Epiphany
(We will celebrate the Epiphany Mass at 5:30 PM today.)
It has become increasingly popular in preaching, and devotional, circles to refer to “God’s dream”. Usually, this is accompanied by language about universal peace, justice, personal fulfillment, or prosperity. It is found across the theological and denominational spectrum. If you simply search the internet, you can find out that God has a special “dream” for you as an individual, and a “dream” for the creation.
Far be it from me to criticize prominent and internet theologians but talking about God having “dreams” is at best lazy theology and language, and at worst, heresy. Of course, the Scripture uses the term “dream” when it discusses revelations made while someone is asleep, but God does not sleep or daydream. Scripture also uses “vision” to describe God’s revelation to the prophets, but it always describes the prophets’ visions of God, not God’s “vision” for the world. Nor is the biblical word “vision” synonymous with its use in modern corporate language. And though I appreciate the desire to simplify theological language to make it accessible, but to do so at the cost of clarity and confusion is not acceptable. While in popular parlance, “vision” and “dream” might be interchangeable, thus making it understandable that theologians do the same, however, to treat the terms interchangeably in theology is to make a category error.
To be clear, God does not have “dreams”. God does not have “visions”. God grants “dreams”. God grants “visions”. Both are granted in the light of revelation for what God is going to do and are dependent upon God. Yet it must be stated that there is no place in the scriptural, or historic theological tradition, where God is said to have dreams for us corporately, individually, or for the creation. What God has is a plan. God has a plan for us corporately. God has a plan for us individually. God has a plan for creation. God has a plan for salvation.
At Epiphany, we celebrate the revelation of God’s plan for salvation to the nations, to us. Here, with Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar we come face to face with the Living God, and the fulfillment of the visions of the prophets. God has acted in the Incarnation and has revealed his work of salvation in Jesus Christ: in the union of God and Man, the restoration of Human Nature, and the ultimate defeat of death.
Here is a vision of truth, beauty, love, and peace. Here we see the plan of God for each of us, that we might be saved. This is no passing dream.
PS: On a personal note, Amy and I are postponing our open house until a date not certain. We will announce a date as soon as we can. Thank you for understanding.
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