https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/41433 2026-04-11T13:08:55Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37087 Title: Rev. Dr Anthony Abela : Laying the foundations for an alternate humanism Abstract: A brief "compendium theologie" is the description that imposed itself upon the reviewer as he leafed his way through this dense, slow moving synthesis of speculative and spiritual theology. Its author identifies the literat)' genre of his work as "una meditazione suI mistero di Dio amore e dell'uomo amore nel Verbo", generated by reflection on his own spiritual experience within the framework of the Focolare Movement spirituality of Unity (p.5 cfr p.173). Z steers the "poche pagine di questo libro" away from the reahn of a "manuale di teologia" or of an "opera scientific a nel senso specialistico del termine" by leaving out "un apparato scientifico" usually required for offering adequate discussions of theological topics. This "testimonianza d'amore" as the book presents itself is nothing less than a profound, thickly written, beautifully printed, deeply theological, essay into the acute crisis that European and Western culture finds itself in. This essay merits close and considered perusal and discussion by anyone with responsibility or pretension of influencing the cultural formation of any country in the western hemisphere. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37086 Title: One book : two different reactions Abstract: When I received Giuseppe M Zanghi's book, Dio che e Amore. Trinita e vita in Cristo (Citta Nuova; Rome 1991) for review in Melita Theologica I thought it would be useful to enlist the services of a colleague who comes from a different background, and offor two difforent and perhaps contrasting readings of the volume. Dr Sant finished his review in July 1991 while I succeeded in finishing writing mine in September 1993. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37085 Title: Changing religiosity : secularisation and variation : data analysis of religious values in Spain Abstract: The theory emerging from contemporary research in the sociology of religion posits a complex dynamic between the traditional notion of secularisation and an observed persistence, transformation or revival of religion. Just as secularisation is a multi-dimensional concept, so also religiosity has a plurality of meanings and manifestations. A nuanced understanding of secularisation requires the identification of the relevant religious factors, a consideration of the various social forces and an examination of the social significance of religious culture. In the operationalisation of the generalised concept of secularisation change in contemporary religious culture and its relation to society is often overlooked. While contemporary social theory tends to generalise the results from phenomenological fmdings, analytical research often delimits the scope of investigation to a single clearly defined and easily measurable religious variable, such as participation at religious services, and elaborates on a single dimension of religious change. Accordingly, there is a need for the identification of the various dimensions of religion at work in today's increasingly complex world. Earlier I have argued that research in the sociology of religion requires a post-secularisation approach concerned with the social significance of religion in a changing world (Abela 1993). Such an approach examines how specific traditional and post-traditional religious factors vary for different social groups in distinct social settings over time. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37084 Title: The philosophical implications of Einstein's relativity theory Abstract: "The struggle to widen our horizon and to go deep into our knowledge, is one of those absolute objectives without which it seems impossible for any thinking individual to have a conscious and positive attitude toward life. The true essence of our struggle for knowledge is made up, on the one hand, from the attempt to embrace the whole width and complex variety of the human experience, and, on the other hand, from the search for simplicity and for brevity in their essential foundations. ,,The originator of the Special and General Theories of relativity, 2 Albert Einstein exerted a significant influence on his and all successive generations. His intellectual endeavour had great repercussions on many a field of thought, from mathematics to metaphysics. In his days, Einstein unceasingly advocated the attitude of critical rationalism, the critical search for error. His most important contribution being obviously that by which he taught us that Newton's cosmology, overwhelmingly successful due to its incredible survival of the most severe tests, may well be mistaken. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z