DEFENDING  THE  BRIDE

 


153 Fish Bible. 153 Large Fish in John Bible - John explains his purpose for the use of 153 Fish, 153 large fish in John 21:11, as a metaphor.  Bible points to the context.

 

Why Did Science Develop in West ?

How Catholic Teaching Led to Scientific Advancement

 

“The truth is that science arose only because the doctrine of the rational creator of a rational universe made scientific inquiry plausible.” R. Stark

  

Christians believed that all of creation was ordered by God.  And they believed a study of this order would help us to know Him better.

 

God as Architect / Geometer,   

circa. AD 1220.

 

       
   

 
   
   

 Hebrews 11:10

“ …  whose architect and maker is God.”

 

The compass in this 13th century manuscript is a symbol of God’s act of creation. God has created the universe using geometric and harmonic principles. 

 

Wisdom of Solomon 11:20

“But thou [God] hast arranged all things by measure and number and weight.”

 

Wisdom 13:5
“For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.”

 

CCC 299

“Because God creates through wisdom, his creation is ordered ...”

 

And so, by the help of His grace we can learn more about Him and His plan for our salvation.  And we can become united to His mystical body, the Church, and ultimately be with Him in Heaven.  

 

So, the study of order, natural law, and science fit perfectly within the very essence of Judaic-Christian theology.  

 

Therefore, Christians were impelled to study this order, and this became the foundation for science. 

 

However, other religions did not start with this advantage.  Islam and Luther for example despised reason. The pagans believed their gods followed the whims of passion and disorder. 

 

So, even when these cultures made great discoveries they were hindered in continuation and in passing them down to future generations.  And this is why science flourished in Christianity while in other societies despite the significant advances they made only achieved what Fr. Jaki terms as still births.

 

Christians believed the world was created and governed by universal laws that could be studied and learned.  We see this understanding in early Christian writing.

 

Saint Athanasius about 367 AD writes :

 

“§35. Creation a revelation of God; especially in the order and harmony pervading the whole. …

 

§40. The rationality and order of the Universe proves that it is the work of the Reason or Word of God.  Who then might this Maker be? ... our argument has proved that the gods of the poets

[ the pagan gods ] are no gods, and has convicted of error those that deify creation, and in general has shewn that the idolatry of the heathen is godlessness and impiety …  


3. For if the movement of creation were irrational, and the universe were borne along without plan, a man might fairly disbelieve what we say. But if it subsist in reason and wisdom and skill, and is perfectly ordered throughout, it follows that He that is over it and has ordered it is none other than the [reason or] Word of God. …

 

the God of the Universe … Who while different from things that are made, and from all Creation, is the One own Word of the good Father, Who by His own providence ordered and illumines this Universe.

 

5.  … the Good Father He produced the order of all things, …

to one harmonious order. …


§47. Necessity of a return to the Word if our corrupt nature is to be restored. … His very Brightness and very Life, and the Door, and the Shepherd, … and Savior over all, and Light, and Giver of Life, and Providence over all.

 

Having then such a Son begotten of Himself, good, and Creator, the Father did not hide Him … but even day by day reveals Him to all by means of the organization and life of all things, which is His work.

 

2 … both heaven and earth and all that in them is being dependent on Him, yet men
[ who reject the revelation given by the Judaic-Christian covenants ]
 in their folly have set aside the knowledge and service of Him, and honored things that are not instead of things that are: and instead of the real and true God deified things that were not, “serving the creature rather than the Creator” thus involving themselves in foolishness and impiety.”
Against the Heathen (Contra Gentes) Part 3

 

The pagans and the Hindus deified creation.  They considered the whole material world as being part of god.

 

And, this is why they had female goddesses, and contrarily this is why the God of Christianity, and to some extent Judaism, is revealed as Father. 

 

God the Father does not mean He has a male body.  God is pure spirit.  He has no body.  At the Incarnation His Son takes a male body. 

 

It is important to understand the implications and differences of a masculine God-Head verses a female goddess.

 

Christian theology vs. Pagan theology

Sexual Symbolism

 

To understand why we pray “Our Father” and not “Our Mother” and why women are not called to Ordained Priesthood consider:

 

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, as pagans do, then that would imply that we are 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 symbolism tell us something about God and who He is and who we are. 

 

Unlike pagans, God transcends the universe. He is not part of it.  And Divine revelation tells us about our relationship with God by describing Him as the Groom and the Church as the bride.

 

It has been said that Jesus is the most unoriginal person to have lived.  He only did what He saw the Father doing.  John 5:19  His Mother is the holiest human being. (Jesus is a Divine Being –Person).  Yet, Jesus chose not to ordain her or any other woman.  And so the Church has no choice but to follow Jesus’ example.

 

Gender is a lot more than just a set of sex organs. 

 

And this is why in the above Saint Athanasius makes the following contrasts of evil men with good men ( I consider standard English much more inclusive then the so called “inclusive language”)

 

So, he writes :

“ … those that deify creation … God of the Universe … Who while different from things that are made, and from all Creation”  
(paragraph §40)

and again

“yet men
[ who reject the revelation given by the Judaic-Christian covenants ]
 in their folly have set aside the knowledge and service of Him, and honored things that are not instead of things that are: and instead of the real and true God deified things that were not, “serving the creature rather than the Creator” thus involving themselves in foolishness and impiety.”
(paragraph §40. 2)

 

See related information

Why Women Cannot be Ordained Priests,
by Peter Kreeft.
Section 2 is especially good.  See:
 Free - Text.


 -You Tube 
Excellent

 

Read More, Click here

 
   

 

 

 

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     

 

 

NEW   Cool  Catholic  Graphics

 


 

See  Articles  at

 

JESUS                                      BIBLE

 

CHURCH   AUTHORITY  

 

MARY  

 

MORAL ISSUES             PRO-LIFE

 

SACRAMENTS                    SAINTS

 

                          MISC.

 

 

HOME  - DEFENDING  THE  BRIDE

 

www.DefendingTheBride.com