Acts 4:13-31
When did it become necessary for men to be educated, perhaps indoctrinated into the faith? I myself went to Catholic school for 20 years (no repeats either!) plus numerous courses here an there. This included the usual grades, college plus the Pastoral Formation Institute and the prescribed time at the seminary to be ordained (which I was). This kind of education was certainly not always the case. It certainly was not the case with regard to the Apostles and the leaders of the early church.
Once the church began to expand and have some independent thought (and heresy), there apparently became a need to focus on intense thought processes, so called logic and apologetics to support and maintain decisions or beliefs. It became necessary to have everyone on the same page so to speak. Independent thought and questions did not fare well.
With regard to heresy, I heard an enlightening explanation a few weeks back by a monk. Basically it was explained that heresy is taking a part of the truth and making it the whole truth. I'm not sure if this would hold true for every situation but it seemed to hold true for the heresies I am aware of. Case in point from the early church. Jesus was simply a really good man, not divine. (or visa verse for that matter). There is truth that Jesus was a good man but to state that he was only a good man is heresy. To deny his divinity is denying a part of the truth. To say Jesus was God and simply 'played' human without emotions and actions would also be a half truth and therefore heresy. To combat this type of thing, elaborate theses and thoughts are developed, learned and perpetuated over centuries making it dogma and tradition, a powerful combination. Any lack of understanding or any failings of the logic used is held together by saying it is 'faith'. Simply accept it. Yes, independent thought in the Church went long ago. In the case of recent Popes, independent thought and questions were quashed and suppressed.
Going back to the fathers of the Church (what happened to those early women by the way???), they had no such logic, indoctrination or degrees. No Doctors of the Church, no masters degree like I have. I think the closest would be Jesus life and actions and witness to he Apostles could be considered a 'Pastoral Formation Institute' of sorts. As Saint Francis said, preach the Gospel at all times, use words only if necessary.
It seems to me that Godliness and truth are visible to the average man and woman without any indoctrination. People know goodness and holiness. They can see God in our visible world quite well just as they can see and recognize the evils of war, hatred and injustice. No education needed really on that score.
What happens however is that there are truths that the faithful see (and hold) that are not in line with the doctrines of the church. The questions go unanswered or official policy is bolstered by the circular logic I often speak of or by 'faith' and 'tradition'.
There is a whole array of questions and beliefs associated with things like birth control, celibacy for priests, women priests and gay marriage. A majority of Roman Catholics do not subscribe to official doctrine or beliefs on any of these issues. There is no Masters degree or training to see that some forms of birth control are not only acceptable but desirable. Such a 'policy' if you will was promulgated at Vatican II but quashed. People see the problems of Celibate priest all the time. While it may be a true gift for some, it is not consistent with scripture (Peter, our first Pope was married) and flies in the face of Genesis about 'it is not good that man be alone'. Some of the first leaders and faithful of the church were women, why are they denied access to the sacrament of Holy Orders? The faithful knows this. Many Priests know this too. It could easily be argued that Jesus' apostles were men because it was a culturally acceptable. Women then did not have such options. Surely however Jesus ministered to and had women friends. The woman at the well, Mary and Martha, Mary of Magdala. Could not one or more of these women be early priests or deacons of the church? Lastly, lets speak of gay marriage. More and more people see the validity and yes, sacramentality of gay marriages. It flies in the face of official doctrine and logic put forth by some of the churches 'great' thinkers. It flies in face of tradition. The church is wrong and people know it. Again, no masters degrees required to know it. Something is wrong within the church. It is not up to date. It is relying too much on 'old think' and tradition which is wrong. Being against gay marriage comes across as anti-gay because it IS anti gay. It is racist, not loving and denies the innate goodness and capacity for love within gay humans.
The church can rationalize, theorize, educate, indoctrinate and fall back on tradition but it is no match for love. The church is in trouble when it stifles thought and legitimate questions and limits the love that humans are capable of.
When did it become necessary for men to be educated, perhaps indoctrinated into the faith? I myself went to Catholic school for 20 years (no repeats either!) plus numerous courses here an there. This included the usual grades, college plus the Pastoral Formation Institute and the prescribed time at the seminary to be ordained (which I was). This kind of education was certainly not always the case. It certainly was not the case with regard to the Apostles and the leaders of the early church.
Once the church began to expand and have some independent thought (and heresy), there apparently became a need to focus on intense thought processes, so called logic and apologetics to support and maintain decisions or beliefs. It became necessary to have everyone on the same page so to speak. Independent thought and questions did not fare well.
With regard to heresy, I heard an enlightening explanation a few weeks back by a monk. Basically it was explained that heresy is taking a part of the truth and making it the whole truth. I'm not sure if this would hold true for every situation but it seemed to hold true for the heresies I am aware of. Case in point from the early church. Jesus was simply a really good man, not divine. (or visa verse for that matter). There is truth that Jesus was a good man but to state that he was only a good man is heresy. To deny his divinity is denying a part of the truth. To say Jesus was God and simply 'played' human without emotions and actions would also be a half truth and therefore heresy. To combat this type of thing, elaborate theses and thoughts are developed, learned and perpetuated over centuries making it dogma and tradition, a powerful combination. Any lack of understanding or any failings of the logic used is held together by saying it is 'faith'. Simply accept it. Yes, independent thought in the Church went long ago. In the case of recent Popes, independent thought and questions were quashed and suppressed.
Going back to the fathers of the Church (what happened to those early women by the way???), they had no such logic, indoctrination or degrees. No Doctors of the Church, no masters degree like I have. I think the closest would be Jesus life and actions and witness to he Apostles could be considered a 'Pastoral Formation Institute' of sorts. As Saint Francis said, preach the Gospel at all times, use words only if necessary.
It seems to me that Godliness and truth are visible to the average man and woman without any indoctrination. People know goodness and holiness. They can see God in our visible world quite well just as they can see and recognize the evils of war, hatred and injustice. No education needed really on that score.
What happens however is that there are truths that the faithful see (and hold) that are not in line with the doctrines of the church. The questions go unanswered or official policy is bolstered by the circular logic I often speak of or by 'faith' and 'tradition'.
There is a whole array of questions and beliefs associated with things like birth control, celibacy for priests, women priests and gay marriage. A majority of Roman Catholics do not subscribe to official doctrine or beliefs on any of these issues. There is no Masters degree or training to see that some forms of birth control are not only acceptable but desirable. Such a 'policy' if you will was promulgated at Vatican II but quashed. People see the problems of Celibate priest all the time. While it may be a true gift for some, it is not consistent with scripture (Peter, our first Pope was married) and flies in the face of Genesis about 'it is not good that man be alone'. Some of the first leaders and faithful of the church were women, why are they denied access to the sacrament of Holy Orders? The faithful knows this. Many Priests know this too. It could easily be argued that Jesus' apostles were men because it was a culturally acceptable. Women then did not have such options. Surely however Jesus ministered to and had women friends. The woman at the well, Mary and Martha, Mary of Magdala. Could not one or more of these women be early priests or deacons of the church? Lastly, lets speak of gay marriage. More and more people see the validity and yes, sacramentality of gay marriages. It flies in the face of official doctrine and logic put forth by some of the churches 'great' thinkers. It flies in face of tradition. The church is wrong and people know it. Again, no masters degrees required to know it. Something is wrong within the church. It is not up to date. It is relying too much on 'old think' and tradition which is wrong. Being against gay marriage comes across as anti-gay because it IS anti gay. It is racist, not loving and denies the innate goodness and capacity for love within gay humans.
The church can rationalize, theorize, educate, indoctrinate and fall back on tradition but it is no match for love. The church is in trouble when it stifles thought and legitimate questions and limits the love that humans are capable of.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. They said, ‘What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.’ So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.’ After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.
After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:
“Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers have gathered together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.”
For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
“Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
and the rulers have gathered together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.”
For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
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