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Articles >
True
History
The great Catholic historian, Christopher Dawson,
distinguished between two levels of historical meaning, one
being what we generally think of as history - the surface
events of geo-political history; the other, salvation
history - the plan of Divine Providence - God's actions in
human history.
"...there are two principles at work in history. True
history - sacred history - is not the same as apparent
history or secular history. The spiritual meaning and value
of history are hidden under the veil of outward political
and economic change."
[by Catholic
historian, Christopher Dawson, The Formation of Christendom
(Sheed & Ward, 1967, p. 81), as quoted in Christianity and
the Challenge of History by John J. Mulloy, (Christendom
Press, 1995)]
Most of us have been educated to think of history and
religion as two separate, unrelated subjects. The events of
the world, war and politics, governments and nations, are
generally taught with little, if any, reference to a meaning
or purpose to life or human events. As Catholics we know
that there truly is a Divine Planner who has a divine plan
for human life. We know that the story of history has a
definite beginning, middle and ultimate destiny and that our
lives have a purpose and meaning which we can only begin to
understand in this life.
Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity,
became Man and entered human history "in the fullness of
time." The Incarnation is the central point of our faith and
it is the center point of all history. Christ came to us in
History, He comes to us in the Mystery of the Sacraments,
and He will come again in Majesty at the end of time. For
this reason "as Catholics, we are preeminently the people
for whom history matters."
"Light to the Nations:
Reclaiming the Catholic Historical Imagination" by Prof.
Rollin Lasseter
And it is for this reason that we began RC History, to
provide a place for Catholic home educators to find
reliable, truthful resources which bring the study of
history to life and to deepen the understanding of our
Christian heritage. We believe that history is essential to
understanding the Catholic Faith and that the Catholic Faith
is essential to understanding true history.
"The birth of Jesus at Bethlehem is not an event which
can be consigned to the past. The whole of human history in
fact stands in reference to him: our own time and the future
of the world are illumined by His presence. He is 'the
Living One,' 'who is, who was and who is to come.'"
-Pope John Paul II
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