I stumbled on a painting, dated 1530, that is in The Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg, while looking for an image to use in a discussion of illness and physicality vis-a-vis various religions. Possession by devils comes to mind, or simply that health, like wealth, can be taken for godliness. This came up because Ive liked a page that derives from Benedict XVI and those around him keeping him in touch, and they re-run lots of pieces from the past, and Im not sure what that side of the Vatican is deliberating on, but it seems to me older theological challenges surface from Benedicts domain, and the physicality of Christian faith seemed to be surfacing. And from the side where Francis is, comes a piece now about resurrection being the centerpiece of Catholicism, or Christianity, and he means not the resurrection of Jesus Christ but of everybody after death. Well, put that in your pipe and smoke that, by which I mean that leaves me speechless. But I, for one, have faith that the elements of one religion stem from realities that are not foisted on the receptive brain from on high, but from something within, so Im asking what. And when I found that photo of the 1530 masterpiece, lo and behold it seemed to be held out as a gift of Joseph Ratzinger, with commentary on the cryptology (secret meanings) by him. (I was looking high and low for this and that, so I could have that a bit wrong.) I think the theological historians in training had totally gone to town with it. But that is what Im sort of holding in mind as I work. Im so behind, and my cracked rib has been very bad, and seems to be stabbing into my spleen, so I have to sit up very straight and not sneeze. Anyway. I cant just say oh, Im a Christian but resurrection is just a style of thought. (Or can I?)
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 03:31:35 +0000