Theopolitan Mission Chapter One jottings

 

 

Some jottings from or arising from Chapter One of Theopolitan Mission

Peter Leithart

Theolpolis Books / Athanasius Press, 2021 ISBN: 9781735169064 pb 104pp

 

Though I wanted to type out much of it!

 

Hopefully a review for The Global Anglican to follow in due course.

 

Leithart understands the image of God in humanity to relate to our vocation of ruling the world under God. Human makers are like God the creator. Our creating is distinguished from God’s. He can create ex nihilo. But Leithart argues that this contrast is sometimes over done. Amazingly, God empowers us to make whole new categories of things. Granted we had to receive the tree as a gift but a table is more than just more wood. The creation itself is given the power to create. God makes trees and trees make seeds. Trees are like God! And humanity is called upon to perfect creation.

 

Some animals also make things and use rudimentary tools. But humans are like God in the sense that we make even when we don’t need to. And we not only make but adorn. Our making tends towards art: to beautification and glorification. Like God, we create gratuitously.

 

Like God, we both make and maintain.

 

We make tools and tools make us.

 

We make art and art makes us.

 

Man is created as a priest to preside at the cosmic liturgy, giving thanks and praise.

 

Our making begins in Sabbath and moves towards Sabbath. It comes between First Thanks and Second Thanks, between rest and final rest, creation and new creation. The great goal is Eucharist.

 

God speaks and is the Word. Human beings speak and write. No animal does. Some animals can come to know their names but human beings assign names.

 

In the Bible God names only a few things. Adam is in charge of the naming. And in amazing humility, God accepts those names. We call it a “laptop” and so, we know, does God.

 

When Adam calls Eve bone of my bone it is a bit like the holy of holies or the song of songs, though the grammar is different. Eve is the best of bones! She is a glorified Adam (1 Cor 11:7)

 

Adam is only a few hours old and he’s already making puns (a sign perhaps that he is doomed from the outset).

 

“Human beings are created to be priests who preside at a cosmic Eucharist. We receive the world from God, glorify, name, and fill it with meaning so that we can offer it back to God. Our naming is the middle term between first and final thanks…. our naming begins in worship and is directed toward worship, the alpha and omega of human culture. The world we form by our hands and tongues is fulfilled in the liturgy.” (13)