Comments on: One Incarnation or many? http://ericsammons.com/blog/2009/11/10/one-incarnation-or-many/ Musings about the Catholic Faith Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:38:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Jonas http://ericsammons.com/blog/2009/11/10/one-incarnation-or-many/comment-page-1/#comment-4367 Jonas Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:18:59 +0000 http://ericsammons.com/blog/?p=5191#comment-4367 To me, since scripture specifically states that there would be "a new heaven and a new earth" as the result of Christ's Second Coming, it seems obvious that Christ's salvific act on the cross truly is Catholic in the widest possible sense of the word... it's genuinely Universal. Also, the fact that the Church has defined the Second Person of the Trinity's nature as being both fully <i>human</i> and fully divine, it does seem to exclude the possibility of a non-human Incarnation elsewhere... though I suppose one could argue that the 2nd person could be fully human, fully divine, and fully something else, (and fully something else, etc.), but I don't see how that would be necessary. Ours is a God of Revelation as well as of Incarnation, so I don't see why it would even be necessary to become incarnate elsewhere in the universe. To the extent that other intelligent creatures need saved, God may appeal to their reason through revelation, I should think. Also, I think it's worth pointing out that the effects of original sin in human souls have obviously extended beyond our species: we train animals to be cruel; plant and animal life beyond our direct range of influence still suffer indirectly through our pollution and such; viruses (like AIDS) take advantage of their evolutionary potential by adapting to themselves to thrive under our sinful conditions. Who's to say that the spiritual effects of original sin don't likewise reverberate through the (potential) intelligent species of the universe? It seems to me that humans brought sin into the universe, Christ came as a God among men to remove it, the final result of that process is the renewal of heaven and earth, and that should be sufficient for ALL OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, regardless of what other species exist out there. I imagine they will participate in the beatific vision to the extent that they participated in God's design in the universe. I'm not sure they need "their own" Incarnation to do that. Of course, this is all assuming there even IS any such life out there... To me, since scripture specifically states that there would be “a new heaven and a new earth” as the result of Christ’s Second Coming, it seems obvious that Christ’s salvific act on the cross truly is Catholic in the widest possible sense of the word… it’s genuinely Universal. Also, the fact that the Church has defined the Second Person of the Trinity’s nature as being both fully human and fully divine, it does seem to exclude the possibility of a non-human Incarnation elsewhere… though I suppose one could argue that the 2nd person could be fully human, fully divine, and fully something else, (and fully something else, etc.), but I don’t see how that would be necessary.

Ours is a God of Revelation as well as of Incarnation, so I don’t see why it would even be necessary to become incarnate elsewhere in the universe. To the extent that other intelligent creatures need saved, God may appeal to their reason through revelation, I should think.

Also, I think it’s worth pointing out that the effects of original sin in human souls have obviously extended beyond our species: we train animals to be cruel; plant and animal life beyond our direct range of influence still suffer indirectly through our pollution and such; viruses (like AIDS) take advantage of their evolutionary potential by adapting to themselves to thrive under our sinful conditions. Who’s to say that the spiritual effects of original sin don’t likewise reverberate through the (potential) intelligent species of the universe?

It seems to me that humans brought sin into the universe, Christ came as a God among men to remove it, the final result of that process is the renewal of heaven and earth, and that should be sufficient for ALL OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, regardless of what other species exist out there. I imagine they will participate in the beatific vision to the extent that they participated in God’s design in the universe. I’m not sure they need “their own” Incarnation to do that.

Of course, this is all assuming there even IS any such life out there…

]]> By: Dino http://ericsammons.com/blog/2009/11/10/one-incarnation-or-many/comment-page-1/#comment-4361 Dino Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:36:14 +0000 http://ericsammons.com/blog/?p=5191#comment-4361 Watching our politicians of all stripes makes me wonder if there is much intelligence on this planet. Watching our politicians of all stripes makes me wonder if there is much intelligence on this planet.

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