From Beauty to God

Group 2

Minutes by: Ephraim C. Onwuzulu

Beauty is the inherent goodness in the created beings [Genesis 1]. On the other hand beautiful is an attribute given to a being by the beholder. Based on this principle the groups made their contribution as follows:

Our idea of beauty:

1.      Beauty is something desirable in itself

2.      Something that attracts, that draws human attention to it.

3.      Properties of a being that make it desirable.

4.      The characteristics and uniqueness of every single being.

Therefore, beauty is that property, a being possesses that makes it desirable in itself. It is an inherent goodness that differentiates a being from others.

The following images appeal to the group as beautiful:

1.      Natural order: the order of created things: landscapes and beautiful sceneries.

2.      A breastfeeding mother

3.      Life experiences and people’s smiles

4.      The spontaneity and naturalness of children

5.      Artistic paintings and music

Summary of the reading

            For Plato, things are beautiful (or good) and lovable because they participate, in varying degrees, in an ultimate and divine beauty which is the final goal of all human desire. It begins as physical but goes beyond physical to spiritual beauty which leads to the ultimate beauty (God). One who is able to transcend the physical beauty with the eye of the mind will be able to bring forth not just mere images of beauty but the reality itself because he has seen the reality.

Comments of the group:

            The varying degrees of beauty in created beings testify to the author of beauty. From the created realities man can arrive at the notion of the absolute beauty, the source of all beauty, beauty in itself (God). In this way beauty is not only physical but also spiritual. It is transcendental. Our first contact with beauty is with our senses (physical). But since beauty is also transcendental, it draws the attention of the mind to look beyond what is presented to the senses and search for the source of beauty itself. Therefore, from the beauty of the created beings man can arrive at the notion of the absolute beauty (God).

Contributors:  Owuor Eric, Ekugba Chikezies; Utazi Chiemeka, Muza Simbarashe; Mukuka Chilufya, Onwuzulu Ephraim

****

Group 1

Question:

What are the things that appeal to you as ‘beautiful’? Do you see and love beauty in nature, created things, arts, etc.? Share with the group your own sense of ‘beauty’ (what is ‘beauty’ for you?). Give comment after reading a text on “The ascent of the mind from beauty to God”

Response:

Our sharing began by acknowledging that beauty is very commanding hence it always has to be affirmed in its various appearances. Further, acknowledgment was made that all the beauties of this world makes our earth a mosaic of beauty. This mosaic blends both the natural and molded beauty. By natural we mean as exhibited by mountains, water sources, creatures such as animals, human beings etc. while molded beauty we mean works of art made from human touch e.g. artifacts, music etc.

 Beauties whether natural or molded are meant to be attractive but from our group sharing there are conditions that facilitate the attractiveness of beauty:

-          Beauty of an object does not depend on us while other views held firm to the statement that ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.’

-          The presentation or simply how well arranged is the particular object of beauty

-          For others doctored beauty from art work is more appealing because it adds to the shortfalls of the natural ones in that it can combine things to make one – mosaic (e.g. painting)

-          The natural-ness of beauty whether in human beings or art works - those entities where the natural-ness permeates the object tend to attract more and better appreciated than artificial ones for example in our chapel natural plants for flowers speak more than ones made out of plastics.

-          The apparent deception of beauty of this world or even possibility of not being intrinsically beautiful leads to various categorization, hence the standpoint of an individual plays a bigger role in one appreciating beauty. The human disposition whether geographical or psychological lead to various perception of what is beautiful.

Comments:

-          The particular beauty of this world does not satisfy our desire simply because it’s limited, even after appreciating it our minds still ask for more. This fact of wanting more from particular beauties eludes us. Such inadequacy presupposes that these beauties point to something other than themselves thus beyond themselves. Therefore, we agree with Plato that the multiplicity of beauty on earth indeed indicate their participation in the ultimate and divine beauty which is the final goal of all human desires. We can then conclusively affirm that our desire for what is beautiful here on earth will only be met in the divine beauty or absolute beauty.

-          We also realize that these particular beauties undergo corruption for instance the beautiful ice-canopy of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which is threatened to lose that beauty because of apparent climate change. However, even when the beauty of this world is corruptible and deceptive does still point to an everlasting beauty. In fact, Plato in the dialogue symposium points out those earthly beauties has some realities that are immanent in their very corruptible images. It’s the experience of these realities that leads us to the absolute beauty – God. With this in mind can we then speak of the possibility of beauty as transcendence in immanence? Or better still our experience of a transcendent God in our human immanence?

Members: (Steven, Augustine, John, Mehari, Tirfe, Joseph)
****

Group 3

What are some of the things that appeal to you as ‘beautiful’? Do you see and love beauty in nature, created things, arts, etc.?...the accent of the mind from beauty to God.

From the sharing, the following came out as that which appeals as beautiful: some plants, flowers e.g. with yellow colours; animals such as cats, chameleons and butterflies; fine-looking views of mountains, forests and water bodies. Breathtaking sceneries, sunsets as well as sunrise as it reflects on the water bodies are so spectacular. The sky and different types of clouds also appeal to the senses as beautiful. On the other hand some good paintings, mosaic and carved images are so thrilling and appealing to the senses. The above mentioned realities lead one to see and even to love beauty.

From the sharing about the sense of beauty, one aspect of beauty is that which is attractive and catchy. In addition to that, another member described beauty as something interesting and exciting. It was also noted that beauty is something which makes one to reflect and be ‘possessed’.  Beauty was also described as a quality in something or someone that makes the admirer’s concentration to be captured and even taken beyond the object itself.  

The beauty around us stimulates our minds making them transcend to the cause of such beauty. This leads to the contemplation of the absolute beauty hence communion with the creator who is the ultimate cause. On the other hand, since the beauty we see around participates in the divine beauty (God), which is our ultimate goal, it helps us come to know God, appreciate him and to be united with him.                                              

On Fear and Anxiety - Group Discussions (DB UTUME)

Anxiety and Courage

Group 1

On my fears

1.      When I was on holidays before coming to Kenya for my theological studies, my mother was very sick. She always wanted me to be with all the time. So when I was about to travel to Kenya, there was this fear in me that she may die if I leave. This fear caused me lots of anxieties but since I came to Kenya, the fear has gone down because she is still alive and even stronger now than before.

2.      In our province our major benefactors are from outside Africa. My fear now as a member of this province, is how the future of the province will be when the mission is handed over to the Africans in my province. So I am very much afraid of the future

3.      The death of our prime minister has raised a great fear in me. My fear is how our new prime minster will be in governing the country. I hope he will be good.

4.      Dog is my greatest enemy. I have had dogs that are very close to me but most of them end up biting me as if am there enemy. This experience of mine has made me to fear dog.  As of now hearing the barking of dogs creates a great fear in me.

COMMENTS AFTER READING THE TEXT

1.      Anxiety is not fear but it is more of getting worried. Anxiety can be very abstract while fear can be more concrete.

2.       Fear comes from known situation while anxiety comes from unknown situation.

3.      Fear and anxiety are related, fear leads to anxiety.

4.      We can know the outcome of fear but we may not know the outcome of anxiety.

5.      You may know the direction to follow in case of fear but for anxiety, you may not know where to follow. Therefore anxiety is the product of fear.

Minutes taken by: JOSEPH ORAEGBUNAM

The group members are; Augustine Koroma, John Musonda, Stephen Mutuku, Terefe Mehari, Tirfe Teka

Group 2

The group members expressed the following fears and anxieties;

·         Fear of heights after almost falling down from the wall of a steep mountain.

·         Fear of death after being choked in a narrow and overcrowded corridor of a building with no means for escape. (Near death experience)

·         Fear of over speeding vehicles after three terrible experiences (accidents) in an over speeding vehicle.

·         Fear of death after experiencing turbulence for the first time in an airplane.

·         Fear of suffocation after getting stuck in an elevator in a tall building.

·         Fear and anxiety of not being admitted to the novitiate after experiencing five companions being discontinued. Fear and anxiety of having to face the family members, friends and relatives in case of being discontinued from religious life.

Summary of the Text

Anxiety is the existential awareness of non being. Neither its source nor its objects can be identified and thus it torments its possessor.  Fear on the other hand has a definite object which can be faced, analyzed, attacked and endured. One can act upon it.  Courage and love can confront every form of fear that a person may encounter. 

Comments

The group members observed that mostly people become afraid and anxious in view of an impending evil towards which they feel inadequate or helpless to overcome. For example the unpredictability of life after death produces anxiety and fear in persons.  The group further observed that non-being is the realization of one’s own limitedness (finitude) and this is an inherent part of ourselves. Anxiety strips us of everything we affirm about ourselves and thus leaves us naked (vulnerable and helpless) hence making sport of our courage. It shows us who we truly are. It belongs to our existence and reminds us of our finitude.

MEMBERS

·         Chiemeka Utazi;  Ephraim Onwuzulu;  Oscar Simbarashe; Owour Eric (Secretary); Christopher Mukuka;       Ekugba Chikezie

Group 3

The topic today ‘Human being as a transcendental being, gave us the opportunity to reflect more about fear and anxiety. The group members shared about things/events or people they fear or still fearing. It evident that many people fear situations or conditions which they think will go against their well being. For example, somebody fearing sickness as the sickness may put his vocation at stake or can cause unexpected death. Others they have associative fear with an event that happened once in life time. A good example here is somebody received a phone call about the death of his father. He was taken by shock as it was something unbelievable. Now the person has a phobia of receiving a phone call from home or friends even though it is carrying good news rather than bad news.

Many of us in our daily life, we are anxious with new people, situation or anything that is not clear to us. As such, anxiety is the state in which a being is aware of its possible non-being. The awareness that the non-being is a part of one’s own being is the main cause of anxiety. Here comes the concept of death as we are not aware of what will follow after our death. The hiddeness of our death causes not only fear but also anxiety. Sometimes anxiety is seen in negative sense, that is, as revolt of the human spirit against non-being and a warning of the dynamism towards God. Anxiety and fear have the same ontological root but they are not the same in actuality. This is because fear has a definite object which can be faced, analyzed, attacked or endured. This is contrary to anxiety which its object is the negation of every object. As such anxiety has no object. Furthermore, anxiety is finitude experienced as one’s own finitude. This is becoming clearer that fear and anxiety are distinguished but not separated as they are immanent within each other. For example, fear of death determines the element of anxiety in every fear.

Fear and anxiety are necessary components of human being. When one discover that fear and anxiety are tormenting him/her, this causes human being to transcend from finiteness to the concept of infiniteness. One fear but he/she becomes aware that he/she is not fear itself even though one fears. The consciousness of our fear creates in us the concept of hope, which is the source of faith in the infinite, absolute being, that is God. Fear and anxiety are not necessarily negative but what matters is how we approach them daily in our life. To conclude, fear and anxiety can be source of faith hence enrichment in our search for meaning in life
Nicodemus, Henry, Martin, Abeje, Legasse

Fundamental Theology: Revelation & Faith

Course Description:

General Goals and Objectives:

      To introduce the students to the specificity and tasks of Fundamental Theology and to the basic foundation of all Christian theology - God’s self-communication to human beings in Jesus Christ (Revelation), it’s transmission through Scripture and Tradition and the role of the Magisterium as an indispensable servant of the revealed-Word.

      To gain a sound understanding of how we respond to that revelation through both faith and reason, and a better grasp of the nature of faith, its qualities and necessity for our salvation

Course Syllabus

After looking at the nature and task of Fundamental Theology today, the course will look at some of the issues related to the structures and dynamics of revelation. The course then also will give an overview and quality of “revelation outside of Christianity,” in particular in African Traditional Religions. Then it will offer an introduction to contemporary theologies of revelation, beginning with revelation in Hebrew Scriptures, in the New Testament, and revelation in the history of theology up to the present day. The heart of the course will be the study of Vatican II’s Dei Verbum giving special attention to the relationship between Revelation, Scripture and Tradition, as well as examining the role of the Magisterium in safeguarding and transmitting revelation.

Then the course will look at the response to divine revelation, namely faith. It shall study the relationship between faith and reason, the act of faith, the qualities of faith and the necessity of faith for salvation.

Specific Goals:

1.      To introduce the student to the basic foundations of Christian Theology: Revelation & Faith

2.      To help the student to grasp the importance and components of Tradition in the Church

3.      To give the student sufficient grounding to begin the study of theology: faith seeking understanding

Specific Learning Outcomes:

After completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Understand the uniqueness of Christian Revelation and how this revelation is transmitted today
2. Grasp better the mystery of faith and the importance of faith for doing theology
3.  Be better equipped to “give answer to the hope that they have in them” (cf. 1 Pet 3:15)