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Monday, July 29, 2019

East vs West and Resurrection

I'm reading a Crossen book that looks at the differences between Western and Eastern Christianity, especially as seen via art. Icons, frescoes, statuary, wall carvings, art in general portray viewpoint. The main focus in this book is upon resurrection.

A simplification is that the Western art shows Jesus in various stages of resurrection alone. He emerges from the tomb with one foot still in the tomb, alone. He floats above alone.

Eastern art shows Jesus holding out his hand and bringing with him Adam and Eve as representatives of humanity along with assorted Biblical characters such as David, Isaiah, etc.

Orthodox or Eastern Christianity sees us as sharing the resurrection.  This is obviously so different from our Western teaching where Jesus alone rises. We are left behind. We have to earn our way into heaven.

There are an incredible amount of assumptions made based on which view is the starting point. Maybe it is time to reexamine our assumptions.

Imagine Jesus is holding out his hand to you. You have not been abandoned. All you need to do is reach out to Jesus and accept his hand.


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