Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 82 No. 3, 2012.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Fundamental Elements of Paul’s Moral Doctrine in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians
Ivica Čatić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet u Đakovu Sveučilišta Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Đakovo, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Seeing that the First Epistle to the Thessalonians is the oldest document of the New Testament (around 50 AD) and that it offers an insight into the life and theology of the early Church in the period of about twenty years after Jesus’ death, it represents a valuable source of information of Paul’s moral doctrine. The relatively small number of works dealing with morality in this epistle is an indicator on the one hand for the need for detailed research and on the other, the conditions to approach this work. This article aims at presenting the main elements of Paul’s moral doctrine or rather to enlighten some aspects of his historical and cultural conditionality in order to put it into a more specific context. The article begins with the main theological features of the First Epistle to the Thessalonians. The article claims that the First, like the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians are examples of election theology which Paul sets as the foundation to present the Thessalonians with moral inspiration which then verifies dialectics between the indicative and imperative. A literary analysis of the Epistle shows that it is a letter with a paraenetic nature which differs from other styles practised in moral philosophy of the times and represents a separate paraenetic style which exists throughout the entire Epistle. Analysing the main features of morality the last part of this article (formulated start of the paraenetic section of the Epistle, sexual morality, mutual brotherly/sisterly love, the importance of a peaceful life and work, the closeness of Parousia as a motivation for moral life and morality in the function of building the community) endeavour to deepen each topic using the wider context of Paul’s theology and the thought of the times he lived and acted in. Moral motivation are in the function of building the community which Paul wishes to complete the process of re-socialisation of the Thessalonians from their social context into a new community – the Church.
Ključne riječi
First Epistle to the Thessalonians; Paul’s moral doctrine; election theology; moral heritage; paraenetic writing; brotherly love; building the Church community
Hrčak ID:
90433
URI
Datum izdavanja:
8.11.2012.
Posjeta: 2.080 *