Collect your courage



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 hermeneutic of liberation," he asserts that we should look beyond simply thinking of the relation of faith and politics merely in terms of difference or parable.
Instead Moltmann suggests we consider the "explosive, liberating presence of God in the extremities of inhumane misery."
In other words, instead of thinking of our life as a parable to God's justice, or how it is different from God's justice we look for how God is manifested in the extremities of inhumane misery. I think this is a step away from metaphysics, but one wonders, how do we (or simply, do we) look for God in the extremities of inhumane misery?
What is the praxis of this sentiment?

How does this "explosive, liberating presence" relate to the Trinity?
Glad you asked. If we consider God's presence this way we have to understand the incarnations and anticipations of the presence of God in a history of transformations of God. This leads to a perception of God's identifications in history.

And how would we perceive God's identifications in history? Again, glad you asked.
"The criterion of perception would be the identification of God with the crucified Christ. The horizon of perception would then be the kingdom of the perfected indwelling of God in the new creation, that is, the consummation of the trinitarian process of God in history."

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