The Mercy's Concept at the Beginning of the Christianity E-Book

Cinzia Randazzo

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Nel presente studio sono illustrate le varie concezioni della misericordia secondo i Padri apostolici. Dai testi subapostolici, l'autore delinea le linee fondamentali intorno al quale ruota il pensiero dei Padri sopra citati riguardo all'origine della misericordia divina, da un lato, dall'essere umano dall'altro e dai loro possibili effetti nel mondo.

Leseprobe

INDEX

Preface

Introduction

1. The Divine Mercy

1.1. Identity

1.2. Effects

2. The Human Mercy

2.1. Conditions

2.2. Finality

Conclusion

Essential Bibliography

CINZIA RANDAZZO

The Mercy's Concept at the Beginning of the Christianity

Youcanprint Self-Publishing

Title | The Mercy's Concept at the Beginning of the Christianity

Author | Cinzia Randazzo

ISBN | 9788827814482

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Preface

An anonymous second century author in a treatise written to persuade a pagan, Diognetus, of the truth of Christian belief celebrates as the hallmark of Christianity the proclamation of divine mercy and the love Christians have for one another.

When God sent his Son into the world, he writes, “he did so as one calling, not pursuing, when he sent him he did so as one loving, not judging” (Ep. Diogn. 8.5). Accordingly, he later writes, taking up the theme of human love, such are the marks of those who imitate God:

One who takes up a neighbour’s burden, one who wishes to benefit someone who is worse off in something in which one is oneself better from God, and thus becomes a god to those who receive them, this one is an imitator of God (10.6).

Such words are perhaps no more needed than today, confronted as we are with reports of brutality and violence on the international stage, and 24-7 new reports bombarding us with stories and pictures of the suffering of God’s precious children and creation everywhere one looks on this earth.

The more suffering and violence engulf our planet, the more we need both divine and human mercy of the sort the writer to Diognetus celebrates.

So it is that Cinzia Randazzo’s fine book is both welcome and timely. Readers well acquainted with Old and New Testament teachings concerning divine mercy and the human call to imitate God will benefit from this discussion of these themes in the Apostolic Fathers, a group of writers associated with second century Christianity.

Some of these authors were at one time part of the Christian canon. Although they lost that esteemed status in the course of the early centuries of the church, they continued to enjoy pride of place both amongst early theologians as well as those who sought spiritual counsel from ancient Christians.

What is easy to forget about these writers as they address us across the centuries is that they were living often in highly impoverished urban conditions, at times under suspicion by ruling authorities, and often misunderstood for their rejection of the traditional gods and customs associated with them. They were living in a truly unmerciful time.

That the mercy of God and the mercy of humans figures so centrally in these writings is a testament to their generosity as well as the way their religion ennobled them to be stand out from their compatriots, through their distinctive beliefs and ethics.

Today we take the value of mercy for granted. Who does not know that mercy is a virtue worth pursuing? This was not always so.

Indeed, the world the Apostolic Fathers addressed did not see mercy as a chief attribute of the gods who were as likely to be capricious as generous.

Nor did they all consider mercy to be a virtue humans should pursue. When Seneca wrote his treatise to Nero, entitled, De Clementia, he instructed the emperor not in a mercy centred in grace and generosity, but to exercise the sword of justice in a temperate way.

Seneca urges clementia upon the young emperor as a foil to tyranny and capriciousness. Indeed, as a virtue clementia expressed the self-regulation and discipline of those Roman males who wielded power over others, rather than a value which we know today as centred in empathy, forgiveness, and mercy.

This makes the writings taken up in this volume all the more remarkable for their effect in the shaping of cultural beliefs and practices many of us consider to be self-evidently true.

In this readable and able discussion of the concept of mercy in the Apostolic Fathers Cinzia Randazzo invites us to taste from a rich banquet of writings and profound beliefs whose meaning is as valuable today as it was when these documents first instructed second century Christians.

Vancouvier,27-4-2015Professor Harry O. MAIER

Vancouver School of Theology,Vancouvier, Canada

In this study the concept of mercy or compassion in the works of the apostolic fathers is examined accurately by Doctor Randazzo. Unlike biblical scholars, patrologists seem not to have paid enough attention to this field of research when examining the life of the early church communities. The first chapter analyses the passages in which the apostolic fathers (and some of the apologists) write about divine mercy. In his Letter to the Corinthians Clement of Rome focuses on the election of David, which was an evident act of God’s compassion. The bishop of Rome advises the Corinthians that they should follow God’s example: they have to be generous and forgiving themselves. He points out that our heavenly Father, whose characteristics are perfectly revealed by his Son, does not show a lasting grievance against sinners, but distributes his grace without delay. He reprimands us because he wants to educate us, and this way save us from eternal damnation. Ignatius of Antioch lays more stress on the communal aspect of divine mercy: God presents the church communities with the beneficence of his grace. Greeting the Philippians, Polycarp of Smyrna prays that they may receive God’s mercy and love. Hermas often has experienced the signs of divine compassion, which have strengthened him, and helped him to become an authentic witness for his own household. God is merciful even to those who abjure him, because he always feels compassion for man, who is his own creation. Penitents can put their trust in his eternal and unconditional mercy. The second chapter of this essay focuses on what these fathers say about the requirements of human compassion. Fraternal admonition is a moral obligation of the just persons, who should be signs of God’s benevolence. Ignatius of Antioch himself wants to become the living image of the divine mercy.

We could go on quoting the numerous utterances of the early fathers about this divine and human virtue. The author examines the pseudonymous Second Letter of Clement, the Letter of Barnabas, and even the works of Justin and Theophilus of Antioch. When they talk about this topic, they often refer to particular passages of the Old Testament as testimonies of the constant presence of God’s mercy in the history of salvation. The interceding role of Moses to save the treacherous people of Israel is highlighted e.g. by Clement. The characteristics of the human response which should be given by Christians to these manifestations of divine compassion are also often treated by the fathers. In this respect they sometimes refer to the New Testament, e.g. Matt. 6:14-15.

I think this short introduction demonstrates how crucial this theme was for the second century Christian communities. That is why Cinzia Randazzo’s survey is particularly worth of our attention. Like her study on another Christian virtue, the authentic joy, this one is also useful if we want to perceive the dangerous problems of this critical period. This transitory age of Christianity, which was trying to solve difficult moral problems appearing in the midst of the local churches, has often been regarded uncreative. Indeed, this century did not produce remarkable doctrinal systems, but the responses of the bishops and laymen to these challenging ethical questions proved to be effective enough to preserve the unity and authenticity of their communities in the hostile pagan environment.