Self-Revelation Of God In Jesus Christ As Love And The Kingdom Of God In Walter Kasper's Jesus The Christ,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Self-Revelation Of God In Jesus Christ As Love And The Kingdom Of God In Walter Kasper's Jesus The Christ, Hang T.H. Nguyen Op
Obsculta
This article is an examination of the Christology of Walter Kasper, a German Catholic cardinal and theologian. Through his work of Jesus the Christ, Kasper shows God’s self-revelation as love in the person Jesus Christ – the earthly and the exalted Jesus, who brings to human beings the message of his Kingdom, in which they can attain salvation, joy, peace, and justice.
Isaiah 7:10-25: The Climax Of The Messianic Expectation,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Isaiah 7:10-25: The Climax Of The Messianic Expectation, Thong K. Tran
Obsculta
Is there a man called Messiah who was promised by God? Did he come? Or will he come? Isaiah gave the most straightforward prophecy — Isaiah 7:10-25 — about him. Since then, a lot of efforts have been made to figure out "Who is he?" However, to acknowledge Jesus as the only fulfillment of the messianic expectation, a possibly correct interpretation is not enough. One also needs a leap of faith.
Christ In You Is Your Hope Of Glory: Exploring Colossians In The Sunday Lectionary,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Christ In You Is Your Hope Of Glory: Exploring Colossians In The Sunday Lectionary, Maggie Nadalin
Obsculta
This paper was submitted in the Fall of 2022 as an assignment for LTGY 421: The Liturgical Year and the Word of God, exploring the use of Paul's letter to the Colossians in the lectionary cycle.
Keeping Covenant: The Story And Scholarly Scrutiny Of David And Goliath,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Keeping Covenant: The Story And Scholarly Scrutiny Of David And Goliath, Peter Tran
Obsculta
The story of David and Goliath is a tale of courage, duty, and faith in God. What is taken for granted, however, is whether or not David was actually the one who killed Goliath. Some critical scholars have begun to question the long-standing claim that David defeated Goliath. So, who really killed him and what are the theological implications? A thorough examination will shed light on this question.
The True "New Eve": Ben Wildflower's Magnificat And The Second Creation Story,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The True "New Eve": Ben Wildflower's Magnificat And The Second Creation Story, Mary L. Parks
Obsculta
Images of the Virgin Mary have provided comfort to Christians for almost two thousand years. Many of these images have depicted the Mother of God as gentle, demure, pure, and obedient. Ben Wildflower’s woodcut, Magnificat, imagines another side of Mary’s story. This paper considers the second creation story, “New Eve” typology, and church teaching about current social and environmental issues to demonstrate why Magnificat is an ideal portrait for the true “New Eve”.
Blessed, Broken, And Shared,
2023
Boston College
Blessed, Broken, And Shared, Joseph Penny
Obsculta
This paper seeks to boldly confront the evils of racism while simultaneously pointing to a renewed baptismal ecclesiology and a praxis of radical communion as a way forward. Venturing into the unknown, we will persevere onward to the road less traveled by briefly charting the Catholic Church's historical cooperation with White Supremacy. We will also celebrate the wisdom gleaned from Black and Latin American communities and their seemingly mundane yet deeply sacred rituals.
How To Talk About God: Origen And Gregory Of Nazianzus On Divine Transcendence And Theological Language,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
How To Talk About God: Origen And Gregory Of Nazianzus On Divine Transcendence And Theological Language, Coleman S. Kimbrough
Obsculta
This article discusses the doctrine of God of the early Church Fathers Origen and Gregory of Nazianzus. According to these two theologians, the tension between God's transcendence and God's immanence conditions the language we use to name and describe God. Such "God-talk" is necessarily limited by the ontological divide between the human and the divine. Using Origen and Gregory as reference points, I examine how the precise and careful use of apophatic, cataphatic, and analogical language is necessary to properly account for both God's eternal nature and God's work in the material world.
The Role Of Darkness And Trial In Spiritual Growth As Described In The Cloud Of Unknowing,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The Role Of Darkness And Trial In Spiritual Growth As Described In The Cloud Of Unknowing, Carrie O'Neil-Smith
Obsculta
This essay was written in Professor Michael Rubbelke's class titled "Growing into God: Spiritual Development in the Christian Tradition." The piece looks at darkness and trial and three resulting fruits of spiritual growth: humility, knowledge of one's true nature, and an experience of God's pure love as described in the fourteenth century work The Cloud of Unknowing.
Jesus' Identity As "The Son Of God" Revealed In The Narrative "The Transfiguration Of Jesus" (Mark 9:2-8),
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Jesus' Identity As "The Son Of God" Revealed In The Narrative "The Transfiguration Of Jesus" (Mark 9:2-8), Hang T.H. Nguyen Op
Obsculta
This article is an exegesis of the narrative “The Transfiguration of Jesus” in Mark 9: 2-8, the powerful evidence of Jesus’ full identity as the “Son of God” and the manifestation of His glorious state that are inseparable from his suffering, death, and resurrection. His final triumph must take place in and through his suffering and death. Thus, we, as his followers, are invited to participate in the future triumph and glory of God by following his “way” to gain the promised glory.
Nonviolent Communication: A Foundational Skill For Ministry,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Nonviolent Communication: A Foundational Skill For Ministry, Mary L. Parks
Obsculta
A need for more formation has been identified during the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality. Furthermore, a conference of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative has observed a lack of time devoted to nonviolence in existing Catholic formation. This paper will demonstrate how incorporating Nonviolent Communication (NVC) into formation will meet these needs.
Teresa Of Avila's Inward Journey To Spiritual Growth,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Teresa Of Avila's Inward Journey To Spiritual Growth, Anne Cahill
Obsculta
This essay describes the basic structure of Teresa's understanding of spiritual growth as depicted in her seven "dwelling places" in the Interior Castle. It places emphasis upon where God invites our cooperation (cooperative grace) and where God acts alone(operative grace). It includes how this spiritual growth affects our prayer, and our relationships with other people.
The Nature And Importance Of Christian Spirituality,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The Nature And Importance Of Christian Spirituality, Gilbert Perez
Obsculta
This short work is a meditation on Exodus 3:11, where Moses asks God who he is to do what God has commanded. Spiritual Theology has to do with the persons' interior life and its importance to theology and Christian life as a whole. Many Christians cannot explain in detail about their spirituality and it poses many problems as much as many opportunities what it can mean for Christian life if it is better understood.
Two Churches, One Vision: Sacred Architecture As A Reflection Of Benedictine Values And Liturgical Reform,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Two Churches, One Vision: Sacred Architecture As A Reflection Of Benedictine Values And Liturgical Reform, Katheryn Wethli
Obsculta
This piece compares the architecture of the worshipping spaces of Saint Benedict's Monastery's Sacred Heart Chapel and Saint John's Abbey Church; presenting how the worshiping spaces uplift their monastic communities’ Benedictine values and demonstrate their monastic call towards evangelizing the Gospel in the modern world, highlighting the liturgical reforms of the mid-20th century.
Widening The Lens From Genesis 19:5 To Genesis 18 And 19: A Remedy For Transmitted Blindness,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Widening The Lens From Genesis 19:5 To Genesis 18 And 19: A Remedy For Transmitted Blindness, Kelly Olson
Obsculta
This article is the product of an exercise in scriptural interpretation. The text of Genesis 18 and 19 were chosen due to an awareness of a common theme propagated by culture and the desire to better understand the content of the text using tools of interpretation that connect ancient text with contemporary human experience in hopes to open access to a diverse population that nurtures and elevates creation rather than divide and harm marginalized populations.
Lonergan’S Concept Of Conversion: A Path To Antiracism,
2023
Loyola Marymount University
Lonergan’S Concept Of Conversion: A Path To Antiracism, Laura Boysen-Aragon
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
Racism is Christian America’s original sin. Our country’s foundation was built with the hands of more than ten million kidnapped and enslaved persons. The Catholic Church was complicit as enslavers and beneficiaries of enslaved labor as well as the marginalizing of Black Catholics. Given the limited attention that has been given to these origin stories in our country and our church, it is unsurprising that systems of racism perpetuate today. Catholic theologian and ethicist Bryan Massingale provides a definition of racism as an ethos that lives on in U.S. society. Since the murder of George Floyd, a heightened awareness of …
Hildegard Of Bingen – 12th Century Feminist Mystic,
2023
Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School
Hildegard Of Bingen – 12th Century Feminist Mystic, Robert F. Stamps
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
Hildegard of Bingen is one of history’s remarkable people. Born into German nobility in 1098, Hildegard began having mystical visions at an early age and saw God as light. Hildegard chose a spiritual life and entered a religious cloister at fifteen. There she was educated, studying many subjects, including Latin and music. In 1136 Hildegard became the prioress. The confines of the cloister did not stop Hildegard from becoming a major theological force. She wrote books on theology and medicine, authored plays, and composed music. Theologically, Hildegard contributed to the development of the theological construction of the concept of purgatory. …
Saint Monica’S Model Of Catholic Excellence In Augustine’S Confessions,
2023
Loyola Marymount University
Saint Monica’S Model Of Catholic Excellence In Augustine’S Confessions, Caelan Mckamey
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
This paper discusses Saint Augustine’s presentation of his mother, Monica, as a model Catholic throughout his Confessions. Saint Augustine utilized individuals he encountered throughout his life as models of perfect Catholicism in an effort to provide resources for his medieval contemporaries to draw from throughout their own faith journeys. As a convert himself, Augustine drew holy inspiration from his mother, Saint Monica, as he searched for life’s purpose and God’s grace. He presents his mother throughout the first nine books of the Confessions as a human woman – trapped in a loveless marriage, filled with anxiety and fear, yet …
Is It A Requisite For A ‘Believer’ To Be Part Of The Formal/Institutional Church?,
2023
Loyola Marymount University
Is It A Requisite For A ‘Believer’ To Be Part Of The Formal/Institutional Church?, Dillon Cook
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
For the purposes of this paper, I attempt to wrestle with the question of whether or not it is a requisite for a “believer” (which turns out to be a loaded and ambiguous term) to be a part of a formal/institutional Christian Church. This is a difficult task to accomplish, and this, I admit. There is no way to answer this, truly with certainty. But Metaphysics are rarely grounded in “certainty.” This is true for many Christian Theological tasks as well. Nevertheless, this argument will be attempted by working with and off of the Black liberation theologian and philosopher, James …
Abortion, Buddhism, And The Middle Way: What A Buddhist View Of Abortion In Japan Can Teach Us In The United States Following The Overturn Of Roe V. Wade,
2023
Loyola Marymount University
Abortion, Buddhism, And The Middle Way: What A Buddhist View Of Abortion In Japan Can Teach Us In The United States Following The Overturn Of Roe V. Wade, Anna Grace Kalvelage
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
This paper takes up the question of whether there is a “middle way” approach in addressing the issue of abortion, particularly in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States. It explores this question through examining how schools of Buddhism have addressed the issue of abortion in Japan, especially considering Japan’s unique history with abortion issues and the mizuko kuyo rituals, and what initially appears to be a gap in theory and practice when it comes to Buddhism and abortion. It further explores how some of the central tenets of Buddhism including karma, rebirth, and compassion …
Kenneth Tanaka And American Buddhism,
2023
Loyola Marymount University
Kenneth Tanaka And American Buddhism, Grace Laubach
Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies
In fairly recent history Buddhism has spread west to the United States. In doing so, it has faced many changes and transformations as people from different backgrounds have begun practicing and spreading its practices. In this process, many of the traditional aspects of Buddhism have been lost or traded for more modern ones, which has in turn led to the exclusion of many Buddhists of color from many primarily white, American Buddhist spaces. In analyzing the works of Kenneth Tanaka, the importance of utilizing both modern and traditional aspects of Buddhism within American Buddhism become clear as he discusses how …
