[Oe List ...] Fall/Redemption vs Creation-Centered Theology

[LAURELCG at aol.com]

Karen,

Since no one else has answered your question about redemption-based vs 
creation-based theology, I'll send some thoughts from M. Fox's ORIGINAL BLESSING.  
He has an appendix in the back with pages of comparisons of what he calls 
Fall/Redemption and Creation-Centered spiritualities.

Key spokespersons for F/R:  Augustine; Thomas a Kempis; Bossuet; Cotton 
Mather; Tanquerry.  For C-C:  Yahwist author; wisdom writers; prophets; Jesus; 
Paul; Irenaeus; Benedict; Hildegarde; Francis; Aquinas; Mechtild; Eckhart; 
feminists; liberation theologians; artistis; musicians; poets.

Patriarchal vs Feminist

Ascetic vs Aesthetic

Mortification of body vs Discipline toward birthing

Suffering is wages for sin vs Suffering is birth pangs of universe

Emphasizes original sin vs emphasizes original blessing

Egological vs ecological

Suspicious of body and violent in its body/soul imagery; "soul makes war with 
the body" (Augustine) vs Welcoming of body and gentle in its body/soul 
imagery; "soul loves the body" (Eckhart)

Climbing Jacob's ladder vs. Dancing Sara's circle

Personal salvation vs Salvation and healing of the people of God and the 
cosmos

Build up church vs Build up Kingdom/Queendom

Struggle to clean one's conscience vs Struggle to make justice of injustice 
and to balance the cosmos

Spiritual journey follows 3 paths of purgation, illumination and union 
(Plotinus) vs Spiritual journey follows four paths of Via Positiva, Via Negative, 
Via Creativa and Via Transformativa.

Righteousness vs Justice.

Theistic vs Panentheistic.

There are lots more, but you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

Blessings,
Jann McGuire

In a message dated 4/22/05 4:58:50 PM, KarenBueno at aol.com writes:

<< In a message dated 4/22/2005 6:32:14 AM Mountain Standard Time, 
hfgreene at mindspring.com writes:
Thanks for this reminder, Laura. Matthew Fox's essential theological
contribution is to move the church from redemption based theology to
creation based theology. EI and RSI were out of the redemption based
tradition. Over the years EI and ICA have understood the need to move to a
creation based understanding. Because ICA is not based in theological
reflection this has not been formally integrated into the EI's theological
heritage but is being developed by many of those who experienced their
theological awakening in EI.

Herman
Herman, (and others) please say a few more words about the definitions of 
redemtion based and creation based understandings and how they differ.  I 
hadn't 
heard the terms, and I want to know what they point to.

Karen Bueno >>