Primary & Alternate View of our Catholic Theology Session 3

2 St. Augustine Original Sin St. Anselm Doctrine of Atonement – Cur Deus Homo 1.If Adam & Eve had not sinned [original sin] would Jesus still have become human? 2.Why or why not? Quiz

Student 1 : No – St Anselm demonstrates that the Incarnation was required because the offense is against the infinite God, an offense that humans do not have the ability to atone for. Student 2: No, though sin is the least important reason, none-the- less my esteemed colleague is correct. Incarnation would not have been essential if man had remained faithful Student 3: Yes – Incarnation was always God’s plan and intention, hence the reason for creation

4 St. Augustine Original Sin St. Anselm Doctrine of Atonement – Cur Deus Homo Dominican Tradition Dominic Thomas Aquinas Essence Intellect Sin & atonement centered Knowledge Jesus as expiation for sin work at worthiness Earn salvation Flee the world Jesus – no Pope Leo XIII 1879 Aterni Patris Primary view – Juridical Path of ascent

5 Spirituality for the 2 halves of Life 2 nd Half 1 st Half – Ascent Observance & Faithful attendance hot topics e.g. Sexuality, morality, Laws, Rules Commandments atone for sin, guilt, penance performance – earn worthiness, earn salvation Wrong questions – about who is right Career-building, right/wrong, sense of boundaries Moral codes

GOD – sanctity and holiness - spirituality US – Creation The world, material sin Our Movement toward GOD Leaving behind the world to achieve the spiritual Spirituality of ascent Seeking Perfection and holiness primary & monastic spirituality to leave the world (by overcoming sin and the material world) to ascend to union with the Divine (Spiritual or union of the soul with God)

7 Building a sense of boundaries e.g. Right & wrong. Observance of rules, commandments etc performance oriented Spirituality of Addition – more is better constantly re-doing our start up work Characteristics

8 The Path of Ascent is based on monastic spirituality (St. Benedict) as if it was a ladder to climb, a 4-fold ladder to union with God. Guigo the Carthusian – Lectio Divina Read Scripture [lectio] Meditate on Scripture [meditatio] Pray [oratio] Contemplate – to draw us out of the world [contemplo]

9 Creation Fall Redemption But what if Scripture describes an Alternative view of events -Standard view/sequence of Creation

10 St. Augustine Original Sin St. Anselm Doctrine of Atonement Dominican Tradition Dominic Thomas Aquinas Essence Intellect Sin & atonement centered knowledge Jesus as expiation for sin work at worthiness Earn salvation Flee the world Jesus – no Pope Leo XIII 1879 Aterni Patris Primary view –Juridical Path of ascent Franciscan Tradition Francis & Clare Bonaventure & Scotus Person Volition - WILL Love-centered - sensory affective Jesus - blueprint of creation Incarnation unites and transforms the world Love the world – vestige Jesus – Yes Eph 1:3-14 & Col 1:15-20 Alternate view – relational Path of Descent The Cappodocians Athanasius Basil the Great Gregory of Nyssa Gregory Nazianzus pseudo-Dionysis Victorines

11 Spirituality for the 2 nd half of Life 2 nd Half - Descent 1 st Half Jesus & the Gospels are 2 nd Half of life teaching/witness Not based on earning anything, but on powerlessness and unearned worthiness/giftedness not individualized, based on being in community based on relationships addresses institutional evil/structural sin different questions ( equitable distribution, justice, compassion ) Not based on performance

GOD Us – Creation – Material world, sin Our movement toward God Ascending to spiritual union By fleeing the world God’s movement toward all creation The Incarnation Transforms and unites material & Spiritual All is good All is holy Us - Creation

13 Beginning with the “Blue-print” Jesus Christ God's activity begins before time Franciscan View of the Creation Sequence

14 Jesus the Master Plan First born of Creation – Alpha & Omega Pre-existant Word- Logos Center, focus, reason for creation, goal of creation All things created through, for Him & have their goal/fullness in Him Jesus Creation fall Incarnation Design execution Completion

15 All creation begins with the “Blue-print” Jesus Christ God's activity begins before time and Jesus/Incarnation always was God’s desire, plan & intent Incarnation was not an after-thought brought about by man’s failure [sin]

The Foundations of Franciscan Spirituality Incarnation – God’s greatest gift Humility & Poverty of God Jesus is the ultimate answer Path of Littleness [descent] – creatureliness & dependence [contingency] Mutual & reciprocal relationships

Consider the different focus between these 2 major Spiritual Traditions. Question --How might the difference affect your approach to God and Life and affect your image of God? How you journey determines, how you arrive