This comprises non-essential reading as far as the content of the hermeneutic is concerned. It is probably of more interest once the main argument has been grasped.
1 The messianic miracles and their precedent:
This first essay is preparatory to a full-length study of what is probably the earliest of the four gospels, of which stories of miracles account for approximately one third. The study selects Mark's almost complete series of 'messianic events', the series of non-healing miracles, and argues for the inclusion of the first miracle story of John in order to complete the form and intention inherent in this cycle. It considers the relation of the Eucharist to this series. These seven events correspond both logically, (that is, in terms of the form of the propositions they contain,) and referentially to the story of the week of 'beginning' - Genesis 1.1.-2.4a. Thus the study defers immediately to that narrative. The creation narrative is interpreted as accounting for the universe in terms of three analogously related categoreal 'forms of unity': space-time, mind-body and male-female. This interpretation stresses the significance of the formal contours of the narrative, explicit in the numerical ordering of its components. It is interpreted as the locus classicus of the biblical doctrine of 'Trinity'. The real emphasis of the Genesis text accrues to the Christological event, mind-body, as the story's continuous repetition of the light-time motif suggests. This means that the real import of these three (six) entities or conceptual forms, concerns their role in (human) consciousness (mind) as the 'image and likeness of God'. That is, the inflection of the creation story is Christological-epistemological. The meaning of the three part analogy is examined prior to the consideration of the messianic events.
We embark on the journey through Markan metaphysics, emphasising the doctrine of Mind, which is tantamount to the doctrine of the Son. The study concentrates firstly upon the three 'Eucharistic' (feeding') messianic miracles and the Eucharist which complement (end) the story of 'beginning'. The structure of this relation of 'beginning and end' is examined analogously to the paradigm transcendence : immanence. After a brief look at the role of perception in the healing miracles, which recapitulate the form and content of the messianic events, and an introduction to the 'semiotic forms' which expound the various numerical details given in the Eucharistic miracles, we formulate a Christian theory of perception. Hence the body, the occasion of sense perception, no less than the mind, is considered from the point of view of the imago Dei, the 'image and likeness of God'. The two narratives centres of creation and salvation, of 'beginning and end' together propose a fully articulated doctrine of humankind; a theory of mind; and a Christology. Once again, the analogous relation between the three modes of percipience is examined.
After a review of the four categories basic to Markan metaphysics, we consider some of the implications of the hermeneutic: the New Testament theology of creation, the Pauline adoption of the second creation story, the two great Christological miracle stories - the miracle of Transformation of Water into Wine, and Transfiguration. Finally, in preparation for future studies, we investigate some of the philosophical confusions surrounding the idea of mind.
'Faith seeking understanding' is the classic definition of theology, and as far as that is concerned, this site is a theological one. Its basis is in the first instance biblical. Additionally, it contains significant references to a variety of philosophical and religious traditions of the world. We recognize that those religious traditions which continue to claim the allegiance of millions of humans today - Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam - also have much to teach us. The use of the word 'mandala' in the name of this site testifies to my belief that certain aspects of Mark's doctrine can be best appropriated by adopting some of the theories and practices common to these other religions, which have been largely left out of account in classical Christian theism to its detriment. The broad-ranging ambitions of this site however, do not end there. They encompass what may be deemed the best efforts of western philosophy. The embrace of such perspectives as these, far from being extraneous is intrinsic to the intent of Mark's gospel.
The mention of the word biblical indicates a cross referencing between both testaments, the Old and the New. Within the New Testament, the gospel of Mark remains central to this study. That is because it is very probably the earliest of the four gospels in the opinion of the majority of contemporary scholars. Mark, it will be argued, best offers a systematic integration of the Old Testament, satisfying the requisites implied in the term 'biblical'.
The practical outcomes of this study focus on the practice of meditation, nevertheless it remains a theory of biblical metaphysics or philosophy as well as a praxis. Christianity already offers traditions of meditation both longstanding and varied. Few if any of these accept the gospels as their foundation; few incorporate either philosophical or alternative religious traditions, and none contain a fully articulated and coherent doctrine concerning human nature, or a consistent theory of mind. Such as these concerns are reflected in the use of the word 'mandala' as a description of the gospel of Mark.
This site is aimed at the Anglophone member of the literate public sufficiently interested in religion generally, and in the Christian tradition in particular, and willing to further his/her understanding of the same, through studying the gospel of Mark, according to the above description.
All quotations from the Old Testament are from the NET Bible, except for citations from Genesis. For these, I have used the translation by John J. Scullion of Westermann's translation of Genesis contained in his commentary: Westermann, Claus, Genesis 1-11, A Commentary, Translated by John J. Scullion S.J., SPCK, Great Britain and Augsburg Publishing House USA, 1984; (German Edition first published in 1974 by Neukirchener Verlag, Neukirchen-Vluyn). All quotations from the New Testament are from The Nestle-Aland Greek-English New Testament, The Eighth Revised Edition, 1994.
The site uses Greek and Hebrew fonts, SPIonic and SPTiberian which can be downloaded from the Scholars Press Non Roman Fonts website: http://rosetta.reltech.org/TC/fonts/
The following sites contain useful copies and translations of the scriptures:
Tanakh Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia in its fully vocalised and cantillated version.
Page updated 06 September 2007.
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