Nirvana and Kingdom of God

Abstract

OUR task in this paper will be to inquire into the relationship between Nirvana and the Kingdom of God in the perspective of our contemporary religious situation. First it is necessary to define this situation, if only to make clear what this paper will regard as valid principles, methods, and goals of theological inquiry in our time. For this paper rests upon two crucial assumptions: (1) The foundations of Western civilization-and of Christendom itself-are collapsing about us, and the root ideas and values of this civilization no longer have validity or relevance to the authentically contemporary man. (2) Christianity as we know it historically has been integrally related to Western civilization, and therefore insofar as Christian theological categories are a product of Western civilization-regardless of the effect which Christianity itself has had upon this civilization-they have neither validity for nor relevance to the contemporary Christian. While seldom stated explicity, these assumptions are obviously operative to one degree or another in much contemporary theology (for example, in Bultmannianism and even in the call of some Continental Catholic theologians for a post-Constantinian Christianity). These assumptions also cast light on the baffling fact that dogmatic theology proper has virtually died in recent years, for it would seem that it is no longer possible to express traditional theological categories (such as Creation, Incarnation, Logos, Trinity, etc.) in contemporary language, that is to say, in language which is meaningful in our historical situation. It is easy to state these assumptions but extremely difficult to assess their full meaning and impact. However, there are two problem areas where it is possible for the astute critic to sense the gravity of the revolutionary crisis in which we must live. These are (1) the idea and the doctrine of God and (2) the radical disruption between the biblical categories of faith, as revealed in historical scholarship, and the traditional categories of Christian theology. The latter problem is recognized by all --except perhaps dogmatic theologians -while the former problem is seldom discussed. Significantly enough, and despite its name, at no point is modern theology weaker than in its doctrine of God-it could perhaps be said that the doctrine of God is the Emperor's clothes of modern theology, and it is a pity that no ironist has arisen to portray the nakedness of our theologians. The three most influential theologians of our time clearly illustrate this problem. Thus the Barth of the Dogmatik has constructed a magnificent trinitarian doctrine of God which is overwhelming in its sheer power and com* Professor Altizer received his A.B., A.M., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago. He is at present associate professor of Bible and religion at Emory University. Before going to Emory he taught at Wabash College. His book, Oriental Mysticism and Biblical Eschatology, was published by the Westminster Press in 1961. He has also had articles in the Journal of Religion, Religion in Life, Journal of Bible and Religion, Centennial Review, and Christian Scholar.