Posted on 08/11/2024 11:04:22 AM PDT by ebb tide
In the light of the Magisterium of Pope Francis, Aldo Maria Valli (AldoMariaValli-it, 8 August) has updated Saint Paul's speech on the Areopagus in Athens, which in its original version is rigid and narrow-minded and does not correspond to the gigantic progress in theology after the Second Vatican Council. Here is the new version:
Then Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: 'Athenians, I see that you are very religious in everything. As I passed by and looked at your monuments, I also found an altar with the inscription 'To an unknown god'.
Well then, I will not tell you who you worship without knowing. No proselytism!
The God who they say made the world and everything in it, and who they say is Lord of heaven and earth, maybe this God exists, maybe he doesn't.
On the other hand, no one has absolute truth. What matters is your state of mind.
This God, they say, does not live in temples built by human hands, nor does he allow himself to be served by human hands as if he needed anything. Is this true or not true? I do not pretend to know.
Let us talk about it. Is he the one who gives everyone life and breath and everything? I like to think so. But I am open to dialogue.
You say that he created all the peoples of the earth from one person, that he made them dwell on the whole face of the earth, and that he made for them the order of time and the boundaries of their space, so that they might seek God, if ever, groping here and there like blind men. Perhaps we might come to find him, though he is not far from each one of us. What can one say? Maybe it is so, maybe not.
Let us face each other with respect: I listen. I also use this method with my own: I like to call it 'synodality'.
You say that in him we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets have also said: 'For of him we are also one race'. This seems to me a possibility worthy of discernment.
So if we are perhaps God's offspring, we should not think that God is like gold, silver and stone, that it bears the imprint of human art and ingenuity. At least that is what I would say.
One thing is certain: now that God has passed over the old times of ignorance, He is not commanding people to convert.
It is said that he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world with justice, through a man whom he has appointed, and will give sure proof of this to all by raising him from the dead.
Indeed, theology has made great advances, and He, I assure you, is merciful and judges no one. Who is he to judge? As for the resurrection of the dead, well, that is a hypothesis, perhaps a myth. Who can say?
When they heard him speak in this way about the hypothesis of the resurrection of the dead, some applauded him, others said: 'Bravo! You are not a stubborn narrow-minded conservative!
So Paul remained in dialogue with them. And no one joined him and no one became a believer.
Ping
It’s only going to take 1 or maybe 2 debates.
HONEYMOON OVER!
Whoops, wrong article sorry.
LOL—I was wondering, because St Pau isn’t around to debate anymore. Wouldn’t it be fun to see him debate Francis? Or kamala?
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