God Who Rules By Threat

But a God who rules by threat does not rule at all.  As I can cause pain, so I can take it away.
I can restore you.  I can make you whole.

-  God is Dead #6 by

Jonathan Hickman, Mike Costa, and Di Amorim

Easter Reads

Okay, Okay, so Easter is only a few days away

I messed up on that one. But I just thought about this last night so I'm trying to make it happen. Bear with me.

Anyway, what examples of graphic literature do I recommend one read to commemorate this holiest of times in the Christian calendar? I thought about it and picked out five titles that one could read around Easter to contemplate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. No, none of them is a comic book adaptation of Mel Gibson's movie (if such a thing exists). But, come to think of it, I would totally read a comic series based on Murtaugh and Riggs from the Lethal Weapon movies. Somebody at IDW should get on that!

Seriously, there was a Die Hard prequel comic.

Back on track! I could have delved into individual issues, but I decided on stories which are readily available in collected editions from retailers such as Amazon or ComiXology (mostly).

Thursday Morning Theology Hangover

In a perfect world I would have plenty of time to read all my Wednesday purchases that night and give a brief recap the next morning. However, this is far from a perfect world. I mean, really, HBO makes it impossible to watch Game of Thrones online without subscribing to their network. Does that sound like a perfect world to you?

Sorry. That was a tangent. Anyway, these are the books that came out yesterday and that I read last night. I may not be able to do this every Thursday. Honestly, look at my track record for posting things consistently and on time. It's not very good. But we'll give it a shot.

Also, this doesn't mean these titles are full of theological insight. Most of them aren't, but I feel it might be nice to offer a snapshot of what I'm reading for fun. Also, these are really, really good books.

Wednesday Theology Condensed: Language and Characteristics of the Format

"Part of the problem stems from the fact that language is not static. Language changes, grows, fluctuates, and evolves. Elizabeth Johnson says that 'words about God are cultural creatures.' God may not change, but our ways of speaking of God surely do. Particularly, as Christianity spread through the world its language adapted from Greek to Latin and onward to other languages. Few people, when they proclaim the name of Jesus, take the time to reflect on how nobody used that particular pronunciation of his name to refer to Jesus during the New Testament period. 'As cultures shift, so too does the specificity of God-talk,' says Johnson."

What does all this mean? If we are going to use graphic literature to talk about God, we need to know how the language of graphic literature works.

Most Insidious Of All

Every creation myth is really a story of destruction.
I can hear voices.
Then listen-- you might learn something.
That's not accurate. The Judeo-Christian Genesis is pure creation. There was only void before. Nothing to destroy.
Ha. No. You're forgetting the point of the whole story. That myth is the most insidious of all. The destruction actually comes at the end.
The Judeo-Christian myth begins in the void but ends with the expulsion from Eden. It's the destruction of Paradise.
The destruction of peace.

- God is Dead #1

by Jonathan Hickman, Mike Costa, and Di Amorim

I Will Make Arian Doctrine Orthodox

 

I command the Eternal Army of Rome.

Refuse me this, and I will make Arian doctrine Orthodox and hunt down and dispatch all Heretics from this, their mortal coil.
I, of course, am speaking of you and a premature meeting with God himself.

- Pax Romana

by Jonathan Hickman

This Heresy Has a Face and a Name

Holy Father, most revered brothers...
...I know that we are all tired and have grown weary of nuance.
So...Witness! I speak plainly now...there is a sickness in our presence...
...An apostasy in the hearts of some gathered here -- we have all witnessed it -- we all suffer from its influence.
A question has been put before us and a choice must be made: Is Christ God, or, and it angers me to even mouth the words, simply a created artifact of the celestial godhead?
There is someone here that would have us accept the second and risk the salvation of souls and the betterment of our earthly existence.
This Heresy has a face and a name...
...Arius of Alexandria.
Progenitor of Arian doctrine.

- Pax Romana

by Jonathan Hickman

First Council of Nicaea

The Secret Vatican Archives

The First Council of Nicaea was a month-long meeting called to order by Constantine I in the hopes of achieving a uniformed Christian doctrine. It is a common misconception that it was an assembly to compile or edit the Christian Bible. It was, in fact, convened in order to answer specific questions of faith including: the resolution of regional schisms, a formalized Passover date, the baptism of heretics, and, most importantly, a decree concerning the Arian debate.

Arian belief originated from the competing beliefs that either Christ Jesus was the same as God, or that He was merely composed of the same material -- a product of His father's divinity.

The resulting support of the first position was the point of origin for the guidelines of a unified Christendom -- The clear delineation of what was Orthodox belief and what was heretical. A distinction that had to be manipulated.

- Pax Romana

by Jonathan Hickman

In This Sign You Will Conquer

Illuminated shadows...
An edifying umbra.
A sign from heaven...
Under this victory.

The Secret Vatican Archives
Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus: Constantine I
Age: 40

He was born in Naissus, Moesia Superior to the Roman General, Constantinus Chlorus and his wife Helena. A seasoned campaigner and a shrewd politician, Constantine eventually climbed to the rank of Caesar.

Legend has it, that on the eve of his battle with Maxentius, he heard a voice from the heavens saying, "In hoc signo vinces" - "in this sign you will conquer." The sign was the Labarum, the Chi-Rho of Christ. There has long been historical speculation that Constantine fabricated this story to gain the support of the Christians who were an organized fifth column in the Eastern Empire.

Note: Constantine's progeny will be limited to a single child. Crispus, son by the concubine Minervina.

Estimated lifespan: 65 Years.

- Pax Romana

by Jonathan Hickman

No One Will Expect This Out of the Church

I'm having the scientists watched and, honestly, no one will expect this out of the Church.
We can take comfort in the fact that, as usual, most people remain ignorant of how aggressively we have been funding scientific research.
It is ours and there are no others.

- Pax Romana

by Jonathan Hickman