An Enquiry into the History of
Exchanges.
_______
[These letters are the outcome of deliberative
study in tandem by the following brethren: Satyaraj,
Ezekiel and Raghavendra. It has been a pleasure for
each to contribute to the study, though at times a point of difference did
rise* but at large, the sense of united acknowledgement prevailed—P. Ben Shalom, July 2016.]
{* Difference of perspective is shown accordingly
by presenting the differed opinions, when ever it is so}
Part 1: An Enquiry
Options are far little for secular historians to
interpret alternatively the stream of time because of a materialistic bias on
their part. However, the part of God's revelation of Himself in the affairs of
men as had been recorded for us in the holy scriptures,
needs to be taken seriously while considering even the general history of
empires and the growth of culture.
The commonly held view of the present
secular paradigm as regards to past knowledge of civilization, takes great
pains to shelter itself under the shade of the phylogenetic
tree. And it is on
this faulty edifice of evolutionary fable- is built the pillar of sciences and
the chambers of politico-economic thought.
The present enquiry which this letter seeks to
address is- whether there had been (and even now), a point in time, where the
culture of man had perpetuated into higher degrees of sophistication owing to
the fact of an 'inverted prophetic impulse'.
What is meant by the 'inverted prophetic impulse'
is the propensity of the masses, to imbibe motivation of adventure from their
perception of what consists of the contents of prophetical insight, which on
the other hand, is exclusively endowed upon the community of God's people. To
ask further, whether the scientific revolution of the telescope, the engine and
plethora of other inventions- was itself a product of the aggregate influences
that got spurned out in consequence to a high degree of spiritual senstivisation during the reformation era?
The reasons that are generally served to explain
the inspiration behind the technological advancements are that of the
transition of Europe from the middle ages to the modern set up of liberal
democratic spheres, which had provided free space for free thought. The gag
syndrome practiced by the Catholic regime as fairly evident in cases such as
the 'Galileo affair', is thought to be the major restrictive and debilitating
factor for the progress of science. But how far is this premise correct? Is the
'95 Theses' of Luther against the indulgences, served only to restrain the
Catholic domain and eventually tripped it over to open up the barrel of
freedoms in all spheres- politico-economic and expression of scientific
thought? Has reformation only served to contain the web of Popish power*, and
gradually bring in new changes that topped up with historic indexes of
transformation in the realm of national affairs- such as the treaty of
Westphalia, democratisation of thought centres and liberalisation of
philosophy?
[*Though some might contend that certain
inventions and arts blossomed during the Catholic heydays]
The synthetic idea of the process of this
transformation of the European society into the new age savvy is generalised (progressing from left to right) as follows:
CATHOLICISM (ERA OF THE SYNOD
POWER)--[Reformation]--LIBERAL
This only makes the protestation* of Luther serve
a handmaiden job of uplifting the consciousness of
[* It appears that some have also labeled
reformation as one of the many instances of class war between the bourgeoisie
clergy and the dissenting peasant proletariat]
The other line (which forms the crux of our
present enquiry) is as follows:
CATHOLIC OBSCURANTISM --['Inverted
Prophetic Impulse']--ENLIGHTENED
Now, it remains to be explained as to what
constitutes the phenomenon of an 'inverted prophetic impulse' and how this is
to be examined from the light of the scriptures.