Page 438 - Stati inu obstati, revija za vprašanja protestantizma, letnik X (2014), številka 19-20, ISSN 1408-8363
P. 438
SYNOPSES, ZUSAMMENFASSUNGEN
UDC 17:27-72
Matjaž Črnivec
Jesus’ social critique
The article presents Jesus’ social critique, as evident from the Gospels and
from other New Testament writings. It analyzes it in three concentric circles: the
critique of greed, from which follows the critique of money, from which follows
the critique of authority as such.
The critique of greed sees greed or “lust” as the essential “centrifugal force”
which causes human beings to be selfish. This corresponds to the type of patho-
logic narcissus, which is characteristic of contemporary consumerist society.
Against this power, Jesus sets his agápe, love, which moves in the opposite direc-
tion and liberates man from the project of “the self”.
The critique of money is seen in Jesus’ concept of “Mammon”, where money
is understood as an idol. Money therefore represents an outward manifestation
and social concretization of man’s internal problem with greed. Escape from the
authority of Money is possible by stepping over into radical generosity, by dwell-
ing in the community of Jesus’ disciples. This community is a “liberated area”,
where the enslaving laws of the rest of human society are no longer in force.
The critique of authority reveals social power as a “greedy” exaltation of an
individual above the others, mostly with the help of Money. In the New Testa-
ment, authority over the world is often associated with Satan. Its evil nature is
most clearly visible in the circumstances of Jesus’ death, where the leading figures
of both the secular and religious authorities joined in collaboration. Here au-
thority over the world is revealed as deicidal. Against this authority God sets his
own alternative authority, by raising Jesus to life and confirming him as the
Messiah, the ruler of the world and the initiator of a new society.
Finally, the article deals with some typical objections to the viewpoints pre-
sented and answers them in the form of eight points or theses that are based on
New Testament texts and other early Christian writings.
UDC 167.5:141.81
Andrej Leskovic
The notion of utopia and the question of utopian consciousness
in the philosophy of Ernst Bloch
With his understanding of the utopian consciousness as an anticipating
consciousness that penetrates the world of the possible with the aid of hope and
utopian courage, Ernst Bloch opposes any attempts to present utopian thought
as old-fashioned. Consequently, his philosophy provides utopian encouragement
436
UDC 17:27-72
Matjaž Črnivec
Jesus’ social critique
The article presents Jesus’ social critique, as evident from the Gospels and
from other New Testament writings. It analyzes it in three concentric circles: the
critique of greed, from which follows the critique of money, from which follows
the critique of authority as such.
The critique of greed sees greed or “lust” as the essential “centrifugal force”
which causes human beings to be selfish. This corresponds to the type of patho-
logic narcissus, which is characteristic of contemporary consumerist society.
Against this power, Jesus sets his agápe, love, which moves in the opposite direc-
tion and liberates man from the project of “the self”.
The critique of money is seen in Jesus’ concept of “Mammon”, where money
is understood as an idol. Money therefore represents an outward manifestation
and social concretization of man’s internal problem with greed. Escape from the
authority of Money is possible by stepping over into radical generosity, by dwell-
ing in the community of Jesus’ disciples. This community is a “liberated area”,
where the enslaving laws of the rest of human society are no longer in force.
The critique of authority reveals social power as a “greedy” exaltation of an
individual above the others, mostly with the help of Money. In the New Testa-
ment, authority over the world is often associated with Satan. Its evil nature is
most clearly visible in the circumstances of Jesus’ death, where the leading figures
of both the secular and religious authorities joined in collaboration. Here au-
thority over the world is revealed as deicidal. Against this authority God sets his
own alternative authority, by raising Jesus to life and confirming him as the
Messiah, the ruler of the world and the initiator of a new society.
Finally, the article deals with some typical objections to the viewpoints pre-
sented and answers them in the form of eight points or theses that are based on
New Testament texts and other early Christian writings.
UDC 167.5:141.81
Andrej Leskovic
The notion of utopia and the question of utopian consciousness
in the philosophy of Ernst Bloch
With his understanding of the utopian consciousness as an anticipating
consciousness that penetrates the world of the possible with the aid of hope and
utopian courage, Ernst Bloch opposes any attempts to present utopian thought
as old-fashioned. Consequently, his philosophy provides utopian encouragement
436
