RoboPreacher

(For the Eastertide we will depart from our talk on the Trinity) I read of Christ crucified the only begotten son sacrificed to flesh and time and all our woe. He died and rose, but who does not tremble for his pain, his loneliness, and the darkness of the sixth hour? Unless we grieve like Mary and His grace, giving him up as lost, no Easter morning comes. -The Way of Pain, by Wendell Berry

This week we reflected on whether or not it is something to be hopeful about that, that all of human history is taken into the history of God, i.e. the Trinity. One thoughtful response dealt with the metaphysics of a theology of the cross. When we confess that all of human history is incorporated into the history of God, are we speaking abstractly? Are we merely dwelling in metaphysics, which offers no hope to the person starving to death? Is the hope of the Trinity merely a platitude? I think it can become some meaningless catch-phrase. And I am thankful for such thoughtful questions. I think leaving these questions would be a meaningful post about the Trinity, but I am going to risk a good thing and continue the reflection. As a note, I dislike relying so heavily on Moltmann, but the end of his The Crucified God , offers a nuance. Additionally, it is still Lent, and I do not want to jump to far ahead. Having said all of that... In Moltmann's discussion of a "political hermen...

During Lent I am continuing to focus on the Trinity in light of the cross. Due to lack of resources this limits resources. With that said, I hope you're all not tired of Moltmann yet. I do think he has a lot of insight, and a lot to reflect on. I am looking forward to reflecting on other aspects of the Trinity. But for now, it is good to meditate on the cross during our season of Lent. "All human history, however much it may be determined by guilt and death is taken up into this 'history of God', i.e. the Trinity, and integrated into the future of the 'history of God.' There is no suffering which in this history of God is not God's suffering; no death which has not been God's death in the history of Golgotha." What does this mean? What does it mean that God is manifest in all suffering, guilt and death? Is this good news? If it is, how so? Is there more to this 'incorporating into God's history? (I have many thoughts on the topic, but I am ...

Judging from last week's post it seemed most people we're interested in the concept of the Trinity as an event and how that interacts with and affects life. The concept of the Trinity as an event is begun in the crucifixion of Jesus, where God and Jesus are completely united in their wills, and divided in the death of Jesus. (Bloggers, my friends on facebook were also able to read and respond to the post via facebook.) Moltmann opens the way to talking about the Trinity as an event by describing the Trinity as " statsis ." The Greek word for "insurrection." It seems the Eastern church father, Gregory Nazianzen, descried the Trinity this way. He writes, "God is not limited to one Person, for it is possible for Unity if at insurrection with itself come into a condition of plurality." (Third Theological Oration: On the Son II) This quote certainly seems to describe an event within God and the Trinity. It's certainly very interesting, and I agree w...