Lukewarmness
Lukewarmness , actually a temperature indication mostly related to water or food, denotes in a figurative sense an indecisive thinking and behavior.
In theological terms, the concept of lukewarmness implies a state of slackening and undervaluation of the spiritual life, which, according to a moralistic view, results from consenting to venial sin , whereas according to the asceticians it is to be identified as acedia (indolence). A distinction must be made between this and the phenomenon of so-called dryness of prayer .
The classic biblical text on lukewarmness is Rev 3: 14-16 EU , the letter to the church in Laodicea , which is accused of being neither hot nor cold, that is, neither determined in love of Christ nor in turning away from Christ, but rather mild and Be complacent: "But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I want to spit you out of my mouth." Thus, "Laodiceans" in Christian parenesis was at times synonymous with "lukewarm Christian".
See also
literature
- Josef Höfer , Karl Rahner (Ed.): Lexicon for theology and church . Sixth volume: Carthage to Marcellino. Herder, Freiburg i. Br. 1961 (special edition), ISBN 3-451-20756-7 , col. 827 (with lit.).
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Bach cantata 179