Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: anselm!rnhale@dartvax.uucp (Robert Hale ) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Looking for some thoughts on moral theology Message-ID: Date: 1 Mar 90 07:56:11 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: St. Anselms College, Manchester, NH Lines: 36 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , brandy@mimsy.umd.edu (Brandy R. Provine) writes: > > >>2. Some statements were for a particular place and time and group of > >> people, and were not intended to be universalized. > > > >This is a very convenient, and apparently logical, way to attempt to > >eliminate those teachings which a given person does not like. There is, > >however, absolutely no Scriptural foundation for making a claim of this > >nature. -----I want to just clarify what you were saying in this statement. While it is true that the Scriptures is a book of a universal theology it is also taught that the science of that theology is subject to "Ongoing Revelation" and "Historical Specificity." I will explain these terms as I understand them. "Ongoing Revelation" is simply the process that occurs when the Faith is more completely understood. It is similar in many ways to the development of a child. It is not possible to discuss Plato with a 5 year old with the 5 year old having any type of complete understanding. The mental faculties are simply not there. But as the child grows older he/she becomes increasingly capable of such and understanding. In the same way the faithful, as time goes by, gains a more complete and mature understanding of the Faith. An example is the development of God as understood by the Old Testament crowd and the christian understanding of the Holy Trinity. "Historical Specificity" is a concept that grew out of the Second Vatican Council. All that this means is that the limits of a historical period effect the science of theology as taken in that day. It is, as I'm sure I need not point out, closely related to Ongoing Revelation. Now, does this mean that the universality of the Faith are open game to, "Well, that might have been the case for Issac..." Most certainly not. But it does recognize that life is a process and that our understanding of the Faith is also a process. And now time for my disclaimer. I have not read the original article that brought this discussion about. I just want to know if you had considered these points. If you have and I missed it, my apologies.