Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory
This article is born out of a deep concern for our current ecological crisis and serves as a beginning foundational work for how the Christian tradition can address global climate change. Our current way of being gives precedence to the autonomous individual, whose freedom is characterized by disreg...
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doaj-45cf8195fc904fd1b6ff8088aa59146f2020-11-24T20:52:50ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442019-08-0110950610.3390/rel10090506rel10090506Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual TheoryJohn W. Compton0Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USAThis article is born out of a deep concern for our current ecological crisis and serves as a beginning foundational work for how the Christian tradition can address global climate change. Our current way of being gives precedence to the autonomous individual, whose freedom is characterized by disregard for other creatures. John Zizioulas’ communal ontology demonstrates that as the world was created out of God’s loving will, it is comprised of relationship. Living into individuation and division is a refusal of this communion with other creatures and God, but the Eucharist serves as the ritual that brings Christians into communion through the remembrance of Christ. Ian McFarland’s work on the theology of creation provides the helpful nuance that creaturely movement in communion must include the full diversity of creatures. I then turn to Bruce Morrill’s work to demonstrate that the Eucharistic practice must have bearing beyond the walls of the church. It leads practitioners to live into eschatological hope and kenotic service to the world. John Seligman’s ritual theory demonstrates that ritual practice can accomplish these goals because it creates a subjunctive ‘as-if’ world in the face of the world that is perceived as chaotic. Through the continuous practice of the ritual, participants are then formed to live into this subjunctive ‘as-if’ world without ritual precedence. In this way, the Eucharistic practice can prepare practitioners to live into the kenotic service to a world broken by individuation that has led to global climate change and creaturely destruction.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/10/9/506John Zizioulascommunal ontologyritual theorycreationclimate change |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
John W. Compton |
spellingShingle |
John W. Compton Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory Religions John Zizioulas communal ontology ritual theory creation climate change |
author_facet |
John W. Compton |
author_sort |
John W. Compton |
title |
Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory |
title_short |
Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory |
title_full |
Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory |
title_fullStr |
Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory |
title_full_unstemmed |
Creaturely Communal Ontology in Practice: John Zizioulas in Dialogue with Ritual Theory |
title_sort |
creaturely communal ontology in practice: john zizioulas in dialogue with ritual theory |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Religions |
issn |
2077-1444 |
publishDate |
2019-08-01 |
description |
This article is born out of a deep concern for our current ecological crisis and serves as a beginning foundational work for how the Christian tradition can address global climate change. Our current way of being gives precedence to the autonomous individual, whose freedom is characterized by disregard for other creatures. John Zizioulas’ communal ontology demonstrates that as the world was created out of God’s loving will, it is comprised of relationship. Living into individuation and division is a refusal of this communion with other creatures and God, but the Eucharist serves as the ritual that brings Christians into communion through the remembrance of Christ. Ian McFarland’s work on the theology of creation provides the helpful nuance that creaturely movement in communion must include the full diversity of creatures. I then turn to Bruce Morrill’s work to demonstrate that the Eucharistic practice must have bearing beyond the walls of the church. It leads practitioners to live into eschatological hope and kenotic service to the world. John Seligman’s ritual theory demonstrates that ritual practice can accomplish these goals because it creates a subjunctive ‘as-if’ world in the face of the world that is perceived as chaotic. Through the continuous practice of the ritual, participants are then formed to live into this subjunctive ‘as-if’ world without ritual precedence. In this way, the Eucharistic practice can prepare practitioners to live into the kenotic service to a world broken by individuation that has led to global climate change and creaturely destruction. |
topic |
John Zizioulas communal ontology ritual theory creation climate change |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/10/9/506 |
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AT johnwcompton creaturelycommunalontologyinpracticejohnzizioulasindialoguewithritualtheory |
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