THEOLOGY AND MEDICINE
The Bioethical and Therapeutic Dimensions of Faith and Science
Alba Iulia
May, 13-15, 2024

Musical-liturgic creations dedicated to Sf. Emperors Constantine and Elena

Gheorghe Neacșu, University of Pitesti

Musical-liturgic creations dedicated to Sf. Emperors Constantine and Elena

Exposure aims to present the image appearance of Christian Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena hymnographic productions reflected both liturgical and musical creations adapted to these liturgical texts. Were identified compositions that reveal the spiritual state of the two sovereigns Byzantines, watching carefully for changes in musical texts observation of new items. Melodic differences of ritual books, emerging from one edition to another is explained by the fact that the authors were drawn into their creations and where officiated by church liturgical service (whether it was church music creation adapt to the ceremony).

The focus was mainly on the slave and sticheron including the best meaning of the feast. Highlighted the importance of speech text musically led to the development of theological and semantic analysis of text and stylistic musical compositions

Freedom of expression of the Christian faith gained in 313, was more than an opportunity to show liturgical enrichment entailed theological thinking and living sufficiently exploited by those who become „friends of God”. They are found in cult church in Byzantine hymns and melodies. Constantine the Great is credited depicted in hymns and songs of praise, worthy praised.

Key words: slave, sticherons, melos byzantine, liturgical hymns, music, praising scales, musical speech.

The Secular Fundamentalist State: Some Critical Reflections

Mark J. Cherry, St. Edward’s University Austin, Texas, USA

The Secular Fundamentalist State: Some Critical Reflections

There is increasingly a recognition that the abolishment of the soft establishment of Christianity, as this existed in the first half of the 20th century, with prayer in public schools and the presence of Christian symbols in public spaces (the Ten Commandments in courtrooms), has been replaced by the hard establishment of a secular moral and political vision. [see Bioethics and Secular Humanism, esp pp. 180-184, 89-98] Secular humanism as a secular religion was established to replace the soft establishment of Christianity. This essay explores this transformation by arguing that there has been a failure to recognize that current secular states in the West are not religiously or morally neutral, but rather have a salient animus against belief in God. This essay first provides a brief overview of the move from the disestablishment of Christianity to the establishment of secular humanism as the official public ideology. Then this paper turns to showing why this ideology has an animus not directed equally against all religions, but has a special commitment to marginalize Christian morals, discourse, and images in particular. This is only to be expected, in that the secular state with its established ethos as a historical event has in particular disestablished Christendom from the public forum and public space. The essay concludes by exploring the secular state’s major cultural drive against Christendom as that religion which may not be allowed to reassert itself again. Traditional Christians in response need to argue for the re-establishment of Christian discourse and morals as this existed in the USA in the first half of the 20th century.