To a certain extent, the supremacy of Christianity over other pagan cults in Europe is the fact that Christianity leaves us a Bible while the other cults do not leave us any traces. If we think of religions as living organisms, Christianity has been a predator rather than a prey. It survived Roman persecutions and then became the state religion. With the backing of the Empire, it christianitzed many indigenous customs and even wiped out some. When its missionaries came to the New World, Red Indians were wiped out. But when it came to the Far East, it encountered very deep-rooted cultures which refused to be christianized. One of the reasons was that the Empire's influence has reached its end in the Far East. To these days, Christianity has to co-exist with other Asian cultures. But most of the time, it is sidelined and fails to become the mainstream religion.
As a monotheistic religion, Christianity fails to replace her root --- Judaism. She also fails to defeat a late-comer to the scene --- Islam. Therefore, it is difficult for Christians to hold on to their creed --- I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. She fails to win the Jews or Muslims over. But can she declare that these other religions are false religions, leading their believers nowhere, or even astray? No. It is not diplomatic and nowadays, the Church has to accept the fact that the society in which her believers live is pluralistic. Christians need to live together with people of other religions and we have to respect them, co-exist peacefully with them in order to maintain a peaceful world.
As a monotheistic religion, Christianity fails to replace her root --- Judaism. She also fails to defeat a late-comer to the scene --- Islam. Therefore, it is difficult for Christians to hold on to their creed --- I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. She fails to win the Jews or Muslims over. But can she declare that these other religions are false religions, leading their believers nowhere, or even astray? No. It is not diplomatic and nowadays, the Church has to accept the fact that the society in which her believers live is pluralistic. Christians need to live together with people of other religions and we have to respect them, co-exist peacefully with them in order to maintain a peaceful world.
Christianity is a revelation religion. Its truth is revealed from above. Eastern religions are mostly wisdom religions. Its truth is attained from insight, from enlightenment. Christianity believes in a Creator of the universe who is a personal God. He commands exclusive worship of Him. Eastern religions are polytheistic but most of their deities are men who have attained enlightenment and transcendence. They are not creators but they are able to exercise mighty powers to relieve ordinary people of their sufferings. Naturally, they do not command exclusive worship of them. Believers are free to worship whoever they feel need to and the deities are not jealous. But Yahweh will not be tolerant.
In the second chapter of Colossians, we read of Paul's attack on other contemporary religions which were most likely some mystical Judaism. They observed Sabbaths and other festivals. They worshipped angels. To them, Paul has made the following warnings.
See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath (Colossians 2:16).
Paul argued for the supremacy of Jesus over all those elemental spirits of the universe.
for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him (Colossians 1:16).
For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).
This is a one sided declaration of his experience, of his faith. There was no proof.
He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him (Colossians 2:15).
The principalities, powers, authorities, thrones and dominions are higher order angels than the archangels. On top of them are the Cherubim and Seraphim. Below them are angels and archangels. They form a hierarchy of 9 orders of angels. This is a traditional Catholic belief.
Here, St. Paul warned the Colossian Christians not to follow their philosophy and worship these angels because God created these angels through Jesus and for Jesus. Sorry, Paul, people in the Far East have a different hierarchy of deities. They don't know anything about these 9 orders of angels and naturally, people in the Far East will query about the reality of these Jewish angels and their correspondence with Eastern deities. Sorry to say, these 9 orders of angels are not universally known in all cultures.
Searching the gospels, there is no record of Jesus disarming these angels and making a public example of them. Probably, Paul based his claims on some extra-biblical sources which we now do not have access to. We cannot judge the validity of Paul's claim, not to mention finding corresponding incidents in Eastern scriptures.
Dealing with mystical Judaism might be easier for Paul. But dealing with religions in the Far East is a totally different order of challenge. To repeat Fr. Simon Wong's remark, "the ends of the earth" is not romantic at all.
See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath (Colossians 2:16).
Paul argued for the supremacy of Jesus over all those elemental spirits of the universe.
for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him (Colossians 1:16).
For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9).
This is a one sided declaration of his experience, of his faith. There was no proof.
He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him (Colossians 2:15).
The principalities, powers, authorities, thrones and dominions are higher order angels than the archangels. On top of them are the Cherubim and Seraphim. Below them are angels and archangels. They form a hierarchy of 9 orders of angels. This is a traditional Catholic belief.
Here, St. Paul warned the Colossian Christians not to follow their philosophy and worship these angels because God created these angels through Jesus and for Jesus. Sorry, Paul, people in the Far East have a different hierarchy of deities. They don't know anything about these 9 orders of angels and naturally, people in the Far East will query about the reality of these Jewish angels and their correspondence with Eastern deities. Sorry to say, these 9 orders of angels are not universally known in all cultures.
Searching the gospels, there is no record of Jesus disarming these angels and making a public example of them. Probably, Paul based his claims on some extra-biblical sources which we now do not have access to. We cannot judge the validity of Paul's claim, not to mention finding corresponding incidents in Eastern scriptures.
Dealing with mystical Judaism might be easier for Paul. But dealing with religions in the Far East is a totally different order of challenge. To repeat Fr. Simon Wong's remark, "the ends of the earth" is not romantic at all.
Dear Lord, Vatican II teaches us to respect and show tolerance towards other religions. Grant us a big enough love to embrace them, to engage in meaningful dialogues with them. In the meantime, let us not lose faith in Your unreserved love. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment