1 1 NEED of DISCERNMENT of the SPIRITS Scriptures
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The Morality of Magisterium 87
The Morality of Magisterium 87 The Morality of Magisterium by Gerard Mannion Magisterium is a moral issue. To state such is not to re-emphasise that teaching authority can and should pertain to morality. Rather, that the relationship perceived from the other way around equally applies. An enormous amount of literature has already been written in relation to how magisterium relates to moral dilemmas as well as teachings and wider guidance for ethical discernment. But something which has been frequently overlooked in the history of the church and particularly so in recent times is that the way in which magisterium is understood and the manner in which it is exercised have moral implications themselves. Therefore, all due ethical consideration should be given to how magisterium is perceived and shaped long before it is exercised. One of the purposes of this paper is to try and remind ourselves of this and of the implications that follow from such a reminder. It also seeks to encourage moral theologians, ecclesiologists, canon law- yers and church leaders alike to keep this simple observation in mind. 1. How and why magisterium is a moral issue Magisterium is a moral issue. To state such is not to re-emphasise that teaching authority can and should pertain to morality. Rather, that the relationship perceived from the other way around equally applies. An enormous amount of literature has been written in relation to how magis- terium relates to moral dilemmas as well as teachings and wider guidance for ethical discernment. But something which has been frequently over- looked in the history of the church and particularly so in recent times is the fact that the way in which magisterium is understood and the manner in which it is exercised have moral implications themselves. -
Chapter 14 Discernment of Spirits
Chapter 14 Discernment of Spirits It is indispensable for the direction of souls and for the study of extraordinary mystical phenomena to be able to distinguish the various spirits under which an individual may act or be acted upon. As used here, the word spirit refers to two different types of motivating factors or powers. The spirit of an individual refers to the internal inclination to good or evil, and it manifests itself with such regularity that it must be considered a personal trait. Thus, if a person has a propensity to prayer, he or she is said to possess the spirit of prayer; if there is a tendency to arguments and altercations, he or she is said to possess a spirit of contradiction, etc. Understood in this sense, the spirit of a person is usually the result of both temperament and character. But it is also possible for an individual to come under the influence of a spirit that is extrinsic to the personality, whether from God or the devil. For that reason it is the function of the discernment of spirits to judge whether a given act or repetition of acts flows from the spirit of God, the diabolical spirit, or the spirit of the individual. There are two types of discernment of spirit: acquired and infused. Acquired discernment of spirits is complementary to ordinary spiritual direction and can be cultivated by all who use the proper means. Infused discernment of spirits is a charismatic gift or gratia gratis data, which is granted by God to certain individuals. -
Discernment of Revelation in the Gospel of Matthew
Religions and Discourse 30 Discernment of Revelation in the Gospel of Matthew von Frances Shaw 1. Auflage Discernment of Revelation in the Gospel of Matthew – Shaw schnell und portofrei erhältlich bei beck-shop.de DIE FACHBUCHHANDLUNG Peter Lang Bern 2007 Verlag C.H. Beck im Internet: www.beck.de ISBN 978 3 03910 564 9 Inhaltsverzeichnis: Discernment of Revelation in the Gospel of Matthew – Shaw Chapter One Introduction Discernment of Revelation in Matthew’s Gospel: Historical Background Then if any one says to you, ‘Lo, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.1 These verses from Matthew’s gospel draw attention to an aspect of religious belief characteristic of Judaism and Christianity: that for religions grounded in claims to revelation, discernment between true and false messiahs and prophets is a critical issue with eternal con- sequences. The aim of this study is to demonstrate and explain the importance of discernment of revelation as a significant motif in Mat- thew’s gospel.2 ‘Christianity’ and ‘Judaism’ were not sufficiently well defined to form separate entities in the first century AD, especially after the des- truction of the temple when formative Judaism was taking shape.3 1 Matt. 24.23,24; also in Mark (13.21,22), but Matthew emphasises this theme by his own redactional insertions concerning false Christs and prophets: Matt. 24.5,11,26; cf. 7.15,21–23. 2 ‘While most of 24.1–36 is description, much of it is paraenesis [moral exhort- ation]. -
Vassula Ryden
NOVEMBER 25/DECEMBER 8/12, 2012 Vassula Ryden: Problems with Rome, Bishops worldwide and her own Orthodox Church, but welcome in India Vassula Ryden is a controversial Greek-Orthodox "seer" who claims to receive written messages from God. The intention of this alert is to provide reliable information to the Bishops, heads of retreat centers, lay leaders in ministry, and the Catholic laity at large in the Indian Church about the status of acceptance by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches of the Greek Orthodox "seer" named Vassula Ryden and her "messages". This alert will gradually be developed into a more-detailed report* which can be viewed under the same title at the "REPORTS" section of this ministry’s web site. Interested readers are requested to check our web site periodically for updates and new articles. *This report was updated on December 8, 2012. See pages 27 ff. Also see VASSULA RYDEN-TESTIMONIES at http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN_TESTIMONIES.doc. That file in the "CATHOLIC ISSUES" section of our web site contains four testimonies reproduced from www.infovassula.ch, a critical website on Vassula Ryden and her "True Life in God" messages. The www.infovassula.ch website which was run by a Switzerland-based Catholic apologist Maria Laura Pio had to be shut down because of legal proceedings initiated against her in a civil court in Belgium in 2011 by the "True Life in God" [TLIG]"seer" Vassula Ryden and her team of legal experts. More of that later. The writing and publishing of this alert is immediately necessitated by the receipt of information concerning the imminent visit of Vassula Ryden to various Catholic locations in India* on the back of a trip by her to Paris and Strasbourg in France which however has elicited strong warnings from six French bishops**. -
La Verdadera Vida En Dios La Santísima Trinidad
La Verdadera Vida en Dios La Santísima Trinidad. A. Rublev s.XV foto VVED s.XV Rublev A. Trinidad. Santísima La ESTUDIOS TEOLÓGICOS sobre La Verdadera Vida en Dios Páginas 6 - 14 REUNIONES celebradas por Vassula en el mundo Páginas 17 - 36 LAS BETH MYRIAMS Una obra de misericordia de La Verdadera Vida en Dios Páginas 40 - 52 LLAMADA DE DIOS A SU PUEBLO Alocución de Vassula el 16 de noviembre de 2001 en el 3 er Simposio Ecuménico de Farfa, Italia Páginas 54 - 68 ALOCUCIONES Y CARTAS DEL CLERO Páginas 71 - 75 VASSULA RECIBE LA MEDALLA DE ORO DE LA PAZ El Premio de la Paz Atisha Dipankar & Visuddhananda atribuido a Vassula el 23 de febrero de 2003 en Bangladesh Páginas 78 - 79 ENCUENTROS DE VASSULA CON JERARQUÍAS RELIGIOSAS Páginas 82 - 91 ESTUDIOS TEOLÓGICOS sobre La Verdadera Vida en Dios 6 ESTUDIOS TEOLÓGICOS SOBRE LA VERDADERA VIDA EN DIOS El Enigma Vassula ¿En comunicación directa con Dios? Jacques Neirynck, 1997 Publicado por La Verdadera Vida en Dios-España e-mail: [email protected] La Verdadera Vida en Dios Proclama el Reino de Dios por todo el mundo Libreria Espiritual, Av. Eloy Alfaro 466, P.O.Box 6252 CCI Quito-Ecuador , Tel: ++5932 564 519 / 528 611 Fax: ++5932 561 445 e-mail: [email protected] La irrupción de Dios en Vassula Mons. Aldo Gregori, Libreria Espiritual, Av. Eloy Alfaro 466, P.O.Box 6252 CCI Quito-Ecuador , Tel: ++5932 564 519 / 528 611 Fax: ++5932 561 445 e-mail: [email protected] Vassula, mediadora de la Unidad de los Cristianos P. -
From Despair to Communion: Discernment in the Writings of Luke
FROM DESPAIR TO COMMUNION Discernment in the Writings of Luke Patrick J. Howell E HAD HOPED . .’ These are some of the saddest, most doleful ‘Wwords in all of Scripture. They occur as two disciples are walking along the road to Emmaus and encounter a stranger. They engage him in conversation, and he asks them why they are so sad. They are amazed that he seems to be the only one in the world who has not heard of the recent events in Jerusalem, about the judgment and crucifixion of Jesus. They voice their disillusionment: We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. (Luke 24:21-23) This narrative, told and re-told in the Lukan community at Antioch and the rest of Syria in the five decades following the death of Jesus, describes the continuing journey of the community of disciples. It also speaks to our own contemporary disillusionment with the promises which ‘we had hoped’ would be fulfilled in our own time. Those of us who grew up in our faith during the Second Vatican Council believed that the Church was on the edge of a new era. ‘We had hoped’ not only that the energy, enthusiasm, renewal of faith released by the Council would ignite a new fire, but that we could sustain this dazzling light until it blazed to completion. -
True Life in God Volume One 1986‐1987
TRUE LIFE IN GOD VOLUME ONE 1986‐1987 Volume One of a six volume serialised edition of the True Life in God messages as given to Vassula Rydén from 1986 to 2003 Volume One: 1986 – 1987 Volume Two: 1988 – 1989 Volume Three: 1990 – 1991 Volume Four: 1992 – 1994 Volume Five: 1995 – 1997 Volume Six: 1998 – 2003 © Copyright Vassula Rydén TLIG True Life in God La Vraie Vie en Dieu Wahres Leben in Gott La Verdadera Vida en Dios & Vassula are registered trademarks www.tlig.org TRUE LIFE IN GOD: DIVINE DIALOGUE I have read all the TRUE LIFE IN GOD books and meditated on their contents. I truly believe that the books contain the Divine Dialogue of the Holy Trinity, Our Lady and the Angels with humankind through Vassula Rydén. I have not found anything objectionable and anything contrary to the Church’s authentic authority on faith and morals. Reading these books and meditating on the contents are spiritually beneficial to all. I recommend these books to every Christian. Felix Toppo, S.J., DD Roman Catholic Bishop of Jamshedpur, India Golmuri, November 24, 2005 Editor’s Note While no substantive changes of any kind have been made to the content of the True Life in God messages in preparing this book, some changes have been made to the presentation of the True Life in God messages as compared with the original notebooks in which the messages were written down. (See opposite for a reproduction of one of the pages of the original notebooks.) (1) So far as could be detected, all transcription errors – such as in spelling and punctuation – in writing down the original handwritten messages have been corrected. -
Christian” Mysticism 10/21/07 PM
DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT Beware Of “Christian” Mysticism 10/21/07 PM Many “Christian” writers are turning to mysticism. Donald Miller: You cannot be a Christian without being a mystic. (Blue Like Jazz p. 202) Richard Foster: We are to live in a perpetual, inward, listening silence so that God is the source of our words and actions. (Celebration of Discipline p. 16) The mystic believes that he or she can enjoy an unmediated link to God through a superrational experience. John MacArthur writes: The mystic disdains rational understanding and seeks truth instead through the feelings, the imagination, personal visions, inner voices, private illumination, or other purely subjective means. They believe that their thoughts and mental impressions can be explained as the inner voice of God. 1. Beware Of A Mystical View Of Faith. Some are teaching that faith is not rational. “It cannot be explained—It is something you feel.” But God says: Isaiah 1:18a "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD . Matthew 22:37 And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 2. Beware Of A Mystical Spirituality. We are to live in a perpetual, inward silence so that God is the source of our words and actions. (Celebration of Discipline p. 166) And I love this about Christian spirituality. It cannot be explained, and yet it is beautiful and true. It is something you feel, and it comes from the soul. (Blue Like Jazz p. 57) For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained. -
Dialogue Between Vassula Rydén and the CDF
Dialogue between Vassula Rydén and the CDF Introduction Between 2001 and 2004, Mrs. Vassula Rydén had an official dialogue with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in the Vatican that was requested by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. The purpose of this report is not to provide cheap propaganda for Mrs. Rydén, but rather to offer some balanced and detailed insight into the progression and outcome of this dialogue. It must be understood that the dialogue in itself entails no official "approval" of the messages experienced by Mrs. Rydén entitled True Life in God. The Notification of 1995 with some critical comments on Mrs. Rydén’s experience remains formally in effect. Only the publication of a new Notification could "cancel" the former of 1995, and such publication will most likely not occur during Mrs. Rydén’s lifetime, given the Vatican’s always careful stance on alleged mystics still alive. However, there should be no doubt that the dialogue did take place and that it reached a positive conclusion. The entire dialogue between Mrs. Rydén and the CDF was published in the form of a booklet in 2004 and - at the specific request of Cardinal Ratzinger - in all subsequent versions of Mrs. Rydén’s books. As it will become clear in this report, Cardinal Ratzinger had first declined when asked in 1999 to meet Mrs. Rydén because of "the situation with the Notification", as he put it. However, what he did offer was an official dialogue with the CDF. It was this dialogue and its positive outcome that made it possible for Cardinal Ratzinger to receive Mrs. -
St. Ignatius Rules of Discernment Steps to Advance Spiritually and Make Decisions Concrete Guidance to Become a True, Free Child of God 1
St. Ignatius Rules of Discernment Steps to Advance Spiritually and Make Decisions Concrete Guidance to Become a True, Free Child of God 1. Become aware of the stirrings in our hearts. 2. Understand—reflect on the stirrings and notice what is Below is a summary of the first 14 Rules of St. Ignatius. from God and what is not. (We must continue to study For more details, obtain: The Discernment of Spirits: An the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living order to know what is truly from God and to form our (by Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.) conscience.) Initial Principles 3. Take action—accept and live according to what is of -The first premise is that God love us and wants a deep God; reject and remove from our lives what is not of friendship with us. He is active in our lives. Since He is God. our Creator and has a plan for our lives, He cares about H.U.A. Listen to the stirrings of your heart. our decisions. St. Ignatius gives us rules to help us Understand—is it of God or not of God? If it is not of develop this friendship and to make good decisions. God, pray it away and reject it. If it is of God, act on it. Following God’s plan keeps us spiritually healthy. -God’s will is something we can know, but we cannot be First Rule. In persons who are going from mortal sin to sure that we know it perfectly. -
The Gift of Discernment (The Power to Detect Unclean Spirits) the Works & Sign Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Gift of Discernment (The Power to Detect Unclean Spirits) The Works & Sign Gifts of the Holy Spirit Pastor Wil Nichols November 24, 2019 Victorious Praise Fellowship Church of God in Christ 2116 Page Rd. Durham NC 27703 WEBSITE: www.VictoriousPraise.org EMAIL: [email protected], Info@ VictoriousPraise.org PHONE: (919) 957-7500 The Gift of Discernment (The Power to Detect Unclean Spirits) Page 1 of 5 (November 24, 2019) Sermon: The Works & Sign Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The Gift of Discernment (The Power to Detect Unclean Spirits) New Series Messages: “The Works & Sign Gifts of the Holy Spirit” • Theme Scriptures: o 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28 • Sermon: The Gift of Faith (Wonder-Working Power) o The Purpose of the Gift of Faith (Wonder-Working Faith) o The Works of the Gift of Faith (Overcoming Doubt) o The Stirring of the Gift of Faith (Prayer & Fasting) Lesson Text 1 John 4:1–3 (AV)1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Romans 16:17–18 (AV)17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. -
Discernment of Spirits in the High Middle Ages: The
DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS IN THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES: THE TRANSFORMATION OF A BIBLICAL CONCEPT INTO AN INQUISITORIAL TECHNIQUE by Savannah Rhodes, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Graduate Council of Texas State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts with a Major in History May 2019 Committee Members: Elizabeth Makowski, Chair Kenneth Margerison Leah Renold COPYRIGHT by Savannah Rhodes 2019 FAIR USE AND AUTHOR’S PERMISSION STATEMENT Fair Use This work is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, section 107). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of this material for financial gain without the author’s express written permission is not allowed. Duplication Permission As the copyright holder of this work I, Savannah Rhodes, authorize duplication of this work, in whole or in part, for educational or scholarly purposes only. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Elizabeth Makowski first and foremost, for her support, dedication, ability to always have a solution, and bottomless well of patience these past four years. This thesis would not have happened without her. I would also like to thank Dr. Kenneth Margersion for seven years of enjoyable coursework and constant guidance, and allowing me to regularly pursue the strangest topics of study. Many thanks also go to Dr. Leah Renold for her willingness to join my committee at the last minute and assist with a topic well out of her usual specialization- and reminding me to be more lenient towards myself.