Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Something about good and evil

"Paradise"

I read some Berdyaev when I was an undergraduate and I remember being very influenced by him - although I don't remember coming across the following passage. And I certainly can't say that I understand it. It strikes me as being rather something like a Zen koan -- something you have to tease away at and ponder and let soak in until the rational mind gives up and the teaching or saying simply becomes a part of who and what you are:

For Christian consciousness, paradise is the Kingdom of Christ and is unthinkable apart from Christ. But this changes everything. The cross and the crucifixion enter into the bliss of paradise. The Son of God and the Son of Man descends into hell to free those who suffer there... To conquer evil, the good must crucify itself.

-- Nicholas Berdyaev

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