God is One....
God is One....
Pretty difficult to "enhance" and "enlarge" perfection.
This is 'assuming' that 'perfection' within a given tradition, body of doctrines, or religious institution has already been granted. - it also assumes that there can no longer be any 'progressive revelation'. This is the kind of mentality that that fosters 'dogmatism' and spiritual stagnation.
A God who lays down His life
for His friends out of love?
Such serves as an 'example-picture' of love, an example among others.
He now returns minute by minute as each mass reaches consecration time. He is consumed with love for those who consume Him.
Thats great, from a 'sacramental' perspective to those who enjoin their faith in the 'ritual'.
Others scoff and laugh saying "If you are really there come out of that "host" and we'll believe".
Well thats silly, since the communion is 'spiritual' in nature and 'God' is incorporeal in essence, no matter what form we 'touch' him thru.
There's always room for improvement, development, understanding, progressive revelation,....unless you are already absolutely perfect. Jesus said, 'be you perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is perfect....but here he spoke of how we demonstrate love. However to mortals having a human experience in space and time...this is an evolutionary process, where 'learning' can take place. Have you attained a state where you can no longer "learn"? No church, community, body of teachings, scriptures, doctrinal statements are necessarily 'perfect'...but may serve one in a 'religious' sense.
The "further" revelation is changing the "original".
Two opposites cannot be true.
Later revelations do not 'change' the 'formerly given', but add to, build upon, enhance or augment such. They will also
correct any former teachings or conceptions if they need to be. They both 'build upon' and 'add' where such is appropriate to the time of the revelation given, as man receives in ratio to his capacity or readiness to receive.
The "seers" can contradict "the Fathers" but when they do ...give me the Fathers.
Could be a matter of splitting hairs there, - but you're probably referring to Catholic tradition and its cherished artifacts, or the assumed historicity of the so called 'Fathers'. Wonderful. The UB's teaching on the essentials of spiritual truth, principles and religious living continues to hold and agree as the real practice of the religion that Jesus lived as an example to all, of
doing the Father's will. All the "other stuff" are but religious church props and outfits, ritual-dressing if you will, giving the 'air' of religiosity. Thats all fine, if it leads to worshipping the Father in spirit and truth, and affects genuine religious experience and service.
I'll take the "old" road and you take the "new" road. I just might get to Scotland before ye.
Truth is the only road, whether one reflects to more ancient pathways, or that same pathway enhanced and illuminated in the present time by the Spirit. There is no division here, since Truth is One. The religious ego doing the 'dividing' is making such a duality, when in truth...there is none. Look out from the perspective of the infinite One, and any differentiations will be naturally appropriated according to their usefulness.
pj