Subjects:
[28/Sep/2004:21:12:44] <Father Phillip> Identity: Hello. I was wondering if you knew the Catholic Church's
stance on the Egyptian god Horus and the Great Pyramid. Thanks.
[28/Sep/2004:21:12:51] <Father Phillip> hello
[28/Sep/2004:21:13:29] <Father Phillip> well, the Catholic Church recognizes
only the One True God Who is Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and their Holy
Spirit as God
[28/Sep/2004:21:13:46] <Father Phillip> so the egyptian gods are simply
false gods in the mind of the Church
[28/Sep/2004:21:13:58] <Father Phillip> they are not part of Divine Reality
[28/Sep/2004:21:14:29] <Father Phillip> and i have never heard whether
the Church has any stance or position with regard to the Great Pyramid
[28/Sep/2004:21:17:51] <Father Phillip> Identity: Do you know if the Church
recognizes any inflence from other religions, spiritualities, and teachings?
[28/Sep/2004:21:18:10] <Father Phillip> of course, Catholicism recognizes
a mighty influence from Judaism
[28/Sep/2004:21:19:42] <Father Phillip> i'm not sure that i have ever
heard of the Catholic Church acknowledging any direct influence from other religions,
spiritualities, or teachings
[28/Sep/2004:21:20:09] <Father Phillip> nevertheless, Catholic scholars
have long speculated on a variety of influences from non-Catholic/non-Christian
sources
[28/Sep/2004:21:20:18] <Father Phillip> this is often called "syncretism"
[28/Sep/2004:21:20:51] <Father Phillip> for instance, non Hebrew religious
practices may have had an influence on some of the practices and beliefs reported,
as it were, in the Hebrew Bible
[28/Sep/2004:21:21:53] <Father Phillip> similarly, non-Christian religions,
for example, so-called "mystery religions" of the ancient near east
and greece, may have had a rather significant influence on the development of
early Christianity
[28/Sep/2004:21:22:43] <Father Phillip> and certain liturgical and/or
pious practices which made their way into Christianity in the early centuries
can be traced in terms of their origins to Roman and/or Greek pagan festivals
and celebrations
[28/Sep/2004:21:24:15] <Father Phillip> there is a vast scholarly literature
on these topics
[28/Sep/2004:21:24:34] <Father Phillip> you should think about taking
courses in the religious studies department of your university or college
[28/Sep/2004:21:32:55] <Father Phillip> Identity: I've thought about it. I spend alot of time researching
it on my own. What is the church's stance as far as the translation of the bible?
Particularlly with certain things that can be seen as mistranslated. Such as
the word Elohim, which is a third person plural, but translated singularly.
[28/Sep/2004:21:33:45] <Father Phillip> well, generally, the Church tends
to say that translations should be the work of groups of the best scholars around
[28/Sep/2004:21:34:21] <Father Phillip> and that the translations they
produce should be ok'ed by the magisterium, usually via the imprimatur process
of a particular Bishop
[28/Sep/2004:21:34:41] <Father Phillip> and then, the Church tends to
recognize the fact that translations are rather temporally bound
[28/Sep/2004:21:35:17] <Father Phillip> that is to say, what may be an
excellent translation in one period of time for a particular culture may not
be an even adequate translation for that same culture at a different point-in-time
[28/Sep/2004:21:35:28] <Father Phillip> moreover, translations are rarely
trans-cultural
[28/Sep/2004:21:35:56] <Father Phillip> so what works as a good translation
in one culture may not be even remotely adequate in a different culture which
speaks "the same" language
[28/Sep/2004:21:36:28] <Father Phillip> in situations such the one to
which you refer, the Church tends to rely on the expertise of faithful scholars
[28/Sep/2004:21:37:49] <Father Phillip> my own very limited knowledge
of the particular question you raise tells me something from the deepest, darkest
recesses of my memory, i.e., that Elohim is thought of as a 'collective noun'
and is, therefore, rightly translated in the singular even though you are, technically,
correct that it is a plural form
[28/Sep/2004:21:38:13] <Father Phillip> but i certainly would not claim
to be an authority in any way, shape, form, or fashion on this topic
[28/Sep/2004:21:43:34] <Father Phillip> Identity: Yes. From what I've
researched, I think that's true. The verbs used in conjunction with Elohim are
singular I think. Do you know if the church has a stance on Atlantis, or a ancient
civilization similar to it?
[28/Sep/2004:21:44:00] <Father Phillip> glad your research sort of confirms
my dim memories :-)
[28/Sep/2004:21:44:38] <Father Phillip> no, i don't think i've ever heard
or read anything that suggests the Church has anything like a 'stance' on the
Atlantis/ancient civilization thing
The Bible – Hebrew Bible – Great Flood
[28/Sep/2004:21:48:53] <Father Phillip> Identity: What is the church's understanding of the great flood?
Do they recognize it as a historical event? With a specific historical date,
or general time period?
[28/Sep/2004:21:49:25] <Father Phillip> yes, i think that most Catholic
scholars would say that the 'great flood' was something like an historical event
[28/Sep/2004:21:50:24] <Father Phillip> and while i don't think a specific
date can be designated, i do think that Catholic scholars would say that some
general kind of epochal dating is possible
[28/Sep/2004:21:50:39] <Father Phillip> but don't ask me what that would
be -- i DON'T remember that!
[28/Sep/2004:21:54:25] <Father Phillip> Identity: I haven't researched
the Church's view, but from my research I think it may have been an eruption
of a great volcano, and possibly other things, along with, or causing, the end
of a certain Ice Age. I think it was 11,000 - 12,000 years ago. Apparently wiped
out 70% of mammals.
[28/Sep/2004:21:54:56] <Father Phillip> cool -- you know a lot more about
that stuff than i do -- thanks for sharing your knowledge with me!
[28/Sep/2004:21:55:35] <Father Phillip> we'll post this chat and so other
visitors can profit from your knowledge -- besides just me!
[28/Sep/2004:21:59:20] <Father Phillip> Identity: That's cool. I've got
to go, but thanks for your time.
[28/Sep/2004:21:59:34] <Father Phillip> you have a great evening and thanks
for stopping by -- cheers! and blessings!
[28/Sep/2004:22:00:40] <Father Phillip> Identity: You to.
Living as a Christian – Ecumenical & Inter-religious Dialogue
[28/Sep/2004:22:33:17] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: Hi Fr Phillip,
[28/Sep/2004:22:33:20] <Father Phillip> hello
[28/Sep/2004:22:35:37] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: my friend is a
protestant and read that st benedict did several miracles and she was curious
of the fact that while she read that st benedict was a great saint, she hadnt
heard of him and i think she is insinuating that st benedict was a fake
[28/Sep/2004:22:36:39] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: what kind of things
can i tell her to look at to prove his existance?
[28/Sep/2004:22:37:21] <Father Phillip> well, some of his writings are
extant -- they still exist and are kept in the monastery at monte casino in
italy
[28/Sep/2004:22:37:53] <Father Phillip> i've never heard of anybody doubting
that st. benedict really existed --
[28/Sep/2004:22:38:08] <Father Phillip> he was one of the great figures
of western european history
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:11] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: well i think she
believes that st benedict never did some of the miracles she is telling me
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:15] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: walking on water
and raising the dead
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:26] <Father Phillip> let's be careful here!
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:33] <Father Phillip> GOD does miracles -- not saint
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:43] <Father Phillip> sometimes God works miracles THROUGH
saints
[28/Sep/2004:22:39:52] <Father Phillip> but God is the One Who does the
miracles
[28/Sep/2004:22:40:31] <Father Phillip> and miracles can't really be PROVEN
[28/Sep/2004:22:40:34] <Father Phillip> they are matters of faith
[28/Sep/2004:22:41:14] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: are catholics not obligated to accept miracles the
vatican says have happened?
[28/Sep/2004:22:41:27] <Father Phillip> not really obligated -- encouraged,
urged
[28/Sep/2004:22:41:51] <Father Phillip> but not really obliged in the
same way that we are obligated, for instance, to go to Mass or to believe in
the Trinity
[28/Sep/2004:22:42:36] <Father Phillip> miracles tend to be matters of
personal faith rather than matters of general revelation
[28/Sep/2004:22:42:58] <Father Phillip> the major exception, of course,
is that we ARE obligated to believe in the miracles that the Lord Jesus performed
[28/Sep/2004:22:43:35] <Father Phillip> does that make sense?
[28/Sep/2004:22:43:52] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: it does
[28/Sep/2004:22:43:55] <Father Phillip> ok, good
[28/Sep/2004:22:44:04] <Father Phillip> we MUST believe in the miracles
of Jesus
[28/Sep/2004:22:44:25] <Father Phillip> but miracles that God may choose
to perform through various saints is not of the same order in the hierarchy
of Catholic truth
[28/Sep/2004:22:45:21] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: so any miracles
that happened were God acting through saints to respond to those that needed
Him?
[28/Sep/2004:22:45:56] <Father Phillip> yes, i'd say that pretty much
summarizes Catholic belief on the subject of miracles-God-chooses-to-work-through-saints
[28/Sep/2004:22:49:43] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: so its not that
God needed saints to perform miracles, its just that he chooses to act through
them
[28/Sep/2004:22:49:46] <Father Phillip> exactly
[28/Sep/2004:22:49:59] <Father Phillip> God doesn't NEED saints or any
of us!
[28/Sep/2004:22:50:24] <Father Phillip> God graciously condescends (that's
the techincal theological word) to use us as channels of grace
[28/Sep/2004:22:50:28] <Father Phillip> God uses saints
[28/Sep/2004:22:50:34] <Father Phillip> and God uses YOU!
[28/Sep/2004:22:54:02] <Father Phillip> ragincajun830: ok thanks
[28/Sep/2004:22:54:04] <Father Phillip> my pleasure