Lecture: Nature, Grace, and Secular Culture

Introduction

• Speaker: Fr. Joseph Larcy, Associate Professor and Chair of Systematic Theology at UCF.
• Guest Speaker: Fr. Christian Eardy, expert in theology, author of "How to Be a Good Christian Star".
• Purpose: Explore the interaction between nature, grace, and secular culture.
• Opening Prayer: Traditional Catholic prayer.

Motivation for the Lecture

• Challenge: Secular culture presents challenges to religion and its role in public life.
• Objective: Understanding the relationship between nature and grace to enhance the Church's role in secular society.
• Key Figures: Ratzinger and Milbank, theologians addressing secular culture challenges.

Scriptural Foundation

• Gospel Reference: Matthew’s missionary mandate - evangelization as a Christian duty.
• Papal Concern: Pope Francis and others acknowledge secularism's challenge to faith.

The Nature-Grace Debate

• Importance: Central to understanding how the Church engages with secular culture.
• Historical Context: Originated with the Reformation; attempted to mediate between extremes like Calvinism and Baianism.
• Duplex Ordo: Theory separating natural and supernatural realities.

Theological Perspectives

• Henri de Lubac: Criticized the duplex ordo; proposed intrinsic nature-grace relationship.
  • Natural Desire for God: Essential to human nature; contributes to true happiness.
  • Paradoxical Unity: Nature and grace held together in a paradoxical relationship.

20th Century Developments

• Nouveau Théologie: Movement of theologians responding to the inadequacy of manualistic theology post-World Wars.
  • Key Proponents: Henri de Lubac; emphasized intrinsic relationship between nature and grace.

Theological Figures

• John Milbank: Founder of Radical Orthodoxy; challenges secularism through participation concept.

  • Key Concepts: Participation, intrinsic nature of grace.
  • Criticism: Collapses nature into grace, conflates terms which may lead to theological inconsistencies.

• Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI): Focuses on personal relationship with Christ; Christocentric and personalist theology.

  • Key Concepts: Incarnation, cross, exodus (self-giving in love).
  • Moderate Approach: Advocates for a balance between church and state roles.

Comparison: Milbank vs. Ratzinger

• Milbank: Radical approach; rejects secularism entirely, proposes ecclesial socialism.
• Ratzinger: Supports positive secularism, where church and state have distinct but complementary roles.

Practical Implications

• Church's Role: Engage in public life to heighten and perfect society, not to dominate it.
• Christian Vocation: To integrate faith in personal and public life, promoting a culture infused with Christian values.

Conclusion

• Call to Action: Encourages Christians to evangelize and transform culture through love and adherence to Christ's teachings.
• Q&A Session: Addressed various questions on secularism, church-state relations, and personal spirituality.

Final Remarks

• Ratzinger's Influence: Emphasized the importance of a personal encounter with Christ in fostering authentic Christian living.