PF3 Ministries

Category: Uncategorized

  • Gloria In Excelsis Deo

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Angels We Have Heard on High Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis…

  • Forward, Backward, and Directly to Christ

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Among the philosophers and theologians, the names of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas are intricately connected. While the Christian philosopher-theologian Saint Augustine drew from the philosophical insights of Plato, Saint Thomas Aquinas drew from the philosophical insights of Aristotle. Nevertheless, between chronologically moving forward and historically reflecting backward, there is yet an unnamed philosopher who…

  • The Case for NextGen

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    In “Apologetics and Catechesis – Part 1” I make the case that apologetics and catechesis have a mutually beneficial relationship with one another. Next in Part 2, I make the case that whereas apologetics involves a defense of the central teachings of Christianity, catechesis involves a delivery of the faithful teachings of Christianity. And on…

  • Physics, Metaphysics, and the Incarnation

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Meta is Greek for “beyond.” Metaphysics literally means “beyond physics.” But whereas physics is the study of physical things, metaphysics is the philosophical study of everything. It is more than the study of nonphysical things. Metaphysics is more than the study of spiritual or supernatural things. It goes “beyond” physics and deals with being itself…

  • Four Books for Philosophy and Theology

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    During the second century, the theologian Tertullian famously asked, “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?” In these questions from Tertullian, a display of Christian theological resistance to Greek philosophical influence is evident. In The Book of Concord (here), we find the Apostles’ Creed…

  • Four Quotes for Philosophy and Theology

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Philosophy for Faith Formation – PF3 Ministries – is an educational outreach to catechists and catechetical leaders that supports their use of philosophy in faith formation. This outreach also extends to anyone interested in better understanding the role of philosophy in teaching theology. The following quotes from John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo…

  • Wonderful Language of Mathematics

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Through the character Socrates in the dialogue Theaetetus, Plato states, “Wonder is the feeling of the philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.” Many centuries later in The Assayer, Galileo states, “Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first…

  • Semiotics and Philosophy of Language

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    Semiotics is the study of signs/symbols and their use or interpretation in artificially constructed languages and natural languages. Similar to semiotics, the philosophy of language follows the traditional division of 1) syntax, 2) semantics, and 3) pragmatics. While syntax is the grammar of a language, semantics is the meaning of words and the relation of…

  • Council and Creed: 325 AD to 2025 AD

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    This past May 20th, Christians around the world commemorated the 1700th anniversary of an event held in Nicea. This date marked the opening of the Council of Nicea, which in turn initiated the start of the Nicene Creed. The Creed was later completed during the Council of Constantinople in 381. Although formally referred to as…

  • God, the Good, and the Good News

    —

    by

    Boethius
    in

    The Dialogues of Plato contain an interesting conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro. What is known as Euthyphro’s Dilemma can be paraphrased as follows: Is something good because it is loved by God, or is something loved by God because it is good? This is the type of question asked in Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro. However, from a…