Perspectives : Provocative Predestination

If there's one issue that people are either confused, myself included, or find themselves disagreeing about, this is it. There is such a spectrum of positions that range from double predestination to free choice, and that notoriously incomprehensible stance that the whole lot is a matter of being confined to a temporal perspective. I'll try to sort it out herein, just to think for myself how it might work, instead of becoming increasingly bemused in a forest of opinions.

I will only be talking about predestination of salvation, since it would be nigh impossible to do a decent analysis of predestination in all its multitudinous manifestations. It seems to me that it the issue of predestination of salvation is linked with the nature of sin, since the choice I'm looking at is simply defined as living in line with God's will, or not living in line with God's will. Within this framework, salvation is simply the moment when we acknowledge that we really ought to be living in line with God's will, and earnestly embark on the path of grace that God offers us to get there.

To begin with, it may be helpful to return to first principles to examine what factors play into that tremendous decision. The largest characteristic that seems to affect our acceptance of salvation is our sinful nature, so I'll take some time to dissect that first. Let us look to Adam and Eve. They were created in line with God's will; good beings with fellowship with God. They are the only verifiable example of human beings living in perfect harmony with the Creator, and choosing to disobey Him. The other human being who lived in harmony with His God was Jesus, and thank God He didn't disobey. In Adam and Eve's case, the choice was fairly simple, God clearly set up a situation where they had the agency, to obey or disobey, and the command was as dichotomous as it could be.

Sadly for the rest of us, they chose disobedience. Along with that, they manifested the curious 'sinful nature'. God did not create them with the 'sinful nature', rather, it is something that they come to possess after the original sin. Sinful nature is commonly described as a tendency to sin, and not sinful in and of itself, but what exactly is it? 

Do bear with this a little, but when we look at the nature of sin, what is it that allows us to resist? If you examine the life of Jesus, we find that the single effective thing that Jesus relies on repeatedly to endure temptation is His relationship with the Father. He quotes scripture, or remembers that the Father's will must come before His own. A loving relationship with the Father is apparently the only effective defence against the traps of temptation. Now that seems rather odd, since Adam and Eve had that relationship with their God, it also means that they had the means, if only they had relied on it, to resist the serpent's lies. 

But once they disobeyed, they lost that relationship with God, and apparently, that implies that they have nothing left that can shield them from the barbs of sin. A holy God cannot co-exist in full relationship with unholy beings, as they would be struck down by His very presence. So He had to leave them alone, to distance Himself from them. The very act of removal was an act of mercy, for nothing would have been wrong if God, in His wrath against the first two humans, struck them dead in His perfect presence.

To get a sense of the severity of God's wrath, He says this to the Israelites as they leave for Canaan :

Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.

- Exodus 33 : 3

Moses does plead with God to come with them, and He does in the end, but takes adequate precautions not to show His face, about which He says none of the Israelites may see and live.

Thus, the sinful nature might be viewed as a state of being out of fellowship with God, and thus not having the adequate protection from the lies of sin. If that is the case, then it is comparatively easy to move out of line with God, while it is nigh impossible to do the converse. When we are in fellowship with God, right and wrong are clear, sin is as easily singled out as a black point on a white sheet. On the other hand, when we are not in fellowship with Him, everything is blended into shades of grey. In that murky fog, it is easy for us to stumble into sin without us even knowing it, and that is the sinful nature. You do not need a sinful nature to sin, but once you sin and acquire the sinful nature, or rather, lose intimacy with God, you most certainly will continue to sin. To choose our desires over God's desires. It is from this severed state that we can be saved.

For reasons that may never be easily answered, all the descendants of Adam were also born without an intimate relationship with God. We were all born into sinful nature, and thus, all soon ensnared in some vice or other. Perhaps this has to do with the restraint of the Holy not approaching the unholy, for fear of invoking wrath and annihilating that which is unholy.

However, having a sinful nature is not mutually exclusive with desiring God, just as having a relationship with God does not exclude the choice of stepping away from Him. By the grace of God, who laid the path before us, that true, earnest desire for Him is all that is required of us to receive His salvation. We have many examples of sinful people desiring God, even in the old testament times, from Abel, to Abraham, to Moses, to Rahab, to King David, to Isaiah. Simply put, these people are those whom God calls his elect, and who seek him despite their sinful nature, and they were saved by their faith.

So we have established that the state of our relationship with God, which may be broken or whole, affects, but does not fully determine, what our desire towards God is, namely to be in a relationship with God or to be separate from Him. We also know that God accepts any that come to Him, no matter what their background. From the Godly kings of Judah to the downtrodden prostitutes and tax collectors of Galilee. This implies that it is still our responsibility to choose to seek God, that our backgrounds, race, gender and apparent magnitude of sin - any attribute of ours, really - will ultimately have no effect on that key decision to trust God or to trust something else.

Thus, nothing in our past, nor any physical characteristic or personality trait, is what ultimately gets in the way of accepting God. They may affect the ease with which we make up our minds to decide for or against him, but even the single most powerful factor, the lack of an existing intimate relationship with God, does not bar us from making that decision.

Well, you may object, perhaps if nothing on our side seems to dictate whether we attain salvation, it comes from God instead. But is the ability to make that choice, to say 'Yes, I will submit to Your will.' something that God decides for us? Is it true to say that it is only possible for us to make that choice because God has enabled us to do so? In one sense, that is certainly true; God is the one who extended Himself to reach down to us. The only reason why that option is open to us is because He made it possible by the Son's sacrifice. But now that I've thought about it further, it seems that whether we take that option is entirely up to us, or rather, God leaves that final step up to us.

The way that God acts is a wonderful demonstration of how He values our free will. As I studied the Gospel of Matthew over the last few weeks as part of BSF, I came to realise why Jesus didn't just overpower us with majesty and beauty to compel us to adore him. He wants us to choose to love Him for how He is, to know His character, not to be swept up in pomp and glitter. Otherwise our relationship with Him might be like how we follow celebrities or royalty, but not really know who they are as people. The theophany of the Christian God was carefully measured not to overpower our free will, but to give those who would choose Him sufficient information to know what He desires of us as we walk with Him on this earth.

As Hebrews 1 : 1-2 puts it :

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 

This also implies that all that needs to be said and done, has been said and done from God's end. It is up to us to make a choice from then on out. 

If God was going to violate the sanctity of free will by choosing who would have the heart for Him, why go through all the trouble of that delicate balance between intervention and silence? If He is benevolent God who does not respect our agency, He would override everyone's free will and choose for all to know Him. The only factor that, in a sense, 'prevents' God from acting so drastically is our free will and His desire for that to remain intact. 

It thus seems to be the case that our free will is not limited by any factor apart from itself when it comes to choosing salvation. The only true root of rebellion that prevents an acceptance of the Gospel is a pride, conscious or unconscious, to stick to what we would rather be doing than what God designed us to do, not a person's childhood experiences, economic situation, cultural upbringing or position in society.

Now that we've looked at free will, what of the nature of God's sovereignty? One of the strongest passages for God's divine choice is Romans 9. Consider this section on Jacob and Esau :

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

- Romans 9 : 11-13

Later, Paul goes on to quote the Old Testament with the line : 

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

- Exodus 33 : 19b

That seems absurd from our perspective. How could God condemn Esau before he even sinned against God? I believe this is where the argument for time perspective comes in useful. 

God doesn't perceive things in the sequential flow of time. When He looks at our lives, He sees each moment happening as if it were the present. He sees our lives as a whole, and all our actions, thoughts and intentions at each moment, with each of our breaths and between each of our breaths. In other words, when God shows mercy towards Jacob, it is because He already knows the kind of person that Jacob is, and knows that despite Jacob's sinful nature, the heel-grasper will eventually come to seek the God of his fathers.

You might say that perhaps it is because of God's favour all the way along that Jacob grew up to be the sort of person who would love Him, while God's displeasure with Esau is what drove Esau away. This is based on the notion that our identities are shaped by societal factors and past experiences and all that. 

Let us contemplate another situation though, and perhaps it may help to clarify why God extends His mercy to some and not to others. Have you ever known someone who you thought you understood, only to have them do something you would think is completely out of their character? In another case, have you ever thought, of anyone - that person is not going to change, no matter how much kindness and consideration I show, he or she is going to remain the same nasty and selfish character that I've known all these years. If so, why bother? 

The fact of the matter is, we can never truly know another person's deeper nature. We must judge by the outward appearance, for that is all we can perceive - demonstrative action and audible or legible words. In truth, we sometimes do not even understand why we ourselves do what we do, or say what we say. If we don't even comprehend our own behaviour, how could we possibly extend that comprehension to another?

In contrast, God does know our innermost being. He knows if someone has it in them to make the 'out-of-character' decision to turn to Him, regardless of what they have done in the past, simply because He has already seen it happen. Therefore, He shows mercy towards that person by waiting for them to make that commitment. On the other end, He knows that for other people, no matter how much love and kindness He shows, no matter what wonders and blessings, or struggles and sufferings, they would never even toy with the idea of submission to the holy God. As a result, He unleashes His wrath upon them. This is why He could choose to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and why He told Abraham that :

The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, 

I will spare the whole place for their sake.

- Genesis 18 : 26

Over the next few verses, Abraham pleads with God to lower that threshold down to ten righteous people, but even ten are not found. God's choice then, as it is now, is to extend mercy or pronounce judgement. He knows if it is pointless, or if it is worthwhile, or extend mercy just a little longer for the sake of those who will eventually come around to love Him. 

Admittedly, the nature of the human soul is perhaps only one of many factors that God understands that we do not. When God acts, He considers a host of things that no human mind could grasp. But the unknown that lies in each of us may serve as a relatively relatable starting point of comprehension about how God makes His decisions. And so, we arrive at the sovereignty of God, who in His omniscience, dispenses judgement with accuracy, for He is the only judge who understands everything about the convicted.

From our time-constrained perspective, this appears like God's choice. It seems that He takes the initiative to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, to send the deluge over the earth, or to patiently endure the offensive iniquities of man for sake of the final few who will enter into eternal joy. But from His perspective, He acts based on what we do not know, both the known unknown and the unknown unknown.

At the end of it all, I would say that God's grace is evident by His sacrificial act that provided an avenue for us to be reconciled to Him. His mercy is evident by the patience with which He endures the gross vices of humankind for the sake of the elect, who may not even know that they will come to love Him. Finally, our free will is preserved, to chose to be with or apart from Him, by the balance of His revelations and the fact that no attribute of ours is a definitive hindrance to our salvation. If we will but choose to turn to Him, we will be redeemed, and nothing has ultimate influence over that choice but our own wills.

A Short History of Radiant Society - Part 2

The Era of Expansion [1 - 267 AE]

Territorial Extension to the East

Soon after the Radiant began to build up their settlement, Alero directed them into a frenzied expansion. During this early period, the geographical reach of the Radiant grew at its greatest pace. Beginning with the settlement of the Elerian fields, the period ends with the founding of Cashiris. 

The fields existed on a lush plain, which extended to a beach of golden sand leading down to the waves of Coralsea. After building their homes and dividing up the land, a central hall was designated for Ceoves and his staunchest followers. Alero selected six of them to form a body of leadership, who would be known as the Council. With a diligent workforce and the aid of magic, food was never in short supply. Water was retrieved directly from the Casezin river, which watered the fields with nutrient rich fresh water from Mirrorsea. The buildings of this time were made from wood, obtained from the trees that used to grow on Elerian fields.

With the needs of the population easily met, attention was turned to the construction of Eleris, designed by Alero to be a defensible base for his growing civilisation. The Casezin originally cascaded down from Mirrorsea in a series of small falls, and erosion had caused the cliff face to recede westward, forming a concave in the wall of rock. Over the next decade, magic would be used to carve the cliffs, transferring rocks from the western cliff to build up a wall in the east. This was done to form a crater, with a single entrance to the Elerian fields in the east. While that was done, magic was also used to shape the channels for the water from Mirrorsea. From the year 25 AE on, the life giving water would cascade down in a series of six towering waterfalls; a defining characteristic of Eleris in the centuries to come.

As the enclosure of Eleris was approaching completion, Alero gathered an expedition to head to the mountains in the northwest, to prospect for metals and minerals. This team would eventually set up the mining settlement of Foshiris in 34 AE.

Eleris City began to grow properly after its enclosure, soon outpacing the temporary settlement on the fields. These buildings were carved from the stone of the cliffs themselves, and augmented with metals from Foshiris. The west quadrant of the city was designated as the religious and governmental district. Since it was closer to Foshiris, the smithies and industrial stores were built to the north. The south side of the city was the residential district, and also had restaurants and the first school of the Radiant. Food stores and stores for lumber were on the eastern end of the city, near the entrance to the Elerian fields.

There was a strong impulse to explore the unknown eastern reaches of Coralsea, and this was encouraged by Alero, at least during this early stage of the Radiant's growth. The east was regarded as territory that would pose no resistance. This was in contrast to the west, the exploration of which was viewed with skepticism since it would involve dealing with the supposedly 'inferior strains of humankind', who had not accepted Alero.

The eastern expeditions were far more successful than initially anticipated. The numerous islands of the Coralsea Archipelago offered more arable land in addition to the area of the Elerian fields, so colonies were soon founded to farm and harvest the rich bounty of the islands and surrounding sea. In the year 172 AE, the most centrally located colony was nominated as the central hub for the other eastern colonies, and named Alaris.

As the years rolled on, Alaris became more than just a centralised collection point for the production lines of the Coralsea Archipelago. It grew into a centre of research and discovery of the diverse biota of the reefs. The development of Alaris called for more supplies, and so a second mining settlement, Cashiris, was established in 185 AE in the eastern highlands by a branch of the team that founded Foshiris. The Cashiris mine was not naturally as mineral rich as Forshiris mine, but it provided enough, especially in terms of stone, which the Radiant were beginning to favour as their primary construction material.

Early Population Growth

While the territorial reach of the Radiant expanded, their population increased accordingly. There were 64 who made the fateful choice of committing to Alero, population rose slowly at first, and was centred in Eleris. Before the expeditions and colonisation of the Coralsea Archipelago from c. 90 to c. 130, population increased at an average rate of 3% a year, given the extremely long lives of humans, even those of the Fallen, during the Age of Light. Eleris first reached a population of 600 in 78AE. Following the increased food supplies from the island plantations and kelp harvests, there was a population boom, where the total Radiant population increased at an average of 7% a year from the year 115 to 140. The population of Eleris first exceeded 10,000 individuals in the year 136 AE. At the end of the colonisation population boom, Eleris had a population of just under 14,000 individuals, driven both by birth rates in Eleris itself and immigration from other settlements. The total population, mostly dispersed to the east, was close to 17,000.

The rapidly rising population, while not actually coming close to to exhausting the supplies that magic enhanced agriculture could produce, was certainly alarming for the Council, who feared difficulties in administration and organisation. As a result, in 140 AE, they implemented population control measures, which legally limited a married couple henceforth to a maximum of 6 children, with at least 12 years in between each child. Among the justifications given for their invasive policy were optimisation and devoted care for each child during their formative years, strain on educational systems, and on increasing competition for employment.

The sentiment of the Council's Six-Child-Decree, as it came to be known, was readily identified with by most of the Radiant people. Complaining about the crowds of the cities was almost a daily affair, and the older generations amongst them lamented the loss of the 'early sense of unity', as it became impossible to know and keep updated with all the lives of the 'unending multitude of faces'.

Yet, there were those who would not comply, citing the large immediate families of the founding generation. The largest of the founding families had 38 children from the union of Teoves and Lesuves while Lesuves had remained in her childbearing years; 21 sons and 17 daughters. The phases of life were also stretched in step with the long early lifespans during the Age of Light. Of the 9 centuries or so of life allotted to the Fallen, a woman was in her maternal years, on average, between the ages of 40 to 120. Derogatorily termed the 'Breeders', the minority who vehemently disagreed with the Council's decision were forced to live out in the smaller settlements of the Radiant. Away from the crowded cities, their 'unrestrained fertility [would] not compromise the comfort of the cities' and would instead 'aid the development of the wilder settlements'. Thus, the later Radiant cultural attitude of disdain towards children and childbearing had its first slender beginnings in the early Council's population control measures.

Soon after its official founding and designation as the centre of the east, Alaris quickly became the second large population node, although it was still far smaller than the senior city by numbers. Alaris's population was augmented due to immigration from the colonies on the other Coralsea islands. In 172 AE, Alaris had a population of about 2,500, while Eleris had a population of 18,500. By 175 AE, the population of Alaris had risen to 4,100, but Eleris had a significantly lower growth rate, having reached 18,800 inhabitants. The other colonies were much smaller than the two cities, having an average of about 150 inhabitants. As a whole, the population of the Radiant had reached about 24,000 in the year 175 AE.

From then on, the rate of population increase was eventually tamed, though in terms of absolute numbers, the population of the Radiant would continue increase for many centuries to come.

A Short History of Radiant Society - Part 1

This post will draft an overview of the history of Radiant Society during the Age of Light. Being a society of exceptionally long lived individuals, the Radiant government and social values were relatively stable in comparison with later societies with people of normal lifespans. Nonetheless, over the centuries, there were competing schools of thought with regards to progress and development, which waxed and waned in relevance as the demands and interests of the population shifted.

The Aftermath of the Rebellion

The true history of the Radiant is generally held to begin with its founder, Ceoves, persuading a portion of the Fallen to commit themselves to guidance under Alero, but in order to understand his motivations, it is essential to establish the social context in which they were forged.

The evening of the Day of Rebellion saw the expulsion of the Fallen from the Garden of Elin. This exiled community headed to the expanse between the west lake and the mountains, founding a small settlement which they called the Village of Shame. This settlement was still within view of the Garden, and souls of fire stood guard at the perimeter to ensure none of the sinners could return. The Ward Elves chose to live with the Fallen, but visited their kin, the High Elves, in the Garden quite frequently, though they were forbidden from bearing the bounty of Elin out to their tarnished brethren, except out of mercy in times of extreme need. The people of the Village of Shame distrusted Alero and would not heed his counsel after the disastrous consequences of the Rebellion.

During those Years of Confusion, time, as it always would, flowed on. A new generation was born to the Fallen, who had never seen the blessings of the Garden. They were taught of their heritage, their disappointing past, but to these youngsters, the shame was never as near as it was for their parents. Ceoves was of this generation.

Ceoves saw no purpose in dwelling in the failures of the past. As he grew in stature, and began a family of his own, he did not convey the grief of the Day of Rebellion unto his children. This was in direct contrast to his more conservative younger brother, Epioves. Epioves raised his family in line with the traditional common mourning, and took it upon himself to educate his nieces and nephews of the heritage of the Fallen. 

When Ceoves discovered his brother usurping what he felt was his paternal authority, as well as undermining his offspring's confidence in their future, their conflict quickly turned violent. Ceoves's fraticide was committed away from the Village of Shame, but in such a small community, word spread quickly. Ceoves ran to the east, more afflicted with the experience of shame than his brother ever was. Upon reaching the eastern cliffs, the guilt stricken murderer throws himself down into the embrace of Coralsea with the dawning sun. Alero arrests his fall, and promises him redemption and recovery if only Ceoves pledges his allegiance. Ceoves does so. Alero grants him some of the powers that were thought to be accessible only to the Elves; the control of light, electricity and magnetism.

Returning to the Village of Shame, the fear of the tangible effects of the Rebellion terrify the Elves. The High Elves determine that they should depart, and begin to make preparations with Ulavo and Oleri for Elinrise. 

Ceoves returns as an apostle of Alero, demonstrating his new powers in signs and wonders. Not all the Fallen are struck with fear at his return, some seeing his commission by Alero as a convincing sign that while Eleyon has given them up, Alero has not. Many choose to follow Alero that day, most are of the second and third generations, but some are also from the first rebels. In particular, the human leader of the rebellion, Etruves, once again voices support for Alero's call. 

Those who choose to follow Alero number about sixty in all, and they migrate east, leaving the Village of Shame behind them. The Fallen who remain with the Ward Elves begin to call themselves the Remnant.

As the Day of Mourning draws near, the annual time when the events of the Day of Rebellion are recalled, Ceoves and his followers begin to set up their dwellings on the fields near Coralsea, and the Radiants are founded. In the west, as the ceremonies of the Day of Mourning end, the Ward Elves and the Remnant bid farewell to the High Elves, and the Garden of Elin rises from the cradle, to depart from the gaze of mortal eyes forever. From that day forth, the count of years in the Age of Light was begun, and the Years of Confusion were held to have ended.

Perspectives : The Medical Mission

By a confluence of promptings from reading some of C.S. Lewis' writings and a coursera lecture on 'A Brief History of Humankind' by Dr. Yuval Harari, I began to think about the guiding principles behind our medical careers. As a Christian, once again, it has become clear that secular dreams and divine direction are at odds.

As Dr. Harari's lecture pointed out, the medical field is increasingly blatant about how we are now targeting to achieve biological immortality. In the past, we would have said that we are trying to find a cure for malaria, a cure for AIDS, a cure for cancer, and so on. However, with the research being done on the underlying genetics of ageing, we now talk about halting or reversing age itself. We have returned to the ancient quest of Gilgamesh. Armed with a modern understanding of biochemistry and the scientific method, we attempt to wrest control of our mortality from fate. Death is no longer accepted as an immutable fact, but as a challenge to be overcome by anthropic ingenuity.

This is part of the great mission to endow the earth with all the abundance of heaven. Upon forsaking the notion of the soul, the modern secular view must plug the resulting vacuum by promising utopia in this physical world, and what is heaven if you cannot relish it for all eternity? This does not just apply to hospice medicine, but to all branches of medicine which all aim to improve the present physical existence of their patients. The incarnate Elysium must be free of disease and disability.

Biblical principles caution against this quest for physical health as an end in and of itself :

'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'

-Matthew 6 : 19 - 21

The only reason we should want to remain on this earth is because we feel we have all we need on this planet, that we can be satisfied on this side of death. To that end, our healthcare is being shaped by the forces of humanism to fulfil this.

But from God's perspective, as Lewis puts it, we are like '[ignorant children] who [want] to go on making mud pies in a slum because [we] cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.' According to the promises of God, the real heaven is infinitely more wonderous and perfect than any tarnished reflection we can muster on our own resources. The glory of heaven, which we cannot now see, will have a permanence and substance that will make the legacies and greatness of this present world appear like passing vapours in comparison.

With that in mind, what then is the Christian calling within the realm of medicine? For those involved in end-of-life care, as I would like to be someday, the answer is simply to offer another chance at repentance and salvation. The fact is, we are only free to choose obedience or rejection of God while we are insulated in this fuzzy experience of reality. Once we step outside the veil of this life, the superior choice and inferior choice would be so apparent as to provoke unanimous assent, and free will is compromised. Thus, choice about this matter is only presented to us during our sojourn as earthly beings. 

If someone dies without a heart for God, they are forever lost, but if they are rescued by the astonishing marvels of medicine, they, in essence, have another chance to grasp redemption. There is something deeply humbling when one is confronted by one's mortality, and the sense of imminent loss may yet serve as the lifeline of the soul. Death induces reflection on the worth and value of life. Through its lenses, we may be able to perceive glimpses of Reality as it is, rather than as what we convince ourselves it is.

Does this imply that those who are believers ought not to be saved? Surely they would then proceed swiftly on, through to eternal glory. But I submit that God, in His power, is able to use even the final months or moments of the life of a faithful servant to effect His will on this earth. As a doctor, I would not dare to assume that I have the authority to decide someone's life is at its end and not worth saving. Life is a gift, freely given and taken at the appointed time. I admit there is another side to this argument, which deserves treatment that cannot be covered in the scope of this post. Briefly put, it should also not be in my jurisdiction to extend life longer than its appointed duration. The later kings of Numenor who held on to their last shreds of life were as misguided as Denethor, who decided his last moments were not worth living.

When it comes to other areas of medicine that may not encounter mortality as regularly, the distinction remains, though with less of the clarity that proximity to the reaper affords. There is nothing wrong with healing the sick or enabling the disabled. Jesus himself performed so many miracles in this department. God wishes for our lives to be filled with joy. If it is in His will, that may be expressed through physical healing. Nonetheless, we must still note the difference between healing for the sake of living in this world, and healing for the sake of blessing others, but while the focus remains on the treasures of heaven. 

There is no profession that is exclusively in line with Biblical principles. In each, there is a way by which we may demonstrate an esteem for ourselves over our Creator.

An Expanded Representation

It's about time that I updated the map of the Cradle of Eldwan. The detail maps I had in 'Cartographic Iterations' don't match up with the world map that I formulated in the later posts 'World Maps' and 'Geographical Changes'. Mainly because of the scale of the maps which caused the disagreement in the diameter of the Cradle. So, it had to be reworked, this was the result :

Figure 1 - The Scanned Version of the Cradle Map (Version Six)

I took the circumference of earth, divided it by twenty-four, to reach the approximate magnitude of the Cradle on the world maps. Some simple rounding helped me decide that a decent scale would be one centimetre to one hundred kilometres. In total, the circle with an eight centimetre radius now represented an area closer to the size of Mexico than North Korea, which was comparable area for the previous iteration of the map of the Cradle. In other terms, the diameter of a thousand and six hundred kilometres which is approximately the distance between Brisbane and Adelaide.

Naturally, since I now knew this map was enclosed by the circular mountain range, I drew it in to the border, unlike the earlier versions that faded off into areas that might as well have been filled with 'here be dragons'. After scanning and colouring, the result was :

Figure 2 - The Coloured Version of the Cradle Map (Version Six)

If there is one gripe I have with this map, it's that the names are outdated and don't fit in with the constructed language of Eldwan, Tas Eldwaraj. At least in its current state... Conlangs are fickle creatures.

But yes, I do hope that the colours make it easier to interpret. The blues are obviously for water bodies, whether seas or lakes and rivers. The green refers to vegetated areas, mostly where there is an adeuqate supply of water. The khaki marks a relatively dry region. Finally, the grey indicates the highlands; dry, and elevated by precipitous cliffs above the other areas by at least four hundred metres. One major exception is Mirrorsea, which is located on the same level as the highlands. Water, from its four child rivers, streams over the cliffs to the lowlands in fantastic cataracts. Mountains enclose the entire area, which is why the map is encircled by the highlands.

The approximate distances between the cities can now be properly established :
Eleris to Alaris : 350 km ~ London to Paris
Alaris to Caxiris : 215 km ~ Jerusalem to Damascus
Eleris to Mivaris : 160 km ~ London to Bath
Ilvaris to Generis : 230 km ~ Rome to Florence
Ilvaris to Alaris : 890 km ~ Beijing to Xian
Ilvaris to the West Settlement : 415 km ~ Tokyo to Osaka

Now that I've looked at it, I really should have made this map with the east at the top of the page. That would have been more appropriate to the culture of the Age of Light; looking to the rising sun for direction. And less Eurocentric.

A Progression of Professions

I suppose another aspect of building societies has to do with how they value the functions of various occupations. For example, how the Jews revered their Rabbis, how the Spartans treated their slaves, how just about every ancient culture exalted their kings or emperors, or how our present society treats politicians, professors and celebrities. The way we view these professions, judge their practitioners, and the de facto hierarchy through which they interrelate, dictates a lot of social interaction. The way that these functions are esteemed or debased reflects the values of the social order in question and the needs of a nation.

Admittedly, it was a rather ambitious and, I suppose, pretentious, train of thought to paint broad sweeps of the so-called high and low functions of the societies in Eldwan, according to the changing circumstances that people found themselves in. As with any attempt at characterising societies on a large scale, there are bound to be generalisations and omissions. To counter the most inflammatory notion that some occupations are inherently morally superior or inferior, and that a person's profession limits their ability to do good or ill, I would ask you to examine the original need that the occupation rose to meet. I understand perfectly that not all physicians are virtuous and that some in what may be regarded as less desirable professions are driven there by compounded forces of pecuniary necessity and limited opportunity. But those are secondary situations which do not relate to the core purpose for which the job initially developed.

Pre-Rebellion

I was quite struck by a line that when Adam partook of sin, his occupation was changed from that of a gardener, into a farmer. It got me wondering about what people would have done with their time before the fall, and how that would have had to change after the original disobedience. In the context of Eldwan's primeval paradise, where the Spirits walked amongst humans, one of the central functions would certainly have been worship of the Creator. To this end, a vast variety of practices may have developed from the gifts and ideas of the early evezhen. I have personally fixed on the idea that all art, dance, singing, poetry and other creative exertions in this early period would have expressed praise for the One, the First. So much so that I plan for a common word in Tas Eldwaraj to express both ideas. It's definition would be adapted divergently by the two cultures of course.

The next point is about care for the rest of creation, plants and animals; to be rulers of the earth. This is of course, what the first couple was explicitly instructed to do in Genesis 1 : 28. At this stage, surrounded by the diversity of life in the Garden, it would impossible to ignore the environmental mission.

A final class of pursuits would include those of learning, understanding the natural world, their existence, their purpose and their Creator.

At this point in Eldwan's history, when the divine was so firmly enmeshed with the existence of humanity, there would be little stratification, for all tasks were clearly ordained or in service to the Great Spirits. In that earthly abundance, there would have been no need for jobs to supply the bare necessities of life.

Post-Rebellion

After the expulsion from Eden, the focus of a society would have to shift as a result of their changing needs. In Eldwan, the higher beings no longer associate as freely with humanity and their daily needs are no longer provided. New professions would be forced to develop to meet the needs that were once provided. The gathering professions would rise to centre stage. Agricultural professions, fishing, the collection of water, any task that would be required to supply the bare essentials of life, would be regarded with respect when early man was so strapped for resources. As early societies were so close to the physical poverty line, their focus would have dwelt on such professions. Recalling all the rain deities and fertility deities from various cultures.

Furthermore, construction would have become part of human existence. Building artificial shelters would require another host of occupations revolving around gathering and processing construction materials, designing and assembling buildings.

The higher professions of the harmonious age, while they would still have been revered early on, would have been sacrificed on the altar of necessity, retained in vestigial forms until society assumed the stability required for their dedicated pursuit. The creative spirit of humanity would be quelled under circumstances of comparative poverty. The noble call of environmental stewardship would inevitably be ignored as the selfish nature of the individual simply compounded to result in a selfish human drive at the expense of all other creatures.

Inevitably, man finds more efficient ways of doing the tasks he has before him. Over many years, the gathering professions would become more proficient, and the focus of society would begin to shift away from raw requirements to the creative end of the spectrum. To some extent, this does echo the spirit of Maslow's hierarchy.

As the wealth of cities began to grow to considerable quantities, it would have become necessary to protect them. Militaries would begin to develop. In order to maintain social structure and stability, legal professions would find their footing. Finally, in order to protect life itself, the medical field would have its rudimentary beginnings. After all, there would be little point in acquiring wealth if death looms too near to enjoy it. The more possessions were acquired, the more these 'protective' professions would rise in importance.

Accompanying these 'protective' professions would have been the 'maintenance' professions, which would have a similar function to the 'protective' roles, but less of their glamour because of the objects of their attentions. The technical professions, those who deal with manufactured goods and their maintenance, repairs of tools and devices, and of course, cleaning. Historians could also be viewed as protectors of heritage.

Another group of professions would also begin to surface. As societies grew larger in number and complexity, there would be a growing number of people who had to be involved in what I call 'efficiency' professions. Transport, information brokering, delivering messages, education and so on.

Furthermore, a vein of 'indulgent' professions would have festered beneath the polite veneer, as sin began its dominion of the human race.

Finally, as the aristocracy begins to distill financial hierarchy, the class of oppressors takes place, where some individuals begin to exist at the expense of others. Manifesting in slavery and repression, such clear violations of an individual's rights must have initially appeared grossly incorrect. Desensitisation would eventually have made such oppression the norm among ancient cultures.

The order of importance by which a society arranges these professions reflects its needs and way of life. For example, in societies which were cut off from the divine, as in the pagan Canaanite cultures, the indulgent professions rose to the top, expressing flagrant sin. Their religious rituals were legitimised gratification. Below that, the agricultural professions were also esteemed. I would term these hedonistic societies. In addition, the higher creative expressions which used to be dedicated to true worship, would be dedicated to far inferior causes, for the sake of idols or for a narcissistic admiration of humanity.

After the arrival of the Law, the next type of society would be the Legalistic society, where the religious authority acquires significant jurisdiction. For example, the Israelites living according to the harsh penalties of the Mosaic law. Societies since the coming of the Law oscillate between the hedonistic and the legalistic.

It could be proposed that societies are arranged on a scale. If they have little, they will need to focus on necessities and collection, but as they accumulate more and more, they must dedicate more to preserving what already exists and protecting what they already have. The esteem of professions would shift accordingly. Perhaps, in the final days, the coming Kingdom will restore the pristine order. Until that day, we can observe how the values of nations metamorphose through the prestige granted to the multifarious occupations generated over our history.