Changes

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

Late Latin condescension-, condescensio, from condescendere

Late Latin condescension-, condescensio, from condescendere

*Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_Century 1647]

*Date: [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_Century 1647]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1 : [[voluntary]] [[descent]] from one's rank or [[dignity]] in relations with an inferior

*1 : [[voluntary]] [[descent]] from one's rank or [[dignity]] in relations with an inferior

*2 : patronizing [[attitude]] or [[behavior]]

*2 : patronizing [[attitude]] or [[behavior]]

==Description==

==Description==

'''Condescension''' is a show of disdain and superiority in which the condescending [[person]] [[patronizes]], or considers himself superior and "descends" to the level of, the disdained [[person]].[1][2]

'''Condescension''' is a show of disdain and superiority in which the condescending [[person]] [[patronizes]], or considers himself superior and "descends" to the level of, the disdained [[person]].

Condescension also [[functions]] as another [[name]] for accommodation, a [[theological]] principle linked to divine revelation within [[Christianity]]. The principle of Accommodation is that [[God]], while [[being]] in his [[nature]] unknowable and unreachable, has nevertheless [[communicated]] with [[mankind]] in a way in which [[humans]] can [[understand]] and [[respond]].

Condescension also [[functions]] as another [[name]] for accommodation, a [[theological]] principle linked to divine revelation within [[Christianity]]. The principle of Accommodation is that [[God]], while [[being]] in his [[nature]] unknowable and unreachable, has nevertheless [[communicated]] with [[mankind]] in a way in which [[humans]] can [[understand]] and [[respond]].

The [[concept]] of accommodation is relevant to the [[relationship]] between [[scripture]] and [[Natural Sciences|natural science]]: the [[concept]] is that [[scripture]] has accommodated, or made allowance for, the [[original]] [[audience]]'s [[language]], general level of [[understanding]], etc.

The [[concept]] of accommodation is relevant to the [[relationship]] between [[scripture]] and [[Natural Sciences|natural science]]: the [[concept]] is that [[scripture]] has accommodated, or made allowance for, the [[original]] [[audience]]'s [[language]], general level of [[understanding]], etc.

The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_century 16th century[ Christian Reformist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvin John Calvin] is a key [[developer]] of the accommodation [[concept]], in [[response]] to that century's [[discoveries]] in [[natural science]], foremost [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copernicus Copernicus]' theory of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentrism heliocentrism] that [[conflicted]] with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages medieval] [[theological]] [[traditions]] of [[reading]] the [[Bible]] "through geocentric spectacles". [2]

The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_century 16th century] Christian Reformist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvin John Calvin] is a key [[developer]] of the accommodation [[concept]], in [[response]] to that century's [[discoveries]] in [[natural science]], foremost [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copernicus Copernicus]' theory of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentrism heliocentrism] that [[conflicted]] with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages medieval] [[theological]] [[traditions]] of [[reading]] the [[Bible]] "through geocentric spectacles".  

The [[concept]] of accommodation is thus an [[alternative]] [[method]] of biblical [[interpretation]] to the [[tradition]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_literalism biblical] [[Literal|literalism]], which, together with an insistence on [[traditional]] bible [[interpretation]], formed the basis for the Roman Catholic Church's condemnation of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei Galileo Galilei] in the early [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 17th century].

The [[concept]] of accommodation is thus an [[alternative]] [[method]] of biblical [[interpretation]] to the [[tradition]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_literalism biblical] [[Literal|literalism]], which, together with an insistence on [[traditional]] bible [[interpretation]], formed the basis for the Roman Catholic Church's condemnation of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei Galileo Galilei] in the early [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 17th century].

Accommodation is not an innovation itself of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation Reformation Period], but "has a long [[tradition]] of use within [[Judaism]] and subsequently within [[Christian]] [[theology]], and can easily be shown to have been [[influential]] within the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patristics patristic] period." [4]

Accommodation is not an innovation itself of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation Reformation Period], but "has a long [[tradition]] of use within [[Judaism]] and subsequently within [[Christian]] [[theology]], and can easily be shown to have been [[influential]] within the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patristics patristic] period."

It appears almost contradictory that the [[Christian]] [[God]], as revealed in the [[Bible]], is often described in terms of his [[supreme]] [[transcendence]] and the inability of [[limited]], [[finite]] man to [[comprehend]] and [[know]] the God who is unlimited and [[infinite]] - the contradiction being that even this [[knowledge]] can be known by [[mankind]] and recorded in [[scripture]].

It appears almost contradictory that the [[Christian]] [[God]], as revealed in the [[Bible]], is often described in terms of his [[supreme]] [[transcendence]] and the inability of [[limited]], [[finite]] man to [[comprehend]] and [[know]] the God who is unlimited and [[infinite]] - the contradiction being that even this [[knowledge]] can be known by [[mankind]] and recorded in [[scripture]].

Although this may appear on the [[surface]] to be illogical, the [[status]] of the Christian God's [[Mystery|unknowability]] is only true insofar as [[God]] [[acts]] not to reveal himself. In this line of [[thinking]], no human being can ever [[hope]] to even [[understand]] or know [[God]] via their own [[powers]] of [[discernment]]. The principle of Accommodation is that [[God]] has chosen to [[reveal]] aspects of himself to [[mankind]] in a way in which mankind is able to [[understand]].

Although this may appear on the [[surface]] to be illogical, the [[status]] of the Christian God's [[Mystery|unknowability]] is only true insofar as [[God]] [[acts]] not to reveal himself. In this line of [[thinking]], no human being can ever [[hope]] to even [[understand]] or know [[God]] via their own [[powers]] of [[discernment]]. The principle of Accommodation is that [[God]] has chosen to [[reveal]] aspects of himself to [[mankind]] in a way in which mankind is able to [[understand]].

==See also==

==See also==

*'''''[[Hermeneutics]]'''''

*'''''[[Hermeneutics]]'''''