Asketska religioznost u jevanđelju po Tomi

Abstract

Ovaj rad bavi se interpretacijom asketskog simbolizma sa kojim se susrećemo u Tominom jevanđelju, ranohrišćanskom spisu sastavljenom na grčkom, početkom drugog veka naše ere. Reč je tu, zapravo, o pomalo paradoksalnom jeziku ranohrišćanske gnostičke zajednice koja je sastavila zbirku Isusovih izreka poznatu kao Jevanđelje po Tomi. U ovom spisu prepoznajemo bar pet dosta tipičnih odlika asketizma poznatih ne samo u hrišćanskim, već i u nehrišćanskim religijskim zajednicama širom sveta. To su odricanje od sveta, isposništvo putujućih harizmatika, enkratizam, ritualna askeza i askeza samoispitivanja. Svi ti prepoznatljivi obrasci asketske religioznosti izraženi su u ovom jevanđelju pomoću vrlo originalnih sugestivnih simbola i metafora. Ovaj rad je, u najvećoj meri, posvećen baš filozofskom, teološkom i antropološkom tumačenju tog osobenog asketskog simbolizma, ali i asketske prakse koju je upražnjavalo Tomino zajedništvo u svom izvornom okruženju.

This essay deals with the interpretation of ascetic symbolism encountered in the Gospel of Thomas, an early Christian writing composed in Greek in the early second century. At issue is a somewhat paradoxical language of the early Christian, Gnostic community that composed a collection of Jesus' sayings known as the Gospel of Thomas. In this document, we recognize at least five typical features known not only from the Christian, but also non-christian religious communities all over the world. They are as follows the renunciation from the world, the asceticism of itinerant charismatics encratism, the ritual ascesis and ascesis of (self)examination. All these recognizable patterns of ascetic religiosity are expressed in this gospel through some very unique and suggestive symbols and metaphors. This essay is, to a greater extent, dedicated to the philosophical, theological and anthropological interpretations of this unique ascetic symbolism, as well as to the ascetic practice performed by the Thomasine community in its original setting.