The document discusses the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory and its origins in Church tradition and writings of early Church fathers. It provides numerous quotes and summaries of writings from figures like Tertullian, Origen, Augustine, and Catherine of Genoa that describe their beliefs in an intermediate state after death where some sins are purified before entering heaven. It also discusses how later theologians like Aquinas further developed the concept, and how the belief in Purgatory became firmly established in the Church by the 6th century.
This is a study of Jesus being the circumciser. It is very unusual concept often ignored, but important to understand. It is made clear in these studies what it means.
The parousia expectation does it impact evangelizationIrfan iftekhar
What is the essence of the theology behind the return of Christ? If there is, to say, no delay in the expectation of Parousia, and Christ returns this day, then as true Christians we have to take it as our last and then evangelize, whosoever we can. But if it does not happens so. Should I baptize? As a faithful Christian we must believe at His coming. God never revealed when Christ would come, although He informed us all about his second coming but not the precise time of his coming. Evangelism is crucial for those who desire to hear it, second come discipleship. Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is like fulfilling the great commission. "Go therefore make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you?” Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus was instituting the lord's supperGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper. He made it a perpetual memorial for His church. Every believer is expected to do this in remembrance of Jesus and His sacrifice for them.
A factual and balanced, non-judgmental investigation and exploration of certain Roman Catholic Church teachings in light of the Biblical Scriptures. The Difference - the eternal Protestant/Catholic tension - was something that the Chronicles clearly helped to define, and if you are interested in the uncompromising pursuit of truth, I know of no more better, readable and concise introductory work than Keith's series.
Purgatory part 1 ... introduction & early biblical conceptsEdward Hahnenberg
This document provides an overview of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory, including its roots in Roman Catholic tradition and early biblical concepts. It discusses the evolution of beliefs around Purgatory over time, including Martin Luther's initial acceptance and later rejection of the concept. Key points made include that Purgatory is meant to purify souls not totally rejected by God before they enter heaven, and the Catholic Church continues to observe All Souls Day in commemoration of those believed to be in Purgatory.
This document discusses the differences between Protestant and Catholic views on the nature of the church. It summarizes that Protestants do not believe there is one universal visible church, like the Roman Catholic Church claims, but rather there are many local churches. It also discusses disagreements over whether Peter was the head of the church, whether the Pope is infallible, and whether authority comes from apostolic succession or Scripture alone. The document analyzes arguments from both sides on these issues regarding the authority and structure of the church.
1. The document discusses the origin of the church, noting that it was ordained by God from eternity past according to his divine attributes.
2. It involved a mystery that was not fully revealed until the time of Jesus Christ and his apostles and prophets, and which was established on the day of Pentecost.
3. While aspects of the church were predicted in the Old Testament, the church itself did not begin until after Christ's resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The document discusses the origins and nature of the church according to the Bible. It examines the Greek word "ekklesia" used in the New Testament to refer to the church. While ekklesia usually refers to local churches, some texts refer to a universal church composed of all believers. The document also explores different metaphors used in the Bible to describe attributes of the church, such as the body of Christ. It considers perspectives on whether the church began during Jesus' time or after his resurrection and ascension.
This is a study of Jesus being the circumciser. It is very unusual concept often ignored, but important to understand. It is made clear in these studies what it means.
The parousia expectation does it impact evangelizationIrfan iftekhar
What is the essence of the theology behind the return of Christ? If there is, to say, no delay in the expectation of Parousia, and Christ returns this day, then as true Christians we have to take it as our last and then evangelize, whosoever we can. But if it does not happens so. Should I baptize? As a faithful Christian we must believe at His coming. God never revealed when Christ would come, although He informed us all about his second coming but not the precise time of his coming. Evangelism is crucial for those who desire to hear it, second come discipleship. Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is like fulfilling the great commission. "Go therefore make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you?” Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus was instituting the lord's supperGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper. He made it a perpetual memorial for His church. Every believer is expected to do this in remembrance of Jesus and His sacrifice for them.
A factual and balanced, non-judgmental investigation and exploration of certain Roman Catholic Church teachings in light of the Biblical Scriptures. The Difference - the eternal Protestant/Catholic tension - was something that the Chronicles clearly helped to define, and if you are interested in the uncompromising pursuit of truth, I know of no more better, readable and concise introductory work than Keith's series.
Purgatory part 1 ... introduction & early biblical conceptsEdward Hahnenberg
This document provides an overview of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory, including its roots in Roman Catholic tradition and early biblical concepts. It discusses the evolution of beliefs around Purgatory over time, including Martin Luther's initial acceptance and later rejection of the concept. Key points made include that Purgatory is meant to purify souls not totally rejected by God before they enter heaven, and the Catholic Church continues to observe All Souls Day in commemoration of those believed to be in Purgatory.
This document discusses the differences between Protestant and Catholic views on the nature of the church. It summarizes that Protestants do not believe there is one universal visible church, like the Roman Catholic Church claims, but rather there are many local churches. It also discusses disagreements over whether Peter was the head of the church, whether the Pope is infallible, and whether authority comes from apostolic succession or Scripture alone. The document analyzes arguments from both sides on these issues regarding the authority and structure of the church.
1. The document discusses the origin of the church, noting that it was ordained by God from eternity past according to his divine attributes.
2. It involved a mystery that was not fully revealed until the time of Jesus Christ and his apostles and prophets, and which was established on the day of Pentecost.
3. While aspects of the church were predicted in the Old Testament, the church itself did not begin until after Christ's resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The document discusses the origins and nature of the church according to the Bible. It examines the Greek word "ekklesia" used in the New Testament to refer to the church. While ekklesia usually refers to local churches, some texts refer to a universal church composed of all believers. The document also explores different metaphors used in the Bible to describe attributes of the church, such as the body of Christ. It considers perspectives on whether the church began during Jesus' time or after his resurrection and ascension.
This document summarizes Norman Geisler's views on church government as presented in his book. It discusses the episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational views of church leadership. According to Geisler, the New Testament establishes elders as the primary church leaders, with deacons assisting them. However, the author disagrees with Geisler's position that only men can be elders or pastors, arguing this excludes women contrary to passages suggesting equality in Christ.
The document discusses the dispensationalist interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27, which is foundational to their eschatological system. It argues that dispensationalists believe:
1) The 70 weeks prophecy refers to both Christ and a future Antichrist figure. They see a gap between the 69th and 70th week for the church age.
2) Verses 24-27 form a chiasm where the 6 propositions in v.24 will be fulfilled by Christ at the end of the 70th week tribulation period.
3) V.25 refers to Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem, starting the 490 year countdown that ends with Christ.
4
Summaries of Catholic Teaching
These brief texts, prepared by theologians at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, offer an introduction to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
originally published on web:
http://opusdei.uk/en-uk/section/summaries-of-catholic-teaching/
Re-edited as pdf for CSR (slideshare) October 2014
part 1: The Profession of Faith
This document discusses Jesus Christ's suffering and death, and its significance. It contains commentary on 1 Peter 3:18-20 from multiple Christian scholars and preachers. The commentaries discuss:
1) Jesus suffered once to atone for sins and bring people to God. His suffering satisfied God's justice and removes obstacles between God and people.
2) Jesus willingly suffered real physical and spiritual suffering as an innocent person to redeem humanity. His suffering has power to free people held captive by sin.
3) Through his resurrection, Jesus has power and authority in heaven to save all who believe in him. His suffering makes salvation possible for both those who have heard the gospel and those who have not.
This document discusses the differences between Protestantism and Catholicism, specifically regarding their interpretations of biblical prophecy. It argues that Dispensational Futurism, which is widely accepted in Protestant circles today, is actually derived from Catholic traditions rather than the Bible.
The key points made are:
1) Catholicism bases its doctrines on extra-biblical church traditions, while Protestantism seeks to base doctrines solely on the Bible using the historicist method of interpretation.
2) The Reformers viewed prophecy as continually unfolding throughout history, not in disconnected future periods. They identified the papacy as the "Antichrist" foretold in the Bible.
3) Dispensational Futur
The document discusses the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It provides online resources on each sacrament and explains some of their key aspects, such as what they signify, their effects, and how they are celebrated. The sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Each sacrament configures Christians to Christ through grace and incorporates them more deeply into the Church community.
The document provides an overview of the development of early Christianity and debates around Jesus' message, or "good news." It discusses how scholars have different views on defining the "good news" and outlines some of the major topics and figures in early Christian history, including Paul, the Church Fathers, heresies, and ecumenical councils. The development of orthodox Christian doctrines involved addressing Christology and the relationship between Jesus, God, and humanity.
This document provides an overview of key aspects of Catholicism. It begins with definitions of important Catholic terms like Apostles, Catechism, Eucharist, and Vatican. It then addresses questions like the Holy Trinity, the role of the Pope, the seven sacraments, transubstantiation, rules for communion, the process of becoming Catholic, requirements to become a priest, whether women can be priests, differences between Catholic and Protestant bibles, how confessions work, and why Latin is the language of the Church. Sources are provided at the end.
The document discusses the division of the Bible into the Old and New Testaments. It argues that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John describe the final years of the Old Testament age, not the beginning of the New Testament. It asserts that Jesus's teachings in those gospels were about the Old Testament law of Moses, not New Testament doctrine, and were intended for Jews, not Gentiles. The document claims the traditional division of the Bible obscures the distinction between the Old and New Covenants.
This document discusses different approaches to understanding Jesus Christ through history. It begins with an overview of biblical, conciliar, and contemporary Christology. It then contrasts Christology "from above," which focuses on Jesus' divinity, and Christology "from below," which focuses on his humanity. While both are important, the latter approach helps appreciate Jesus' full humanity and inspires discipleship. The document also examines biblical sources for Jesus' life, the nature of the gospels, key aspects of his teachings and ministry, his death and resurrection, and ecumenical councils that defined the orthodox understanding of Christ's dual nature. It concludes with some current Christological issues.
Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian church, with adherents primarily in South America and Southern Europe. It differs from Protestantism in its emphasis on tradition, ritual, and the authority of the Pope. Key Roman Catholic doctrines include papal infallibility, transubstantiation in the Eucharist, purgatory, and veneration of Mary and saints. The religion's teachings and practices have evolved over time, becoming less rigid after the Second Vatican Council addressed relations with the modern world.
“Scripture Alone” was one of Luther’s slogans, the Luther who excelled at reducing complex theological arguments to simple slogans, the Luther who started the debate of Scripture vs. Tradition. Not all Reformation debates were new, but the debate of Scripture v. Tradition was a new debate, before the Reformation theologians had never debated whether Tradition was equal to Scriptures. Luther was the reformer who coined the phrase, Scripture Alone, and also, Faith Alone. As we see in our videos on Luther’s Catechism, Luther was a genius at coining memorable phrases and slogans.
The decrees of Vatican II no longer strive to be confrontational with the Protestant Churches but rather seeks dialogue with them as separated brethren. No longer does the official Catholic Church seek polemic arguments on topics such as Scripture vs. Tradition. One of the clerics whose writings most influenced the decrees of Vatican II was Yves Congar, including his work on the Meaning of Tradition.
We also discuss:
• How Yves Congar was one of the leading theologians of the Second Vatican Council.
• References to tradition in the Gospels and Pauline Epistles, and the dangers of proof-texting.
• References to Scripture and Tradition in the Council and Decrees of Trent, and Vatican II.
• Examples of Catholic Tradition in the Ecumenical Councils, the Didache, and St Augustine’s Confessions.
• Yves Congar’s reservations on the Protestant Theory of the Sufficiency of Scripture, and how Catholics believe in our personal relationship with Jesus, and the question, Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?
• How the release of the proceedings of the Council of Trent led to the publication of Herbert Jedine’s history of Trent and was the main source for John O’Malley’s excellent history of Vatican II.
• How Yves Congar’s book, Meaning of Tradition, is reflected in the Dogmatic Constitution covering Tradition and Scripture, Dei Verbum.
• Jedine’s history is the main source for John O’Malley’s book below.
YouTube video: https://youtu.be/tlTymS2Bxxo
This video is derived from our blogs:
https://wp.me/pachSU-ls
https://wp.me/pachSU-lC
Please support our channel, if you wish to purchase these Amazon books we receive a small affiliate commission:
The Meaning of Tradition, by Yves Congar
https://amzn.to/2ZfgHQ9
What Happened at Vatican II, by John W. O'Malley
https://amzn.to/3lY5xJb
What Happened at Vatican II, by John W. O'Malley, Kindle Edition
https://amzn.to/3sJa97e
A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II, by Edward P. Hahnenberg
https://amzn.to/3miAZ39
The document summarizes a chapter about the early Church through Pentecost. It discusses events after Jesus' resurrection like his appearances to the apostles and the great commission. It also covers the ascension, the selection of Matthias to replace Judas, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church and work through gifts, fruits, and charisms.
The document summarizes the key ecumenical councils that defined the nature of Christ:
1) The Council of Nicaea affirmed Christ's full divinity against Arianism.
2) The First Council of Constantinople affirmed Christ's full humanity against Apollinarianism.
3) The Council of Ephesus affirmed the personal union of Christ's divine and human natures against Nestorianism.
4) The Council of Chalcedon affirmed Christ exists as one person with two natures, divine and human, against Eutychian Monophysitism.
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST and the Initiatic Visionary ExperienceWilliam John Meegan
Part 1 of this paper is a detail analysis of the Birth of Christ as outlined in the New Testament and its supporting sources. It analyzes the three nativity account in Matthew, Luke and John. John gospel refers to the first word of Genesis and PART 2 of this paper analyzes the first word of GENESIS: BERESHITH, which leads to a further discussion of the Initiatic Visionary Experience as outline in the BIRTH OF CHRIST.
Part 14 notes commemoration-militant and sufferingZoran Bobic
The priest prays for the Church Militant and Suffering during the proskomidia. For the living, he prays for bishops, clergy, and all baptized faithful who are united to Christ and the Church. He then prays for specific living people by name. For the dead, he prays for the founders of the church, his ordaining bishop if deceased, and other deceased persons. He concludes with a prayer for all Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep in faith, hoping for resurrection and eternal life. The prayers are accompanied by placing bread particles on the diskos to represent each person commemorated.
This document provides the contents and introductions to the book "Theology and Sanity" by Frank J. Sheed. The book contains theology aimed at providing readers with the essential minimum information needed to live mentally in the real world. The foreword discusses the author's goal of teaching those who know less theology than himself. The preface to the revised edition, written 33 years later, discusses how the book was shaped by feedback from audiences and discusses important developments in theology and the Church since the original publication.
Christology In The Letters Of St. PaulMaidaLibrary
This document summarizes and compares the work of three leading exegetes - Aletti, Schnelle, and Fee - on Pauline Christology. All three scholars divide their work into two main parts. Aletti examines the "theologization of Christology" and the "christologization of theology." Schnelle and Fee both emphasize the importance of the titles "Christ," "Lord," and "Son of God" in Paul's writings. Overall, the exegetes agree on the major aspects of Paul's understanding of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, though each scholar explores some nuanced differences.
The uniqueness of the catholic church 2011maximilianyong
The document discusses the mission of the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to scripture and Catholic doctrine. It provides biblical quotes about Jesus sending the Holy Spirit and commanding the disciples to spread the gospel. It describes the events of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, and lists the seven gifts and charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit. It also briefly discusses the authority and teaching office of the Church.
This document is an introduction to the book "The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan" by Ellen G. White. It discusses how God has communicated with humanity through prophets and revelations in the Bible over thousands of years. While the Bible has human authors, it was given by divine inspiration. The introduction also explains that while the Bible is the infallible standard, God continues to guide humanity through the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Scriptures. As the final events of earth's history approach, there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower God's people to stand against evil.
This document summarizes Norman Geisler's views on church government as presented in his book. It discusses the episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational views of church leadership. According to Geisler, the New Testament establishes elders as the primary church leaders, with deacons assisting them. However, the author disagrees with Geisler's position that only men can be elders or pastors, arguing this excludes women contrary to passages suggesting equality in Christ.
The document discusses the dispensationalist interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27, which is foundational to their eschatological system. It argues that dispensationalists believe:
1) The 70 weeks prophecy refers to both Christ and a future Antichrist figure. They see a gap between the 69th and 70th week for the church age.
2) Verses 24-27 form a chiasm where the 6 propositions in v.24 will be fulfilled by Christ at the end of the 70th week tribulation period.
3) V.25 refers to Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem, starting the 490 year countdown that ends with Christ.
4
Summaries of Catholic Teaching
These brief texts, prepared by theologians at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, offer an introduction to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
originally published on web:
http://opusdei.uk/en-uk/section/summaries-of-catholic-teaching/
Re-edited as pdf for CSR (slideshare) October 2014
part 1: The Profession of Faith
This document discusses Jesus Christ's suffering and death, and its significance. It contains commentary on 1 Peter 3:18-20 from multiple Christian scholars and preachers. The commentaries discuss:
1) Jesus suffered once to atone for sins and bring people to God. His suffering satisfied God's justice and removes obstacles between God and people.
2) Jesus willingly suffered real physical and spiritual suffering as an innocent person to redeem humanity. His suffering has power to free people held captive by sin.
3) Through his resurrection, Jesus has power and authority in heaven to save all who believe in him. His suffering makes salvation possible for both those who have heard the gospel and those who have not.
This document discusses the differences between Protestantism and Catholicism, specifically regarding their interpretations of biblical prophecy. It argues that Dispensational Futurism, which is widely accepted in Protestant circles today, is actually derived from Catholic traditions rather than the Bible.
The key points made are:
1) Catholicism bases its doctrines on extra-biblical church traditions, while Protestantism seeks to base doctrines solely on the Bible using the historicist method of interpretation.
2) The Reformers viewed prophecy as continually unfolding throughout history, not in disconnected future periods. They identified the papacy as the "Antichrist" foretold in the Bible.
3) Dispensational Futur
The document discusses the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It provides online resources on each sacrament and explains some of their key aspects, such as what they signify, their effects, and how they are celebrated. The sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Each sacrament configures Christians to Christ through grace and incorporates them more deeply into the Church community.
The document provides an overview of the development of early Christianity and debates around Jesus' message, or "good news." It discusses how scholars have different views on defining the "good news" and outlines some of the major topics and figures in early Christian history, including Paul, the Church Fathers, heresies, and ecumenical councils. The development of orthodox Christian doctrines involved addressing Christology and the relationship between Jesus, God, and humanity.
This document provides an overview of key aspects of Catholicism. It begins with definitions of important Catholic terms like Apostles, Catechism, Eucharist, and Vatican. It then addresses questions like the Holy Trinity, the role of the Pope, the seven sacraments, transubstantiation, rules for communion, the process of becoming Catholic, requirements to become a priest, whether women can be priests, differences between Catholic and Protestant bibles, how confessions work, and why Latin is the language of the Church. Sources are provided at the end.
The document discusses the division of the Bible into the Old and New Testaments. It argues that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John describe the final years of the Old Testament age, not the beginning of the New Testament. It asserts that Jesus's teachings in those gospels were about the Old Testament law of Moses, not New Testament doctrine, and were intended for Jews, not Gentiles. The document claims the traditional division of the Bible obscures the distinction between the Old and New Covenants.
This document discusses different approaches to understanding Jesus Christ through history. It begins with an overview of biblical, conciliar, and contemporary Christology. It then contrasts Christology "from above," which focuses on Jesus' divinity, and Christology "from below," which focuses on his humanity. While both are important, the latter approach helps appreciate Jesus' full humanity and inspires discipleship. The document also examines biblical sources for Jesus' life, the nature of the gospels, key aspects of his teachings and ministry, his death and resurrection, and ecumenical councils that defined the orthodox understanding of Christ's dual nature. It concludes with some current Christological issues.
Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian church, with adherents primarily in South America and Southern Europe. It differs from Protestantism in its emphasis on tradition, ritual, and the authority of the Pope. Key Roman Catholic doctrines include papal infallibility, transubstantiation in the Eucharist, purgatory, and veneration of Mary and saints. The religion's teachings and practices have evolved over time, becoming less rigid after the Second Vatican Council addressed relations with the modern world.
“Scripture Alone” was one of Luther’s slogans, the Luther who excelled at reducing complex theological arguments to simple slogans, the Luther who started the debate of Scripture vs. Tradition. Not all Reformation debates were new, but the debate of Scripture v. Tradition was a new debate, before the Reformation theologians had never debated whether Tradition was equal to Scriptures. Luther was the reformer who coined the phrase, Scripture Alone, and also, Faith Alone. As we see in our videos on Luther’s Catechism, Luther was a genius at coining memorable phrases and slogans.
The decrees of Vatican II no longer strive to be confrontational with the Protestant Churches but rather seeks dialogue with them as separated brethren. No longer does the official Catholic Church seek polemic arguments on topics such as Scripture vs. Tradition. One of the clerics whose writings most influenced the decrees of Vatican II was Yves Congar, including his work on the Meaning of Tradition.
We also discuss:
• How Yves Congar was one of the leading theologians of the Second Vatican Council.
• References to tradition in the Gospels and Pauline Epistles, and the dangers of proof-texting.
• References to Scripture and Tradition in the Council and Decrees of Trent, and Vatican II.
• Examples of Catholic Tradition in the Ecumenical Councils, the Didache, and St Augustine’s Confessions.
• Yves Congar’s reservations on the Protestant Theory of the Sufficiency of Scripture, and how Catholics believe in our personal relationship with Jesus, and the question, Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?
• How the release of the proceedings of the Council of Trent led to the publication of Herbert Jedine’s history of Trent and was the main source for John O’Malley’s excellent history of Vatican II.
• How Yves Congar’s book, Meaning of Tradition, is reflected in the Dogmatic Constitution covering Tradition and Scripture, Dei Verbum.
• Jedine’s history is the main source for John O’Malley’s book below.
YouTube video: https://youtu.be/tlTymS2Bxxo
This video is derived from our blogs:
https://wp.me/pachSU-ls
https://wp.me/pachSU-lC
Please support our channel, if you wish to purchase these Amazon books we receive a small affiliate commission:
The Meaning of Tradition, by Yves Congar
https://amzn.to/2ZfgHQ9
What Happened at Vatican II, by John W. O'Malley
https://amzn.to/3lY5xJb
What Happened at Vatican II, by John W. O'Malley, Kindle Edition
https://amzn.to/3sJa97e
A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II, by Edward P. Hahnenberg
https://amzn.to/3miAZ39
The document summarizes a chapter about the early Church through Pentecost. It discusses events after Jesus' resurrection like his appearances to the apostles and the great commission. It also covers the ascension, the selection of Matthias to replace Judas, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church and work through gifts, fruits, and charisms.
The document summarizes the key ecumenical councils that defined the nature of Christ:
1) The Council of Nicaea affirmed Christ's full divinity against Arianism.
2) The First Council of Constantinople affirmed Christ's full humanity against Apollinarianism.
3) The Council of Ephesus affirmed the personal union of Christ's divine and human natures against Nestorianism.
4) The Council of Chalcedon affirmed Christ exists as one person with two natures, divine and human, against Eutychian Monophysitism.
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST and the Initiatic Visionary ExperienceWilliam John Meegan
Part 1 of this paper is a detail analysis of the Birth of Christ as outlined in the New Testament and its supporting sources. It analyzes the three nativity account in Matthew, Luke and John. John gospel refers to the first word of Genesis and PART 2 of this paper analyzes the first word of GENESIS: BERESHITH, which leads to a further discussion of the Initiatic Visionary Experience as outline in the BIRTH OF CHRIST.
Part 14 notes commemoration-militant and sufferingZoran Bobic
The priest prays for the Church Militant and Suffering during the proskomidia. For the living, he prays for bishops, clergy, and all baptized faithful who are united to Christ and the Church. He then prays for specific living people by name. For the dead, he prays for the founders of the church, his ordaining bishop if deceased, and other deceased persons. He concludes with a prayer for all Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep in faith, hoping for resurrection and eternal life. The prayers are accompanied by placing bread particles on the diskos to represent each person commemorated.
This document provides the contents and introductions to the book "Theology and Sanity" by Frank J. Sheed. The book contains theology aimed at providing readers with the essential minimum information needed to live mentally in the real world. The foreword discusses the author's goal of teaching those who know less theology than himself. The preface to the revised edition, written 33 years later, discusses how the book was shaped by feedback from audiences and discusses important developments in theology and the Church since the original publication.
Christology In The Letters Of St. PaulMaidaLibrary
This document summarizes and compares the work of three leading exegetes - Aletti, Schnelle, and Fee - on Pauline Christology. All three scholars divide their work into two main parts. Aletti examines the "theologization of Christology" and the "christologization of theology." Schnelle and Fee both emphasize the importance of the titles "Christ," "Lord," and "Son of God" in Paul's writings. Overall, the exegetes agree on the major aspects of Paul's understanding of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, though each scholar explores some nuanced differences.
The uniqueness of the catholic church 2011maximilianyong
The document discusses the mission of the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to scripture and Catholic doctrine. It provides biblical quotes about Jesus sending the Holy Spirit and commanding the disciples to spread the gospel. It describes the events of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, and lists the seven gifts and charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit. It also briefly discusses the authority and teaching office of the Church.
This document is an introduction to the book "The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan" by Ellen G. White. It discusses how God has communicated with humanity through prophets and revelations in the Bible over thousands of years. While the Bible has human authors, it was given by divine inspiration. The introduction also explains that while the Bible is the infallible standard, God continues to guide humanity through the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Scriptures. As the final events of earth's history approach, there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower God's people to stand against evil.
This document summarizes early Christian heresies and church councils in the 4th century. It discusses the Arian heresy started by Arius which denied the divinity of Christ. It also describes the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 called by Constantine which established the Nicene Creed affirming Christ is of the same substance as God the Father. Finally, it outlines subsequent church councils and theologies that debated Christology in the decades following Nicaea.
This document discusses the development of the doctrine of the Trinity from the 1st century to the 4th century AD. It notes that while terms like "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" appeared early on, the formal doctrine of one God existing as three persons/hypostases was not fully developed or agreed upon until the 4th century. Several sources are quoted acknowledging that an explicit doctrine of the Trinity is not found in the Bible or early Christian writings. The document also provides historical context on related theological terms, heresies, and debates around issues like homoousian and Arianism that influenced the shaping of the Trinity doctrine.
The document discusses the origins and development of the biblical canon. It notes that while some, like Dan Brown, claim the Bible was compiled by men and has changed over time, the early church had tests to determine canonicity. Books were considered based on apostolic authorship, agreement with established scripture, acceptance by the church from an early date, and more. Some books like James and Hebrews were questioned but ultimately included. The Catholic Church later elevated some deuterocanonical books for doctrinal reasons at the Council of Trent. Other religious groups like the LDS Church and Jesus Seminar have also made their own revisions or additions to the biblical text.
1. Early church fathers such as Ignatius of Antioch and Irenaeus discussed doctrines surrounding the nature of God and Christ's divinity in the 2nd century.
2. Theologians like Justin Martyr blended Christian theology with Platonic and Stoic philosophy. He developed the Logos concept which viewed the Son as another emanation of God.
3. Other church leaders such as Melito of Sardis and Athenagoras emphasized the oneness of God and the Father and Son while Theophilus of Antioch was the first to use the word "Trinity" to describe God.
This document discusses early Christian doctrines from the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. It covers the schools of Alexandria and Antioch and their differing hermeneutical approaches. It also summarizes the views of important early theologians like Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Hippolytus, and Tertullian. Additionally, it describes theological conflicts in Rome between Zephyrinus and Hippolytus, and the correspondence between Dionysius of Rome and Dionysius of Alexandria regarding the relationship between God and the Logos.
This document provides an overview of false prophets and the biblical antichrist known as the beast. It discusses how various historical figures and religions have prepared the way for the eventual rise of the antichrist by promoting the deification or divinity of mankind. The antichrist is traced through several Old Testament prophecies in Daniel and Revelation and is described as opposing God, demanding worldwide worship, and persecuting believers before being defeated by Christ at His return.
The great controversy is the overarching concept that provides coherence to Christian fundamental beliefs. It refers to the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan over God's character and authority. Key passages describe the origin of this conflict in heaven and Satan's rebellion due to pride. God's response is to establish a system of worship through sacrifices that point to His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Satan works to undermine this plan by distorting worship and accusing believers. The conflict will culminate with Christ's second coming to eradicate evil and sin, allowing God to restore His original purpose for creation.
Herlads of New Light - Pr. Roger W. CoonZafnat Panea
This document provides background information on Dr. Roger W. Coon, the author of the book "Heralds of New Light: Another Prophet to the Remnant?". It discusses Coon's experience working for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It also summarizes the book, which addresses the question of whether God will send another prophet to the Seventh-day Adventist Church after Ellen G. White, and how to identify true and false prophets according to the Bible and E.G. White's writings. The document provides context about E.G. White and her role as a prophet in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
One of the first PowerPoints that I made when teaching theology. It is crazy. It has animations, links to further slides, and terrible graphics. But it is fun share and does give an accurate view of the history of Christianity. (Although the animations and links don't work in this slideshare.)
MY PRESENTATION ON ADAM & EVE FROM PARADISE LOST BY JOHN MILTONkklewade
In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve are portrayed based on their biblical characters. Adam is the first man created by God and higher in the hierarchy. Eve is created from Adam's rib to be his mate. Though equal in the Garden of Eden, their genders are not truly equal as Adam received reasoning from God while Eve had to submit to Adam. Their love for each other is what leads Adam to eat the forbidden fruit to avoid losing Eve. After gaining knowledge by eating the fruit, Adam and Eve recognize their sin and are punished by God, with Eve receiving greater punishment that establishes the seeds of patriarchy. Milton's purpose is to justify the ways of God with his representation of Adam and Eve.
The document discusses the nature and types of prayer. It defines prayer as speaking and listening to God and desiring to be united with God and do his will. The principal activities of prayer are described as adoration, thanksgiving, repentance, and intercession/petition. The document outlines different forms of prayer including vocal, liturgical, meditative, and contemplative prayer and discusses difficulties in prayer and how to overcome them. Regular prayer, scripture, devotionals, and the saints are presented as aids to developing an effective prayer life.
The Catholic Church's position is that Adam and Eve were real historical people and the first parents of all humanity, though not necessarily the only early humans. The Church does not take the creation accounts literally, such as the timeline of 6 days, but affirms that God created the world and human beings. Science has established that humans evolved over millions of years from earlier species and that all humans today share a common ancestor in Africa within the last 200,000 years. While science and a literal reading of Genesis differ, the Church believes truth cannot contradict truth and looks for ways to reconcile conclusions of science with revelation.
The document provides guidance on the Catholic practice of confession. It explains that confession is the means of receiving absolution for sins and helps believers avoid sin and grow in virtue. It advises that Catholics should go to confession at least once a year, and more regularly if desired, and whenever one is aware of having committed a serious sin. The document offers tips for properly examining one's conscience, preparing for confession, what to confess, and how to participate in the sacrament, including making an act of contrition and receiving the priest's absolution.
The personal Christian life involves conforming one's life to the pattern of Jesus Christ through daily prayer, increasing knowledge of faith, frequent use of sacraments, and living a moral life with God's help. The public Christian life means promoting a Christian society through upholding dignity, vocations like marriage/religious life, evangelization, charity and challenging practices like abortion and euthanasia that attack life. The Church outlines six precepts that define the minimum obligations for living out one's personal Christian faith.
Thank you for the summary. I hope this presentation helped provide a good overview of the sacraments of Confession and Anointing of the Sick. May God bless you as you continue learning about and participating in the life of the Church.
The document discusses the topics of grace and the Beatitudes. Regarding grace, it defines grace as gifts that bring about supernatural friendship with God, and notes that grace allows humans to share in God's divine life. It discusses how grace begins with baptism and develops through virtues like faith, hope and charity. Mistakes about grace like Pelagianism are also addressed. Regarding the Beatitudes, it defines them as eight states of blessedness taught by Jesus, which bring heaven to earth. Each Beatitude is then explained in more detail, covering topics like poverty of spirit, mourning, and being persecuted for righteousness.
The Eucharist is a sacrifice, a presence, and a food:
- As a sacrifice, the Eucharist makes present Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and achieves perfect thanksgiving and mercy through his offering.
- As a presence, in the Eucharist Jesus is truly present under the appearances of bread and wine through transubstantiation.
- As food, the Eucharist nourishes our souls and unites us to Christ and one another through Holy Communion.
Barnes wrote, "The chapter may be regarded as divided into four parts, and four questions in regard to the resurrection are solved:
1. Whether there is any resurrection of the dead? 1Co. 15:1-34.
2. With what body will the dead rise? 1Co. 15:35-51.
3. What will become of those who shall be alive when the Lord Jesus shall come to judge the world? 1Co_15:51-54.
4. What are the practical bearings of this doctrine? 1Co_15:55-58.
THYATEIRA CONGESSION - ΟΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΠΙΣΤΕΩΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΩΘΙΕΡΑΡΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΡΩΣΙΚΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ...Spyridon Voykalis
THYATEIRA CONGESSION - ΟΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΠΙΣΤΕΩΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΩΘΙΕΡΑΡΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΡΩΣΙΚΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΣΠΟΡΑΣ ΦΙΛΑΡΕΤΟΥ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΣΤΩΝ - Η ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑΚΗ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ ΜΕΤΑΞΥ ΠΑΠΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΩΝ ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΩΝ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΣΤΩΝ.
The document provides an overview of the key aspects of the Catholic sacrament of Baptism. It discusses Baptism as the door of the Church, its necessity according to Christ, and the three types of Baptism - Baptism of water, Baptism of desire, and Baptism of blood. It also addresses the form, minister, effects, infant Baptism, and adult Baptism of the sacrament.
The document discusses Roman Catholic teachings on purgatory and what happens after death. It states that according to Catholic doctrine, when believers die their souls are made perfect but go to purgatory to be cleansed of venial sins and effects of sins through purification by fire before entering heaven. Unbelievers go straight to hell. Purgatory is not a physical place but a spiritual condition, and prayers, Masses, and indulgences can shorten one's time there. The document argues this contradicts scripture saying Christ's atonement was fully sufficient.
Conversation on the Road to Ethiopia - 2Dave Stewart
The Ethiopian Eunuch’s conversion provides (for this lesson) three very important lessons: the importance of prophecy, understanding the scriptures, baptism. We examine the last two of these in this presentation.
Fellowship refers to the shared spiritual bond and community between Christians. While some groups isolate themselves due to fears of mixing with those of different doctrinal views, the Bible shows that Jesus and the apostles fellowshipped with and welcomed all who came to them in faith, regardless of minor theological differences. The warnings in scripture about avoiding certain groups were directed at those preaching false gospels of works-salvation or denying core Christian teachings like the resurrection, not smaller interpretive disagreements. Christians are called to unity and fellowship based on our shared faith in Christ.
Jesus was the source of all our blessingsGLENN PEASE
This document discusses how everything in the world belongs to Christians because they belong to Christ. It makes several points:
- All people, circumstances, and time periods (past, present, future) belong to Christians. This includes influential religious leaders and teachers.
- Christians belong to Christ because he purchased them, chose them, inhabits them with his Spirit, and they aim to faithfully serve him.
- The world belongs to Christians as their temporary home, a place to learn from nature and history, to spread their faith, face challenges that strengthen them, undergo spiritual cleansing, and travel along the path to heaven.
- While wicked people appear to possess the most of the world, Christians truly own
Jesus was preaching to the spirits in prisonGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus descending into hell to preach to those in prison. It is a very difficult passage to understand and here we have a number of attempts to explain it all.
Jesus was a preacher to the spirits in prisonGLENN PEASE
This is a study of Jesus being a preacher to the spirits in prison. It is a text that has a number of interpretations. It is interesting to read about the different perspectives.
St Augustine delivered the Treatise on Faith and the Creed, the Apostle’s Creed, to a council of the North African Episcopate, to encourage the formation of a common faith. What is curious is that this Augustinian Treatise on Faith and the Creed is referenced in the Catholic Catechism under the commandment, Do Not Envy, linking it to the Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” but the treatise itself never mentions envy, so we will ponder how these teachings by St Augustine on the Apostle’s Creed can shield us from the sin of covetousness and envy.
This is the Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
Then He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
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This is a study of Jesus as the light of all mankind. This was the case in His pre-incarnate state in eternity. He was already the life and light of the world.
Those who dissect, dismember, deconstruct and disqualify texts of the canonical books are de facto attacking the Word of God, our Blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ. Those that approach the Bible in a spirit other than that animated by the grace of believing faith in order to „interpret‟ it deface the Word of God. Let us with utmost caution indulge such „science,‟ lest we be found to be complicit with those that attack the Savior of our souls.
Jesus was the sender of the gospel to allGLENN PEASE
This is a study of the Great Commission of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark with comparisons with other texts. Jesus sent his disciples into all the world to bring the good news of salvation.
Christian Morality Week 3 Lessons (2).pptxmosclebawat
The document discusses the Catholic doctrine of particular judgment, which holds that upon death each person undergoes an immediate and final judgment by God that determines their eternal fate of either entrance into heaven, purification in purgatory, or everlasting damnation in hell. It explains that only God can rightly judge and take life, so capital punishment violates divine law. The judgment is based on how open one's life was to Christ's light and love through their free choices.
1) The main problem with dispensational futurism according to the document is that it hides the true identity of the Antichrist by placing the prophecies about him in a fictional 7-year tribulation period in the future, rather than recognizing that he has already appeared.
2) The document argues that the Antichrist came out of the church, as the many antichrists mentioned in the Bible came from within the early church. The Reformers like Luther and Calvin identified the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church as the fulfillment of the Antichrist prophecies.
3) The Protestant Reformation occurred as Protestants protested the corruption of the Catholic Church and recognized the Papacy as the Ant
This document is an encyclical from the Sacred Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece addressing recent schisms and heresies that have troubled the church. It outlines how the church has faced attacks from those who deny the truth since the time of the Apostles, including the heresies of Gnostics, Arians, and modern Ecumenists. Most recently, the church struggled with a schism caused by the introduction of the new papal calendar in 1924 and another in 1937 over the issue of whether the new calendar movement was actually schismatic. The encyclical affirms the church's ongoing work to heal schisms and return those who have strayed
Similar to Purgatory part 2 ... the belief in purgatory in church theological writings (early and later) (20)
This document provides an historical and theological analysis of the concept of Purgatory from its roots in early Christian tradition through its development in the Catholic Church and rejection by Protestantism. It examines the views of key figures like Augustine, Luther, and Dante and traces how the concept evolved from the patristic period through the Middle Ages and Reformation, becoming formalized as Catholic dogma while being dismissed by Protestants. It also discusses how the doctrine differs between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in the aftermath of the Great Schism of 1054.
The Council of Trent definitively reaffirmed the Catholic Church's doctrine of Purgatory in 1563. It taught that Purgatory exists and souls there are aided by prayers, Masses, and alms from the faithful. The Council also addressed Protestant criticisms of indulgences by condemning abuses but upholding the Church's power to grant them. This settled the doctrines of Purgatory and indulgences as official Catholic dogma despite the theological disputes of the Reformation era.
Purgatory... part 5...martin luther, indulgences, his excommunication, and hi...Edward Hahnenberg
1) In 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses criticizing the Catholic Church's practice of selling indulgences to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany to spark academic debate.
2) Luther was motivated to do this because he disagreed with the commercialization of indulgences by Johann Tetzel to raise funds for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
3) Tetzel's preaching promoted that indulgences could redeem souls from purgatory and absolve people from sins, which Luther believed undermined the Catholic doctrine of salvation by faith alone.
Purgatory... part 4...the councils... florence and lateran vEdward Hahnenberg
Part 4 examines the ecumenical councils of Florence and Lateran V and their contribution, or lack thereof, to codifying Purgatory as dogma in the Catholic Church.
Purgatory part 3 ... dante & the council of lyons iiEdward Hahnenberg
The document discusses the history and theology of Purgatory through analyzing Dante's Divine Comedy and the Council of Lyons II. It describes how Dante depicted the seven levels of Purgatory corresponding to the seven deadly sins. The Council of Lyons II encouraged crusaders to liberate the Holy Land and granted plenary indulgences, or full remission of temporal punishment due to sin, to those who financially supported the crusade. This set a precedent that Luther later criticized regarding indulgences being sold for money.
Understanding The Bible Part Five Psalms, Isaiah, Tobit, Judith, and EstherEdward Hahnenberg
Part Five presents the classification of Psalms as well as the possible borrowing of textual material from the Ugaritic culture. The Book of Isaiah is discussed as three separate texts with three different authors. Also discussed are the Books of Tobit, Judith, and Esther.
Understanding The Bible Part Four Chapters 1 11 GenesisEdward Hahnenberg
Part Four examines some of the stories and consequent theology of the first eleven chapters of Genesis from the viewpoint of the historical-critical scholar.
Understanding The Bible Part Three Literal, Poetic, Symbolic, And Histori...Edward Hahnenberg
Part Three examines selected biblical stories which are better understood using the historical-critical method rather than the literal, fundamentalist approach.
This document discusses several apocryphal texts including the Life of Adam and Eve, Assumption of Moses, Protevangelium of James, and Gospel of Thomas. It provides overview information and sample passages from each text. The Life of Adam and Eve and Assumption of Moses were written between 100 BC-100 AD and contain details not found in the biblical accounts. The Protevangelium of James from the 2nd century AD expands on Mary and Joseph's story. The Gospel of Thomas reflects Greek influence and may draw from the canonical gospels.
Understanding The Bible Part One The Canons Of The BibleEdward Hahnenberg
The first in a six-part series examining how to understand the Bible using the historical-critical method. The subject of Part One is the Canons of the Old and New Testament, how they were decided, and the difference between the Catholic and Protestant canons.
Jupiter has 63 moons including the largest moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Saturn has 59 moons including Titan which has methane clouds and landscapes similar to Earth. Uranus has 27 moons including Miranda which has a heavily cratered and fractured surface. Neptune has 13 moons including Triton which has geysers that shoot ice 5 miles high.
Hahnenberg Observatory in Michigan presents information for those interested in building a domed observatory, learning about the different kinds of telescopes and CCD cameras available. Sample astrophotographs, and types of CCD software, are also included in the presentation.
2. Purgatory – Part 2: Church Tradition in theological writings If one is Protestant today, and holds to Revelation being contained in the Scriptures (sola scriptura) ... and does not accept the Catholic canon of divinely-inspired books in the Bible spelled out in the Council of Trent ... wherein 2 Maccabees is one of the deuterocanonical writings upon which the idea of Purgatory is expressed in Jewish writings, then the doctrine of Purgatory is meaningless or at least difficult to accept. Where Catholics find Purgatory before its definition as dogma in the Councils of Florence and Trent is in the writings of the early Church Fathers and later writers...in other words, in the Church’s Tradition.
3. In the document, Dei Verbum, Chapter II, Sections 8-9, Vatican II made clear for Catholics, and for the world, that dogmatic truth comes from two sources: Scripture and Tradition... “The words of the holy fathers witness to the presence of this living tradition, whose wealth is poured into the practice and life of the believing and praying Church. Through the same tradition the Church's full canon of the sacred books is known, and the sacred writings themselves are more profoundly understood and unceasingly made active in her…”
4. Writings of the early Church Fathers - 1 Tertullian, Origen, Cyril, Basil, Cyprian, Ephram, Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Caesarius of Arles, and Gregory the Great ... all give witness to the early belief in Purgatory. For example, in his Treatise on the Soul, Tertullian (160-235) explains: All souls, therefore; are shut up within Hades: do you admit this? It is true, whether you say yes or no: moreover, there are already experienced there punishments and consolations... no one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades some compensatory discipline, without prejudice to the full process of the resurrection, when the recompense will be administered through the flesh besides.
5. Writings of the early Church Fathers - 2 Later, Origen (185-254), in Homilies on Jeremias, is more graphic in his description of Purgatory: For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (1 Cor.,3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones; neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works.
6. Writings of the early Church Fathers – 3 St. Basil the Great (329-379) adds in his Homilies on the Psalms: I think that the noble athletes of God, who have wrestled all their lives with the invisible enemies, after they have escaped all of their persecutions and have come to the end of life, are examined by the prince of this world; and if they are found to have any wounds from their wrestling, any stains or effects of sin, they are detained. If, however they are found unwounded and without stain, they are, as unconquered, brought by Christ into their rest.
7. Writings of the early Church Fathers – 4 St. Gregory of Nyssa (d. 385) wrote in his Sermon on the Dead: When he has quitted his body and the difference between virtue and vice is known he cannot approach God till the purging fire shall have cleansed the stains with which his soul was infested. That same fire in others will cancel the corruption of matter, and the propensity to evil.
8. Writings of the early Church Fathers – 5 St. Augustine (354-430) in his famous City of God writes: For our part, we recognize that even in this life some punishments are purgatorial,--not, indeed, to those whose life is none the better, but rather the worse for them, but to those who are constrained by them to amend their life. All other punishments, whether temporal or eternal, inflicted as they are on every one by divine providence, are sent either on account of past sins, or of sins presently allowed in the life, or to exercise and reveal a man's graces. They may be inflicted by the instrumentality of bad men and angels as well as of the good. For even if any one suffers some hurt through another's wickedness or mistake, the man indeed sins whose ignorance or injustice does the harm; but God, who by His just though hidden judgment permits it to be done, sins not. But temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But of those who suffer temporary punishments after death, all are not doomed to those everlasting pains which are to follow that judgment; for to some, as we have already said, what is not remitted in this world is remitted in the next, that is, they are not punished with the eternal punishment of the world to come.
9. Writings of the early Church Fathers – 6 Finally, Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604) gives a concise argument in his Dialogues for the existence of Purgatory: Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet, there must be a cleansing fire before judgment, because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away. Does not Christ, the Truth, say that if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit he shall not be forgiven 'either in this world or in the world to come' (Mt. 12:32)? From this statement we learn that some sins can be forgiven in this world and some in the world to come. For, if forgiveness is refused for a particular sin, we conclude logically that it is granted for others. This must apply, as I said, to slight transgressions.
10. From the opinions of the early Church writers, by the sixth century, the belief in Purgatory in the Christian church was well established. By the end of the next century, theological opinion began to be translated into liturgical action.
11. Augustine’s influence - 1 It is an understatement to say that St. Augustine was the most influential theologian in the Western Church until the arrival of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). For example, it was Augustine who embraced the concept of limbo, a state where unbaptized infants went after death. For a long time it was thought that an infant without baptism would go to hell, but would suffer a mitigated pain.
12. Augustine’s influence - 2 Augustine persuaded the Council of Carthage (418) to condemn the idea that children who pass out of this life unbaptized live in happiness. This means that Augustine believed that unbaptized infants share in the common positive misery of the damned, and the very most that Augustine concedes is that their punishment is the mildest of all, so mild indeed that one may not say that for them non-existence would be preferable to existence in such a state. (De peccat. meritis I, xxi; Contra Jul. V, 44; etc.)
13. Limbo today… In contrast, in our time, Pope John Paul II wished to do away with Limbo. A theological commission with this purpose in view was instituted by him before his death. Although the commission has not given their final verdict, as Cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI had already voiced his opinion on the dissolution of Limbo. Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, presided over the commission's first sessions and said that Limbo has no place in modern Catholicism. In Ratzinger Report: An Exclusive Interview on the State of the Church, he told VittorioMessori that Limbo had “never been a definitive truth of the faith ... Personally, I would let it drop, since it has always been only a theological hypothesis.”
14. Limbo dismissed… Considering the influence Augustine had on the belief in Limbo, and his previously stated position on Purgatory, how much of Tradition does the opinion of one theologian make? Augustine’s position on Limbo has been dismissed in paragraph 1261 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.
15. Abortion and Limbo… This statement of the Catholic Church today, in addition to the intentions of two modern papal figures, would seem to indicate that Limbo will disappear from any further discussion within eschatological theology. This is particularly important considering the hundreds of millions of abortions world-wide...and a comfort to those Christian parents who lose their children through miscarriages or still-born births. Can Augustine’s theological position on Purgatory also be called into question? No theologian, not even an Augustine or an Aquinas, can speak, on his own authority, for official Catholic belief. What they offer to the Church is theological opinion, important as it may be to the development of Tradition.
16. Further development of concept of Purgatory Western theologians continued to develop the concept of Purgatory, constructing a more consistent synthesis. There was general agreement on the presence of fire as a purging agent. However, since the body was removed from the soul at death, it is difficult to understand how a physical fire could affect a spiritual being without some theological hypothesizing, none of which offered a definitive solution. Eastern theologians rejected the idea of fire.
17. Aquinas & Purgatory St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) explained the fire as a binding and hampering of the soul, but not as physical fire. He also held that the least pain in Purgatory was greater than the worst in this life. St. Bonaventure (1221-1274 ) said the worst suffering after death was greater than the worst on earth, but the same could not be said regarding the least purgatorial suffering.
18. Bellarmine on Purgatory St. Robert Bellarmine (1524-1561) said that in some way the pains of Purgatory are greater than those on earth. At least objectively the loss of the beatific vision after death, is worse than its non-possession now. There was, and still is, no certainty concerning the intensity of the pain of Purgatory. However, St. Catherine of Genoa’s (1447-1510) description of Purgatory is compelling reading; however, it falls into the category of mystical private revelation and Catholics are free to withhold belief in it, or any other private revelation, if they so choose.
19. St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510) What is significant about the Catherine’s Treatise on Purgatory is her emphasis on the joy of those in Purgatory. This joy seems to overshadow the pain of deprivation from the fullness of God’s presence. Portions of the first three chapters follow:
20. Catherine of Genoa - Ch.1 This holy Soul found herself, while still in the flesh, placed by the fiery love of God in Purgatory, which burnt her, cleansing whatever in her needed cleansing, to the end that when she passed from this life she might be presented to the sight of God, her dear Love. By means of this loving fire, she understood in her soul the state of the souls of the faithful who are placed in Purgatory to purge them of all the rust and stains of sin of which they have not rid themselves in this life. And since this Soul, placed by the divine fire in this loving Purgatory, was united to that divine love and content with all that was wrought in her, she understood the state of the souls who are in Purgatory. And she said: The souls who are in Purgatory cannot, as I understand, choose but be there, and this is by God's ordinance who therein has done justly. They cannot turn their thoughts back to themselves, nor can they say, "Such sins I have committed for which I deserve to be here ", nor, "I would that I had not committed them for then I would go now to Paradise", nor, "That one will leave sooner than I", nor, "I will leave sooner than he". They can have neither of themselves nor of others any memory, whether of good or evil, whence they would have greater pain than they suffer ordinarily. So happy are they to be within God's ordinance, and that He should do all which pleases Him, as it pleases Him that in their greatest pain they cannot think of themselves. They see only the working of the divine goodness, which leads man to itself mercifully, so that he no longer sees aught of the pain or good which may befall him.
21. Catherine of Genoa – Ch. 2 I believe no happiness can be found worthy to be compared with that of a soul in Purgatory except that of the saints in Paradise; and day by day this happiness grows as God flows into these souls, more and more as the hindrance to His entrance is consumed. Sin's rust is the hindrance, and the fire burns the rust away so that more and more the soul opens itself up to the divine inflowing. A thing which is covered cannot respond to the sun's rays, not because of any defect in the sun, which is shining all the time, but because the cover is an obstacle; if the cover be burnt away, this thing is open to the sun; more and more as the cover is consumed does it respond to the rays of the sun It is in this way that rust, which is sin, covers souls, and in Purgatory is burnt away by fire; the more it is consumed, the more do the souls respond to God, the true sun. As the rust lessens and the soul is opened up to the divine ray, happiness grows; until the time be accomplished the one wanes and the other waxes.
22. Catherine of Genoa – Ch. 2 cont’d Pain however does not lessen but only the time for which pain is endured. As for will: never can the souls say these pains are pains, so contented are they with God's ordaining with which, in pure charity, their will is united. But, on the other hand, they endure a pain so extreme that no tongue can be found to tell it, nor could the mind understand its least pang if God by special grace did not show so much. Which least pang God of His grace showed to this Soul, but with her tongue she cannot say what it is. This sight which the Lord revealed to me has never since left my mind and I will tell what I can of it. They will understand whose mind God deigns to open.
23. Catherine of Genoa – Ch. 3 There can be no good save by participation in God, who meets the needs of irrational creatures as He wills and has ordained, never failing them, and answers to a rational soul in the measure in which He finds it cleansed of sin's hindrance. When therefore a soul has come near to the pure and clear state in which it was created, its beatific instinct discovers itself and grows unceasingly, so impetuously and with such fierce charity (drawing it to its last end) that any hindrance seems to this soul a thing past bearing. The more it sees, the more extreme is its pain.
24. Catherine of Genoa – Ch. 3 cont’d Because the souls in Purgatory are without the guilt of sin, there is no hindrance between them and God except their pain, which holds them back so that they cannot reach perfection. Clearly they see the grievousness of every least hindrance in their way, and see too that their instinct is hindered by a necessity of justice: thence is born a raging fire, like that of Hell save that guilt is lacking to it. Guilt it is which makes the will of the damned in Hell malignant, on whom God does not bestow His goodness and who remain therefore in desperate ill will, opposed to the will of God.
25. Word pictures of Purgatory Arguably one of the most influential works on Purgatory was not the writings of saints or the early Church Fathers, but rather a work of written art…The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri (1265-1361). Its influence was rooted in the Roman classics but also in the Church’s Tradition. It gave graphic pictorial images of the stages of Purgatory…and pictures painted in the imagination were difficult to forget.