Your phrase "soteriological realism" isvery resonant with the "sacramental ontology" of Christian Platonism. The working of no working, abandonment of hakarai, morality as the outworking of the Amida's boundless light and wisdom in jinen: all of these have clear parallels which go beyond the usual Shinran-Luther comparisons. I've found Shinran's thought on nembutsu helpful in understanding the Eucharist not as a work of man but as God's expression and realisation of how things truly are: the outworking of the divine nature, which is salvific and unifying. Thank you for this clear exposition.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Fr Tomas. I often think of the Eucharist and also the incarnation when I think of the Nembutsu of other power as well as the appearance of Dharmakara Bodhisattva in the world as a bodhisattva who fulfilled infinite merit in the flesh. They’re so very close in their essence.
Your phrase "soteriological realism" isvery resonant with the "sacramental ontology" of Christian Platonism. The working of no working, abandonment of hakarai, morality as the outworking of the Amida's boundless light and wisdom in jinen: all of these have clear parallels which go beyond the usual Shinran-Luther comparisons. I've found Shinran's thought on nembutsu helpful in understanding the Eucharist not as a work of man but as God's expression and realisation of how things truly are: the outworking of the divine nature, which is salvific and unifying. Thank you for this clear exposition.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Fr Tomas. I often think of the Eucharist and also the incarnation when I think of the Nembutsu of other power as well as the appearance of Dharmakara Bodhisattva in the world as a bodhisattva who fulfilled infinite merit in the flesh. They’re so very close in their essence.