Respect.

[kafka]

[quote name='Tinkerlina' post='1766970' date='Jan 30 2009, 07:54 PM']Not disagreeing-I was just thinking Kafka was looking for more of a historical context, so I was thinking that it would be better to try and find the original words if possible. Katie[/quote]
Part of that above post of mine is me doing a theological exercise, and me trying to more express my Faith in a clearer way. And part of it is me trying to proclaim the Gospel. I wasnt upset by Al's post (or him), its just his way of wording it reminded me of all the things I've learned over the years.


So back to the original topic. I like Paddington's insight. God does not play favorites. Take an hypothetical example. If a convicted man sentenced to the death penalty for murder were in an argument with Saint Thomas Aquinas over a topic of the faith, God would take the side of the convict if he were expressing a truthful argument and Aquinas was not.

Another good example is found in the book I am reading now called "Models of the Church" by the late Cardinal Avery Dulles. In his search for the truth in ecclesiology he draws from several sources including Catholic theologians, Protestant theologians, secular philosophers (one of which was a Jew), and even private revelation. He even criticizes and disagrees with a Doctor of the Church Saint Robert Bellarmine (who was one of his theological heroes) for overemphasizing the institutional model of the Church. In his search for truth he has no respect for men.

One of the lessons I think in the above verses is do not respect anyone's teachings in any field merely based on a "name" or a position or title a particular person may be given.

[Tinkerlina]

[quote name='kafka' post='1766999' date='Jan 30 2009, 09:27 PM']Part of that above post of mine is me doing a theological exercise, and me trying to more express my Faith in a clearer way. And part of it is me trying to proclaim the Gospel. I wasnt upset by Al's post (or him), its just his way of wording it reminded me of all the things I've learned over the years.


So back to the original topic. I like Paddington's insight. God does not play favorites. Take an hypothetical example. If a convicted man sentenced to the death penalty for murder were in an argument with Saint Thomas Aquinas over a topic of the faith, God would take the side of the convict if he were expressing a truthful argument and Aquinas was not.

Another good example is found in the book I am reading now called "Models of the Church" by the late Cardinal Avery Dulles. In his search for the truth in ecclesiology he draws from several sources including Catholic theologians, Protestant theologians, secular philosophers (one of which was a Jew), and even private revelation. He even criticizes and disagrees with a Doctor of the Church Saint Robert Bellarmine (who was one of his theological heroes) for overemphasizing the institutional model of the Church. In his search for truth he has no respect for men.

One of the lessons I think in the above verses is do not respect anyone's teachings in any field merely based on a "name" or a position or title a particular person may be given.[/quote]

Interesting stuff, and some good points. -Katie

[MithLuin]

My dad has that book by Dulles; he's read it, but I haven't.


As far as your analogy goes, though, there is something worth pointing out - who is more likely to espouse the truth - Aquinas or the convict? While God is on the side of 'truth' and not 'big names', it is also true that certain names are [i]more likely[/i] to be associated with the truth. Having some respect for authority is always good, unless you have a [i]reason[/i] to take issue with what the 'respected theologians' say.

[kafka]

[quote name='MithLuin' post='1768281' date='Feb 1 2009, 12:45 AM']My dad has that book by Dulles; he's read it, but I haven't.


As far as your analogy goes, though, there is something worth pointing out - who is more likely to espouse the truth - Aquinas or the convict? While God is on the side of 'truth' and not 'big names', it is also true that certain names are [i]more likely[/i] to be associated with the truth. Having some respect for authority is always good, unless you have a [i]reason[/i] to take issue with what the 'respected theologians' say.[/quote]
its a hypothetical, to illuminate the search for truth, and God who is Truth and the source of all truth.

I wasnt referring to authority. That would be another subject.