Posted on 01/09/2008 7:00:23 PM PST by ELS
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32. Once again, lest anyone glory, if not in his own works, at least in the determination of his free will, as if some merit had originated from him and as if the freedom to do good works had been bestowed on him as a kind of reward, let him hear the same herald of grace, announcing: "For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do according to his good will."55 And, in another place: "It is not therefore a matter of man's willing, or of his running, but of God's showing mercy."56 Still, it is obvious that a man who is old enough to exercise his reason cannot believe, hope, or love unless he wills it, nor could he run for the prize of his high calling in God without a decision of his will. In what sense, therefore, is it "not a matter of human willing or running but of God's showing mercy," unless it be that "the will itself is prepared by the Lord," even as it is written?57 This saying, therefore, that "it is not a matter of human willing or running but of God's showing mercy," means that the action is from both, that is to say, from the will of man and from the mercy of God. Thus we accept the dictum, "It is not a matter of human willing or running but of God's showing mercy," as if it meant, "The will of man is not sufficient by itself unless there is also the mercy of God." By the same token, the mercy of God is not sufficient by itself unless there is also the will of man. But if we say rightly that "it is not a matter of human willing or running but of God's showing mercy," because the will of man alone is not enough, why, then, is not the contrary rightly said, "It is not a matter of God's showing mercy but of a man's willing," since the mercy of God by itself alone is not enough? Now, actually, no Christian would dare to say, "It is not a matter of God's showing mercy but of man's willing," lest he explicitly contradict the apostle. The conclusion remains, therefore, that this saying: "Not man's willing or running but God's showing mercy," is to be understood to mean that the whole process is credited to God, who both prepareth the will to receive divine aid and aideth the will which has been thus prepared.58
For a man's good will comes before many other gifts from God, but not all of them. One of the gifts it does not antedate is--just itself! Thus in the Sacred Eloquence we read both, "His mercy goes before me,"59 and also, "His mercy shall follow me."60 It predisposes a man before he wills, to prompt his willing. It follows the act of willing, lest one's will be frustrated. Otherwise, why are we admonished to pray for our enemies,61 who are plainly not now willing to live piously, unless it be that God is even now at work in them and in their wills?62 Or again, why are we admonished to ask in order to receive, unless it be that He who grants us what we will is he through whom it comes to pass that we will? We pray for enemies, therefore, that the mercy of God should go before them, as it goes before us; we pray for ourselves that his mercy shall follow us.
with the explanation of the Third Article of the Creed from Luther's Small Catechism
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.
I believe that there is a clear line of thought running from +Augstine of Hippo to +Martin of Erfurt stressing the primacy of God's grace and our inability to know, love and serve God apart from that grace.
Leni
Absolutely superb, ELS. Thanks so much. You know, I told three relatives of mine, all Roman Catholic theology professors (one a priest), about this series and none of them knew of it. They are, sadly, real Vatican II lefties; good people, but religious lefties.
Benedict XVI is a great fan of St. Augustine. I am looking forward to the rest of his series on St. Augustine.
I shall add your relatives to my prayers (I pray for my own, most of whom don't practice their faith), especially the priest.
“I am looking forward to the rest of his series on St. Augustine.”
I am too, though perhaps for different reasons. So much of what underlies the theological differences between Orthodoxy and the Latin Church (and Western Christianity in general) are attributable, ultimately, to Blessed Augustine’s writings that it will be fascinating to read +BXVI’s take on that. Did you notice the Holy Father’s comment about +Augustine’s deficient Greek?
I cannot express the depth of my gratitude to God for giving the Church and the world Benedict XVI. We are blessed.
bump for later read
I don't know that he said it was "deficient." He said that while +Augustine mastered Latin, he didn't do as well with Greek. I found equally interesting Benedict's comment that +Augustine found the Latin translation of the bible to be "insufficient." In order to come to that conclusion, wouldn't +Augustine need a pretty good grasp of Greek (assuming he was comparing the Greek and Latin versions)?
A very interesting point on language and insufficient knowledge of Greek as one of the possible starting points of the Schism. +Gregory the Great, if I recall correctly, was the first Bishop of Rome to have no real knowledge of Greek, and during his pontificate the fracture greatly accelerated.
St. Augustine ping!
I had a seminary course in St. Augustine once. He’s an incredibly fascinating thinker—so ingrained in Western assumptions that everyone is Augustinian to one extent or another.
Fascinating too amidst Christians, at least in the West, Roman and classical Reformed and Lutheran thought, though in different ways, all seem to firmly rely on this great Doctor of the Church.
It warms my heart knowing that Benedict thinks so highly of Augustine of Hippo.
A lot of scholars believe that Augustine's lack of Greek writing contributed heavily to misunderstanding over his works to begin with, and subsequently between the Latin and Greek Churches and their worlds.
Even the titles given him of "Saint" (and "Doctor") (West), and "Blessed" (East) reflect these differences.
“I don’t know that he said it was “deficient.” “
Deficient was my word. I think the Holy Father was being, as ever, politic!
“In order to come to that conclusion, wouldn’t +Augustine need a pretty good grasp of Greek (assuming he was comparing the Greek and Latin versions)?”
You know, its possible he was reading what was passing for scripture in those days in Punic and making a comparison to Latin. Its also possible that having been trained and acquired skill in classical Latin (as His Holiness points out), he may have been disappointed with a dog Latin version of some scripture. I think it is pretty well accepted that Blessed Augustine’s grasp of Greek was at best very limited.
“+Gregory the Great, if I recall correctly, was the first Bishop of Rome to have no real knowledge of Greek, and during his pontificate the fracture greatly accelerated.”
I have never heard this. In fact, I had heard quite opposite, that he was as comfortable speaking and reading Greek as he was Latin. There may have been some acceleration in the estrangement between Rome and the Eastern Patriarchates during his reign, but he is venerated as a very, very great saint by the Orthodox Churches. if I recall correctly, he is the author of one of my favorite devotions, the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. Anyway, here’s what we think of him:
“Troparion (Tone 4)
Receiving divine grace from God on high, O glorious Gregory,
And strengthened with its power,
You willed to walk in the path of the Gospel, O most blessed one.
Therefore you have received from Christ the reward of your labors!
Entreat him that he may save our souls!
Kontakion (Tone 3)
You showed yourself to be an imitator of Christ, the chief Shepherd,
O Father Gregory,
Guiding the orders of monks to the fold of heaven.
From there you taught the flock of Christ His commandments!
Now you rejoice and dance with them in the mansions of heaven!
“A lot of scholars believe that Augustine’s lack of Greek writing contributed heavily to misunderstanding over his works to begin with, and subsequently between the Latin and Greek Churches and their worlds.”
I think I am correct in saying that there was no good translation of his work into Greek until the 14th century and of course by then it was too late to do much of anything effective about misunderstandings.
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