I think as human history is linear i.e. there is a beginning and an end, I like to imagine human history as a piece of string being placed as a straight line on a table. God views it from the perspective of a human viewing that piece of string. He sees the beginning and the end at once, not bound by time.
I'm not sure what I've said is original. May have read it somewhere.
It is interesting that you think of time as linear and uses a string as an illustration. Actually time, being linear is actually a Newtonian and Cartesian concept.
Ancient Greek do not consider time linear. St. Augustine work about the non-linear perception of time in his Confessions. He wrote as Chronos time which is what you will perceive as 'linear time' and kairos which is special time when God intervene in created order.
Btw, looking at the time of some of your postings and replies, are you also 'outside time' as well? Reminds me of my boss who sent us emails at 2am/3am :)
Wow! 5000 years of history in 90 seconds. Try and beat that!
ReplyDeletehi splim,
ReplyDeleteYeah. I like it too. It is really cool. I wonder whether God sees human history the same way.
I think as human history is linear i.e. there is a beginning and an end, I like to imagine human history as a piece of string being placed as a straight line on a table. God views it from the perspective of a human viewing that piece of string. He sees the beginning and the end at once, not bound by time.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I've said is original. May have read it somewhere.
hi splim,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you think of time as linear and uses a string as an illustration. Actually time, being linear is actually a Newtonian and Cartesian concept.
Ancient Greek do not consider time linear. St. Augustine work about the non-linear perception of time in his Confessions. He wrote as Chronos time which is what you will perceive as 'linear time' and kairos which is special time when God intervene in created order.
BTW God is outside time as we understand it.
Hi Alex,
ReplyDeleteThanks for informing the source of my thought.
Btw, looking at the time of some of your postings and replies, are you also 'outside time' as well? Reminds me of my boss who sent us emails at 2am/3am :)