The Synopsis of the Existence of God

From reasoning about the world of things around us

-reason tells us that the world did not always exist but must have had a beginning. It could not have made itself. An almighty Creator must have called it into being by some means.

-within the world and the universe, there exists a marvelous order which could not have been the result of mere chance. An all-wise and all-powerful supreme Being must have organized it all. We call Him GOD

What does

this word

mean?

Greek word, “apokalypsis”

-to remove the “veil”

-to uncover

What is being

unveiled or

uncovered?

DIVINE

“Divine revelation is God’s personal loving communication to us of who He is and His plan to save us all in His love. It is God’s reaching out to us in friendship, so we get to know and love Him.” (CFC101)

“All revelation is symbolic.” (R. Haight)“Revelatory symbols are those which express and mediate God’s self-communication.” (A. Dulles)

SYMBOLS-finite realities and point to

a transcendent reality, something

imperceptible/invisible.-make Transcendent Reality

present and participate in Transcendent Reality.

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

1.) The Transcendent Reality can be expressed through various symbols.

-each symbol will not be able to contain the full reality.-we do not have direct access to God but all these symbols (Scriptures, nature, any finite reality) mediate God’s

presence to us.-symbols express more than what they are or they seem to hold because they point to, by participating it, God’s reality.

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

2.) Every claim that symbol is more than what it is or makes the divine present is a confessional statement.-it is not open to empirical

science.

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

3.) How God Reveals Himself.a.) Natural Signs

-creating us, everything we see, hear, touch.-God’s first manifestation is in creation.

“The created universe constitutes a first presence and a first manifestation of God’s permanent testimony of Himself to humanity inscribed in the universe he has created.” (Rom 1:19-20; DV 3)

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

3.) How God Reveals Himself.b.) Biblical Signs

-words and deeds in scriptures, completed and perfected in Jesus Christ.

c.) Ecclesial signs-continuing presence by the Holy Spirit in His people, the Church.

d.) Liturgical signs-prayer and sacramental worship, doctrine and moral service of the Church.

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

3.) How God Reveals Himself e.) Grace in our conscience

-God’s interior presencef.) Signs of the Times

-daily events in history

The Christian Idea of God**reference- CFC 73, 102

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

4.) Jesus is the symbol of Goda.) “Christianity is the most

incarnational faith” (K. Rahner)-He has made the invisible God visible.

b.) Jesus Christ is the “completion and perfection of Divine Revelation. (DV4)

b.1)The Risen Christ is the unique, irrevocable and definitive revelation of God. (CFC70)

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

4.) Jesus is the symbol of Godb.2) For Christians, Jesus is:

i.) The Revealer of the Father

ii.) Himself, the image and Word of God

iii.) The Final Goal of God’s Revelation, our ultimate destiny.

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

4.) Jesus is the symbol of Godb.3) Christ is the goal, content

and the agent of God’s self-revelation

i.) As Goal: Jesus is the key, the center and the purpose of the whole of human history (GS 10)

are to be conformed (Rom 8:29).in whose image we

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

4.) Jesus is the symbol of Godii.) As content: Jesus is the

revealed one.-Christ, the new Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to himself and brings to light his highest calling. (GS 22)

THE CHRISTIAN IDEA OF GOD

4.) Jesus is the symbol of Godiii.) As agent: Jesus is the

mediator (DV2).-Christ is the revealer through his part in creation, through his becoming man, throughhis hidden and public life, and especially through his passion, death and resurrection.-after his resurrection, the Risen Christ continues his revelation by sending us his Holy Spirit. (DV4)

In what particular symbol God has chosen to reveal Himself to you? What do you think is the reason why God chooses that symbol to reveal Himself to you?