Trickster Christ and the Second Fall: A New Framework for Understanding the Kingdom of God

[Teofrastus]

This study interprets the Kingdom of God as a divine drama where angelic autonomy exists through unilateral contradiction, and salvation emerges through the completion rather than reversal of the Fall. Please offer your critical views.

The Kingdom of God exists within the divine mind as a semi-autonomous realm where angelic beings experience genuine freedom while remaining encompassed within God's consciousness. Drawing on Constantin Noica's concept of unilateral contradiction, the paper argues that while angels contradict God by asserting independence, God encompasses their opposition within divine unity. Tolkien's Silmarillion illustrates this principle through Ilúvatar's incorporation of Melkor's discord into a greater harmony.

Contrary to modern immanentist theology, the Church Fathers understood God's Kingdom primarily as celestial reality. While the celestial realm maintains ontological priority, the earthly Kingdom manifests within individual souls through recognition of the world's emptiness—a detachment that opens hearts to the Holy Spirit.

The paper reframes participation (methexis) as engagement in divine drama rather than sharing in divine substance. While medieval sacramental ontology is obsolete, creatures participate in dramatic forms within the celestial Kingdom. Creation maintains genuine autonomy and productive capacity, as Genesis reveals the earth itself 'bringing forth' life. Through unilateral contradiction, God encompasses rather than opposes autonomous creation.

Christ appears as redemptive trickster, paralleling Satan as dark trickster. However, Christ completes rather than reverses the Fall. Satan's incomplete fall preserved residual enchantment through which demonic powers maintained dominion. Christ initiated a 'Second Fall'—cosmic disenchantment that dissolved the sacral order, creating the void into which the Spirit descended at Pentecost.

This disenchantment represents liberation rather than abandonment. Our modern world of impersonal laws reflects Christ's dismantling of spiritual bondage. Paul advanced this disenchantment by declaring pagan idols 'nothing.' While most succumb to nihilism, a remnant attains salvation through connection to the transcendent Kingdom.

The Church serves protective-therapeutic rather than salvific functions. Following the Christus Medicus tradition, it protects humanity from residual demonic forces while providing spiritual therapy. However, mature Christians transcend ecclesiastical participation for direct communion with the Kingdom.

The Eucharist represents Christianity's controlled accommodation to humanity's need for material-spiritual mediation. Like a vaccine, it satisfies theophagy impulses without allowing descent into paganism. The Eucharist redirects pagan tendencies while preserving broader disenchantment. Extending eucharistic presence universally, as ressourcement theology proposes, would recreate the pagan cosmology Christianity intended to overcome.

Read the paper here: Divine Drama and Cosmic Disenchantment: The Kingdom of God as Dramatic Participation

 

[Unqualified]

Do you believe the gospel? The wisdom of men is foolishness to God. You’re using some words that seem to dishonor Him. You parse and dissect but is there any belief as a little child. I’m not sure there is any truth to these beliefs of yours.

 

[Teofrastus]

Do you believe the gospel? The wisdom of men is foolishness to God. You’re using some words that seem to dishonor Him. You parse and dissect but is there any belief as a little child. I’m not sure there is any truth to these beliefs of yours.

Paul writes: "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe" (1 Cor. 1:21). His 'foolishness' language in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 affirms that "the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom." This represents the trickster's essential domain: the subversion of expected patterns. The Pauline concept of mōria (foolishness/folly) of the cross thus provides biblical foundation for the trickster interpretation.

 

[timothyu]

God said since the beginning to serve Him and each other. It isn't complicated. His battle is with adversity and He will prevail. Our calling is to choose a side.

 

[Teofrastus]

God said since the beginning to serve Him and each other. It isn't complicated. His battle is with adversity and He will prevail. Our calling is to choose a side.

This means not taking sides with Radical Orthodoxy (John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock), which advocates a defense of sacramental ontology and continues the tradition of nouvelle théologie, supported by Hans Boersma. These are highly significant issues. As Christians, we must cultivate an understanding of these matters before we risk falling into the pit ourselves.

 

[timothyu]

There is a difference between defending institutional religion, or the will of God.

 

[Teofrastus]

There is a difference between defending institutional religion, or the will of God.

Yes, that's why I'm criticizing institutional religion, while defending aspects of it.

 

[Unqualified]

I’m sorry

This means not taking sides with Radical Orthodoxy (John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock), which advocates a defense of sacramental ontology and continues the tradition of nouvelle théologie, supported by Hans Boersma. These are highly significant issues. As Christians, we must cultivate an understanding of these matters before we risk falling into the pit ourselves.

this seems over educated jargon, not for the common people whom the gospel was intended for. But since Christ has such depth it is definitely food for you. But where your faith lies I don’t know. It’s not clear if the ‘trickster’ is a respectful term. It might be a colloquial term that suits philosophers fancy.. it could be derogatory.

i accepted what for a long time I was to afraid to admit. I had to forsake my sin and admit Jesus made sense and that there was going to be blessing for following. But until I forsook my sin it was hard to bear. How is the truth’ a trickster?!

 

[Teofrastus]

I’m sorry

this seems over educated jargon, not for the common people whom the gospel was intended for. But since Christ has such depth it is definitely food for you. But where your faith lies I don’t know. It’s not clear if the ‘trickster’ is a respectful term. It might be a colloquial term that suits philosophers fancy.. it could be derogatory.

i accepted what for a long time I was to afraid to admit. I had to forsake my sin and admit Jesus made sense and that there was going to be blessing for following. But until I forsook my sin it was hard to bear. How is the truth’ a trickster?!

The trickster is among the most extensively studied figures in the comparative history of religion. He represents a divine mediator between heaven and earth, whose character bears the imprint of both realms. Consequently, the trickster embodies both animal and divine qualities, combining deception with nobility, good with evil—as exemplified by Coyote in Amerindian mythology. In early Christianity, the first theory of atonement embraced by the Church Fathers held that Christ tricked the devil.

It is a well‑known fact that to be truly evil, one must also be good. The most successful criminals are those who charm. Accordingly, to be truly good, one must also be evil. In myth, the trickster made enormous contributions to humanity through his cunning and his misdeeds.

If the “common people” do not engage with theology, they allow it to drift on its own, which may have detrimental consequences in the long run. Modern theologians have largely rejected the heavenly realm and angelic beings, and this is in part because ordinary people have not concerned themselves with their work.