S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 5 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 9 9 Jana Trajtelová narrative of a concrete historical event of incarnation of the divine Son in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, towards its broad ontological and metaphysical possibilities. We could perhaps get inspired with the sense of the “extended incarnation” by Teilhard de Chardin [16]. One possibility how to understand the problematic ontological and metaphysical deformity of the innocently sinful reality is precisely to employ the radical meaning of incarnation. Incarnation would mean the Infinity’s incomprehensible messing up with the finitude–originally, given from the very “beginning”. Let me ponder about this impossible merge: The Formless and the Unlimited keeps manifesting itself in the constant process of creation, in concrete forms, inevitably limiting itself. Playful and multiple divine self-manifestation are various and many. The divine creativity enjoys to express itself in forms of massive cosmic energy fields and single atoms of a grass or flowers, as well as in the subtlest movements of human emotions and thoughts. The Infinite Being perfectly dwells in and as the finite –self-restricted and injured; the uncreated divinity breathes within its created and perfectly individualized forms – even at the cost of a strange self-separation given by the inevitability of self-limiting. The idea of incarnation refers to all cosmic affairs as the affairs of the emerging divine life itself (without labeling the pantheistic conclusions). This divine life is originally relational, kenotic and processual, thus also liable to antinomic junction of the impossible merge of the finite and the infinite, limited and unlimited, mortal and immortal, formless and forms. Phenomenon of sin (and also desire [17]) is meaningful only within such metaphysical and theological context. Here I close, without making any definite metaphysical or theological conclusions, leaving the meaning of the Julian’s “great deed” open within the challenging theological perspective. 7 Conclusions I have examined interconnections among the immediate mystical experiences of Julian of Norwich, understanding of sin and guilt, human transformation and the nature of reality. Let me sum up. 1. Phenomenon of sin is qualified as pain and isolation, as having no essence, as delusion and ignorance, as clashes of intentions and disregard of the context, as bearing certain positive value (reveals divine goodness) and promise (sin as an award), and as inevitable. 2. We followed that sin, pain, sickness and dying are synonyms for Julian. The cause of the pain is the lack of knowledge, lack of proper perception, missing of one’s own identity and essence, inability to recognize and enjoy the presence of goodness as the fundament of reality, “ignorance of Divine love” (Julian of Norwich 2011, 193). 3. Phenomenologically and ontologically, the notion of sin is bound to the antinomical character of experienced reality. The sinful consciousness is the innocently fragmented, isolated, perspectivistic, and variously conditioned consciousness, experiencing its own multiple contradictory intentions within itself and in relation to perceived world and other living beings. 4. The sinful consciousness and the co-related antinomical reality structure are principally innocent and guiltless. 5. For Julian, the transcendence of the whole antinomical structure is possible. Her approach is specifically “positive” and creates the perspective of spiritual optimism and trust. The way of transcendence merges with the profound spiritual transformation of human consciousness. 6. Her main advises acceptance – contemplation – optimism seem to be transformational themselves. It seems that the mode of consciousness (sinful or transformed) is not ontologically arbitrary since it has the power to co-create the guise of our reality, forming or deforming it, revealing its true nature or concealing it. 7. The reality of sin and its principal innocence could be metaphysically approached by the radical rethinking of the Christian term incarnation.
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