In my last post I quoted the Episcopal bishop who said that “we don’t know what happened to Jesus after his death,” referring to an understanding that the physical resurrection of Christ is not necessary for the Christian faith. That is a befuddling statement for any Christian to make. Scripture tells us exactly what happened … Continue reading The Resurrection Part 2
Nature of God
The Hypostatic Union Part 2
The two natures of Christ, human and divine, can be found in Sacred Scripture. The evidence in Sacred Scripture that Christ is indeed God was provided here (post 1, post 2). We’ll now look at the evidence found in Scripture that Jesus was truly man. For there we see that Christ got hungry, could be … Continue reading The Hypostatic Union Part 2
The Hypostatic Union Part 1
While perhaps not as recognized as the theological terms of the Trinity and Incarnation, the dogma of the Hypostatic Union is equally as important to understand who is the person of Jesus Christ. This dogma professes the revealed truth that in Christ, one person subsists in two natures, the Divine and the human. The Catechism … Continue reading The Hypostatic Union Part 1
Jesus as the Son of Mary – the Incarnation
The first reason given by the Catechism that God becomes man is in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who “loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” (CCC457). Jesus is able to save us because he becomes one of us, representing humanity to the Father and … Continue reading Jesus as the Son of Mary – the Incarnation
The Incarnation – An Overview
The word “Incarnation,” like the word “Trinity” is another term that doesn’t appear in Scripture but is widespread in Christian use. “Incarnate” mean to invest with bodily and especially human form and nature. “Made manifest or comprehensible.” This is another example of a “normal” word that becomes Christianized with a unique Christian meaning. When Christ … Continue reading The Incarnation – An Overview
The Holy Spirit is a Person – The Trinity in Scripture
Equally important to the understanding of the Trinity is the belief that the Holy Spirit is God. The third person of the Trinity is fully and equally God. The Jehovah Witnesses will argue that the Holy Spirit is not a person, but rather God’s power in action, a “force.” For example, in Luke 1:35 the … Continue reading The Holy Spirit is a Person – The Trinity in Scripture
Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 2
There is a great deal of evidence in Scripture that tells us that Jesus is God. Perhaps no passage is clearer than this one: John 1:1-3,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through … Continue reading Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 2
Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 1
Central to the dogma of the Trinity is who Jesus Christ is. Those who believe in the Trinity believe that Jesus Christ is God, the second person of the Trinity who assumed a human nature and walked among us. Those who do not accept the Trinity as truth will often point to passages in Scripture … Continue reading Jesus is God – The Trinity in Scripture, Part 1
Jesus and the Father are Separate Persons – The Trinity in Scripture
The next group of Scriptures we’ll review are those that show the Father and Jesus are clearly two separate persons. These Scriptures stand in direct contradiction to a belief in modalism, the idea that God is one person who has simply expressed Himself to us in three different ways. Modalists will often point to John … Continue reading Jesus and the Father are Separate Persons – The Trinity in Scripture
God is One – The Trinity in Scripture
The groups that oppose the dogma of the Trinity will often point to the many Scriptural passages that tell us that God is “one.” Passages from the Old Testament that speak to this include Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord,” and Isaiah 45:5 “I am the Lord, and there is … Continue reading God is One – The Trinity in Scripture
Other Ancient Heresies
It seems to me that if you want to commit heresy, the surest and easiest way is to try to explain the Trinity. The catechism in CCC2089 defines heresy as “the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the … Continue reading Other Ancient Heresies
The Development of Christian Doctrine
In my last post I reviewed how the dogma of the Trinity came to be more formalized. This is an example of how Christian doctrine has developed over time. The dogma of the Trinity as articulated by Christians today is not explicitly spelled out in Scripture. In fact, the word “Trinity” is nowhere to be … Continue reading The Development of Christian Doctrine
The Arian Heresy, or Arianiam
The more formal development and decree of the dogma of the Trinity we see in use in most Christian groups today is directly the result of the Arian heresy. This heresy erupted within Christendom in the early fourth century. Arius was an eastern priest who began to teach that Christ as the son of God … Continue reading The Arian Heresy, or Arianiam
The Dogma of the Trinity
A good first step is to review exactly what the dogma of the Trinity is, and is not. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a lot to say about the subject, but in my view these are some of the most important passages to help our understanding. CCC253 The Trinity is One. We do … Continue reading The Dogma of the Trinity
Introduction to the Trinity
Over the next several posts I’ll be covering the topic of the Trinity. In the life of a Christian, when we consider the nature of God, there is nothing more essential or basic than the understanding that God is three persons, in one God. This dogma is so foundational and important for Christians it usually … Continue reading Introduction to the Trinity
God is Omnipotent
Another characteristic of God generally agreed among Christians is that He is omnipotent, meaning to be almighty or infinite in power. There are many references in Scripture that speak to this: Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked … Continue reading God is Omnipotent
God is Immutable – A Practical Example
Mother Teresa has long been revered by Catholics as a model of Christ’s love, especially toward the poor and destitute of the world. However, she was not without her critics, both from the secular world and sometimes other Christians. One criticism she received from some Christians was that she referred to those she cared for … Continue reading God is Immutable – A Practical Example
God is immutable (He does not change), Part 2
The understanding that God is immutable in general is shared with other Christians. For example, from this Evangelical site: Third, the immutability of God is related to His omniscience. When someone changes his/her mind, it is often because new information has come to light that was not previously known or because the circumstances have changed … Continue reading God is immutable (He does not change), Part 2
God is immutable (He does not change), Part I
Another term used by The Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic faith from Vatican I to describe the nature of God is that He is “completely simple and unchangeable.” There are many Scriptures that teach us that God doesn’t change. One instance would be in the way God reveals himself to Moses in Exodus 3:13-14. … Continue reading God is immutable (He does not change), Part I
God is Omniscient
Another aspect of God’s nature that Christians in general agree on is that He is omniscient. Omniscience means to have infinite awareness, understanding and insight, or to possess universal or complete knowledge. Given that we believe He is omnipresent, the idea that God knows everything there is to know is a reasonable conclusion. From this … Continue reading God is Omniscient
God is Omnipresent, a Practical Example
Theology matters. What we believe about God to be true matters. It’s not just about lofty thoughts, but can impact our lives in important ways. I remember reading an internet post on a Christian forum one time when the discussion topic was about God being outside of time, and not bound by it as we … Continue reading God is Omnipresent, a Practical Example
God is Omnipresent
Omnipresence simply means to be present in all place at all times. God is not only everywhere, in all places. He is also equally in all moments of time, as though they were one single moment. He experiences no past, present or future. He is as He reveals Himself is Scripture as “I AM WHO … Continue reading God is Omnipresent
God is Simple
Another phrase used to describe the nature of God is that He is “completely simple and unchangeable” (The Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic faith from Vatican I). At first glance, the idea that God is “simple” seems to be counterintuitive. How can the all-powerful, all-knowing God be simple? I think part of the problem is … Continue reading God is Simple
God is Spirit
The Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic faith from Vatican I in describing the nature of God uses the term “spiritual substance.” This truth is generally agreed upon by Christians. Scripture attests that “God is spirit” (John 4:24), that Jesus is the image of the “invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), that God is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17), … Continue reading God is Spirit
The God Who Does Not Need Us
The link to the clip by Bishop Barron at the bottom of this post will start us off with the idea that God doesn’t need us. As he says, at first blush that can sound rather off putting and doesn’t really sound like good news. But as he points out, it’s “remarkably good news.” He … Continue reading The God Who Does Not Need Us
Between the Farm and the Cross 