Canaletto, Capriccio River Landscape with a Column (1754)
My present Facebook status:
I received a diagnosis from my GP/MD which I wondered about. I looked up my fairly minor ailment on the web on several sources and did my own diagnosis which the specialist today confirmed as accurate. Hmm, it seems I have had to do quite a bit of self medical help online the last few years. Thank God, the GP/MD diagnosis was wrong because it was a more nasty one. Getting better with proper meds now.
This is an edit from my completed PhD thesis.
In the person and work of Christ, God discloses and reveals himself to his creation, and this includes reconciliation and redemption. Weber (1955)(1981: 381-382). The work of Christ in ministry and, in particular his death, are essential for Christianity. Christ’s human life and death must, for historical accuracy, be connected to his salvific act. Williams (2007: 129). He conquered through his suffering and death, and revealed ‘the bankruptcy of the world’s values.’ Bloesch (1987: 16). The world system was shown to have a futile set of values that could not save humanity. Jesus Christ the person is held in extremely high regard as is his ministry, atoning work and resurrection, and his person and work cannot be separated in importance. He is understood as one person with two natures, meaning that both his deity and humanity are aspects of his person. He was and is fully God and fully human. He is not simply a man blessed with a very special relationship with God, nor is he a divine being that appears to be human but really is not. Weber explains that only God could bring peace to God and humanity, and this takes place through Christ. Weber (1955)(1981: 383). Christ stood completely with human beings and yet was God. Weber (1955)(1981: 383). Thiessen suggests that ‘no exact psychological analysis of the unique personality of Christ is possible.’ Thiessen (1956: 305). J.S. Whale explains that Christ is unique and to explain him leaves one in paradoxes. Whale (1958: 106). Jürgen Moltmann (1993) admits there is a mystery in regard to Christ and his incarnation. Moltmann (1993: 88). Christ has two natures in one person and there is an attempt to correlate the human and divine in Christ, but it remains a mystery. Whale (1958: 105). There is a mysterious incarnation of God into a reality that is ‘temporal, decaying, transitory existence in which men live and die.’ Moltmann (1993: 88). The eternal presence of God somehow in the incarnation exists among persons as God takes on ‘transitory, mortal being’ in order to become and cause humanity to become ‘intransitory’ and immortal, never facing death once again. Moltmann (1993: 88).
The New Testament depicts Christ as full deity with full divine power, and at the same time presents him as having the results of human finitude and mortality. His deity should not be asserted in a way that negates his humanity and vice-versa. Christ is equal to the Father in essence and nature as God, and yet as human being he submitted to the Father in order to accomplish his earthly mission. Jesus Christ has a determination to be God, our God, and to be the reconciler of the world.
BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1987) Freedom for Obedience, San Francisco, Harper and Rowe Publishers.
THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
WHALE, J.S. (1958) Christian Doctrine, Glasgow, Fontana Books.
WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics,Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
WILLIAMS, ROWAN (2007) Wrestling with Angels, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids.
Another charcoal drawing, at the two minute mark. This time I present work from Neil Buchanan instead of Ralph Papa (see previous post) that receives rather mixed reviews online.
Some live secular science fiction sounding mostly instrumental music with a religious theme. I have been listening to this piece for over twenty years and the first part especially is fantastic.
Salisbury, England 1995 (photo by thekingpin68)
