In this article, the authors study the phenomenon of mystical death in the spirituality of Saint Teresa of Ávila. They first explain the phenomenon of mystical death in the history of Christian spirituality. The authors note that the history of this phenomenon goes as far back as the New Testament, where it can be found in the texts by St. Paul and St. John, but it was first formulated explicitly by an unknown author much later—in the seventeenth century. Mystical death (...) is a concept used to explain mystics’ experience of transformation from self-centeredness to other-centeredness. The authors want to use this concept to open up a further interpretation of Teresa of Ávila’s work, it provides a key for unlocking a major theme of her work. In the mysticism of Saint Teresa of Ávila, the authors investigate this phenomenon in two of her books: The Interior Castle or The Mansions and The Life of Teresa of Jesus. Firstly, this phenomenon is in her description of the fifth mansion of The Interior Castle or The Mansions in the symbolism of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly, conditioned by ascending of internal energies. Secondly, they can trace the phenomenon of mystical death in her work The Life of Teresa of Jesus, especially in her explanation of her near-death experience. According to the authors, the phenomenon of mystical death in the mysticism of Teresa of Ávila constitutes a condition for higher spiritual states, especially the state of mystical unity. Finally, the authors outline that the phenomenon of mystical death in the spirituality of Teresa of Ávila is similar to mysticism in Eastern spiritual traditions. They discuss the importance of revealing these similarities for a better understanding of the human being and hir further spiritual development. (shrink)

Despite Karol Wojtyła later to become Pope John Paul II was firstly a moral and anthropological philosopher, his reflection also concerns in historiosophical and civilizational issues. This part of his intellectual activity is rather less known. But Wojtyła was an author of original conception of history and civilization. Among different ways of historiosophical and civilizational interpretations we can find him as a representative of moderate universalism. He joined the belief in existence of universal history as well as the common values (...) with a need of clear definition of human “ego” that could be realized thanks to concrete communities. He saw history in theological and philosophical aspects. Firstly, for him it was a universal history of salvation that is a participation of all nations and cultures as well as every real man. In a philosophical sense he emphasized the universal desire of getting to know the ultimate truth and gaining absolute good. His ethical model of universal civilization is based on the acceptation of cultural diversities. That is why it could be named as “ecumenical civilization”. Its main method is a dialogue that leads to truth and peace. We can find the source of Wojtyła’s universalism in a personalistic philosophy, which sees a proper subject of history and culture aswell as civilization in a person. (shrink)

This paper is dedicated to a problem of power of European nation state during the process of shaping the postindustrial civilization. The author points that the nation state is a relic of an industrial era. Globalization is a real fear for relatively small European states. So, integration is a necessity. But the integration does not mean the centralization of rules. Today we can see a comeback to preindustrial political paradigmatics: decentralization and deconcentration of authorities. The future of Europe is in (...) three-level system that has been built by supranational institutions, e.g. EU, decentralized states (federations and regionalized states) and regional (quasi-states) and local community. But the European Union will not become a federation. It would be a conservation of industrial models. The Europeans must rather think of a new formula of integration. Neo-medieval empire is an adequate to changes’ direction proposal. The author also notices that we are the observers of essential change of identity. The national identity has been relativized by globalization and uniformitarian character of American cultureas well as by aspiration of regional and ethnic groups. European national identity and consensuses could be rather a supplement than an alternative for today’s national identification. (shrink)