God Calls Research Articles

Jézus hívása

The subjects of the vocation and mission are the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The basis and the aim of the Father’s calling and sending is Jesus. Between Jesus’ transfiguration and return, the Holy Spirit is the subject of the vocation and the mission. Jesus is able to make the stones cry out, yet he still calls ordinary people to proclaim his eternal message. In spite of the apparent restriction, Jesus’ call in Mt 11,28a refers to everyone. Jesus’ universal call becomes evident in Mk 13,10 and, eventually, in his command that is sent to every creature and nation all over the world. The universal call is delivered as a personal call. The goal of calling is practical discipleship. In a spiritual sense, God calls us away from sin, death and judgment. In a physical sense, the calling can be heard everywhere, be it at the church, at work, at home, at a place of entertainment, at the supermarket or on the road. The universal call knows neither racial, national, religious, social or sexual differences nor geographical boundaries. Along with the calling, mission is universal as well because it concerns Jews and Gentiles regardless. Jesus taught us that service means sacrifice and suffering, for which he set an example. The responsibility of the mission means a step out from us and a start towards others, service done to others. The triune God, out of his endless grace, called us, elected us and sent us, deeming us worthy of being his serving and suffering fellow-workers.

The Sons of Esau and Lot: Reevaluating National States in Deuteronomy 2

Abstract In an attempt to trace the tradition of nationalism back to ancient Israel, public intellectual Yarom Hazony reads Deuteronomy 2 as a representation of ancient values of land-bounded autonomy and cultural homogeny. However, he overlooks two key aspects of the passage: 1) the familial and theological reasoning behind the divine protection of the other peoples, and 2) the messy aetiologies of how those peoples came to inhabit their lands. God calls the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites “brothers” and “sons of Esau” or “Lot,” suggesting that the prohibition against invasion is not based on respect for sovereignty but instead mythological family and relative social connection. Thus, using postcolonial theories of group identity from Gayatri Spivak, this article argues that Deut 2 does not represent an ancient (pre)conception of the nation-state but rather a (re)negotiation of group relations and social identities in connection to co-habitation of the Levant.

Evolution And Its Misinterpretation By The Scientific Community

Allah has created the heavens and the earth in stages as he declares in the Holy Quran. It is Allah Who creates, develops and sustains life, and ensures harmony and diversity in all things, living and non-living. The verses from the Quran make it obvious that the conditions required for God’s ultimate creation to exist and survive are only possible if the universe contains matter, energy, water, and other entities as they are. The total measure of these entities cannot be altered, which means the total energy and matter in the universe is constant. These values are actually the result of the fine-tuned universe, where any deviation from it will lead to its instability and hence its extinction. This balance is maintained by the eternal and extremely intelligent being through His commands, and these commands, by observers, are conceived as laws of nature or scientific laws. This universe is solely meant for the trial of the ultimate creation, hence puzzling, brain-teasing, and other sorts of entangled phenomena in the observable universe are inevitable. This kind of nature is intentionally imparted to the universe by God to test mankind (God’s ultimate creation). The definition of biological evolution in modern science is actually an illusion and hence a trial for humans, since God calls this universe by the word "Garoor," meaning illusion or unreal. In conclusion, the misinterpretation of evolution by the scientific community can be attributed to the lack of understanding of the true nature of human existence and the purpose of life on Earth. By examining religious scriptures, we can see that humans are sent on Earth for minor and major trials by God, with minor trials such as evolutionary theory and other incomplete sciences being part of this category. It is evident that God initially formed the shape of a human from stagnant dark mud and then preserved it in a dry state. He did not breathe life into the mould until all the necessary conditions for human existence on Earth were ensured. After God infused life or spirit into the mould of Adam (AW), He taught Adam (AW) the names of things. Thus, it can be inferred that life on Earth was created by God in stages, and these stages are designed in a way that life and the species on Earth may appear to disbelievers as a result of natural selection or random evolution. However, as Muslims, it is important to remember that everything we observe in the universe is intended to test us by God, so it is best to avoid engaging in vague discussions on this matter. Know well that the life of this world is but an amusement and diversion, and adornment and boasting to one another, and competition in increase of wealth and children. This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.(The Quran 29:64)

The Missiological basis of Evangelism in Disadvantaged Communities1 and the Pivotal Role of the Church

The mission of the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is the focus of this paper since the missio Dei perspective is essential to every section. To bring people from all tribes, nations, kingdoms, and languages together in eternal worship of Him, the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the Holy Spirit. Churches and communities must partake in the mission of God in the world because the gospel of Jesus Christ must be preached. God uses the church as his instrument to proclaim his kingdom to people from all walks of life. Thus, followers of Jesus Christ who engage in the missio Dei—bring love, hope, and peace to a broken and lost world— and should be true to God's calling. God chose people to establish his kingdom and bestows blessings upon them so that they may bless every nation on the earth. God's humanity and God's entire creation are ultimately reconciled and healed by the kingdom. Through Jesus Christ, people can receive the Good News of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. This paper comes from a chapter in a larger PhD study in Missiology2.

Hearing God

AbstractThis essay attempts to address a simple question: what does it mean to hear God? So much hangs upon learning something about hearing God: revelation, salvation, formation, vocation and mission, for example. What is the relationship then between hearing and knowing God? Before examining two particular passages from the Scriptures in which hearing and knowing coincide (the calling of Samuel and God the Father speaking to Jesus the Son), I offer a sketch of a phenomenology of hearing; a phenomenological reduction of sound or, more specifically, voice. As an event, sound summons through and across several biological systems. So, it is an anthropology of reception and response which is paramount here. Having, then, examined the two Scriptural passages in the light of this phenomenology, I draw attention to an underlying mimetic irony that is ineradicable with respect to hearing God in the Scriptures: the play of the vocal within the written, aurality/orality and textuality. I conclude that, while this mimetic irony is a key characteristic of a sacred text, recognising persona as ‘sounding through’ we can appreciate Scripture's role in salvation as a participation in the Persona Christi.

Analisis Prinsip-Prinsip Penggembalaan Berdasarkan 1 Petrus 5:1-3 dan Implementasinya Masa Kini

Herding is the duty and responsibility of a shepherd. God calls a shepherd to perform a noble task. But in the present context the essence of grazing is incorrectly implemented. Therefore, it is important to understand the principles of herding based on 1 Peter 5:1-3 and to be used as an example in the practice of herding. The methods used are qualitative methods with descriptive analysis. 1 Peter 5:1-3 becomes the material of analysis coupled with other sources of refrence. The results obtained show that the main principles in herding are, herding voluntarily in the sense of not demanding reward, shepherding with devotion or faithfulness in service and being exemplary in words, deeds and attitudes. These principles need to be applied in the pastoring of present-day contexts. The goal is to lead the congregation to grow in faith.

Al-Din al-Fit’rat’ Versus ‘Religion of Nature or Naturalism’: The Misunderstood Terms Regarding True Spirit of Islam

The two terms ‘al-Fitrat’ and ‘Nature’ have always been used as synonyms. Books and internet sources including encyclopaedias, provide abundant information based on the concept as these two terms as synonyms. But this paper will reveal that it is a mistake to regard them synonyms. When we expend this concept to Islam as Al-Din Al Fitrat and Western theory of Naturalism and Natural Religions, these terms become ambiguous or having different meanings. Situation becomes more grave when we use the term Nature about something as having some latent and permanent rules, inaccordance with the such thing is bound to work blindly such as the nature of wild animals e.g.snakes, the scorpion, the lion or the fierce phenomenon e.g. the natural forces.
 Application of the term ‘nature’ and use of the term ‘naturalism’ in comparison to Islamic concept of ‘Al-fitrat’is distorting image of Islam as Din al Fitrat. Western concept of ‘Nature’ and ‘Naturalism’ and ‘Natural explanation’, of the Universe are contrary to the concept of Al-Fitrat. The former is cruel, deterministic, and bound force to act according to its own deterministic rules and to act likewise towards other existents. But Islamic concept of ‘al Fitrat’, is neither deterministic nor static. It is creative and kind, that is why God calls himself Al Raheem, al Rehman, and claims that Islam as ‘Din Al- Fitrat’ as well as everyone is born on the basis of ‘al din al fitrat’. So the ‘Nature’ or ‘Naturalism’ does not qualify to be regarded as equal to ‘al-fitrat’. 
 Key Words: 
 Al-Fitrat, Creationism, Free Will and Determinism, Muslim Theology, Nature, Naturalism, Revealed and Natural Religions, Totemism

Remembering God’s Beloved Son: Jeremiah 38:20 LXX and Mark 1:11

Abstract Markan interpreters have long observed that the words of the voice from heaven at Jesus’s baptism in Mark 1:11, “You are my beloved son, in you I am well pleased,” recall one or more passages from the LXX, most often Ps 2:7 and Isa 42:1. Yet few interpreters note that Mark 1:11 also bears remarkable similarity to another verse—Jer 38:20 LXX (31:20 MT)—in which God calls Israel his “beloved son.” On closer inspection, there are reasons to believe that Mark alludes to this verse as well as to Ps 2:7 and Isa 42:1. In addition to the fact that Israel is the only entity known as God’s “beloved son” in ancient Jewish literature outside the New Testament, Mark’s prologue and Jer 38 are united by a common remembrance of Israel’s exodus and the expectation of a new one. If this reading is correct, then Mark simultaneously identifies Jesus as God’s royal son and the embodiment of God’s original son, Israel, in one breath.

Ini Aku, Utuslah Aku (Suatu Kajian Teologi Sistematika Esensi Panggilan Pendeta Sebagai Hamba Tuhan)

This article describes the essense of pastor’s calling as the servant of God, surrendered and offered their life to be sending and calling of God to serve people of God. In theological perspective, words “here I am, send me” as proclamation of total surrendering a servant of God to God, to serve Him in life without hesitation. The aim of this article reminds the pastors always remembering and living their calling as the servant of God. The calling as the Servant of God always reminding the Pastors of their duty and responsibility in the Church eventhough challenges has to be faced in their life. This article used the qualitative (library) research method. Start with biblical study, then what the teologians said about it, and how the contextualization in the journey of Church ministry in this present time.

MENUJU KEBAHAGIAAN DAN PERSATUAN DENGAN ALLAH MELALUI METODE PENYERUAN NAMA ALLAH

The calling of God's name in meditation is a Christian traditional spiritual wealth which can be practiced by all people who are seeking the inner solitude and silence. All means that have been known in traditions and religions which lead to God’s name as ultimate reality can be a medium towards the union of God. By calling God's name based on love and self-surrender, a person can reach the inner solitude in the union of God. The calling of God's name in meditation gives the interior transformation which gives effects for improving life quality from the five respondents in this research. The existential emptiness can only be filled by God and this can be reached by one's awareness on God's existence in the souls by calling His name in love.

PRINSIP PEMIMPIN KRISTEN

Spiritual leaders play a very important role in the development and growth of the church. They are not only responsible for leading and teaching the congregation, but must also be concerned for the spiritual and emotional well-being of its members. Being competent is not an easy job. A spiritual leader in the context of the New Testament can be seen from the lives of Jesus' disciples. They were also competent pastors who had the leadership skills and qualities required of the day. They lead the congregation and guide according to the purpose that God calls leaders in every context.

Doing Church Missions in Indigenous Community Poverty-Stricken Remote Rural Areas: Lessons from Indonesia

God calls his ecclesial church to go out to proclaim his Gospel to all creation and baptise, teach, and make all nations his disciples. Local churches, particularly in Indonesia, commonly carry on the calling by using the so-called One Duty (the Missio Dei)-Three Tasks (koinonia, martyria, diakonia) tasks. Reality shows of not uncommon partial and unbalanced implementations of the three tasks, mostly heavy focused on koinonia but less in both martyria and diakonia. The study objective is to assess implementation of the church missions view of drawing general lessons for a more effective implementation. The study was conducted at a small-sized church congregation in an indigenous community in a remote rural local area, using a mixed literature review, field observation and interviews, and conceptual synthesis methodology. The key findings are that mission fields are diverse and wide and requires contextual missions, the diakonia task plays a pivotal role, and a small size of congregation is good for quality-oriented missions, the Strength Gift Based Community Development conducted in a holistic integrated transformational mission is an appropriate approach. The study contributes to interdisciplinary understanding and formulation of basic principles in doing integrated missions by local churches, particularly in rural areas with indigenous community, remote location, and poverty-stricken mission fields.

When God Calls: Temporality in Southern Baptist Calls to Missions

Researchers studying religious experience have identified callings as a particularly salient context in which believers describe God’s presence. They have noted standard elements that make up call narratives, along with variation in how recipients articulate both the vertical call, God’s intervention in the believer’s life, and the horizontal call, the community’s response. However, how these standard elements are combined to produce culturally resonant narratives remains underexplored. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with Southern Baptist missionaries, the paper describes how arbiters evaluate calls. In (de)legitimating prospective missionaries’ vocational claims, local pastors and administrative staff prospectively anticipate missionaries’ success and tether the call to missionaries’ prior experience. Turning to how missionaries construct call narratives, I identify two distinct modes of narrating one’s calling. I further argue that call narratives’ temporal organization offers a lens through which to explain variation in how missionaries characterize both the horizontal and vertical call. Missionaries marshal their experiences of God’s intervention and of social influence either to accentuate the connectedness of their call to previous experience or to articulate a disjuncture. The findings extend previous research on religious experience by suggesting that temporal claims-making is a key strategy for actors to legitimate private or otherwise unverifiable experience.

Responding to the Call of God: The Motif of Devotional Love in the Poetry of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam

Abstract: This article explores several thematic synergies across Hindu and Muslim devotional sensibilities through an analysis of selected songs from two influential Bengali poet-thinkers: Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) and Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899–1976). This study offers an exploratory engagement with these songs in the form of new translations from the original Bengali and reflections that suggest fertile theological parallels between their verses. Through a close reading of these selected songs, certain common themes are discernible, such as the paradoxes of intimacy and painful distance as constitutive of the divine-human relation, the world as suffused with the creative word(s) of God, and the illumination of the heart as key to the spiritual life. These themes can be organized under the broader relational rubric of "call-and-response:" God's call to humanity is voiced in various ways in the world, eliciting a reciprocal response that is both devotional and loving. While these songs are marked by distinctive scriptural imageries, including references to both the Upanishads and the Qur'ān, their mutual resonances speak to shared sensibilities that are modulated by characteristically Bengali idioms and symbolisms.

Life of a Marist Brother: The Construction of Religious Profession

The life of a Marist Brother has always been a mystery. The main purpose of this study was to determine the motivations, struggles, and coping mechanisms used by a Marist Brother in his religious profession. The study implored a qualitative method using a biographical qualitative design as its research design. A semi-structured interview guide following the interview protocol refinement of Montoya (2016) was used to gather the data. Cresswell’s thematic analysis was used for the data analysis. The results revealed that the motivation of a Marist Brother involved heeding the calling of God. Further, the Marist Brother dealt with problems such that of temptations and a lack of career fulfillment, which can lead to moral failure and a loss of enthusiasm for their area of work. The Marist Brother’s contact with children and young people, as well as their religious authority, provided coping mechanisms to continue their religious careers. To put light on its importance, the Marist Brother prefects the notion that living with a religious profession help illuminate the calling for more religious to partake in service of God and humanity.

Standing in the Gap.

FigureFigure“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezekiel 22:30, NKJV). I'm sure everyone is familiar with this lament from God through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel about how the leaders of God's people abused their power and oppressed the people in ancient Israel. The same is true around the world today. Leaders are supposed to shepherd those under their care and in their sphere of influence; abuse of power is common, whereas true loving kindness and compassionate care are rare. However, in Haiti, nurses under the leadership of NCF-Haiti chapter leaders have taken on the challenge to “stand in the gap” for their people. Recognizing the tremendous need for education and guidance in face of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of nurses led by NCF-Haiti vice president Vanessa Roland and her colleagues began providing health education in churches and other venues where people could gather. Nurses handed out masks and taught about health and hygiene, especially in relation to prevention of COVID-19. INITIATING HEALTH BOOTHS Moreover, the nurses initiated the practice of street corner “health booths” to provide hand sanitation and masks which are hard for the general public to obtain. This effort spread among nurses and college students as well as the Scouts organization that had done this kind of outreach all across Haiti in 2010 during the cholera epidemic. Efforts by nurses and other public health-minded leaders and individuals have mitigated the spread of coronavirus even though the vaccine is not readily available in Haiti. Another way NCF-Haiti nurse leaders stood in the gap for individuals and communities in Haiti was after the 2021 earthquake and hurricane that devastated southern Haiti; these nurse leaders gathered a team of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare personnel. Even though vicious gangs prowled along the main roads in the affected areas, these courageous nurses led their group by back roads to the town nearest to the epicenter where there was much suffering and great need. This team provided healthcare, food, and help with rescue efforts, clearing viable shelters that could protect people from the elements. EDUCATING AND PROMOTING HEALTH Today, NCF-Haiti nurse leaders continue to provide health education and promotion among the Haitians. Currently, they see a need to explain the odd behaviors of Americans and others who are opposed to mask mandates and vaccination requirements. With the Internet and telephone communication, multiple opinions from the world are readily available, producing confusion and lessening the positive health impact of education on people's behaviors. Nurses in Haiti now need to counteract misinformation as well as provide accurate information. According to the International Council of Nurses (ICN), compassionate care is mandated by The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses (ICN, 2021). This kind of care requires nurses to be creative and to think outside the box to give the best care possible. Solutions are not always easy and may require sacrifice on our part, as shown by the nurse leaders of NCF-Haiti and their colleagues. Additionally, loving kindness is promoted throughout the Bible as the practice of kind attitudes and actions that flow out of the well of love within us who are followers of Jesus Christ. Christ in us is not only the “hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) but also the fountain or wellspring from which flow life and light and love (Psalm 36:9). This is the basis for the kindness and compassion that should characterize all of our service as nurses in a hurting world. God calls all nurses to stand in the gap wherever he has placed us. This means that we need to sacrificially do our part in the great effort to alleviate suffering and to promote health. How this looks in practice may be different for each of us, but it is required of all nurses in our role as workers in God's Kingdom and ministers of health and healing.

Etika Pelayanan Paulus dalam Kisah Para Rasul 20:22-25 tentang pelayanan yang berpusat pada Allah serta keteladanan Paulus bagi generasi muda

Abstrack The service ethics of a servant of God is very urgent and is also something of a principle, the relationship between ethics and morals is very closely related to the special character of a servant of God. Cand apply service ethics responsibly. God calls his people into His light and leaves darkness. Being a servant of God is not solely because of feeling guilty, because of fear, but there is a sense of joy and gratitude from the deepest heart for what God has done for every humanlife. People who have belonged to God and are devoted ti Him and who are faithful to do Gods work as a calling in life and ignore-interest are Gpd’s Servants, faithful in small and big matters, to be God’s servants must be guided by Christ Himself as an example of a servant in serving. The ethic of serving God’s servant must be built and realized on the basis of obedience to God’s will as well, commitment and a responsible attitude. This study uses a qualitative approach, because this qualitative method can assist in gathering information. This research intends to be able to find out how Paul’s service ethics in Acts 20:22-25 regarding God-centered service and Paul’s example for today’s young’ generation Keywords : Service ethics, Paul, exemplary, leadership, the younger generation

Just Tell the Truth: A Call to Faith, Hope, and Courage by Richard Lischer

Reviewed by: Just Tell the Truth: A Call to Faith, Hope, and Courage by Richard Lischer Mark Koschmann Just Tell the Truth: A Call to Faith, Hope, and Courage. By Richard Lischer. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2021. 210pp. This book is a collection of sermons, scripture meditations, and theological essays. In each chapter the author balances Law and Gospel, calling for “Christians of all parties and in all walks of life” [End Page 461] to discover again “what it really means to be a follower of the Way” (xi). As in his previous book, Open Secrets: A Memoir of Faith and Discovery (2002), Lischer uses a narrative approach to apply the life, teaching, and ministry of Jesus to contemporary concerns. The author gives a clear and passionate account of God’s story of salvation which culminates in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. While sociopolitical and ethical concerns appear, the key is to convey “what the book of Acts calls ‘the facts about Jesus’—who he is, what he did, what he demands, and the sort of people he empowers us to be” (xi). By interpreting scripture and applying it to the contemporary American social context, Lischer succeeds in giving a descriptive account of the callings Christians have today, in particular calling to speak about the radical grace God gives to the world. The book is organized around the liturgical seasons. In the first section the author uses the season of Lent to guide readers to reflect on the brokenness, sorrow, and disappointments of human life. In the second section Lischer explores a Christian ethos of hope with meditations on the liturgical seasons of Christmas and Pentecost, as well as reflections on the Psalms. As noted in his introduction, “COVID-19 created a universal field of suffering and anxiety to such an extent that it was impossible to think or write about anything else” (xi). These two sections take on deeper meaning, then, when viewed as a response to the suffering people have experienced during the pandemic. In the third section Lischer turns to Holy Week to expound on the victory that is found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The fourth section illustrates the ways that God calls people to live their faith in action through their vocations. The fifth section describes saints as God’s teachers who show how to forgive, reject power, tell the truth, be humble and serve others, and “teach us how to die” (164). The last section includes a series of writings on “Public Callings” urging Christians to live out their vocations for thoughtful and informed living. I assigned this book to undergraduate students in an intermediate theology course at Concordia University, St. Paul. The book connected well to themes of the course and the experiences of students in Minneapolis-St. Paul following the murder of George Floyd. His [End Page 462] death prompted courageous outcries for truth and justice. In one of the first sessions, while on a walking tour near campus, students came upon a scorched debris-ridden area. The experience breathed life into the text. “In Christ, even the chaos of ashes finds a form. We don’t receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday only; we bring them to the altar every day. The little box we carry is our own. Only in Jesus are they gathered into the shape of the cross” (6). This articulation of the theology of the cross offered hope to students in the face of tragic injustice. Lischer excels in his description of liturgy, especially to interpret God’s work in the world today. He emphasizes that the baptized are redeemed by Christ the crucified, writing that the baptismal promise “can never be taken away from you, but it does leave an indelible mark” (209). However, for those who are less familiar with the church’s liturgical life, these references may be lost, missed, or confused. Still, the liturgical and sacramental references provide opportunities for teaching about the promises of God in Jesus Christ. Overall, this book is a remarkable achievement for its engaging devotional approach, biblical insights, and clear application of the Christian Gospel. In one essay on Psalm 46 the author...

Renewing a Prophetic Mysticism for Teaching Children Justly: A Lasallian Provocation

There is an urgent need to renew religious charisms historically founded by teaching Religious Orders to invigorate and sustain God’s mission through Catholic education. It is within this need that I consider how the Lasallian tradition may be critically mined to develop a prophetic mysticism that integrates contemplation with the public activity of teaching children justly as prophetic witness in contemporary Catholic education. This article makes two contributions. First, it methodologically brings the Lasallian tradition into dialogue with the contemporary turn to children and childhood in theological research. I suggest that this turn presses us to re-commit to a preferential option for children in Christian mission, which serves as an interpretive lens to retrieve and develop a Lasallian prophetic mysticism. This lens allows us to see more clearly how God calls forth the Christian vocation of teaching through children as vulnerable agents who share and participate in life with us. Second, building on this prophetic mysticism, I propose a praxis of socially engaged contemplation that attunes Catholic educators to become ethically present to the social marginalization of children. Cultivating this ethical presence is necessary for teaching children justly—a moral imperative that has become all the more crucial today in light of reports on the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic church.

Reading the Love Commandments and Learning the Imitation of Christ in Aquinas

Aquinas’s exposition of the twofold commandment of charity embeds a pedagogy for learning the imitation of Christ. This pedagogy may be gathered from his commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew and John, with refinements from the Summa theologiae. Christ commands love of God and neighbour and calls us to friendship that requires imitation of him. Aquinas depicts this imitation of Christ as a gratuitous, effective, and right love of neighbour which, I suggest, is grounded in, and develops his articulation of, love of neighbour as an expansion of love of self that is holy, just, and true. In this way, we learn to imitate Christ by following his commandment of charity, and we learn to follow the commandment of charity by imitating Christ. This interpenetrating pedagogy exemplifies and belongs essentially to Aquinas’s broader goal of promoting conformity to Christ through his practice of sacra doctrina or holy teaching.