Realmscapes

Quote for 2012, On the Garden Theme in the Fall and Salvation

"In a garden You sweated blood, in a garden You were buried, and in a garden You rose again from the dead.  In the form of a gardener You appeared on Easter, for You were to restore everything that we ruined in the garden of Paradise by our first parents."  

-- Blessed Valerius Herberger, The Great Works of God III/IV

And my wife just pointed out He was betrayed in a garden and His disciples fleed from Him in fear in the garden--that makes twice that we betrayed Him and let Him down in a garden setting.

Clash of the Titans (2010), Revisited

Initially I was utterly turned off by the anti-God atmosphere of the film. And then some weeks ago I re-assessed this position from the view that the COT remake has some interesting notions.

1) The film shows what kind of god(s) humanity creates for itself. God is not created by man and thus does not fit the definition of the gods COT purports. If anything, I would rebel against Olympus as portrayed (or disbelieve in Jupiter as Arrius does in Ben-Hur) too.

2) Draco keeps something of a belief in the gods and urges Perseus to consider the gifts he has been given. Although it is a crude form, it is still a representation of trust that the gods are powerful and possibly see ends that humans do not. It is a subtle acknowledging of the relationship that we should have with God, even though the film doesn't go nearly far enough. Humans needs more than relics to place faith in, which is where the vital importance of Christ comes in. But still, it is there in Draco's character even if it's not something I would necessarily rally people to. Given how the gods act its a wonder they have anyone sticking up for them at all.

3) The trailer for the sequel shows a Perseus more subdued and even amiable to the gods--specifically Zeus. Obviously we won't know the context of everything until the film plays out, but my hope is that there is a better relationship there.

If anything the new COT is a valuable study in the 21st century view of religion and God. It provides the perfect contrast for a Christian to say, "Yes, the gods of the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Norsemen, were tyrants and petty. Now see how the Christian God isn't anything like them..."

Quote for 2012, On The Proper Perspective of Luther's Work

"The Reformer [Luther] never permitted his impassioned protest against the Rome of his day to blind him to the ongoing presence of Christendom within that jurisdiction:  "We on our part confess that there is much that is Christian and good under the papacy; indeed everything that is Christian and good is to be found there and has come to us from this source.  For instance we confess that in the papal church there are the true Holy Scriptures, true Baptism, the true Sacrament of the Altar, the true Keys for the forgiveness of sins, the true Office of the Ministry, the true catechism in the form of the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Articles of the Creed". (Luther AE 36:16)"

-- Dr. John R. Stephenson, Eschatology