By: Noah Carter | Seminarian/Philosophy and Hispanic Studies Major

Importance of this topic
We have already discussed the basics of the Trinity and our relationship with God, so it is important that we study how the Church can make definitive statements about God.

One Line Summary
What God intends to reveal to us has been revealed and the members of the Church must work together to develop the revelation.

Important words and phrases
Revelation – comes from the Latin word revelare which means “to lift the veil”
Deposit of faith – the body of saving truth entrusted (revealed) by Christ to the Apostles and handed on by them to be preserved and proclaimed by the Church.

Important Scripture Passages
John 15:16 – It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.
Romans 1:20 – God reveals himself in the most basic way in creation. Any creator leaves an indelible mark on his creation.
1 Tim 2:3-6 – God desires all men to be saved by coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
CCC 31-33: God reveals himself universally in his creation and in our own existence.
CCC 53: God communicates to man gradually and it will come to completion in Christ. The divine plan is realized with words and deeds that act together.
CCC 66: There will be no more revelation, because what we need to know that is necessary for our salvation has already been revealed.

Discussion Points

Deus absconditus et revelans: the hidden and revealing God – God is a mystery, and no matter what we know about him, we will never fully understand him. We are finite beings that cannot comprehend something infinite. What we do know of God, however, is necessary for us to enter into his love.

God chooses to reveal himself to us. By God choosing to reveal himself, he invites us to respond to that love with our love.

We are in the dependant period of revelation. Nothing new will be revealed to the Church or any member of the Church. The foundational period of revelation (the OT times up until the death of the last of the 12 apostles) was the time that all revelation was given to the apostles.

The revelation that was given to the Church during the apostolic period and earlier is called the deposit of faith. It is the Church’s obligation and it alone has the authority to defend, protect, and define the truth contained within the deposit. Nothing more will be added to the deposit.

The Church, when defining doctrine or proclaiming a dogma, draws from the deposit of faith rather than “makes up” or “invents” new teaching. What is taught today has been believed for 2000 years, but the Church finds that some times are more opportune to define certain beliefs and teachings.

When God reveals, he reveals truth, he enters time to reveal, he enters into relationship with the Church in order to reveal himself, and he personally hands himself over to us. These are the four theories of revelation.

Common Misunderstandings

God’s revelation is incomplete since he has not revealed his whole self to us. Two points must be made about this claim. Number one is that God fully reveals himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fullness of revelation because God gives his whole self to us. Number two is that God reveals only what is necessary for the sake of our salvation. If we comprehended him in the fullest sense, we would be greater than God. Remember: the finite cannot comprehend the Infinite!

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