covid-19. Why would converts take part in activities that involved increased risk of virus transmission and increase their possibility of getting ill? This paper draws on informal online and in-person conversations with Roma that took place during the summer and autumn of 2020 and reflects on religion and communal prayer as a strategy of coping with the heightened uncertainty brought by the pandemic. It argues that participating in religious meetings where people jointly pray for others, both those who present and those who are absent, is an intangible form of care that helps to forge, shape, and maintain social relationships and creates a sense of belonging and continuity. In addition, praying is an embodied expression of one’s relationship to a transcendental entity, Jesus, and of placing oneself into the caring hands of God and Jesus. Lastly, the Church provides material support for members who are in a difficult financial situation. Participating in Church activities like prayer meetings is an expression of belonging to a religious collectivity and can help gain access to this material help in situations when access to state-provided care and material support is limited or absent, thus opening for church members the possibility of tangible forms of care. The paper looks at the role of religion in dealing with the uncertainty that Roma migrants experience when dealing with the state and going about their everyday lives and the upheaval and increased uncertainty brought by the pandemic.

Stress and its Impacts among Pastors in the Moravian Church of Tanzania

This study sought to establish stress and its potential impacts among pastors in the Moravian Church of Tanzania. The study adopted the mixed methods research approach whereby interview schedule and closed-ended questionnaire gathered data from respondents. The study comprised of 41 out of 120 population of pastors selected through simple random sampling, including one Bishop, four provincial and district leaders and thirty-six church pastors. Disagreement between church members and pastors was found to be one of stressors to pastors. It is therefore high time to intervene with strong means and alternatives so that pastors work in supportive environments. In order to enhance working morale among pastors it is essential to keep them motivated. Furthermore, the Moravian Church of Tanzania needs to review policies on working conditions so that pastors will work comfortably. The church should also establish regular seminars and trainings to educate pastors on essential skills, such as leadership and financial management in order to reduce unnecessary conflicts with church members and leadership as the conflicts are the causatives of stress.

OLD BELIEVERS IN RUSSIA AND ABROAD AMID THE PANDEMIC

On the basis of documents and an array of confessional Internet publications, the article analyzes the interaction of Old Believer agreements with states (Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, etc.) in the context of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. It occurred during the 400th anniversary of the protopope Avvakum (Petrov) (1620–1682), which is celebrated by Old Believers in Russia and beyond. Old Believers nowadays are the largest Russian religious diaspora seeking selfdetermination in the modern world through interaction with states and society. The pandemic in the jubilee year became a mark of change in the relationship between the Old Believers and the government. It shifted from confrontation and neutrality to cooperation within the framework of those models of state-confessional relations that have become established in countries where their communities exist. During the pandemic Old Believer accords urged church members to follow state measures introduced to combat spread of the infection and perceive all restrictions as temporary obedience. There has been a significant modernization of interaction within confessional communities in liturgical and everyday practices, associated with the intensified use of digital technologies. As a result, celebration of the anniversary of archpriest Avvakum became possible on a large scale despite the restrictions.

Discipleship and Stewardship as Vital Aspects for Church Mission: A Case of Kwamrombo SDA Church in Arusha, Tanzania

This study sought to establish the linkage between stewardship and discipleship in the context of Kwamrombo SDA Church in Arusha City, using 20 church members as participants. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and the thematic approach was employed in analysis. The study holds that in order to resolve the discipleship and stewardship issues in the Kwamrombo church, members need to make decisions to equally support the church through discipleship and stewardship. If couples plan their finances together, they will be more likely to remind each other on the importance returning tithe and giving offering faithfully. They will also be of help to their children and other church members. Church programs need be conducted in a holistic approach by encompassing both spiritual and economic empowerment aspects including entrepreneurship and personal financial management. There is need for intentional discipleship program that will enable the church members to know their God given responsibilities as Disciples of Christ. Church pastors and church leaders need to launch stewardship programs that will include faithfully receiving the word of God in their lives and living in harmony with the word. This will motivate members to return tithe, give offerings and participate in discipleship programs effectively.

Discipleship and Stewardship: The Essential Combination that Can Enhance Financial Stability of the Church in Africa

While discipleship and stewardship are essential aspects in Christian life, combination of the two terms can provide financial stability and spiritual growth in the church. This study employed the literary method through the collection of journal articles from America, Europe Asia and Africa with topics which have addressed the two aspects. The findings show that it is important that every church member should surrender his/her life to Jesus before surrendering all that he/she has to Christ. The study recommends that church members must be led to be faithful stewards and faithful disciples by precepts and example. Church leaders and pastors need to call church members to surrender their lives to Christ before calling them to surrender their wealth for supporting the work of God. They should also make calls that church members should not only give tithe and offerings for sustaining the gospel work, but they should also engage themselves in making disciples for Christ.