Conventional Theology
Well I wondered previously which Republican speaker might speak on abortion and same-sex marriage, though I did not forecast that Senator Elizabeth Dole would be the first one.
We believe in the dignity of every life, the possibility of every mind, the divinity of every soul. This is our true north we believe in life. The new life of a man and woman joined together under God.
Marriage is important not because it is a convenient invention or the latest reality show marriage is important because it is the cornerstone of civilization, and the foundation of the family. Marriage between a man and a woman isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend.
We value the sacred life of every man, woman, and child. We believe in a culture that respects all human life including the most vulnerable in our society, the frail elderly, the infirm, and those not yet born. Protecting life isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend. We believe in the treasured life of faith.
Two thousand years ago a man said, " I have come to give life and to give it in full." In America I have the freedom to call that man Lord, and I do. In the United States of America we are free to worship without discrimination, without intervention and even without activist judges trying to strip the name of God from the Pledge of Allegiance; from the money in our pockets; and from the walls of our courthouses. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The right to worship God isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend. [source]
I was curious about the statement "the divinity of every soul." I wasn't aware that Sen Dole was a pantheist or a new-ager. I watched the speech streamed on my computer to see if they transcribed dignity to divinity. No she did indeed say divinity.
Now obviously I was being rather flip on her beliefs, though that sentence might be theologically confusing in the context she used. It does make me think and reflect on the context in which the statement is true. The theology of the Eastern Churches have always emphasized the concept of our deification or theosis and this can be described as the movement from the image to the likeness of God. This is the call to man to become holy and to seek union with God. This is the universal call to holiness. The Latin Church has also reflected on this but usually speaks in the language of the theology of sanctification instead of theosis or deification.
In the Catechism paragraph 398 in reference to the state of Adam and Eve say "Constituted in a state of holiness, man was destined to be fully "civilized" by God in glory."
"[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature.... For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized." St. Athanasius
"The Son of God became man, that we might become God" St. Athanasius
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature." 2nd Peter 1:3-4.
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With the notable exception of Alan Keyes, politicians' theological statements rarely hold up to the type of rigorous scrutiny you have applied to Sen. Dole's statement. "Divinity" is in all likelihood in her mind, a synonym for sanctity. I say cut her some slack, because I do agree with you that she doesn't seem the New Ager type. At least, I don't think that New Age stuff plays well with the folks down in Salisbury, North Carolina or Russell, Kansas.
Fr. Stanley,
Well I did say I was being flip about her statement and I agree that she really meant sanctity.
This is what I call an 'Oprah-ism.'
Incidentally, Ms. Dole is probably the last person I would want representing the pro-life position. Her infamous fuzziness on the issue gives me headaches.
"The divinity of every soul" sounds Quakerly to me.
Jamie,
Yes I knew that Mrs. Dole is not exactly an ardent pro-lifer, though I would not say she is the last person I would want representing the pro-life issue. She is fuzzy about it, but at least her votes so far have been consistently pro-life.
Let's not forget that "divinization" or "theosis" is a very Catholic concept that hails from the Eastern Church. The Fathers say that "God became Man so that man may become god." Of course, this "theosis" is to be understood in the order of grace and not of nature, as the Fathers themselves overbelabored.
Not that Mrs. Dole knew anything about the history of "thesosis" in Christian thought, mind you. Her comments were aimed at a large audience and my point is that we can accept her comments by the lights of our own Tradition.
P.
No, Jamie, it is a touch of genius to have Elizabeth Dole be the first speaker to mention abortion and homosexual "marriage." Would those same words have the same impact coming from ... oh ... Phylis Schlafly, for example? No. Not because she's not a great advocate for the pro-life and pro-family cause (of course she is) ... but because she's too easy for those outside the choir to dismiss as a loon (unfairly, obviously ... but that's how it is). To have Elizabeth Dole say it reaches more people, precisely *because* of her neither being nor having a reputation for being especially conservative. This has been a constant theme of the first two nights -- we've had all these liberal (Giuliani, Schwarzenegger) and moderate (McCain) Republicans delivering the red meat on the war and the body slams on John Kerry as an unprincipled flip-flopper. Remember -- the point of a political convention's prime-time speeches isn't primarily to appeal to the base, but to the mostly-apolitical watchers of network TV.
Good point, Victor. I just wonder sometimes if the meaning of 'pro-life' isn't watered down a bit when the representative 'pro-lifers' we push in front of network TV actually favor abortion in some cases and have shown no intention of reducing abortions. But perhaps your right. I must admit I don't have much of a mind for politics.
I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Mrs Dole, rather than her husband, had been the presidential candidate. I have long admired her even though she isn't as firm as some on life issues. She at least is thinking things through rather than being a knee-jerk 'women's rights equals abortion rights' politician. I prefer her to, say, Governor Arnold.