We were created in the image of God, to love one another, to grow in grace, to trust, and understand that God's love provides for our body, soul, and mind. One's integrity is their wholeness in body, soul, and mind culminated over their life on earth. Faith is a continuum of trust that grows and matures each day. Faith is the knowledge of God's benevolence toward us founded upon truth and God's promise in Christ sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit. The deepest love for God is built on prayer, faith, service, and sacrifice.
Jesus is truth, trust in Him. The truth will root you in life. God must be found each day in fellowship with Him. Every virtue has its origin in Christ. Jesus is life--live in Him. Christ is the beginning of purity, patience, and humility. God protect me and be my shield, do not let me fall into temptation. Blessed is the man that endures temptation when he is tried. Every human is caught up in the nexus of sin, no one is exempt. Asking God for forgiveness of our sins is being freed of guilt. Forgiveness is active compassion coupled with intelligent listening. It takes dedication, commitment, vigilance and prayer to walk in the light of Christ each day.
I yield myself in absolute surrender to God. Holy Spirit take my hand and guide me down God's lighted path. resist the devil and he will flee from you. The light of love scatters the darkness of guilt. Serve God in worship and worship God in service. Christians are chosen for service of God's purposes and are set apart. We are to live as persons chosen to serve and to love and lead a life worthy of our calling. Repentance of sin is feeling sorry for ones act, turning completely around and heading in the opposite direction which leads on toward discipleship.
Love takes many forms and does not end with life. the human spirit knows that all lives intersect. Fairness does not govern life and death. Holding anger and not releasing it is a poison which eats at you from inside out. Live your life according to the seven virtues: faith, knowledge of the Bible, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness, and love. Sacrifice is a part of life and is suppose to be. It is not something to regret but rather to aspire to. We are continually tested, and through that testing we grow as individuals.
The Bible is the story of humanity in relation to God inspired by forty-four writers over twenty centuries, providing a progressive unfolding of the truth. To understand the Bible is to understand and realize who Christ is and his never-ending love and forgiveness for all mankind. We were created in the image of God to worship, praise, and glorify God each day. We are to seek out God thereby building our relationship with Him. Not my will, but thy will be done. Yahweh, in you I put my trust and faith!
By Rick M. Jason
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Providence, the Way Christians Reach Fulfillment in Life and Ultimately Salvation; Contrary to John Calvin’s Understanding of One’s Future Determined
Throughout their lives Christians seek to find the greatest good for themselves, which will make them whole/holy people who are interconnected as members of the community of faith. Christians are continuously involved in various life occurrences and develop relationships with both God and their fellow people, which lead them to respond and make critical choices. It is evident that people have a free will because they are able to decide what they will and will not do in relation to what is and is not ethical, moral, and/or right. A question arises, however, whether or not people have a say in their purpose on earth and their status of life after death. John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation, argued that God ruled humanity through predestination, meaning that people did not have any control over their salvation or condemnation. According to Calvin, God decided whether one was destined for Heaven or Hell before the person was born. The Catholic/Christian notion disagrees with Calvin, as some Catholic followers of Jesus would say that man works with God, through providence, to reach his vocation in life and salvation in the world to come. John Calvin’s understanding of predestination was faulty because he did not sufficiently appreciate the value of the choices people made and experiences they had in relation to God and the world which ultimately shaped their individual future. Providence, with free will and the impact of sacramental initiation is the authentic way to discover vocation and ultimately reach salvation.
John Calvin viewed the created order through his understanding of predestination which was that eternal life was freely granted to some, while God freely condemned others. Calvin believed that man’s eternal destiny was exclusively dependent on the mercy God bestowed on each individual. He said that predestination was a secret of God, which was not to be questioned by people who are mere mortals. Calvin believed that because God had the power and ability to do all, God should be the only one to worry about who was to be saved and who was to be condemned. The French theologian argued that predestination was also interrelated with God’s eternal decree. By this statute, Calvin meant that God had the purpose and future of each person already planned out according to His will for that person. This part of Calvin’s understanding of predestination points toward his belief that each person’s role in life was known by God. Consequently, this does not mean that there is only one suitable lifestyle or career for each person, as some might think Calvin was suggesting. Humanity does have to make a conscious choice with regard to vocation. However, Calvin did not give enough credit to the choices that people made. Calvin’s understanding was slightly skewed, as He did not recognize the fullness of what it meant for people to work things out with God to reach their greatest good.
Calvin believed that God was love, as do some Christians. However, Calvin said that God only elected those He loved to salvation. Therefore, one can conclude that according to Calvin, God does love all people, but chooses only those He wishes to salvation. Some Christians may find this to be difficult to accept because of the belief that God loves all people just because “they are” as the Lord’s Word explains, and that God invites all to salvation. Nevertheless, Calvin would have said that God had the right to love those He wished to love and call those people to salvation because God showed His mercy on those He wished to have mercy on, as described in Exodus 33:19. Certainly, Calvin’s approach to who was called to life and who was condemned to death by God is very pessimistic. Why would God who is love, condemn some of His people to eternal separation from Himself (Hell) before they have even left the womb? This is not a rational belief because there would be no reason for life on earth if this was the case. In other words, God might as well just send the people predestined to damnation straight to Hell and those predestined for life right to Heaven and not grant people life on earth because their destiny is already decided whether they physically live in this world or not. Indeed original sin does exist, but one must appreciate that Jesus came to bridge the gap between God and humanity which lingered until the Son’s initial coming, as a result of humanity’s faulty nature. God is just, so would not those who resist making an effort and freely disobey the Lord be justly condemned, not those people who freely strive to be like Christ and love as the Lord loves?
Calvin talked about God allocating some people to destruction, but did not give evidence of this claim. He said that scripture showed that the Lord assigned a portion of humanity to destruction, but never cited the scripture, making his assertion questionable. Calvin did admit that Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said that we were chosen in Christ “before the creation of the world.” Calvin did not interpret this as those born into this world were chosen by God to have physical life and that all were invited to salvation, but that people were either chosen to paradise or eternal suffering. Calvin twisted Paul’s teaching saying that “Paul answers that God has predestined it so” and that this was “according to the good pleasure of his [God’s] will.” In actuality, Paul never mentioned predestination in this piece of scripture. Furthermore, Calvin went on to state that Paul meant that God had not only chosen whom He willed, but that each person’s birth came with a certain amount of set grace that the Lord granted to that human being. In his sermon of 1551, Calvin placed an emphasis on the distance between humanity and God, who is divine. He depicted God as an angry judge who crushed humanity when people rebelled against Him. Calvin focused too much on the fact that God knew what one would become rather than acknowledging or recognizing that people through their relationship with God choose where they can and will love the most.
In addition, Calvin argued that in predestination there was no consideration of works. This belief is quite contrary to what the Bible says in James 2:17. There the Word states that “Faith without works is dead.” Calvin’s decree tells Christians that whether they live a completely moral life without sin, or live in sin, their salvation does not depend on their actions. This is certainly an unacceptable concept because why then did God grant people free will? Calvin did not fully recognize the power or authority of free will in the sense of working with God through providence to reach salvation, as choice has no real authority when one’s eternal future is predetermined. In other words according to Calvin’s understanding of predestination one could choose God and not be saved if God did not bestow His mercy on that individual. Why would God reject those who loved Him and loved their neighbor? Calvin must not have read Deuteronomy 30:19 which stated, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” Choice here is used to explain that people must freely decide to listen and work with God to reach salvation. Undoubtedly, people cannot reach salvation on their own, but have to answer yes to the call and respond to God through love. In the meantime, the gospel of John discredits Calvin’s belief of predestination as John 6:39-40 said, “This is his [God’s] will; that everyone who believes in the Son may not perish.” Therefore, this scripture if indeed true must mean that people have a choice and based on what they choose they are either saved or condemned. Life after death in this context is not determined because God wants to consign some to Hell and allow some into Heaven, but because some freely reject Christ, while others freely accept Him as Lord. Calvin did not give enough credit to the words choose and choice, and by ignoring them he displayed one reason why his approach was faulty in regards to the created order.
Calvin’s understanding of predestination fell short of reality for a number of other reasons. What would Christ’s sacrifice and ultimate expression of love on the cross mean in the eyes of Calvin if people are predestined? Jesus’ sacrifice in regards to predestination is less meaningful because man from the beginning is destined to Heaven or Hell, regardless whether man does decide to believe in the Son of God who came to save the world from sin and ultimately bridged the gap created by humanity’s disobedience. Calvin clearly stated that election was not dependent on one’s faith, but that the faith each person has was the product of election. This would mean that one does not choose to have faith, but is given it only if God wishes for that person to be saved. Does this mean that those with faith are saved, according to Calvin there is no certainty. Remember that Calvin suggested that people should not be concerned or question whether or not they are saved, this is hard to fathom. What Christian merely drifts through life without trying to figure out what salvation means and if they are going to Heaven or not? Is not the ultimate goal for a Christian to love God and neighbor and be saved to spend eternity with God?
The French Theologian also had an interesting view when it came to events that took place in the natural world, whether these occurrences affected people in a negative or positive manner. Calvin said, “When, therefore, one asks why God has so done, we must reply: because he has willed it.” This notion is the idea that everything that happens is essentially God’s will. This does not mean that God wills evil on humanity, but that God allows people to suffer the consequences of their own sin. In order to further his claim of legitimacy, Calvin suggested that the evils which occur are more man’s doing than the Lord’s. Right after making this statement he said that man “should not be blamed for what he cannot avoid and undertakes God’s will.” This is hypocritical because how is something man’s doing if God is the one who wills it and predestines things to happen? Calvin even went as far as saying that God predestined man to act in various ways.
Predestination outside of Calvin’s understanding is viewed somewhat differently. Predestination, a notion not accepted by some Christians, especially with regards to Calvin’s understanding of the created order, refers to:
Divine decree by which God, owing to His infallible prescience of the future, has appointed and ordained from eternity all events occurring in time, especially those which directly proceed from, or at least are influenced by, man’s free will.
The last part of this description of predestination plays a great importance because it recognizes that free will is present and affects one’s relationship with God and humanity. This idea of predestination says that not all men do reach eternity, however it says that many become eternally lost because of their own faultiness through the free act of sin. Nevertheless, the non Calvinist understanding of predestination is also questionable because it discredits the Christian teaching that people can work with God to reach salvation by saying that those predestined to Hell are the people who God knows are going to fail and fall into the state of sin, becoming His enemies. God may know what people are going to do before they act, a concept we cannot possibly grasp, but it is hard for one to accept that He gives up on people as the view of predestination suggests. Although this view of predestination allows more possibility for one to reach eternity than Calvin’s, it still cannot legitimately argue against the reality that people work with God through Providence, to reach their vocation in life and ultimately salvation.
Providence can be defined as working with God to reach completeness and thus salvation. Providence refers to a world which God has created that is independent, yet responsive to the attraction of God. It can be better explained as God’s parental care of creation. Furthermore, providence is God’s connection with creation and His relationship to the world and its development. Calvin’s understanding of predestination is faulty because he does not acknowledge the value of the choices of people who are in relationship with God and the world. Every day people have to decide between one thing and another, however there are times in one’s life that one has to make an extremely important choice that will bear subsequent consequences. Calvin’s understanding of the world ordered by predestination does not value the fact that people make choices and what they choose affects their friendship with God and the rest of humanity.
Peoples’ action through providence is essential in reaching their vocation in life. The experiences they have and how they respond to these situations are what shapes their future. If people respond negatively to these experiences and the call of God, they will not be able to reach their authentic self and wholeness. Contrarily, if people say yes to God and the call, they will be able to reach the greatest good and experience love. It is important to remember that through providence one is God’s partner in covenant. This commitment to one another through love, openness, and obedience allows for the person to grow as a Christian and become aware of who he/she is, the lifestyle he/she is called to live, and what he/she is to do in regards to a lifestyle and career. The notion of providence does not believe that there is merely one specific vocation for each human being. However, it is not so much what one does or the lifestyle one lives, but the importance must be placed on whether the particular vocation allows one to fully be oneself and love God and humanity the most.
Providence calls people to unity with God and this essentially means a dynamic relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God who are ever present in the Christians life. As a result of God wanting the greatest good for people, through providence He leads Christians to situations and events where they have the opportunity to choose what is good. When a person does not choose to take part in a particular good that God leads one to, the person actually denies God and thus is disobedient to Him. The result of denying the Lord is independence from God, something which is the worst possible thing for a person to enter into, as it is ultimately suicidal. For without God one is nothing because God knows one better than one knows oneself. Therefore, through providence God leads us to discover or uncover our true selves and if we deny him we can never reach our authentic being.
Providence also speaks of grace which is given to humanity by God in order to help a person move from immanence to transcendence. Grace is a free gift given to one out of God’s love that allows a person to enter into a relationship that goes beyond, transcending time and space. It is grace which gives birth to new opportunity, experiences, and relationship with God, as well as an understanding regarding where the person is being led in life. Each person can reject God’s gift of grace and by rejecting grace he/she rejects God. When one rejects or separates oneself from God the result is sin, and it is sin which leads to death, a spiritual death and thus an eternal one. St. Paul teaches that God desires all humanity to be saved and to be awakened to the knowledge of truth. God leads one to what is good, but one must choose what is right. God respects people’s ability of choice or free will though He hopes that His creatures will use their freedom to work toward achieving love and ultimately salvation. Those who choose wrong freely choose to disobey God and their sin leads to separation from God. People who continue to reject the grace of God and His love are freely choosing Hell, eternal separation from love and from God. On the contrary, those who respond positively, freely choosing to follow the will of God, become creatures of love in this life and will be forever in the presence of God in the world to come.
Based on Calvin’s understanding and belief in predestination, he could not clearly perceive the importance of free will and its role in humanity’s relationship with God. The importance of choice has been discussed already though it is vital that one has a solid understanding of what free will essentially means. Free will allows each person who possesses reason to freely make one’s own decisions and thus hold authority over one’s thoughts, actions, and the creation of one’s character. Free will can be described as the voluntary action of humanity. God grants free will to His people because He wants them to choose the greatest good in relation to Himself and the world. There would be clearly no virtue if people did not have to make decisions which affect their relationship with God and their fellow man. Life would be meaningless if Calvin’s questionable approach to predestination of the created order were true. Free will is a grace which allows us to work toward the greatest good which is ultimately our salvation. Without it, humanity would have no say or way to work with God, meaning there would be no providence and a predestined order would exist. Those who seek to do God’s will continuously are promised a blessed life on earth, although not an easy life, and ultimately eternal life with God. People cannot be richer or more whole than when they keep the will of God in their hearts and act upon it, despite the selfish interests they set aside as a result of their love.
Sacramental initiation plays an important role in helping people enhance their relationship with God, work to reach their vocation in life and ultimately salvation. The three sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation/Chrismation and Eucharist. Baptism, the first sacrament of initiation, is when Christians partake in the celebration of welcoming in new members among the Body of Christ. Baptism symbolizes a death and rebirth, where Christians rise with Christ to new life, undergoing a spiritual birth. This sacrament is significant because it is the symbolic act by which the recipient is clothed with Christ and enters into the community of faith. The baptized become a new creation, as Romans 8:29 says “they have become a new man in Christ, and they are conformed to Christ.” Certainly baptism is a sacrament that allows one to work with God and helps the relationship one has with the Lord to grow and blossom. If Calvin’s understanding of predestination were true, there would be no need for Baptism because either one would be clothed in Christ being saved or the contrary, resulting in eternal damnation. In the New Testament through Baptism one “enters into the kingdom of God and into the sphere of the saving work of Christ.” Lastly, baptism involves a profession of faith for or by the baptized, as the individual receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God which drives one to live a life of truthfulness, meekness, faithfulness, and love, helping Christians to further their relationship with God and humankind. Baptism a vital symbol in Christianity, one of the two sacraments kept by Luther and many Protestant Churches, was denied by Calvin in regards to it being a sacrament.
Another sacrament of initiation is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the Blessed Sacrament in which Jesus Christ is physically present in the bread and wine. The bread presents Christ’s body and the wine his blood, as the Lord gave up his physical self in the ultimate expression of love on the cross. Those who partake in the Eucharist fully experience the presence of Jesus and are essentially filled by Christ. Therefore, Christians believe that they are forgiven of all their iniquities and that Christ enters into them, which makes Christians whole and complete because Jesus is holy. In the Eucharist, Christ nourishes souls and provides the believer with grace that transcends both time and space. The Eucharist is the sacrament where Christians are centered upon God’s table of love and life. By consuming the bread and wine, Jesus becomes a living part of the recipient. It is through this sacrament that Christians become closer to God, receive an abundant amount of grace, and can reach spiritual fulfillment because Christ heals brokenness and replaces it with love. Only through providence, working with God, can the sacrament of Eucharist hold such vital importance for one’s relationship with his savior, thus helping him to reach salvation. Calvin did not keep the Eucharist as a sacrament either. He and his followers preserved none of the seven official sacraments of the Catholic Church, not even the sacraments of initiation.
Currently, confirmation is the final sacrament of initiation which impacts Christians to discover their vocation and reach fulfillment. Confirmation is when the Holy Spirit is given to a Christian in a special manner. The Spirit is “given to perfect and complete the initiation begun in baptism.” Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, Christians are made strong soldiers of Jesus Christ, who are called to profess their faith in the risen Lord. This sacrament presents the power of God within His people through the Holy Spirit and allows Christians to enter into a more mature and closer relationship with the Lord. As a result of Calvin not believing that people work with God to reach salvation, confirmation held less importance to him than to those who understood providence. The recommitment of faith which is at hand during confirmation and the grace one receives are important for the Christian’s growth toward reaching the greatest good and is yet another experience of God’s love. Essentially, an interior transformation occurs through the sacrament of Confirmation and the believer becomes a reformed and stronger member of the community of faith.
Salvation is what all Christians are striding for. Reaching eternity, Heaven, refers to being forever in the presence of God who is love. John Calvin believed in salvation. However, he did not take into account the actions of people on earth, the experiences they had, and their effort to serve God and humanity when it came to being saved. Calvin merely suggested that one was either saved or damned. Salvation can be reached through providence and can only occur if one is willing to abandon the self and fully commit to following the Lord in all aspects of life. This means submitting to God’s will because He wills what is best for humanity and that which will make present the greatest good for each person. God enlightens His creatures and essentially leads all to salvation. In order to reach salvation one must believe in Jesus Christ who died on the Cross and rose from the dead on the third day, hope in Christ the Lord, love God and neighbor, and work to fulfill God’s will. Salvation is liberation from sin and its consequences. Therefore, salvation brings people to ultimate completeness in God, as 1 Corinthians 3:22-23 says in “salvation all things are ours, we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” One’s effort to do the will of God is the ultimate act of love, as faith, works, and the grace of God are what it takes for one to be saved.
Providence with free will and sacramental initiation is the authentic way one discovers oneself, one’s vocation, and eventually reaches salvation. John Calvin’s understanding of predestination was clearly faulty because of his inability to value the actions of people, their experiences, and their relationship with God and humanity. Through providence one can see how humanity works with God to achieve fulfillment. God invites all to salvation, therefore it is by the grace of God, along with faith and works that pave an individual’s destiny to either eternal happiness with God who is love or eternal damnation in the fires of Hell.
Jean Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Trans. Ford Lewis Battles. John T.
McNeill, eds. V 1-2 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960) 921.
Calvin 924-925.
Calvin 926.
Calvin 927.
Calvin 927-928.
Calvin 933.
Calvin 934.
Calvin 934.
W.H. Neuser. “Neuser: Calvin the Preacher: His Explanation of the Doctrine of Predestination in the
Sermon of 1551 and in the Institutes of 1559.” Hervormde Teologiese Studies volume. 54 (1998):
60-103. ATLA. James White Library, Berrien Springs, MI. October 17, 2007. 73.
Calvin 935.
Calvin 946.
Calvin 967.
Calvin 949.
Calvin 953.
Calvin 954.
Calvin 954.
Charles G. Herbermann ed. [et all]. The Catholic Encyclopedia: an international work
of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic
Church. 15 vols (New York: Encyclopedia Press, 1913-1914) V.12 378.
Herbermann V.12 378.
Herbermann V.12 379.
Miroslav Volf and Michael Welker. “Fergusson; ‘Divine Providence and Action.’” God’s
Life in Trinity (2006): 153-165. (ATLA. Le Moyne College Library, Syracuse,
New York. September 20, 2007) 157.
Volf and Welker 153.
Volf and Welker 159.
Mark John Farrelly. Predestination, grace, and free will (Westminster, Md.: Newman
Press, 1964) 223.
Farrelly 229.
Farrelly 238.
Farrelly 10.
Farrelly 10-11.
Herbermann V.6 259.
Herbermann V.6 259.
Jean Pierre de Caussade. Self Abandonment to Divine Providence (London: Burns and
Oates, 1959) 125.
New Catholic Encyclopedia. 16 Vols. (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America, 2003) V.2 58.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 58.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 55.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 57.
Herbermann V.5 572.
Herbermann V.5 573.
Herbermann V.5 584.
Marian Bohen. The mystery of confirmation, a theology of the sacrament (New York:
Herder and Herder, 1963) 21.
Bohen 31.
Bohen 20.
Caussade 121.
Caussade 122.
Farrelly 273.
Herbermann V.13 407.
Herbermann V.13 407.
Works Cited
Primary Sources.
Calvin, Jean. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Trans. Ford Lewis Battles. John T.
McNeill, eds. V 1-2. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960.
Secondary Sources
Bohen, Marian. The mystery of confirmation, a theology of the sacrament. New York:
Herder and Herder, 1963.
Caussade, Jean Pierre de. Self Abandonment to Divine Providence. London: Burns and
Oates, 1959.
Charles G. Herbermann ed. [et all]. The Catholic Encyclopedia: an international work of
reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic Church. 15 vols. New York: Encyclopedia Press, 1913-1914.
Farrelly, Mark John. Predestination, grace, and free will. Westminster, Md.: Newman
Press, 1964.
Neuser, W.H. “Neuser: Calvin the Preacher: His Explanation of the Doctrine of
Predestination in the Sermon of 1551 and in the Institutes of 1559.” Hervormde Teologiese Studies volume. 54 (1998):60-103. ATLA. James White Library, Berrien Springs, MI. October 17, 2007.
New Catholic Encyclopedia. 16 vols. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America, 2003.
Volf, Miroslav; Welker, Michael. “Fergusson; ‘Divine Providence and Action.’” God’s
Life in Trinity (2006): 153-165. ATLA. Le Moyne College Library, Syracuse,
New York. September 20, 2007
John Calvin viewed the created order through his understanding of predestination which was that eternal life was freely granted to some, while God freely condemned others. Calvin believed that man’s eternal destiny was exclusively dependent on the mercy God bestowed on each individual. He said that predestination was a secret of God, which was not to be questioned by people who are mere mortals. Calvin believed that because God had the power and ability to do all, God should be the only one to worry about who was to be saved and who was to be condemned. The French theologian argued that predestination was also interrelated with God’s eternal decree. By this statute, Calvin meant that God had the purpose and future of each person already planned out according to His will for that person. This part of Calvin’s understanding of predestination points toward his belief that each person’s role in life was known by God. Consequently, this does not mean that there is only one suitable lifestyle or career for each person, as some might think Calvin was suggesting. Humanity does have to make a conscious choice with regard to vocation. However, Calvin did not give enough credit to the choices that people made. Calvin’s understanding was slightly skewed, as He did not recognize the fullness of what it meant for people to work things out with God to reach their greatest good.
Calvin believed that God was love, as do some Christians. However, Calvin said that God only elected those He loved to salvation. Therefore, one can conclude that according to Calvin, God does love all people, but chooses only those He wishes to salvation. Some Christians may find this to be difficult to accept because of the belief that God loves all people just because “they are” as the Lord’s Word explains, and that God invites all to salvation. Nevertheless, Calvin would have said that God had the right to love those He wished to love and call those people to salvation because God showed His mercy on those He wished to have mercy on, as described in Exodus 33:19. Certainly, Calvin’s approach to who was called to life and who was condemned to death by God is very pessimistic. Why would God who is love, condemn some of His people to eternal separation from Himself (Hell) before they have even left the womb? This is not a rational belief because there would be no reason for life on earth if this was the case. In other words, God might as well just send the people predestined to damnation straight to Hell and those predestined for life right to Heaven and not grant people life on earth because their destiny is already decided whether they physically live in this world or not. Indeed original sin does exist, but one must appreciate that Jesus came to bridge the gap between God and humanity which lingered until the Son’s initial coming, as a result of humanity’s faulty nature. God is just, so would not those who resist making an effort and freely disobey the Lord be justly condemned, not those people who freely strive to be like Christ and love as the Lord loves?
Calvin talked about God allocating some people to destruction, but did not give evidence of this claim. He said that scripture showed that the Lord assigned a portion of humanity to destruction, but never cited the scripture, making his assertion questionable. Calvin did admit that Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said that we were chosen in Christ “before the creation of the world.” Calvin did not interpret this as those born into this world were chosen by God to have physical life and that all were invited to salvation, but that people were either chosen to paradise or eternal suffering. Calvin twisted Paul’s teaching saying that “Paul answers that God has predestined it so” and that this was “according to the good pleasure of his [God’s] will.” In actuality, Paul never mentioned predestination in this piece of scripture. Furthermore, Calvin went on to state that Paul meant that God had not only chosen whom He willed, but that each person’s birth came with a certain amount of set grace that the Lord granted to that human being. In his sermon of 1551, Calvin placed an emphasis on the distance between humanity and God, who is divine. He depicted God as an angry judge who crushed humanity when people rebelled against Him. Calvin focused too much on the fact that God knew what one would become rather than acknowledging or recognizing that people through their relationship with God choose where they can and will love the most.
In addition, Calvin argued that in predestination there was no consideration of works. This belief is quite contrary to what the Bible says in James 2:17. There the Word states that “Faith without works is dead.” Calvin’s decree tells Christians that whether they live a completely moral life without sin, or live in sin, their salvation does not depend on their actions. This is certainly an unacceptable concept because why then did God grant people free will? Calvin did not fully recognize the power or authority of free will in the sense of working with God through providence to reach salvation, as choice has no real authority when one’s eternal future is predetermined. In other words according to Calvin’s understanding of predestination one could choose God and not be saved if God did not bestow His mercy on that individual. Why would God reject those who loved Him and loved their neighbor? Calvin must not have read Deuteronomy 30:19 which stated, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” Choice here is used to explain that people must freely decide to listen and work with God to reach salvation. Undoubtedly, people cannot reach salvation on their own, but have to answer yes to the call and respond to God through love. In the meantime, the gospel of John discredits Calvin’s belief of predestination as John 6:39-40 said, “This is his [God’s] will; that everyone who believes in the Son may not perish.” Therefore, this scripture if indeed true must mean that people have a choice and based on what they choose they are either saved or condemned. Life after death in this context is not determined because God wants to consign some to Hell and allow some into Heaven, but because some freely reject Christ, while others freely accept Him as Lord. Calvin did not give enough credit to the words choose and choice, and by ignoring them he displayed one reason why his approach was faulty in regards to the created order.
Calvin’s understanding of predestination fell short of reality for a number of other reasons. What would Christ’s sacrifice and ultimate expression of love on the cross mean in the eyes of Calvin if people are predestined? Jesus’ sacrifice in regards to predestination is less meaningful because man from the beginning is destined to Heaven or Hell, regardless whether man does decide to believe in the Son of God who came to save the world from sin and ultimately bridged the gap created by humanity’s disobedience. Calvin clearly stated that election was not dependent on one’s faith, but that the faith each person has was the product of election. This would mean that one does not choose to have faith, but is given it only if God wishes for that person to be saved. Does this mean that those with faith are saved, according to Calvin there is no certainty. Remember that Calvin suggested that people should not be concerned or question whether or not they are saved, this is hard to fathom. What Christian merely drifts through life without trying to figure out what salvation means and if they are going to Heaven or not? Is not the ultimate goal for a Christian to love God and neighbor and be saved to spend eternity with God?
The French Theologian also had an interesting view when it came to events that took place in the natural world, whether these occurrences affected people in a negative or positive manner. Calvin said, “When, therefore, one asks why God has so done, we must reply: because he has willed it.” This notion is the idea that everything that happens is essentially God’s will. This does not mean that God wills evil on humanity, but that God allows people to suffer the consequences of their own sin. In order to further his claim of legitimacy, Calvin suggested that the evils which occur are more man’s doing than the Lord’s. Right after making this statement he said that man “should not be blamed for what he cannot avoid and undertakes God’s will.” This is hypocritical because how is something man’s doing if God is the one who wills it and predestines things to happen? Calvin even went as far as saying that God predestined man to act in various ways.
Predestination outside of Calvin’s understanding is viewed somewhat differently. Predestination, a notion not accepted by some Christians, especially with regards to Calvin’s understanding of the created order, refers to:
Divine decree by which God, owing to His infallible prescience of the future, has appointed and ordained from eternity all events occurring in time, especially those which directly proceed from, or at least are influenced by, man’s free will.
The last part of this description of predestination plays a great importance because it recognizes that free will is present and affects one’s relationship with God and humanity. This idea of predestination says that not all men do reach eternity, however it says that many become eternally lost because of their own faultiness through the free act of sin. Nevertheless, the non Calvinist understanding of predestination is also questionable because it discredits the Christian teaching that people can work with God to reach salvation by saying that those predestined to Hell are the people who God knows are going to fail and fall into the state of sin, becoming His enemies. God may know what people are going to do before they act, a concept we cannot possibly grasp, but it is hard for one to accept that He gives up on people as the view of predestination suggests. Although this view of predestination allows more possibility for one to reach eternity than Calvin’s, it still cannot legitimately argue against the reality that people work with God through Providence, to reach their vocation in life and ultimately salvation.
Providence can be defined as working with God to reach completeness and thus salvation. Providence refers to a world which God has created that is independent, yet responsive to the attraction of God. It can be better explained as God’s parental care of creation. Furthermore, providence is God’s connection with creation and His relationship to the world and its development. Calvin’s understanding of predestination is faulty because he does not acknowledge the value of the choices of people who are in relationship with God and the world. Every day people have to decide between one thing and another, however there are times in one’s life that one has to make an extremely important choice that will bear subsequent consequences. Calvin’s understanding of the world ordered by predestination does not value the fact that people make choices and what they choose affects their friendship with God and the rest of humanity.
Peoples’ action through providence is essential in reaching their vocation in life. The experiences they have and how they respond to these situations are what shapes their future. If people respond negatively to these experiences and the call of God, they will not be able to reach their authentic self and wholeness. Contrarily, if people say yes to God and the call, they will be able to reach the greatest good and experience love. It is important to remember that through providence one is God’s partner in covenant. This commitment to one another through love, openness, and obedience allows for the person to grow as a Christian and become aware of who he/she is, the lifestyle he/she is called to live, and what he/she is to do in regards to a lifestyle and career. The notion of providence does not believe that there is merely one specific vocation for each human being. However, it is not so much what one does or the lifestyle one lives, but the importance must be placed on whether the particular vocation allows one to fully be oneself and love God and humanity the most.
Providence calls people to unity with God and this essentially means a dynamic relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God who are ever present in the Christians life. As a result of God wanting the greatest good for people, through providence He leads Christians to situations and events where they have the opportunity to choose what is good. When a person does not choose to take part in a particular good that God leads one to, the person actually denies God and thus is disobedient to Him. The result of denying the Lord is independence from God, something which is the worst possible thing for a person to enter into, as it is ultimately suicidal. For without God one is nothing because God knows one better than one knows oneself. Therefore, through providence God leads us to discover or uncover our true selves and if we deny him we can never reach our authentic being.
Providence also speaks of grace which is given to humanity by God in order to help a person move from immanence to transcendence. Grace is a free gift given to one out of God’s love that allows a person to enter into a relationship that goes beyond, transcending time and space. It is grace which gives birth to new opportunity, experiences, and relationship with God, as well as an understanding regarding where the person is being led in life. Each person can reject God’s gift of grace and by rejecting grace he/she rejects God. When one rejects or separates oneself from God the result is sin, and it is sin which leads to death, a spiritual death and thus an eternal one. St. Paul teaches that God desires all humanity to be saved and to be awakened to the knowledge of truth. God leads one to what is good, but one must choose what is right. God respects people’s ability of choice or free will though He hopes that His creatures will use their freedom to work toward achieving love and ultimately salvation. Those who choose wrong freely choose to disobey God and their sin leads to separation from God. People who continue to reject the grace of God and His love are freely choosing Hell, eternal separation from love and from God. On the contrary, those who respond positively, freely choosing to follow the will of God, become creatures of love in this life and will be forever in the presence of God in the world to come.
Based on Calvin’s understanding and belief in predestination, he could not clearly perceive the importance of free will and its role in humanity’s relationship with God. The importance of choice has been discussed already though it is vital that one has a solid understanding of what free will essentially means. Free will allows each person who possesses reason to freely make one’s own decisions and thus hold authority over one’s thoughts, actions, and the creation of one’s character. Free will can be described as the voluntary action of humanity. God grants free will to His people because He wants them to choose the greatest good in relation to Himself and the world. There would be clearly no virtue if people did not have to make decisions which affect their relationship with God and their fellow man. Life would be meaningless if Calvin’s questionable approach to predestination of the created order were true. Free will is a grace which allows us to work toward the greatest good which is ultimately our salvation. Without it, humanity would have no say or way to work with God, meaning there would be no providence and a predestined order would exist. Those who seek to do God’s will continuously are promised a blessed life on earth, although not an easy life, and ultimately eternal life with God. People cannot be richer or more whole than when they keep the will of God in their hearts and act upon it, despite the selfish interests they set aside as a result of their love.
Sacramental initiation plays an important role in helping people enhance their relationship with God, work to reach their vocation in life and ultimately salvation. The three sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation/Chrismation and Eucharist. Baptism, the first sacrament of initiation, is when Christians partake in the celebration of welcoming in new members among the Body of Christ. Baptism symbolizes a death and rebirth, where Christians rise with Christ to new life, undergoing a spiritual birth. This sacrament is significant because it is the symbolic act by which the recipient is clothed with Christ and enters into the community of faith. The baptized become a new creation, as Romans 8:29 says “they have become a new man in Christ, and they are conformed to Christ.” Certainly baptism is a sacrament that allows one to work with God and helps the relationship one has with the Lord to grow and blossom. If Calvin’s understanding of predestination were true, there would be no need for Baptism because either one would be clothed in Christ being saved or the contrary, resulting in eternal damnation. In the New Testament through Baptism one “enters into the kingdom of God and into the sphere of the saving work of Christ.” Lastly, baptism involves a profession of faith for or by the baptized, as the individual receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God which drives one to live a life of truthfulness, meekness, faithfulness, and love, helping Christians to further their relationship with God and humankind. Baptism a vital symbol in Christianity, one of the two sacraments kept by Luther and many Protestant Churches, was denied by Calvin in regards to it being a sacrament.
Another sacrament of initiation is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the Blessed Sacrament in which Jesus Christ is physically present in the bread and wine. The bread presents Christ’s body and the wine his blood, as the Lord gave up his physical self in the ultimate expression of love on the cross. Those who partake in the Eucharist fully experience the presence of Jesus and are essentially filled by Christ. Therefore, Christians believe that they are forgiven of all their iniquities and that Christ enters into them, which makes Christians whole and complete because Jesus is holy. In the Eucharist, Christ nourishes souls and provides the believer with grace that transcends both time and space. The Eucharist is the sacrament where Christians are centered upon God’s table of love and life. By consuming the bread and wine, Jesus becomes a living part of the recipient. It is through this sacrament that Christians become closer to God, receive an abundant amount of grace, and can reach spiritual fulfillment because Christ heals brokenness and replaces it with love. Only through providence, working with God, can the sacrament of Eucharist hold such vital importance for one’s relationship with his savior, thus helping him to reach salvation. Calvin did not keep the Eucharist as a sacrament either. He and his followers preserved none of the seven official sacraments of the Catholic Church, not even the sacraments of initiation.
Currently, confirmation is the final sacrament of initiation which impacts Christians to discover their vocation and reach fulfillment. Confirmation is when the Holy Spirit is given to a Christian in a special manner. The Spirit is “given to perfect and complete the initiation begun in baptism.” Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, Christians are made strong soldiers of Jesus Christ, who are called to profess their faith in the risen Lord. This sacrament presents the power of God within His people through the Holy Spirit and allows Christians to enter into a more mature and closer relationship with the Lord. As a result of Calvin not believing that people work with God to reach salvation, confirmation held less importance to him than to those who understood providence. The recommitment of faith which is at hand during confirmation and the grace one receives are important for the Christian’s growth toward reaching the greatest good and is yet another experience of God’s love. Essentially, an interior transformation occurs through the sacrament of Confirmation and the believer becomes a reformed and stronger member of the community of faith.
Salvation is what all Christians are striding for. Reaching eternity, Heaven, refers to being forever in the presence of God who is love. John Calvin believed in salvation. However, he did not take into account the actions of people on earth, the experiences they had, and their effort to serve God and humanity when it came to being saved. Calvin merely suggested that one was either saved or damned. Salvation can be reached through providence and can only occur if one is willing to abandon the self and fully commit to following the Lord in all aspects of life. This means submitting to God’s will because He wills what is best for humanity and that which will make present the greatest good for each person. God enlightens His creatures and essentially leads all to salvation. In order to reach salvation one must believe in Jesus Christ who died on the Cross and rose from the dead on the third day, hope in Christ the Lord, love God and neighbor, and work to fulfill God’s will. Salvation is liberation from sin and its consequences. Therefore, salvation brings people to ultimate completeness in God, as 1 Corinthians 3:22-23 says in “salvation all things are ours, we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” One’s effort to do the will of God is the ultimate act of love, as faith, works, and the grace of God are what it takes for one to be saved.
Providence with free will and sacramental initiation is the authentic way one discovers oneself, one’s vocation, and eventually reaches salvation. John Calvin’s understanding of predestination was clearly faulty because of his inability to value the actions of people, their experiences, and their relationship with God and humanity. Through providence one can see how humanity works with God to achieve fulfillment. God invites all to salvation, therefore it is by the grace of God, along with faith and works that pave an individual’s destiny to either eternal happiness with God who is love or eternal damnation in the fires of Hell.
Jean Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Trans. Ford Lewis Battles. John T.
McNeill, eds. V 1-2 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960) 921.
Calvin 924-925.
Calvin 926.
Calvin 927.
Calvin 927-928.
Calvin 933.
Calvin 934.
Calvin 934.
W.H. Neuser. “Neuser: Calvin the Preacher: His Explanation of the Doctrine of Predestination in the
Sermon of 1551 and in the Institutes of 1559.” Hervormde Teologiese Studies volume. 54 (1998):
60-103. ATLA. James White Library, Berrien Springs, MI. October 17, 2007. 73.
Calvin 935.
Calvin 946.
Calvin 967.
Calvin 949.
Calvin 953.
Calvin 954.
Calvin 954.
Charles G. Herbermann ed. [et all]. The Catholic Encyclopedia: an international work
of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic
Church. 15 vols (New York: Encyclopedia Press, 1913-1914) V.12 378.
Herbermann V.12 378.
Herbermann V.12 379.
Miroslav Volf and Michael Welker. “Fergusson; ‘Divine Providence and Action.’” God’s
Life in Trinity (2006): 153-165. (ATLA. Le Moyne College Library, Syracuse,
New York. September 20, 2007) 157.
Volf and Welker 153.
Volf and Welker 159.
Mark John Farrelly. Predestination, grace, and free will (Westminster, Md.: Newman
Press, 1964) 223.
Farrelly 229.
Farrelly 238.
Farrelly 10.
Farrelly 10-11.
Herbermann V.6 259.
Herbermann V.6 259.
Jean Pierre de Caussade. Self Abandonment to Divine Providence (London: Burns and
Oates, 1959) 125.
New Catholic Encyclopedia. 16 Vols. (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America, 2003) V.2 58.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 58.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 55.
New Catholic Encyclopedia V.2 57.
Herbermann V.5 572.
Herbermann V.5 573.
Herbermann V.5 584.
Marian Bohen. The mystery of confirmation, a theology of the sacrament (New York:
Herder and Herder, 1963) 21.
Bohen 31.
Bohen 20.
Caussade 121.
Caussade 122.
Farrelly 273.
Herbermann V.13 407.
Herbermann V.13 407.
Works Cited
Primary Sources.
Calvin, Jean. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Trans. Ford Lewis Battles. John T.
McNeill, eds. V 1-2. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960.
Secondary Sources
Bohen, Marian. The mystery of confirmation, a theology of the sacrament. New York:
Herder and Herder, 1963.
Caussade, Jean Pierre de. Self Abandonment to Divine Providence. London: Burns and
Oates, 1959.
Charles G. Herbermann ed. [et all]. The Catholic Encyclopedia: an international work of
reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic Church. 15 vols. New York: Encyclopedia Press, 1913-1914.
Farrelly, Mark John. Predestination, grace, and free will. Westminster, Md.: Newman
Press, 1964.
Neuser, W.H. “Neuser: Calvin the Preacher: His Explanation of the Doctrine of
Predestination in the Sermon of 1551 and in the Institutes of 1559.” Hervormde Teologiese Studies volume. 54 (1998):60-103. ATLA. James White Library, Berrien Springs, MI. October 17, 2007.
New Catholic Encyclopedia. 16 vols. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America, 2003.
Volf, Miroslav; Welker, Michael. “Fergusson; ‘Divine Providence and Action.’” God’s
Life in Trinity (2006): 153-165. ATLA. Le Moyne College Library, Syracuse,
New York. September 20, 2007
An Essay On the Creation of Race and Racisim
Cornel West’s Essay, “A genealogy of modern racism,” discusses an overlying theme and reality that racism exists within modern society, as whites have dominated the social order throughout history. One of the key issues Cornel West highlights in his essay is the role of the Scientific Revolution and how it formed to establish the scientific paradigm or the norm for truth and objectivity through dominating power. Essentially, West says that this is what develops and takes the shape of racism, resulting in white supremacy. West suggests that the Scientific Methods are the norm for dominant power, but they cannot be absolute when dealing with human beings. Cornel West explains that the neglected variable in the modern discourse on race is how a modernistic world view was used to classify human beings in an order of a hierarchy, thus resulting in racism. West further discusses that the two dominant stages in the effective history of emergence of white supremacy are the stages of Scientific Methods and Natural History delving into taxonomy and classicism. Taxonomy refers to the classifying and putting things in different groups, as was done to different ethnicities in order to shape the racial forum. The documentary “Race the Power of an illusion” compliments Cornel West’s argument and helps one deconstruct the idea of how racism was created and what its authentic purpose was in America.
As explained in the documentary, “Race the Power of an illusion,” America created the story of race as a fundamental idea that there was a difference between human beings in order for whites to advance to social and economic prominence within society. Essentially, this was the reality of racism in America from the beginning, however the likes of Thomas Jefferson and other early American settlers would not admit to this veracity. Thomas Jefferson, one of the “Founding Fathers,” stressed the importance of human equality, backing up the Declaration of Independence which stated that “All men are created equal.” Quite contradictory, Jefferson was the proud owner of as many as 225 slaves. He argued that blacks were inferior to whites in body and mind, suggesting that inalienable rights only applies to certain people, meaning whites. This expressed the idea that those enslaved were not men, as blacks were said to be written out of the human family.
Meanwhile, there was an intense need for labor in the American Colonies from the time settlers first came over from Great Britain in the early 1600s. At this point in time wealth and religion were the distinct factors that classified people, as color did not yet play a role. The social power of hierarchies was a gradual process which emerged later on in history. For the first fifty years, European workers were servants on farms and plantations in the Colonies, only to be replaced with African slaves by means of the dominant African slave trade. Blacks were viewed as the ideal source of labor as they could be purchased for a fair price and could not blend in with Colonial America if they escaped from their owners. This was the first time that the term “white” appeared as the identifying factor, instead of one being classified by means of wealth and whether he/she was Christian. Whites also gained financially and egotistically through the ownership of slaves in America. Slavery eventually became identified with Africans, as a racial divide emerged. People saw existing power relationships as natural, this being a monumental mistake. As slavery became more widespread it seemed that slavery was the natural role of blacks in society.
While blacks were being targeted at this time, Jefferson, on the other hand, was arguing that Native American Indians were actually naturally white and had just turned brown because of exposure to the sun. Jefferson believed that Indians were savages, but that they could be civilized, while blacks could not. Native Americans fought to maintain there freedom and their land, as American settlers invaded Indian occupied territory. The American settlers wanted to Christianize the Indians, convert them from hunters and gathers into farmers, and force them to become settlers instead of nomads. Essentially, the goal of the colonists was to make the Indians “brown white men.” On the other hand, Jefferson did not see a way or have a desire to assimilate blacks into society, as was the approach with Indians. He stressed that blacks were physically and mentally different, which led to the suspicion that blacks were inferior to whites because of genetics. Jefferson also stated that society would not know or understand the differences between blacks and whites for sure until science tells why blacks are inferior.
Jefferson did know that expanding the nation’s territory was of great importance at this time so he acted accordingly by means of the Louisiana Purchase. This expansion of America allowed American colonists to pressure Indians even more for new lands that were necessary for developing more plantations. The Cherokees were one group of Indians that conformed in a sense to the American desire, as some of them become “civilized.” The Cherokees signed treaties that surrendered 90% of their land to the United States and in return of being civilized, they were taught Christianity and English. This Indian group was even led to develop a constitution based on that of the U.S. Certainly, one can see that white America accepted those who conformed to its desires, while those who did not such as the blacks and other Native Americans were treated and viewed as non human.
During this time America continued to become more democratic for white males, while racism kept becoming more prominent. Those who were accepted were people who looked the same and spoke the same language as the whites. Andrew Jackson justified the removal of the Indians from their lands by saying that they were refusing to conform to the character of the white man, this being reflective of their evil resistance to change. Furthermore, Jackson said that the Indians did not want to secede to the “Superior Race” and that by not embracing white culture they were wrong. It was in 1838 that the U.S. army forced the remaining non conformed Cherokees at gun point to leave there homes, resulting in the “Trail of Tears.” Mexicans were also viewed as an inferior race by the whites. The United States annexed one third of Mexico’s land after the war with their southern neighbor. This was again displaying the idea that America believed that the west belonged to the whites, this being justified as manifest destiny.
In the 19th Century science began to be used to justify white superiority. During 1840s as movements were being made to abolish racial slavery, some of the abolitionists believed that all people were from the same created order. Contrarily, Samuel Morten a well known scientist of his time later determined that by looking at the construction and the size of skulls that there was no doubt a hierarchy of races existed. Morten concluded that white skulls proved that they were the highest and most superior of the races, followed by Native Americans, and finally the lowest sect of society being the blacks. This “discovery” re-emphasized the idea that God created blacks as slaves. Nott, another scientist of the mid 1800s argued that blacks should be viewed as a completely different species. Nott wrote through prejudice language, gaining white America’s acceptance that his idea of separate species was scientific fact. Another key element which was stressed once again in the 19th Century was that the Declaration of Independence claim of “All men are created equal” did not scientifically include blacks either. For if blacks were considered a different species then it was legitimate in the eyes of whites to say that they were not people, and thus justify blacks as slaves.
It is evident that the power of the ideology of race can change the minds of people. A book published during the late 19th Century, entitled “Types of Mankind” argued that Africans, Asians, and Native Americans were all different species. The main point of this literature was that no two races could exist on the same terms, as one was meant to rule the others, the one in America being whites. Science continued to be used to justify racism, not the fact that American Colonists needed laborers to produce crops and survive economically. Instead of America telling the truth by saying that its white colonists wanted land, an economic/monetary dominance, and political control over society, it created an enormous problem by creating “racism.” A racial hierarchy was formed by saying that there was something fundamentally different about non whites.
In conclusion, the documentary “Race the Power of an illusion” along with Cornel West’s essay, “A genealogy of modern racism,” has unfolded the truths to how a racial hierarchy has been formed in society. Racism in the U.S. did not exist until the whites decided to use the physical differences of people as a means to gain what they desired in order to be the most prosperous and elite people in America. Unfortunately, as a result of this created hierarchy of race the scars and wounds of racism have not been fully healed as it still exists today. The human situation continues to be impacted by modern day slavery, as some historians believe that more forced labor (modern day slavery) occurs now than ever before. It is catastrophic that America has left out the reality of this messiness and bloodiness that has come about because of white America’s creation of racism and the racial hierarchy. By leaving the reality and the uncleanness out of the history books America has deceived the modern intellectual about how this monster named race authentically emerged within our society.
As explained in the documentary, “Race the Power of an illusion,” America created the story of race as a fundamental idea that there was a difference between human beings in order for whites to advance to social and economic prominence within society. Essentially, this was the reality of racism in America from the beginning, however the likes of Thomas Jefferson and other early American settlers would not admit to this veracity. Thomas Jefferson, one of the “Founding Fathers,” stressed the importance of human equality, backing up the Declaration of Independence which stated that “All men are created equal.” Quite contradictory, Jefferson was the proud owner of as many as 225 slaves. He argued that blacks were inferior to whites in body and mind, suggesting that inalienable rights only applies to certain people, meaning whites. This expressed the idea that those enslaved were not men, as blacks were said to be written out of the human family.
Meanwhile, there was an intense need for labor in the American Colonies from the time settlers first came over from Great Britain in the early 1600s. At this point in time wealth and religion were the distinct factors that classified people, as color did not yet play a role. The social power of hierarchies was a gradual process which emerged later on in history. For the first fifty years, European workers were servants on farms and plantations in the Colonies, only to be replaced with African slaves by means of the dominant African slave trade. Blacks were viewed as the ideal source of labor as they could be purchased for a fair price and could not blend in with Colonial America if they escaped from their owners. This was the first time that the term “white” appeared as the identifying factor, instead of one being classified by means of wealth and whether he/she was Christian. Whites also gained financially and egotistically through the ownership of slaves in America. Slavery eventually became identified with Africans, as a racial divide emerged. People saw existing power relationships as natural, this being a monumental mistake. As slavery became more widespread it seemed that slavery was the natural role of blacks in society.
While blacks were being targeted at this time, Jefferson, on the other hand, was arguing that Native American Indians were actually naturally white and had just turned brown because of exposure to the sun. Jefferson believed that Indians were savages, but that they could be civilized, while blacks could not. Native Americans fought to maintain there freedom and their land, as American settlers invaded Indian occupied territory. The American settlers wanted to Christianize the Indians, convert them from hunters and gathers into farmers, and force them to become settlers instead of nomads. Essentially, the goal of the colonists was to make the Indians “brown white men.” On the other hand, Jefferson did not see a way or have a desire to assimilate blacks into society, as was the approach with Indians. He stressed that blacks were physically and mentally different, which led to the suspicion that blacks were inferior to whites because of genetics. Jefferson also stated that society would not know or understand the differences between blacks and whites for sure until science tells why blacks are inferior.
Jefferson did know that expanding the nation’s territory was of great importance at this time so he acted accordingly by means of the Louisiana Purchase. This expansion of America allowed American colonists to pressure Indians even more for new lands that were necessary for developing more plantations. The Cherokees were one group of Indians that conformed in a sense to the American desire, as some of them become “civilized.” The Cherokees signed treaties that surrendered 90% of their land to the United States and in return of being civilized, they were taught Christianity and English. This Indian group was even led to develop a constitution based on that of the U.S. Certainly, one can see that white America accepted those who conformed to its desires, while those who did not such as the blacks and other Native Americans were treated and viewed as non human.
During this time America continued to become more democratic for white males, while racism kept becoming more prominent. Those who were accepted were people who looked the same and spoke the same language as the whites. Andrew Jackson justified the removal of the Indians from their lands by saying that they were refusing to conform to the character of the white man, this being reflective of their evil resistance to change. Furthermore, Jackson said that the Indians did not want to secede to the “Superior Race” and that by not embracing white culture they were wrong. It was in 1838 that the U.S. army forced the remaining non conformed Cherokees at gun point to leave there homes, resulting in the “Trail of Tears.” Mexicans were also viewed as an inferior race by the whites. The United States annexed one third of Mexico’s land after the war with their southern neighbor. This was again displaying the idea that America believed that the west belonged to the whites, this being justified as manifest destiny.
In the 19th Century science began to be used to justify white superiority. During 1840s as movements were being made to abolish racial slavery, some of the abolitionists believed that all people were from the same created order. Contrarily, Samuel Morten a well known scientist of his time later determined that by looking at the construction and the size of skulls that there was no doubt a hierarchy of races existed. Morten concluded that white skulls proved that they were the highest and most superior of the races, followed by Native Americans, and finally the lowest sect of society being the blacks. This “discovery” re-emphasized the idea that God created blacks as slaves. Nott, another scientist of the mid 1800s argued that blacks should be viewed as a completely different species. Nott wrote through prejudice language, gaining white America’s acceptance that his idea of separate species was scientific fact. Another key element which was stressed once again in the 19th Century was that the Declaration of Independence claim of “All men are created equal” did not scientifically include blacks either. For if blacks were considered a different species then it was legitimate in the eyes of whites to say that they were not people, and thus justify blacks as slaves.
It is evident that the power of the ideology of race can change the minds of people. A book published during the late 19th Century, entitled “Types of Mankind” argued that Africans, Asians, and Native Americans were all different species. The main point of this literature was that no two races could exist on the same terms, as one was meant to rule the others, the one in America being whites. Science continued to be used to justify racism, not the fact that American Colonists needed laborers to produce crops and survive economically. Instead of America telling the truth by saying that its white colonists wanted land, an economic/monetary dominance, and political control over society, it created an enormous problem by creating “racism.” A racial hierarchy was formed by saying that there was something fundamentally different about non whites.
In conclusion, the documentary “Race the Power of an illusion” along with Cornel West’s essay, “A genealogy of modern racism,” has unfolded the truths to how a racial hierarchy has been formed in society. Racism in the U.S. did not exist until the whites decided to use the physical differences of people as a means to gain what they desired in order to be the most prosperous and elite people in America. Unfortunately, as a result of this created hierarchy of race the scars and wounds of racism have not been fully healed as it still exists today. The human situation continues to be impacted by modern day slavery, as some historians believe that more forced labor (modern day slavery) occurs now than ever before. It is catastrophic that America has left out the reality of this messiness and bloodiness that has come about because of white America’s creation of racism and the racial hierarchy. By leaving the reality and the uncleanness out of the history books America has deceived the modern intellectual about how this monster named race authentically emerged within our society.
St. Jude Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes
Within Christianity there are many symbols and rituals that hold great importance for believers and the faith community. Many times these rituals and symbols speak great volumes to people based on the situations they face in life, as well as the cultural context in which people live. Saints, those who have lived an extraordinary life by following Christ to the highest degree, have been particularly meaningful to Catholics who often have searched for another way to connect and grow in their relationship with God. For women in the Twentieth Century, St. Jude played an extremely significant role in their lives, as their relationship grew, as did their communion, love and devotion to the saint of hopeless causes. During that time period women were required to take on harsh gender roles and a societal script for how to live their lives, which were forced upon them by mainstream American culture. As a result, woman turned to St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes, in order to resist and cope with the problems in their lives as they worked to regain religious power, a supportive and female-centered community, and a voice.
Unfortunately, society has fabricated things such as “particular arrangements of gender, class, [and] race,” which are often “treated as natural or given, part of the taken-for-grantedness of the world even though they are made and sustained in culture.” (Orsi 211) Women in the Twentieth Century fell into this trap, which told them they had a specific role in society. In his text, Thank You St. Jude: Women’s Devotion to the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes, Robert A. Orsi explained that married women during the time period of the Twentieth Century were expected to stay at home, care for the children, be silent sufferers, and martyrs. The man’s role in society was to be the “bread winner” or sole financial supporter of the family, in other words the stable and courageous one. The script that was given to women was certainly put to the test during the troublesome years of the Great Depression. The Great Depression challenged women in an extreme manner, placing new stresses and problems in their lives. Interestingly enough, women were the ones who had to go out and work to support the family, much to the disdain of men. The “natural bread winners”—men, were no longer able to feed their families because they were being laid off from their blue color jobs. The only stable jobs were white collar occupations, which were at the time being held by women. Not only did women hear constant complaining by men who were jealous and humiliated by the fact that they were no longer the reliable one’s in the family, but women who were out of place also had to deal with the problems that arose from their husbands’ uneasiness. Many times women had to face the reality that their husbands were drinking away their families’ fortunes or even in extreme cases when men left them for good. Overall, the Depression began undermining the Catholic role of family. Women needed something to turn to where they could find answers; this we will see was St. Jude.
Another time in the Twentieth Century when women were out of place was during WWII. Women had to work because their husbands were off at war and their families could not survive if they did not maintain at least one job. Not only was work strenuous on women, but they were expected to hold their husbands as the center of their lives. They were also expected to be brave when their husbands were sent away to be killed overseas. These pressures continued to build and were problems that women had to deal with in one way or another.
Lastly, the Post WWII era brought about another difficulty for women, this being child rearing. Women were now being called to give birth in hospitals, a new and strange environment. They no longer had the support of their family when delivering a child and were robbed of the religious meaning of pain during the process of giving birth because new drugs/pain killers were being used. The sacred and natural aspect of having children was destroyed, and consequently childbirth became meaningless. The overlying problem at hand was that women once had a place in society as mother and wife. Even if this script was written for them or role forced upon them in the past, they used to have a place in society. However, when the Twentieth Century came along women became out of place in the realm of the American Catholic culture, they needed something to lean on, and this essentially becoming devotions to St. Jude.
Society called for women to rely on men during the Twentieth Century, men who were not dependable for the reasons previously explained. One vital point of emphasis was the fact that during this period and course of events women had no voice. Women were not allowed to speak about the problems that occurred within their home, especially the problems that their husbands had caused. Women were continuously forced to respect society’s manufactured role for them; that they were to be silent sufferers and martyrs. Certainly, women knew that if they did speak of their concerns/problems things would have only worsened. However, women also realized that they could not keep their problems to themselves because if they did their lives would not improve. As a result, devotions to St. Jude allowed women to voice their problems, concerns, and troubles to other women who were in a similar or the same situation as they were. St. Jude provided women with a warm and welcoming figure who was always willing to listen, as well as able to offer an environment that was safe and confidential for women to speak up about their disoriented lives. The prayers women made to St. Jude were “situated precisely at the point where the personal, intimate experience intersected with the greater impersonal forces of history under way outside the door.” (Orsi 49) St. Jude was the ideal man according to many women because he cared, he listened, and he gave women a voice, things that the men in their lives deprived women of.
St. Jude also helped women take a stand and not simply accept the manipulating forces in their lives. Although women were extremely involved with St. Jude, they also realized that there was a difference between themselves and their saint. Women were the one’s who had to face the reality of the world, the ways society was oppressing them, and how they had to be proactive and do something about the situation they were forced to live in. St. Jude was the provider of hope and women did enter into a unique relationship with the saint. Nevertheless, Jude was distinct from the women themselves. Devotion to St. Jude granted women solidarity and a supportive female-centered community. In the past women had been isolated, cut off from their families, as well as the male dominated society. However, by means of devotions to St. Jude, a supporting cast and community of others with a similar identity, was what women needed and received in order to help them create a new script for themselves in society.
Finally, devotions to St. Jude gave women a great sense of hope and more religious power. Narratives of petition, where “asking” occurred, allowed women to have a connection and/or network of women who introduced other women to St. Jude. This was very important because new members of Jude’s devout community brought strength and life to those already in St. Jude’s “fold.” As the numbers of devotees to the saint increased so did their power. Narratives of grace also took place during devotions to Jude, these being stories of times of miraculous intercession by the saint in the lives of women. Therefore, St. Jude was creating new perspectives for women and granting them the hope they so desperately needed. The saint provided women with a “courageous response to life’s troubles undertaken with love and trust.” (Orsi 208) As a result of devotions to St. Jude, women were able to legitimately challenge the script that society had forced upon them, essentially the war of words. According to Orsi, language (scripts) shape people and the culture in which they live. A script tells the people of a particular culture “XYZ,” however these are merely limiting factors that should not be automatically accepted, but examined carefully. Jude was a “supple, multidimensional [idiom] for working on the self and the world in an oscillating dialectic ‘fantasy’ and ‘reality,’ self and other, objective and subjective, past and present, submission and resistance.” (Orsi 210) Consequently, St. Jude was a resource for women to view their lives in a different manner, other than the societal script and role that had already been written for women by the mainstream American culture. Eventually, women gained more religious power and authority in the Church as they continued to fight for their rights and their voices were granted back to them.
In conclusion, St. Jude was the “X-Factor” for women. Jude was the force that spared women from possibly being confined to the societal script/role within the American Culture for the long term. Without their devotions to St. Jude, women might have been oppressed for the remainder of the Twentieth Century and beyond. What is certain, is that the patron saint of hopeless causes allowed women to triumph in due time over the struggles that came about during the times of the Depression, WWII, and the Post WWII era when women were out of place. St. Jude allowed women to gain more religious power, achieve a supportive and female-centered community, and granted them a voice. This voice and new place in society which St. Jude helped women attain by means of a new script, established major historical changes resulting from future events such as the successful women’s movement.
Evil is in the World It is a Reality
The Twenty First Century in the United States, known as the “greatest nation in the world,” has left those Catholics who truly believe in God puzzled and disturbed. The American culture is loaded with false truths and harmful ideals which have led many astray from God. The importance of glory and fame, materialism, money, and the power of science and technology have exploded to create a monstrous society, a culture consumed by evil. Many people in this day and age give little thought to the importance of faith, let alone the reality that evil exists and is a deadly plague which continues to destroy the lives of Americans. The majority of Americans claim that they believe in God, this most certainly is true. However, the God they believe in and center their lives around, is not the Creator of Heaven and Earth. In American culture, religion has become the worship of ideals and false truths. Evil has been the stronghold which has snatched Americans from authentic love and the truth, namely Jesus Christ.
Evil is all around and fills the world we live in. All one has to do is read the newspaper or turn on the television and this dangerous force cannot be missed. However, the American culture which is consumed by evil has turned its cheek from reality, the fact that the world is a complete disaster. One of the most influential factors which has brought about and given way to the “Evil Empire” (America) is modernity. Modernity can be explained as the devil’s advocate as it has continuously pulled Americans away from their faith in God, the importance of religion, and the truth. Modernity has developed the idea that humans are individuals, de-emphasizing the significance that God made us to be people who live in a community of love. More and more emphasis has been placed on the self and the notion of what “I” want to do, not what is best for society as a whole. As a result of the American culture forming into a mass of individuals, there has been a complete separation and isolation that essentially has led to destruction. Americans become isolated from one another because of the “children of modernity,” things such as materialism, wealth, fame, and science/technology, and thus Americans have been ultimately separated from God.
It blows the minds of those truly devout Catholics to think that our American currency states, “In God We Trust.” America would be an entirely different country if this were indeed true. Unfortunately, God is very hard to find in the society in which we live. Nevertheless, the God or Gods that many Americans worship are ever present and found on a daily basis. Most Americans work hard to acquire material goods, things that they believe will make them happy. A common idea is that the more “stuff” I have the happier I will become. This obviously is a false notion, an example of how evil and modernity has corrupted the minds and souls of individuals. Nowadays who strives to live the humble life? Instead, American culture demands that individuals seek glory and fame. People forget that money is a resource and blessing from God, which if used properly could change the world and improve the human situation. Yet, in America money is a god which is worshipped and glorified because it is falsely believed to be able to gain happiness and hope for people. A prime example of this is the title of a recent rap album by super star 50 Cent which states, “Get Rich or Die Trying.” Why can’t people see that Christ is not present, and cannot be present, in such an evil and dark society?
Furthermore, science and technology have stolen Americans away from their Creator, as there are more evil distractions now during the Twenty First Century than ever before. Not many people question the legitimacy of science, usually only those such as Catholics who have a deep and authentic faith in God. Why is it that people tend to so easily believe whatever society tells them, rather than acknowledging that God is the “X Factor” who allows for the created world to develop by means of evolution? It is mind boggling that Americans do not have enough time to go to Church, that is spend less than an hour per week with the one (God) who loves, sustains, and blesses them constantly. Yet, Americans always have the time to text- message, talk on the phone, IM, and Facebook others numerous hours each day. This leaves Catholics in America with the question, “Where is God present in this country?” Murder, prostitution, drug usage, mass consumption of alcohol, and the like have warped the minds of Americans and kept them from knowing and loving God the Father who so graciously wants to save them from destruction. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 16:13) tells us that "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money)."
If Americans would merely listen and not ignore the Catholic approach to life the society we live in would not be so constrained by the evil forces of the world, for in Christ there is true hope and salvation for all. Devout Catholics understand that the only way to combat evil is by means of peace, brotherly love, and unselfishness. In order to overcome temptation, sin, and the falsehood of the American culture, one must place his/her full trust in God, work to live together in community as people with others, and live life by facing reality to make changes in what is a dark world. Catholics in America face a great obstacle, this being the negative influence of culture. However, those who stay strong by keeping the faith and do not lose heart in doing good, will in due time reap the harvest if they do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9). Salvation is available to all, as God calls all of His people to spend eternity with Him. Although this is the truth, Americans have overlooked this grace and have been so clouded by the dominating modern culture that God is no longer in the forefront of their minds. As a result, the kind of hope that St. Jude gave to Catholic women during the Twentieth Century is no longer being realized by many in America who have fallen by the wayside, losing all connection with God. Maybe there is a reason why the cross in the Protestant Church has no Christ on it. The American culture has portrayed that Jesus has disappeared or is no longer present in society. It is not a question of whether God and His Son Jesus Christ have left America, but the reality that America no longer desires to acknowledge the “way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6) in a world which they have manufactured—one full of sinfulness, darkness and death.
In conclusion, modernity and the evil factors in the world have extinguished and destroyed the importance of God in America. The American culture has acted as the devil’s “poster child,” leading people astray like sheep being led to the slaughter. For faithful Catholics in the United States it is extremely difficult to witness so many Americans falling off the road to eternal life, which God had paved for all by means of the ultimate expression of love that Christ lived out on the cross. There is no doubt that the gospel of Matthew is accurate in stating that “For many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Until American culture changes from a society that is plagued by modernity, being filled with selfishness and greed, many will remain blinded from the truth. These Americans may never see the true light of the world—Jesus Christ, the one who can lead all to triumph over evil and gain true life.
Evil is all around and fills the world we live in. All one has to do is read the newspaper or turn on the television and this dangerous force cannot be missed. However, the American culture which is consumed by evil has turned its cheek from reality, the fact that the world is a complete disaster. One of the most influential factors which has brought about and given way to the “Evil Empire” (America) is modernity. Modernity can be explained as the devil’s advocate as it has continuously pulled Americans away from their faith in God, the importance of religion, and the truth. Modernity has developed the idea that humans are individuals, de-emphasizing the significance that God made us to be people who live in a community of love. More and more emphasis has been placed on the self and the notion of what “I” want to do, not what is best for society as a whole. As a result of the American culture forming into a mass of individuals, there has been a complete separation and isolation that essentially has led to destruction. Americans become isolated from one another because of the “children of modernity,” things such as materialism, wealth, fame, and science/technology, and thus Americans have been ultimately separated from God.
It blows the minds of those truly devout Catholics to think that our American currency states, “In God We Trust.” America would be an entirely different country if this were indeed true. Unfortunately, God is very hard to find in the society in which we live. Nevertheless, the God or Gods that many Americans worship are ever present and found on a daily basis. Most Americans work hard to acquire material goods, things that they believe will make them happy. A common idea is that the more “stuff” I have the happier I will become. This obviously is a false notion, an example of how evil and modernity has corrupted the minds and souls of individuals. Nowadays who strives to live the humble life? Instead, American culture demands that individuals seek glory and fame. People forget that money is a resource and blessing from God, which if used properly could change the world and improve the human situation. Yet, in America money is a god which is worshipped and glorified because it is falsely believed to be able to gain happiness and hope for people. A prime example of this is the title of a recent rap album by super star 50 Cent which states, “Get Rich or Die Trying.” Why can’t people see that Christ is not present, and cannot be present, in such an evil and dark society?
Furthermore, science and technology have stolen Americans away from their Creator, as there are more evil distractions now during the Twenty First Century than ever before. Not many people question the legitimacy of science, usually only those such as Catholics who have a deep and authentic faith in God. Why is it that people tend to so easily believe whatever society tells them, rather than acknowledging that God is the “X Factor” who allows for the created world to develop by means of evolution? It is mind boggling that Americans do not have enough time to go to Church, that is spend less than an hour per week with the one (God) who loves, sustains, and blesses them constantly. Yet, Americans always have the time to text- message, talk on the phone, IM, and Facebook others numerous hours each day. This leaves Catholics in America with the question, “Where is God present in this country?” Murder, prostitution, drug usage, mass consumption of alcohol, and the like have warped the minds of Americans and kept them from knowing and loving God the Father who so graciously wants to save them from destruction. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 16:13) tells us that "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money)."
If Americans would merely listen and not ignore the Catholic approach to life the society we live in would not be so constrained by the evil forces of the world, for in Christ there is true hope and salvation for all. Devout Catholics understand that the only way to combat evil is by means of peace, brotherly love, and unselfishness. In order to overcome temptation, sin, and the falsehood of the American culture, one must place his/her full trust in God, work to live together in community as people with others, and live life by facing reality to make changes in what is a dark world. Catholics in America face a great obstacle, this being the negative influence of culture. However, those who stay strong by keeping the faith and do not lose heart in doing good, will in due time reap the harvest if they do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9). Salvation is available to all, as God calls all of His people to spend eternity with Him. Although this is the truth, Americans have overlooked this grace and have been so clouded by the dominating modern culture that God is no longer in the forefront of their minds. As a result, the kind of hope that St. Jude gave to Catholic women during the Twentieth Century is no longer being realized by many in America who have fallen by the wayside, losing all connection with God. Maybe there is a reason why the cross in the Protestant Church has no Christ on it. The American culture has portrayed that Jesus has disappeared or is no longer present in society. It is not a question of whether God and His Son Jesus Christ have left America, but the reality that America no longer desires to acknowledge the “way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6) in a world which they have manufactured—one full of sinfulness, darkness and death.
In conclusion, modernity and the evil factors in the world have extinguished and destroyed the importance of God in America. The American culture has acted as the devil’s “poster child,” leading people astray like sheep being led to the slaughter. For faithful Catholics in the United States it is extremely difficult to witness so many Americans falling off the road to eternal life, which God had paved for all by means of the ultimate expression of love that Christ lived out on the cross. There is no doubt that the gospel of Matthew is accurate in stating that “For many are invited, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Until American culture changes from a society that is plagued by modernity, being filled with selfishness and greed, many will remain blinded from the truth. These Americans may never see the true light of the world—Jesus Christ, the one who can lead all to triumph over evil and gain true life.
True meaning of CHRISTMAS
There is always much excitement once Thanksgiving passes, as so many people throughout the world look forward to Christmas. Christmas, a holiday, a truly holy day and yet so many forget about what this celebration is all about. Presents, gifts, the madness, the commotion, yet where is Christ in all of this? Children anticipating the coming of Santa Clause, placing the milk and cookies out and the carrots for the reindeer. Yes, these things do have some value in them, however Christmas has turned into a holiday of materialism and commercialism. The gift giving is good, but has been overdone and is now the sole focus of this day, driving many completely over the edge as it controls their minds and souls.
Christmas is about the incarnation, the coming of God in human form, born as a babe. Jesus, the Christ--the anointed one, was born into the world, this being the beginning of the road to salvation. Emmanuel, meaning God is with us, did truly become an immanent part of human history living with and among His people. Christmas is the celebration and the remembrance, or a re-living or the experience of the birth of the Son of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit our Lord was conceived in the womb of Mary, the Mother of God. The Gospels tell us that Joseph, the man Mary was betrothed to did not want to shame his future wife as he had not had relations with her and knew of her pregnancy. Therefore Joseph was going to divorce her quietly, but behold he had a vision from an angel that told him that Mary conceived the babe by the power of God's Spirit. The angel told Joesph to name the babe, the son of David, Jesus, the one who was to free His people from their sins. The infant John, that is John the Baptist, leaped in his mother's womb when in the presence of Mary who carried the Christ. These are the events before the birth that we should remember, as Jesus did bring JOY to the world and eventually freed us from slavery to sin, with His selfless act of love, dying on the cross. The Birth (Christmas), the death (Crucifixiion) and the Resurrection are all vital parts of Christian history and salvation which need to be remembered by us, the people of God in a manner where we give the Lord all glory and honor. Christmas is about family, it is about, communion, it is about the coming together of the Church--the body of Christ. Make sure this Christmas you remember what we are celebrating, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord, and King. The incarnation, God taking on the flesh to be with us, live for us, and ultimately love us in the greatest way possible. By keeping Christ in Christmas your joy to will be made complete on this sacred day in the advent season.
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