1 Aspects of the reshaping the parish consciousness in the Orthodox Church of Albania after the fall of the Communist System Thoma Çomëni
As. Lecturer of Christian Ethics, Department of Theology & Culture, University College Logos, Tirana
Corespondence:
e-mail: thoma.comeni@kulogos.edu.al
Abstract
personal experience in relationship with God makes them not merely fossils of the past, but an important basis for continuing and enriching the ecclesiastical experience. Sermons, catechistic teachings, spiritual speeches, the publication of books with theological and spiritual content, the remembrance of various saints, local or not, who have an impact on the lives of believers and the Church are another attempt to form the parish consciousness. The analysis is based on facts fixed by reality and daily life, combining it with the tradition, life and theological thought of the Church.
The parish is the cell of church life. It’s the focus of Church life, and as such carries a significant weight in church life and activity. As such its absence creates emptiness in the life of the Church. The topic analyzes some aspects of the parish life and the reshaping of its consciousness in the case of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, after the fall of the communist system. Coping with the physical absence of parishioners, the impact on their consciousness and subconscious of the ideology and propaganda of the communist system, the fossilization of memory, the acceptance and assimilation of divine truths are some aspects that make up the effort to form the ecclesiastical consciousness. The challenges of overcoming collectivization, massification and the power of propaganda, created by the communist system with the individualism, secularism and consumer spirit offered by contemporary society are part of the effort to form the ecclesiastical consciousness. Considering the memory and heritage of traditions and customs in the faith is another aspect of forming the parish consciousness. Feeding them with new
Keywords:
parish, parish conscience, temple, pastoral care, worship life, collectivism, individualism, dialogue, Eucharistic society.
Citation:
Çomëni T. Aspects of the reshaping the parish consciousness in the Orthodox Church of Albania after the fall of the Communist System. Theology & Culture. 2022; 4: 11-26. Doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20312.57600 11
