The Hebrew word “give” ( natan ) is used in a wide variety of senses in Scripture. It is used in contexts where it means “teach”: Wisdom is given to the wise man (Proverbs 9:9). Words are “given” as well as “spoken.” Privileges are . . . . Continue Reading »
In the last week, I posted a tweet where I raised the question whether “doctrines of substance and natures” constitute a form of idolatry. Some friends have suggested this is too complicated a subject to twitter about. They are right. It’s a subject too complicated and fraught to . . . . Continue Reading »
In his stimulating new volume, Metaphysics: The Creation of Hierarchy , Adrian Pabst offers a fresh (to me) assessment of Plato and his differences from Aristotle. Focusing on the problems of individuation, he argues that Plato offers a “relational” metaphysics that affirms rather than . . . . Continue Reading »
Insofar as anything appears to us, it radiates itself. Insofar as it radiates itself, it is light. Insofar as it is light, it is the glory and beauty of God. We need to wear dark glasses all the time so as not to be blinded by the light that blazes from everything. Dark glasses, or eyes as bright . . . . Continue Reading »
Thomas ( ST II-II, 2, 7) argues that every saved person, including Adam, had explicit knowledge of the incarnation of Christ: “the object of faith includes, properly and directly, that thing through which man obtains beatitude. Now the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation and Passion is the . . . . Continue Reading »
Berry again, waxing prophetic, and thanks again to Ken Myers. “In denying the holiness of the body and of the so-called physical reality of the world—and in denying support to the good economy, the good work, by which alone the Creation can receive due honor—modern Christianity . . . . Continue Reading »
In God and the Crisis of Freedom , Richard Bauckham offers this superb example of freedom and self-creation: “If I make myself, for example, into a brilliant musician, then certainly I am exercising a real freedom to make all the choices, some no doubt very hard, that lead to this. But this . . . . Continue Reading »
Thomas (ST II-II, 2, 3) asks whether faith is necessary for salvation or the “perfection” of human nature. Citing Hebrews 11:6, he concludes, of course, that faith is necessary, and in the process argues that rational creatures reach perfection not only “in what belongs to it in . . . . Continue Reading »
Anatolios sums up a wonderful exposition of Nyssa’s epistemology with this: “The distinctive character of Gregory’s epistemology . . . lies not so much in delimiting the extent of information that can be gleaned by the mind (he insists there is no limit) as in locating the act of . . . . Continue Reading »
In de officiis 1.28, Ambrose mentions some who “considered it consonant with justice that one should treat common, that is, public property as public, and private as private.” He rejects the position: “this is not even in accord with nature.” He elaborates in terms of a . . . . Continue Reading »
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