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UID:13658-1751587200-1751673599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE LAW OF THE GOSPEL \nFrom “Faith and Theology” by Fr Marie-Dominique Chenu \n◊◊◊ \nFor Christians\, peace is a decisive sign of the kingdom of God; hence\, as \nstudents of the history of civilization\, they find war a religious enigma which no \ncasuistry can fit into a vision of the plan of salvation. Since the Gospel is the \nsubstantial datum of theology\, this sacred science knows war only by negation \n— just as it knows sin in terms of the negation of love. \nSome\, such as Joseph de Maistre\, have tried to integrate war positively \ninto theology by making it an expression of the divine will\, but this attempt is \ndoomed to failure. The so-called “holy wars” of the Church can only bring a \nblush of shame\, and no sociology of the kingdom of God can justify them. For \nthat matter there is an intrinsic paradox in suggesting a “theology of war”\, for \nhow can war be fitted into the word of God (theo-logos)\, into the Gospel law of \nlove? Is it ever possible that the disciple of Christ should believe it his duty to \nfight? For how could collective\, murderous violence\, stemming from hate and \navarice\, become a meritorious act of fraternal love? \nSince theology is a rational and sacred exposition of the word of God \naddressed to the world\, and incarnate in the world\, it is easy to see that the \nworld at war is an object of theological study only in the sense that the Christian \nconscience is faced with a conflict between the absolute law of the Gospel and \nthe harsh reality of human history. Unless it descend to pure casuistry\, theology \nwill find it more difficult there than anywhere else to invent “reasons” — reasons \nwhich could justify war within the law of the Gospel. \nWe must start with the Gospel\, and always insist on it\, for it is the one \nconstant of Christian life. Before all else\, before any doctrinal elaboration\, \ntheology is the word of God – the word of God in the sacred text\, the word of God \ntoday and always\, in the world of history and the world of nature; that is why the \nspontaneous reaction to the expression “theology of war” is one of rejection. \nFor war is the opposite of peace and in the language of the Gospel\, peace is the \nconsequence of love\, which in turn is the one and absolute evangelical rule of \nhuman conduct. \nLove is the primary and uncompromising message of the Gospel\, not just \nsomething that appeals to a subjective religious sentimentality\, but a stern \ndemand based on the very object of our faith. Here we are faced with the \nunequivocal alternative of yes or no: this is the very substance of the Gospel \nbecause it is the substance of the mystery of God communicated to us in Christ. \nHe who renounces peace renounces the kingdom of God.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-332/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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