Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 272

248

THE DEPENDENT CHARACTER

§ 59.

59.

§

[Div. Ill

The Dependent Qliaracter of Theoloijy

Theology

knowledge of Crod, an entirely peculiar character flows from this for all Theology, If the idea of

which distinguishes gations of science.

in

lies

from For in

it

the

all

other knowledge or investi-

all

other investigations the in-

vestigating subject places himself above the investigated,

is

the active agent

in

object

to

be

the investigation, and

cum free judgment. both possible and proper with created things,

directs his course in obedience to his

And

this is

because

all these man ranks first. But when the knowledge directs itself to Him to whom man creation owe their origin, existence, and conscious-

among

thirst for

and

all

Then man

ness, the circumstances are materially changed.

stands no longer above, but beneath the object of his investigation,

and over against

this object he flnds himself in a posi-

Our

tion of entire depeiidence.

earlier

Theologians explained

by distinguishing between archetypal Theology (Tlieologia archetypa) and ectypal Theology (Theologia ectypa) a distinction which as it was finally defended could not be maintained, but which contains an element of truth that should not be abandoned. For the real thought fundamental to this distinction between archetypal and ectypal Theology is that all personal life remains a closed mystery to us as long as he whose life this is does not himself disclose it to us. And this thought must be maintained. We purposely this

—

ourselves to

limit

personal

life

in order

to

exclude the

though we readily grant that in animals also a similar mystery presents itself but this m3^stery need not detain us now, because the knoivledge of zoological question, even

;

man

presents already the entirely sufficient analogy for the

knoivledge of God.

With man

individual that you cannot

also the rule applies to each

know him

in his personal exist-

ence, except he himself disclose the mystery of his inner

being.

And

yet as far as

readily deceive us.

sons

we meet

man

We

is

concerned, appearance might

quickly form an idea about the per-

in daily life,

and some of us can form

a fairlj'

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