Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 Topic: The Spirituality of the Early Church
Learning Objective: Provide insight into Christian perfection as an imitation of Christ and description of development of ascetico-mystico teaching through the 4th Century including the concepts of deification and divinization.
Teaching Strategy: Lecture and Discussion
Evaluation Technique: Class participation, Blog, EBB, and Mid-term Exam.
Assignment due Sept 13: Spiritual Theology, Chapter 3; Christian Spirituality, Chapter 4 and 5; and review class notes on Blog and submit questions (http://theo6105.blogspot.com), and entry into discussion on Electronic Bulletin Board (referred to from here on out as ‘Blog and EBB’).
On Tuesday, we will describe the teaching on deification/divinization that emerges in the 4th century. We will also look at the relation of Christ to the Spiritual provided by Jordan Aumann in Chapter 3 of Spiritual Theology.
Date Tuesday, September 13, 2005 Topic: Life in Christ and The Monasticism
Learning Objective: Distinguish how Christ is the way the truth and the life and describe how early monks understood monasticism as a following of Christ.
Teaching Strategy: Lecture and Discussion.
Evaluation Technique: Class participation, EBB, Blog and Midterm.
Assignment due Sept. 15: Spiritual Theology, Chapter 4, Christian Spirituality, Chapter 6
Lecture notes for Sept. 13 were in a previous posting by I have reproduced them here for reference.
Lecture on Our Life in Christ
The Scriptures are a source of encountering Christ, but they in fact reveal that he is present in more wonderful ways than even the written word. On the level of divine revelation, it is appropriate to say that Christ has come once and for all. There is no new revelation objectively speaking. But subjectively, the coming of Christ is still being realized and in the power of the Holy Spirit this coming is dynamic and continual. This means he is always present to us in the world in new ways. Presences of the Word in the World can be distinguished in seven kinds - the presences are experienced in ever new ways by each and every soul searching for Christ – because Christ is searching for each and every soul. 1. Creation2. Hypostatic union3. Personal, the Grace of Indwelling4. Ecclesial, the holy synaxis gathered in prayer5. Scripture and Tradition6. Eucharist and other Sacraments7. Eschatological, all things are ordered to Christ’s power and authorityOur Life in ChristReasons for the Incarnation – (1) salvation, (2) to reveal Father’s love, (3) to provide example of obedience, and (4)to deify humanityAchieved through the visible and spiritual missionsComing of Christ established his mystical BodyIncorporation-- members of the mystical bodyB the Way (Christ as means of holiness)Through his mystical Body he communicates himself to us:Exemplar of Holiness B the Truth (the following and the imitation of Christ)Efficient, meritorious, mystical head B the Life (union with Christ)Mystical Headorder (hierarchy)perfection (full of grace)Power (all comes from him)How do we receive this?sacraments and living faithEucharistThe glory of God is the ultimate end, our sanctification is the proximate end and incorporation in Christ is the only way of attaining both ends. Everything depends on living the mystery of Christ with ever increasing intensity because Christian spirituality is nothing other than an intimate participation in the mystery of Christ.Spiritual Experience and the Divine IndwellingHow are the invisible missions of the Son and the Spirit distinguished and related to each other? According to St. Thomas (ST I, q. 43) To be sent means to be present in a new way, the Word and the Spirit are present whenever we become more like them in knowledge and love. Hence, the Word comes or is sent with every new knowledge that stirs up love for God, and Spirit comes with the stirring of the affection of our love for God. These missions always go together meaning that with every new increasing in knowledge there is an increase in affection. Through this knowledge and love, the Word and the Spirit avail themselves to the soul to be enjoyed and to be of service. The Father sends his Son and the Spirit so that souls may enjoy union with God and be enabled to accomplish some great work. The Son and the Spirit place themselves at our disposal for this purpose. The missions of the divine persons are the source of the divine communion and personal vocation of each soul.
Date: Thursday, September 15, 2005 Topic: The Supernatural Organism and the Scholastics
Learning Objectives: Provide an explanation of the supernatural organism. Describe the relation of the different kinds of grace, virtues, gifts, fruits and beatitudes. Provide understanding of why the scholastics began to develop teachings on the supernatural organism and the divine indwelling.
Teaching Strategy: Lecture and Discussion
Evaluation Technique: Class participation, EBB, Blog, and Midterm.
Assignment due Sept. 20 : Spiritual Theology, chapter 5 and 6, Christian Spirituality, chapter 8 and Blog and EBB.
3 comments:
I think that where we are going is truly a call to a truly authentic catholic culture. this expresses itself with simple things that do all of what we are speaking of in expressing the fathers love to us in an incarnational way. The saints and art are churches best means of evangilzation
Good observation Peter.
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