Is prophecy dead? Prophecy as Force and Social Activism – Social Consciousness Comparison of Irish and Judaism views on prophecy for perspective & Jeremiah as an influence during the Babylonian Exile + the supernatural concept as a fallacy.- If God w

Irish Prophecy vs Oracle of Delphi vs Judaism: Cultural Variance on Spirituality and Prophecy AS Caroline Francis Richardson observes in her article "The Use of Prophecy in the Irish tales of the Heroic Cycle," Irish/Celtic Prophecy was/is quite different and distinct from other forms of prophecy, and so would likely have a distinct genetic component as well (for the record) . Irish prophecy bore no resemblance to ancient Greek Prophecy and its fascination with Oracles, such as the Oracle of Delphi. Caroline Richardson emphasizes that in contrast to Irish tradition which had no priest or hierarchal organization, in contrast to ancient Greek religion which consisted of "An organized body of priests interpreted the oracles of Zeus and Apollo and were able, therefore, to color the policies of the nation and to influence the character of the whole people as well as individuals." (p.394) Furthermore, Irish Prophecy bore no resemblance to the focus on social prophecy of justice and covenants, of Old Testament prophets who frequently promised the wrath of God for injustices and idolatry. Caroline Richardson summarizes Irish/Celtic prophecy in these terms: "Prophecy is not the possession of a single group of persons; it has no local habitation; it has no influence on the policies of the nation, or on individuals; it is not an integral part of the plot of the stories. And in these tales the plot's the thing, not often a finished plot, but something definite does take place; men and women, and the Twatha de Danaan act!" (p.395) Caroline Francis Richardson observes in her article "The Use of Prophecy in the Irish tales of the Heroic Cycle," The Sewanee Review, Oct, 1913, Vol 21. No 4 (Oct, 1913, pp 385-396) Brief sketch of some different schools of thought on prophecy in Judaism Preface The Qumran community, also known as the Dead Sea community, was a Jewish monastic group that flourished in the Judaean desert between 150 BCE and 70 CE, known for preserving the Dead Sea Scrolls. Alex P. Jassen observes, "The Qumran community, like nearly all segments of Second Temple Judaism, viewed itself as based on a revealed religion. This self-perception was grounded in the belief that the community represented the embodiment of biblical Israel and therefore possessed the true meaning of the revelation at Sinai and all subsequent revelations to Moses.1 At the same time, the community recognized that it lived in a time far removed from Sinai and Moses. Thus, the Qumran community was forced to renew this ancient world for its own time…. The community believed that Moses received an initial one-time revelation the Torah on Sinai. The interpretation of the Torah and the formulation of post biblical law were disclosed to successive generations through a series of later revelations. Several documents in the Qumran corpus routinely represent the ancient prophets as mediators of divinely revealed law, often in cooperation with Moses Prophets in the Hebrew Bible rarely appear as lawgivers. Though they often champion the observance of the covenant and its laws, their prophetic capabilities are rarely employed to mediate newly revealed divine law. As Eileen Schuller points out, the root "to teach" is common Deuteronomic terminology associated with Moses. Throughout Deuteronomy, the subject of Moses' instruction is the law. In particular, he instructs the Israelites in the ("laws") and ("rules") (Deut 4:1, 5, 14), with the sometime addition of the man ("instruction") (Deut 5:28; 6:150)." This line of argument is likely drawing on Nehemiah 9.52 The notice that God, through his spirit, sent the prophets to instruct (Vowrft) Israel (line 4) is drawn from Neh 9:20, where God is lauded for bestowing on Israel "your good spirit to instruct them. The prophets, sent with the aid of a divine spirit, are identified with the task of "instruction" and "illumination." (The Presentation of the Ancient Prophets as Lawgivers at Qumran: Alex P. Jassen Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 127, No. 2 (Summer, 2008), pp. 307-337) Old Testament prophets When National Death Threatens: THE prophets dealt with man, not as an atom, but as a part of a social organism, a living member of a living body. To heal this body when diseased (Isa. I:6), to warn it against coming dissolution, and to bring it back to the paths which lead to perfection in God, was their great and only mission (Jer. 6: 6). Hence, they were always the more numerous when national death threatened. Just before the fall of Samaria and the fall of Jerusalem we find them working in the greatest number and with the greatest energy. (THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS AS SOCIAL REFORMERS. By REV. GEO. STIBITZ,) Jeremiah and Judah: The southern kingdom of Judah fell during Jeremiah's prophetic ministry (586 BC), having been threatened for many years by outside powers—first Assyria and Egypt and then by their eventual conquerors, Babylon. Jeremiah found himself addressing a nation hurtling headlong toward judgment from God. George Barton; How the Babylonian Exile and Jeremiah influenced Jewish thinking and theology: "The influence of the Babylonian exile is discernible in three great realms of life: (I) in the apprehension of religious truth; (2) in the outward organization of the religious life; and (3) in the standards of public morals. We shall endeavor briefly to treat each of these points, but before doing so a few words are necessary with reference to the nature of the exile it." (INFLUENCE OF THE BABYLONIAN EXILE ON THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL, PROFESSOR GEORGE A. BARTON, PH.D.) The Potter's House: Jeremiah's Potter's House Prophecy -Historical Situation Sense, & Shaping Social-Collective Consciousness