Imago Dei – 12th Comenius Conference

DTRE Kommunikációs Szolgálat, 2022-04-03 07:34:33

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In a time when 3D printers can reproduce damaged bone-structures and when genetic modification and gender transformation allow for altering the given human body, it is time to reflect on the theological question what it means to be human. Are we just biological beings, not substantially different from other living beings? Or are we created in the image of God, having a special value and dignity over all creatures? Is Christian anthropological thinking outdated in our days of enormous technological and societal change? Or does it counterbalance human self-indulgence, having a pressing urgency and relevance? The 2022 Comenius conference in the beautiful city of Pápa, Hungary (April 20–23) discusses the issue under the notion of Imago Dei.

The testimony of Gen 1:27: “God created man in his own image” has a variety of theological meanings and implications. The special place of humankind in creation is often recognized in the ability of (abstract) thinking, speaking, creativity. This raises philosophical and ethical questions. Can rationality define humans and set them apart from other creatures? What does it mean for the appreciation of mentally handicapped people? Can such an understanding of human superiority be maintained in face of contemporary developments towards the post-human (cyberanthropology), genetic manipulation, and animal philosophy?

 

Christian anthropology

 

Many systematic theological issues are involved. Gen 1:27b (“male and female he created them”) implies that humankind is created for communion. To be human means to be a personal being in a communion of love. How does such an anthropology relate to the Christian understanding of the Trinity, a fundamentally relational notion? Is creation primarily receptive of divine grace or also responsible for Imitation of Christ? What are the consequences regarding globalization, national identity, gender, environment, consumerism?

This involves practical-theological issues as well. Humankind is not only created by the Word of God but also for the Word of God. To be able to respond to God entails accountability. The command “Be fruitful and multiply, … and have dominion…” (Gen 1:28) does not mean that humankind is the ruler of the world, only the representation of God’s rule on earth. How can we communicate the rule of God, or the responsibility and accountability of humankind concerning the creation toward the Creator and the people of modern ages? Or, from a different angle, what are the implications of Christian anthropology for the sub-disciplines of practical theology, such as diaconal studies, pastoral care, homiletics, religious education etc.?

 

 

Sin and the Fall

 

The notion of Imago Dei has a larger biblical context, raising numerous questions. How, for instance, does it relate to the Fall? How could this happen, when Adam and Eve were supposed to be like God? How should we understand sin; and how does this relate to the likeness of God? Do we need a theory of creation to understand this matter, or is the atonement fundamental for our understanding of the Imago Dei?

Not only Old Testament, but also New Testament exegetical questions are involved. Is a spiritual interpretation of Imago Dei supported by Jesus’s definition of God (“God is spirit”, John 4:24)? How is Christ the image of God as a perfect reflection of the glory of God? What does Paul teach about the new creation and new nature in connection with the image of God? In what way does our Christology influence our understanding of humanity?

Thinking about Christian anthropology obviously has a long history. Perhaps doing theology is thinking about the relation between God and humanity, and important developments in the history of Christianity are connected to anthropological considerations. Both in its own right, and in order to understand the otherness of our own times, historical questions are called for. For instance: Why did the patristic fathers distinguish between the image and the likeness of God? Why has this distinction disappeared in Catholicism and Protestantism, and is the motive for the distinction compensated for by other solutions? In what sense was the Reformation connected to the awakening self-awareness of the modern subject? How were anthropological notions historically connected to ideas about (nationalistic) superiority?

 

Theological discourse

 

The Comenius conference aims at discussing theological issues concerning contemporary challenges. As an international conference, it profits from different historical and cultural backgrounds of the participants. Selected contributions will be published in the Beihefte zur Ökumenischen Rundschau, Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, Leipzig.

 

Program

Wednesday 20 April 2022

15:30-17:45

Registration

18:00

Dinner – Vitafit Restaurant

 

19:15

Opening

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Henk de Roest

President, Comenius Committee and

Prof. Dr. Tamás Németh

Dean, Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary

First keynote lecture

 

Chairperson

Prof. Dr. Wojciech Szczerba

19:30-20:15

 

“You Would Long for the Work of Your Hands”: Job as the Example of the Suffering Imago Dei

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Ibolya Balla

(Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

20:15-20:30

Discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

20:45

Drinks – Cellar, PRTA

 

Thursday 21 April 2022

08:10-08:30

Morning service

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Jaap Doedens

 

Second keynote lecture

Chairperson

Prof. Dr. Előd Hodossy-Takács

08:30-09:15

Image of God in Non-human creation?

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Gorazd Andrejč (Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Groningen, The Netherlands)

09:15-09:30

Discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

First session, parallel lectures: Biblical context, Anthropology, Definition of Identity (1. and 2. group)

Chairpersons

Prof. Dr. Gorazd Andrejč

(1. group)

Dr. Jan Roskovec

(2. group)

09:35-10:05

1. group

Presence and Relationship in Biblical Theology

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Előd Hodossy-Takács

(Debrecen Reformed Theological University, Hungary)

10:05-10:35

1. group

Man as Imago Dei and a Dwelling Place of God’s Spirit in Philo and Paul

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Marcin Kowalski (John Paul II Catholic University, Lublin, Poland)

10:35-10:55

1. group discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

09:35-

10:05

2. group

To be “kata sarka” or not to be?

Ground floor hall

Dr. György Kustár (Reformed Theological Academy of Sárospatak, Hungary)

10:05-10:35

2. group

“Male and Female” as Limits: The Witness of the Book of Tobit

Ground floor hall

Dr. Francis Macatangay (University of St. Thomas, School of Theology, Houston, USA)

10:35-10:55

2. group discussion

Ground floor hall

 

10:55-11:30

Coffee Break

 

Second session, parallel lectures: Biblical context (1. group); Anthropology, Definition of Identity (2. group)

Chairperson

Prof. Dr. Marcin Kowalski

(1. group)

Prof. Dr. Piotr Lorek

(2. group)

11:30-12:00

 

1. group

Metamorphosis Through Mirroring: Optical Metaphors in Paul’s Description of the New Humanity

Ground floor hall

Dr. Jan Roskovec

(Charles University, Protestant Theological Faculty, Prague, Czech Republic)

12.00-12.30

1. group

Logos as Imago Dei in John’s Prologue: The Meaning of Logos in John’s Prologue

(A Narrative Critical Study)

Ground floor hall

Drs. Mirjam Piplica Divić

(John Paul II Catholic University, Lublin, Poland)

12.30

12.55

1. group discussion

Ground floor hall

 

11:30-

12:00

2. group

The Beast as an Imago Diaboli: εἰκών and θηρίον in the Book of Revelation

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. József Nagy (Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

12:00-

12:30

2. group

In His Own Likeness, After His Image: Self-Propagating Parodies of Life

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Jaap Doedens

(Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

12:30-

12:55

2. group discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

12.55

14.20

Lunch – Vitafit Restaurant

Third session, parallel lectures: Biblical context and ethical aspects (1. group, German); Ethical aspects, Human freedom, Human dignity (2. group, English)

Chairpersons

Prof. Dr. Jenő Kiss

(1. group, German)

Dr. Francis Macatangay

(2. group, English)

14.20-14.50

1. group

Homo homini lupus: Die pejorative Animalisierung des Menschen im Alten Testament

Ground floor hall

Dr. Áron Németh

(Debrecen Reformed Theological University, Hungary)

14.50-15.20

 

 

 

 

 

1. group

εἰκών bei Paulus

Ground floor hall

Prof. Dr. Viktor Kókai

(Debrecen Reformed Theological University, Hungary; J. Selye University, Faculty of Reformed Theology, Komarno, Slovakia)

15.20-15.50

1. group

Ist der Mensch ein Triebwesen?

Ground floor hall

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Kaiser

(J. Selye University, Faculty of Reformed Theology,  Komarno, Slovakia)

15.50-16.15

1. group discussion

Ground floor hall

 

14.20-14.50

2. group

The volitional dimension of Imago Dei: Man’s absolute freedom in Zen philosophy (D. T. Suzuki) and Evangelical theology (D. Bonhoeffer)

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Piotr Lorek (Evangelical School of Theology, Wroclaw, Poland)

14:50-

15:20

2. group

Imago Dei as a symbol of human dignity

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Wojciech Szczerba (Evangelical School of Theology, Wroclaw, Poland)

15:20-

15:50

2. group

God’s Image and Extreme Dehumanization:

Orthodox Understandings of the Human Person in View of Radical Evil and Suffering

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Katya Tolstaya

(Vrije Universiteit, Faculty of Religion and Theology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

15:50-

16:15

2. group discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

16:30-18:00

Extended coffee break and organ concert in Pannonia Reformata Museum and Café

 

18:30

Banquet – Villa Classica Hotel and Restaurant

 

 

 

Friday 22 April 2022

 

08:00-

08:20

Morning service

Main hall (3rd floor)

Drs. Jos Colijn

Fourth session, parallel lectures: Anthropology, Anthropomorphism, Identity (1. group, German); Biblical context, Sin and Identity (2. group, English)

Chairpersons

Prof. Dr. Viktor Kókai

(1. group, German)

Dr. Jaap Doedens

(2. group, English)

08:25-

08:55

1. group

Unabbildbares Abbild

Ground floor hall

 

 

Prof. Dr. Jenő Kiss

(Protestant Theological Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

08:55-

09:25

1. group

Gottebenbildlichkeit und Frauen im Dienst Gottes

Ground floor hall

Prof. Dr. Sarolta Püsök

(Babeş-Bólyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

09:25-

09:50

1. group discussion

Ground floor hall

 

08:25-

08:55

2. group

Sin and Perfection in the Book of Wisdom

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Marcin Zieliński

(John Paul II Catholic University, Lublin, Poland)

08:55-

09:25

2. group

Truly Human: The Only Ambivalent Nature Among All Natures

Main hall (3rd floor)

Mgr. Ivanka Dovhoruk (Charles University, Protestant Theological Faculty, Prague, Czech Republic)

09:25-

09:50

2. group discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

09:50-10:20

Coffee break

 

Fifth session, parallel lectures: Systematic theological aspects of Imago Dei (1. group); Statehood, Identity formation, Faith and communication (2. group)

Chairpersons

Dr. Marcin Zieliński

(1. group)

Dr. Theo Pleizier

(2. group)

10:20-

10:50

1. group

Understanding Imago Dei in Northern Europe During the Conversion Era: Saint Boniface

Main hall (3rd floor)

Prof. Dr. Gert van Klinken (Protestant Theological University, Groningen, The Netherlands)

10:50-

11:20

1. group

Karl Barth’s Doctrine of Imago Dei in the Context of Covenant

Main hall (3rd floor)

Drs. Gyopárka Jakab-Köves

(Károli Gáspár Reformed University, Budapest; Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

11:20-11:50

1. group

Human Work as an Important Dimension of the Likeness of God

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Zoltán Balikó

(Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

11:50-12:20

1. group discussion

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

10:20-

10:50

2. group

“When I was baptized, Christ in Me Became a Croat”: Imago Dei as a National Program

Ground floor hall

Dr. Zoran Grozdanov

(University Center for Protestant Theology Matthias Flacius Illyricus, University of Zagreb, Croatia)

10:50-

11:20

2. group

Imago Dei: How Can Humanity Exist in Faith in God and Embrace Science?

Ground floor hall

Rev. Attila Balla

(Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

11:20-11:50

2. group

Imago Dei in Preaching: Theological Warrant for More Active Involvement of the Listeners

Ground floor hall

Dr. Enoh Šeba

(University Center for Protestant Theology Matthias Flacius Illyricus, University of Zagreb, Croatia)

11:50-

12:20

2. group discussion

Ground floor hall

 

12:20-

13:45

Lunch – Vitafit Restaurant

 

14:00-

21:00

Excursion to Tihany, dinner at Lucullus Restaurant (Noszlop) on the way back to Pápa

 

 

 

Saturday 23 April 2022

09:00-

09:20

Morning service

Main hall (3rd floor)

Dr. Ibolya Balla

 

Sixth session: Pastoral care

Chairperson

Dr. Katya Tolstaya

 

09:30-

10:00

 

Self-image in the Mirror of Christian Anthropology and the Approach of Pastoral Care

Main hall (3rd floor)

Drs. Márta Lucski (Pápa Reformed Theological Seminary, Hungary)

 

10:00-

10:30

Restoring the Image of God? A Theological Perspective on Pastoral Care

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

Dr. Theo Pleizier

(Protestant Theological University, Groningen, The Netherlands)

 

10:30-

12:00

Evaluation and Planning Session

Main hall (3rd floor)

 

12:30

Lunch – Vitafit Restaurant