I thought I would take a small break from my
work with Syriac Orthodox project and make a comment about a letter I just got
from Poland.
There is this group in Poland researching the
subject of “Positive Christianity” who are evidently following the blog. So to
make things a bit easier I thought a quick posting might suffice (this way you
don’t have to send anyone to see the material as your letter suggests).
To answer your questions about Otto von Hemrick’s
notes and any mention of “Positive Christianity” there appears to be some
dialogue between von Hemrick and a few committees with the Reichskirche.
Most of the communications seems to be queries
on the translations of the text and how they interrelate to the doctrines of “Positive
Christianity”. I do suspect based on the letters between the two that von
Hemrick made known part of the translations to these committees (like the
translations dealing with the Giants and Bent Cross People). Unfortunately, it
seems that von Hemrick was reluctant to say the die Gefallenen should be used a
canon text for the movement.
According to one letter he writes-
Während ich sicherlich zustimmen mit der Position des Ausschusses, ich kann
nicht mit allen guten bewussten sagen die Matrize Gefallenen würden in
Abstimmung mit den Mietern des Reichskirche sein. Es ist mir klar, dass ein
Großteil dieser Text wird in den alten jüdischen Traditionen und Auffassungen
von gefallenen Engeln verwurzelt und ist daher nicht mit den Hauptmietern
kompatibel. Selbst die Abschnitte, die sich mit dem Christus offenbar werden,
die eine jüdische Verbindung. Es wäre Heterodoxie, auch darauf hin, dass dieser
Text wäre eine Überlegung wert sein.
Translation reads-
“While I most certainly
agree with the position of the Committee, I cannot with all good conscious say
the die Gefallenen would be in agreement with the tenants of the Reichskirche.
It is clear to me that much of this text is rooted in the ancient Jewish traditions
and understandings of fallen angels and is therefore not compatible with the
core tenants. Even the sections dealing with the Christ clearly are showing a
Jewish connection. It would heterodoxy to even suggest that this text would be
worthy of consideration.”