Abstracts numero 2004/1

Articles varia

  • - Présentation et traduction du premier écrit anabaptiste : Un résumé de ce qu’est toute une vie chrétienne (1525) de Balthasar Hubmaier
  • In April 1525, the City Council of Waldshut decided to undertake a substantial change in the practice of the Church’s sacraments, namely to baptise only professing believers and to perform the Eucharist as a symbolic meal, with ordinary bread and cups, in memory of Christ’s death. Balthasar Hubmaier (1480/85-1528), who inspired this « radical » Reformation, outlines its theological grounds and reasons in a brief treatise which is here translated in French for the first time. In an introductory notice, the translator, Jean Marcel Vincent, underlines the historical and theological significance of this « Flugschrift » which can be regarded, so he argues, as the first Anabaptist writing destined to be published.

  • - Charles Fourier et Charles Gide : quelle filiation ?
  • Even if it is acknowledged that Charles Fourier’s utopia had an influence on the thought of Charles Gide, one of the great figures of the French co-operative movement, the nature of this influence must be analysed. Frédéric Rognon successively examines and tests three assumptions : Gide as « Fourierist », Gide as « neo-Fourierist », and Gide as « post-Fourierist ». He disagrees with the suggestion that Gide made a youthful error and subsequently grew in wisdom. He also questions whether a synthesis between an economics whose grounds are immoral and one based on a rigorous Christian ethics is possible.

  • - De la restauration du régime synodal dans les Églises réformées à l’époque contemporaine
  • Séverine Pacteau-De-Luze shows here that the presbyterian-synodal form of government adopted by the French reformed churches from their foundation, has never functioned without difficulties. It is supposed that these difficulties came from the mistrust of the royal authorities under the Ancien Régime, which outlawed national synods from 1659. This ban was confirmed by the « Articles Organiques » attached to the Concordat. In recent history, although synods were authorised, their workings were still problematic. Such was the case, at the national synod of 1872 : not only was it impossible to find a doctrinal agreement between evangelicals and liberals, but worse, the churches divided into two rival national unions, which considerably weakened their impact. Even though government by synod was restored by the reunification of the Église réformée de France in 1938, it only became a reality after 1945, and not without its teeing problems up to the sixties.

  • - La naissance de Moïse. Essai de définition de la structure et de l’intrigue d’Ex 1,1-2,10
  • Catherine Vialle offers a synchronical study of Ex 1,1-2,10 in order to understand the dynamic underlying this narrative. Analysing its literary structure, organised around Pharaoh’s aggressions in two episodes and three scenes, and its unresolved plot, built upon Pharaoh¹s three speeches, she concludes that Ex 1,1-2,10 might be plausibly considered as a prologue for the whole book of Exodus.

  • - « A quoi m’as-tu abandonné ? » La lecture de Psaume 22,2 dans Matthieu 27,46 et Marc 15,34
  • In the light of Henri Meschonnic’s comments in a footnote of his recent French translation of the Psalms, Jean Alexandre examines the quotation of Psalm 22.2 used by Matthew and Mark. He argues that the intended meaning, whether in Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic, was : « Thou art my God, thou art my God ; to what hast thou abandoned me? » A confession of faith, to be sure, but at the same time a cry of terror in face of death, the unknown.

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