Pope Benedict XVI on Justification

[banjo]

This link is not intended to initiate a discussion on justification, a topic which has been disussed frequently on these forums, but simply an FYI for anyone who lacks a clear understanding of justification according to Catholic teaching.

http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=92288

 

[NotWorthy]

For those of us who need the “Reader’s Digest” version of the “Reader’s Digest” version you linked to:

“For St. Paul, as for his contemporaries, the word Law meant the Torah in its entirety, … which imposed … a series of actions ranging from an ethical core to ritual observances … and substantially defined the identity of the just man, … such as circumcision, dietary laws, etc. … All these precepts - expressive of a social, cultural and religious identity - were very important” in the Hellenistic age when polytheism was rife and Israel felt threatened in its identity and feared “the loss of faith in the One God and in His promises”.

For this reason it was necessary counteract Greek pressure with “a wall that protected the precious heritage of the faith. This wall was represented by the Jewish precepts”. Yet Paul, after his encounter with Christ, understood that “the God of Israel, the only true God, has become the God of all peoples and the wall … between Israel and the pagans is no longer necessary. Christ protects us from polytheism and its deviations. Christ guarantees our identity within the diversity of cultures, … it is He Who makes us just”.

And I especially like this!

"Being just simply means being with Christ, being in Christ, that is all. The other precepts are no longer necessary. … For this reason Luther’s ‘sola fide’ is true if it is not placed in opposition to charity, to love. Faith is looking at Christ, trusting in Christ … conforming to Christ

. And the form of Christ’s life was love. … We become just in communion with Christ Who is love. … Justice is defined in charity".
Also, I thought this thread deserved a Bump!

 

[Pax]

For those of us who need the “Reader’s Digest” version of the “Reader’s Digest” version you linked to:

And I especially like this!

Also, I thought this thread deserved a Bump!

That last part really is quite good and easy for anyone to understand.

 

[NotWorthy]

That last part really is quite good and easy for anyone to understand.

The part about the Bump? Why, that was a no-brainer!