R210A Spiritual Formation

1. R210ASpiritual Formation Revelation and Scripture Lawrence Pascual IPM

2. Outline Questions Part 1: Revelation Part 2: Scripture Part 3: Scripture Reading Points

3. Point/Goal • Understanding that we are called and gifted by the Trinitarian God, let us consider how he speaks to us: Revelation and Scripture.

4. Objectives • Understanding Revelation • The Role of Scripture • Catholic Reading of the Bible

5. Part 1 • Understanding Revelation • Definition • Catholic Application • Implications

6. Faith and Revelation Faith: a gift by which we accept of God’s self-communication: Christ Revelation: a gift of God’s self-communication fully realized in and through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit

7. Revelation Latin: revelatio Greek: apocalypsis Literally: to unveil, or uncover remove the veil as in marriage. Dis-closure God’s self-communication

8. Revelation (CCC 50) “By natural reasons man can know God with certainty, on the basis of his works. But there is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation…”

9. Revelation (CCC 50) “Through an utterly free decision, God has revealed himself and give himself to man. This he does by revealing the mystery, his plan of loving goodness, formed from all eternity in Christ, for the benefit of all men. God has fully revealed this plan by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.”

10. 1 John 4:9-10 “…God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and his Son as expiation for our sins.”

11. Deus Caritas Est, 17 ”[God] loves us, he makes us see and experience his love, and since he has ‘loved us first’, love can also blossom as a response within us.”

12. Revelation In terms of communication Everyone can come to knowledge about God naturally Revelation is fulfilled in Christ By love, God freely chooses to reveal

13. Faith and Revelation God loved us first, we respond with love God self-communicates love, we respond with faith: the acceptance of God’s love

14. Approach to understanding • There have been various “answers” to the dilemma about Revelation. • Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ, gives us a nice summary…

15. Theology has a Sociology • In Models of Revelation, Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ, identifies five basic models of understanding Revelation.

16. Natural • “For what can be known about God is evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.” (Rom 1:19-20)

17. History • Miraculous or self-evident historical events • E.g., the Exodus, parting of the Red Sea • God intervenes in natural order through deed (historic event) and word (scripture)

18. Propositional • Communication of truths, which are then formulated in explicit propositions • E.g., “Jesus is the Good Shepherd” • “Jesus takes care of his followers as a faithful shepherd takes care of his sheep” • Doctrines

19. Similarities of the Models • Revelation is God’s free action whereby he communicates saving truth to humankind, especially through Jesus Christ as accepted by the apostolic Church • As witnessed by the Bible • As witnessed by the continuing community of believers.

20. Theology has a Sociology • In his innovation, he proposes the understanding of revelation as “symbolic mediation.”

21. Symbolic Mediation • We do not encounter God directly (since God is transcendent) • Revelation mediated by some experience in the world, person, event, story, or natural phenomenon

23. Thesis • Revelation never occurs in a purely interior experience or an unmediated encounter with God. • It is always mediated through symbol

24. I. The Meaning of Symbol • Symbol as an externally perceived sign that works mysteriously on the human consciousness so as to suggest more than it can clearly describe or define.

25. Not just an Indicator (sign)

26. Symbol • It is a special type of sign • Allow us to bring indefinite number of memories and experiences into a kind of focus • Requires full, conscious and active participation

27. Symbol Defined • A sign pregnant with a plenitude of meaning which is evoked rather than explicitly stated.

28. Note about Symbol • This isn’t “fictitious representation.” Most people think FAKE, but NOT in academic/theological understanding. • Don’t restrict it to “literary understanding.” • Natural objects, historical persons, visible artifacts and dreams can all be symbols.

29. Common Properties of Symbolism and Revelation Symbol: • Gives participatory knowledge • Has a transforming effect • Powerful influence on commitment and behavior • Introduces us into realms of awareness not normally accessible to general communication

30. Participatory Knowledge • A symbol speaks to us only insofar as it lures us to situate ourselves mentally within the universe of meaning and value which it opens up to us. • (Makes you stop and think, even wrestle with the symbol)

31. Transforming Effect • Occurs insofar that it involves the knower. • It does something to us when we engage it. • “Wow, that’s deep...”

32. Powerful Influence to commitments and behavior • Stirs the imagination, releases hidden energies in the soul, gives strength and stability to the personality. • E.g. A National Flag or anthem

33. A New awareness • It gives rise to thought. • “Opens up levels of reality which otherwise are closed to us” –Paul Tillich

34. Revelation does these 4 things • Gives participatory knowledge • Has a transforming effect • Powerful influence on commitment and behavior • Introduces us into realms of awareness not normally accessible to general communication

35. Participatory Knowledge • To accept the Christian revelation is to involve oneself in a community of faith and thus to share in the way of life marked out by Jesus.

36. Transforming Effect • Christians come to perceive themselves as personally related to God. • Adopted members of God’s family and household.

37. Powerful Influence to commitments and behavior • The response to Revelation (faith) must express itself in conduct. • FAITH IN ACTION.

38. A New awareness • Revelation obviously gives insight into mysteries that reason alone cannot make sense of. • It’s still intelligible nonetheless.

39. Examples of Christian Symbolism

40. Examples of Christian Symbolism

41. Examples of Christian Symbolism

42. Point and Summary • The best way of understanding the concept of revelation is by “symbolic mediation.” • It makes use of the strengths of each model and overcomes their weaknesses. • Symbol can be understood as “a visible sign of an invisible reality.” • Sound familiar?

43. Reflection Communication theorists tend to say that “communication is symbolic.” Experts say that in our communication: 10% is in actual words 30% is in sounds 60% is in the nonverbal How is all of this insightful for our faith?

44. BREAK

45. PART 2 • SCRIPTURE • Vocab • Observations • Readings Discussion • Theology has a sociology

46. Question • How would we connect our understanding of Revelation and Bible?

47. Vocab Overview Inspiration Tradition Scripture

48. Inspiration Latin: Inspirare Literally: “to breathe in” How we understand “inspiration” will affect how we understand Scripture.

49. Inspiration of Scripture “…all Scripture is inspired by God, and is useful for righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (Tim 3:16-17)

50. USCCB p. 32 (cont.) • The Sacred Scripture is inspired by God and truly contains the Word of God. This action of God is referred to as Inspiration.