Revelation

Revelation is both complete and ongoing. To emphasize this point a Catholic understanding is critical to determine the antiquity and validity of God’s revelation through first analyzing God’s presence historically. In the century since Vatican Council I, the theme of revelation has been rapidly developing in Catholic theology. The view of revelation set forth in Vatican I's Dogmatic Constitution on Faith (1870) mirrors, in general, the position of St. Thomas Aquinas. Revelation is viewed as the supernatural action by which God has disclosed himself and his eternal decrees, initially by the prophets and in these last days by his own Son. Revelation is given so that man may have sure access to those truths which man must know in order to direct his life toward the vision of God, which is his last end. Vatican Council II at the opening of its first session (1962) debated the question of the "sources" of revelation, and in its last (fourth) session (November, 1965) adopted a Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, entitled Dei Verbum, which takes advantage of nearly a century of biblical research and scholarly reflection since the previous Council. In terms which are indicative but far too crude to do justice to the complexity of the matter, one may say that Vatican I looks on revelation in a light which is intellectualistic, abstract, scholastic, and, to some extent, propositional. To further understand revelation in its ongoing and complete nature is to intrinsically believe in the voice of the Word and the vision of the flesh.
“We announce to you the eternal life which dwelt with the Father and was made visible to us. What we have seen and heard we announce to you, so that you may have fellowship with us and our common fellowship be with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 1:2-3). In his goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (Eph 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made Flesh, man... [continues]

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