man's nature: human only or human and divine?

Cathy · #1 Dec 17, '08, 11:49 pm

A friend gave me a devotional book with this stanza:

"God put in man human and divine nature,
And made him different from all other creatures.
He was made master over all creation,
And to subjugate the earth was his mission."

I understood that only Jesus has two natures.
Can someone help me to understand whether
this quote is true or in error? Is there a clear-cut
answer to this, or does it take a lot of complex explanation?
Does it depend on what the author means by "divine nature"?

Does the answer depend on whether we are speaking about man before the fall or after the fall, or after the Second Coming?

I'd appreciate any light you might give me on this question.

Fran65 · #2 Dec 18, '08, 12:21 am

My understanding is that we are body and soul, made in the image and likeness of God. However, we do not possess His divine nature - that would make us God. We do however share this nature through God's adoption of us. He gives us the gift of immortal life for example.

The belief that we are gods is false and not taught by Catholics. It is however widely taught in various new age teachings such as 'A Course in Miracles'.

I've learnt after many years that mentioning God and Jesus does not mean that the teachings are Christian or correct.

Cathy · #3 Dec 18, '08, 12:36 am

I just checked out some quotes regarding the supernatural life from the book, Theology for Beginners, by Frank Sheed.
It speaks of the supernatural life which lifts our human nature, to enable us to enter into the Beatific Vision.

So now it appears there is a difference between supernatural grace (which seems to be an added gift over and above our fallen human nature) and the object of the Beatific Vision, which is divine nature, that is, God.

This makes me think that the author of the line, "God put in man human and divine nature." is at best confused about his terminology, or worse, mistaken in his theology. Am I seeing this correctly or am I running off track here?

Cathy · #4 Dec 18, '08, 12:41 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fran65

The belief that we are gods is false and not taught by Catholics. It is however widely taught in various new age teachings such as 'A Course in Miracles'.

That's the concern I have, too. That's the error I want to avoid.

Cajetan · #5 Dec 18, '08, 1:40 am

"Divine nature" in this stanza may refer to rationality.

Katholish · #6 Dec 18, '08, 12:04 pm

Technically it is incorrect. There is no way around it, but the author might not have meant anything bad by it. He might have been using poetic license. It probably isn't even possible for a created class of beings to have two natures.

Ghosty · #7 Dec 18, '08, 6:26 pm

Quote:

So now it appears there is a difference between supernatural grace (which seems to be an added gift over and above our fallen human nature) and the object of the Beatific Vision, which is divine nature, that is, God.

They're the same basic thing, namely Divinity, but they are understood differently: supernatural grace is our participation in Divine Life and Divinity, by God sharing Himself, and the Beatific Vision is "God as an object", the object of our enjoyment. In order to have the Beatific Vision we must first share in Divinity according to Grace, otherwise we wouldn't even be capable of truly seeing Divinity.

Hence Scripture says (1 John 3:2):

[2] Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

To be like Him, and to see Him as He is, are inseparable though they refer to different aspects of the same reality.

All that being said, I second what a previous poster said: we share in the Divine Nature by Grace, but we don't have the Divine Nature as part of being human.

Peace and God bless!

Cathy · #8 Dec 18, '08, 7:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghosty

They're the same basic thing, namely Divinity, but they are understood differently: supernatural grace is our participation in Divine Life and Divinity, by God sharing Himself, and the Beatific Vision is "God as an object", the object of our enjoyment. In order to have the Beatific Vision we must first share in Divinity according to Grace, otherwise we wouldn't even be capable of truly seeing Divinity.

Hence Scripture says (1 John 3:2):

[2] Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

To be like Him, and to see Him as He is, are inseparable though they refer to different aspects of the same reality.

All that being said, I second what a previous poster said: we share in the Divine Nature by Grace, but we don't have the Divine Nature as part of being human.

Peace and God bless!

Your response, together with the others are REALLY HELPFUL. Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies.

bnapgh · #9 Dec 26, '08, 11:43 am

http://www.newadvent.org/bible/gen001.htm Genesis

Quote:

26 And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. Let us make man to our image...

Quote:

This image of God in man, is not in the body, but in the soul; which is a spiritual substance, endued with understanding and free will. God speaketh here in the plural number, to insinuate the plurality of persons in the Deity.

27 And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth.

IMO it seems quite simple, man has two natures: an earthly one that is selfish and a divine one that is rational and loving. IMO, of all God's creations, only humans can ask ''why?'' and the only answer acceptible to human happiness is ''for love''.