Relics and Miracles: Two Theological Essays - Softcover

Bulgakov, Sergius

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802865313 ISBN 13: 9780802865311

Verlag: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2011

Inhaltsangabe

Two great works of Russian Orthodox theology in English translation Esteemed translator Boris Jakim here presents for the first time in English two major theological essays by Sergius Bulgakov. In "Relics," a 1918 response to Bolshevik desecration of the relics of Russian saints, Bulgakov develops a comprehensive theology of holy relics, connecting them with the Incarnation and showing their place in sacramental theology. In "Miracles" (1932) Bulgakov presents a Christological doctrine of the Gospel miracles, focusing on the question of how human activity relates to the works of Christ. Both works are suffused with Bulgakov's faith in Christian resurrection -- and with his signature "religious materialism," in which the corporeal is illuminated by the spiritual and the earthly is transfigured into the heavenly.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Sergius Bulgakov (1871-1944), a luminary of twentieth-century theology, was a Russian Orthodox priest, public intellectual, and ecumenist. Roberto J. De La Noval teaches theology at the University of Notre Dame. In addition to translating Russian religious texts, he writes on theology and culture for journals of public thought.

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RELICS and MIRACLES

Two Theological EssaysBy Sergius Bulgakov

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Copyright © 2011 Boris Jakim
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8028-6531-1

Contents

Translator's Introduction..............................................viiOn Holy Relics (In Response to Their Desecration).....................1On the Gospel Miracles Author's Preface...............................43I. On Miracle..........................................................45II. The Miracles of Christ.............................................56III. On Human Works....................................................78IV. On the Resurrection of Christ......................................95Index..................................................................115

Chapter One

On Holy Relics

(In Response to Their Desecration)

In its God-hating cynicism and blasphemy, the desecration of holy relics that recently took place in Russia does not have any precedents in the history of Christianity. The fury of the God-haters and the spirit of the Antichrist are fully evident in this savage profanation. Nevertheless, this is destined to be, and the heart of the believer must not tremble before this approaching abomination of desolation in the place of holiness. One is rather amazed by the inertia and restraint of the satanical gangsters in the Kremlin, which enjoys unlimited power and does not shy away from any means to achieve its goals. Evidently, the time has not yet come for the powers in the Kremlin to reveal the full magnitude of their hatred of Christianity, a hatred that constitutes the chief—and even unique—religious engine of the whole movement which is advancing under the banner of democracy and socialism and which, for now, has received its most decisive expression in Russian Bolshevism. But such a satanical assault against the believing heart as the analysis of holy relics requires, of course, an internal opposition from us. And for those who do not doubt that the Lord is leading and protecting His Church, it is clear that such assaults are also lessons being taught to us and questions that demand our answer. By its desecration of holy relics, a desecration that unquestionably has troubled many hearts, the satanical gangsters intended to destroy the faith in these relics; and since, in the life of the Church, all things are connected and it is impossible to remove a single little stone without shaking the whole edifice, it follows that the intentions of the Kremlin gangsters go even further: They are directed against the faith in the Church in general.

There, where, in their pious humility, believers did not dare raise their eyes, and where a holy darkness reigned, electric lights were insolently brought in and filthy paws began to take apart the contents of the holy raka. By itself, this spectacle alone would have been sufficient to stagger and horrify us. However, many also felt surprise and disappointment: There, where one thought to find an incorruptible body, one found only parts of a body or even bones with clear signs of damage from the passage of time. The belief that one would find an incorruptible body was sustained in many by the naïvely pious custom of imparting to the remains of saints the form of an integral body, wrapped and rewrapped; it was difficult to discern that this supposed human figure was actually filled with wadding and, in general, was made by human hands. That which, of course, was not a deception, but only a pious custom(although perhaps an erroneous one), was interpreted as a deception and became an object of mockery. Meanwhile, without any answer stood people of faith, who had to choose between denial of a fact (of course, the sons of falsehood lied here as much as they lie always and everywhere, but not everything can be considered a lie) or denial of the holy relics—and it is the latter that the servants of the Antichrist tried to achieve. These servants created beforehand an atmosphere of mockery and profanation, for only in such an atmosphere is it possible to undertake something like the analysis of relics.

Can anyone conceive, without trembling, of digging up the grave of one's father, mother, or other relatives, of disturbing the repose of the grave in order to analyze what is contained there? And can a believing soul conceive such an idea in relation to a raka containing holy relics? A believing soul could not even think of such a thing, let alone carry out such an analysis. Therefore, holy relics have always remained inviolate; they can only be approached at definite times by pious servants of the Church, for the purpose of wrapping them or, in general, for some sacred action. But here a triumphant lout has approached the raka and, standing before it with hands on his hips in a pose of insolent challenge, he has turned everything inside out and declared that there is nothing there except dust and bones. We did not want to look, and did not look, but now we are compelled to look. There, where a holy ignorance once enveloped everything, the light of day is now installed; and we must ask questions of ourselves and provide answers. Such an analysis of relics has been permitted by Providence: we cannot doubt this. Here, as in other questions, one cannot allow one's intelligence to remain infantile; one must gain knowledge and understanding.

Thus, leaving disbelievers to celebrate their imaginary victory of insolence and spite, we, believers, must pose anew the following questions: What exactly are holy relics and what are the content and meaning of the dogma of the veneration of holy relics?

It is necessary to point out that this dogma had not received a doctrinal definition at any of the ecumenical councils. It has not been the object of any special deliberation, but, like many important dogmas of the Church, it has been accepted through the Church's practice. It is simply that the veneration of holy relics became universal from the very beginning of the Church's existence, so natural was this veneration, responding to the direct emotion of the believer's heart. And the struggle to preserve holy relics from desecration and destruction began very early, since even then pagans and the synagogue sought to destroy relics, while Christians preserved and venerated them. The rule according to which the liturgy is celebrated upon holy relics, sewn for this purpose into the antimension, and according to which the holy altar has holy relics at its foundation, this rule became a part of the Church's practice early on and was confirmed by the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

At that time it was the remains of saints, and primarily of martyrs, that were considered to be holy relics; and of course no one considered them to be incorruptible in the sense of the complete preservation of the whole body, since parts of these remains had to be rescued from fire, from water, from amphitheaters. Furthermore, it was customary to divide these remains and to distribute their parts, with each part evidently being considered as an entire relic, i.e., as representing the entire body, in the same way that every particle of the Holy Eucharistic Gifts contains the Body and Blood of Christ. Clearly, this custom does not originate in the notion of the incorruptibility of holy relics in the sense of their physical indestructibility. In general, the attribute of incorruptibility, which has been advanced to the foreground in modern times, was not emphasized then: At most, one spoke then only of the...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2011
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0802865313
• ISBN 13: 9780802865311
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 128
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: preigu GmbH & Co. KG; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; Niedersachsen; 49078; Deutschland