Folia Theologica et Canonica 1. 23/15 (2012)
SACRA THEOLOGIA - Mihály Kránitz, Theology of inculturation among churches at the beginning of the 21"' century and the role of the Catholic Theological Institutions
16 MIHÁLY KRÁNITZ The mission of the Church manifests in the ministry of the salvation of the souls (salus animarum est suprema lex) hence the theology have to search special instruments to make an influence on them, who study theology, and on them, who look for it references for your life in the society. John Paul II considers that theology and religious education have a priority for the instruction of the Church as in the world. In one of his last writings the Holy Father gives tribute to those who work in different Catholic Theological Institutions.27 The apostolic exhortation, Verbum Domini (2010)28 of Pope Benedict XVI focuses on the word of the God, and on the life and mission of the Church. The document puts an accent on the role of the Holy Scripture and on the study of theology. The study of the sacred page should be as it were, the very soul of theology.29 As the Bible and the common heritage of the churches they have make an essential contribution to the deeper understanding of the meaning of the Scriptures.30 The Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of the Bishops (5th—26th October 2008) had as its theme: The word of God. The common mission of the churches requires from theologians a closer working relationship the Synod wished to emphasize the centrality of biblical studies within ecumenical dialogue.31 It is a special task of the theological institutions about the ecumenical importance of translations of the Bible in the various languages. Promoting common translations of the Bible is part of the ecumenical enterprise.32 The world of God comes to us, both through Sacred Scripture and through the living witness of the Church.33 34 In this year Congregation for Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions) edited the Decree on the Reform of Ecclesiastical Studies of Philosophy,34 because apostolaié of the Church is the evangelize the world, the Magisterium with this new document gives as some ideas how we can use the philosophy to understand man, the world and the Absolute made by different cultures, for example Asian and African cultures. Especially all theological 27 Iohannes Paulus II, Adh.ap.postsyn. Ecclesia in Europa, n. 58, see: http://www.vatican.va/ holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hfjp-ii_exh_20030628_ecclesia-in- europa_en.html. (consulted on 24th January 2013). 28 See: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben- xvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini_en.pdf. (consulted on 24th January 2013). 29 Verbum Domini, 31 (The soul of sacred theology). Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic const. Dei Verbum, n. 24. 30 Verbum Domini, n. 31. 31 Verbum Domini, n. 46. 32 Verbum Domini, n. 46. 33 Kasper, W., The Handbook of Spiritual Ecumenism, New York 2007. 34 See: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccath- educ_doc_20110128_dec-rif-filosofia_en.html. (consulted on 24th January 2013).
