Very interesting editorial referencing Paul Jones' notions of 'obsessio' and 'epiphania' - which are used to define one's theological world.
It seems a majority of the Israelites that left Egypt were of the 'obsessio' theological temperament. Their experiences of brokenness were probably profound after being in bondage for so long and having become 'conditioned' to experiencing slavery and hardship in Egypt until delivered by God through Moses.
P
Their prolonged, conditioned oppression may have created a fragmented sense of self, lacking any internalisation of wholeness with which to confront challenging circumstances.
Their experiences of epiphania, no doubt, were probably fleeting, episodic (when miracles took place), and fragile.
This seems to be the only way I can understand how so many found it difficult to believe after having seen and experienced so many miracles. For example, after seeing the waters parted at the Red Sea, they then (later) lacked the faith or confidence to enter the promised land after the spies (scouts) returned with a negative report ("We are as grasshoppers in their sight!").
I'm probably more of a Winter Christian, where I most likely expect trials, difficulties and tribulations to occur instead of positive, or good things. If something good happens - that is looked upon as something unusual, not to be enjoyed too much because for sure, something bad/negative, or some "sting" will follow to bring one "down-to-earth".
Again, trials or obsessio events/outlooks are often looked upon as necessary events to experience for the formation of character, patience, longsuffering, etc.
This reminds me of the 'funny' saying: "Sacking will continue until morale improves."
The trouble with obsessio theological outlooks is how it may affect one's view of God. God is normally seen/viewed as loving, kind, merciful, full of grace, compassion, understanding, and that is true and right.
However, when there is so much pain and suffering and disaster and evil in the world - a world He set up and created- it is difficult to understand how Infinite Love (God) can have made a world/universe where such activity/entities/happenings exist. The issue of THEODICY (the existence of evil) is the question here, I suppose.
I believe we (humans) were made imperfect, fallible, faulty, limited, subject to sin and failure.
1 Peter 1: 20 indicates God planned for sin to occur, and therefore all that followed thereafter.
1 Peter 1: 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, . . .
verse 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
verse 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (NKJV).
I believe God's plan included the creation of a faulty, imperfect humankind that would sin and never be able to become "perfect", or "work" and change its ways from chaos, conflict and violence to peace, harmony and love.
It will take God's action, enablement, changing of man's heart and nature, from the "old man" to the "new man", ultimately to the formation of a 'New Creation' - fit for purpose, so to speak - to live with God in God's Kingdom, level and dimension (eg, the New Jerusalem).
Of course, God will renew, reconcile, restore and make all things right and good for everyone to enjoy, rejoice, give praise and worship to God in thankful appreciation and adoration (Revelation 21: 4-5).
In the meantime, when there are no miracles as Israel experienced under Moses, or whether I am not perceptive (or decisive) enough to recognise where God has, or is acting in my life, it can be difficult not to become 'obsessio' when trials, difficulties or tribulations are experienced ("Through much tribulation must one enter the Kingdom of heaven" - not sure of exact wording here-sorry).
One last point I find interesting: That is how a number of Bible characters "lost-it", or reached their limit, it seems, when trials and tribulations became too much.
Moses asked to be killed when he could no longer put up with the complaining and pressure of his fellow Israelite charges;
Job complained and wished he had never been born (as well as saying to his 3 'friends' that "God had wronged him": Job 19: 6 =not sure of verse number - sorry);
Jonah complained and wished he would die. He was unhappy Nineveh wasn't destroyed;
40% of the Psalms are Psalms of lament - plenty of "obsessio" there;
Habbakuk complained about the injustice where the rich were getting away with abusing the poor of society.
Paul asked 3 times that the "thorn" be taken away - until God actually communicated and said, "My grace is sufficient for you";
Jesus asked that "This cup be taken from me". Admittedly, He then said, "Your will be done".
I don't know why God has planned things to be this way. I would not have made it to be like this.
The 'compensating' hope and belief I have that helps somewhat is that one day God will make "all things new". The former things will be no more. All will be perfect and good and love.
Until then the struggle and fight goes on to overcome an "obsessio" theological outlook with more growth and increase in one's "epiphania" theological (outlook).
Well, I think my theological temperament has changed. I can’t help but link this theological world idea to the other topic of enchantment v disenchantment.
I used to be more located in my existence, leaning towards and living in epiphania. I observed extreme brokenness, obsessio & experienced brokenness myself but I was full of faith, enchantment, hope, experienced healing, anxious free and walked in experiences of epiphania (I must admit unsure how to use this word in a sentence🤣) epiphanic experiences?
I found answers, solutions, reassurances. Power. Gentle, comforting power from the Holy Spirit, my daily bread, as well as guaranteeing what is to come. But, years of disappointments, oppression and a sense that Jesus has ignored my cries for release, deliverance, compounded by the last year becoming all the more crueller has meant my hope is lost.
I feel crushed.
In my theological world, I believe in Satan as the Prince of this world. I believe I need deliverance from his hold and grip on this world. He feels tangible and real to me in the form of systemic structures, power plays, broken dreams and like a diabolical opposer. I feel stuck in a hellish place of obsessio - The reality of the Prince of this world is where I live, it IS my theological world. So, I guess this is also an ‘enchanted’ theological world.
If this theological world is also an enchanted world, therefore there is hope in the narrative - if I see myself as a character within a plot, as has been suggested, then I need to see this plot through to its end.
But The Terror is coming from not just the tangible reality of Satan himself, and the fall, but the sense that the action and tangible nature of Jesus feels far away. It feels unreal. He feels unreal. The kingdom of heaven feels, conversely, like historical stories in the gospels, along with a distant dream in the future that WILL only come to pass in the end. In the eschaton, as the book of Revelation explains it will all get sorted. Great! That is a long wait! Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, but what is he doing in my life along the way? Now, here on earth, despite my prayers for a sense of immediate action, interventions from Jesus, I have exhausted myself praying, pleading and asking. My strength is gone. But, my belief in Jesus remains (I think). This is the terror me for me. Prayer does not seem to work, but Satan and his works feels very real. It is like I can feel the stones that were hurled at Stephen, but cannot see the vision of the lord as the solution, in a metaphorical sense.
Therefore, I am in a place of mourning and lament. Even today, when I reflected on my theological world I found myself in tremendous lament. As someone has already commented above, this IS a biblical human existence. Psalm 88 comes to mind. I am not unusual. There is nothing clinically wrong with me - I am merely being human in relationship with God. And, yes it is true, even st Paul said at one point he despaired of his life. I believe that wanting to die (like Moses) is not the same thing as being clinically suicidal. I think there is a wanting to die experience, if you have tried to follow and believe in Jesus, which I believe is a uniquely Christian experience. It is the extreme of the winter Christian experience and part of some peoples theological world.
Our friend above has listed some great examples, Jonah who was disgruntled and had to face extreme terror, Jeremiah for example. They were winter prophets. I am a winter Christian at present. And, I would like to add the scripture in Isaiah where it is suggested that Jesus would see the light of life and be satisfied. That is what I have a glimmer of hope for, that I will see the light of life and be satisfied again. I guess, this would mean, hopefully, leaving the pit that is obsessio and relocating in my epiphanic theological world. I am not talking about eternal life here - I am talking about next week, next month!
Is this theological world to do with temperament? Or circumstance? Or even different ages and stages of life? Psychologically, people can be a more melancholic personality type and that is me. But, I used to be summer within that temperament!
I think if God intervened I could transfer, relocate back into summer, back into a epiphanic theological world. And, I wonder if many of my fellow brothers and sisters are the same?
I feel like doubting Thomas. I get him now. I feel utterly bewildered at the moment and my naive, simple faith has caused me to question the sanity of it at times (have just received the book theology and sanity). I have come to a place in my journey, where I need to see tangible proof that Jesus is Lord in my life and that his Lordship IS located and can be found in my existence, here and now on earth. I get the now and not yet of the Kingdom, but ‘not yet’ feels like abandonment at the moment. Years of faith has now turned to a tiny fragment amidst the nothingness, a bit like the scenes in the film ‘never ending story’, where there is a tiny, shining, glimmering grain of dirt left from Fantasia. The good news is, there is light in that grain, which might be able to work its way into the huge batch of doubt.
I am greatly encouraged that Jesus knew exactly what Thomas’ problem was. Jesus ‘fixed’ him, restored his faith, provided the answer & personal experience - Thomas got the answer to his personal question. It was a specific answer, a specific demonstration tailored for Thomas. Tailored for Thomas’ unique, subjective and contemporary existence & theological world - this is what I feel I need. It would move me from the pit of obsessio to relocate me to the land Epiphania. This is what happened to Thomas and he was able to declare that Jesus IS Lord! How exciting!
But, I am a winter Christian at the moment, terrified of how Satan is able to conjure up tricks like the Snow Queen in Narnia conjured up Turkish delight for Edmund. I am terrified that I will continue to be a stone statue in 2025, neither alive nor dead. I need Jesus, like Aslan in Narnia to blow me back to life with the breath of his Holy Spirit. I am already in the adventure that is Christian existence, this is my theological world, but I need the reality of Jesus to come back into my life. I need the flowers of summer to reappear. I want to transform from being a Winter Christian, a neither alive nor dead stone statue of myself to a Summer Christian. I want to leave the pit of obessio and live in the world of epiphania again.
My theological world is very real. It is an enchanted theological world. When I have questioned it, tried to change my mind, rethink, reflect and remove myself from my theological world, that is even scarier. The good news about the fall, salvation approach to life is at least it gives an honest assessment of what we see, an explanation, a sense of the solution, a place, a story in which to locate our hope. I do see myself as a character in the story. I just want to move onto the next chapter and am terrified that I won’t move on in this life on earth, that I won’t see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living - waiting eagerly until after my earthly death seems too hard, too long (all going well if I live into my 90s like my great grannies did) waiting until then feels utterly unbearable and pointless.
This is a great series. It is really helping me calm down and reground me 🙏
Peter Grach
Very interesting editorial referencing Paul Jones' notions of 'obsessio' and 'epiphania' - which are used to define one's theological world.
It seems a majority of the Israelites that left Egypt were of the 'obsessio' theological temperament. Their experiences of brokenness were probably profound after being in bondage for so long and having become 'conditioned' to experiencing slavery and hardship in Egypt until delivered by God through Moses.
P
Their prolonged, conditioned oppression may have created a fragmented sense of self, lacking any internalisation of wholeness with which to confront challenging circumstances.
Their experiences of epiphania, no doubt, were probably fleeting, episodic (when miracles took place), and fragile.
This seems to be the only way I can understand how so many found it difficult to believe after having seen and experienced so many miracles. For example, after seeing the waters parted at the Red Sea, they then (later) lacked the faith or confidence to enter the promised land after the spies (scouts) returned with a negative report ("We are as grasshoppers in their sight!").
I'm probably more of a Winter Christian, where I most likely expect trials, difficulties and tribulations to occur instead of positive, or good things. If something good happens - that is looked upon as something unusual, not to be enjoyed too much because for sure, something bad/negative, or some "sting" will follow to bring one "down-to-earth".
Again, trials or obsessio events/outlooks are often looked upon as necessary events to experience for the formation of character, patience, longsuffering, etc.
This reminds me of the 'funny' saying: "Sacking will continue until morale improves."
The trouble with obsessio theological outlooks is how it may affect one's view of God. God is normally seen/viewed as loving, kind, merciful, full of grace, compassion, understanding, and that is true and right.
However, when there is so much pain and suffering and disaster and evil in the world - a world He set up and created- it is difficult to understand how Infinite Love (God) can have made a world/universe where such activity/entities/happenings exist. The issue of THEODICY (the existence of evil) is the question here, I suppose.
I believe we (humans) were made imperfect, fallible, faulty, limited, subject to sin and failure.
1 Peter 1: 20 indicates God planned for sin to occur, and therefore all that followed thereafter.
1 Peter 1: 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, . . .
verse 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
verse 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (NKJV).
I believe God's plan included the creation of a faulty, imperfect humankind that would sin and never be able to become "perfect", or "work" and change its ways from chaos, conflict and violence to peace, harmony and love.
It will take God's action, enablement, changing of man's heart and nature, from the "old man" to the "new man", ultimately to the formation of a 'New Creation' - fit for purpose, so to speak - to live with God in God's Kingdom, level and dimension (eg, the New Jerusalem).
Of course, God will renew, reconcile, restore and make all things right and good for everyone to enjoy, rejoice, give praise and worship to God in thankful appreciation and adoration (Revelation 21: 4-5).
In the meantime, when there are no miracles as Israel experienced under Moses, or whether I am not perceptive (or decisive) enough to recognise where God has, or is acting in my life, it can be difficult not to become 'obsessio' when trials, difficulties or tribulations are experienced ("Through much tribulation must one enter the Kingdom of heaven" - not sure of exact wording here-sorry).
One last point I find interesting: That is how a number of Bible characters "lost-it", or reached their limit, it seems, when trials and tribulations became too much.
Moses asked to be killed when he could no longer put up with the complaining and pressure of his fellow Israelite charges;
Job complained and wished he had never been born (as well as saying to his 3 'friends' that "God had wronged him": Job 19: 6 =not sure of verse number - sorry);
Jonah complained and wished he would die. He was unhappy Nineveh wasn't destroyed;
40% of the Psalms are Psalms of lament - plenty of "obsessio" there;
Habbakuk complained about the injustice where the rich were getting away with abusing the poor of society.
Paul asked 3 times that the "thorn" be taken away - until God actually communicated and said, "My grace is sufficient for you";
Jesus asked that "This cup be taken from me". Admittedly, He then said, "Your will be done".
I don't know why God has planned things to be this way. I would not have made it to be like this.
The 'compensating' hope and belief I have that helps somewhat is that one day God will make "all things new". The former things will be no more. All will be perfect and good and love.
Until then the struggle and fight goes on to overcome an "obsessio" theological outlook with more growth and increase in one's "epiphania" theological (outlook).
Regards,
Peter Grach
More winter than summer.
You doubtless won't be at all surprised to learn that it's the same for me.
Well, I think my theological temperament has changed. I can’t help but link this theological world idea to the other topic of enchantment v disenchantment.
I used to be more located in my existence, leaning towards and living in epiphania. I observed extreme brokenness, obsessio & experienced brokenness myself but I was full of faith, enchantment, hope, experienced healing, anxious free and walked in experiences of epiphania (I must admit unsure how to use this word in a sentence🤣) epiphanic experiences?
I found answers, solutions, reassurances. Power. Gentle, comforting power from the Holy Spirit, my daily bread, as well as guaranteeing what is to come. But, years of disappointments, oppression and a sense that Jesus has ignored my cries for release, deliverance, compounded by the last year becoming all the more crueller has meant my hope is lost.
I feel crushed.
In my theological world, I believe in Satan as the Prince of this world. I believe I need deliverance from his hold and grip on this world. He feels tangible and real to me in the form of systemic structures, power plays, broken dreams and like a diabolical opposer. I feel stuck in a hellish place of obsessio - The reality of the Prince of this world is where I live, it IS my theological world. So, I guess this is also an ‘enchanted’ theological world.
If this theological world is also an enchanted world, therefore there is hope in the narrative - if I see myself as a character within a plot, as has been suggested, then I need to see this plot through to its end.
But The Terror is coming from not just the tangible reality of Satan himself, and the fall, but the sense that the action and tangible nature of Jesus feels far away. It feels unreal. He feels unreal. The kingdom of heaven feels, conversely, like historical stories in the gospels, along with a distant dream in the future that WILL only come to pass in the end. In the eschaton, as the book of Revelation explains it will all get sorted. Great! That is a long wait! Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, but what is he doing in my life along the way? Now, here on earth, despite my prayers for a sense of immediate action, interventions from Jesus, I have exhausted myself praying, pleading and asking. My strength is gone. But, my belief in Jesus remains (I think). This is the terror me for me. Prayer does not seem to work, but Satan and his works feels very real. It is like I can feel the stones that were hurled at Stephen, but cannot see the vision of the lord as the solution, in a metaphorical sense.
Therefore, I am in a place of mourning and lament. Even today, when I reflected on my theological world I found myself in tremendous lament. As someone has already commented above, this IS a biblical human existence. Psalm 88 comes to mind. I am not unusual. There is nothing clinically wrong with me - I am merely being human in relationship with God. And, yes it is true, even st Paul said at one point he despaired of his life. I believe that wanting to die (like Moses) is not the same thing as being clinically suicidal. I think there is a wanting to die experience, if you have tried to follow and believe in Jesus, which I believe is a uniquely Christian experience. It is the extreme of the winter Christian experience and part of some peoples theological world.
Our friend above has listed some great examples, Jonah who was disgruntled and had to face extreme terror, Jeremiah for example. They were winter prophets. I am a winter Christian at present. And, I would like to add the scripture in Isaiah where it is suggested that Jesus would see the light of life and be satisfied. That is what I have a glimmer of hope for, that I will see the light of life and be satisfied again. I guess, this would mean, hopefully, leaving the pit that is obsessio and relocating in my epiphanic theological world. I am not talking about eternal life here - I am talking about next week, next month!
Is this theological world to do with temperament? Or circumstance? Or even different ages and stages of life? Psychologically, people can be a more melancholic personality type and that is me. But, I used to be summer within that temperament!
I think if God intervened I could transfer, relocate back into summer, back into a epiphanic theological world. And, I wonder if many of my fellow brothers and sisters are the same?
I feel like doubting Thomas. I get him now. I feel utterly bewildered at the moment and my naive, simple faith has caused me to question the sanity of it at times (have just received the book theology and sanity). I have come to a place in my journey, where I need to see tangible proof that Jesus is Lord in my life and that his Lordship IS located and can be found in my existence, here and now on earth. I get the now and not yet of the Kingdom, but ‘not yet’ feels like abandonment at the moment. Years of faith has now turned to a tiny fragment amidst the nothingness, a bit like the scenes in the film ‘never ending story’, where there is a tiny, shining, glimmering grain of dirt left from Fantasia. The good news is, there is light in that grain, which might be able to work its way into the huge batch of doubt.
I am greatly encouraged that Jesus knew exactly what Thomas’ problem was. Jesus ‘fixed’ him, restored his faith, provided the answer & personal experience - Thomas got the answer to his personal question. It was a specific answer, a specific demonstration tailored for Thomas. Tailored for Thomas’ unique, subjective and contemporary existence & theological world - this is what I feel I need. It would move me from the pit of obsessio to relocate me to the land Epiphania. This is what happened to Thomas and he was able to declare that Jesus IS Lord! How exciting!
But, I am a winter Christian at the moment, terrified of how Satan is able to conjure up tricks like the Snow Queen in Narnia conjured up Turkish delight for Edmund. I am terrified that I will continue to be a stone statue in 2025, neither alive nor dead. I need Jesus, like Aslan in Narnia to blow me back to life with the breath of his Holy Spirit. I am already in the adventure that is Christian existence, this is my theological world, but I need the reality of Jesus to come back into my life. I need the flowers of summer to reappear. I want to transform from being a Winter Christian, a neither alive nor dead stone statue of myself to a Summer Christian. I want to leave the pit of obessio and live in the world of epiphania again.
My theological world is very real. It is an enchanted theological world. When I have questioned it, tried to change my mind, rethink, reflect and remove myself from my theological world, that is even scarier. The good news about the fall, salvation approach to life is at least it gives an honest assessment of what we see, an explanation, a sense of the solution, a place, a story in which to locate our hope. I do see myself as a character in the story. I just want to move onto the next chapter and am terrified that I won’t move on in this life on earth, that I won’t see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living - waiting eagerly until after my earthly death seems too hard, too long (all going well if I live into my 90s like my great grannies did) waiting until then feels utterly unbearable and pointless.
This is a great series. It is really helping me calm down and reground me 🙏
Very helpful, certainly thought provoking!