Saint Augustine: The City of God and the Trinity
Saint Augustine: The City of God
This text comments on the importance of Chapter XXVI, Book XI of Augustine’s The City of God. It highlights the relationship between rational knowledge (acquired by reason) and faith, both in the search for truth. Augustine distinguishes between faith and reason as sources of knowledge. He establishes the limits between the two in the context of Christian truth.
We cannot dispense with either of the two, as both can lead to truth. For Augustine, the first relationship
Read MoreStoic Determinism, Self-Actualization, and Happiness
Stoic determinism explores the destination. According to Heraclitus, all things are governed by a universal law, and the ideal sage’s destiny is predetermined. The conscious mind, through its actions, ensures inner peace. There is a distinction between the inner and outer worlds, and predestination presents a causal order problem concerning freedom, similar to the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. If God knows everything, then, in some opinions, all human actions are caused by Him. However, people
Read MoreSacraments: Anointing, Orders, Marriage, and More
Anointing of the Sick
Biblical Foundations: Reflects Jesus’ attitude towards the sick.
Human Experience: The person receiving the Anointing of the Sick acknowledges the limitations of their nature and may feel the finiteness of existence. This sacrament is a call to encounter God during a time of personal suffering. From Christian hope, we believe that God can ultimately bring freedom from disease.
- The Anointing of the Sick is administered before a serious surgical operation, in case of serious
Damascus Mosque: A Masterpiece of Islamic Architecture
The Great Mosque of Damascus: A Historical Overview
In 638, Damascus was conquered by Islam. In 660, Caliph Muawiyah, the first Umayyad, moved the capital of the Muslim world from Medina to Damascus. In 706, Caliph al-Walid ordered the construction of a lavish mosque in Damascus, considered a masterpiece of architecture and regarded as the eighth wonder of the world.
From Roman Temple to Christian Basilica
In the first century AD, a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter stood in Damascus. In the fourth
Read MoreUnderstanding God’s Forgiveness and Mercy
This unit explores God’s forgiveness and mercy, presenting God, through the “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” as a Father always willing to forgive. We explain the meaning of repentance and what asking for forgiveness involves, drawing a parallel with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We establish the relationship between forgiving and being forgiven as two attitudes that must coexist in every person.
Objectives
- Knowing the Bible: reference, structure, and meaning, identifying some basic texts as the
Understanding Periphrasis: Manners, Communication, and Signs
Periphrasis: Manners, Contributions, and Communication
Periphrasis contributions are similar to particular obligations and opportunities. Actions are taken with a perfective aspect. Forms of the simple past tense indicate a perfective aspect (e.g., John studied). Imperfective actions are considered in their unfoldment with no indication of termination. Simple forms indicate an imperfective aspect (e.g., John is studying).
Communication
Communication involves the transmission of specific information
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