The antithesis between symbolism and revelation - pagina 21

19

indulge

most exquisite,

the

in

The impression

worship.

symbolical

most splendid, and most

overpowering and overwhelming.

and

could

witness,

society,

for

had

led.

system

But the shady side

is

indeed

obvious,

is

end of the middle ages, the lower as well as the higher

at the

class

of a high-mass performance

Cologne or Milan cathedral

in the Saint Peter's, or in the

artistic

has

results

both for the church and

compromise between Revelation and Symbolism

this

do not

I

what sad

to

to

here

refer

suffer.

draw your

I

From abuse

to the abuse.

every

attention merely to what, at

the end of the middle ages, proved the downright consequence of

the system

An

God's holy

itself.

Word

almost ignored by the people.

overflow of mystical sensations darkening the mind.

A general

bluntness and dullness, rendering both the conscience and the cons-

dim and obtuse; and the distance between the lower and

ciousness

the

higher

classes

All

clergy.

energy

vital

The

wide and sharp.

And

broken.

laity overruled

by the

the spirit of liberty and

independence quite crushed down.

At still

that critical period shall

against

honour as

Roman

more so

in

God

sent as a saving angel, what

the Refonnation,

the

we

all

powerful reaction

in the

Lutheran, and

Episcopalian church, bas been wrought out fully in

line,

These churches therefore took a

faith

this

symbolism, partly checked

only along the Calvinistic

relying upon

and

feeling

the non- conformist

fully opposite stand.

churches. Instead of

and sensation, they appealed to Faith, and

here meant both the understanding of the Revelation and

personal application to the soul.

They denied

its

absolutely the neces-

by symbols. God had mysteries of salvation, had re-

city of connecting the Infinite with the finite

revealed himself,

Jiad revealed the

vealed his ordinances for every sphere of our existence, and accor-

ding to what Jesus declares, eternal sensations, but

whom

''to

know

thou hast sent."

life

was not

Thee, the only true

to

have agreeable

God and Jesus

Christ

Not symbols but the ''wisdom of God"

was the preaching of the Cross. "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what

I

say,"

interpreted

the

apostolic

method of teaching,

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen