Ecumenical Theology of Hope for Oikos
Spes Contra Spem Hope Against Hope Tamรกs Kodรกcsy Eco-Congregation Movement, Hungary
Abraham, an example of faith ●
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Rom 4:18 [qui contra spem in spem credidit]
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His hope –
based on a promise (you will be a father of many nations: Abram → Abraham)
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expressed and lived in faith [credidit]
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remained as hope even if the darkest moments of possible death of his son, Isaac
It may be according to grace ●
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„Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring” (Rom 4:16) “Spes contra spem” → a dialectical expression of the protestant principium By grace – through faith: „Abraham is Abraham according to grace. […] Now, grace presupposes the line of death by which all concrete human conspicousness is bounded absolutely. This line is, however, in God«s sight the line of life, since it assumes the final negation which contains the affirmation of God.” (K. Barth, Letters to The Romans) Luther: one should speak of faith as experience against all other experience (WA 31/I:488, 18f) G. Ebeling and E. Jüngel: experience against all other experience ~ metaexperience— “experience which faith brings”
Faith and hope ●
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We have a lot of biblical stories of „hope believed” (promises of offspring, promises of freedom) Beyond the stories, we have an exact definition of faith: –
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
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Does it means that faith assures only the hoped things what we
do not see ● do not calculate ● do not predict ● do not grasp? Act for [saving the creation for humans] or Act from [being saved as creatured human]? ~ Ecological Conversion? (Laudato si) ●
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New Creation ●
Despair (Psalm 137): By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion…
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New Creation – "See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.” (Isa 65:17f) → the most compressed occurences of bara The story of Creation is rooted in the hope for freedom!
Logos (Word) became sarkx (flesh)
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God became human? Rather: God became flash.
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„He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” (Jn 1:10k)
Sarkikos ~ bodily God's incarnation moves
Word (Logos)
Distance: „Gnostic Redeemer Myth” (Rudolf Bultmann) ?
„plain personal” (Adolf von Harnack) ?
into the depths of existence
Flash (sarkx) 6
Wordly – Oikonomos – For Oikos ●
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„Sarks” (flash): pattern of the whole material world, anything what consists of basic elements: ground, water, air, fite → becomes not only a person, but part od our world, „wordly”, temporal Deep incarnation (N. Gregersen, Chr. Southgate): Become flash = Word of God becomes ground (Adamah), grass, vegetable, animal, become part of earthly metabolism
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Oikonomos – Providence: – –
Nomos for Oikos: Care for Creation Incarnation (early eastern church fathers) = Economy of God
Deep incarnation
“If we recognise Earth as a living organism, can we also say God became 'incarnate' in Earth? Does Jesus the creature represent all creation? The answer, I believe, is yes! Jesus, as animated dust from the ground, is that piece of Earth where God's presence is concentrated in the incarnation. God becomes flesh, clay, Earth.” (Lutheran theologians: Norman Habel, David Rhoads, Paul Santmire – A Theology of Deep Incarnation and Reconciliation in: The Season of Creation 2007, Australia) 8
A new green movement... ●
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is politically liberal or Western idea in a postcommunist country? is so colored like „the theology of serving” in the communist era? implies a contextual eco-theology vs „classical” theology? really focuses on the most important thing? (↔proclaiming the Gospel) How can we accomodate the message of creation care into the thought and life of the church?
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Positive message?
Calvin: Theatrum gloriae Dei ●
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Hope against frustration Calvin: „Meanwhile, being placed in this most beautiful theatre, let us not decline to take a pious delight in the clear and manifest works of God.” Inst 1.14.20 The aim as glorifying God helps us to see ourselves from a viewpoint above – the purpose of created world is not the destruction but God created the world as good, keep it!