Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 297

Chap.

THE FRUIT OF REVELATION

1]

the study of the cosmos

tive itself,

successive character.

Hence

in

this

273

would have borne a process there would

have been progress, and not simple repetition. Difference of relation to the Eternal Being would have resulted from

The relations among these sevHence in this would have been organic. process of human development there would of itself have appeared a process of development of the knowledge of God. Yea, this process itself, as histor}^ foreordained and ruled by God from step to step, would in turn have become a reveladifference of conditions. eral conditions

tion sui generis.

In this development of the human race man would likewise have ob-

the logical consciousness in

own. Thus parallel to the process of history there would have run a history of man tained a development of as

its

In proportion as revelation enriched the instrument would thus have become more potent by

a logical being.

itself,

which man transmuted the treasures of this revelation into Theology. We do not say that this would have taken place in the

form

of

our present science.

In our

human

is

which our

entire existence experienced by sin

restraining grace, both presses its

existence

so intimately connected, that the modification

everything

"common" and

stamp upon our science

also.

and by

sin-

"particular," im-

Abstraction, which

at present is absolutely indispensable to our science,

would

certainly not have exercised so strong an influence without But in whatever form common human sin as it does now. consciousness might have developed itself without sin. Theology, i.e. the knowledge of God, would have occupied a sphere of its own in the world of thought, and would by no

means have been restricted to the secret reverie of individuals upon the sensations of their inmost soul. All revelation proceeds from the Logos (John i. 1-8), and therefore cannot rest content as long as it is not grasped and reflected back by the logical consciousness of individuals and of the Avhole In this Avay of humanity, i.e. by the "logos in humanity." knowledge of God Avould have proceeded immediately from revelation, and in virtue of the organic relation and development of our race this knowledge of God eo ipso would have

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