Notes from Gathered for the Journey Six (6) essays David McCarthy

cosmos and the place of human beings within it. The one God was theunique source of all that is, Lord of every time and place.‖ (70)―To introduce a second god would be to compromise the universal scope of God‘s powerand love.‖ (70) [―second‖ god was the Jesus, the Son of God]Christian belief in the divinity of JesusDebate; when did the tradition of Christ‘s divinity arise? B. looks to recentscholarship that argues that ―the divinity of Jesus can be found in the earliestwriting of the New Testament.‖Admittedly, not direct statement—hard in the powerful monotheistic culture ofJudaismBut, indirection, by (1) seeing Jesus as object of worship and ―(2) ascribing to himthings that could only be true of God.‖ (70)B. quotes Paul‘s great hymn in Philippians (2: 6-11), discussing its implicationsfor Christ‘s divinity. (71)Jesus’ Resurrection from the DeadAlso, the resurrection from the dead roots its warrant in Christ‘s divinity. Paul―identifies this as the moment when God bestows upon him the divine name, sothat even though he had been ―in the form of God‘ prior to his birth, he now isacknowledged and worshiped as God by creatures.‖ (71)Thus in this very early Christian writing we find Jesus presented as one whoreceives those things that are the sole prerogative of God. Faith in thedivinity of Jesus lies at the very origin of Christianity (71Experience of the Risen ChristThe disciples‘ experience of the risen Christ helps them ―to understand Jesus‘own attitude during his earthly ministry. Jesus had consistently acted as if one‘sadherence to him took precedence over any of Israel‘s religious institutions,whether this be the law or the temple.‖ (71)Gospel of JohnThe trajectory of St. Paul reaches its fulfillment in the Gospel of John. (72)St. Thomas—―My Lord, and my God.‖ (Jn. 20:28)The Holy Spirit as ―another Advocate‖ (Jn. 14:160B. traces the history of sorting out the relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spriit(71ff.)Early Theological ―Land Mines‖: subordinationism and modalism.Know such terms--solutions as1. ―subordinationism‖ argues that the Father is totally God; Son and Holy Spiritsubordinate—in an odd middle ground; between God and creation. (72) BothJesus and Holy Spirit are created by God the Father. This subordination leadsFundamental Moral Theology Page 20 of 54Class Notes – Father Michael Seger