Felix culpa
Felix culpa is a
Philosophy of religion
As a theological concept, felix culpa is a way of understanding the Fall as having positive outcomes, such as the redemption of mankind through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.[2] The concept is paradoxical in nature as it looks at the fortunate consequences of an unfortunate event, which would never have been possible without the unfortunate event in the first place.[3] In the philosophy of religion, felix culpa is considered as a category of theodicy in response to the problem of evil. As an interpretation of the Fall, the concept differs from orthodox interpretations which often emphasize negative aspects of the Fall, such as Original Sin. Although it is usually discussed historically, there are still contemporary philosophers, such as Alvin Plantinga, who defend the felix culpa theodicy.[4]
History
The earliest known use of the term appears in the Catholic Paschal Vigil Mass
In the 14th century,
The concept also occurs in Hebrew tradition in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and is associated with God’s judgment. Although it is not a fall, the thinking goes that without their exile in the desert the Israelites would not have the joy of finding their promised land. With their suffering came the hope of victory and their life restored.[6]
Literature and art
In a literary context, the term felix culpa can describe how a series of unfortunate events will eventually lead to a happier outcome. The theological concept is one of the underlying themes of
O goodness infinite, Goodness immense!
That all this good of evil shall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Than that which creation first brought forth
Light out of Darkness! [...][9]
In Robert Frost’s poem “Unharvested,” the narrator is attracted to a “scent of ripeness from over a wall” and finds an apple tree that has dropped all its apples to the ground: “there had been an apple fall/ As complete as the apple had given man.” Reveling in the scent and beauty of the fallen apples, the narrator proclaims, “May something go always unharvested!/ May much stay out of our stated plan…”
See also
- Serendipity, a benefit that is accidentally earned
- Silver lining
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0842527941.
- OCLC 26723712.
- ^ Ficek, Jerome L. (1959). "The Paradox of the Fortunate Fall in Contemporary Theology". Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society. 2 (3): 1–7.
- OCLC 56905587.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Exultet". newadvent.org. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
- ^ a b Haines, Victor. (1982). "The Felix Culpa", Washington: America UP.
- Enchiridion, viii.
- ^ Summa Theologica "III, 1, 3, ad 3"
- ^ "Book 12". Paradise Lost. Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
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