Christendom: How should Christian life be practiced?

Monasticism and Religious Orders

Monasticism originated as a discipline of separation from the world

Foundational vows are celibacy, poverty, and obedience

Over time became less isolated from the world and more involved in social services

• Isolation: copying books, wineries, art
• Enclosure: education, hospitality to pilgrims and refugees, hospitals, orphanages
• Apostolic: Go to the poor and needy where they are, missions

Different orders add different vows and ideals

New orders sometimes founded to deal with new challenges in Christianity

Thomas of Aquino, Italy (Aquinas) 1225-1274

• Life as a Dominican Monk
• Encounter with Islamic philosophy and Greek philosophy (especially Aristotle) transmitted by Muslims
• Can the existence of God be proven logically, apart from faith and revelation?
• Summa Theologica (1267-1273) intellectual arguments about being and cosmos
• Summa Contra Gentiles (1258-1260) arguments for Christian belief that assume intellect alone
• Scholasticism
• Skepticism, experimental science, objective observation of natural phenomena

Aquinas’ five proofs for the existence of God

1. The unmoved Mover: Whatever is moved, is moved by something, and since an endless regress is not possible, a Prime Mover is required.
2. The first Cause: Every result has a cause and since an endless regress is impossible, there must be a First Cause.
3. The ultimate Necessity: Essentially a repeat of Reason (2.), there must be a source for all consequences which follow.
4. Perfect Source: All perfection in the world requires, as its source, an Ultimate Perfection.
5. Purpose: Even lifeless things have a purpose which must be defined by something outside themselves, since only living things can have an internal purpose.

As summarized by Campus Ministry at Aquinas College

Mysticism

• The basic principles described in the textbook apply to other religions with only superficial differences
  1. Love, often erotic
  2. Ineffable
  3. Conscious
  4. Fleeting
  5. Passivity
• Judaism: Kaballah
• Islam: Sufism

Review

Poll Everywhere pollev.com/toddhanneken457 (Administer)

The Marianist Family

Historical Context of the French Revolution

• Separation of church and state, secularism
• Privilege of church leaders was intertwined with privileges of monarchy
• Reduction of privilege resembles suppression / oppression
• Suppression / oppression also happened
• Resists the push to reduce religion to a government agency
• Adopts the revolution ideals of equality and cooperation

The Founders

• Marie Thérèse de Lamourous
  • Ran a home for displaced women
  • Not vowed to a religious community
• Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon
  • Founded an order of sisters/nuns: Daughters of Mary Immaculate
• William Joseph Chaminade
  • Founded an order of priests and brothers: Society of Mary

Characteristics of Marianist Universities

• Educate for formation in faith
  • Figure out what you believe and are committed to, not necessarily catechesis in a particular religious denomination
• Provide an integral, quality education
  • Integral in the sense that whole wheat bread is pan integral, educate the whole person in all subjects and skills helpful for flourishing as a person
• Educate in family spirit
  • The most distinctive
• Educate for service, justice, peace and integrity of creation
  • The same root as integral again, connecting the individual to larger society and environment
• Educate for adaptation and change
  • Compare debates following the French Revolution between fighting to revert to the monarchy or adapt to the republic