Course 1, Chapter 20: What is Religion?

1. What is religion?

Religion, according to St. Augustin, is the bond which unites man to God; in other words, religion is the society of man with God.

2. Explain this answer?

Between parents and children there exist ties, or natural and sacred relations. In the same manner there exist relations between God, the creator and father of man, and man, who is the creature and child of God. The ties which exist between God and man are even more sacred than those which unite the son to his father.

3. Why so?

Because we owe more to God than a son owes to his father; God is our creator and our last end, which cannot be said of our earthly fathers. From which we must conclude that our obligations to God are much more holy than are the obligations of children to their parents.

4. What does the word religion signify?

The word religion signifies the tie by excellence, or th ^ re-tieing. The tie by excellence, because re-

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ligion unites us in a supernatural manner to God, who is the most perfect of beings; the re-tieing, because our Lord, by offering himself up to his father as a victim for us, has re-established the supernatural union which existed between God and man previous to original sin.

5. Is there any other religion than the religion of Jesus Christ?

No, there is no other religion than the religion of Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ alone, as both God and man, could expiate sin, reconcile man to God, and re-establish the supernatural tie which united them.

6. Is the true religion, or religion of Jesus Christ, of ancient date?

The religion of Jesus Christ is as ancient as the world. For it goes back to the time when the Son of God offered himself to his Father to redeem man, and has always had as the object of its faith and its hope this same Mediator and the same rewards.

7. Has religion been at all times as fully taught as it is at the present day?

No, religion has not been at all times as fully taught as it is at the present day. But it has not on that account ceased to be the same religion, any more than man, by passing through the different stages of life, ceases to be the same man.

8. What difference is there between the faithful who preceded and those who have come after the Messiah?

The difference is that the ancient just believed in Jesus Christ to come, whilst we believe in Jesus Christ already come. Our faith, our hope, our religion is the same as that of the patriarchs and prophets.

9. Why did God delay so long the coming of the Messiah?

He delayed the coming of the Messiah so long, 1 st, in order that man might know, by a long experience of his miseries, the need he had of a Redeemer, and that he might desire his coming more ardently. 2d, that he might recognise Jesus Christ as the Mes-

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siah, seeing that all the figures, promises and prophe cies were accomplished and verified in him.

10. What has been the object of all the designs of God since the commission of original sin?

The object of all the designs of God, since the commission of original sin, has been to save man. Before the coming of the Messiah, all his designs had for their end to prepare man's redemption, and since the coining, to maintain and extend its blessings to all men.

11. What fruit do we derive from this truth?

The fruit we ought to derive from this truth is, to love God as he has loved us, constantly and solely.

12. Why did God make known the mystery of the redemption only by degrees?

God made known the mystery of the redemption only by degrees, in order to consult man's weakness. A great many previous miracles were necessary to dispose him to believe this greatest of all miracles.