J
JMMazza53
Guest
Hi,
I am completing my diocesan-level classes to become a certified catechist. The following are two paragraphs from the most recent course I took. This came right from the diocesan office of education:
"Ask yourself are the words theologically sound? Consider these two familiar lines: ‘Sing Praise to our Creator, O sons of Adam’s race. God’s Children by adoption, Baptized into His Grace.’ In these two short lines we encounter at least two problems. The theology does seem bad. We are made in God’s image, not adopted. The adoption line almost implies that we were in existence before God, then He found us and made us His own.
The second error apparent with these words is that they are exclusive. As a liturgist, do you mean to exclude anyone who is not a son of Adam? The universality of the call of Christ does not allow for exclusion. If you do not take the words seriously, how can you expect anyone else to take them seriously?"
The song is not bad theology. Here’s what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in CCC #1:
“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.”
If we become his adopted children through the Holy Spirit, then we cannot be his children before Baptism. Jesus seems to make this clear in John 8:39-44:
39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.
40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this.
41 You are doing the works of your father!” (So) they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.”
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot bear to hear my word.
44 You belong to your father the devil and you willingly carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
When such fundamental questions are being taught incorrectly, what follows has a very good chance of being incorrect also. My question is one I can’t find answered anywhere. What is the correct way to approach your diocesan office about their teaching bad theology?
John
Erie, PA.
I am completing my diocesan-level classes to become a certified catechist. The following are two paragraphs from the most recent course I took. This came right from the diocesan office of education:
"Ask yourself are the words theologically sound? Consider these two familiar lines: ‘Sing Praise to our Creator, O sons of Adam’s race. God’s Children by adoption, Baptized into His Grace.’ In these two short lines we encounter at least two problems. The theology does seem bad. We are made in God’s image, not adopted. The adoption line almost implies that we were in existence before God, then He found us and made us His own.
The second error apparent with these words is that they are exclusive. As a liturgist, do you mean to exclude anyone who is not a son of Adam? The universality of the call of Christ does not allow for exclusion. If you do not take the words seriously, how can you expect anyone else to take them seriously?"
The song is not bad theology. Here’s what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in CCC #1:
“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.”
If we become his adopted children through the Holy Spirit, then we cannot be his children before Baptism. Jesus seems to make this clear in John 8:39-44:
39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.
40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this.
41 You are doing the works of your father!” (So) they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.”
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot bear to hear my word.
44 You belong to your father the devil and you willingly carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
When such fundamental questions are being taught incorrectly, what follows has a very good chance of being incorrect also. My question is one I can’t find answered anywhere. What is the correct way to approach your diocesan office about their teaching bad theology?
John
Erie, PA.
