10 May 2018

We share His Divinity

From time to time I talk about Divinisation in the teaching of S Gregory Palamas and the Hesychast tradition; of course, the basis of the tradition is much older and indeed Biblical. The locus classicus is II Peter 1:4: we become theias koinonoi phuseos (shareholders in the Divine Nature). S Leo (or conceivably an admirer soaked in his thought and latinity) wrote the prayer we still use secreto at the filling of the chalice at Mass: eius divinitatis esse consortes (to be sharers of his Divinity). And the ancient Western Preface for the Ascension seems to come from the same mind: ut divinitatis suae tribueret esse participes (that he might grant us to be partakers of his Godhead).

Cranmer, in one of his less fortunate expansions of his Latin originals, made this into 'to prepare a place for us; that where he is, thither we might also ascend, and reign with him in glory'.(I suspect one reason for this mutilation is the Protestant Reformation belief that even the justified sinner is still totally a sinner, simul justus et peccator: against the Catholic view that sanctifying grace truly transforms.) Bad Old ICEL rendered this 'to claim for us a share in his divine life': where 'claim' is not the same as 'grant us to be partakers' , and 'divine life ' is a watering down of 'Divinity'.

Good New ICEL offers "sharers in his divinity". As so often, accuracy in Latin translation, as well as being desireable in itself, has the bonus of manifesting the essential unity of the Latin and Byzantine traditions.

5 comments:

scotchlil said...

while at St Beuno's 20+ years ago it irritated me hugely when the celebrant routinely 'translated' the offertory prayer as 'By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divine life of Christ who humbled himself to share in our human life". It seemed to me, then as now, to take us away from the fleshliness of the Incarnation...

Deo volente said...

Fr. John,

The comment which says "hello" is followed by "..........". Those "dots" embed many hyperlinks I doubt you want on your blog. It is a common tactic and I suggest you delete it! It is possibly to sites which you'd find embarrassing!

In Christ!
D.V.

Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...

Dear Father. It is bracing to see you address these consequential matters

If one is an autodidact, one will have come across Trent and Justification and learned..What the justification of the impious is, and what are the causes thereof.

This disposition, or preparation, is followed by Justification itself, which is not remission of sins merely, but also the sanctificationand renewal of the inward man, through the voluntary reception of the grace, and of the gifts, whereby man of unjust becomes just, and of an enemy a friend, that so he may be an heir according to hope of life everlasting.


because, long ago, the Church stopped teaching these truths.

Long long ago ABS was learnt that Jesus established His Church for two primary purposes

Salvation
Sanctification

but when have me or thee heard Pope, Prelate, or Prelate feed its respective flock with these necessary-to-be-known Truths?

When have me or thee head from the pulpit a traditional exegesis of 2 Peter 1:4?

Catholics are starving- STARVING- for these truths.

May God Bless you

B flat said...

That comment rather puts paid to european elitism.

david manly said...

This comment brings up the issue of "sons" being converted into "sons and daughters" by ignorant translators. See (https://onepeterfive.com/are-we-gods-sons-and-daughters/). Note that three "sons and daughters" slipped into the English translation of the Roman Missal, 2011.