Abstract
AbstractIs peace possible within a radical Christian perspective? This essay seeks to explore a radicalized notion of peace, an investigation that will also radicalize the doctrine of the ascension of Christ. To do so I begin with Paul Tillich, as a proto-radical theologian, and his understanding of peace, and point to its inadequacies, that is, namely, that Tillich assumes a universalized peace in an epoch yet to come, a peace that is hoped for without an actual faith in this peace. Second, drawing upon the radical theology of Thomas J J Altizer, a radical Christology that places exigency upon the presence of Jesus after the resurrection, as the Pauline “first fruits” or understanding or “Post-Christ”, will emerge. A radical understanding of the ascension will usher a new understanding of peace for the church in a Pentecost age. This article is published as part of a collection dedicated to radical theologies.
Highlights
Is peace possible within a radical Christian perspective? This essay seeks to explore a radicalized notion of peace, an investigation that will radicalize the doctrine of the ascension of Christ
For I will pass through the land Egypt that night ... on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the Lord. This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. (Exodus 12:11b-12, 14a NRSV). Throughout this investigation I rely upon resources within the radical theology tradition—for example, Mary Daly, DG Leahy, Peter Rollins, Slavoj Žižek—and employ their terminology and ideas both directly and indirectly
As someone who believes that theology is only radical when put into practice, and as my primary site of practice is the church, I intend my tone to be homiletic and to engage a practitioner within the context of liturgical expression
Summary
Radical theologian Thomas Altizer departs from Tillich on many points, but the above points on God are essential for understanding how to move beyond the liberal–existential Christianity of Tillich towards a genuine radical Christian theology. Comes the end, when he hands the kingdom of God to the Father” (1 Cor. 15:23-24b) (Altizer, 1970) This scriptural language is important: if the resurrection is not a final pouring out of Godhead into human flesh, the Post-Christ would not need to be carried away, he would just levitate back to the Triune Father in the sky. Even though the ascension is an upward movement, it is an ascension into a temporally destroyed temple, an apocalyptic ascension in a postresurrection world that is a final symbolic movement of an actual dissolution of Godhead into flesh In other words, the former temples—whether inhabited by the priests or the angels, or by God for that matter—are no longer necessary because the body of Christ is present. The ascension of the Post-Christ christens the new Christs; the ascension prepares the newly enfleshed for Christic anointing
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