The Archpriest Professor Ioan Lupaș and the homiletics of the World War I
reflected in his book “Comfort the people!”
It goes without saying that Orthodox Church Homiletics of the 20th Century is
one of the most important issues facing the missionary agenda of those
historical times. The present essay takes a fresh look at both sides of the
argument: firstly, it is worth considering that orthodox priests served with
allegiance the moral, intellectual and material needs of theirs parishes;
secondly, we can say without mistake that homiletical art of Orthodox Church,
addressed to a nation afflicted by the abominations of World War I, was like an
unction for many wounds. For instance, the homilies of Father Ioan Lupaş, who
was a fi ne connoisseur of the Romanian history, encapsulates metaphor,
epithet, rhetorical questions, litotes, impersonation, encomium, hyperbole,
allegory and so on. All of these rhetorical procedures, in order to maintain a
high vibrational spiritual energy of virtues, in the souls of his listeners. As
far as I’m concerned, Reverend Ioan Lupaş is one of the most refined public
speakers of those belligerent times.
CĂTĂLIN VARGA
|
|
