REED 111:

REED 111:
 LESSON #1

GOD’S
REVELATION OF
HIMSELF
 LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the learner is
expected to:
1. Recognize the need for theology;
2. Appreciate belief as our response to
revelation;
3. Articulate how revelation takes place;
4. Differentiate between public and private
revelation.
I. INTRODUCTION

Why do we need Theology?

Answer:

Because we are human, and we

try to understand.
I believe that God is a Triune God
of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

He would like to
UNDERSTAND what this means
and not merely repeat the
formulary.
When he professes his faith . . .

I am redeemed in Jesus
Christ.

As a thinking being he will

ask: How did it happen?
II. LESSON
PRESENTATION
A. THEOLOGY is FAITH SEEKING
UNDERSTANDING. (Reflecting on faith)
Theology differs from Philosophy
 Philosophy starts with a QUESTION.
Anything that human intelligence raises a
question.
 Theology always take off from I BELIEVE.
Without this, there is nothing to theologize.
PHILOSOPHY (Greek word)
PHILO SOPHY

love/lover wisdom
 It means love/lover of wisdom.

 Wise person is different from intelligent

person
SOCRATES: “I know nothing!”
THEOLOGY (Greek word)

THEO LOGY

God study

 Study of God.
B. THEOLOGY is NOT A SOLITARY
ADVENTURE.
The faith that we are reflecting on; the faith
that we attempt to understand is the FAITH
of the PEOPLE of GOD

 ISRAEL in the Old Testament.

 CHURCH in the New Testament.
Theology must be done in union with the
believing community.

When we read the Scriptures

 Not my interpretation;

 But how WE – as the people of God

C. THEOLOGY STARTS with I
BELIEVE. (FAITH)
BELIEF/FAITH
 It is a response to an initiative of
God.
 We do not believe out of the
goodness of our hearts.
 We believe because God invites us to
believe.
BELIEF/FAITH
 It is the response to the Divine
initiative in Revelation.

 God always takes the initiative, but

He leaves us free to respond.
 GOD
DIVINE
REVELATION
FAITH
 Initiative from God
 Response to God
 God’s self-giving to us
 free
 Knowing TRUTHS about God

MAN
 only a recipient
D. If BELIEF is our response to
REVELATION, what then is
REVELATION?
REVELATION is “God’s self-giving to
us.” It is God’s gift of Himself to us.

Many times, we use the term “revelation”

to refer to hidden that are then made
manifest.
REVELATION is making known to
others what was previously unknown to
others.

DIVINE REVELATION is when God

reveals to men or He makes known to
men what was previously unknown by
those men.
Revelation in the Bible,
theologically is “God making
known to the human author things
which they had not previously
known.”
DIVINE REVELATION involves us
knowing certain ‘truths’.
 It is God offering us a share in His life, in the
fullness of His being and in His love.

 Just as a friend who shares himself with allows

you to say some things about him;

 So, to God’s gift of Himself to us allows us to

affirm some truths about God.
E. HOW DOES REVELATION TAKES
PLACE?
1) CREATION

 God reveals Himself and His will in the

splendour, beauty and magnificence of His
creation.
 We are led to believe that there exists a
good, benevolent and powerful God from
all that we see in creation.
God reveals Himself . . .
2) SACRED SCRIPTURES

 God reveals Himself more fully in the

EVENTS and WORDS recorded in
Sacred Scriptures.

 Old and New Testament

3) JESUS THE LORD

 Revelation reach its peak in the

WORD who became flesh.
F. REVELATION CANNOT COME
FROM US.
We are only HEARERS of the WORD.
 We are just recipients.
 We stand before revelation with open
hands.
 It is not for us to say what revelation
should be.
Revelation is received as a GIFT.
 No matter how studiously you may
analyse the human situation, you will
never arrive at revelation.

 The study of the human person can

never yield a God who freely offers
Himself to us.
G. PUBLIC REVELATION.
Refers to the Revelation in the Old
Testament and New Testament.
Revelation is addressed to a believing
community.
So even the words, the stories, the events
recorded in Scriptures are to be understood
as the believing community understands
them.
THEOLOGY is not a SOLITARY
VENTURE.

It is the endeavour of an

entire community to
understand the faith.
PRIVATE REVELATION
 It is not mandatory on the faithful. Examples:
revelation made by the Blessed Virgin Mary at
Fatima, Lourdes or revelation made to some saints.
 The faithful may or may not accept them.
 When the Church passes judgment on them, it is
merely to say that there is nothing harmful to the
faith, should the believer choose to accept them.
SUMMARY:

1. Why we need Theology?

2. Theology is NOT a solitary

adventure.

3. Theology starts with I BELIEVE.

4. BELIEF is our response to
revelation.

5. How does revelation takes place?

6. Difference between PUBLIC and

PRIVATE revelation.
III. REFERENCES:
Panganiban, Fr. Richard A. Stay With Us
Lord: Revelation and Faith. Quezon
City: Phoenix Publishing House Inc.,
2017.

The New American Bible. Makati City: St.

Paul’s Publications, 1995.
 Prepared by:

Mr. TEODORO F. CAMAT

Subject Instructor