The international symposium “Ignorantia Scripturae, ignorantia Christi est,” organised to mark the 1,600th anniversary of the death of St Jerome, was held on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November 2020 at the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Sarajevo. The Catholic News Agency of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina (KTA) reported on the gathering, and its report was carried by IKA.
The symposium was made possible, alongside its organiser, by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. It was held in accordance with all epidemiological measures and recommendations of the Crisis Staff of Sarajevo Canton. The moderator was Associate Professor Josip Knežević, professor of patrology and Christian doctrine at the Catholic Faculty of Theology.
At the opening on Thursday afternoon, the Faculty’s dean, Professor Darko Tomašević, delivered the introductory remarks. Welcoming those present, he emphasised that the symposium’s subject matter was timely and called for deeper analysis. He assessed that the lecturers’ academic, professional and personal profiles guaranteed a scientifically sound treatment of the topics.
The first lecture, entitled “The Word of God That Precedes Us, Sacred Scripture as the Soul of Theology,” was given by Associate Professor Hrvoje Kalem, professor of fundamental theology at the Sarajevo Faculty of Theology.
Professor Ivan Bodrožić, professor at the Chair of the History of Christian Literature and Christian Doctrine at the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Split, was unable to travel to Sarajevo because of the pandemic. He delivered his lecture, “Ignorance of Scripture Is Ignorance of Christ,” by video link. The two presentations were followed by an open discussion on questions relating to Sacred Scripture and tradition.
The programme continued on Friday morning with a lecture by Associate Professor Predrag Dragutinović, an associate professor at the Chair of New Testament Sacred Scripture at the Orthodox Faculty of Theology of the University of Belgrade. In his presentation, “Lectio divina in the Orthodox Tradition and Contemporary Biblical Hermeneutics,” he presented current themes and questions concerning Sacred Scripture from the perspective of Orthodox theology.
Associate Professor Ivan Čatić, professor at the Chair of New Testament Sacred Scripture at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, part of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, spoke about the connection between priesthood and Sacred Scripture. His lecture was entitled “The Use of Sacred Scripture for the Holy and Fruitful Exercise of Priestly Ministry.” Since he could not be physically present in Sarajevo, he too gave his presentation by video link.
After a discussion and a break, the final two lectures were held. Professor Emeritus Mato Zovkić, in his presentation “Translation of Sacred Scripture: Pastoral or Theological,” reflected on traditional and contemporary translations of Sacred Scripture.
The concluding lecture, “Three Great Preconciliar Papal Encyclicals,” was given by Associate Professor Dubravko Turalija, professor of Old Testament Sacred Scripture at the Sarajevo Faculty of Theology. He spoke about the relationship between Sacred Scripture and the preconciliar encyclicals.
The symposium concluded with a final open discussion, after which the moderator, Associate Professor Josip Knežević, thanked the lecturers and all the other participants.
