and Personhood from Augustine to Aquinas
IV.7.1 The Caritas Synthesis (Grace and Freedom)
IV.7.2 Uti et Frui (The Problem of Evil and Loving Suffering)
IV.7.3 Two Loves Have Built Two Cities (Christian History)
IV.7.4 From St. Benedict to St. Anselm of Canterbury
IV.7.5 From Pseudo-Dionysius to St. Bernard
IV.7.6 From John the Scot to Abelard
IV.7.7 Charity is a Habit Created in the Human Soul
IV.7.8 Charity is the Most Powerful Virtue
IV.7.9 Charity is Complacency and Concern
IV.8 To Love and Personhood with the Franciscans
IV.8.1 Francis’ Love for Wolf and Sultan
IV.8.2 Joachim of Fiore’s Unlimited Scriptural Seeds
IV.8.3 Bonaventure’s New Universalism of Multiformes Theoriae
IV.8.4 Bonaventure’s History and the Worth of the Temporal Order
IV.8.5 Scotus’s Move from Multiformes Theoriae to Haecceity
IV.8.6 Scotus’ New Personhood of Haecceity
IV.8.7 From Multiformes Theoriae to Ockham’s Nominalism
IV.8.8 From Okham’s Nominalism to Luthor’s Modernity
IV.8.9 From Ockham to Postmodern Nominalism
IV.9 From Love to Justice for Modern Individuals
IV.9.1 From Calvin’s TULIP to Hobbes’ Homo Homini Lupus
IV.9.2 From Luther’s Faith Alone to Hume’s Experience Alone
IV.9.3 From Henry VIII’s Anglicans to Locke’s Democracy
IV.9.4 From Descartes’ Cogito to Leibnitz’ Monad
IV.9.5 From Wesley’s Evangelicals to Smith’s Wealth of Nations
IV.9.6 From Rousseau’s Gratitude Alone to Kant’s Reason Alone
IV.9.7 From Kant’s Persons to Hegel’s Persons in Relation
IV.9.8 From Pentecostal Spirit to Equity Feminism
IV.9.9 From Pope’s Total Goodness to Martin Luther King’s Dream
Introduction
Two thousand years ago Jesus introduced
his new teaching and practice of agape
which commands us to love one another
as he loved us in self denial and sacrifice.
Each new age has emphasized a special aspect
of loving God with our whole heart, mind, and soul,
and of loving our neighbor as our self.
In our postmodern age at this millennial turn
the new emphasis is upon agape as reconciliation.
Jesus gives us the command:
If you are offering your gift at the altar
and there remember that your brother
has something against you
leave your gift there before the altar
and go and be reconciled with your brother
and then come and offer your gift. (Matt 5:23–24)
Of course, reconciliation has always been important
but given the new communication technology
of our global village it will here be argued that
it has become the focal point of our postmodern times.
In this first volume of our millennial meditations
I will reflect on how I learned faith, hope, and love
from my mother’s reconciling life as she went through
her eighty-one years of personal growth through love.
Second, I will explain how the strategy of reconciliation
is at the heart of Kierkegaard’s philosophy of loving persons.
Third, I will show how the gift and task of reconciliation
is the main theme of Paul’s seven authentic letters.
Fourth, I will examine the history of agape and personhood
in the West from the perspective of agapeic reconciliation.
The point is to let the four perspectives enlighten each other.
Mother
Dear David, Oct 13, 1995
Sorry I’m so late in answering your letter.
I pray the Rosary three times a day.
I offer the Joyful Mysteries for myself:
The Annunciation for humility,
The Visitation that I can help people
come closer to the love of God,
The Nativity to help me realize
my dependence on God for everything,
The Presentation for perfect obedience,
and The Finding in the Temple for a more
perfect understanding of God’s Holy will.
I offer the Sorrowful Mysteries for my family:
The Agony in the Garden that each one in my family
be truly sorry for their sins,
The Scourging that each in my family obtain the purity
that they need and the graces to love and serve God,
The Crowning with Thorns that each one ban
all impure thoughts, suspicious thoughts,
and uncharitable thoughts and get rid of
their pride and selfishness;
