Resurrected body.One can only speak of matters eschatological es·cha·tol·o·gy n. 1. The branch of theology that is concerned with the end of the world or of humankind. 2. A belief or a doctrine concerning the ultimate or final things, such as death, the destiny of humanity, the Second with modesty and reserve. And one takes issue with Sidney Callahan only with circumspection cir·cum·spec·tion n. The state or quality of being circumspect. See Synonyms at prudence. Noun 1. circumspection - knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress; "the servants showed great tact and discretion" . Nonetheless, I will make bold to question one aspect of her recent reflection. Callahan paraphrases Paraphrases are traditional forms of singing within Presbyterian churches. They are sections of the Bible that have been set to music, in a similar fashion to Metrical Psalms. a section of the "Letter on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World." She writes: "Ratzinger makes the astounding a·stound tr.v. a·stound·ed, a·stound·ing, a·stounds To astonish and bewilder. See Synonyms at surprise. [From Middle English astoned, past participle of astonen, claim that the resurrected body, while nonprocreative, will be gendered for all eternity." May I offer a somewhat different paraphrase of the Letter's section 12. "Human sexual differentiation sexual differentiation See Hermaphroditism, hirsutism, Müllerian ducts, Precocious puberty, Pseudoprecocious puberty, Tanner staging, Testis-determining factor, Virilization, Wolffian ducts, XXX, XXY, XXXY, XYY syndromes, Y Chromosome. , intrinsic to our created being and identity, will be transfigured, not abolished, in the resurrected body." In a real sense, Mary ever remains "truly our sister"; as Augustine remains Monica's son and the father of Adeodatus. God's original creation is thus renewed and transformed, but not annihilated, in the heavenly City of God. Rather than Ratzinger's claim being "astounding," I believe it to be in close continuity with the great theological tradition that here resisted the allure of Platonism and stressed the goodness of the material creation. (REV.) ROBERT P. IMBELLI Newton Centre, Mass. |
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