Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Religion

Religious and Philosophical Theology

Theology (Faith and Reason)

St. Thomas Aquinas established a distinction between religious truths of the Bible's revelation, which are the subject of faith, and philosophical truths that are the subject of reason. Claims like Jesus' death and resurrection cannot be known or proven by reason; they can only be believed and are the object of faith.

Aquinas, following Aristotle, holds that truths like God's existence and other aspects regarding the essence and attributes of God are capable of proof or rational demonstration. Hence, the possibility of a purely rational theology that serves as an introduction to the revealed or religious. The difference between them lies not in the object, which is the same for both... Continue reading "Theology: Faith, Reason, and Existential Perspectives" »

Philosophy and Christianity: Core Theological Concepts

1. Creationism and the Origin of the World

The Judeo-Christian concept of creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) posits that the world is distinct from God. This idea is alien to Greek philosophy, which traditionally viewed the universe as eternal.

2. Monotheism and Divine Omnipotence

• Monotheism: Christianity inherits the belief in a single, transcendent, and true God from the Jewish tradition, standing in direct contrast to Greek polytheism and paganism.
• Omnipotence: Unlike the gods of Greek philosophy, who were subject to the necessary order of the world, the Christian God is unique and all-powerful.

3. Divine Fatherhood and Linear Time

God is viewed as a Father who intervenes in time to... Continue reading "Christian Philosophy: Core Principles and Theological Foundations" »

La Celestina de Fernando de Rojas

La Celestina fue escrita a finales del siglo XV por Fernando de Rojas. Es una historia de amor que transcurre en una ciudad cuyo nombre se desconoce.

Argumento de la Obra

• Enamoramiento de Calisto: Tras un rechazo inicial de Melibea, Calisto se enamora perdidamente.
• Intervención de la alcahueta: Aconsejado por su sirviente Sempronio y con la oposición de su otro sirviente, Pármeno, Calisto recurre a la vieja alcahueta Celestina para que medie en la relación.
• Hechizo de Melibea: Celestina consigue entrar en la casa de Melibea y logra dejarle un ovillo empapado con una poción mágica. Cuando menciona a Calisto, Melibea lo rechaza.
• Desenlace trágico: Melibea llama a Celestina para planear el encuentro con Calisto.

Realism and Idealism in Roman Sculpture

Roman portraiture includes both bust sculptures and historical equestrian relief sculptures. These reliefs are prominently featured on commemorative monuments, altars, triumphal arches, and columns.

The Rise of Christianity

Half a century after the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine granted religious freedom to Christians via the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. By 380 AD, the Edict of Thessalonica declared Christianity the official religion of the empire.

Architecture for Worship Services

Following the Roman model, the first major basilicas were built in Rome, such as Saint John Lateran and St. Peter's Basilica. These structures defined the guidelines for Christian architecture... Continue reading "Roman Art and the Evolution of Early Christian Architecture" »

Defining Human Personhood: Philosophical Perspectives

The status of the embryo as a human person involves defining and differentiating between the concepts of personality, personhood, and utilitarian pragmatism.

1. Substantialist Vision (Personalism)

The substantialist perspective asserts that human biological life and bodily presence constitute a person, possessing intrinsic value from beginning to end. Human dignity is present from conception until natural death; it is an ontological dignity that holds absolute value, which cannot be reduced for any reason. This value confers a moral dignity, serving as the basic principle of human morality, requiring the recognition, defense, and legal protection of human life. This integral view of human beings... Continue reading "Defining Human Personhood: Substantialist, Deontological, and Pragmatist Perspectives" »

Roman Culture and the Rise of Christianity

Roman culture assimilated Greek culture, developing every edge of the Hellenistic tradition. The Romans assimilated the religions of the Greeks, Persians, and Egyptians. Christianity in Roman culture was a novelty that began with the figure of Jesus, introducing a new cosmology, theology, anthropology, and ethics.

The Patristic Period: Defending the Faith

The Patristics: These thinkers wanted to know God and defend the faith. This period lasted from the 2nd to the 8th century. There were two groups regarding philosophy: Tertullian (2nd-3rd century) viewed philosophers as "friends of the faith" making an understandable mistake. In favor of philosophy was Justin Martyr (and the school of Alexandria), who... Continue reading "Evolution of Christian Philosophy and Roman Thought" »

Divine Attributes and the Trinity

God is provident, prescient, and creative, and is omnipresent. We have previously stated that eternity and necessity are derivations of immutability, as they proceed from God, who is immutable. In contrast, being created is essentially a mixture of being and nonbeing.

God is one nature, divine, comprising three persons equal in nature and duration (commutable and co-eternal). They differ only in the order of precedence: the Son proceeds from the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is called the Divine Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Therefore, happiness is the love of God.

3. The Creation of the World

For St. Augustine, the world is not subsistent but must have a beginning.... Continue reading "St. Augustine's Theology: Divine Nature and Creation" »

Medieval Prose Fiction in Portugal

Prose fiction encompasses two narrative cycles: the Matter of Britain and the Matter of Troy, as well as several hagiographic texts (lives of saints).

Matter of Britain

The Matter of Britain (Breton cycle) consists of texts based on the story of Brittany that circulated throughout Europe from the 12th to the 18th centuries. The stories revolve around King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Three main parts are preserved:

• Joseph of Arimathea: Tells the story of the Jew who collected the blood of Christ in the chalice used at the Last Supper (the Holy Grail), and God's mandate to take it to Britain.
• Merlin: Presents the prophecies of this magician, announcing the arrival of new times and a knight who will

Mission of Jesus

The Gospel demonstrates that Jesus was not indifferent to the needs of the vulnerable. He fought against hypocrisy, the abuse of power, and the profit motive of the wealthy. He denounced indifference toward the suffering of the oppressed, noting that those responsible will be held accountable when He returns to judge the world. Jesus proclaimed an essential equality in dignity among all human beings, both men and women. In His message, we find the conception of the person as a social being, correlating with criteria based on solidarity, justice, and charity. Gospel values relate to the origin and nature of authority, which must be exercised as a service to the common good.

Mission of the Church

The Church, continuing the mission... Continue reading "The Social Doctrine of the Church: Principles and Values" »