Being Human after the Ascension of Jesus Christ: A Hermeneutical Approach to a Theological Anthropology of the Ascension
Ascension Offers a New Perspective on Living with Scars
According to new research, Ascension is not just about Jesus’ departure to heaven. It is precisely the fact that Jesus takes his wounds with him that can shed new light on how people deal with a painful past, physical scars, and places marked by history.
The research by theologian Helgard Pretorius, conducted in South Africa, begins with the question of what the story of the Ascension can mean for daily life. The central idea is that Jesus brings his humanity - including his wounds - into the life of God. As a result, scars can be not only reminders of pain but also testimonies to what someone has experienced and can create connections with others.
According to Pretorius, this idea also has social significance. South Africa still bears the consequences of apartheid. Segregated neighborhoods and social inequality serve as reminders of that past. The question is how people can relate to such a history without remaining stuck in it.
In this regard, his research distinguishes between nostalgia and hope. Nostalgia longs for an idealized past, while hope is focused on a new future. That distinction can be important for communities as well: facing the past honestly, without pretending that the future is already set in stone.
Pretorius’s research does not offer simple solutions. However, it does provide churches and communities with a language to talk about memory, wounds, home, and hope. Ascension Day thus becomes not only a story about saying goodbye, but also about how people can live with their past while simultaneously making room for a different future.
More information on the thesis.