Divine Revelation

The Nature and

the Ways of
Revelation
 What is Divine
Revelation?
Why and What does God
reveal himself to man?
What are the stages of
Revelation?
 Mans Capacity for God
The Desire for God written in
human heart. (CCC, 27)
- He placed that in our heart.
search for truth and
happiness
We are restless till we rest
upon HIM
We are created by God
Not Because He needs
us.
to show forth his
goodness, his love and
to communicate it.
(CCC, 293)
Creation Ex nihilo
Ways of Coming to Know
God
Proofs of Gods existence.
The ability of human
reason to come to the
knowledge of God
 The
BARBER
SHOP
 A man went to a barbershop to
have his hair cut and his beard
trimmed. As the barber began
to work, they began to have a
good conversation and talked
about so many things and
various subjects. When they
eventually touched on the
subject of God, the barber said:
"I don't believe that God
exists."
 "Why do you say that?" asked the
customer. "Well, you just have to go
out in the street to realize that God
doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists,
would there be so many sick
people? Would there be abandoned
children? If God existed, there
would be neither suffering nor pain.
I can't imagine a loving God who
would allow all of these things.
 The customer
thought for a
moment, but didn't
respond because he
didn't want to start
an argument. The
barber finished his
job and the
customer left the
shop.
 Just after he left the
barbershop, he saw a man
in the street with long,
stringy, dirty hair and an
untrimmed beard. He
looked dirty and unkempt.
The customer turned back
and entered the barber
shop again and he said to
the barber: "You know
what? Barbers do not exist."
 "How can you say that?"
asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a
barber. And I just worked
on you!" "No!" the customer
exclaimed. "Barbers don't
exist because if they did,
there would be no people
with dirty long hair and
untrimmed beards, like that
man outside.
 "Ah, but barbers DO exist!
That's what happens when
people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the
customer. "That's the point!
God, too, DOES exist!
Because people do not look to
God for help is why there's so
much pain and suffering in
the world."
 End of
STORY
Ways of Coming to Know
God
Proofs of Gods existence.
The ability of human
reason to come to the
knowledge of God
 Divine Revelation
God willed to
reveal himself and
to give him the
grace to welcome
this revelation in
faith for us men to
enter into intimacy
with him. (CCC, 35)
 Divine Revelation is

Gods self-communication.
His UNIQUE WAY of making
himself known to people.
Contents of Revelation

What does God reveal

to man?
Why does God have to
reveal Himself to
man?
(CCC,52-53)
 Stages of
Revelation
The process is
GRADUAL.
God prepares man to
welcome the
revelation which
culminates in the
 Stages of Revelation

1. he manifested himself
to our first parents from
the very beginning, in
created realities. (CCC,
54-55)
 Stages of Revelation

2. The covenant with

Noah (CCC, 56-58)
Stages of Revelation

3. God chooses
Abraham
(CCC, 59-61)
 Stages of Revelation

4. God forms his people

Israel (CCC, 62-64)
 Stages of Revelation

Jesus Christ
The Mediator and
Fullness of all Revelation
(Dei Verbum, 2)
 Stages of Revelation
JESUS CHRIST
Israelite People

Call of Abraham

Covenant NOAH
Creation
 Stages of Revelation

The Revelation is
gradual. He prepares us
to welcome by stages
the supernatural
Revelation.
(CCC, 53)
 Assignment:
What is the (teaching
of the Catholic Church
on) distinction
between public
revelation and
private revelation?