[325] Rome: Stories & Traditions, 30 Aug 2010

The major religions of the West, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all promise some sort of future salvation. However, all are inextricably linked to the past. Does history contribute/bolster faith, or does the past limit faith?

Christianity is both bound to the past, and oriented to future salvation. The link between the past and salvation is problematic because history does not paint a coherent righteous picture. The canvas of Eden has been smudged with tyrannical fingerprints, scraped by crosses wielded by the Inquisition and sectioned off and sold as indulgences. We are left with the ruins. But, Eden is not the salvation of man. As Gustavo Gutierrez explains, “The goal of humanity is not to attain paradise lost, but to march forward towards a new city.” (89) History then, is man’s continual attempt at creating this new city, a city of salvation known as the Kingdom of God.

Although I introduced this entry in light of Christianity, I must explain that the idea of salvation has changed from the saving of a “privileged few”, to include all of humanity. The religion one claims, or lack thereof, does not determine their future salvation. Now, in the post Vatican II era, the Church teaches that there is one human destiny. Just like persons of all faiths share the earth and its history, we all also share the ability to aid in our united salvation.

But, what do we do with the ruins? I detest trite sayings, but I think this one is applicable due to my current location: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” What do the Romans do with ruins of past grandeur? They strip them of that which is valuable and leave the faulty foundations. Take the Coliseum, the marble and copper were carted off, melted down and reused in the new society. The bricks and stones remained, and do to this day, portraying the ingenuity of Roman architecture, but the instability of man-made immortality. The Roman emperors crafted a world where they reigned as peers of the gods, but this was not the new city destined for humanity. St. Peter writes, “All flesh is grass and its glory like the wild flower’s. The grass withers, the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (Smiles of Rome 75) Humanity is led astray when man focuses on his ego and loses sight of the will of his people, and the eternal power of God.

With the proverbial ruins of Eden, humanity can strip of history that which can aid in salvation, and leave behind the foundations of injustice. I am not advocating forgetting history. One should understand the past, both good and bad, and use this knowledge to better the future. As the Romans did, each generation must build upon the last. To grow in faith, building upon the past means rectifying wrongdoings and bringing the world back to basics of religion, turning our focus not on ourselves, but on community.

A testament to faith is the fact that man is still building this community, and creating cities.  Futhermore, man has added the colors of equality and universality to the canvas of salvation.  These ideas were only scrap material in Ancient Rome. We have not reached salvation yet, but it “is present at the heart of human history, and there is no human act which is not defined in terms of it.” (Gutierrez 105) History both bolsters and limits faith, a religious checks and balances. Without being challenged, faith would not grow; but without faith, humanity would not grow.