Ecumenical Hagiology
In the lives of the sains lifes " lives" the Christian vision of God, man, and the world which stand all out very clearly. Men can learn almost as much about the real meaning of Christianity from the legends of the saints produced within the tradition of the Church as from the authentic lives themselves. Through the reading and studying the lifes of the saints who arrived before us in the promised land, we came to know how God works in the daily lives of Christians and how faith can be lived not only in good times but especially during persecution and suffering. This helps us to appreciate more our faith and make us grow in loving our brothers as part of God's providence.
Course code: HIST2
Professor: Dr. Jesmond MicallefPresentation
At first glance, the saints seem to be one of the major dividing issues between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox on one side and Protestants on the other, with Anglicans perhaps lying somewhere in between. But as with many other matters, a great deal has changed in all of our churches since the dawn of the ecumenical movement. The ecumenical movement has given life to more appreciation of the effectiveness of God's grace in the life of our brothers and sisters who, despite the fact that they do not belong to "one"s church, are however brothers and sisters in Christ and who lived the Gospel as The Way of life.
The Catholic canonization process has undergone a great deal of reform. Protestants are beginning to recognize a place for the veneration (if not invocation) of the saints in their own practice. Ecumenical pioneers and leaders have earned admiration and affection outside of their home churches. The common experience of martyrdom in situations of war and persecution has taught the churches greater respect for Christians who have given their lives for Christ outside of their own confessional boundaries. And there is a widespread sense that today’s Christians, living in a vastly changed situation from Christians of the past, are longing for different kinds of role models in the task of living out their faith in the world, which invites a broad reconsideration of sanctity in human lives. This course aims at helping students of different kinds of denomination to apprecaite the cloud of witness that is around us. Today Christians across the ecumenical spectrum discuss the meaning of hagiography for today and the importance of models in the Christian life. Ecumenical hagiography introduces us also to some lesser-known saints whose example and faith can provide inspiration for Christians of all different backgrounds.