Traditionalism and Revelation

Traditionalism is the doctrine that God revealed himself to our first parents, and this revelation is the source of our knowledge of God: ‘the knowledge’, as London cabbies still call it, was passed on from its original recipients down the generations. Our knowledge of God is thus mediated through tradition; its only direct source is a divine revelation made to our original forebears. Traditionalism thus tends to accentuate that we cannot know God through our own efforts, for instance by philosophical proofs. Transmission from a single original source explains the analogies between religions and mythologies, while the ‘telephone game’, or ‘Chinese whispers’, over the millennia explains the diversities. Invented in the nineteenth century, traditionalism was at once a contribution to theory of religions, a piece of biblical anthropology, and a theory of revelation and its development. Traditionalists have held that without an original, igniting act of divine revelation to our first ancestors, it would be impossible for the human race to become a knowing, speaking creature, to create institutions, and act morally, or to obtain knowledge of God.

Natur Antropologi: Memahami Keragaman Potensi Humanitas Dalam Konteks Komparatif Dengan Perspektif Kristen

This article looks at the anthropology of how humans understand and assess the ins and outs of life, and draws conclusions to be used as a guide for life in shaping moral, spiritual, comfort, peace, relationships, credibility, and legacy. Anthropology talks about a series of events in human (social) groups and the changes that occur which can be inherited or substantially revised, reinterpreted, and taken as an "academic sample" as a legacy for generations in which anthropology is re-studied. With its various types, observing anthropology requires using various methodologies and approaches. At the end of this article, I discuss biblical anthropology that looks at the totality of humanity in the light of the Scriptures. Abstrak: Artikel ini memandang antropologi tentang bagaimana manusia memahami dan menilai seluk-beluk kehidupan, dan mengambil kesimpulan untuk dijadikan pegangan hidup dalam membentuk moral, spiritual, kenyamanan, kedamaian, relasi, kredibilitas, dan legasi. Antropologi berbicara tentang rentetan peristiwa dalam kelompok manusia (sosial) dan perubahan-perubahan yang terjadi yang dapat dijadikan warisan atau revisi secara substansial, reinterpretasi, dan pengambilan “sampel akademis” sebagai warisan bagi generasi di mana antropologi itu dipelajari kembali. Dengan beragam jenisnya, mengamati antropologi perlu menggunakan berbagai metodologi dan pendekatan. Di akhir artikel ini, saya membahas antropologi biblika yang melihat totalitas manusia dalam terang Kitab Suci.

Being a Living-System

If astrobiology provides a credible way of thinking about what it means to ‘live’ on and with the wider habitats of any cosmic body, then existing sets of symbols must be reinterpreted in order to develop a meaningful way of being-in-the-world and belonging-together-with-the-world in light of the astrobiological concern for intra-action that counters tendencies to human exceptionalism. This chapter makes overlapping arguments that deal with the nature of such symbols. It first examines the relationship between Christian doctrine and symbols to make a case for why doctrines might be reclaimed as symbols in constructive theological reflection if they are not used primarily for apologetic purposes but to facilitate the meaningful re-orientation of our existence in the world. It then considers the Imago Dei as such a doctrinal symbol. Resisting the tendency to turn the doctrine into a freestanding account of biblical anthropology, the chapter draws out resonances between astrobiology’s account of intra-action and the harmonious ordering of creation in cosmogonies that can ground subsequent interpretation of the symbol.

Biblical Inspirations in Nikifor’s Paintings

Nikifor Krynicki (Epifaniusz Drowniak, 1895-1968) was one of the most popular non-academic Polish painters worldwide. To show the biblical inspiration in his creative output I chose two categories from various thematic aspects: self-portraits and landscapes with a church. There are plenty of Nikifor’s paintings showing him as a teacher, as a celebrating priest, as a bishop, or even as Christ. A pop­ular way to explain this idea of self-portraits is a psychological one: as a form of auto-therapy. This analysis is aims to show a deeper expla­nation for the biblical anthropology. Nikifor’s self-portraits as a priest celebrating the liturgy are a symbol of creative activity understood as a divine re-creation of the world. Such activity needs divine inspira­tion. Here are two paintings to recall: Potrójny autoportret (The triple self-portrait) and Autoportret w trzech postaciach (Self-portrait in three persons). The proper way to understand the self-identification with Christ needs a reference to biblical anthropology. To achieve our re­al-self we need to identify with Christ, whose death and resurrection bring about our whole humanity. The key impression we may have by showing Nikifor’s landscapes with a church is harmony. The painter used plenty of warm colors. Many of the critics are of the opinion that Nikifor created an imaginary, ideal world in his landscapes, the world he wanted to be there and not the real world. The thesis of this article is that Nikifor created not only the ideal world, but he also showed the source of the harmony – the divine order.

Practicing civility in an uncivil age

In a time when public discourse is becoming coarser and more combative, believers have an opportunity to demonstrate Christian character by practicing civility. Civility is more demanding than manners. Manners are codes by which we move smoothly through the world and secure our place in society. Civility, on the other hand, has a moral component; it asks us to sacrifice for the wellbeing of the community. Civility is fueled by curious empathy and involves self-restraint. It falls into the domain Lord John Fletcher Mouton called the domain of “Obedience to the unenforceable.” The language we use and how we use language is a good barometer of how developed our civility skills are. Our task of building our capacity for civility is aided by an understanding of how we have become so politically divided as a nation. The Scriptures provide a sound rationale for building our capacity to practice civility. Biblical anthropology, instructions to the exiles in Babylon, along with texts about loving our neighbor and having regard for others in our congregations, all cast the qualities of civility as part of Christian character.