La Creación según la Fe Católica
La Creación según la Fe Católica
Natural and divine revelation both play crucial roles in shaping the Christian understanding of creation. Natural revelation, accessible through the observation of the world and reasoning, offers a glimpse into God's invisible qualities and eternal power. However, divine revelation provides specific truths about creation that natural revelation alone cannot ascertain—such as God's intentional act of creation ex nihilo and its purpose for salvation. This revealed knowledge highlights the personal nature of God and His purposeful creation, aligning with theological doctrines and historical salvation narratives. The interdependence of both revelations underscores the complementarity between reason and faith in acquiring a holistic understanding of creation that appreciates the mystery and depth of divine action .
The temporal nature of the created world signifies that creation has a beginning and is situated within the unfolding of time, aligning with divine providence. This temporality contrasts with God's eternal unchanging nature and highlights the contingent and evolving character of the universe. Divine providence, as articulated in Christian theology, involves God's ongoing governance and guidance of creation toward its ultimate fulfillment. Therefore, the temporal world is not viewed as a static entity but as part of a dynamic journey that involves God's active participation and guidance until the culmination of all things in a new creation. This concept allows for the incorporation of evolutionary processes and highlights the sustained creation role that God plays .
Creation and salvation are intricately intertwined in Christian theology, where creation is perceived as the initial act of God's salvific plan that culminates in salvation through Christ. The world was created with a view to the redemption offered through Jesus, making creation itself an act that anticipates salvation. This relationship is evident in concepts such as creation being completed and perfected by the redemptive work of Christ, described as a 'new creation.' The Sabbath, symbolizing the rest and completion of the first creation, prefigures the 'eighth day' of resurrection, further illustrating the link between creation's physical beginnings and its spiritual completion in salvation .
In Catholic doctrine, the act of creation is a common work of the Trinity, but traditionally the role of creation is appropriated to the Father, redemption to the Son, and sanctification to the Holy Spirit. Creation is seen as stemming from the omnipotence of the Father, reflecting the wisdom of the Son (Logos), and animated by the life-giving Spirit. The Father is conceived as the 'source and origin,' the Son (Jesus Christ) is associated with the Word 'through whom all things were made' (Col 1:16, Jn 1:3), and the Spirit is seen as the 'Dador de vida' or giver of life .
Blending faith and reason in understanding creation suggests that reason, when open to the divine and transcendent, complements and deepens the insights offered by faith. This integration affirms that truths obtained through reason cannot contradict those revealed by faith since both are rooted in God. Historically, engagement with reason has allowed for dialogues with sciences and philosophies that enhance the comprehension of divine creation. A closed reason that disregards faith may fall into nihilism, while a faith that ignores reason may become dogmatic. By valuing both, Christian theology supports a reasoned faith that is capable of engaging with wider intellectual and cultural narratives while maintaining fidelity to the doctrines of creation and divine providence .
The assertion that 'the world has been created for the glory of God' implies that human existence has a divinely ordained purpose rooted in manifesting and communicating God's glory. This purpose involves humans living in a way that reflects God's goodness and attributes, becoming part of the divine plan. The glory of God is seen as fully realized when humans embrace their role as children of God and live according to His will. It intertwines with the concept that humanity, by participating in this glory and reflecting divine goodness, finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning. This view eschews any notion of divine egocentrism, instead highlighting that God's 'glory' is essentially the realization of His creatures becoming fully alive in their potential .
The concept of 'creatio ex nihilo,' meaning creation from nothing, is a key differentiator in the Christian understanding of creation compared to other ancient cultural narratives, which often involve the shaping of pre-existing matter or a dualistic conflict between opposing forces. This idea, that God created the universe out of nothing, underscores God's omnipotence and uniqueness as the sole Creator, as only an infinite active power—God—can bring things into being from nothing. It negates any form of pre-existing chaos or matter from which the world arose, setting Christian creation narratives apart from myths that depict creation as an ordering or battle .
The concept of 'appropriation' refers to assigning specific roles or attributes to each Person of the Trinity in the context of creation, even though all divine actions are common to the Trinity. By appropriating omnipotence to the Father, wisdom to the Son, and love and life-giving to the Spirit, Christians can better comprehend the distinct yet united workings of the Triune God. This facilitates an understanding of the unity and diversity within the Trinity during the act of creation, allowing believers to speak meaningfully about how each Person distinctly contributes to the one divine work, while avoiding confounding the Persons themselves .
Viewing creation as a continuous act rather than a completed historical event provides several theological insights. It emphasizes the ongoing relationship between God and creation, where divine presence and activity are continuously sustaining and working through all aspects of existence. This understanding counters any static or deistic views of creation, reinforcing God’s immanence and active involvement in the world. It enriches the concept of divine providence, showcasing how God’s plan unfolds progressively, preparing creation for its ultimate fulfillment in eschatological hope. Moreover, it reflects the dynamic nature of God's creative word, ever renewing through evolutionary processes and history, embodying both divine transcendence and intimate presence .
Christian teaching reconciles evolution with divine creation by viewing evolution as a process that occurs within the framework of God's creative order. The doctrine of continuous creation supports the idea that God’s influence and creative act are not restricted to the initial moment of creation but extend through time, allowing for processes like evolution to occur without contradicting the divine creative will. This perspective maintains God's sovereignty and providential guidance in shaping life over time, respecting the autonomy and causal processes in nature while upholding the belief that nothing exists independently of God’s creative influence. By this understanding, evolutionary theory, adequately interpreted, reinforces the dynamic and teleological aspects of creation, rather than opposing them .