Hope you enjoy the blog for today. God bless the rest of your weeks, and all your travels this weekend.
Peace!
Olivia
Week 3: Seeds of the Logos
At the last Zeteo event, Louis Rouleau explained that we need to have a generosity and openness of Spirit in regards to people of other religions. As I wrote about in this blog, any attempt to understand the truth of our existence is good because it is a religious instinct.
Nostra Aetate is a doctrine that came out of the Second Vatican Council that revolutionized the way the Catholic Church responded to other religions. This document prompts Catholics not to discriminate those of other religions, but instead, to be at peace with all people so as to be like Christ.
Saint Justin Martyr was a theologian during the time of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire. He took an ancient theory, that of the logos, and applied it to Christ. Many philosophers before him had spoken about the logos, this idea of the logos often referred to reason or the word, and claimed that Christ was the height of reason, the living Word. Saint Justin theorized that these philosophers were Christian's without realizing it - as Christ had not yet come, because they had devoted their lives to seeking truth, and in many instances had found pieces of it.
Saint Justin was before his time in respecting the attempts non-believers to explain reality, and in distinguishing truth in other religions and philosophies. It was not until the Second Vatican Council that Christians were encouraged to engage in theological discussions with non-Christians, and to recognize truth outside of Christianity. In Nostra Aetate, Christians were ensured that wherever there is truth and goodness, there is Christ - as Saint Justin had believed long before.
As described by Louis, this explains the somewhat complicated teaching of the Catholic church on the salvation of non-believers. A sincere non-believer can be saved, even if he never accepted Jesus fully in faith, if he has truly searched for truth and goodness. Of course, the Catholic Church emphasizes that Jesus, as Louis put it, is the sole mediator of salvation. This truth is expressed in Acts 4:12, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
So it is, that in this complicated day, we are encouraged to cling to the fullness of truth that is our Catholic faith, while also respecting the various other religions and practices that surround us. It seems unfortunate to me that, as Christians, we are called to be at peace with all people, when so often we are seen as people that are judgemental, discriminatory, or prejudiced.
It is difficult to see the corruption in the world and not feel that the world is being taken over by untruths. However, it is true now, and has forever been, that there are seeds of truth all around us, and it is our duty as Christians to be as Christ, and love first.
Saint Justin Martyr was a theologian during the time of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire. He took an ancient theory, that of the logos, and applied it to Christ. Many philosophers before him had spoken about the logos, this idea of the logos often referred to reason or the word, and claimed that Christ was the height of reason, the living Word. Saint Justin theorized that these philosophers were Christian's without realizing it - as Christ had not yet come, because they had devoted their lives to seeking truth, and in many instances had found pieces of it.
Saint Justin was before his time in respecting the attempts non-believers to explain reality, and in distinguishing truth in other religions and philosophies. It was not until the Second Vatican Council that Christians were encouraged to engage in theological discussions with non-Christians, and to recognize truth outside of Christianity. In Nostra Aetate, Christians were ensured that wherever there is truth and goodness, there is Christ - as Saint Justin had believed long before. As described by Louis, this explains the somewhat complicated teaching of the Catholic church on the salvation of non-believers. A sincere non-believer can be saved, even if he never accepted Jesus fully in faith, if he has truly searched for truth and goodness. Of course, the Catholic Church emphasizes that Jesus, as Louis put it, is the sole mediator of salvation. This truth is expressed in Acts 4:12, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
So it is, that in this complicated day, we are encouraged to cling to the fullness of truth that is our Catholic faith, while also respecting the various other religions and practices that surround us. It seems unfortunate to me that, as Christians, we are called to be at peace with all people, when so often we are seen as people that are judgemental, discriminatory, or prejudiced.
It is difficult to see the corruption in the world and not feel that the world is being taken over by untruths. However, it is true now, and has forever been, that there are seeds of truth all around us, and it is our duty as Christians to be as Christ, and love first.
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