2026-07-06

The topic of the issue: Rediscovering the Holy Spirit. New Pathways in Pneumatology

Editors of the volume: Grzegorz Barth, Antoni Nadbrzeżny 

1. Explanation of the Topic

In the past, because of an excessively abstract Trinitology and a one-sided pneumatology, the negative phenomenon of the “forgetfulness of the Holy Spirit” occurred in Western theology. Fortunately, in recent decades we have observed a renaissance of interest in pneumatological issues. While preparing the Church for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, Pope John Paul II wrote in the Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente: „The primary tasks of the preparation for the Jubilee thus include a renewed appreciation of the presence and activity of the Spirit, who acts within the Church both in the Sacraments, especially in Confirmation, and in the variety of charisms, roles and ministries which he inspires for the good of the Church” (no. 45).

The papal words constitute a call for contemporary pneumatology to present credibly the person of the Holy Spirit, who reveals His presence through His activity and numerous gifts. The Holy Spirit is the source of truly Christian life. As Uncreated Grace, He is both the Gift and the Giver of gifts. He makes us conformed to Christ and introduces us into a filial relationship with God the Father. He is the Paraclete, the Giver of Life, the Spirit of Truth and Unity, penetrating the world and dwelling in the temple of the human person, transforming and healing wounded reality, introducing the human person into the depth of the divine life.

The present thematic issue „Verbum Vitae” undertakes an attempt to rediscover the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit, as well as to present new research paths in the field of Christian pneumatology. We invite the submission of articles concerning the above-indicated issues, opening new possibilities for understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church and the world. We encourage the publication of original theological interpretations, especially those related to biblical, systematic, personalist, contextual, and ecumenical pneumatology.

2. Deadlines and Conditions

• Articles must be written in English
• Detailed guidelines for authors are available at: https://czasopisma.kul.pl/vv/about/submissions
• Deadline for submission of manuscripts for peer review: 30 October 2026
• Manuscripts should be submitted via the journal’s website: https://czasopisma.kul.pl/vv/
• Publication date of the issue: March 2027

3. Why Publish in the "Verbum Vitae" Quarterly?

"Verbum Vitae" is among the leading internationally indexed theological journals in Poland. It is classified as Q1 in Religious Studies according to the SCImago Journal & Country Rank and  is indexed in major scholarly databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, ATLA, and EBSCO. The latter three platforms provide full-text PDF access to all articles published in the journal through university libraries worldwide. This makes "Verbum Vitae" an especially effective venue for scholars seeking to participate in international academic discourse.