Glory (religion)

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Glory (from the Latin gloria, "fame, renown") is used to denote the manifestation of God's presence in the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. The word is used to translate several Hebrew words, including the word Hod (הוד), as well as the Greek word doxa (δόξα). The root meaning of glory in the Hebrew is "weight" or "heaviness."

The theologian C. S. Lewis, in his essay The Weight of Glory, writes "Glory suggests two ideas to me, of which one seems wicked and the other ridiculous. Either glory means to me fame, or it means luminosity."[1] He concludes that glory should be understood in the former sense, but states that one should not desire fame before men (human glory), but fame before God (divine glory).

There are also a number of specialised senses of "glory" in Christianity, described below.

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[edit] Divine Glory

Glory is also used simply to express God's majesty and honor, or God's miraculous power. Divine glory is an important motif throughout Judeo-Christian theology. The classical understanding of God conceives of God as being the most glorious being. Catholic doctrine asserts that the world was created as an act of God's free will for His own glory.[2] And the Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches that the chief purpose of man is to glorify God.[3] Catholic doctrine teaches however, that God does not seek to be glorified for His own sake, but for the sake of mankind that they may know Him.[4]

The doctrine of the Imago Dei teaches that humans also share or participate in divine glory as image-bearers. Like a mirror, people reflect God's glory (though imperfectly). Christians are instructed to "So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."[5]

[edit] In Catholicism

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[edit] In Orthodox Christianity

Glorification (also referred to as canonization) is the term used in the Orthodox Christian Church for the official recognition of a person as a saint of the Church. The Orthodox Christian term theosis is roughly equivalent to the Protestant concept of glorification.

It is in this sense that the resurrected bodies of the righteous will be "glorified" at the Second Coming. As the soul was illuminated through theosis so the restored body will be illuminated by the grace of God when it is "changed" at the Parousia (1 Corinthians 15:51). This glorified body will be like the resurrected body of Jesus (John 20:19-20); similar in appearance to the body during life, but of a more refined and spiritualized nature (1 Corinthians 15:39).

[edit] In Protestantism

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There are two events that occur during glorification, these are "the receiving of perfection by the elect before entering into the kingdom of heaven," and "the receiving of the resurrection bodies by the elect"

Glorification is the third stage of Christian development. The first being justification, then sanctification, and finally glorification. (Rom. 8:28-30) Glorification is the completion, the consummation, the perfection, the full realization of salvation.

Glorification as a term is modified by its target, aka, who is being glorified, God or the Christian? The 3rd stage of christian development is to glorify God through one's life, to decrease so that He may increase so that as others encounter a living breathing christian who is walking in Glorification, they encounter Christ and perceive His Glory and His presence. This is attainable while living, just as justification and sanctification are attainable while living.

[edit] Receiving of Perfection

Glorification is the Protestant alternative to purgatory, as it is "the means by which the elect receive perfection before entering into the kingdom of Heaven."

While purgatory deals with the means by which the elect become perfect, glorification deals with the elect becoming perfect.

The majority of Protestant denominations believe in this form of glorification, although some have alternative names.

[edit] Receiving of the Resurrection Bodies

After the final judgement, all the righteous dead shall arise and their bodies will be perfected and will become a glorified body. Only then can they enter Heaven. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis's Weight of Glory: "If we were to see them in their glorified forms we would be tempted to bow down and worship them."

Many people believe that this body will be very similar to the one Christ had after He rose from the dead. That is, a perfect body fit for the needs of eternal life in a new Heaven and new Earth.

[edit] Human Glory

Main article: Vanity

In opposition to the desire for glory from God, stands the desire for glory from man. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, cautions that the desire of glory from man is a sin (though not a mortal sin). He lists vainglory as a capital vice.[6]

[edit] Glory in art

"Saint John on Patmos" by Hans Baldung Grien, 1511
"Saint John on Patmos" by Hans Baldung Grien, 1511

There are a number of specialised senses of "glory" in art, which all derive from French usages of "gloire". The subject of Christ in Majesty is also often known as "Christ in Glory", and in general subjects showing any sacred person in heaven (often conventionally represented as in the clouds, surrounded by angels) can be known as a "glory", although this sense (9b: "A representation of the heavens opening and revealing celestial beings") was already described as "? Obs."(elete) in the first edition of the OED in the late 19th century. In addition "glory" was the medieval word in English for a halo or aureole, and continues to be used sometimes, mostly for the full-body version. In both the Old Testament and New Testament glory is often described using radiant or luminous imagery. For example, the prophet Ezekiel writes in his vision:

Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD."[7]

A similar vision is recorded in the Book of Revelation, where John, describing the risen Christ, writes, "His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength."[8]

The manifestation of glory (upon a saint for example) is often depicted in iconography using the religious symbol of a halo. Other common symbols of glory include white robes, crowns, jewels, gold, and stars. The Coronation of the Virgin is one of the commonest depictions of Mary in glory.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lewis, C.S. (2001). The Weight of Glory. HarperSanFrancisco, 36. 
  2. ^ The Catholic Encyclopedia - Glory
  3. ^ Westminster Shorter Catechism as CCEL
  4. ^ ST, II-II, Q. 132, art. 1.
  5. ^ Matthew 5:16
  6. ^ ST, II-II, Q. 132, art. 4.
  7. ^ Ezekiel 1:27-28
  8. ^ Revelation 1:16

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Orthodox Christianity

[edit] Protestantism

[edit] Receiving of Perfection

[edit] Receiving of the Resurrection Bodies