HTCG 03h

Chapter 3: Time and Space

Section C: Space

Part 3: The Boundless or the Infinite

Boman surveys several different conceptions of infinity in the West. On the one hand, he says westerners strive too much to explain it. On the other hand, Boman spends too much time talking about it himself. For several paragraphs he goes on about it, only to finally note that Semites in general, and Hebrews in particular, never struggled with the concept of infinity because it was never on their radar. It never occurred to them that they should regard themselves as restricted in the first place. Thus, three major world religions came from Semites, all presuming that human limits exist only to be exceeded by Eternity.

Excursus: Biblical Faithfulness to Reality

Boman chases down some speculation from Oscar Cullmann, a French Lutheran theologian who was famous for restoring ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic and Lutheran leadership. Cullmann was also noted for emphasizing the historicity of Christ against the debates on His nature. Eschatology was anchored and begun in Christ’s passage through our world, an early version of “already-but-not-yet”. Eschatology is already defined.

Boman doesn’t do a good job of summarizing Cullmann’s views, but does offer us what he feels is a fair correction. Jesus cannot be captured in theology, but in His verifiable historical advent. The reference to historical events as dated before or after Christ is justified; He is the anchor of all human history. Cullmann’s mistake is asserting that Christ is placed on a single timeline passing through all history, instead of looking at the Hebrew viewpoint of time as cyclical.

At any rate, Boman wanders intellectually, trying very hard once again to separate the New Testament from the Old, seeking to drag the former into his preferred Platonic outlook.