Sárospataki Füzetek 16. (2012)
2012 / 3-4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - Martien E. Brinkman: Az igazvoltról és a gonoszról alkotott fogalmaink isteni transzcendenciája
of plants and animals and the wonders of nature. It is as if he goes into the fields with them and points to flowers and birds: ‘Look at that!’ ‘Observe, I pray you, the spring, and the flowers of every kind in all their likeness still diverse one from another; the deepest crimson of the rose, and the purest whiteness of the lily: for these spring from the same rain and the same earth, and who makes them to differ? ... Admire also the great thickness of the knots which run round the reed, as the Artificer has made them. From one and the same earth come forth creeping things, and wild beasts, and cattle, and trees, and food; and gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and stone. The nature of the waters is but one, yet from it comes the substance of fishes and of birds; whereby as the former swim in the waters, so the birds fly in the air.’27 We can hardly imagine a better guide on an excursion with young people to make them interested in nature. What the observations of Cyril make specifically Christian is the context of his teaching. It is teaching about God. When he points to a rose or a bird, he points to God at the same time. ‘Look at that, how wonderful God made it!’ ‘Is not then the Artificer worthy the rather to be glorified?’28 The admiration of nature urges to adoration of the Creator. We do not live in a neutral nature with beautiful things but in a wonderful work of a Maker. Enjoying his work is enjoying Him. It gives a profoundness to dwelling in the fields that no atheist can understand. Though I am fully part of the community of all created beings, they are also given to me as a wonderful gift of God—and we believe that Godself also enjoys this creation. ‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.’29 The context of Cyril’s teaching on creation is his teaching about God. It is, however, even more specific: it is about God in Christ. Before Cyril gave his lesson on creation he taught about baptism.30 Baptism is at the beginning of all his teaching. It is only in the perspective of living in the community of the body of Christ that one can discern what is best. When Cyril continues his teaching after the lesson on baptism he begins by quoting Colossians 2:8: ‘Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world.’31 That is also the case for the doctrine of creation. We cannot develop it without the wisdom of Christ. Cyril is fully in line with his famous predecessors such as Paul, John and Irenaeus. We look to the world through the lenses of Christology and in the reality of a new being through baptism. The teaching of Cyril is an expression of this approach. It breathes the sphere of freedom which is characteristic for Christian life. At this point Cyril can give us a major contribution to present day theology of creation—much like Paul and John and Matthew, and Irenaeus can do also. Recent theology of creation is often in the perspective of responsibility. Stewardship is a core concept. This creates stress for people. They are responsible for being good stewards, and do not know how to do it—or they are not willing to do so and feel guilty. He Came to his Own 27 28 29 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 9,10. See also 9,11-13. Catechetical Lecture 9,14. Gen. 1:31. 30 Catechetical Lecture 3. 31 Catechetical Lecture 4, heading. 2012/3 .i Sárospataki Füzetek 107
