Summary Of The Christian Revelation: According To Elizabeth Johnson
Christian Revelation
Question One
Summary:
Initially, Johnson discusses the problems facing modern day Christianity and suggests that the Christian Faith is somewhat in crisis today, due to poor preaching and modern democracy giving people greater liberation to govern their own decisions, including those regarding faith. Johnson argues ‘church statements about God are ordinarily too naïve and too superficial to help believers, let alone non-believers’. This idea was similarly expressed during our lectures, when we addressed the need to present Christians with numerous images of God, otherwise they may ascribe negative cultural assumptions and our words will fall upon deaf ears (2008, pp.30-31).
Rahner focuses on human beings, our desire for …show more content…
Rahner chooses ‘a wintry season’ as a metaphor for modern faith, damaged by the preaching and teaching of church. Hence, Rahner seeks to describe a living God, that provides warmth and sustenance in Winter (2008, p.30).
Rather than proving the existence of God, Rahner describes God as a ‘holy mystery’ that is ‘present yet ever distant’, we cannot grasp the mystery, yet it can grasp us. Our concept of God is not understanding this mystery, but instead being grasped by it and embracing the incomprehensibility (Johnson 2008, p. 36). Rahner finds the notion of mystery in the Christian faith astonishingly limited and instead believes in one mystery, that is God’s own being as self-giving love that endures for all eternity.
Rahner uses incarnation to describe God as self-communicating through Jesus Christ. The incomprehensible God makes himself known to man and is expressed as ’prodigal love’ through Jesus in incarnation, and his tremendous acts of love on earth: preaching God’s reign, seeking the lost and healing the suffering. It is through the acts of the incarnated God, that God’s universal love is understood by Christians. (200 …show more content…
Contrary to popular beliefs, Himes affirms that there is an infinite number of sacraments and what constitutes a sacrament varies for every person. Hence, the Catholic tradition is often described as a training in becoming ‘sacramental beholders’. Through preaching and experience, Christians come to recognize God in the mundane everyday items, places and people that hold special importance for them. While the love of God may be recognized or rejected, one cannot fall out of grace. God’s love is ever-present, and grace is everywhere. (281 words) Question: “According to Himes, what is the sacramental principle, and does it have any
Question One
Summary:
Initially, Johnson discusses the problems facing modern day Christianity and suggests that the Christian Faith is somewhat in crisis today, due to poor preaching and modern democracy giving people greater liberation to govern their own decisions, including those regarding faith. Johnson argues ‘church statements about God are ordinarily too naïve and too superficial to help believers, let alone non-believers’. This idea was similarly expressed during our lectures, when we addressed the need to present Christians with numerous images of God, otherwise they may ascribe negative cultural assumptions and our words will fall upon deaf ears (2008, pp.30-31).
Rahner focuses on human beings, our desire for …show more content…
Rahner chooses ‘a wintry season’ as a metaphor for modern faith, damaged by the preaching and teaching of church. Hence, Rahner seeks to describe a living God, that provides warmth and sustenance in Winter (2008, p.30).
Rather than proving the existence of God, Rahner describes God as a ‘holy mystery’ that is ‘present yet ever distant’, we cannot grasp the mystery, yet it can grasp us. Our concept of God is not understanding this mystery, but instead being grasped by it and embracing the incomprehensibility (Johnson 2008, p. 36). Rahner finds the notion of mystery in the Christian faith astonishingly limited and instead believes in one mystery, that is God’s own being as self-giving love that endures for all eternity.
Rahner uses incarnation to describe God as self-communicating through Jesus Christ. The incomprehensible God makes himself known to man and is expressed as ’prodigal love’ through Jesus in incarnation, and his tremendous acts of love on earth: preaching God’s reign, seeking the lost and healing the suffering. It is through the acts of the incarnated God, that God’s universal love is understood by Christians. (200 …show more content…
Contrary to popular beliefs, Himes affirms that there is an infinite number of sacraments and what constitutes a sacrament varies for every person. Hence, the Catholic tradition is often described as a training in becoming ‘sacramental beholders’. Through preaching and experience, Christians come to recognize God in the mundane everyday items, places and people that hold special importance for them. While the love of God may be recognized or rejected, one cannot fall out of grace. God’s love is ever-present, and grace is everywhere. (281 words) Question: “According to Himes, what is the sacramental principle, and does it have any