January 2011, Apocalypse: the decor
to encourage theology
I intend to publish here, ten times year, a text theological or spiritual, of the minutes of critical readings. I am a Protestant culture, but my question is about how Christianity can s'anticiper today. Such, perspective can not accommodate a purely religious or dogmatic attitude.
I draw inspiration unsurpassable source of biblical and I lean against the Christian tradition of which I am involved. At the same time, I saw blood in the incompleteness of the current reality and truth (which is different from doubt), with other religions and cultures, modernity and postmodernity.
The Bible readings for the month of November were all from the Apocalypse, it is worthwhile to revisit this book
message of the Apocalypse for Christians of all times, especially in times of terrorism or persecution
When God's Law is not recognized, when the message of the prophets is no longer heard, when they laugh at the word of wisdom, poured into the apocalyptic
Book Apocalypse is the key to a novel, a comic strip that seems fantastic, but where each item was significant for readers of the Judaeo-Christian era that the book was addressed, while for the Romans who are targeted as the persecutors, the message remains unheeded.
This message is this: "Rejoice ruin (of the Roman empire symbolized by Babylon), Sky! And you, the holy apostles and prophets, for God, by judging, you did justice "(18, 20);" God has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication (Rome) and has avenged on her the blood of his servants "(19, 2). In short: "The powers that be persecute you, puts you to death (or made you or others that you, citizens of a second or third zone) do not avenge yourselves, the Lord's is the reward and he will do justice to the martyrs of faith. The political powers that be put in place of God will be destroyed .
Today, we understand that our faith is not an interpersonal dimension (sharing, for example), but also political and economic (in terms of redistribution of wealth for example).
We also understand that we have to do locally: see clearly how the political power or any human body whatsoever (tyrannical heads of families, the harassment by the hierarchies of work, terrorists, the Church itself!) starts in place of God (the constant temptation of those who wield power that dictate the bodies and minds), to demonstrate our faith in word and deed, to resist, but not to avenge ourselves, do not add violence and risk of adding injustice, violence is not a cure violence and injustice.
In the situation of the Roman Empire, the theology was not separate from politics (the emperor was the object of a cult, he was deified after his death, apotheosis).
Apocalypticism, born within Judaism persecuted by the Greek empire (Book of Daniel), then recovery by Christians experiencing persecution in Rome, immersed in a non-secular mentality where theology and politics are not separated (everything happens on earth as in heaven, everything that happens on earth is controlled by Heaven). The Apocalypse foreshadows the Lord's victory over the Empire.
it was often understood as the victory of religion over political power, yet it is also possible to see a preview of the neutrality of the state toward religions, a situation where politics is not related to any religion, where religion is beholden to no political power, which gives him complete freedom of speech against the state.
History Book
The Apocalypse place alternating sequences of scenes that happen on earth or in heaven, a suite of terrestrial and celestial scenery, a history of actions in heaven who have their effects on Earth:
chapters 1-3, on earth : exhortations to the churches who respond, each in its own way in the storm (The persecution of Emperor Domitian, the brother of Titus, second son of Vespasian, who reigned from 81 to 96).
Chapters 4 and 5, to Heaven: The Risen Christ (mentioned in the figure of "The A ¬ gneau as slain") arrives to Heaven (Ascension view, either from land but in terms of point of view of Heaven) where he is the equal of the Lord (He who sits on the throne). He alone is worthy to unroll the book of prophecy (not predictions). Unroll the paper indicates that the Risen only controls the flow of history Martyrs persecution. It does not persecution, but it has the last word on the persecutors and the persecuted.
Chapters 6-11: these chapters give a sense of what is happening on earth for the persecuted. The first six chapters of the Book (the first six seals) want to give meaning to the persecution suffered by Christians in part because of indirect Jews who, at the time, wanted to separate clearly the Christians under the Roman power persecutor. The Seventh Seal (7th chapter of the book) is more developed than the first six, it has seven paragraphs (the seven trumpets).
Chapter 12 Heaven and on earth: persecution of the Messiah and his witnesses (they are inseparable).
Chapter 13, on Earth: The Meaning of the Roman Empire (Babylon): a political power that takes the place of God (a fact still relevant).
Chapter 14 in heaven: the preparations for the trial and the end of the Unholy persecuting the witnesses of the Lord (Jesus).
chapters 15-18 : on earth, the early description of the fall of the empire persecutor (of the emperor Domitian).
Chapter 19, to Heaven: The Triumph of the Lamb that was slain, a sacrificial victim who gets the hello world.
Chapter 20 on earth: The vision of the final fate of the martyrs whose reward will come back to life on earth to reign for a thousand years safely (the Devil in chains).
c HAPTERS 21-22, return to Earth or Heaven descends to earth : Resurrection, in time, the Christian martyrs of Rome prelude to universal redemption: the second resurrection, new heavens and a new earth. Heaven descends to earth in case of new Jerusalem where there will be no need for temple because the Lord will be there in person, but why the people redeemed merge with Him. Unlike traditional theologies which have the humanity of the new heaven and new earth of which the Apocalypse speaks, as sacred, deified, evoking a presence in fullness that does not mean merger.
Next month, we take a closer look at the staging of these scenes, the meaning of the characters, numbers and events presented in a figurative way, ever again, that their scope yesterday and today.
Jacques Gruber
Other texts available via email: Evidence; elections or plebiscites; Where do we stand with the truth? ; Protestants, is the souk, Jews and Christians, the divergence of monotheism (first and second parts) The Don and attention; Holy Spirit, who are you, what are you doing? ; Send Church (s) What is believed Jesus entering Jerusalem; Messages for highlights of the year; Am I creating ¬ nist? ; Confession of Faith, Evangelism, Forgiveness, The Shipyard, Grace; Easter A vision for the world; Resources; The roadmap of Jesus, Open Letter to my Catholic friends, the Merciful; Led by the Spirit, The Contemporary distant For entry; The Calvin trickery, Rome and Canterbury; Woes; Woes (continued) Easter 2010; Remember and learn, Buddha or Jesus, Buddhism, the narrow gate, Berlin Pensions; Islam.
the same author: Hear the Word. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit , Editions du Cerf, 2003;
"You will be my witnesses." For a time of confusion and change, Editions du Cerf, 2009;
cevennesproches.blogspot.com
alpesestivales.blogspot.com
sartresansechec.blogspot.com
