Auerbach (almost) nails Christian eschatology
A quote posted recently by Steve Jeffery:
The Bible’s claim to truth is not only far more urgent than Homer’s, it is tyrannical—it excludes all other claims. The world of the Scripture stories is not satisfied with claiming to be a historically true reality—it insists that it is the only real world, is destined for autocracy. All other scenes, issues, and ordinances have no right to appear independently of it, and it is promised that all of them, the history of all mankind, will be given their due place within its frame, will be subordinated to it. The Scripture stories do not, like Homer’s, court our favor, they do not flatter us that they may please us and enchant us—they seek to subject us, and if we refuse to be subjected we are rebels.”
— Erich Auerbach, “Odysseus’ Scar,” from Mimesis.
February 17th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Ha! Nice. I see why he ‘almost’ gets it, but it’s a pretty good effort. I would substitute ‘tyrannical’ and ‘autocracy’, with ‘liberal’ and ‘theocracy’. Absolute freedom under an aboslute monarch. It’s gonna be sweet!
February 17th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
I wish I’d thought of that. : )