Ave Maria!

Fr. Maximilian Mary Dean initiates a series based on his book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ: Bl. John Duns Scotus and the Franciscan Thesis. In this program he introduces the question, “If Adam had not sinned, would God have become incarnate?” and gives an overview of the position of St. Thomas Aquinas (Thomistic thesis) and Bl. John Duns Scotus (Franciscan thesis). Come learn about the Incarnation as we Celebrate our official Grand Opening which we had on the feast of the Incarnation …

Ave Maria!

A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ
Author: Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #1: A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

In this episode Fr. Maximilian Mary turns to Sacred Scripture to proclaim that in God’s eternal designs before the creation of the world Jesus Christ was willed by God to be His Temple, to be perfectly filled with His glory and return perfect glory to the Triune God in His Sacred Humanity. What is more, we are called to be “living stones” (1 Pt. 2:4-5) of this Temple with Christ Jesus as the “chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20ff).

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #2 – Jesus Christ, Temple & Chief Cornerstone first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

While the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, held that the Incarnation was fitting because of God’s goodness and that it was not strictly necessary that the Word become flesh to accomplish man’s Redemption, nonetheless St. Thomas prefers the opinion that if Adam had not sinned God would not have become incarnate.

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #3: St. Thomas Aquinas & The Incarnation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

Did you know that two of St. Thomas Aquinas’ most illustrious professors at the University of Paris, Fr. Alexander of Hales, OFM, and St. Albert the Great, OP, held what has come to be known as the Franciscan position regarding the Incarnation? Perhaps this explains why St. Thomas had such great respect for the position that Bl. John Duns Scotus would take up and defend so ardently some 40 years later. In this episode Fr. Maximilian demonstrates from the writings of Aquinas that the position of Scotus on the absolute primacy of Christ is possible and even probable, even though St. Thomas held the opposite opinion to be more probable.

Links:

The life and doctrine of St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas Summa theologica on the Incarnation in the Catholic Encyclopedia

		This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI
		AQUINAS: On Reasons for Our Faith Against the Muslims, Greeks and Armenians Author: St. Thomas Aquinas Translator: Fr. Peter Fehlner, FI

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #4: St. Thomas Aquinas & The Incarnation (Part 2) first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Update: Oops! The text and title for this post is now completely different because originally I put the text for Cornerstone #6 instead of #5 as it should have been. So if you look at #6 you may recognize the text because it used to be in this post. The error is mine not Fr. Maximilian’s

– Fra Roderic

Correct text for #5:

Bl. John Duns Scotus (1265-1308) was a Franciscan priest, theologian and professor at Oxford University and the University of Paris. He was famous for his subtle doctrine, especially regarding the Immaculate Conception, and has come to be known as the Subtle Doctor. Because of his doctrine of the Absolute Primacy of Christ, sin or no sin, the thesis that holds that the Word would have become flesh even had Adam not sinned has come to be known as the Scotistic or Franciscan Thesis. Bl. Scotus bases his doctrine on predestination as found in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, and upon simple logic: God wills the created universe in an orderly fashion.

Links:

Overview of life, philosophy and theology of Bl. John Duns Scotus

Short biography of Bl. John Duns Scotus

Outline of Bl. John Duns Scotus’ doctrine of the Absolute Primacy of Christ

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #5: Bl. John Duns Scotus & The Incarnation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

Note from the webmaster: If the title and text of this post look familiar to you it is because I used this text accidently in the Cornerstone #5 which has now been updated. Now for the post…

Most people, when they are first introduced to this theme say, “Man sinned; Jesus came to redeem us; so who cares what ‘would’ have been had man not sinned?” Find out why the primary motive of the Incarnation is important and how it affects our view of God, the Incarnation, the Virgin Mary, the Angels & Saints, and spirituality, psychology, evangelization, etc. God’s eternal purpose is important!

Discussion on the blogs is increasing on the primacy . . .

Links:

Mark Shea’s blog “Catholic and Enjoying It”, April 12, 2007 Gives two references to other blogs on the question “If We Had Not Fallen, Would God Have Become Man?”:

1. “Disputations” blog, March 24, 2007 and the same blog on April 12 and
2. Springtime for Scotists April 13, 2007

And finally, “Pertinacious Papist Musings on Catholic Intellectual Culture” blog, April 18, 2007 “Cur Deus Homo?”

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #6: Why bother? … The Primary Motive of the Incarnation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

The entire philosophical and theological school of Bl. John Duns Scotus hinges upon predestination. In order for anyone to be predestined “before the foundation of the world” in Christ Jesus as God’s adopted children, God must first predestine the Sacred Humanity of Christ! In this program Fr. Maximilian begins to unveil how Ephesians 1:3-12 presupposes the absolute primacy of Christ and how it indicates other motives of the Incarnation than Redemption from sin.

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #7: Ephesians 1:3-6 & The Franciscan Thesis first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

Some object to the Franciscan thesis on the Incarnation by quoting the Creed: “For us men and for our salvation He came down from Heaven.” Fr. Maximilian responds to this objection and demonstrates how Bl. John Duns Scotus and the Franciscan position on the absolute primacy of Christ does not downplay Christ’s role as our Redeemer. Man sinned; Jesus came for our Redemption. However, He did not come primarily, let alone exclusively, to redeem us. Discover also how St. Irenaeus does not equate “salvation” with “redemption”.Ave Maria!

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #8 – Ephesians 1:7 & The Franciscan Thesis first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

St. Paul speaks of the “mystery of His will”, God’s “eternal purpose”, which is accomplished in the “fullness of time.” What is this mystery? What is God’s eternal plan–the ‘blueprint’ He has before He begins to create? Why does St. Paul speak of the moment of the Incarnation of the Word as “the fullness of time”? Fr. Maximilian, referring to St. Maximus the Confessor, a prominent Greek Father of the Church (d.662), unravels the “mystery”.

Links:

To see a perspective from the Orthodox Church on the motive of the Incarnation see “Cur Deus Homo?” on Friday, October 20, 2006 at http://ad-orientem.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html

This video series is based on the book A Primer on the Absolute Primacy of Christ by the host Fr. Maximilian M. Dean, FI Ave Maria!

?

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #9: Ephesians 1:8-10 & The Franciscan Thesis first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Ave Maria!

God’s divine designs were not only to communicate His grace and glory to one created nature most perfectly, namely to the Sacred Humanity if Jesus Christ by way of the hypostatic union, but that Jesus might be the Head of a mystical body, bringing all things together under His headship. Clearly the doctrine of Bl. John Duns Scotus is rooted in St. Paul’s notion of the headship of Christ and how we are thus blessed in Christ as members of His Body, called from all eternity to be nourished and built up in Him.

Ave Maria!

The post Video – Fr. Maximilian – The Cornerstone #10: Ephesians 1:9-12 & The Franciscan Thesis first appeared on AirMaria.com.