The 5 Foundational Truths of Revelation
Posted on August 12th, 2010
The Hierarchy of Truths
The Deposit of Faith – much like a house – exists according to a Hierarchy of Truths, wherein some truths are more foundational than other truths. The latter rest upon the former as the 2″ x 4″ studs constituting the frame of a home rest upon the concrete foundation and the plumbing. Before the frame is built, the concrete must be poured, and even before the pouring, the first pipes for the plumbing must be set in place. With regard to catechesis, the existence of a hierarchy of truths does not mean some truths are more true than others. Rather, it means that for an effective pedagogy (or, method of teaching), the catechist must lay the foundation first and teach the remainder of the deposit with the foundation always in mind, connecting the pieces.
5 Foundational Truths
In order for RCIA participants to get a solid hold on the Deposit of Faith, it is critical to show them how all of the truths are grounded in several foundational truths. These truths are contained in one significant paragraph within the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.” (CCC, #1)
These five foundational truths of revelation are invoked throughout the Catechism and provide a framework in which all doctrine finds its proper context. They are:
- The Blessed Trinity: God is an eternal loving communion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]
Tags: Hierarchy of Truths, Systematic Catechesis, The Gospel
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The Gospel Message in the Precatechumenate
Posted on July 31st, 2008
RCIA 38 says we are “to give the candidates a suitable explanation of the Gospel.” Likewise, RCIA 42 says that before someone passes from the first period of Precatechumenate into the Catechumenate, “the fundamentals of Christian teaching” should have “taken root in the candidates.”
The Gospel and the fundamentals of Christian teaching includes the following:
♦ Trinity and Creation – God is Trinity and creates out of his divine love
♦ Divine Revelation – God speaks to us so we may know his will
♦ Man and Woman – We are made in the image of God (Lat. Imago Dei)
♦ Sin – We have separated ourselves from God through our own free will
♦ From Adam to Jesus – God has been working to save us through the covenants
♦ Jesus Christ – In the final and definitive covenant, God became man!
♦ Paschal Mystery – Jesus saves us through his Suffering, Death, Resurrection and Ascension
♦ Pentecost – Sitting on his heavenly throne, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit; the Church is born
♦ Life in Christ – Jesus frees us from our sin and brings us true joy in holiness
♦ The 4 Last Things – We will die and be judged; heaven and hell are the only two final destinations
The above bullet points serve as an outline of what is known by different names: The Story, The Narratio, or Salvation History. The General Directory for Catechesis says, “In Patristic catechesis, the narration (narratio) of the wonderful deeds of God and the awaiting (expectatio) of Christ’s return always accompanied the exposition of the mysteries of faith” (#107). [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]
Tags: The Gospel
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