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Mitropolia Ardealului

HISTORY

In January 1907, the first number of "Revista Teologica" (the "Theological Review") was published in Sibiu – mouthpiece for the science and church life. It started its way with the initiative and under the leadership of young professor d. Nicolae Balan from the Theological Institute of Sibiu; it was edited by "Archbishopric Printing" (founded by Andrei Saguna in 1850) and it was recommended to be published in 12 numbers yearly. Thus, the new review was joining to the few church periodicals since then: "Biserica Ortodoxa Româna" ("Romanian Orthodox Church"), that appears from 1874 till today, "Candela" ("Votive Light") from Cernauti (1882-1946), "Viitorul" ("Future") from Iasi and Bucharest (1898-1916). The Archiepiscopate of Sibiu had only the official newspaper "Telegraful Român" ("Romanian Telegraph") initiated by Andrei Saguna, and printed ceaselessly from January the third, 1853 till nowadays.

From these reasons, the professor Nicolae Balan considered that it was necessary a review, exclusively only for the clergy, to help them in their cultural and pastoral-homiletics activity under the political and social circumstances by that time. The review even from the beginning had a few co-workers with high-reputation, among them we could mention: archimandrite Iuliu Scriban from Bucharest, the assessor priest Gheorghe Ciuhandu from Arad, the professors Silviu Dragomir and Aurel Craciunescu, from Sibiu, the uniat priest Stefan Pop from Banat (who signed himself with the pen name "Gruia"), who passed to Othodoxy later on, a few rectors and priests who were publishing sermons (Vasile Gan, Ioan Teculescu, Pompei Morusca and others). It is printed regularly-monthly- till the end of 1916, when it ceased because of World War First.

In 1920, its former editor, the priest professor d. Nicolae Balan was chosen as a Metropolitan of Ardeal, so that, in January 1921, the review was published again, with His blessing, this time being edited by the priest Pompei Morusca, the future bishop Policarp of America. From January 1923, till the summer of 1936 was under the direct care of the professor and the rector of Theological Academy "Andreiene", Nicolae Colan. He succeeded to widen the group of older co-workers (Gheorghe Ciuhandu, archim. Iuliu Scriban), with the professors Ilie Beleuta and Grigorie Cristescu from Theological Academy, but especially with the new generation of professors of this Academy, trained under the direct care of Metropolitan Nicolae Balan, namely: Nicolae Terchila, Dumitru Staniloaie, Nicolae Neaga, Spiridon Cândea, Nicolae Popovici (the future bishop of Oradea), and in the forth decade: Grigorie Marcu, Teodor Bodogae, Liviu Stan, Nicolae Mladin, Corneliu Sârbu, Nicolae Balca, Gheorghe Soima. A "gold generation" that Sibiu has never met before! We should also mention here the co-workers out of Sibiu: academicians Ioan Lupas and Stefan Metes from Cluj, the professor priest Ilarion Felea from Arad, later on Isidor Todoran from Theological Academy of Cluj, and even a few university professors from Cluj, in the period of their "refuge" at Sibiu, among which we mention the Hellenist Stefan Bezdechi and so on. Numerous rectors and parish priests were publishing sermons and articles of pastoral interest. The articles had a great diversity, to which were added sermons, church chronicles and book reviews, all to the interest of the clergy.

From the autumn of 1936 till the end of 1947 the review was under the care of the deacon and the professor of the New Testament d. Grigorie Marcu, worthy descendant of Editor Nicolae Colan, a very competent editor.

But, after the chronicler's sayings: "the times are not under the man, but the poor man under the times", from August 1944 the wrath of the communism was spread all over the country, with excessive measures taken against the Church. In 1947-1984 have been suppressed, one by one, almost all the church publications, so that, at the end of 1947 it ceased by being published even the "Theological Review".

It is printed again, after nine years, under a different title, that is "The Metropolitanate of Ardeal" in the autumn of 1956 as a result of the new Metropolitan of Ardeal d. Iustin Moisescu, the future Metropolitan of Moldavia, then Patriarch. Its elaboration was entrusted also to father professor Grigorie Marcu, the most suitable for such a responsibility; who guided it till the middle of 1976. From 1976 till 1992, father professor Ioan Ica sen. was the "responsible editor" of the review. The publication was patronized even now by the metropolitans of Ardeal: Nicolae Colan(1957-1967), Nicolae Mladin (1967- 1981) and Antonie Plamadeala (1982-2005). At the beginning the review was printed six times a year, after that only four times a year; the paper secured on that time was low quality. Still from the beginning it was established a division of studies, after the four branches of the theology: biblical, historical, systematical, practical to which are added the sermons, detailed church chronicles and book reviews.

According to the "traditions", the main co-workers were the professors of Theological Institute of University Status of Sibiu: Nicolae Neaga, Grigorie Marcu, Milan Sesan, Teodor Bodogae, Stefan Lupas, Sofron Vlad, Isidor Todoran, Nicolae Mladin, Dumitru Belu, Ioan Zagrean, Alexandru Moisiu, Dumitru Calugar, to which are added the ones from a "new generation": Mircea Pacurariu, (from 1957), Ioan Floca, Constantin Voicu, Dumitru Abrudan, Ioan Ica sen., Ilie Moldovan, Liviu Streza, Vasile Mihoc, Sebastian Sebu, Aurel Jivi, and so on. Among these we should also mention the co-workers from outside, such as: Stefan Metes, the American historian Keith Hitchins, Eugenia Greceanu and Ioana Cristache-Panait (church art) and many others. Each of them wrote studies in their specialty, so that, they were even now of a great diversity. After 1961, numerous studies and "chronicles" regarding to the ecumenical movement were published. Unfortunately, absolutely all the materials that were published till 1989 needed "the notification" of the Department of Cults and of the "Direction of the Press", that's why it happened many times, that certain studies to be rejected or to be "cut off" by incompetent people of regime.

From 1991 it was retaken the old denomination: "Revista Teologica" (the "Theological Review"). Till 1992 it was edited by the professor Ioan Ica, then by the Cultural Department of Archiepiscopate (councilor Gheorghe Papuc), by the professor Aurel Jivi (1995-2002), and from 2004 by the professor Nicolae Chifar (editorial staff secretary being the university lecturer d. Sebastian Moldovan from September 1995 till September 2006 and then the university lecturer Paul Brusanowski from October 2006).

Besides the old one, "a new generation" of co-workers shows up, formed by the professors of the Faculty of Theology "Andrei Saguna": Ioan Ica jr., Dorin Oancea, Nicolae Chifar, Ioan Mircea Ielciu, Aurel Pavel, Irimie Marga, Vasile Grajdean, Nicolae Mosoiu, Sebastian Moldovan, Constantin Necula, Paul Brusanowski, Ciprian Streza, Constantin Oancea, but also the young ones Daniel Buda, Stefan Toma and the candidates for D. D. of the Faculty of Theology.

Under the care and the guidance of the Metropolitan of Ardeal D. Laurentiu Streza, we hope that the "Theological Review" will accomplish with honour even in the future, the noble mission of enlightenment of the clergy and the theological students. We are truly convinced that it will become a review appreciated not only in the country but even abroad.

Pr. prof. dr. Mircea PACURARIU