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End Notes
1 Unfortunately, sin is a
universal problem affecting all of us. Not all Catholics have fully
embraced this constant teaching of the Church promoting the equal
dignity of women. However, the Church should be viewed according to her
teachings and those who follow them, and not according to those who do
not.
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2 Jesus
is not a human being, but a Divine Being. He is one Person who has two
natures, a human one and a divine one. A person is defined as a being.
Since He is only one Person He is only one Being. He is co-eternal with
the Father, therefore He is a Divine Being. If in Jesus there had been two
persons - i.e. two beings - that would have undermined the very
principle by which we are saved. See article on the
Anti-Christ and Nestorian.
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3
Christianity does not teach that God the Father is male, but rather that
He is pure spirit without sex. We refer to Him in masculine terms
because He was revealed to us by the Son in that manner. Besides
that, referring to the godhead in feminine terms is consistent with
pagan theology, but it does not fit with Christianity. For example,
Hindus believe that all creation is part of god. They view the world as
being created out of the very substance of god.
The Latin derivation for “mother” is “mater”
(think of maternal etc.) It means origin, source, or the substance
out of which something is made. Also see the derivation for “matter.”
Both words “mother” and “matter” come from the same word. If we
had a Mother god then we would be made out of the same substance of
that god. Hence, we would be gods ourselves.
However, Christians have a God who is Father.
His creation is something outside of Himself. And the male and female
creatures tell us something about God and who He is and who we are. And
Divine revelation tells us about our relationship with God by describing
Him as the Groom and the Church as the bride.
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The Four
Gospels
The four Canonical Gospels, Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John, have been authenticated to a much
higher degree of certainty than any other book in antiquity.
They were written between 42 and 90 AD. On the other hand,
the Gnostic Gospels were not written until 150 - 300 AD or
later. The Canonical Gospels were all accepted without
dispute among the Church Fathers.
St. Papias writing in 130 AD refers
to Matthew and Mark’s Gospels. [Eusebius
History of Ch. 3,39,15-16.]
By the time Irenaeus writes about
the four Gospels in 180 AD he records how the issue of which
ones are authentic is settled with such a certainty that
there is no question. He says that there can be no other
than the four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
St. Irenaeus states:
“It is not possible that the
Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they
are. For, since there are four zones of the world in
which we live, and four principal winds … it is fitting
that she should have four pillars … the Gospel under
four aspects, but bound together by one Spirit. … And
therefore the Gospels are … according to John …
according to Luke … Matthew … Mark … For the living
creatures are quadriform, and the Gospel is quadriform
…” [Against Heresies 3,11,8]
About the four Gospels he also
says:
“ … the Gospel has come down to
us … by the will of God, handed down to us in the
Scriptures … Matthew also issued a written Gospel among
the Hebrews in their own dialect … Mark, the disciple
and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in
writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the
companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel
preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the
Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself
publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in
Asia.” [Against Heresies 3,1,1]
Irenaeus’ reliability and accuracy
is authenticated by his close connection to the Apostles and
his appointment as Bishop of Lyons.
“But Polycarp also was not only
instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had
seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia,
appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also
saw in my early youth, for he … gloriously and most
nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, having
always taught the things which he had learned from the
apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and
which alone are true.” [Against
Heresies 3,3,4]
For further reading :
See The Da Vinci Deception
pages 69-86.
See
Church Fathers at New Advent
Also
Proving Inspiration by Catholic Answers.
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