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Christopraxis And Resurrection (PhD Edit)
Originally published February 1, 2014 with edits and revisions for April 23, 2023 and an entry on academia.edu.
Paradise versus Resurrection
2 Corinthians 12: 4 from the New American Standard Bible:
The Apostle Paul:
'was caught up into Paradise and heard
inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.'
Note from the Greek it translates 'he was caught into the paradise'. So, Paul did not seemingly reason he went via the clouds in the physical realm, but rather to another realm, a spiritual one, whether he was in the body or not (12 verse 2). Marshall (p. 545). Marshall below..
This is describing the New Testament
'paradise' where the spirit of the believer in Jesus Christ exists post-mortem.
This is not yet, the full-fledged physical resurrection of 1 Corinthians 15,
Revelation 20-22 and 1 Thessalonians 4 as New Testament
examples.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 : New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [a]in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [b]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [c]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [d]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Footnotes a 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Lit through b 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Lit who c 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Or cry of command d 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Lit who
The
second coming of Jesus Christ, also known as the second advent and the
resurrection of the dead in Jesus Christ and the transformation to resurrection
of those alive, is futuristic and requires a futurist interpretations of sorts.
These things are mentioned with the New Testament and will take place in the
future. (see also 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 20-22).
Christopraxis
Ray S. Anderson defines Christopraxis
as the continuing power of Jesus Christ, as his ministry works with followers
through the Holy Spirit.[1] Anderson’s theory of
Christopraxis assumes a bodily resurrection of Christ, which Anderson states is
a fact of history,[2] but presently Christ
works through the Holy Spirit in this world.[3] The inner core of
practical theology, as Anderson views it, is the life of a historical Jesus
Christ, his resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit of God continuing the
gospel plan on earth.[4] Anderson deduces that
the concept of Christopraxis includes the Holy Spirit of God working with
Scripture to bring about revelation and reconciliation to persons within the
Christian Church.[5]
A helpful traditional practical
explanation that the resurrection awaits those who trust in Christ, is both
theoretically and practically sound, and may be of comfort to a believer.[6] Yes, God is a creator
who demands justice, but through the atoning work and resurrection of Christ,
his love and grace is also shown to followers. The resurrection of Christ, from
a traditional perspective, is also not purely a theological concept, as the
Kingdom of God is progressing towards its culmination.[7] It can be pointed out
practically that the resurrection of Christ as King has to take place for a
culminated Kingdom of God to ultimately occur.[8] An actual Kingdom would
require the resurrection of a historical Christ.[9] The historicity of
Christ in detail is obviously out of the scope of this thesis, but my point is
that it is vital to ground Christian practical theology in the historicity of
Christ. If Christ was not a real person, and his supernatural
resurrection untrue, then the Biblical doctrines concerning his resurrection
cannot be trusted.[10] Christ’s resurrection
validates his ministry, according to Erickson.[11] There would be no hope,
from a traditional Christian perspective, for everlasting life and salvation
for those who have died without the resurrection. Death would thus end all
hopes of ultimate reunion between those who remain and those who have died.[12]
Moltmann writes that the resurrection
message of the early Christian community was the anticipation of what was to come.[13] The resurrection of
Christ created the hope for the eventual world of a new righteousness.[14] In the new heaven and
new earth, the life of the believer will be transformed in completion.[15]
---
ANDERSON, RAY S. (2001) The
Shape of Practical Theology, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity
Press.
DARROW, CLARENCE (1928)(1973) ‘The Myth
of the Soul’ in The Forum, October, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds), A
Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian
Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What
Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids,
Zondervan.
FLEW, ANTONY, R.M. HARE, AND BASIL
MITCHELL (1983) (1996) ‘The Debate on the Rationality of Religious Belief’, in
L.P. Pojman (ed.), Philosophy, The Quest for Truth, New York,
Wadsworth Publishing Company.
GEBARA, IVONE (2002) Out of the
Depths, Translated by Ann Patrick Ware, Minneapolis, Fortress Press.
MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The
Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
MOLTMANN, JÜRGEN (1993) The
Crucified God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press.
MOLTMANN, JÜRGEN (1999) ‘Perseverance’,
in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), New Dictionary of Christian
Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The
Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The
New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman
Publishers.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The
Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
SLOAN, ROBERT B (1991) ‘Unity in
Diversity’, in David Alan Black and David S. Dockery (eds.), New
Testament Criticism and Interpretation, Grand Rapids, Zondervan
Publishing House.
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.
[1] Anderson (2001: 29).
[2] Anderson (2001: 52).
[3] Anderson (2001:
52).
[4] Anderson (2001: 52).
[5] Anderson (2001: 54).
[6] Anderson (2001:
54).
[7] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).
[8] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).
[9] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).
[10] The Apostle Paul admits
this would be the case in First Corinthians 15: 12-19.
[11] Erickson (1994:
691-693).
[12] Anderson (2001: 54).
[13] Moltmann (1993:
177).
[14] Moltmann (1993: 177).
[15] Mounce (1990: 388).
