Abstract:
This study emphasises the cosmic dimensions of the Church understood as the Throne of God,
analysing its understanding in this way by the great writers and thinkers of the ancient world,
for example, Philo the Alexandrine, Saint Dionysius the Areopagite and Saint Irene of Lyon.
The reconstitution of all the cosmological contexts and understanding of the Throne of God
inspired by the texts of the ancient authors is opening a very interesting perspective over the
existence of the Church as a cosmic Throne of God and reassembling of all the heavenly and
intelligible creations sustained and vivified by the primal light of God transmitted in this way
towards the lower degrees of the heavenly angelic and churchly hierarchy. Thus, the real
source of primacy in the Church is originated, as Saint Dionysius pointed out, in the primal
light of God poured over the Church. The Church as the Throne of God helps to discover the
real cosmic and heavenly perspective over the heavenly power and authority, the bishops of
the Churches are called frankly by God from the beginning (Rv 3:21).
Description:
This research is part of the
research project, ‘Mission
from the margins: Missiology
and human dignity’, directed
by Prof. Dr Nelus Niemandt,
Department of Science of
Religion and Missiology,
Faculty of Theology,
University of Pretoria.
