The Apotheosis of Washington, Constantino Brumidi |
Colossians 3:1-11
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Hey history fans! Remember that time when President George Washington was raised up to the Heavens and exalted as a god? No? Come to think of it I don't remember it either... but next time you are in Washington D.C. take a tour of the Capitol Building and keep your head up. If you do you will see a ceiling mural in the rotunda about the deification of America's first president. Comedy! I doubt that the Italian artist who painted it, Constantino Brumidi, nor any of the members of Congress (past or present) actually believe General Washington to be a god. Brumidi were simply using the artistic theme of the apotheosis. There are scores of paintings where leaders, heroes and rich families are given the apotheosis treatment. It does have a religious background. Both the theological and artistic beginnings of the apotheosis start in Greece as was also practiced by the Romans. Both the Greek and Latin communities had histories of deifying their leaders (like the Egyptians before them). This is literally hero worship. I remember watching Michael Jordan playing Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz back in 1997 while fighting off the flu and thinking that he could probably have started a popular cult the next day. Human beings have always been awed by individuals who stand out in history. The American Founding Fathers were fans of the Greek (and somewhat Roman) notions of democracy and republic. So much so that they built a democratic government that operates as a republic. In recognition of this many artists and architects that honor the Founding Fathers utilize Greek and Roman aesthetic tools. But Greeks, Romans and Americans are not the only cultures that have pondered man's quest for grandeur and immortality. The ancient Hebrews also considered this notion and as a Pharisaic rabbi turned Christian apostle St. Paul allows us to eavesdrop on this dialogue.
Apotheosis of Homer, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres |
Apotheosis of Hercules, by François Le Moyne |
Eastern Orthodoxy- Orthodox Christianity teaches the doctrine of theosis, whereby humans take on divine properties. A key scripture supporting this is 2 Peter 1:4. In the 4th century, Athanasius taught that God became Man that Man might become God.[5] Essentially, Man does not become divine, but in Christ can partake of divine nature. This Church's version of salvation restores God's image in man.[6] One such theme is release from mortality caused by desires of the world.[7]
Now notice the thread of similarity shared by Roman Catholicism and its Protestant offshoots. Again this is from Wikipedia:Roman Catholicism- According to the Catholic Encyclopedia "sanctity"[11] differs for God, individual, and corporate body. For God, it is God's unique absolute moral perfection. For the individual, it is a close union with God and the resulting moral perfection. It is essentially of God, by a divine gift. For a society, it is the ability to produce and secure holiness in its members, who display a real, not merely nominal, holiness. The Church's holiness is beyond human power, beyond natural power. Sanctity is regulated by established conventional standards.
Anglicanism- Anglicans teach that sanctification is a process of changing to become holy. Richard Hooker, an influential Anglican theologian, argued that sanctification is based on works while justification is only by faith.[2]
Calvinism- Calvinist and Evangelical theologians interpret sanctification as the process of being made holy only through the merits and justification of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification cannot be attained by any works based process, but only through the works and power of the divine.[3] When a man is unregenerate, it is their essence that sins and does evil. But when a man is justified through Christ, it is no longer the man (in his essence) that sins, but the man is acting outside of his character. In other words, the man is not being himself, he is not being true to who he is.[4]
Lutheranism- Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism, taught in his Large Catechism that Sanctification is only caused by the Holy Spirit through the powerful Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses churches to gather Christians together for the teaching and preaching of the Word of God.[8]
The only wild card in the bigger of the protestant groups are the offshoots from Wesleyanism. Wikipedia states:Methodism- John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught what is known as entire sanctification in the holiness movement churches, such as the Church of the Nazarene, the Salvation Army, or Christian perfection in "mainstream" Methodist denominations, such as the United Methodist Church, the Methodist Church of Great Britain. This is the doctrine that by the power of God's sanctifying grace and attention upon the means of grace may cleanse a Christian of the corrupting influence of original sin in this life. It is explained in depth in the essay, "Entire Sanctification" by Adam Clarke as well as, later, in Articles of Religion in the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church.[9] "Initial salvation" is sometimes seen as an initial step of acknowledging God's holiness, with sanctification as, through the grace and power of God, entering into it. A key scripture is Hebrews 12:14: "Follow after...holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord."
The position that is probably the closest to my own thoughts (un-ironically) is the one found in my trusty little copy of The New National Baptist Hymnal (it's red with gold trim, like the color of the cheap red carpet in all authentic Baptist churches) in the Articles of Faith (they are like a Creed for denominations that have A.D.D., don't like reading out loud too much and choose have their headquarters in Nashville).
We believe the Scriptures teach that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration; and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means especially the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.
Even though there are divers takes on the particulars of how one becomes holy and sanctified, I believe that they all communicate the same encouraging message to the Christians that believe them: Keep your head up because you are above the sins of your past.
Apotheosis of Nelson, Pierre-Nicolas Legrand de Lérant |
The Apotheosis of Washington, amidst the Capitol rotunda |
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
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