Theological Reflections: Eastern European Journal of Theology

Gustavo Gutiérrez. In Memoriam

Anatoliy Denysenko — 2025-12-18

Gustavo Gutiérrez, a Peruvian Catholic theologian and priest, was one of the leading teachers of the Church in the second half of the 20th century. It is impossible to imagine the 1960s and 1970s without his liberation theology. Latin American theologians approached the Bible contextually. Despite criticism of its close interaction with Marxist sociology, millions of people in Third World countries adapted the ideas of Gutiérrez and other liberation theologians to their own perception of social reality and missionary activity. Today, Gutierrez’s theological legacy can be found in revolutionary religious movements and among active and socially conscious Christians who fight for human rights and do not compromise politically with the rulers of this world.

Linen Loincloth in Diaspora: Identity (Re)formation of God’s People in Jeremiah 13:1–11

Shirley S. Ho — 2025-12-18

This article examines Jeremiah 13:1–11, an Old Testament prophetic symbolic action, to uncover theological insights relevant to contemporary questions of human identity amid the global movement of people driven by war and conflict, economic collapse, and the forces of globalization. It demonstrates how the linen loincloth, representing the Judahites, functions as a metaphor for addressing existential concerns about their identity as God’s people. Though physical and inanimate, the garment exemplifies how material symbols can serve as indicators of theological and communal identity. In today’s cultural milieu, individuals and communities often define identity through material possessions, educational achievements, age, race and ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, or political affiliation. In contrast, the religious symbol of the linen loincloth underscores the enduring significance of theological identity—shaping one’s sense of belonging to God, purpose, and meaning in a globalized world. While rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the insights drawn from this text speak beyond religious communities, offering meaningful reflection for all human beings—created in God’s image—who grapple with the complex questions of identity in an age marked by war, pluralism,and globalization, and cross-cultural exchange.

Scattered, Oppressed, Empowered: Resemanticization of Χρῖσμα in 1 John 2:20

Yevgeny Ustinovich — 2025-12-18

This article focuses on arguably the central element of a Christian’s identity as it is seen in John’s letters (and the rest of Johannine corpus—the Fourth Gospel and Revelation). While there are many ways of describing this Christ-centred reality (new birth, adoption, election, baptism, etc.), here an attempt is made to show how characteristically Johannine use of the noun χρῖσμα (and some OT precedents of resemanticization) can help the reader identify with Christ himself and with scattered, uprooted Christian communities. The main argument is that this identification is primarily metonymical (based on unity of purpose/mission), rather than metaphorical (based on the perceived similarity of circumstances). John’s χρῖσμα is an essential element of the disciples’ view of themselves as a community of “sent ones.” Such identification may help marginalized and disoriented migrants see their experience of being scattered and displaced against a possible background of God’s larger purpose in the world.

In his approach, John seems to be following several OT trajectories of the semantic shift. As the word χριστός in LXX was given sematic extensions, so that it included individuals who originally did not seem to possess the necessary status, so in John’s Epistles χρῖσμα, taken far beyond its literal meaning, serves as a group marker. Those whom John identifies as recipients of χρῖσμα are viewed as individuals strongly rooted both in the past and—eschatologically—in the future.

Between Isolation and Cultural Engagement: An Ecclesiological Analysis of Romanian Evangelical Churches in the European Diaspora

Daniel Fodorean — 2025-12-18

All immigrants, wherever they come from and in the specific socio-cultural context to which they immigrate, experience a never-ending struggle between the cultural imprint of their own country of origin and a process of acculturation to these societies. Indeed, the migratory experience entails simultaneously inhabiting one’s “homeland” and the place where one wants to try to “forge” a new home. But moving isn’t really over until you become part of the society to which you are now connected. Here, the question of the Church assumes special significance, and this precisely is her transcultural vocation. This leads us to the underlying question: how can the Church overcome ethnic and cultural barriers to fulfill its divine commission in a socio-cultural environment other than itsmotherland? This paper attempts to offer a response through the analysis of a specific case: the Romanian evangelical diaspora in Europe. Based on a questionnaire, the study examined the extent to which Romanian Evangelical Christians are integrated into their host culture and how they view the Church’s relationship with culture, as well as sought possible ways to develop a relevant, contextualized Romanian Evangelical Church under local cultural norms.

The Impact of Generational Assimilation and Dechurching on Chinese Immigrant Diaspora Parents

Matthew Todd — 2025-12-18

The study aimed to identify how Chinese Canadian, immigrant, Christian parents are impacted when their second-generation children abandon Chinese churches and often the Christian faith as well. The research involved eighty-four interdenominational participants drawn from clergy and parents. A qualitative research design with mixed methods was conducted in three phases, using open-ended surveys, rating scales, and focus groups. The goal was to analyze and quantify impacts and propose strategies to support affected parents. The data show that parents are variously impacted emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and socially. The top three negative effects on parents include blaming the church, self-blame, and silent suffering. The Silent Exodus and its impact on parents weaken the mission of the church. The significance of the research is that it offers recommendations that can help fulfill the mission of the church. These recommendations will empower parents by equipping them to cope with the impacts, improving churches’ caring ministries, and destigmatizing the blame that attaches to parents because of the shame culture.

The Mission of the Church as a Unifying or Divisive Factor in Ecumenical Relations

Yuliia Kozak — 2025-12-18

This article examines ecumenical relations between two socially active churches: the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) and the All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists, through the lens of their understanding of Christian mission in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion. Combining systematic theological and empirical methods, the study explores how each church defines mission, drawing on broad and narrow conceptualizations and applying an adapted version of Emanuel Katongole’s model of three types of mission: spiritual (evangelization), pastoral (practical service), and prophetic (structural change). Findings reveal notable differences: Baptists adopt a narrower focus on evangelization, while Greek-Catholics articulate a broader vision of a church being an instrument of salvation. Although both churches prioritize spiritual and pastoral missions over the prophetic, they differ in the relationship and hierarchy between the first two. Catholics view social ministry as a distinct and equally important task, whereas Baptists often link it instrumentally to evangelization. These divergences can challenge ecumenical cooperation, including joint social outreach. Nevertheless, shared values and common goals, particularly in responding to the needs generated by war, create opportunities for collaborative engagement. Recognizing and responding to these differences is essential for strengthening ecumenical relations and enhancing the churches’ collective witness in society.

Leadership Perspectives Among Diaspora Evangelicals in the USA

Alexander Negrov — 2025-12-18

This article examines perspectives on leadership and leadership development among Evangelicals in the so-called Slavic diaspora of the United States, with particular attention to the interplay of theology, self-discipline, and spiritual maturity. The study is based on data from 173 participants—36 interviewees and 137 survey respondents—drawn primarily from Ukrainian diaspora churches, alongside Christians who migrated from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Central Asia. Data were collected between April 2021 and May 2025 within educational processes initiated by churches or non-accredited educational organizations in the United States.

The findings indicate that participants consistently affirm spiritual growth and intimacy with God as foundational to leadership. At the same time, many acknowledge that insufficient self-discipline constitutes a significant obstacle to their formation as leaders. Leadership was frequently described in social or functional terms—such as organizational effectiveness or communal influence—rather than in explicitly theological categories. Moreover, a majority of respondents gave little attention to the role of followership, revealing a notable gap in holistic reflection on leadership.

The article argues that an integrated approach—linking theological reflection with disciplined leadership practice—is essential for cultivating spiritually grounded, ethically responsible, and effective leaders and followers. Such integration is particularly crucial for immigrant evangelical communities as they navigate questions of identity, cultural adaptation, and mission in the American context.

Ryan Currie, Evangelical Theological Aesthetics: A Theology of Beauty and Perception

Denis Kondyuk — 2025-12-18

Cornelis Bennema, Imitation in Early Christianity: Mimesis and Religious-Ethical Formation

Bohdan Derkach — 2025-12-18

David Mark Diamond, Reading Character after Calvin: Secularization, Empire, and the Eighteenth-Century Novel

Mykhailo Kozakov — 2025-12-18

Augustyn Babiak, For the Love of His People: The Heroic Life of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky (1865–1944)

Mychajlo Dymyd — 2025-12-18

Pui-lan Kwok, Transpacific Political Theology: Perspectives, Paradigms, Proposals

Valerii Sekisov — 2025-12-18

Valentyn Syniy, Serving God Under Siege: How War Transformed a Ukrainian Community

Jason Palmer — 2025-12-18

Mark A. Lamport, Ronald T. Michener, Handbook on Postconservative Theological Interpretation

Igor Dimovski — 2025-12-18

Jason Moore, AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous

Michael Sheludko — 2025-12-18

This article reviews Jason Moore’s AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous (Invite Press, 2024). The book, written at the intersection of ministry and technology, offers an introduction to artificial intelligence for church leaders, combining historical overview, theological reflection, ethical considerations, and practical applications. Moore’s strength lies in his personal voice: concrete examples from ministry, biblical parallels, and sensitivity to ethical concerns. At the same time, the book suffers from stylistic unevenness, as substantial portions appear to be generated by AI itself, which transforms parts of the text into tool catalogues rather than theological reflection. As a result, the book illustrates both the opportunities and the challenges AI brings to the church—not only as a subject of discussion but also as a factor shaping the very process of writing and authorship.

Miroslav Volf, The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse

Vasyl Matsyuk — 2025-12-18

Lenart Škof, God in Post-Christianity: An Elemental Philosophical Theology

Mahomed Rubanenko — 2025-12-18

Simon Horobin, C. S. Lewis’s Oxford

Oleh Demchuk — 2025-12-18

Cornelia Tsakiridou, The Orthodox Icon and Postmodern Art: Critical Reflections on the Christian Image and its Theology

Denis Kondyuk — 2025-12-18

Brady Stiller, Your Life Is a Story: G.K. Chesterton and the Paradox of Freedom

Artem Perkov — 2025-12-18

Michel Pastoureau, Blue: The History of a Color; Yellow: The History of a Color

Nikita Shcherbakov — 2025-12-18

Joseph Carola, S.J., Engaging the Church Fathers in Nineteenth-Century Catholicism: The Patristic Legacy of the Scuola Romana

Andrii Shymanovych — 2025-12-18

Yii-Jan Lin, Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration

Oleksandr Marusiak — 2025-12-18

Seán M. W. McGuire, Biblical Hermeneutics in the Metamodern Mood: Understanding Differences in Interpretation and Theological Integration in Practice

Maksym Nestelieiev — 2025-12-18

Review of Biblical Hermeneutics in the Metamodern Mood

McGuire, Seán M. W. Biblical Hermeneutics in the Metamodern Mood: Understanding Differences in Interpretation and Theological Integration in Practice. Eugene: Pickwick Publications, 2024, 220 pp.; ISBN: 979-8385209026 (pbk)

Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, I Believe. Help My Unbelief!: Christian Beliefs for a Religiously Pluralistic and Secular World

Daniel Kuchurian — 2025-12-18

Igor Semenyuk, Help Me Overcome This!

Yurii Hubaryk — 2025-12-18