Saturday, May 29, 2010

Reading Group, 2h


The Moral Idea of the Dogma of the Incarnation
8.
a. Divine revelation assures us that this constant, progressive unification with Christ is the main condition for spiritual perfection.

b. Faith and co-suffering filled with love unite everyone in Christ.
  1. What does Metropolitan Anthony envisage as unification with Christ?
  2. How effective is Metropolitan Anthony’s use of “proof texts” in this section?
  3. How successfully has Metropolitan Anthony demonstrated the “moral idea” of the dogma of the Incarnation throughout this chapter?

1 comment:

Becoming said...

1. Our unification with Christ is rooted in a faith in His incarnation and all of the details of this (ie. Christ ad Redeemer) and a love toward Christ and to our neighbors because we now know that first Christ loved us.

2. In my opinion Metropolitan Anthony’s use of proof texts is somewhat awkward and does not lend itself to the heights which he has been building and supporting his thesis. I find this so because the texts themselves, some not all, are not strictly exemplary of his thesis without further explanation. I would have liked for him to explain how these verses relate because it would show more of the details and contours of the dogma that he is explaining.

The first quote (Jn. 15:46, 9) adds more detail to what he is saying. These verses describe the unity that takes place between I and Christ but is it also saying that I have some type of obligation to stay united to Him? Is there something more here?

The second quote (Jn. 6:53) describes some type of life that Christ has in me but Saint John relates it to eating the flesh of the Son of man and drinking his blood. What has this to do with what the Metropolitan is saying?

Of course, I believe these questions are easily answered. I personally would like to have seen the Metropolitan “flesh these out” and to have him show this relationship much more intimately. Mind you, I do believe we can trace these verses back to various parts of the text but I would have liked to see the clearer relationship between these “proof texts” and what he’s explained so far.

3. I am satisfied and in how Metropolitan Anthony drew the moral idea from the dogma. I’m interested to hear others’ views on this.

Matthew