Praxiteles

The fate of Philistines – Orazio Gentileschi’s version in the National Gallery of Ireland for the benefit of any Philistines in Dublin wishing to contemplate it:

And some more on Philistines: again, Caravaggio with yet another version of his David and Goliath. This time the sword is inscribed: “Has O S” – a quotation from St. Augustine: Humilitas occidit superbiam – Humility slew pride!!

On the fate of Philistines:

Caravaggio (1600) David and Goliath, in the Prado, Madrid.

Some notes on Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theology of Christian Aesthetics:

“Form and Faith

The fundamental idea of the aesthetics is relatively simple: in the Incarnation the very form (Gestalt) of God was definitively revealed providing a measure by which every other form is to be measured. This revelation, contrary to the practical elaboration of it in modern theology, is not merely a pointer to so mething beyond itself, but rather a manifestation of the form of Beauty itself in Christ.

But Balthasar’s aesthetics is not the subjectivism of 18th century aesthetic theory with its focus on the acts of perceiving that project one’s own interiority upon the object, leading to a beauty perceived within the self. Rather Balthasar ’s focus is on glory of the object itself apprehended by faith. For Balthasar the illumination that produces faith is itself an aesthetic act. The very object of faith itself—Jesus Christ—draws the beholder providing its own interior light. God Himself is the light by which we apprehend Him by faith.

Thus faith cannot be theorized in a narrowly intellectualistic or propositional fashion, simply as a “believing that” or as the acceptance of a set of facts. More so it involves a receptivity to the object of faith whereby one is so impressed b y it that faith necessarily ensues in obedience. Here Mary is the model in her “fiat” to God’s word—an active receptivity analogous to the receptivity of the womb.

This, in turn, raises questions as to the relation between faith and reason. Balthasar uses marital imagery, proposing that reason—womb-like—gives itself to faith to be made fruitful, not arguing itself into faith but allowing faith to come to fulfill ment within it. He rejects an apologetic approach that either, on one hand, appeals to the objectivity of historical events as pointers to divine realities or, on the other, maintains a fideistic approach that begins with human subjectivity. He writes:

For [apologetics] the heart of the matter should be the question: “How does God’s revelation confront man in history? How is it perceived?” But under the influence of a modern rationalistic concept of science, the question shifted ever more from its pr oper center to the margin, to be restated in this manner: “Here we encounter a man who claims to be God, and who, on the basis of this claim, demands that we should believe many truths he utters which cannot be verified by reason. What basis acceptable to reason can we give to his authoritative claims?” Anyone asking the question in this way has really already forfeited an answer, because he is at once enmeshed in an insoluble dilemma…Christ cannot be considered one “sign” among others…the dimmest idea of what a form is should serve as a warming against such leveling.

Jesus is the objective manifestation of God but reason, on its own, cannot see this, according to Baltahsar. God’s grace is necessary and by it reason is drawn into faith wherein it can see what is objectively there to be seen—that is, the revelation of God. Seeing and believing are complementary.

To put it another way, reason is necessary to seeing, but for the revelation to be truly seen, the revelation itself must enlighten the viewer to itself by grace. So faith is not merely subjective since it is not the believer who makes a leap, but ins tead it is the object of faith that draws the believer to Himself by His form of beauty.

According to Balthasar the experience of faith and the assurance or certainty of salvation (especially as that was posed by Luther) are closely related. While faith is something that is experienced, it is not the experience of faith itself in an intro spective and experiential fashion that gives assurance. Rather by faith we know Christ and the power of His resurrection and press on to the goal—it is in the receptive movement of faith towards its object that assurance is possessed, but this is a moveme nt that turns away from the self, towards Christ, and is grasped by Him.

Another emphasis of Balthasar is the materiality of Christian faith. It is not a pure mysticism or non-physical thing since God is revealed in the cosmos and, ultimately, in the Incarnation. He even maintains that in the eschaton the Beatific Vision will be mediated through the humanity of Christ. Moreover, while our awareness of God in the creation has been marred by sin, in Christ it is possible to begin to restore the materiality of God’s presence. This is seen foremost in the actions of the sacr aments by which Christ makes Himself present, in a sexuality that is transformed from egoistic self-gratification into self-offering love, and in the self-sacrificial love for the neighbor in deeds of service.

It follows from Balthasar’s emphasis on the materiality of faith that the mystical contemplation of God (the awareness of His presence) is inextricably tied to a life of activity. It must leave behind any world-denying Platonistic notions in favor a G od who is active in history culminating in the paschal mystery of Christ. So Bultmann’s demythologization is a gnostic attempt separate faith from history which ends up positing a transcendence that reintroduces the very mythological assumptions that the Incarnation had put to rest.

Balthasar goes on to examine the specific form that the beautiful revelation of God takes in Christ. Jesus demands faith in Himself as the historical form of the eternal God, who in His divinity has universal significance and who, in His humanity, is conditioned by historical contingency. Nevertheless, Christ is the express image of the Father, revealing the very form of the Trinitarian life of God in contrast to all religions which posit God as a formless One.

The work of Christ, says Balthasar, is the living exegesis of the Father since Christ’s existence as Son consists in His obedience at every moment actualizing the immediate will of the Father. Moreover, Christ draws us into this work by union with Him . He writes:

By his prayer and his suffering the Son brings his disciples—and through them, all mankind—into the interior space of the Trinity.

This form of God, though within time and history, is the utterly unique measure of relationship between God and man. Yet merely empirical and purportedly neutral scientific methods, with their suspension of judgment, cannot see this form for what it i s. That is only possible with the eyes of faith and an openness to the obedience the form demands from faith”.

The Institute of Classical Architecture:

http://www.classicist.org/

And another interesting one for Cork County Council was its decision that the erection of almost 900 square feet of heavy duty storm glazing to the west transept window of St. Mary’s Church, Buttevant, did NOT constitute development which is currently on appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

The reference number is: An Bord Pleanala PL04 .RL2585.

Cork City Concil grants permission for the construction of large glass block in front of the main facade of St. Peter and Paul’s Church in Cork City. Currently, this case is before An Bord Pleanala and awaiting decision.

And here we have it again. If at first you do not suceed, try again. Another application to the Cork County Council for a similar development to the rear of the parish church at Watergrasshill, Co. Cork. A further Information Request is currently out on the application – difficult to see what excited Cork County Council into such a lather of sweat as to issue an FI letter on this one – although it could be an effort to create work in view of the fall off due to the economic crisis.

Not much hope of this one being in on time for the Christmas Bonanza!!

The planning register no. is Cork County Council 08/87148.

And another application to Cork County Council for the construction of “storage space” ath the rear of theparish church at Newtown Shandrum, Charleville, Co. Cork – again for unknowna nd unspecified substances whose consumption in large quantities in a rural parish did not seem to arise and whose consumption in the context of declining population seem all the more curious. A further information letter is currently out on this – it appears that Cork County Council manages to garner enough energy to ask what the storage space is intended for. The reply is not back yet and it looks as though time is running out for this one to avail of the Christmas bonanza!

The planning register no. is Cork County Council 08/8780.

Another curious case in Cork County is the demolition (without planning permission) of the early 19th century sacristy of St. Colman’s Church Ballintotis in the night during a week end in August 2007 – about which the Council would appear not to have been completely in the dark, and which teh Cork County Coucil did not investigate before it happened, and when it did happen the same Cork County Council made no effort to secure the retention of original fabric (until six months later when it had been crushed) and which Cork Councy Council then decided to grant permission for the retention and completion of the unlawful development!!

The planning register is Cork County Council no. 08/5035, currently on appeal to An Bor Pleanala no. 230974.