Category Archives: Theology

Confirmation: The “Full” or “Special” Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

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If you read the Catechism on the Vatican website, which seems to have the text of the first edition, you will find this sentence at paragraph 1302:

  • “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.”

But then of course, you might wonder if the second edition (in book form, the green edition) has something different and in fact it does:

  • “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.”

Did you catch it? Yep, just one word is changed. Confirmation has gone from being “the full outpouring” to the “special outpouring.” Well, perhaps its a translation problem. I dove through the translations available on the Vatican website and here’s what I found:

English, 1st ed.: full
English, 2nd ed.: special
Latin: specialem
French: spéciale
German: in Fülle
Italian: speciale
Spanish: especial
Portuguese: especial

So, it seems that the first English edition only matches the German. Odd, isn’t it? So my question is what is the significance of being “the special” outpouring. Is it possible for there to be several special outpourings of the Spirit? If so, what makes Confirmation unique in regard to other outpourings that one might experience? Is it really “full” or no? Why the change in translation?

Kasemann on the Root Sin

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I came across an interesting thought from Ernst Käsemann in my reading today:

  • “To undertake to preserve independence over against God is the root sin…”

Ernst Käsemann, “‘The Righteousness of God’ in Paul” in New Testament Questions of Today (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1969) 180.

How true!

Scripture and Christology

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I found a hard-to-find document from the Pontifical Biblical Commission today and I thought I’d share it with you. It’s called Scripture and Christology and was published in 1985 in Latin and French. Fr. Joseph Fitzmyer, S.J. did an English translation which has been reproduced online. So here it is: the English translation of the “Instruction on Scripture and Christology.

Synod Struggles Over Inerrancy

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Hmmm…synods, I imagine, are generally rather boring. A bunch of bishops and theological experts sit around having abstruse discussions about Church life and theology. But whoa, you touch the Bible and whether it’s true–or at least, in what sense it is true–and zing! you’ve got a controversy. Thus is the case with the current Scripture Synod.

(For the record, CNS has reporter Cindy Wooton on the ground and National Catholic Reporter has John Allen Jr.)

Catholic Bible Student Notes on the Synod:
1. There’s been discussion about the correct Catholic understanding of the inerrancy of Scripture. Check out this article from NCP. Looks like theres been talk concerning the debate between “restricted inerrancy” and “unrestricted inerrancy,” a hot debate at Vatican II.

2. John Allen’s interview with Cardinal Pell. The Cardinal says: “I would say the synod is going along very sedately and securely. I’d say there’s less division in this synod than in any synod I’ve been to.” He also mentions the possibility of setting up an international Institute of Biblical Translation. He says that Cardinal George recommended that the CDF issue a statement on biblical inerrancy (in Cardinal Pell’s words) “to make clear that saying the Bible is ‘inspired’ is not necessarily the same thing as claiming that it’s universally inerrant, in every way.” The interview is long but makes for interesting reading.

3. Rabbi Shear-Yashuv Cohen addressed the synod on Monday. I’m looking for video of the address if anyone finds it, please post the URL in the comments. From what I’ve heard it was a moving speech. Unfortunately, he made some negative comments about Pope Pius XII–there’s been talk of beatifying this pope and some Jews have been upset by his supposed inaction during World War II. Other Jews like Rabbi David Dalin have defended his actions.

4. If you want to read what’s actually going on at the synod without any media filter. Check out the daily bulletins released by the Vatican which include the Holy Father’s homilies to the synod, short speeches by voting bishops and an outline of every day’s activity.
October 3 another
October 4
October 5 (opening day of synod)
October 6 another
October 7 another
October 8
October 9 another and another
October 10 another
October 11

Ok, these are my notes so far.