THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1st half

THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY NOTES FROM THE LECTURES THREE ESSENTIAL THEMES: CREATION + (ORIGINAL) SIN + GRACE -first is grace, sin we know from our own experience -we pray Our Father, “lead us not into temptation”, because by our own effort we make it only worse -Man is rational- human language is a distinguishing feature of the human being -Anthropology = study of humanity, Theology = study of God -Man in Relation to God CREATION -God creates “ex nihilo” -creation was good, in case of man even very good -sin came only later, the primordial is grace, original justice -therefore also our attitude in any encounter with people is NOT, that they are corrupted, but they are good, in the image and likeness of God, image that was distorted, but is still valid, present in them. This is the starting point. Gn 1-2 -Christ- center of creation, God will always have a body -essence of God (who God is), we may know from his energies (what we experience from God) -God created man in his free will out of nothing, directly and infused into him the soul -principle: the soul God creates at the moment of conception, there is no such thing as the soul bank (Origen) -ex. twins, maybe because there are two souls already created, they split into two -creation is not finished setting the divine laws (deism), God takes care of creation, he is active in the life of each human being + sustaining physical universe -we are stewards of the earth, we need to exercise the stewardship = Ecology -we need to know what is matter about = Science -2 Mac 7 SCRIPTURAL TEXTS “Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.” (Prov 19,21) The Prayer of Psalms is the great school of trust: Ps 22. 32,35, 103, 138 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Mt 6,31-33) Col 1,11-20 CHRISTOLOGICAL HYMN -Lord, so as to be pleasing in every good work… strengthen with every power (Holy Spirit) in accord with his glorious might (God the Father), for all endurance (perseverance = do things to the end = grace) -giving thanks to the Father (Eucharist) -to share in the inheritance of the holy ones, in light (Christ told us: “You are the light”) -he delivered us from the power of darkness (baptism) -in him we have redemption (freedom), the forgiveness of sins -He is the image (different from the mirror) -of the invisible God (the Father) -the firstborn of all creation (idea of God is before all other ideas) -in Him all things were created (Gn 1,1 when God created heaven and earth, it was in Him already) -all things in heaven and on earth (material creation + angels in heaven) -thrones, dominions (different kinds of heavenly beings) -before all things (time, beginning, the firstborn of old creation) -in him all things hold together (find its proper place) -he is the firstborn from the death (death – life, new creation) -he is the head of the body (of the church) -in him all the fullness (pleroma, old creation + new creation) 2 Mac 7,28-29 “I beg you child, to look at the heaven and earth and see all that is in them, then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things. (out of nothing) -God is the Creator, he has power also over the political power, who frightens you “Do not fear this executioner” (butcher) -he wants to eliminate, annihilation- to be nothing -BUT he cannot kill the soul!! Be aware of that one who can kill the soul!! “Be worthy of your brothers, accept death”- but not annihilation “so that I can get you back again with your brothers”- eternal life -the day of resurrection, the day of mercy- we already live that day, Christ is risen!! -we are baptized in Him, in his death and resurrection, we live resurrected life -if you will refuse the martyrdom I will lose you forever, because you will get the communion with the butcher, but lose communion with Christ!! -creation theology is connected with the salvation theology -what comes first? Gn-creation, Rev-New Creation, salvation is inserted in between -Jn 1: In the beginning was the WORD, through Him all things came into being (ex nihilo) - everything was good, also Satan, not one thing came into being without him!!- power of the Word Psalm 8 “heavens, work of your fingers” (Holy Spirit, by the finger of God cast out the demons, by fingers he created the stars, moon, heaven, he is a great maker) “what is man, that you are mindful of him”- smallness of man, greatness of creation “you have made him little less than a god”- crowned with beauty and glory, attributes of God “you have given him rule over the works of your hand” – authority of man over the created universe, GS 24, we are going to serve the others “how awesome is your name”- in creation we can see something from God! Powerful name of God, Adonai, everywhere on the earth -the same verse is at the beginning and at the end- Christ is the beginning and the end, Jn 1,1 The Word was with God, Gn 1,1 God spoke the Word = Being of all creation is in God -we read Genesis with Christ in mind- he is the centre of all creation -Genesis was like the myths in that area, but still different, the author something existing and changed it into st. different, he used the language of the story to transmit the idea = narrative style “out of the mouth of babes and infants”- temple worship “to silence the enemies”- even devils obey him Is 45- God is the only king over the earth Dn 3,52-90 Creation praise the Lord Prov 8- Wisdom at the beginning of all works Job 38-42 God’s speech, masterpiece !! Ps 104 Praise of God, the Creator Rom 1,18-20 God made it evident to them, they have no excuse, although they knew God, they did not give him glory and thanks as to God, they became vain in their reasoning LG 16 Rev 20,11-15 -first heaven and earth has gone -sin and death are burned in the lake -there is New Heaven and new Earth, the old order has passed away -God’s dwelling is with the human race, He will dwell with them, God himself will be always with them, He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death and mourning, wailing or pain, for the older order has passed away -“My Father and I will come and make a dwelling in you” -“The one on the throne said: Behold I make all things new”- story as in Genesis!! -write these words down -“They are accomplished”- it happened already!! -“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end!”- Beginning Gn, End Rev -“life-giving water” -no temple in the city- the Lord is the temple, we live inside Him, he inhabits us -the city has no need of sun- the lamb is the lamp, transfiguration = light -the nations will walk by its light- Church brings all nations to the centre, the risen Christ -those enter, whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life -river- life-giving water, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, procession of the Holy Spirit- GIFT, brings us to the beginning -tree of life- produces fruit 12 months a year, medicine for the nations -face full of light -the angel show what must happen soon: “Behold I am coming soon” -“I wanted to prostrate…” “Don’t I am a fellow servant of yours. Worship God!”- not to confuse spiritual nature with God, in the Genesis are not angels! GENESIS 1 -silence about the angels -man- image and likeness -salvation of man -not like Plato, but resurrection of bodies -death = destruction of human being -sin = root of this destruction -Chirst = dead and risen, salvation story inside the creation story, all things are recapitulated in Him -crucifixion = great manifestation of sin, turning out from God, connected to the rest of creation -God does not need creation in order to fulfil himself, God is love -God and creation are distinct, creation is not divine -Gn 1,1 is the beginning of science, we study the object -idolatry = worshipping creation as divine Gn 1,2 “tohu vavohu” “formless and void”, empty and without form Gn 1,2 God’s breath howering over the waters Gn 1,3 God said- 2 hands (Son, Spirit)- Trinity- Father spoke, Son is the Word that was said, Spirit is God’s breath, “Let there be light” and there was light, suddenly, Big Bang 1st DAY -first distinction: darkness and light, Christ himself is light, We shall be light, Christ is in the centre Gn 1,5 “He calls the light day”- he named it, he admired it, he ordered it “Evening came and the morning followed” 2nd DAY Gn 1,6 God said: Dome between the waters to separate them Gn 1,8 God named: Sky, Heavens- priority to earth 3rd DAY Gn 1,9 God said: water under the sky Gathering the waters, dry land appears Gn 1,10 God named: Earth- made of waters, Sea- basin of water, “God saw it was good” Gn 1,11 Grass, Plants, Trees = Vegetation Gn 1,12 Seeds inside plants 4th DAY Gn 1,14 Lights- moving and determining days, nights, feasts- Time- Liturgical celebrations are written in the creation, and to illuminate the earth Gn 1,16 two great lights, the greater to govern the day and the lesser to govern the night, and the stars 5th DAY Gn 1,20 Fish, sea monsters, crawling living creatures, winged birds Gn 1,22 God blessed them: “Be fertile, multiply and fill the earth” 6th DAY Gn 1,24 every kind of living creature: tame animals, crawling animals, wild animals Gn 1,26 “Let us make human beings in our image and after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth.” Also the snake. Gn 1,27 “He created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.” Humanity- comes first Male and Female No domination in it- you will rule over the woman Being male and female Is part of the nature. Modern problem- to choose identity- to use what God gives him to make something else VATICAN COUNCIL I, Dei FIlius, Pius IX 1. On God Creator of all things: only one true living God, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, essentially distinct from the world. Not for increasing of his own happiness, but to manifest His perfection by the blessings bestowed on creatures, with absolute freedom of counsel, Created out of nothing, from the very beginning of time, both the spiritual and corporeal creatures, the angelical and mundane 2. On Revelation: God may be certainly known through his works by the natural light of human reason (also CCC 286) 3. On Faith: Heb 11,1 Faith, the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not apparent. The assent of faith is not blind action of the mind, it is a gift of God, the act of faith is a work of salvation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. God has instituted the Church, so that we may be able to embrace the faith and persevere in it. 4. On Faith and Reason: there is a twofold order of knowledge, by natural reason and by Divine faith, because besides those things to which natural reason can attain, there are proposed for our belief, mysteries hidden in God, which unless Divinely- revealed cannot be known. “But reason never becomes capable of apprehending mysteries as it does those truths which constitute its proper object. For the Divine mysteries by their own nature so far transcend the created intelligence that, even when delivered by revelation and received by faith, they remain covered with the veil of faith itself, and shrouded in a certain degree of darkness, so long as we are pilgrims in this mortal life, not yet with God; "For we walk by means of faith, and not by sight." (2 Cor. 5:7). But although faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason, since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind. And not only can faith and reason never be opposed to one another, but they are of mutual aid one to the other. CCC CCC 279 “In the beginning god created the heavens and earth” (Gn 1,1) “Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth (Apostles Creed), of all that is, seen and unseen (Nicene Creed) CCC 280 From the beginning God envisaged the glory of the new creation in Christ CCC 282 Catechesis on Creation is of major importance. Where do we come from? Where are we going? Connected questions CCC 283 Scientific studies invite us to even greater admiration for the greatness of the Creator- It is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists. CCC 284 Is the universe governed by chance, blind fate, anonymous necessity, or by a transcendent, intelligent and good Being, called God? And if the world does come from God’s wisdom and goodness, why is there evil? Where does it come from? Those questions are ordinary human questions CCC 285 Ancient religions produced many myths concerning origins: Pantheism “the world is God”, Dualism “two eternal principles good and evil”, Gnosticism “the world is evil”, Deism “watchmaker”, Materialism “the world is merely an interplay of matter” CCC 287 Beyond the natural knowledge of the Creator that every man can have… Acts 17,24-29: “The God who made the world … he is not far from any of us.” Rom 1,19-20: “What can be known about God is evident to them…” …God progressively revealed to Israel the mystery of creation, he reveals Himself as the One, to whom belong all the peoples of the earth, and the whole earth itself Is 43,1 “The Lord who created you, Jacob and formed you, Israel.” Ps 115 “The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to the children of Adam” “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, because of your mercy and faithfulness” Ps 124 “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” CCC 288 The revelation of creation is inseparable from the revelation of the covenant of the God with his People. Creation is revealed as the first step towards the Covenant Gn 15,5 “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be.” Jer 33,19-26 “If I have no covenant with day and night, if I did not establish statutes for heaven and earth, then I will also reject the descendants of Jacob and of David.” The truth of creation is expressed in the prophets, psalms, wisdom literature: Is 44,24 “I am the Lord who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, I spread put the earth by myself.” Ps 104 “Bless the Lord my soul…You spread the heavens like a tent… You fixed the earth on its foundation, so it can never be shaken…You made the springs flow in wadies…You made the grass grow for the cattle…The high mountains are for wild goats…You made the moon to mark the seasons… People go out to their work, to their labour till evening falls.” Prov 8,22-31 “The Lord begot me, the beginning of his works, the forerunner of his deeds of long ago, From of old I was formed, at the first, before the earth…Before the mountains were settled into place… When he established the heavens, there was I…When he made firm the skies above…When he set for the sea its limit…Listen to instruction and grow wise…Happy the one who listens to me!! CCC 289 Among all scriptural texts about the Creation, the first three chapters of Genesis occupy a unique place. Written in the solemn language they provide the basic truths of creation: -its origin and the end in God -its order and goodness -the vocation of man -the drama of sin -the hope of salvation These texts remain the principal source for catechesis on the mysteries of the beginning: creation, fall, promise of salvation. CCC 290-292 CREATION IS THE WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY Gn 1,1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”, -the eternal God gave the beginning -he alone is Creator -the totality of what exists depends on the One who gives it being Jn 1,1-3 “In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was God…all thongs were made through him” -God created everything by the eternal Word, his beloved Son -He is before all things -in Him all things hold together Veni, Creator Spiritus -the creative action of the Holy Spirit, the source of every good Gn 1,2-3 -the creative action of the Son and the Spirit are inseparably one with that of the Father CCC 293-294 THE WORLD WAS CREATED FOR THE GLORY OF GOD -st Bonaventure explains: “not to increase his glory, but to show it forth, to communicate it” -God has no other reason for creating than his love and goodness -God made us to be his sons through Jesus Christ, for the glory of God is man fully alive (St Irenaeus, Adv. Haeres 4,20,7) -the ultimate purpose of creation is that God at last become all in all (1Cor 15,28) CCC 295-301 THE MYSTERY OF CREATION -God creates by wisdom and love- not a product of blind fate or chance (Ps 104,24) -God creates out of nothing (Lat. Council IV, 1215)- God needs no pre-existent thing or any help in order to create. A human artisan makes from given material whatever he wants, God starts from nothing. 2 Mac 7,22-28 “Look at the heaven and earth and see…recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed.” -he can also through the Holy Spirit give life to sinners by creating a pure heart in them -he can give the gift of faith to those who do not know him yet -he can give a bodily life to the dead through the resurrection -God creates an ordered and good world- The universe is destined for and addressed to man, himself created in the “image of God” and called to a personal relationship with God. Creation comes forth from God’s goodness, it shares in that goodness. Creation is a gift addressed to man. -God transcends the creation and is present to it- st Augustine: “God is higher than my highest and more inward than my innermost self” -God upholds and sustains the creation- God does not abandon his creatures to themselves, at every moment he sustains them in being. This utter dependence is the source of confidence and joy. Wis 11,24-26: “How could a thing remain, unless you willed it, or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?” CCC 306-308 PROVIDENCE God is sovereign master of his plan, but he also makes use of his creatures’ cooperation, he entrusts to human beings the responsibility of subduing the earth and have dominion over it. (Gn 1,26-27) They can enter into the divine plan by their actions, prayers, sufferings. However without the Creator, the creature vanishes. (GS 36) CCC 309-313 THE SCANDAL OF EVIL Why does evil exist? No quick answer suffices. The goodness of creation, the drama of sin, the love of God, the redemptive Incarnation of the Son, the gift of Spirit, the Church, the power of sacraments, the call to blessed life of free creatures, but from which by a terrible mystery they can also turn away in advance. Why God did not create a world so perfect, that no evil could exist in it? God freely willed to create a world in a state of journeying toward the ultimate perfection, with physical good, there is also a physical evil as long as the creation has not reached the perfection. God is in no way, directly or indirectly the cause of moral evil, he permits it, because he respects the moral freedom of his creature, and mysteriously knows how to derive good from it, “It was not you, who sent me here, but God… (Gn 45,8) From the greatest moral evil ever committed- the rejection and murder of The Son, God by his grace that “abounded all the more” (Rom 5,20) brought the greatest good: the glorification of Christ + our redemption St Catherine of Siena: “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.” CCC 314 God is master of the world and history. But the ways of his providence are often unknown to us. Only at the end will we fully know the ways by which God has guided his creation to that definitive Sabbath rest. CCC 327 HEAVEN AND EARTH 4th Lateran council affirms that God from the beginning of time made at once out of nothing both orders of creatures, the spiritual and corporeal, the angelic and the earthly. CCC 329-333 ANGELS With Augustine we confirm: the name of their nature is “spirit”, the name of their office is “angel”. They are servants and messengers of God. They have intelligence and will. Christ is their centre, “for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…” (Col 1,16) They have been present since creation throughout the salvation history: they closed the paradise, saved Hagar, stayed Abraham’s hand, led the People of God, announced births, angel Gabriel announced the birth of John the Bapitst. They sang at the birth of Jesus, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, they proclaimed the Good News of Christ’s Incarnation and Resurrection (Lk 2,8-14; Mk 16,5-7). CCC 334-336 ANGELS IN THE LIFE OF CHURCH In the funeral liturgy “may the angels lead you into Paradise”. St Michael (Who is like God?), St Gabriel (God is my strength), St Rafael (God has healed) and the guardian angels. From the beginning until death of human life we are surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. CCC 337-349 THE VISIBLE WORLD -God himself created the visible world in its richness -nothing exists that does not owe its existence to the Creator -each creature possess its own particular goodness and perfection -each creature God willed in its own being, it reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness -God wills interdependence of creatures, to complete each other -the beauty of universe reflects the beauty of the Creator -the hierarchy of creatures is expressed by the order of six days -God loves all his creatures, even the sparrow -man is the summit, clearly distinguished from other creatures -there is a solidarity among all creatures, all have the same creator, “May you be praised, O Lord, in all your creatures, especially brother Sun, sister water, sister earth. Praise and bless my Lord, give thanks and serve him in all humility” (st Francis of Assissi, Canticle of the Creatures) -the Sabbath- the end of the work of the six days, God rested, this day is sanctified and blessed -there are laws that remain firm, in the creation, the sign and pledge of the unshakeable faithfulness of God’s covenant -creation was fashioned with a view of Sabbath for the worship and adoration of God -Sabbath is at the heart of Israel’s law -the eight Day- the Day of Christ’s Resurrection, the 7th day completes the first creation, the 8th day begins the new creation, thus the work of creation culminates in the greater work of redemption, the first creation finds its meaning and summit in the new creation in Christ Paragraph 6. MAN CCC 355- Man occupies a unique place in creation -he is in the image of God -in his nature he unites the spiritual and material world -he is created male and female -God established him in his friendship CCC 356-361 IN THE IMAGE OF GOD -Only man is able to know and love his Creator -the only creature that God willed for its own sake -only man is called to share in God’s own life Catherina of Siena: “What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself!” -the dignity of a person- being in the image of God -man is capable of self-knowledge, self-possession and self-giving freely- entering into communion with other persons -God created everything for man, man was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him St John Chrysostom: “God attached so much importance to his salvation, that he did not spare his own Son for the sake of man, trying every possible means, until he has raised man up to himself and made him sit at his right hand” (Gen. Sermo II,1) -only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of man truly become clear St Peter Chrysologus: “The first man, Adam, became a living soul, the last Adam a life-giving Spirit. The second Adam stamped his image on the first Adam when he created him. The first had beginning, the last has no end.” -the human race forms a unity, because of its common origin Pius XII: unity of its nature, of its immediate end and mission in the world, of its dwelling, the earth, of its supernatural end, God himself, of the redemption, wrought by Christ for all. CCC 362-368 BODY AND SOUL BUT TRULY ONE -The human person, created in the image of God, is at once corporeal and spiritual being, Gn 2,7: The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” Man is therefore willed by God. -Soul signifies the spiritual principle in man, his innermost aspect, that by which is most especially in God’s image. Soul is the form of body. Every spiritual soul is created immediately by God, not produced by parents, and is immortal, it does not perish when it separates from the body at the moment of death, but will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection. -The human body shares in the dignity of the image of God, it is human body precisely because it is animated by a rational soul and it is intended to become, in the body of Christ a temple of the Spirit GS 14 HUMANITY’S ESSENTIAL NATURE Man is a unity, in his bodily condition he synthetize the elements of material world and through him they are brought to their highest perfection and can raise voice in praise freely given to the creator. Man may not despise the bodily life, rather regard his body as good and hold it in honour since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day! CCC 369- 373 MAN AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM -being man or being woman is reality which is good and willed by God -man and woman posses dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator -in their being man and being woman, they reflect the Creator’s wisdom and goodness -in no way is God in man’s image, he is neither man, nor woman. But the respective perfections of man and woman reflect something of the infinite perfection of God: those of mother, those of father or husband. Is 49,15-16 “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you, See upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you” Is 66,13 “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.” Ps 131,2-3 “I have stilled my soul, like a weaned child to its mother, weaned is my soul” -God created man and woman together and willed each for the other Gn 2,18 “It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him” Gn 2,19-20 None of the animals can be man’s partner. Gn 2,23 God fashions from man’s rib and brings to him woman, it elicited an exclamation of wonder, love and communion in man: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gn 2,24) Man discovers woman as another “I”, the same humanity. -Man and woman are made for each other, equal as persons (bone of my bones), complementary (masculine and feminine), in marriage God unites them in “one flesh” Gn 2,24, so that they can transmit the human life. GS 50 The spouses cooperate generously with the love of the Creator and Savior. They transmit human life, educate their children and form indissoluble covenant between them, so that the mutual love of the partners can be properly expressed, grow and mature. -Man and woman have the vocation, responsibility for the world: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Gn 1,28) CCC 374-379 MAN IN PARADISE -the first man was good, but also in friendship with the Creator and in harmony with himself and with the creation around, in a state that would be surpassed only by the glory of the new creation in Christ = “original state of holiness and justice” (Council of Trent) -by the radiance of this grace of friendship, all dimensions of man’s life were confirmed- he remained in the divine intimacy, have not to die, possessed the inner harmony, the harmony between man and woman, above all he was master of self, free from the triple concupiscence: pleasure of senses, covetousness for earthly goods, self-assertion -God placed him in the garden = sign of friendship, Gn 2,8, to “till it and keep it” Gn 2,15 Paragraph 7. The Fall CCC 385 EVIL AND ITS VINDICATOR St Augustine sought where the evil comes from, but “there was no solution” (Confessions 7,7,11) For the mystery of lawlessness is clarified only in “the mystery of our religion”. 1Tim 3,16: “Who was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the Gentiles believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.” -The revelation of divine love in Christ manifest at the same time the extent of evil and the superabundance of grace. Rom 5,20 “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” -The question of evil we can approach only by fixing eyes of our faith on him, who alone is its conqueror. Jn 16,8-11 “When he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin…sin, because they do not believe in me… condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.” CCC 386-390 THE REALITY OF SIN -to understand sin, one must first recognize the profound relation of man to God, and in the humanity’s rejection of God unmask the true identity of sin -only the light of Divine Revelation clarifies the reality of sin, without it, man is tempted to explain it as a merely psychological weakness, a mistake, the necessary consequence of inadequate social structure, only in the knowledge of God’s plan for man we grasp that sin is an abuse of the freedom that God gives to created persons, so that they are capable of loving him and one another. -in the OT in the light of the history of the fall they could not grasp the story’s ultimate meaning, which is revealed only in the light of Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must know Christ as the source of grace in order to know Adam as the source of sin. -the account of the Fall in Gn 3 affirms an event that took place at the beginning of the history of man, thus the whole human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by the first parents CCC 391-395 THE FALL OF THE ANGELS -envy, seductive voice, created naturally good -free choice, irrevocable rejection of God “You will be like God” -sin unforgivable, no repentance like men after death -seduction that leads man to disobey God -the power of Satan is however non infinite, he in only a creature, powerful, pure spirit, but still a creature -he may act in the world out of hatred for God, may cause a grave injuries, the action is permitted by divine providence CCC 396- ORIGINAL SIN -God created man in his image and established him in his friendship, man can live this friendship only in free submission to God -the tree of knowledge of good and evil evokes the limits of man -man tempted by evil let his trust in the Creator die in his heart and disobeyed his command HAFFNER, MYSTERY OF CREATION 1. CREATION IN REASON AND REVELATION (1-32) EX NIHILO The Christian idea of creation is neither procession (when without division of substance, an immutable nature is completely given to several persons, this is the case of the Most Holy Trinity), nor emanation (a being draws forth from its own substance another similar or analogous substance as a separate reality), nor transformation (an external agent causes a change of state within another being, but it involves God’s absolute power bringing into being outside of Himself something, which in no way existed before, the creation “ex nihilo”. (2) TEILHARD DE CHARDIN (1881-1955) He attempted to create a fusion of Christianity and evolutionary theory, kind of New age pantheism. He confused matter and spirit claiming that even material entities are endowed with spiritual properties. This error is called panpsychism and leads to pantheism, a confusion between God and his Creation. (9) “Through the Incarnation, God descends into nature to super-animate it and lead it back to him.” Teilhard claims that Christians never incurred difficulty in considering their faith in the framework of a static universe. Neither Gospel, nor st. Paul had any need to experience the evolutionary vision, that is unfolded in Teilhardian work. He remained a man of science, did not analyse the distinction and the relation between the natural history, human history and the history of salvation. Cf. H. de Lubac, Teilhard explained, (New York: Paulist Press Deus Books, 1968), 18-19. First step in the worldview of de Chardin is the interpretation of new scientific achievements that according to him lead not to a materialistic, but to a spiritualistic interpretation of evolution. The world we know is not developing by chance, but is structurally controlled by a personal Centre of universal convergence. 42. Secondly, the initial postulate is the belief that at the end of reasoning, there is primary goodness and value of things, for they are to be rooted in God, it is a kind of a profession of faith in the world. And thirdly, evolution is directed and terminates with man, man is the key to the universe. 44. The irreversible processes in the universe are for de Chardin precisely what we call the immortality. According to him, the dispersing entropy, disintegration of the universe is finally overcome by the “convergence”, it is the spirit that win over the matter. 49. From the Pauline text “In him all things hold together” (Col 1,17) de Chardin comes to the idea of “the universal Christ”, the one who gives stability to all things, who unite all things, the universe is according to him “christified”. He even uses the term “Omega Christ”. 60. His major work, The Phenomenon of man, wrote between 1938-1940, and is based upon the scientific evolutionism. He develops a vision of the world and of man designed to be acceptable to any impartial observer, whether Christian or not. 80. For T. Chardin the Incarnation seems to be fruit of the revolutionary process!! Haffner, 10, There is no place for the angelic world. REALIST PERSPECTIVE Intellect is given to us from God to reach that what is, and not merely the subjective expression of the structures. Paul VI, Credo of the People of God (30 June 1968), 5. As painters transfer the human forms to their pictures, the beauty of the original may be transferred to the likeness of the portrait, says St Gregory of Nyssa. St Gregory of Nyssa, De Hominis Opificio, 5.1. The nihilist denies any meaning at all. Stephan Hawking believes in the “Grand theory”, that if we discover a complete theory, it should be understandable in broad principle by everyone and all take part in the discussion why we and the universe exist. The Answer to that question will be than the ultimate triumph of human reason, we would know the mind of God. S.W.Hawking, A brief history of time, (London: Bantam Press, 1988), 175. However the progress of science is the fact, the sense of mystery always remains. As our knowledge increases, we are overwhelmed by the beauty and complexity of the universe. Why God created universe? Haffner, 7. STANDARD MODEL https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEViMVJ_tZwDsAdW0PxQt.?p=standard+model&fr=yhs-blp-default&fr2=piv-web&hspart=blp&hsimp=yhs-default&type=ds_111_674_0#id=1&vid=aeaa737031560636fe168763a971350e&action=view THOMAS Existence of God in five classical ways: from motion, from efficient causality, from possibility and necessity, from the gradation, from the purpose and design. Haffner, 12 BEAUTY Beauty is not able its own existence, it is not here by chance, it is created. There is always something more beautiful than we have experienced or uncovered, we are led by degrees to Uncreated Beauty. Haffner, 13. REASON AND FAITH God can never deny himself, nor can truth contradict truth. Like two streams of the same source, the truths of reason and the truths of faith descend to man. Haffner, 14. Creation and revelation are interwined, creation reveals something of God and his plan, while revelation invites us to an intimate relationship with God. By gazing at creation we can learn something of the contours of him who made it all. However God reveals himself fully in and through His Son, through whom he made all things. Creation is therefore medium through which God reveals Himself. Haffner, 15. SYNTHESIS, SYNCRETISM Concordism- concordance Genesis with cosmogonies fixing the date of creation on 23/10/4004 Fundamentalism- literal interpretation Liberal approach- exaggerates the role of human techniques Eastern myths- Enuma Elish, cyclical concept of time, cosmos is neither good nor rational CATHOLIC WORLDVIEW Haffner, 20-21. Genesis- God is the Creator of totality of cosmos. This good, ordered and intelligible whole is a home for man and woman. Faith is understood as a trust and confidence we have in God who works His purpose out through creation and divine Providence. Without Creation by God who is Father, there is no possibility of discourse about Incarnation, Redemption, Heaven. Ratzinger points out, it is not accidental that the Creed begins: “I believe in God the father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.” The faith in the Creator God forms a pivot about which all Christian truths reveals. J. Card. Ratzinger and V. Messori, The Ratzinger report (Leominster, England: Fowler Wright Books, 1985), 78. The Western approach starts with the reflection upon creation and proceeds to Christ who has revealed the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Eastern approach starts beyond time with the divine mystery of the Holy Trinity and arrived at the economy of creation. Haffner, 24. 2. THE SPIRIT WORLD (33-64) ANGELS 1. they have beginning, but they cannot perish, remain everlastingly the same 2. are not subject to the laws of time 3. are superior to space 4. have power on the material world 5. have two faculties: intellect and will 6. in the sphere of nature, an angel cannot err!! 7. never go back in decision once taken 8. angelic mind possess the fullness of knowledge, not gradually developed like human mind 9. may directly influence another created intellect, but cannot act directly on another will 10. have free will, are capable of love and hatred 11. know material things 12. do not know the future, do not know the secret thoughts of other rational creatures, do not know the mysteries of grace, unless God or rational creature reveals them Saint John Chrysostom explained the significance of angels' wings: “They manifest a nature's sublimity. That is why Gabriel is represented with wings. Not that angels have wings, but that you may know that they leave the heights and the most elevated dwelling to approach human nature. Accordingly, the wings attributed to these powers have no other meaning than to indicate the sublimity of their nature.” (Proverbio (2007) p. 34) THE GUARDIAN ANGEL The role of the guardian angel before baptism is similar to the role of the angels of the nations. The little child is endangered by the devil, and is almost powerless over him, while coming of the Christ reverse the situation, the good angel is more powerful, able to defend the child newly entrusted to him by Christ. Jean Danielou, The Angels and their mission according to the Fathers of the Church, (Notre Dame, IN: Christian Classics, 1956), 71. The Fathers of the Church attributed to the Guardian Angel different functions and appropriate names: “the angel of peace” (Chrysostom), who protect the soul from troubles from within and without; “the angel of penitence” (Hermas), who reprimand and punish the soul that turned aside from the right path; and “the angel of prayer” (Tertulian), who assist at prayer and transmits the petitions to God. The name “the angel of peace” appears also in the Jewish apocalyptical literature accompanying Henoch. 73. Penitence is more vast area than only the sacrament of penance, and Jewish literature in the book of Henoch name after Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, the angel Phanuel as the one in charge of penance. 76. The role of the guardian angel in prayer comes up in Origen, he unites with our supplication carrying them up to the Lord and bringing what God has appointed him to administer. It was Pseudo- Barnabas who taught of two angels for each man, the spirit of justice, mild and peaceful, when enters the heart, speaks of justice, modesty, temperance, kindness, pardon, charity, while the spirit of wickedness is irritable, bitter and rash. 79-80. Thus a man is in the midst of a spiritual fight between light and darkness speaks Origen, st. Ignatius, st. Athanasius and also Gregory of Nyssa. It depends on man which way chooses, the fruits of virtues with the hope, or pleasures of the earth without the hope for the future, that captivate the mind of foolish. 81. 3. THE MATERIAL COSMOS (65-94) The creation of the world is the work of Love, the universe, a created gift, springs from the Uncreated Gift, the reciprocal love between Father and Son, from the Holy Trinity. Creation out of nothing, Bible has linear understanding of time, rational, good cosmos 2Mac 7,28: “I implore you, observe heaven and earth, consider all that is in them, and acknowledge that God made them out of what did not exist, and that mankind comes into being in the same way.” -in the beginning, “bereshit”, created “bara”, order, God is responsible for the entire cosmos -Creation = the production of the entire substance into existence from a state of non-existence, God is the direct principle of the new being -Is 44,24 “I made all things”; Wis 9,1 “Lord of mercy, who by Your word have made all things”; Jn 1,3 “Through Him all things came to be”, Rom 4,17 “call into being what does not exist”, Hebr 11,3 “It is by faith that we can understand that the world was created by one word from God.” -Pantheism: there exist only one essence and all things result from an evolution of that one divine essence, even spirit is only a dimension of matter -everything is created by the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Spirit, the act of creation is a reflection and revelation of Personal relations within the Holy Trinity -continuing creation- creation of the souls out of nothing each day, however it is not new in absolute sense, since they have the same nature as the souls of Adam and Eve 74. -creation with time: time only begins with the creation of matter. The cosmos had a beginning, it is not eternal. The Word is eternal, the creature could not be eternal. 76-7. Thomas: By faith alone we hold that the world did not always exist. Reason cannot prove the temporal character of the universe. The starting point of the argument is that such a proof would be the essence of the world, but essence by definition out of the world cannot be proved from the concept of the world that it did not always exist. 78. -freedom of the Creator: the council of Florence (1442) affirmed that God was free in making all in creation, out of his bounty… free from internal necessity and external coercion -God did not choose this world because it is best, but it is best, because God chose it. God’s action is always perfect, but the object resulting from the action is finite, imperfect. -WHY NOT A WORLD WITHOUT EVIL?? CCC 310 God freely willed to create a world in a state of journeying towards ultimate perfection. In God’s plan this process involves the appearance of certain beings and disappearing of others, the existence of the more perfect alongside with the less perfect, constructive and destructive forces in the nature. With the physical good, there is also physical evil as long as the creation has not yet reached the perfection. -when God has permitted sin and evil, He has done so with a view to drawing forth a greater good 82-83 + Thomas + CCC 310-11 -cosmos is hierarchically ordered, the inherent unity and order within the creation is manifestation of the perfection and wisdom of God who created it 83 -the goodness of creation is stressed six times in Genesis, the whole of universe is good in its entirety -creation reflects the Supreme Rationality of God who ordered all things according to his wise plan from all eternity Sir 23,20 “the one who knows all things before they exist” -created beauty finds its apex in the human being, cerated as man and woman 4. MAN AND WOMAN (95-132) 5. CREATION AND PROVIDENCE (133-160) 6. CREATION AND EVIL (161- 202) 7. CHRIST AND CREATION (203-230) 8. CHRISTIAN REVELATION AND SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION (231-284) The reality speaks to us, God has given us Mature attitude to the sexuality is in to perceive it as a gift, self-gift of one person freely to another person. Eve took the fruit from the snake, while Jesus did not consider his equality with God as something to be grasped, rather emptied himself. People generally don’t like to be used by the others as an object, rather being loved by the others. From the instrumental, business way of living are born all the huge moral problems of today. What we do with our bodies determines what person we become. Celibacy and Marriage, Eucharist and other sacraments, good actions in our life, all have to do something with our bodies, “This is my body, which will be given up for you”. Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia opened discussion about finding appropriate solution between doctrinal principle and pastoral praxis. Nature is something that God gives us, while culture is what we do with God’s gifts. Therefore the homosexuality is part of our modern culture that can lead to death end. Finally, Jesus spoke about celibacy as something beyond the objection of the disciples, “It is better not to marry”. It is like to leave something good for something special because of the kingdom of heaven. Actually man was made for spousal relationship with the Risen Christ, the bridegroom. Humanity, the bride, was given by the Father to the Son, who after the fall leads is back to the Father. We are part of this bride, thanks be to God. As the members of the Church, our Christian life is a response to the grace poured out into us, continuous receiving and giving. Jesus himself said: “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19,14). They are closer than the rich young man closed up in his richness of gifts (Mt 19,22). In the marriage the husband and wife are mutual self-gift for each other like Christ and the Church (Cf. Eph 5,21). 16