(urth) The Outsider

[Dan'l Danehy-Oakes]

Like Witz, I agree with ... well, _most_ of what you say. Here're my
points of difference.

On Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 11:29 AM, Andrew Mason
<andrew.mason53 at googlemail.com> wrote:

> This could be explained in various ways:
> that Jesus is actually present within that universe.
> that there is an analogue of Jesus, who is merely a prophet.
> that the stories have somehow been transmitted from another universe.
> But I don't think the first is ruled out.

I do. The idea of multiple Incarnations is not only "not strictly
Orthodox Christianity," it is abhorrent to the idea that Jesus died
once _for all_. "All" is a big word, which I mostly try to avoid, but
it's unambiguously present in Scripture.


> It's the basis of the Narnia series, and Lewis is generally seen as
> pretty orthodox.

Actually, a number of fundamentalists have condemned the Narnia books
on precisely this ground. I think that's throwing the baby out with
the bathwater; the Narnia books are good stories, and even have a lot
to recommend them theologically. But the idea that Aslan's death in
tLtW&tW is analogous to Christ's salvific death on Earth has to be
taken with a whole salt lick.

> I don't see anything to make me say 'This is a
> universe without Christ' - though at the time the events take place,
> it's certainly a universe where Christ is not _known_.

That's actually another theological problem. Scripture has the Church
enduring to the end of days.

> Now, it is certainly true that a link is drawn between the Outsider
> and Dionysus. But I don't see that as negating the connection with the
> Christian God, but as suggesting a connection between the Christian
> God and Dionysus - a connection which others (Lewis and Soyinka, at
> least) have drawn, and which, therefore, can't be ruled out.

Oddly enough I don't have a problem with this...

-- 
Dan'l Danehy-Oakes