Old Wineskins

Last updated on: April 22, 2017 at 8:45 pm by Henry Karlson

Old Wineskins 2017-04-22T20:45:28-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.” (Luke 5:37).

When trying to portray what is real, the advice of Jesus is often neglected – we try to put new wine in old wineskins; that is, we try to express new experiences through old, outdated paradigms. This is not to say that old paradigms are without merit; whatever merit they had, that can be discerned and adapted without having to stick with a failed paradigm. Paradigms are the lenses by which people experience the world, and they form the means by which people find meaning for their otherwise confusing lives.

Therefore, there is something of value behind the task of paradigm-making, and paradigms cannot be dismissed out of hand. Paradigms are systematic constructs placed over and above reality in order to provide meaning to reality itself. But, because of their origin, because of the fact they are mere constructions, they must not be confused with reality itself. They provide a means by which we can grasp reality, and so are to be respected on that level. Ontologically, they are merely images of reality: images which, when compared to reality itself, must be judged as far less, and therefore different from, reality itself. Delusion or illusion, depending upon the kind of error, prevails when a paradigm is reified; that which it is meant to portray is lost and the construct takes the place of reality itself. Sadly, this is the level of reality most people live under: they live an unreal life, with unreal expectations. Society itself provides a paradigmatic lens which covers reality well enough that most people are unable to discern the fact they are living in a false representation of reality instead of reality itself. Those who are able to discern the difference between the image of reality with reality do not have to be stuck with the image, but they do not have to ignore it either. They can live under the simulation of reality without being ruled by it.

If we look at the situation carefully, we will begin to see the fact that most people live with and under many paradigms at one time. Society socializes them under one, religion teaches them another, and individual experiences provide a third. They are harmonized together so as to appear as one, even if, in truth, they are actually many layers used to cover what is real from the person trying to experience that real. This explains why society can work together under one paradigm, but different people will still discern reality differently despite that common paradigm. It also explains why some people, more than others, will be able to discern conflicts within a given societal paradigm: their individual experiences will demonstrate the errors of the societal level of this paradigmatic lens. Such an individual, unless prepared for such a conflict, will not know what to do and will, as a result, will blindly struggle with society as a whole to fix the communal construct society lives under. If there is no reaction, no correction, by society, is it surprising that the response of the confused individual will often end in violence? No. It is often for the love of what is real that violence is done in the name of the real; the kind of violence will differ, but violence in the name of the real is often the way by which modern society ever encounters the real, that is, violence reveals that societal paradigms are false and need to be expelled for the sake of truth**.** Slavoj Žižek has explained this well: “The ultimate and defining moment of the twentieth century was the direct experience of the Real as opposed to everyday social reality – the Real in its extreme violence as the price paid for peeling off the deceptive layers of reality.”[1] Shocking acts are done in the name of reality so that people will wake up and see the lie they have been living under. Nonetheless, through such acts, reality is not truly established; “…the fundamental paradox of the ‘passion for the Real’: it culminates in the apparent opposite, in a theatrical spectacle -from the Stalinist show trials to spectacular terrorist acts.“[2] Can we not see how “civilized society” at war with “terrorists,” and “terrorists” at war with “civilized society” both aim to destroy “false beliefs” and both, then, fight each other in the name of reality (truth), but neither can provide it?

What is it that makes us believe that our version of reality is worth fighting for? Truth, if it is what is, does not have to reveal itself by conflict; it is there, ready for us to experience it when we open ourselves up to it. If we “die to our selves“,[3] and give up our individualistic, selfish egoism, the barrier which divides us from the truth can be overcome, and reality can be experienced as communion with the God who provides us truth, consciousness of that truth, and bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). The problem is that instead of dying to the self, we prop it up; when society is found in conflict with the self, we criticize and attack society but neglect the need to modify and reform the self. Nonetheless, the ego didn’t come to exist by itself. Society helped form our ego, but in doing so, it forms an entity which can ultimately harm that society as a whole, because that ego will try to live above the norms of society; when one uses violence to deconstruct a given societal paradigm, they do so to increase and reinforcement that individual ego. The only way to overcome the societal construct is to overcome the ego at the same time, and that can never be the way of violence, but of self-giving love; it is a journey to be had within first, and then demonstrated by loving action, not hateful destruction. If one is not able to grasp this fact, then they merely deconstruct the exterior societal norm through the means of the ego; and of course, when put in that light, society needs to be overcome until it meets the needs of the ego – by any and all means necessary. The ego is the ultimate self-affirming illusion, the ultimate “old wineskin.” Even if its foundation is outside itself, it is implanted by society as the foundation for all socialization; it is the original layer of the paradigmatic-onion-like-lens which a person has to uncover if they want experience reality as it truly is; it has to go for the illusion to be removed. If only the outer societal paradigm is removed, this makes room for something to take its place to hide the truth, while the ego which worked for this transformation finds itself strengthened, having had its muscles flexed in the process of exorcising an exterior layer of that hermeneutical lens:

Appearing as objects, sentient beings, the self
And awareness, consciousness arises.
Its objects do not exist
Therefore, it does not exist either.

Thus the false imagination is established.
This is not how it is,
Yet it is not absolutely nothing either.
Liberation is held to follow its exhaustion.[4]

The ego, with its objectification of the world, must always be seen for what it is: an illusionary construct which reifies the person into an individual. But in truth, this reified entity does not exist, because nothing exists as an individual: no man, no woman, no creature, is an island. Everything which exists, exists in communion with all else that exists, and they are united in the fact that they are established by the grace of God. But the ego tries to stress itself as real, it tries to force the world, and all that is within it, to follow what it establishes, and to call that illusionary reality – real. This false imagination is established and placed over reality; it is experienced as real, even if it is not. But because a relational, contingent person truly exists, that which the ego uses to justify itself is real, and so it must not be said that the relational person, because its egoistical projection is false, is not real. And from this it also must be said that exterior to the person, reality also exists, even if, until the ego is eliminated, all that the person knows of that reality is mediated through that ego. Once that ego is overcome, reality can be what it is without constructs. But the liberated person does not then have to abandon constructs, either; they can re-engage them, but now, with the insight to their limitations, they will not be controlled by them. In this way they are then capable of engaging others, within those constructs, to help them find in themselves the means to overcome them.

Thus, truth must not be contained by the old wineskin of the ego. Instead, the wine of truth must be put in the new person, where the expansive nature of truth can be met with the ever-expanding person as they grow in theosis. Only then will there be no confusion, no violence, when a new truth is discerned.

Footnotes

[1] Slavoj Žižek, The Desert of the Real (London: Verso, 2002), 5-6.
[2] Ibid., 9.
[3] Matthew 16:25.
[4] Maitreya, Middle Beyond Extremes. trans. The Dharmachakra Translation Committee (Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion, 2006), 28.

Comparative Theology

Henry Karlson

Philosophy

Previous Post

September 28, 2008

Discernment

Next Post

September 29, 2008 McCain and Obama: The Same on ESCR?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2019 A Consistent Ethic of Life Aaron Weldon Abortion absurdity Abuse Scandal Academics Adoption Advent Africa agreement/disagreement with Church teaching Alexander Schmemann Alexham Alterity America Amnesty International Anarchism angels Anglicanism Animals Annual Statistics Anthony Anxietas Apocalyptic Apophatic Appalachia Aquinas Art Atheism Atonement Augustine Authority Baptism Beauty Bible biblical criticism biblical scholarship Bioethics Bishops Black Catholics Black Theology Blackadder Blogs Books Breastfeeding Brett Salkeld Buddhism Bush administration Byzantine Catholic Calvinism Canada Canon Law Capital Punishment Capitalism Caryll Houselander Catholic Blog Awards Catholic Blogging Catholic League Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Worker Movement Catholicity CFL Charity Children Chris West Christ and Culture Christian Democracy Christian Unity Christmas Christology Church Church Doctrine Church History Climate Change Cohabitation Colbert Collegiality Communion Communism Comparative Theology Competition Conferences conscience conscience rights Consequentialism Consistent Life Ethics Consumerism Contraception Contrition Conversion Converts Coptic COVID-19 Creation Critical Thinking Cross Cuba Culture Culture of Death Culture of Life Darfur David Cruz-Uribe David Wheeler-Reed Death Death Penalty Democracy Demons Desert Fathers Devil Dialogue dignity Disability Disarmament discernment Discipleship discrimination Dissent Distributism Division Doctrine Domestic Church Dorothy Day Double Effect Doubt Down syndrome Driving Early Church Easter Eastern Churches Ecclesiology Economics Economy Ecumenism Education El Salvador Election Election 2020 Ellul Embryonic Stem Cell Research Empire Energy Enlighenment Environmentalism Ephraim Radner Episcopal Church epistemology Equality Eschatology Ethics Eucharist Europe Euthanasia Evangelization Evil Evolution Excommunication F.X. Durrwell Facism Facts Fair Trade Faith Family Fashion Feddie Feminism Feminist theology Fertility Fetal Rights Fiction Film Finances First Things flags Folk Religion Food Foreign Affairs Forgiveness Frank Sheed Free Speech Freedom gay & lesbian persons Genocide George W. Bush George Weigel Gerald L. Campbell Girard/Mimetic Theory Global Warming Globalization Gnosticism Good Friday Grace Gratitude Greed Grey Cup 2009 Guadalupe Guest Post Guest Posts Gun Control Gustave Martelet Habitat for Humanity Hans Urs von Balthasar Harry Potter Hate Speech Health Health Care Healthcare Heather King Hebrew Bible Henri de Lubac Henry Karlson Herbert McCabe Heresy HHS Mandate Controversy History Holidays Holiness Holy Spirit Homiletics Homily Homosexuality Hope Hospitality How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Go? Human Person Human Rights Humanae Vitae Humility Humor Hunger Hunting Identity Idolatry Ignacio Ellacuría Imagination Immigration In Memoriam Income Inequality Inculturation Indigenous People Individualism Inklings Intellect Interdependence Internet Interpretation Interviews Introduction Iraq War Islam Israel Jain James Alison James Martin Jazz Jesus Christ Jews Joe Biden Joe Hargrave Johann Baptist Metz John Allen John Henry Newman John Paul II John the Baptist John XXIII Jonathan Josef Pieper Joseph (the husband of Mary) Joseph Bernardin Joseph Ratzinger Josh Brumfield Journals Joy Judgment Just War Justice Kari Lundgren Karl Rahner Katerina Ivanovna Kenya Keynes Kingdom of God Kyle R. Cupp Labor Language Latin America Law Leanne Ogasawara Legion of Christ Leisure Lent Liberalism Liberation Theology Libertarianism Libya Lies Life life & dignity & responsibility of the human person Literature Little Way Liturgical music Liturgical Year Liturgy Living Simply Living Wage Local Church Lombard Lord of the Rings Louis Dupre Love M.Z. Magic Magisterium Mark DeFrancisis Mark Gordon Marriage Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Martyrdom Marxism Mary Masculinity Matt Talbot Matthew Fish Matthew Levering McCain Media Memorial Day Mennonites Mental Illness mercy Michael Iafrate Middle East militarism Miroslav Volf Mitt Romney Modesty Moral Theology Morality Mormonism Morning's Minion Mother Teresa Music Muslims Natalie Nate Wildermuth Nationalism Native Americans Nature Nazis Neuhaus New Evangelization New York City News NFP nihilism Nonviolence Not Abortion Nova's Ordo Nuclear weapons Nuns Obama Occult Old Age Opus Dei Ordination ordination of women original sin Orthodoxy Oscar Romero Other Voices Pacifism Palestine Palin Papacy Papal Peace Messages Papal Social Encyclicals Particular Affections Partisanship Patriotism Paul Paul Ryan Paul VI Peace Pentimento persecution Personalism Phantastes Philosophy PKD Planned Parenthood Pluralism Poetry Policraticus Politcal Apathy Politics Poll Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope Leo XIV Population Postcolonialsim Poverty Power Prayer Preaching Predictions Predictions for 2012 President Barack Obama priestly formation & discernment Pro-Life Progress Prophetic Witness Proportionalism Public Diplomacy Public Policy Question Quotes Rachel Maddow Racism Radical Catholic Mom Radical Catholicism Raymund Schwager Real Catholic TV Real Presence Reconciliation Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange Religion religious freedom Responsibility Ressourcement Resurrection Rick Garnett Ridiculous Crap You Never Thought You'd See Robert Barron Roe v. Wade Roman Curia Rome Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation History Sam Harris Sam Rocha Same-sex Marriage Saskatchewan Roughriders Satire School of the Americas Science Scripture Seamless Garment Second Vatican Council Seeing Sex sexual violence Sexuality Sia Sin social justice Social Security Socialism Society of Jesus Sofia Loves Wisdom Solidarity Sophia soteriology Soutenus Spirituality Sports St. Dismas St. Joseph Stanley Hauerwas Statistics Stimulus Suffering Sunday Reflections Supernatural Supreme Court Symbolism Syria Taxing Technology Terrorism The State The Tea Party The Trump Administration Theological Anthropology Theology Theotokos Thomas Merton Throwaway Culture Tim Muldoon Tim Riley Tim Tebow Time Titian Tolkien Torture Toys Trade Traditionalism Transgender Transportation Transubstantiation Trinity Truth TV U.S. Affairs Uncategorized Unions unity among people who disagree US Catholicism USCCB Usury Utilitarianism Utopia Valentine's Day Vatican Vatican II Veterans Vicarious Suffering Video Violence Virgin Mary Vocations Voluntary Associations Voluntary Poverty Voting Vox Nova vox nova blog war War and Peace War Strategy Wealth Weirdness Welfare state Women Women Priests Work Woundedness Youth

Select a Month June 2026 May 2025 February 2025 January 2025 July 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 July 2023 March 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 November 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was lowered through a roof to be healed by Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A paralyzed man Jairus' daughter A blind man A leper