O Felix Culpa
In other discussions with Christians here (discussions?.....馃榾 ) I have spoken of Christianity having a greater breadth, width and depth than their own Protestant Reform theologies appear to suggest. This met with the usual nonsense.
Rather than debate with them, I thought I would mention the "O Felix Culpa" of the Catholic Church, but understood more deeply in the great Eastern Orthodox Tradition.
[i]Felix culpa is a Latin phrase that comes from the words felix, meaning "happy," "lucky," or "blessed" and culpa, meaning "fault" or "fall". In the Catholic tradition, the phrase is most often translated "happy fault", as in the Catholic Exsultet. Other translations include "blessed fall" or "fortunate fall"[/i]
The fall (obviously mythic.....who on earth actually "fell"...Cro magnon man? Neanderthal Man?) understood not as a shocking rebellion against God but as something offering blessings. Another image of God evolves.
Think about it or not. It is our choice.
Just to add, one book I am now dipping into is on the artistic depictions of the Resurrection in the first millennium. There were two sorts. One, Christ is shown alone, rising in glory. In others, He rises hand in hand with Adam, with Eve, with All. The former became part of the iconography of the West, the latter of the Eastern Church.
As I see it, the consequences are fairly obvious.
Rather than debate with them, I thought I would mention the "O Felix Culpa" of the Catholic Church, but understood more deeply in the great Eastern Orthodox Tradition.
[i]Felix culpa is a Latin phrase that comes from the words felix, meaning "happy," "lucky," or "blessed" and culpa, meaning "fault" or "fall". In the Catholic tradition, the phrase is most often translated "happy fault", as in the Catholic Exsultet. Other translations include "blessed fall" or "fortunate fall"[/i]
The fall (obviously mythic.....who on earth actually "fell"...Cro magnon man? Neanderthal Man?) understood not as a shocking rebellion against God but as something offering blessings. Another image of God evolves.
Think about it or not. It is our choice.
Just to add, one book I am now dipping into is on the artistic depictions of the Resurrection in the first millennium. There were two sorts. One, Christ is shown alone, rising in glory. In others, He rises hand in hand with Adam, with Eve, with All. The former became part of the iconography of the West, the latter of the Eastern Church.
As I see it, the consequences are fairly obvious.
