Theology of Human Person

Introduction

Context – The context of theology of human person is the world we live in – the value system which is at work – one’s identity, desires and aspirations, accomplishments and failures, and relations with persons, places, circumstances and situations. The human society has suffered from the elements of social, cultural, linguistic, geographical, religious and national differences in the past and present scenario. The present scenario brings before us the growing Hindutva ideology in religion and politics, anti-Christian movements, reconversion, anti-woman issues, naxal violence and migration/displacement of the tribals and dalits, etc. Besides, we claim that God our Father cares for the human beings and protects us as well as provides us in all circumstances.

Depth Dimension of Anthropology from Jesus’ Point of View – Christian vision consists of the fact that whole creation is for a particular vision or a purpose in relation to God, human beings, things and events. Christian vision of human society finds its foundation in the Credo – it consists of everything, the purpose, significance and importance of the creation – salvific intervention of God. However human life is a mystery as beginning and end are not in our hands, but God. Jewish idea informs us about the salvific intervention of God in human society that everything is from and towards God. In Christian Tradition the fact of human beings created in the image and likeness of God, therefore, sons and daughters of God, is more intensified.

Theology of Creation

God and Creation can be understood with the imagery of teacher and pupil or lover and beloved or poet and poem. God is love in that He shares His love-ability, creativity and sense of freedom. In fact, it is not that God shares with us, but we are what God shares. Therefore, we are called to be loving and compassionate towards all as God is. Creation is a Progressive Revelation of God to humans in a relationship. This relationship leads to creative response-ability, a creative response to progressive revelation. Creation is a total, liberating dependence on God, and total responsibility from God. Creation is beauty, goodness, and love. The imagery of fountain and stream – fountain (God) is the source, stream (continual giving of God to us) is the outcome, and the Reality that flows is water (love).

The Unity of Creation – The unity of Creation shows the interconnectedness and interdependence of human beings, earth and God. Here, the principle of the power of self-transcendence is at work in the realm of interconnectedness and interdependence. Human Being is the Crown of Creation. Therefore, he/she is not to be enslaved to anything or anyone, or else it leads to sin. Importance of Earth in God’s Plan is for the prosperity of human beings. Co-humanity is the basic vocation of human beings is to grow in love, creativity, and freedom, and thus make a community. Human souls are created especially and immediately by God and principle of self-transcendence leads to entry of love and freedom in the human sphere. God’s personal touch is present in every human since conception and birth. God and Parents are 100% cause of the birth of a human child.

Theology of Original Sin

Sin is not by the nature but in and through human beings. Sin in the Bible is taken in terms of universality of sin, human solidarity in sin. Therefore, humans are in need of salvation. Adam and Eve lost the original justice due to sin, disobedience to God’s command – a desire to be like God. The Council of Carthage gave the concept of Original Sin. Later, in the Council of Trent, it was taken as real sin but not a personal sin – of the person and in the person, but not committed by him/her, it is there by nature. Augustine speaks about sin in the context of baptism formulas for adults and infants. Monogenism and Polygenism are in conflict because concept of original sin loses its hold. Bible has the origin of sin, not the original sin. Genesis Story and Type Story reveal that one creature entices another to go against God’s will, thus misuse of freedom. Therefore, to know God’s will one needs to get in touch with one’s conscience asking – what is the more loving thing in this situation? To be true to one’s authentic/genuine self. God’s will is Human Wholeness in the society.

Consequences of Sin – Sin leads to threefold Alienation – from God, from one another and self, and from creation. Alienation is death, being unlike God, not being true to one’s true nature. St. Paul draws differences between Sin personified and Grace of God. Through Adam came sin, condemnation, enmity with God, and death. Through Christ came God’s grace, love, peace, super abundance of life.

However, solidarity in sin rules out the concept of original sin. All are sinners and are in need of salvation. Sin is Missing the mark/goal. Salvation is growing unto Christ-likeness, through parents and others who are channels of God’s love. It is a gift of God and our task at the same time.

Christian Vision of Human Beings and Society

Human Society from Jesus’ Point of View – Background of Jesus is established by the Biblical world of legal, historical, prophetic and wisdom literature. Jesus has God Experience as Yahweh, Liberator, God of Mercy, and God of Anger against idolatry and injustice. Hope of Israel rests in Yahweh’s promise for the Land flowing with milk and honey. Though, the reality is rather opposite to the promise, it gives them Hope for salvation. Jewish socio-economic-political background consisted of poverty, robbery, unemployment, landless people. Amidst all this they had the expectation of the Kingdom in their own ways.

The Perspective of Jesus – Relationship between Jesus and God the Father is that of unconditional love, acceptance, and approval. Relationship between Jesus and humans is marked by the importance and centrality of humans in the salvific plan without any imposition on humans. Jesus’ view of society has twofold foundation – all are brothers and sisters, and the Primacy of love for God by loving the neighbor. Love, Agape, means effective, unlimited love that contains both material and spiritual dimensions. Human beings are called to this love that culminates in saving souls. Spiritual Dimension of Love deals with God’s way of Love - “to be with and for the other unconditionally irrespective of what the other is/has/does/appears/belongs to/or whatever.”

The Kingdom Jesus Preaches is a Call of Repentance – therefore repent and believe. Kingdom of God is God’s love leading human beings to love-ability and freedom from constraints. It is Revelation of God’s unconditional love which consists of freedom, love and justice. The Lord’s Prayer is a confession, promise, and hope for relationships in the society and with God in loving obedience while abiding by the kingdom values. 

Miracles of Jesus indicate his mission, casting out demons (casting out power structures) and healing/curing from everything that dehumanizes and enslaves. Jesus has a preferential option for the poor. The poor are blessed, not the property; rich are loved, not the property. We, as Missionaries, are to reach the Good News to the poor through Christian freedom and liberation. Jesus indicates, through foot washing, a relationship of service to others as equals and friends without discrimination thus making way for a society of equality. Magnificat needs a change in its structure as well as change of hearts. Eucharist should be the celebration of the community that is committed to share one’s life with another.

Theology of Work

Work is natural to human person. Since God is at work, human beings must be at work too. Work is the humanization of nature and humans – a shared brotherhood, collaboration, and sacred bond. Therefore making work into a commodity for sale is a sin as it leads to alienation from self, others, and earth. All work is work without any discrimination. Work is love made visible through the lives of persons working in and for families. Eschatological sense of work implies shared bread in the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, shared in love and faith.

The Problem of Evil and Suffering

Christians seem to have a serious problem – is there a loving God? If there is one, why is there suffering in the world at all? Scientific and psychological experiments reveal that 98% problems are caused by humans themselves. Only 2% problems are caused by natural calamities. Human Approach defines setbacks as normal and inevitable for any organism in the process of becoming. Jesus’ Approach, however, implies that God does not want suffering for humans. Jesus did not condemn or praise suffering either. Yet he removed suffering and asked humans not to sin.

In general, every suffering is a challenge to our creativity, freedom and love. Human solidarity is required in the case of suffering for the deed/cause done by another because of interconnectedness and interrelated with one another. Suffering can be a source of love and blessing if it helps one to grow. In creative, positive response to difficult situations we experience the closeness of God. There is a redemptive value in suffering as it leads to growth in love, therefore, redemptive suffering. God experience in suffering implies God’s empowering presence in it.

Our Attitude to God – God in the OT is the God of Liberation. He is the Lawgiver with plenty of rules. God in the NT is a Compassionate and Loving Father of Jesus. Jesus loves the sinners and poor with great compassion, and leads them to table-fellowship. After the entry of priestly class God seems to be locked up in the tabernacle. Jesus’ Attitude towards Prayer consists of ‘doing the will of God’ at all circumstances. By way of ‘ask, search, knock’ we consciously open ourselves to God who gives Himself totally. In prayer Holy Spirit indicates to us our distractions in order to look into them, take a stand and act upon it. So, distractions are blessing in disguise. Prayer is, in fact, the willed, chosen, wanted openness to the Supreme Reality. It is a conscious way of being with and in the Mystery, in silence and attentiveness to all happenings within. Prayer is Openness to all that God is, says, does – yes to all that God is yes to (myself, others, events); no to all that God is no to (sin, injustice). Ultimately it becomes a Thanksgiving. Prayer of the Faithful indicates the expression of our dependence on God as well as our love for the person who one prays for.

Theology of Grace

Experiential Approach to Grace – experience of being loved, appreciated, and of being forgiven makes one aware of newness in his/her life. Experience of friendship, loving, forgiving, giving and receiving of a gift, etc. results into a new life. It transforms relationships. Grace implies God’s creative, transformative, continual love He has shared with humans. Grace is an en-nobbling and en-abling love of God.

Biblical Theology of Grace – ‘Charis’ in classical Greek means favour, kindness, and goodwill. In OT ‘charis’ means greatness, goodness, affection, charm, graciousness, beauty, honour and dignity – God’s attitude to humans. In NT ‘charis’ implies a religious meaning in relation to salvation. God’s attitude to humans who are sinners/unworthy – a loving kindness, redemptive favour and mercy, peace, favourable disposition, God’s will. God’s grace brings salvation to all humans.

Grace of God is experienced through Christ’s forgiveness of sins or reconciliation and his own self. It has been brought to humans as a free gift by Jesus. It is experienced as grace of the apostolates which implies a dynamic presence of Christ in the apostles. God’s grace has a free character in its immense abundance as Christ himself. Jesus is the God-bearer par excellence for all humans. God dwells in Jesus, Jesus dwells in God, a mutual divine indwelling. Mother Mary is the great Christ-bearer which indicates ‘doing the will of God, the Father. God’s dynamic presence in the humans, Jesus’ presence in the humans, God’s Spirit dwells in the humans, which is a mutual indwelling. This results into dynamic growth in faith, hope and love.

God’s grace is God-given Love-ability which entails both a free gift and a task at the same time to grow into greater freedom – mission to help people recognize God-given dignity as human persons beyond all religions and systems. Grace is social in that it is self-giving to others. It is a dynamism that liberates humans in the process of self realization. Salvation is grace in that it is God’s love for humans. It implies having a proper relationship to God as Father/Mother, to one another as brothers and sisters, and to the earth as to be shared with all humans. History of salvation is in continuation with eschatological salvation.