About this trail:
A very brief look at what makes Catholicism unique and its significance culturally.
This does assume prior knowledge of Christianity. You need to know that Christians do believe in a Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Creation was Redeemed after Man fell by the Son, the Word of God who presided over Creation. The Spirit's coming was precipitated after the Son was killed by us, resurrected by God and ascended into heaven, so that faith in Providence would triumph over knowledge of the Fall.
If you know the basic story but only know of Catholicism through "The DaVinci Code," this is for you.
This does assume prior knowledge of Christianity. You need to know that Christians do believe in a Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Creation was Redeemed after Man fell by the Son, the Word of God who presided over Creation. The Spirit's coming was precipitated after the Son was killed by us, resurrected by God and ascended into heaven, so that faith in Providence would triumph over knowledge of the Fall.
If you know the basic story but only know of Catholicism through "The DaVinci Code," this is for you.
Trail link: http://trailfire.com/akarra/trails/63231
Summary: http://trailfire.com/akarra/trailview/63231
Summary: http://trailfire.com/akarra/trailview/63231
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1
The Catholic Church dominated Europe politically from about the Fall of Rome (476 AD) to the end of the Thirty Years' War (the Catholic part of Europe could not rein in the newly Protestant parts: 1648 AD).
But the cultural significance of the Church is going to be our main concern. We must look at two things almost unique to Catholicism first, though.
But the cultural significance of the Church is going to be our main concern. We must look at two things almost unique to Catholicism first, though.
2
The Catholic Church's emphasis on Scripture and Tradition contains an openness to philosophy. It can be said the Gospel of John, where Christ is the logos, is fairly philosophic, but the real beginning is Augustine, c. 350 AD. In the Confessions he seems to say that a search for what Being is will lead one to the truth of Scripture.
Here, a blogger grapples with St. Anselm (c. 11th century AD) and his ontological proof: the greatest thing you can conceive is God, and therefore He must exist. You not only conceive of Him, you act everyday as if you know who God truly is and what He's about.
Here, a blogger grapples with St. Anselm (c. 11th century AD) and his ontological proof: the greatest thing you can conceive is God, and therefore He must exist. You not only conceive of Him, you act everyday as if you know who God truly is and what He's about.
3
Another very unique thing about Catholicism is its emphasis on the Sacraments. Protestants sometimes dismiss this as an attempt of the Catholic Church to take political power through claiming rituals can make you closer to God.
This blogger argues that it isn't that simple: any church should argue that it makes people closer to God. The question of rituals and authority speaks to a much deeper problem that may never go away.
This blogger argues that it isn't that simple: any church should argue that it makes people closer to God. The question of rituals and authority speaks to a much deeper problem that may never go away.
4
If you do art history, knowledge of Catholicism is a must. Popes and pious patrons during the Renaissance especially spent enormous amounts of money on art, and the artists involved tried to merge classical learning with Christian thought and make sense of the whole jumble.
Here, in Masaccio's "The Holy Trinity," take note of the Roman archway and the hall it frames. That creates the idea that the Father is moving towards us, the dove (the Holy Spirit) is moving down upon us, and we, of course, facing the painting are drawn towards them. The meeting point, of course, is Christ on the cross.
Here, in Masaccio's "The Holy Trinity," take note of the Roman archway and the hall it frames. That creates the idea that the Father is moving towards us, the dove (the Holy Spirit) is moving down upon us, and we, of course, facing the painting are drawn towards them. The meeting point, of course, is Christ on the cross.
5
This links to a translation I trust (the Mandelbaum one, it is very literal) of Dante's Divine Comedy, arguably the greatest epic ever written.
Dante is one of the first people to put forth the idea of a separation of Church and State - cf. "De Monarchia." The Comedy certainly argues for that in places while making a very subtle theological critique. Again, an understanding of Catholicism is crucial for the project: this one of the most complicated works ever written, too.
Dante is one of the first people to put forth the idea of a separation of Church and State - cf. "De Monarchia." The Comedy certainly argues for that in places while making a very subtle theological critique. Again, an understanding of Catholicism is crucial for the project: this one of the most complicated works ever written, too.
6
Finally, we are not here to criticize but to appreciate. Hopkins, a Jesuit priest living in Victorian England, might have had the most poetically sensitive ear of anyone in any time. This poem is a celebration of justice, grace and love triumphing over our pettiness, and is truly Catholic in the sense of "universal."
