The Creed, Session 5 (2/20/2022)

In this class session we talk about lots of important things: the difference/relationship between "positive" and "negative" theology (aka, kataphatic and apophatic theology), Arianism and modalism (both of which are heresies), the relationship between faith and science (both of which we can say are scientia, ways of knowing the same world differently) as represented in the Christian theological phrase fides et ratio, "faith and reason." If you need some extra info on the two heresies mentioned in the episode, go look at Pints With Aquinas episode 91: "10 Heresies every Christian should know about, with Trent Horn" hosted by Matt Fradd. Be sure to check out my blog at hermeneuticaetc.wordpress.com where you can find more resources for digging down deep into the Church's Great Conversation, part of which is influenced by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a selection of which appears as a prayer at the beginning of this episode (from his work Mystical Theology, ch1): "O Trinity, beyond being, beyond divinity, beyond goodness, and guide to Christians in divine wisdom, | direct us to the mystical summits more than unknown and beyond light, There the simple, absolved, and unchanged mysteries of theology lied hidden in the darkness beyond light of the hidden mystical silence, | there, in the greatest darkness, that beyond all that is most evident exceedingly illuminates the sightless intellects, there, in the wholly imperceptible and invisible, that beyond all that is most evident fills to overflowing the sightless intellects with the glories beyond all beauty. | This is my prayer. ..." (in William Placher, Readings in the History of Christian Theology, vol 1, p82)