home
The Vision of God
A few months ago, I read Vladimir Lossky's The Vision of
God. (The Faith Press, 1973.) Lossky is an Orthodox
scholar of the highest rank. He discusses the vision of God
theologically and historically. His treatment merits our
attention.
Orthodox reflection on the vision of God was crystallized in
several 14th century councils which drew on the work of St.
Gregory Palamas, 1296-1359. The center of their discussion
was the transfiguration (Matt. 17, Mark 9, Luke 9). Christ
was surrounded by light, his clothes became dazzlingly white
and his face shone like the sun. What was this light the
disciples saw upon the mountain?
In Byzantine thought, God's essence is utterly beyond
knowing, hidden in light unapproachable. Apart from grace,
baptism, Eucharist, redemption by Christ, this light is so
intensely brilliant, moral, and searching, that no one can
see God and live. Nevertheless, by grace, this light can be
seen as in the transfiguration. That light was not the
material light of an atmospheric disturbance, nor was it to
be understood metaphorically. The disciples literally saw
the uncreated light of the triune God. God the Father
revealed himself as the disciples gazed upon the face of
Christ illumined by the light of the Spirit. It was not a
mystical vision which denied the senses, but rather, the
uncreated light was given in and with the created
atmospheric light as in the union of the two natures of
Christ according to Chalcedon. The whole
person, including the flesh, saw God. Nor was there any
merging of personality, both disciples and God remained
distinct in relation to the other. Finally, this light was
corporately seen and integral to Christ's redemption of the
world.
God can appear anywhere, but worship is primary. Worship
makes Christ visible by rehearsing his words and deeds, and
it can become transfigured so as to reveal God. This event
is as real today as it was to the disciples. The whole
person can see God, God as love, as waves of love and light.
The most intense fellowship and beauty can occur. In this
event, all sorrow, loss, and loneliness is utterly banished.
Even the body is glad. It is a moral vision, calling for
repentance, sacrifice, justice and mercy in the church and
world. It is also corporate. It occurs in the company of the
faithful, in union with the "angels and archangels and all
the company of heaven," and by it a profound fellowship is
established and earth is linked to heaven.
That vision is the goal of each individual, of the church,
of civilization, of all of life. Augustine ended his epic
City of God with the vision of God, and from the fifth
to the seventeenth century, the Christian West attempted to
build a civilization whose goal was Augustine's vision. In
many respects, that effort has been abandoned, and even the
church has wearied herself with many things. But the
vocation of the church still stands, to realize the vision
of God on earth as in heaven.
To whatever degree we may or may
not have glimpsed God, we can still see him in the witness
of others, and we can work for the new heaven and new earth
as the vision commands. Even now, however, there is always
the possibility that we may, as Paul says, "see through a
glass darkly," and therefore, we are advised to come to
worship with one intent: to hear the Word of God and to see
his face. (Plenteous Harvest, September, 1996.)
The Rev. Robert J. Sanders, Ph.D.
September, 1996
home