I call upon You, Lord, God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob and Israel, You who are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who, through the abundance of your mercy, was well-pleased towards us so that we may know You, who made heaven and earth, who rules over all, You who are the one and the true God, above whom there is no other God; You who, by our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, give to every one who reads this writing to know You, that You alone are God, to be strengthened in You, and to avoid every heretical and godless and impious teaching.

St Irenaeus of Lyons, Against the Heresies 3:6:4


Showing posts with label Natural Revelation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natural Revelation. Show all posts

Monday, January 28, 2013

Natural Revelation: Its Perspicuity, per Calvin


“Since the perfection of blessedness consists in the knowledge of God, he has been pleased, in order that none might be excluded from the means of obtaining felicity, not only to deposit in our minds that seed of religion...but so manifest his perfections in the whole structure of the universe, and daily place himself in our view, that we cannot open our eyes without being compelled to behold him.  His essence is, indeed, incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought; but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, so distinct, and so illustrious, that none, however dull or illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse...the manifestation of the Godhead being too clear to escape the notice of any people, however obtuse.”

John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, I:V:1

Thanks and blessings to my beautiful and dear wife, Fanny, for her eye for Cedar Wax-Wings and gift for photography!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Chrysostom on Natural Revelation


God has placed the knowledge of himself in human hearts from the beginning. But this knowledge they unwisely invested in wood and stone. They thus contaminated the truth, at least as far as they were able. Meanwhile the truth itself abides unchanged, possessing its own unchanging glory. . . . How did God reveal himself? By a voice from heaven? Not at all! God made a panoply which was able to draw them by more than a voice. He put before them the immense creation, so that both the wise and the unlearned, the Scythian and the barbarian, might ascend to God, having learned through sight the beauty of the things which they had seen.

Homilies on Romans 3.19, in NPNF 1.11:352