1B2: What can we know about ourselves and the way God governs us through knowing how God progressively revealed Himself to his people?

1st Year, Semester B, 2nd Module (1B2)

Summary:  In recent times, and especially with the Encyclical Letter Faith and Reason (1998), the Church has very specifically taught about the harmonious relationship between Divine Revelation and man’s natural quest for truth.  God uses many signs through which to reveal Himself to man, like human language, gestures and the Sacraments to name but only a few.  We can say then that we enter more fully into his divine government when we seek to know better what these signs mean, what their significations are.  Our intelligence is a gift to be developed at the service of our understanding of God’s revelation.  What is revealed to us by God in the Old Testament?

Various themes to be looked at:

  • Faith and reason: being intelligent for God and the neighbour
  • Dei Verbum: receiving both from Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition
  • The Word of God: nourishment for the soul
  • Book of Genesis: our beginnings!

 

Bibliography:

Dei Verbum (1965): Dogmatic Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, in which the Church affirms that revelation is through both Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition

Faith and Reason (1998): Encyclical Letter where Pope Benedict draws on the importance of the intellect in the life of faith. We are CALLED to be intelligent in our faith.