The Question of ‘The Absolute’, God, Religion, and Afterlife 1

by Luther Osting Odoc

HAPPINESS 4
TRUTH

LIFE is The Greatest Gift 2 brings

forth necessarily
involves
so
Live life
to the fullest 3 strive for The Highest Good 5

involves

know5 is
Well-being, Integral requires
and to
Full Development 6

involves 13 The Ultimate Reason, Cause, includes Know includes

Origin and Destiny 14
Principle,10 & Purpose of Life 11, 12 Thyself 7

whether involves Human

Physical Cosmology: 20 Nature 8

Life: Purposely created Big Bang Theory

puts forward The Question of in Cosmology 19
or accidental effect? 15 Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem
Creator: The
Absolute and 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
God 17, 18 Philosophy
to
in in of Mind:
16 Philosophical Cosmology 21 N.D.E. 9
Life after Death
Religion 23, 24 in conjunction w/ Philosophy 22
Philosophy of Religion 25

Theism 26 vs Atheism 26

Worthy of
Self-Revealing God 28 Nonself-Revealing God 27 almighty, loving,
just, &
compassionate,
personal God 37

In accord with the

MIRACLES 29 historical Jesus of
Nazareth and good
theology on him 36
the greatest is

Critical and
JESUS’ Appeal to
Genuineness 33 includes aided w/ Scientific
RESURRECTION 30 knowledge 34
Investigation 38

affirm done
are on the with with
is
bases of Happened in the
is are course of
history Paul of Tarsus 39;
is & today 35
with Myrna Nazzour 40;
After-Death
Empty tomb 31 and
Appearances 32
is Pio of Pietrelcina 41;
Teresa of Avila 41;
is
Miracle at Calanda 42
is
Zeitun Apparition 42
is Yes 44 God, as revealed by
True 50 Jesus, if real & desires
or humanity to
or acknowledge him, Other Miracles 43
is No 44 must manifest his
False 50
presence and his will 45 Other Visions 43
is
is
Leave something that
draws and bonds His
Transubstantiation 49 EUCHARIST 48 CHURCH 47 people together in him
& make His presence
concrete.46

effects
HOLY SPIRIT
CHANGELOG
February 20, 2016
The first Scribd version of “The Question of God, Religion and Afterlife” was published.

February 21, 2016

A minor polishing in the diagram, a change of date of the first Scribd version of this work, and some
changes of wordings in the explanatory notes were made.

February 22, 2016

The link for ‘True’ was changed and related ideas at ‘note 45’ was moved to ‘note 46.’

February 26, 2016

The color fill of AutoShapes (that includes textboxes) was changed.

March 10, 2016

The hyperlink to the graphic organizer of note 23 was fixed and a ‘top’ hyperlink was added at the end of
this document.

March 23, 2016

a.) Except for the page of the graphic organizer, the layout format size was changed based on the most
commonly used document sizes (8.5” width with 13” maximum height);
b.) The words ‘Critical and’ were added before ‘Scientific Investigation’ on the graphic organizer, resulting
in the phrase ‘Critical and Scientific Investigation.’ The corresponding explanatory note (34) is likewise
edited to reflect this change.

March 31, 2016

a.) In explanatory note 22, the 1st sentence was modified and the 10th sentence was added w/ ‘for most
people’;
b.) In explanatory note 18, third sentence, the ‘that’ is dropped and the phrase “and from the principle
that nothing comes from nothing” is added.

April 14, 2016

In explanatory note 23, the term ‘revealing god’ was changed to ‘self-revealing god’, and the ‘non-
revealing god’ was changed to ‘nonself-revealing god’ to make the use of terms consistent with those
in the graphic organizer.

April 18, 2016

In explanatory note 13, the parenthesis in the 1st sentence was modified to include ‘What is the ultimate
source or origin of all things?’.

June 06, 2016

In explanatory note 23, the sentence “From that, “The Nature and Attributes of God” is examined by
deductive analysis, and is presented by Patrick Toner in The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. (New York:
Robert Appleton Company, June 5, 1909).” was added.
April 21, 2017
a.) In explanatory note 19, the word “identify” in the 4th from the last sentence was changed to “identity”;
b.) In explanatory note 23, the font size of the last sentence was enlarged from 11 to 12; and
c.) Each note is laid out as one page to facilitate easy access through linking in the Scribd presentation.

May 13, 2017

The formatting of some AutoShapes in the graphic organizer was fixed.

June 10, 2017

a) The AutoShape with endnote 41 was modified: a.1) The beginning statement “God, if truly present…”
was changed to “God, as revealed by Jesus, if real”. This is to be consistent with the given earlier
working definition of God as both a.1.1) “the necessary, self-existing being, (which is) the ultimate
ground of all that is, and a.1.1) god as the ultimate prevailing, driving inner reason in a person’s life;
the ground, bases, center and most valued to a person….”; a.2) The AutoShape was moved.
b) In explanatory note 25, the first sentence was modified to include the word “concrete” to modify and
clarify the ‘evidence’.

July 14, 2017

a) The graphic organizer was modified; new AutoShapes for concepts on “Human Nature” and on the
“Philosophy of Mind” in particular, were connected from “Know Thyself” to “Philosophy”. Also, the
AutoShapes on Cosmology was expanded to show important details. New Explanatory Notes were
created for these additions.
b) Explanatory Notes numbering was modified to reflect the changes made in the graphic organizer. 8
was changed to 10, 9 to 11, 10 to 12… until 17 to 19. 18 was changed to 22, 19 to 23, 20 to 24… until
46 to 50.
c) The Explanatory Notes paper width was changed to follow the graphic organizer’s paper width and the
Explanatory Notes bottom margin until 25 was modified.
d) In explanatory note 1, the last sentence, “An option to write comments will appear after star rating the
work or” was dropped.
e) In explanatory note 7, first sentence, the words “integral and” were added to modify development.
f) In explanatory note 26, the seventh sentence and following were revised to better express the point
being made;
g) In explanatory note 27, the last two sentences were edited; from …the conclusion of which is best
represented by “The existence of God” in The Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. From that, “The
Nature and Attributes of God” is examined by deductive analyses, and is presented by Patrick Toner in
The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. (New York: Robert Appleton Company, June 5, 1909) to …along the
line of Thomistic philosophy. This is best represented by the following: “The Existence of God” in The
Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas; and “A Contemporary Thomistic Metaphysical Proof of God”
and “Philosophical Proof of God: Derived from Principles in Bernard Lonergan’s Insight” both by Robert
Spitzer, S.J.

July 29, 2017

a) The “Change Log” for July 14, 2017, f) and g) were modified to include the original explanatory note
number.
b) In explanatory note 9, after the second sentence, “Seven Proofs for the Natural Immortality of the
Human Soul” was added within the parenthesis.
Oct. 31, 2017
a) The hyperlink of “Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem” in the AutoShape and the link in explanatory note 20
were updated
from http://www.reasonablefaith.org/contemporary-cosmology-and-the-beginning-of-the-universe
to “http://web.archive.org/web/20171022003004/http://www.reasonablefaith.org/contemporary-
cosmology-and-the-beginning-of-the-universe”;
also, the link to the video “Borde Guth Vilenkin Theorem: Scientific Evidence for the Beginning of the
Universe” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcbFFvVeoAk was included in explanatory note 20.
b) The hyperlink of “N.D.E.” in the AutoShape and the “Near Death Experiences (N.D.E.)” in explanatory
note 9 were updated
from “https://www.magiscenter.org/pdf/Science_Medicine_and_NDEs.pdf” to
“https://www.magiscenter.com/science-medicine-and-near-death-experiences/”;
c) In explanatory note 20, the link
“https://www.magiscenter.org/pdf/Faith_and_Science_Summary_2016.pdf” was updated
to “https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Faith_and_Science_Summary_2016.pdf”;
d) In explanatory note 27, the hyperlink of “A Contemporary Thomistic Metaphysical Proof of God” was
updated
from https://www.magiscenter.org/pdf/Contemporary_Thomistic_Metaphysical_Proof_of_God.pdf
to https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Contemporary_Thomistic_Metaphysical_Proof_of_God.pdf;
e) Also, in explanatory note 27 the hyperlink of “Philosophical Proof of God: Derived from Principles in
Bernard Lonergan’s Insight” was updated; from
“https://www.magiscenter.org/pdf/Philisophical_Proof_of_God.pdf” to
https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Philisophical_Proof_of_God.pdf;
f) In explanatory note 47, the link “https://www.catholic.com/tract/eastern-orthodoxy” was likewise
updated
from “http://www.catholic.com/tracts/eastern-orthodoxy” to
“https://www.catholic.com/tract/eastern-orthodoxy”; and
g) The hyperlink of “After-Death Appearances” in the AutoShape and in the explanatory note 32 were
updated from “http:/www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_interpolation.html”
to
“http://web.archive.org/web/20160502071859/http:/www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_int
erpolation.html.”

December 2, 2017
a) Lay-out and spacing of some of the “CHANGELOG” entries were modified to be consistent with the
others and to maximize the space;
b) In explanatory note 18, the third sentence, the ‘that’ is dropped and the phrase “and from the principle
that nothing comes from nothing” is added;
c) In explanatory note 28, the original second to the last sentence, was modified by adding the words,
‘most probably’ and bolding the words “concretely evident manifestation of God … is expected to be
found”; also, the statement, “These are to be comprehensively analyze and critically evaluated in
accord with sound reason, knowledge, and understanding of reality” was added;
 d) In explanatory note 30, the statement “Of all those who started religious and spiritual movements in
the entire human history in the knowledge and understanding of the author, only Jesus of Nazareth is
claimed to have resurrected from the dead” was added after the fourth sentence;
e) At the end of this work, the indicated maximum height of the ‘EXPLANATORY NOTES,’ ‘CHANGELOG’
and ‘ABOUT THE AUTHOR’ sections were changed from 12” to 11”; and
f) The hyperlink of “Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem” in the AutoShape and the link in explanatory note 20
were updated from
“http://web.archive.org/web/20171022003004/http://www.reasonablefaith.org/contemporary-
cosmology-and-the-beginning-of-the-universe” to https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-
answer/contemporary-cosmology-and-the-beginning-of-the-universe/.

December 26, 2017

a) The hyperlink of note 32 in the graphic organizer was fixed.

February 13, 2018

a) The font size of the characters used in the “CHANGELOG” under the entry of “December 2, 2017” was
made uniform as 11;
b) The hyperlinks of “Myrna Nazzour” in the AutoShape and on the explanatory note 40 were updated
from “http://www.scribd.com/doc/50841912/The-Authenticity-of-Myrna-Nazzour-s-Experiences” to
https://www.scribd.com/document/50841912/The-Authenticity-of-Myrna-Nazzour-s-Experiences.

June 14, 2018

a) In explanatory note 3, fourth sentence, the noun “One” was changed to “A person may”;
b) The “Change Log” entry for July 14, 2017, which was accidentally dropped in the Feb. 13, 2018, revised
edition was restored.
c) The word “greatest” in the graphic organizer and on the explanatory note 5 were changed to “highest”
to read as “Highest Good” which is a translation of the Latin linked words Summum Bonum; this is to
be more philosophically clear and accurate on the meaning.
d) In the graphic organizer, “The Question of Creator: God” was inserted with the words “‘The Absolute’
and” to reflect its being all-embracing, and the layout was necessarily modified. Related explanatory
notes 17 and 18 were also modified to reflect this change; a new paragraph on the Absolute was
composed and inserted at the beginning of explanatory notes 17, and the paper size of the section was
necessarily modified.
e) The title of this work was changed from “The Question of God, Religion and Afterlife” to “The Question
of ‘The Absolute’, God, Religion and Afterlife” to reflect the changes in the contents which aims at
universality; explanatory note 1 was also modified to reflect this.
f) The Changelog page size height was changed from 7.5” to 8.75”.
December 20, 2018
a) In explanatory note 28, the height of the beginning page was increased to accommodate all the
statements into one page;
b) In explanatory note 32, the second to the last sentence was corrected grammatically by adding ‘are’
after the pronoun ‘they’.
c) In the graphic organizer, the website address of the link of the “Other Miracles” was updated from
http://www.overcomeproblems.com/miracles.htm to http://overcomeproblems.com/miracles.php; the
website link in the explanatory notes 43 was also updated.
December 26, 2018
a) In explanatory note 5, the statement “The good necessarily involves truth” was made to boldface;
b) In explanatory note 6, the first sentence was continued with the words “person and others”; and
c) In explanatory note 9, the statement in the last sentence “presented that the Human person has
physical and spiritual aspects, the spiritual aspect being manifested in the intellect and will” was edited
to read as “presented the Human person as having a physical body and spiritual soul, manifested in the
capacity of the intellect and will”;
July 27, 2019
a) In the graphic organizer, “Full and Holistic Development” was changed to “Integral and Full
Development” to better express the sequence and quality of development that is being sought,
avoiding unintended philosophical meanings that the word ‘holistic’ may evoke.
November 10, 2019
a) In the graphic organizer, the link for ‘JESUS’ RESURRECTION’ was changed to
https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/337/332 which presents differing
ways of understanding Jesus’ resurrection but taking particular stances based on reasonable grounds.
The explanatory note 30 was updated accordingly putting the original link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus, which is a good introduction to the topic, in the
latter part.
b) In the graphic organizer, the link for ‘Empty tomb’ was changed from
http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/tomb2.html to
https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/338/333 which presents more
broadly and deeply the different ways of understanding the empty tomb in the Bible about Jesus’
resurrection but taking at the end a particular stance based on good grounds. Explanatory note 31 was
updated accordingly.
c) In the graphic organizer, the link for ‘After-Death Appearances’ was changed from
http://web.archive.org/web/20160502071859/http:/www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_int
erpolation.html to https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/view/339/334 which
presents more broadly and deeply the different perfectives in understanding the after-death
appearances of Jesus in the Bible about His claimed resurrection. The explanatory notes 32 was
updated accordingly maintaining the original link
http://web.archive.org/web/20160502071859/http:/www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_inte
rpolation.html, which deals with the resurrection appearances of Jesus as embodied in I Corinthians
15.
November 16, 2019
a) The phrase “in a scholarly manner” was inserted in explanatory note 32 to better describe the reason
for changing the original link.
b) The content of ‘b.)’ under November 10, 2019, of the Changelog was corrected.

December 19, 2019

a) The phrase “Historical Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection” by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., May 2013; at
https://magiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Evidence-of-Resurrection-NT-Wright.pdf;
Also,” was added to the explanatory note 30 to better present the reason, basis, and importance of
Jesus’ resurrection.
December 20, 2019
a) In the ‘CHANGELOG’, the second December 16, 2019, was changed to December 19, 2019.
 b) The layout size of the ‘EXPLANATORY NOTES,’ ‘CHANGELOG’ and ‘ABOUT THE AUTHOR’ sections were
changed from the original width of 13.9” to 11” and maximum height of 11” to 8.5” and other
adjustments were made in accord with this. This is to increase the readability of texts in Scribd’s online
presentation and easier presentation in print.

December 21, 2019

a) In the ‘CHANGELOG’, the last date of change, November 20, 2019, was changed to December 20, 2019.
b) In explanatory note 2, the first hyperlink http://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/92570/what-keeps-
me-standing#9780767912389 was changed to
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/92570/what-keeps-me-standing-by-dennis-
kimbro/9780767912389/excerpt to directly link with the excerpt of the book that relates to the topic.
c) The hyperlink address for “N.D.E.” in the graphic organizer and for Near Death Experiences (N.D.E.) in
the explanatory note 9 were changed from https://www.magiscenter.com/science-medicine-and-near-
death-experiences/ to https://magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Science_Medicine_and_NDEs.pdf which directly links to the document that
deals with the topic.
d) On explanatory note 25, the reference for the several main positions with regards to the existence of
God and its hyperlink was updated.
e) The hyperlink address for “After-Death Appearances” in the graphic organizer and on the explanatory
note 32 were changed from https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/view/339/334
to https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/339/334 which directly links to
the pdf document that deals with the topic.
f) The layout height of some in the EXPLANATORY NOTES section was reduced to a minimum.

June 3, 2020
a) In explanatory note 2, first sentence, the words “sign or” were inserted so that the resulting statement
would read as “Miracles if genuine, are the best concrete sign or evidence that humans can recognize in
order to ….”
b) In explanatory note 5, sentence 6, the second word “live” was changed to “life” so that the statement
would read as “A person may live his life here and now….”; also, in the last sentence, the verb “is” was
changed to “necessarily involves”.
c) In the conceptual map, the arrow lines connecting “Live life to the fullest”, “The Ultimate Reason,
Cause, Principle, & Purpose of Life”, and “The Highest Good” were modified; this is to reflect the idea
that to “Live life to the fullest”, we need to unmistakably know “The Ultimate Reason, Cause, Principle,
& Purpose of Life” which is “The Highest Good”. The explanatory note (# 5) was modified accordingly.
d) In explanatory note 28, the words, Nonself-revealing god… do not interfere in human life and the laws
of the universe. At best, we can go as far as philosophy would allow were boldfaced for emphasis; the
layout height of the page was adjusted accordingly.
e) Spelling and grammar were reviewed and corrected through the MS Word checker

July 11, 2020

a) In explanatory note 48, the phrase “significance of the Eucharistic” was changed to “significance of the
Eucharist”;
b) In explanatory note 5, the word ‘completely’ in the last sentence was changed to ‘best’.
April 09, 2023
a) The hyperlink address for “N.D.E.” in the graphic organizer and for Near Death Experiences (N.D.E.) in
the explanatory note 9 was updated by changing it from https://magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Science_Medicine_and_NDEs.pdf to
https://7693347.fs1.hubspotusercontent-
na1.net/hubfs/7693347/MC_Spitzer%20Scholarly%20Articles/Science_Medicine_and_NDEs.pdf ;
b) In explanatory note 27, the hyperlink of “A Contemporary Thomistic Metaphysical Proof of God” was
updated
from “https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Contemporary_Thomistic_Metaphysical_Proof_of_God.pdf” to
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary_Thomistic_Metaphysical_Proof_of
_God.pdf ;.
c) Also, in explanatory note 27, the hyperlink of “Philosophical Proof of God: Derived from Principles in
Bernard Lonergan’s Insight” was updated; from https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Philisophical_Proof_of_God.pdf to
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Philisophical_Proof_of_God.pdf ;
d) In explanatory note 30, the link for the “Historical Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection” by Robert J. Spitzer,
S.J., Ph.D. is updated from https://magiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Evidence-of-
Resurrection-NT-Wright.pdf to https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Evidence-of-
Resurrection-NT-Wright.pdf; and
e) In explanatory note 20, the link for the reference of the quotation cited was updated from (Robert J.
Spitzer, “Section IV, Entropy and the Beginning of our Universe,” Evidence for God from Physics and
Philosophy, April 2016, p. 19, https://www.magiscenter.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/07/Faith_and_Science_Summary_2016.pdf) to (Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., “III,
Evidence from Entropy”, Evidence of God from Contemporary Science & Philosophy, May 2016, p. 18,
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-
Philosophy.pdf);
g) In explanatory note 47, the link for “Strong Centralized International Churches are Impossible But the
Catholic Church Exists So God Exists” was updated from http://richleebruce.com/miracle/evidence.html
to http://richleebruce.com/miracle/roman-catholic.html which directly links to the article that deals with
the topic.

April 22, 2023

a.) Except for the graphic organizer, the width of all pages was changed to 8.5” so that they would be
easily viewed on small screens while their height was adjusted accordingly, maintaining a maximum
height of 11” so that any page could be printed to a letter size (8.5”x11”) paper. The indicated layout
size on the last page was also updated accordingly.

July 07, 2023

a.) The hyperlink address for “The Absolute” in the graphic organizer and on the explanatory note 17 were
updated from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_absolute to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_(philosophy).
November 02, 2023
a.) The spelling and grammar of the entire presentation were reviewed with the aid of Grammarly; the
formatting and layout of some parts of the graphic organizer and the notes were adjusted accordingly.
b.) The hyperlink address for “Other Miracles” in the graphic organizer and on the explanatory note 43
were updated from http://overcomeproblems.com/miracles.php to
http://web.archive.org/web/20220319191317/http://overcomeproblems.com/miracles.php.
c.) The hyperlink address for “The Absolute” in the graphic organizer was updated from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_absolute to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_(philosophy).

January 05, 2024

a.) In explanatory note 26, the hyperlink address for “Arguments for the Existence of God” was changed
from http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/argument.htm to
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=yu846j61u0wC&pg=PA488&lpg=PA493; also, the other
information from the original link was dropped.
b.) In explanatory note 47, the hyperlink address for “Strong Centralized International Churches are
Impossible But the Catholic Church Exists So God Exists” was changed from
http://richleebruce.com/miracle/evidence.html to http://richleebruce.com/miracle/roman-
catholic.html.
c.) In explanatory note 23, the phrase “conflicting beliefs being upheld as truth, are held” was modified to
read as “conflicting beliefs are being upheld as truth”.
d.) In explanatory note 48, the phrase “bearer of truth” was modified to read as “bearer of the Christian
truth”.
e.) The whole presentation was checked with Grammarly and changes were made accordingly.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
1. This graphic organizer with explanatory notes found at https://www.scribd.com/doc/299848630/The-Question-
of-God-Religion-and-Afterlife is an effort to scholarly, integrally, and comprehensively present the why, how, and
what of ‘The Question of ‘The Absolute’, God, Religion and Afterlife.’ The first part answers mainly the question,
“Why should we bother ourselves giving sincere and good effort, time, thinking, and even treasure on the
question of ‘The Absolute’, God, and religion.” It proceeds, taking in general the significant aspects involved in
the question of ‘The Absolute’ and God. Then, considering the facts known to the author and gathering more
information noteworthy to the matter in consideration, the claim resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth gets the
focus. Since Christianity is divided into factions and conflicting claims are made by each group and even
individuals within a particular group, made worse by or even results in doubts and questions of the reality of
Jesus’ resurrection, a ‘how’ of determining its reality follows. Together with this, is to simultaneously
discover/establish, out of the many, if any, the religion that teaches the truth about ‘The Absolute’, God, and life.
Propositions or claims are put forward where the law/principle of excluded middle is intentionally employed
wherever and whenever possible and appropriate. Either the proposition/claim is true or the opposite is true.
Adapting particular standpoints on uncertain matters is avoided as much as possible yet means to overcome and
go beyond them without compromising the truth and substance of the inquiry are used. Evidence for and against
claims is analyzed and evaluated, accepting or denying the claim. Sources or links may appear to lean towards
Christianity and Catholicism in particular but this only reflects the process by which this output underwent.
Initially, the author did not write about all the differing views and resources he used while facing the questions
and dilemmas personally. He only used graphic organizers similar to concept maps as guides and skeletons in his
study and quest for truth. Only after coming to his conclusion that he try to cite and document the difficult path
that he underwent to share it with others. As such, all the differing views involved in disputed matters are not
fully reflected. The graphic organizer itself is created such that an objective personal conclusion can be
established. The broadest, inclusive objective perspective known to the author is used. On the other hand, most
links, notes, and comments reflect the personal decision and conclusion of the author based on weighing the
pieces of evidence and arguments known to and as understood by him. They are chosen based on what the
author thinks has the most important contribution to shedding light on the matter involved.

Although coming to the point of making the ultimate conclusion in this presentation involves crucial decisions of
affirming and or denying certain claims or propositions, the author does not hold a rigid sequence of necessarily
affirming the earlier steps before the next since reality and his personal experience shows that the discerning
process does not necessarily proceed as presented. One may be interested in a specific question at a particular
time which may not involve or even uninterested in the questions before it. The different arrows that lead to the
answer ‘true or false’ show this. However, logic would necessitate the latter being founded on the former to be
soundly grounded in truth and reality. Hence, two main ways of proceeding are present: a) the latter being
dependent on the former assumes the validity and truth of the former whether consciously or unconsciously
recognized, or b) the latter being dependent on the former endeavors to ascertain the truth or reality of the
former by determining the truth and reality of the latter. Also, if an answer to any question is negative, the
following steps or questions to them become logically unnecessary or irrelevant. On the other hand, positive
answers to the following questions give further support to the preceding ones thereby strengthening them.
The author knows that this work is not perfect and that the search for the whole truth continues accepting truth
whatever and wherever they are found. Hence, comments, suggestions, and recommendations are welcome.
You may e-mail them at lutherodoc@gmail.com.
2. Twila G. Punsalan et al., ed., “Buhay: Pinakadakilang Kaloob ng Diyos sa Tao,” in Edukasyon sa Pagpapahalaga IV:
Sangguniang Aklat, Unang Edisyon, ed. Gloria Baylon (Quezon City, Philippines: DECS- Instructional Materials
Development Center, 1995), 18. Life is the greatest gift. All others are nothing or meaningless without it. There
is no way to experience the treasures and riches the world has to offer if one is not alive. This is realized by
Robert Coon, “The Greatest Gift,” in The Path of the Phoenix: The Spiritual Road to Physical Immortality,
http://www.angelfire.com/in4/alchemy2084/gift.html. This is also affirmed by Dennis P. Kimbro saying, “Life Is
the Greatest of All Statements” in What Keeps Me Standing: Letters from Black Grandmothers on Peace, Hope
and Inspiration, penguinrandomhouse.ca, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/92570/what-keeps-me-
standing-by-dennis-kimbro/9780767912389/excerpt. Ayn Rand’s philosophical ethics (though the author does
not endorse it,) is founded on this idea. “Objectivism (Ayn Rand),” Wikipedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivism_(Ayn_Rand).
3. Life just comes as it is so, make the most out of it. One does not have everything to enjoy but he has life to enjoy
everything. Further, St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is man fully alive…” A person may have a good life but
human nature, as experience indicates, asks for a better, to a more better, to the best life possible! When a
person lives his life to the full, he has happiness. Here, the author uses the word ‘fullest’ to indicate the
intention of living our lives to the full not only from moment to moment but throughout all of our life in view
not of a particular moment but of its whole. (“Live life to the full” or near to it, is an expression used by one of
the author’s classmates while they were having a class discussion in Philo 2 (Ethics) at Saint Louis University,
Baguio City in the first semester of the school year 2005-2006. He fully adopted the term since it faithfully
reflects what he believes in); also, “...live a full, excellent and rich existence.” Rosalinda A. San Mateo & Maura
G. Tangco. “Italian or Individual Humanism,” in Foundations of Education II (Historical, Philosophical, & Legal
Foundations of Education), Third Edition (Quezon City, Philippines: Katha Publishing Co., Inc., 2003), 34
4. Every person, in his right mind, wants and needs to be happy! “As a psychological state, happiness is the feeling
of contentment arising from the possession of a good. As a state of being, it is the perfection arising from the
possession of the good. Happiness coming from the possession of the greatest good constitutes man’s
perfection.” Ramon B. Agapay, “The Greatest Good,” in Ethics and the Filipino: A Manual on Morals for Students
and Educators (Metro Manila, Philippines: National Bookstore, Inc., 1991), 35.
5. To live our lives to the fullest, we need to be clear on “The Ultimate Reason, Cause, Principle, & Purpose of Life”.
The author believes that “The Ultimate Reason, Cause, Principle, & Purpose of Life” is “The Highest Good”. A
human person naturally tends towards good and avoids evil. As such, a person lives his life to the fullest when
he strives for the highest good (Summum Bonum). The good necessarily involves truth. A person cannot have a
good life founded on lies and deception. Ignorance may not be an issue for some but there are instances in life
where ignorance is really in a very disadvantageous if not dangerous position. A person may live his life here and
now trying to enjoy each passing moment without considering tomorrow; He decides based only on the present
moment living life with the flow. Life experiences and reason show, however, that a purposeless life tends to be
shallow and imprudent. Eclecticism which appears to be prevalent nowadays looks to be good yet it leads to
erratic, inconsistent actions and purposelessness resulting from vague direction and confusion that drains
energy and strength. Such ways of living are not worthwhile. Striving for the highest good to live our life to the
fullest therefore necessarily involves striving for the truth on which we can best ground, build, and live our
entire life purposefully and meaningfully.
6. The Greatest Good involves also the well-being and full development of the individual person and others. Well-
being is interchangeably used with salvation on page 170 of Believing Unto Discipleship: Jesus of Nazareth – A
Workbook for Theology 2, ed. Lode Wostyn (Quezon City, Philippines: Claretian Publications, 2004). Also, “The
complete salvation which God has planned for every man is a salvation of his all-around nature. God is seeking
to save man physically and mentally, as well as morally and spiritually….” Quoted from Sidney N. Bremer, Ph.D.,
“Infinite Power”, in vol. I of Successful Achievement, Revised 1971 (Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A.: Success
Unlimited Enterprises, 1983), 25. “Well-being, wellbeing, welfare or wellness is a general term for the condition
of an individual or group, for example, their social, economic, psychological, spiritual or medical state; a high
level of well-being means in some sense the individual or group's experience is positive, while low well-being is
associated with negative happenings. In economics, the term is used for one or more quantitative measures
intended to assess the quality of life of a group….” “Well-being,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well-
being. For a philosophical discussion of well-being, see: Roger Crisp, “Well-Being,” in Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy, May 8, 2013, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/well-being/.
“Full Human Development” is a term used by Prof. Wilfredo Mina in V.E. 135: Organization, Administration, and
Evaluation of Guidance Program course during the First Semester of school 2009-2010 at Benguet State
University, La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines where the author was once a student, to designate the goal of
education. Before this, the author has in mind that everyone is called to perfection (Mt 5:48); Also, “The aim of
education is man’s perfection.” Antonio Isidro, “Humanism in Education Considers Man Both Matter and Spirit,”
Principles of Education: Applied to the Philippines (Quezon City, Philippines: Antonio Isidro, 1962), 105.
Everybody needs to be educated, whether through formal schooling or otherwise.
7. To properly strive for and maintain our well-being and attain integral and full development, we need to have
enough, good knowledge of ourselves (and this involves the question, ‘Who am I?’). This would enable us to act
properly, i.e., following what is best for us, effectively and efficiently since trial and error is minimized with a
greater chance of success and achievement. “You must know thyself in order to know your powers, and not until
you know then can you use them wisely and fully.” Ralph Waldo Trine, “Know Thyself,” in vol. I of Successful
Achievement by Sidney N. Bremer (Kentucky, U.S.A: Successful Achievement Inc., 1983), 1.
8. Part of knowing ourselves necessarily includes understanding our human nature.

9. “Philosophy of the mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind.” (“Philosophy of the mind”,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_the_mind )
Considering the well-documented Near Death Experiences (N.D.E.) of people, and the irreducibility of thinking
or non-localization of it in the brain (see Argument from Reason), the author chooses to perceive the human
person as a composite of the material body and trans-physical consciousness/immaterial soul, which separate
during death (see “Seven Proofs for the Natural Immortality of the Human Soul”; also “Body-soul
hylomorphism” in Hylomorphism/Hylemorphism, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hylomorphism).

Winston N. Ros in “Developing & Knowing Personality,” NSTP CWTS (BSU, 2009), p. 32 presented the Human
person as having a physical body and spiritual soul, manifested in the capacity of the intellect and will.
10. “Principle: a fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for belief or action.” Catherine Soanes
and Angus Stevenson, ed., "Principle" in Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Eleventh Edition (Oxford University
Press, 2004)
11. There is a need to have an aim or purpose in life for this sets the point of target to embark on and the reference
to gauge how life is going on. This is noted by Sidney N. Bremer, “Set Your Sails,” in vol. I of Successful
Achievement, 89-226; and Stephen Covey, “Begin with the End in Mind,” in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People: Restoring the Character Ethic (New York: Free Press, 1989), 95-144. There is a “need to find a sense of
direction for your life…” (Lavone A. Hanna, “Developing a Philosophy of Life,” in Facing Life’s Problems (U.S.A.:
Rand McNally & Company), 198.
12. The commitments we choose greatly shape the way we live our lives. Borrowing the words of Rok Sivante, in
Human Life Value: MLM Wisdom, Retirement, & The Continuing Journey, posted on November 4, 2009,
http://roksivante.com/tag/human-life-value (accessed Dec. 16, 2009): “Full commitment to a single cause or
business can be extremely powerful. Though, the cost of choosing any path is always saying no to a thousand
others. Had I limited myself to a representative of a single company I had no ownership in, I would be depriving
the world of infinitely more value that only could be utilized through other opportunities.” “Nothing shapes our
life more than the commitment we choose. It can develop or destroy us; either way, they define us.” “If you are
called upon to make the supreme sacrifice, and you may be, it is important that you know what you believe and
have clear understanding of the principles for which you fight and die.” (Hanna, “Developing a Philosophy of
Life.”
Commitments in life reveal what the person values. They are considered to be important for the person. Values
are acquired; they are not inherited like the way genes are passed from parents to offspring yet they could be
passed on from one generation to the next through education and learning. A person needs to clarify his
commitments and therefore his values.
13. In recognizing life’s ultimate purpose, it is important to have clear criteria in mind to be well-grounded. A well-
grounded vision of life is founded and nourished in and by truth. The truth about our origin and destiny is of
utmost importance.
14. Knowing one's origin and destiny greatly helps in understanding oneself and in recognizing our purpose in life. In
turn, a great understanding of oneself and recognizing one's purpose in life enables a person to act accordingly.
15. To know our origin, we necessarily ask questions and broadly, we can summarily ask, ‘Are we purposely created
or merely an accidental effect of mindless evolution?’ (A reformulation of the question ‘Why am I here?’; ‘Why
is there something rather than nothing?’ and ‘What is the ultimate source or origin of all things?’). The question
appears to be simple yet difficult to answer since it covers the complex whole of reality. The answer is clear-cut;
one needs to choose and choosing the other is denying the other one. To accept that we are purposely created
is to deny that we are merely accidental effects of mindless evolution. To answer the question, the (positive)
claim is advanced, and evidence for and against it is analyzed and evaluated, accepting or denying the claim.
This method is employed in the whole presentation whenever and wherever it is possible and proper to do so.
16. To know our destiny, we also necessarily ask questions and broadly, we can summarily ask: ‘What is it after this
earthly life; Is there life after death?’ Others (especially those who believe in ‘eternal oblivion’) assert that once
we die, we end; no afterlife. It is either there is hereafter or none at all. Being able to prove that there is
hereafter is to deny the opposite. The link “Afterlife,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterlife, speaks
about the different beliefs on ‘afterlife/hereafter.’ Since different and even conflicting claims are made, it is
wise to see and weigh the pieces of evidence for and against those claims.
17. The Question of the Creator necessarily involves the question of God and the Absolute. “In philosophy, the
concept of the Absolute is closely related to that of God in monotheism, albeit not necessarily referring to a
personal deity... The Absolute might be (1) the first and greatest being, (2) not a being at all but the “ground” of
being, or (3) both the ground of being and a being.” (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_(philosophy)).

In line with knowing oneself, Bremer in his vol. 1 of Successful Achievement puts: “The starting point of all
Successful Achievement is to know thyself. The starting point of knowing [the] self is to know God. As a matter of
fact, it is absolutely impossible to know thyself without knowing God.” (“Faith in God”, 9) Furthermore, “‘It is
upon a man’s idea of God that his idea of himself really depends,’ said Randall. ‘If his conception of God is
narrow and unworthy, so must be his conception of himself; if, on the other hand, his thought of God is lofty and
noble, his thoughts of himself must inevitably become lofty and noble’.” (“Starting with Confidence is Half the
Job of Growing”, 58). ‘God’ here could also be substituted with ‘god,’ which refers to the center of one’s life like
the self, money, material position, fame, or power since consciously or not, people are generally living their lives
with someone or something dominating it and the focus of their life, the one which is valued the most, the
greatest good for the person. Therefore, two meanings of God are fused in this: a.) God as the necessary, self-
existing being, the ultimate ground of all that is, and b.) god as the ultimate prevailing, driving inner reason in a
person’s life; the ground, bases, center and most valued to a person, which other values are related and
evaluated, operating efficaciously whether the person himself is conscious about it or not. The purpose of this
endeavor is to identify the ‘ultimate ground of all that is’ in reality and be able to adjust ourselves accordingly,
that is, to have our own personal god be in accord with reality or the real God if any.
18. The question of God and the Absolute, if taken very seriously as experienced by the author, is a very tough one.
It demands a lot especially commitment to truth, critical thinking, resourcefulness, humility, and hard work. It
took him years before he came up with this presentation based on his personal experiences, observations,
readings, studies, and necessary research. Religion, reason in general (as used in Philosophy), and science
(especially Cosmology) interlink and intertwine in the process. However, for an easy understanding, this
presentation simplifies it and begins with the most understood and accepted by the world, i.e., cosmology.
19. Cosmology, in general, is “the study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe.” (“Cosmology”,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology).

20. Physical cosmology in particular, “is the scholarly and scientific study of the origin, large-scale structures and
dynamics, and ultimate fate of the universe, as well as the scientific laws that govern these realities”
(“Cosmology”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology). At present, the Big Bang Theory is the prevailing
accepted explanation of how our universe began. The Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem claims that “any universe
which has, on average, been expanding throughout its history cannot be infinite in the past but must have a
past space-time boundary. In 2012 Vilenkin showed that models which do not meet this one condition still fail
for other reasons to avert the beginning of the universe” (William Lane Craig, “Contemporary Cosmology and
the Beginning of the Universe”, March 17, 2008, https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-
answer/contemporary-cosmology-and-the-beginning-of-the-universe; see also “Borde Guth Vilenkin Theorem: Scientific
Evidence for the Beginning of the Universe,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcbFFvVeoAk ).

“The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that in isolated systems, entropy always increases or stays the same,
and never goes down. That is why some processes are irreversible… This is a universal phenomenon. It is why
physicists regard “perpetual motion machines” as impossible. And here is the relevance to the question of
whether the universe had a beginning. If the universe did not have a beginning, then it has been around for an
infinite time. In a sense, the universe is then itself a “perpetual motion machine,” a system that never “runs
down” or “wears out,” which is a violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.” (Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.,
“III, Evidence from Entropy”, Evidence of God from Contemporary Science & Philosophy, May 2016, p. 18,
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Contemporary-Evidence-for-God-from-Science-Philosophy.pdf).
21. Philosophical Cosmology is a discipline directed to the philosophical contemplation of the universe as a totality,
and to its conceptual foundations. This would enable us to have better knowledge and understanding of the
universe as a whole and our origin in particular since we are part of the universe.

The link (“Cosmology,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04413a.htm) provides

further information on philosophical cosmology which necessarily takes into consideration physical cosmology.
22. De Wulf, Maurice, "Philosophy," in vol. 12 of The Catholic Encyclopedia, (New York: Robert Appleton Company,
1911), http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12025c.htm. Philosophy is the science (as much as it is a systematic
and organized body of knowledge) or study of the ultimate reason, causes, and principles of all things in the
light of human reason alone. Working from this definition and from the principle that nothing comes from
nothing, a necessary, subsisting being which/who is the first cause of all is supposed. We equate this to God. It
could be the universe or the laws of the universe itself, a supernatural being, or of any kind. This definition of
God is expected to be acceptable to all, whatever world view they have since everybody is “in the last analysis
convinced of the unity and oneness of the absolute… even for polytheist it was clear that somewhere or other
behind the many powers there stood the one Being, that in the last resort being was either one or at any rate the
eternal strife of two principles opposed to each other from the beginning…. Atheism, namely Marxism, asserts in
the strictest form this unity of being in all that is by declaring all being to be matter….” Joseph Ratzinger,
Introduction to Christianity, trans. J.R. Foster and Michael J. Miller (USA: Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 2004),
108. What follows is an effort to objectively identify that necessary, subsisting first cause as clearly as
possible.
23. Faith in God and religion have a great influence on one’s life, especially on adherents, and extend even to non-
adherents. Christianity, for example, has greatly affected the history of the West and through the West,
Christianity greatly influences and is still a powerful influence on the world and the whole of humanity. From the
dawn of civilization until this post-modern era, religion plays a great part in the socio-cultural, spiritual, and
lifestyle of humanity. It has been one of the most influential factors in shaping the worldview of people which in
turn determines the way they live their lives. Religion has been a great factor in shaping people’s lives and
through those people, it has been shaping the world. It is the belief of the author therefore that
apatheism/practical atheism where there is a lack of concern whether any supreme being exists or the lack
thereof, is not the best or better way to live one’s life. The great problem with religions, however, is that
conflicting beliefs are being upheld as truth (The link “Religion,” Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion presents the complex reality of religion). Hostilities, life sacrifices, as much
as wars even resulted in the name of protecting their beliefs and religion. Eclecticism, where the person
subjectively combines beliefs from different sources seems to be great. Yet as expressed earlier, closer
examination would show that problems and difficulties are inherent with it. The conflicting beliefs of different
religions and world views are difficult and even many are impossible to reconcile without a major or complete
change in the belief. There will always be prevailing beliefs that would screen out other beliefs or otherwise
indecision, inconsistencies, and or fluctuations of decisions and actions will result. Others would accept this as a
natural process of cognitive development (Jean Piaget) and the construction of knowledge (constructivism).
Nevertheless, a person’s life is very limited (localized, short, and fragile) to experiment, know, and understand
life and reality in their depth and wholeness. An individual can learn and be guided by the knowledge,
understanding, and wisdom of others. Progress and development take place not by denying the real truth that
others have discovered but by recognizing and taking them into account. This undertaking takes that premise
strongly. A good effort then is exerted to discover the highest truth that could be attained in the complex world
of religions. The question of God and true religion if any, will be the chief concern! These two are closely related
to each other. A better knowledge of God enables a person to identify the religion or religions that has/have the
better and even the best teachings. On the other hand, being able to identify the religion/s that is/are true to
God would lead to better knowledge of God since those religion/s will necessarily teach the core truths about
God. Since we assume the existence of God to be the necessary subsisting first cause of all, we need only to
clarify and gain a clearer identity and better understanding of God to live our lives according to the truth with
the hope that such will lead us to a better and fullness of life. How can we do this then considering that there
are thousands of religions/world views with conflicting beliefs about God? Critical thinking is required in this
situation. We need a systematic way to objectively look at and evaluate the pieces of evidence and come up
with conclusions as objectively as possible.
24. “The fact [that] there are so many competing, contradictory religions is tragic. It means that a great many
people are believing falsehoods. But this very thing gives us a clue about which religion is true: If the world is so
topsy-turvy that most people are in false religions, then the true religion will recognize this. Any faith that says
the world is not mired in religious confusion can be eliminated from consideration; it fails to give us a clear
account of a basic and evident fact.” Catholic Answers, “Quick Questions (1993),” New Advent, ed. Kevin
Knight, http://www.newadvent.org/library/almanac_thisrock93.htm.
25. Since objectivity is sought in this work, we will necessarily be involved in the philosophy of religion (Philosophy
of Religion, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_religion). Unlike other undertakings like
theology which presupposes belief (and/or supernatural revelation), the philosophy of religion deals with the
question of God based on “timeless evidence”. Critical thinking and good reasoning are very important.
Beliefs without good justification are set aside. To be able to systematically handle the complex reality of
religion, the several main positions on the existence of God (Positions in “The Existence of God,” Wikipedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existence_of_God) will be utilized. ‘Apatheism’ is put aside since earlier it is
established that the question of God and religion is very important. Likewise, ‘agnosticism’ is canceled out since
we endeavor to know the truth, and also with ‘possibilianism’ since they are combinations of the other main
positions. With regards to ‘ignosticism,’ the definition of God given earlier will serve as the ground and
guidepost in search of a more advanced and less vague identity of God. Two opposing alternatives are left,
‘theism’ (the belief in the existence of one or more divinities or deities) and ‘atheism’ (the rejection of belief in
the existence of deities).
26. With the nature of the matter being considered, the author is one with those who think that at the beginning,
the burden of proof properly lies on theism which must be critically considered and evaluated by others. To
be able to prove that ‘theism is true’, is to deny the opposite alternative that ‘atheism is true.’ However, failure
to prove theism to be true will not automatically mean that atheism is true since agnosticism could be the most
realistic alternative. Verifying theism is not easy. Philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God
are being put forward, yet without the necessary moral and intellectual disposition, it is difficult to objectively
determine and appreciate their merits. Disagreements about their validity are not unusual. At best, the
philosophical arguments for God, in the opinion of the author, could establish the existence, and key attributes
of a necessary eternal existing being as the source/beginning of all that is, which could be equated to God. ( see
“The existence of God” in The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, Second and Revised Edition, 1920;
Patrick Toner, "The God of the Philosophers", part of “The Existence of God” in vol. 6 of The Catholic
Encyclopedia, (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909); A.J. Hoover, “Arguments for the Existence of God”
in Elwell Evangelical Dictionary; and Patrick Toner, As known through natural reason ("the God of the
philosophers")”, part of "The Nature and Attributes of God" in vol. 6 of The Catholic Encyclopedia, (New York:
Robert Appleton Company, 1909)). These, however, leave open other essential questions still unanswered. They
are insufficient to establish an undisputed identity of God among the many different gods believed in the
different religions and beliefs which, in the opinion of the author and which this work endeavors to do also, is of
essential concern. This is not to belittle the rational arguments for and against the existence of God and the key
attributes of God arrived at. The author thinks that knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of them are
important but they are not enough. The philosophical arguments for the existence of God are abstract and
theoretical (speculative) in nature that taken in themselves alone, lack the necessary power to obtain full assent
from most people. Alone, they are prone to be taken as just one interpretation of reality. A concrete and
experiential counterpart in real life is very important. Taking therefore into consideration the arguments for
(and against) the existence of God and the conclusions arrived at, the different religions are to be explored and
evaluated. This should leave an openness to other possibilities which our limited capacities may not have
perceived in the first instance.
27. There are several conflicting sub-positions within theism (“Theism,” Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theism). It is better to logically reduce them into two, a.) those who believe in a
self-revealing god, and b.) those who have a nonself-revealing god. Nonself-revealing god includes primarily the
one held by Deism; it is a god who does not interfere in human life and the laws of the universe. At best, we
can go as far as philosophy would allow us to identify this kind of god. The best bet, in the opinion of the
author, is the ‘Metaphysics of being’ along the lines of Thomistic philosophy. This is best represented by the
following: “The Existence of God” in The Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas; and “A Contemporary
Thomistic Metaphysical Proof of God” and “Philosophical Proof of God: Derived from Principles in Bernard
Lonergan’s Insight” both written by Robert Spitzer, S.J.
28. Self-revealing god as used in this work refers to a god that intentionally relates and discloses its presence and
identity to humanity. It is a god that has ‘special/particular revelation’ as differentiated from ‘universal
revelation’ in Christian Theology. Self-revealing god if there is one, could reveal something to humanity that
enables us to attain better knowledge and understanding of him, of reality, and of ourselves. Revealing god,
therefore is of much importance to us than a god that does not care about us. We may just not care about a
careless god. Likewise, we can go further in our investigation of a revealing god than a non-revealing god could
allow us to do. This is the main reason that the author makes a distinction between self-revealing god from
nonself-revealing god. A concretely evident manifestation of God, if possible, is expected to be found most
probably in religions. These are to be comprehensively analyzed and critically evaluated by sound reason,
knowledge, and understanding of reality. With the chosen method employed in this work, the argument from
inconsistent revelations (“Argument from Inconsistent Revelations,” Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_inconsistent_revelations) is avoided.
29. Miracles if genuine, are the best concrete sign or evidence that humans can recognize to acknowledge that a
supernatural is really the one responsible for something like revelation. The link John T. Driscoll, "Miracle," in
vol. 10 of The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911),
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10338a.htm presents a point of view about miracles which is in line and
consistent with the preceding taken view of reality (i.e. the metaphysics of being as developed and
characterized by Thomas Aquinas). The link is also chosen with respect to the claimed resurrection of Jesus. For
a broader treatment of miracles, see “Miracles,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle.
30. The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, in the opinion of the author, is the greatest of all claimed miracles. This
is because we fully know that a dead man stays dead unless there is someone or something powerful that could
bring back that person’s life after death. Jesus’ resurrection is considered unique differentiating it from
resuscitation. So far, resurrection is considered to have happened only to Jesus where one will have acquired
new properties which, unlike resuscitation, the person will no longer die and transcends space and time. Of all
those who started religious and spiritual movements in the entire human history in the knowledge and
understanding of the author, only Jesus of Nazareth is claimed to have resurrected from the dead. Also, life as
presented at the start is the greatest of all gifts since if a human person’s life is lost, that person also loses
everything. As such, gaining life once more is of greater importance compared to others. The resurrection of
Jesus connects us to the question of the ‘afterlife;’ If it is true, then it is a testament to the ‘afterlife’ as
Christians claim it to be the first fruit and exemplar of Christians’ future (1 Corinthians 15, 12-32). Unlike other
claimed miracles, there are good arguments as well for the authenticity of the claimed resurrection of Jesus (see
“Historical Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection” by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., May 2013; at
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7693347/Evidence-of-Resurrection-NT-Wright.pdf; Also, “The
Resurrection Faith Today,” at https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/337/332 by
Joseph J. Smith, S.J.); they are mainly based on two claimed facts: a.) Jesus’ after-death appearances which
serve as the primary evidence, and b.) the empty tomb where he was laid which serves as corroborating
evidence to the primary evidence. All of these presuppose the real existence of the historical Jesus of Nazareth
as concurred by the majority of scholars.

For a broader treatment of this topic, see the “Resurrection of Jesus,” Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus
31. The empty tomb is doubted by some scholars; however, the majority would concede it to be historical (“The
Resurrection of Jesus,” Dante’s Inferno, posted September 26, 2008,
http://facilis.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/7/). The link “The Resurrection and the Empty
Tomb,”https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/338/333 by Joseph J. Smith, S.J.
carries further the discussion of the empty tomb and its significance which takes into consideration the points
raised by William Lane Craig in the original link “The Historicity of the Empty Tomb of Jesus.” Besides historical
evidence, theological reasons are also considered in the article.

The author of this work also believes that knowing and understanding the tomb where Jesus was laid is not
complete without knowing, understanding, and relating it to Jesus’ claimed after-death appearances.
32. The after-death appearances of Jesus are considered to be the primary evidence of Jesus’ resurrection (James
H. Kroeger, M.M.). The author agrees with this since an empty tomb could have many reasons to be so. Besides,
some claim that God could have resurrected Jesus without needing his former material body.

The link “The Resurrection Appearances and the Origin of Easter Faith,”
https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/landas/article/download/339/334 by Joseph J. Smith, S.J. masterfully
tackles in a scholarly manner the topic presenting different perfectives on it including the points presented on
the original link “Is 1 Corinthians 15:3-11 an Interpolation?” in Christian Colligation of Apologetics Debate
Research & Evangelism,
(http://web.archive.org/web/20160502071859/http://www.christiancadre.org/member_contrib/cp_interpolation.html )
by Christopher Price which presents and defends the acclaimed earliest written account of Jesus' resurrection
appearances.

Unlike the historicity of the empty tomb, the possibility and reality of these after-death appearances of Jesus
can be validated not only through the critical analysis of the information handed down to us as presented in the
New Testament but also through visions and apparitions of Jesus in the course of history after his claimed
ascension. Claims of such visions and apparitions of Jesus cannot be taken as true with mere words of claimants.
It is essential that claimed visions and apparitions should be in accord or at least not in conflict with what is
earlier known and established possibilities. Likewise, there must be sufficient evidence that such a vision or
apparition is real and not mere imagination, hallucination, or deception. In such cases (vision or apparition),
miracles play a vital role if they are expected to be accepted as genuine by well-reasoned people. We are back
then to miracles (in general) as the most compelling external evidence of God’s revelation and or manifestation.
33. By this time, it should be clear that to determine the historical reality of the claimed resurrection of Jesus, it is
proper that we determine the historical reality of the basis of such claim most especially the primary evidence
which is the ‘after death appearances’ of Jesus. It should also be clear that the claimed resurrection of Jesus of
Nazareth is considered to be a miracle. Since it (whether true or false,) is unique and cannot be collaborated
with the resurrection of other people, the historical reality of both miracles and the ‘after-death appearances’
of Jesus are to be factually established if Jesus’ resurrection is to be historically established. Side by side and
in collaboration with each other, we evaluate them.
34. Both the miracles and the ‘after-death appearances’ of Jesus, if genuine and if meant to assent belief of rational
people, should have appeal to knowledge. In general, this means that good knowledge of proper science
whether formal, scientific (natural and social), philosophical, or theological, should not be an opponent but
rather a friend in the search for truth even in the realm of faith and religion. In the opinion of the author, they
are even indispensable (see link: Rich Lee Bruce, “Belief in Miracles Implies Belief in Science,” richleebruce.com,
http://richleebruce.com/science/contrast.html). Right and secured belief builds on reason and presupposes
sufficient valid reason/s for believing.
35. Since we are dealing with matters of historical question, appeal to knowledge primarily means that they
should have ‘happened in the course of history and are happening today’ to be valid subjects of historical
inquiry. Some deny miracles immediately based on their conceived impossibility. These are covered in the broad
yet in-depth presentation of Miracle (see link). However, “The Problem Of Miracles: A Historical And
Philosophical Perspective,” http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html by William Lane Craig
presents a more detailed refutation of those conceptions as held by specific persons and as a consequence,
defends the historical possibility of miracles.
36. Appeal to knowledge also means that it should be in accord with the claimed realities related to Jesus whose
resurrection we are trying to establish. As a result, it is conceded that Jesus' manifestation if real, may not be
greater than the claimed way He was taken up (bodily ascending) into heaven for that would be Parousia, his
second coming (Acts 1:11b). Also, good Christian theology will necessarily be considered. Since Christian beliefs
include the possibility and even reality of bad spirits and their manifestation, actual heavenly visions are to be
properly discerned. See Roure, Lucien, “Visions and Apparitions,” in vol. 15 of The Catholic Encyclopedia (New
York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912), http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15477a.htm. Also, Joachim Bouflet
& Philippe Boutry, “1978 Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith document on Apparition Discernment,” in
“Discernment of Apparition Claims,” The Miracle Hunter,
http://www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/discernment/1978_CDF.html.
37. Since in reality, people may or may not believe in god- that humans have free will to choose to believe or not,
should be of great consideration. A true God must be in accord with this. Good Christian theology would say
that God created everything out of love; that humanity being endowed with freewill, rebels against God which
made humanity in general alienate itself from God, himself, and others; that God is just yet merciful and
compassionate which naturally flows out of him being love himself; that Jesus shared the love of God the Father
for humanity that though he is divine, Jesus emptied himself becoming a man to save humanity; that Jesus being
a man was born, live and died as a true human person; that Jesus, as true human person, become in solidarity
with humanity with its weaknesses, brokenness and sufferings; that in being human, Jesus reconciled humanity
with God the Father by being faithful and committed to the will of God the Father from the very beginning until
the end despite the pain, suffering and threat of death he underwent which lead to his crucifixion and death on
the cross; that God the Father in return, glorified Jesus, resurrecting him up from death and putting him in-
charge overall; that being Christian therefore is being faithful and committed to God like Jesus and hoping that
like Jesus, though we die, we will resurrect and be glorified at the end. In short, miracles and ‘after death
appearances’ of Jesus should be ‘worthy of almighty, loving, just, and compassionate, personal God.’ The link
“Free Will & Opposition To The Poem,” http://www.bardstown.com/~brchrys/FreeWill.html, (the authenticity of
which as being supernatural message is set aside,) presents God as having utmost respect for human person’s
free will which (in the opinion of the author) leads to a satisfactory answer as to why God do not force with act
of power those who do not believe him and the religion that truly teaches about him if there is any. This falls
under the belief that God is love and as love, he wants humanity to relate to and acknowledge him as God,
not out of terror or fear of punishment (servile fear) but out of fear of displeasing and separating oneself from
him (filial fear). This kind of relationship that he seeks involves respect, thanksgiving, and joy, and ultimately
finds its root, motivation, meaning, and purpose in, by, and for love. Much of these theologies though, are
influenced by and employed with the aid of philosophy so good philosophical grounding is important.
38. Claims of visions, apparitions, and miracles are to be properly evaluated critically with the aid of ‘scientific
investigations.’ The link “Scientific Investigation of Miracles,” by Father Mateo, in Father Mateo Archives, July
12, 1992, Catholic Information Network (CIN), http://www.cin.org/mateo/m920712a.html, presents how
miracles are scientifically investigated.
39. Paul of Tarsus (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm), in the opinion of the author, is the most
dependable witness in the Bible of Jesus’ resurrection for generations who do not belong to the apostolic era.
There are several reasons for thinking this. First, Paul of Tarsus is fully accepted to be a learned and faithful Jew;
he is trained to be a Pharisee, and he has been persecuting the Christians. Second, before his conversion, he
never had any encounter with the earthly Jesus and even so with the resurrected Jesus up to the claimed Jesus’
ascension into heaven and until after the Pentecost. Third, he is fully accepted to be a Christian who has several
writings authenticated to be his. Fourth, his writings are fully accepted to be the earliest writings in the New
Testament Bible. Fifth, his conversion was due to a vision of the resurrected Jesus (I Corinthians 15, 8) which, in
the understanding of the author, is post-ascension and post-Pentecost. Lastly, Paul’s vision involves external
manifestation perceivable to other people (voice is stated in Acts 9, 7 while the light is stated in Acts 22, 9;
either way, it affirms an external manifestation). For these reasons, it is the opinion of the author that Paul’s
experience of the vision of Jesus is the outstanding exemplar of any claimed vision or apparition of Jesus after
him.
40. Myrna Nazzour is claimed to have parallel experiences to that of Paul of Tarsus. She is said to have seen and
heard Jesus in a vision, lost sight, and fasted for three days which also happened in Damascus. Likewise,
miracles are also claimed which if genuine and in collaboration with other similar experiences, could testify to
the reality of the experience. Doctors, theologians, and people of different religious affiliations have been
attending to the phenomena. The link (“The Authenticity of Myrna Nazzour’s Experiences,”
https://www.scribd.com/document/50841912/The-Authenticity-of-Myrna-Nazzour-s-Experiences by the same
author of this work) presents in a scholarly, systematic manner a treatment of Myrna Nazzour's experiences in a
linkable graphic presentation to evaluate their authenticity and hence, the credibility of her visions.
41. To substantiate the ‘after-death appearances’ of Jesus as historical fact, it is also important to have related
credible experiences after Paul of Tarsus until Myrna Nazzour which would testify and collaborate that such is
truly happening. The visions together with the miracles associated with Teresa of Avila and Pio of Pietrelcina
appear to be credible. If stigmata is the most outstanding miracle easily accessible to scientific inquiry that is
related to Pio of Pietrelcina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pio_of_Pietrelcina), it is an incorrupt body to Teresa
of Avila (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14515b.htm).
42. The miracle at Calanda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_of_Calanda) and the Zeitun apparition
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Zeitoun) do not include after-death appearances of Jesus but they
appeared to be genuine miracles. Some people, because they held naturalism to be true, dismiss immediately
any talk of supernatural visions and miracles. The referred claims emerge to be credible evidence supporting the
likelihood that there is supernatural reality.
43. For other historical claims of miracles, see “Miracles” at
http://web.archive.org/web/20220319191317/http://overcomeproblems.com/miracles.php; for other claims of
visions and apparitions of Jesus in the course of history after his claim ascension, see “Visions of Jesus and
Mary” at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visions_of_Jesus_and_Mary.
44. A positive ‘Yes’ must be the answer if Jesus’ resurrection is a historical fact. If the conclusion is really yes,
miracles and after-death appearances of Jesus happen in history, and the condition, messages, and related
circumstances of their occurrences are expected to reveal something. Jesus may clarify beliefs about Him and
pinpoint to humanity which belief system he sanctions given the fact that there are diverse and even
contradicting religions and claims about him.
45. The many differing and even contrasting opinions and ideas regarding the reality, identity, characteristics, and
will of God even among people who believe in the resurrected Jesus is one great obstacle among the many in
coming to believing in God, especially the God as claim to be revealed by Jesus. As such a wise or compassionate
God would not leave us alone in confusion without doing something for us to have a “...pillar and foundation of
truth” with a stamp of necessary proof as we go on our way.[ see: Richard Carrier, “Main Argument,” in Why I
Don't Buy the Resurrection Story, 6th ed., 2006, Internet Infidels,
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/resurrection/lecture.html. Therefore, if God is the God
as proclaimed by Jesus, who is a compassionate, merciful, and loving God, and he is a God who desires
humanity to acknowledge and come to him, must manifest his presence and his will.
46. Miracles and after-death appearances of Jesus in history, if indeed real and true, are of great value for
manifesting the truth of claims related to Jesus. Great as they are, miracles and after-death appearances of
Jesus in history however, are constrained and limited and therefore could not be the normal way that Jesus
would manifest his presence and God’s will as human experience indicates and human reason demands. To be
consistent with what has been laid earlier, human reason demands that God must ‘leave something that draws
and bonds his people together in him & make His presence concrete’. Since most Christians believe and claim
that the Bible is inspired and that it contains revelations of God, we necessarily look into it and consider its
contents and messages. However, it is a historical fact that what will constitute the books of the Bible or so-
called canon of the Bible was formally and authoritatively decided by members and Councils of the Universal
Christian Church only in the 4th Century C.E. Before this, there were debates prompted by different opinions on
which books are inspired and which are not. The Christian Church then came first before the Bible. Before the
Bible, for people to know and recognize God and his will as revealed by Jesus, normally and concretely relied on
the teachings of the Christian Church as proclaimed and interpreted by the Christian church leaders based on
what is handed over to them. The Bible agrees with this and goes even further as 1 Timothy 3:15 states that the
church is “the pillar and foundation of truth.” Besides, reality shows that the Bible alone cannot be the sole
basis of the truths of the Christian faith since passages in the Bible are prone to misunderstandings and different
interpretations. A teaching authority must exist if we will be consistent with the claim of a Christian God who is
all-knowing, almighty, compassionate, and loving for he will ensure that his revelation will lean on a solid
foundation.
47. Although the Bible states that the Christian Church is “the pillar and foundation of truth,” (1 Timothy 3:15) a
reasonable answer as to why would that be is necessarily expected. Christians claim, and as stated in their holy
book (Bible) that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to be with them who will guide, remind and teach all the truth
that Jesus told and taught them (John 14:17, 26; 16:13). The Christian Church is said also to be formally born with
the descent of the Holy Spirit during the Pentecost wherein the disciples, initially terrified and frightened because
of what happened to Jesus became courageous, going out in proclaiming that Jesus who was crucified and died
had risen from the dead and is now glorified (Acts 2). Nevertheless, how can we be sure of such a Holy Spirit?
Christian theology considers it to be an article of faith wherein it is believed due to the authority of God/Jesus
who reveals it. Nevertheless, it is the opinion of the author that although such a spiritual reality will remain as an
article of faith, at least perceptible convincing signs must exist which shows that such a Holy Spirit is real and
present. We will then ascertain the truth of such a claim by relating it to his claimed activities, works, or functions
which are concretely evident to human persons. With this, prime consideration goes back to the Church which is
claimed to be born out of the presence of the Holy Spirit and continues to exist through it. Immediately, reality
seems to be saying otherwise since different contradicting Christian denominations exist. It seems that the Holy
Spirit is not effective, or is it real? Christians would argue that God/Holy Spirit does not compel anyone to accept
anything and act in a particular way. This goes back to the idea that God created human beings to choose and act
with free will. As such, people may go against the prompting of the Holy Spirit thereby resulting in conflicts,
disunity, and even separation from the legitimate Church. Well, indeed, Christianity today is widely divided, and
diverse and have conflicts among themselves not only in terms of organization but in their theology and official
interpretation of the Bible. Then from these thousands of groups, which Christian denomination should we trust
and follow? The Bible states in Matthew 16:18 that Jesus built his Church on Peter. However, this is not immune
to different and even conflicting interpretations and applications to the actual situation by different Christian
denominations. Whatever the case, it is clear from the statement that the Church will stand still despite every
difficulty since it is not to be prevailed over by the gates of hell. It is further understood that the church would
exist from the time of Peter the Apostle “until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). Some Christians, taking the
‘church’ to mean the spiritual unity of all Christians, would interpret this to mean that Christianity as a whole can
never be extinguished. At first sight, such an interpretation seems to be valid yet further scrutiny brings out big
problems. If the Church is equated to Christianity as a whole, which kind of Christianity considering that
thousands of different and even conflicting groups with different beliefs, teachings, worship, and organizations
claiming to be Christians exist? Such a church with conflicting teachings has a fatal blow to 1 Timothy 3:15 which
states that the church is “the pillar and foundation of truth” and consequently undermines the Christian belief
that the message of the Bible is true. Furthermore, is the spiritual unity of all Christians possible, be real and
present? In the opinion of the author, the spiritual unity of all Christians is only a myth without concrete and
actual manifestation in reality. Christians who are in conflict and fighting among themselves are not united
spiritually. Although it is possible that people who have disagreements could be united by other factors, especially
by those which are of greater importance than the cause of disagreements, still that has concrete manifestation in
reality which is perceptible to a normal person. Therefore, the author considers that the Church stated in the
passage would be an actual community of believers united with each other not only conceptually but in actuality.
Now, considering everything that has already been said and done, the following denominations are stripped out
of the choices as the church stated in the Bible: a) those who held sola scriptura; b) those who held the total
apostasy of the early church; c.) those whose origin cannot be trace back to the early church; d.) those whose
teachings contradicts, conflicts, or is not in harmony with the teachings of the early church; and e.) those who
separated themselves because they cannot accept the authoritative decisions of universally recognized
ecumenical councils of the early church which are held to be guided and moved by the Holy Spirit. This would
leave the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church as candidates. Initially, the two are united with each other.
Gradually, differences and misgivings became so enormous that they broke from each other in the Middle Ages
until today. As of this time, is it recognized that what unites the two is still far greater than what divides them.
Concerning the interpretation of Matthew 16:18, Eastern Orthodox theologians agree that "rock" simultaneously
refers to Peter as well as Peter's confession of faith which has ultimate significance in establishing the Church
(Veselin Kesich, “Primacy of Simon Peter,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primacy_of_Simon_Peter ).
The declaration of Ravenna which is a Roman Catholic–Eastern Orthodox document issued in 2007, affirms that
the bishop of Rome is indeed Protos, although the concrete ecclesiological exercise of papal primacy is still
unsettled. History itself shows that the pope has an outstanding role in the universal unity, continuity,
development, and progress of Christianity. During the early centuries of Christianity, the pope was instrumental in
the authoritative settlement of issues and disputes concerning morals and doctrines of the Christian faith. His
approval of having a universal ecumenical church council and their final results were looked up to, especially on
the many heresies that arose. It is also a historical fact that the Orthodox Churches who are separated from the
see of Peter became “fragmented along national lines.” (For more information, see Catholic Answers, Eastern
Orthodoxy, https://www.catholic.com/tract/eastern-orthodoxy) Taking into consideration all that has been said
regarding the characteristics of the Biblical Christian Church including the signs in the form of miracles and after-
death appearances of Jesus which accompanies her members (Mark 16:17-18), we can reasonably conclude that
such Church subsists in the Catholic Church as headed by the pope. Richard Bruce in his “Strong Centralized
International Churches are Impossible But the Catholic Church Exists So God Exists,” at
http://richleebruce.com/miracle/evidence.html presents evidence that appears to validate that the Catholic
Church is really of supernatural origin and that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in her. The link “Understanding the
Church,” at https://www.scribd.com/doc/299847699/Understanding-the-Church comprehensively presents a
current theological understanding of the Church by Catholic theologians and biblical scholars as studied and
understood by the author. The author considers it to be the best way so far to understand the Biblical Church.
48. Although it is already rationally convincingly to conclude that the Catholic Church is the Church stated in the
Bible to be the pillar and foundation of truth, it is important to see a contemporary clear demonstration that
such nature of the Church as pillar and foundation of truth is true and actual in reality. It is also important that
such nature be linked as clearly as possible to the Holy Spirit who is believed to be the main reason why the
Church exists in the first place and continues to exist as bearer of the Christian truth. The Catholic Church's
teaching and treatment of the Eucharist arise to be preeminent concerning this. The Catholic Church in her
officially approved Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1324 states: “The Eucharist is ‘the source and
summit of the Christian life’ (LG 11).” “‘The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works
of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is
contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch’ (PO 5)." In the Catholic
Church's point of view, Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace; they are considered as saving symbolic signs
that bring about what they signify. Jesus is regarded as the primordial sacrament. This means that the invisible
God became visible to humanity in and through Jesus. He is considered the fullness of God’s revelation. After
Jesus is the Church which is regarded as the foundational sacrament. In and through the Church, Jesus is
visibly present in the world. The Church in turn makes present and available the saving acts of Jesus most
especially through the seven ritual sacraments. Of the seven ritual sacraments, the Eucharist takes a central
place. CCC 1327 states further that “...the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: ‘Our way of thinking
is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking’ (St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4,
18, 5: PG 7/l, 1028).” Although the Church celebrates the Eucharist and therefore it could be said that ‘the
Church makes the Eucharist,’ it is also equally held that ‘the Eucharist builds the Church’. The celebration of the
Sacrament of the Eucharist is said to commemorate the saving life and acts of Jesus most especially his
sacrifice on the cross and his victory over sin and death. Many Christian denominations recognize the
significance of the Eucharist and even have its celebrations in their gatherings in obedience to what is stated in I
Corinthians 11:23-26. What makes the Catholic Church's teaching on the Eucharist significantly different from
many others is her insistence on the ‘real presence’ of Jesus in the validly consecrated bread and wine. This
belief in the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine is argued against mere symbolism to be
the proper understanding based on the Bible particularly in the New Testament and from the belief of the early
Christians before and those who form the Bible. See the link “Eucharist in the Catholic Church,” Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist_ in_the_Catholic_Church for further information.
49. Transubstantiation is the belief that the ordinary bread and wine offered in the Mass is truly substantially
transformed (hence, transubstantiation, understood not scientifically but metaphysically) into the body and
blood of Jesus after the prayer of consecration is said by a validly ordained priest and done in accord with
the intention of the Church (”Transubstantiation”, Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transubstantiation). This belief is traced back ultimately to the belief in the
resurrected Jesus who promised the Holy Spirit to the Church; through the Church with the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, the so-called inspired writings are chosen correctly to form the New Testament and the Bible as a
whole. With the continual guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church continues to exist and be true to her mission
in proclaiming and witnessing the truth of Jesus. Because of this, authoritative teachings on faith and morals
are claimed by the Catholic Church and this extends to the use and interpretation of the Bible. One
authoritative teaching in the Catholic Church is the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine.
Clarifications against questions, doubts, and objections are made by appealing to history and the Bible. It is
held that the belief in the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine existed even before the
actual existence of the Bible as shown by the writings of by the early Christians including those which are part
of the Bible itself and those of the Church Fathers. I Corinthians 11:23-29, Mark 14:22-24, Matthew 26:26-28,
Luke 22:19-20 and especially John 6:47-58 are understood as clearly stating and affirming the real presence of
the Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine and not just symbolic as claim by others. The Celebration of the
Eucharist is held to be a commemoration or remembering. It is claimed that commemoration/remembering as
contextually understood in the Jewish way and as understood on Jesus’s command is not just recalling in mind
what had happened in the past but bringing about and experiencing in the present time and place the past
event. The Eucharist as commemoration is therefore understood as a ritual act of bringing about the saving
act of Jesus on the cross and in doing so, those who partake with faith and in the state of grace become in
communion with Jesus in both his sacrifice and its fruits. This is difficult to accept as much as it is difficult to
understand how such a thing could happen. It is held that such change (transubstantiation) is effected by the
Holy Spirit which is invoked in the prayer of consecration. Thereby, the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
is held by the Church to be an article of faith and is therefore to be believed in due to the authority of
Jesus/God who has spoken about it. A person could immediately and reasonably believe in as such. However,
such greatness of things requires also an equally great faith to believe. Real-life situations and the author’s
experience showed that good and valid arguments are often not enough for most contemporary people just
like him to be fully satisfied, and stop wondering and questioning. Believing in the real presence of Jesus in the
Eucharist by way of transubstantiation is distinctly equally like believing in the resurrection of Jesus.
Contemporary people need to have empirical pieces of evidence that could validate or demonstrate that such
is real and not just superstition or imaginary. In the opinion of the author, a truly loving and compassionate
God could not easily do away with this desire of people who honestly seek the truth. The author holds then
that empirical pieces of evidence of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist must be available if everything that
has been positively affirmed prior to and including this belief is true. Eucharistic miracles susceptible to
empirical observations are of significant value in this.
50. The link http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/engl_mir.htm presents “The Eucharistic Miracles of the
World” by Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association. It has a listing of documented
Catholic Church-verified accounts of Eucharistic Miracles by Country with hyperlinks that open to a PDF
document.

Following the process undertaken as presented above, the question of transubstantiation could summarize the
question of God and religion. A stance of ‘true’ in transubstantiation necessarily affirms the reality of the
teachings about it and points a clue to those who teach the truth. Also, affirming transubstantiation is
affirming the reality of the Holy Spirit that transforms it. In affirming the reality of the Holy Spirit, we
necessarily affirm the truth of Jesus’ resurrection since it is the resurrected Jesus who introduces and
promises the Holy Spirit. In affirming the truth of the resurrection of Jesus, the reality of miracles is also
affirmed, and ultimately, the one that causes miracles- the God as characterized by Jesus. Although this is a
good way to summarize and conclude the question of God and religion, it is still a way of concluding and it is
difficult to see and appreciate the deep, beauty, and importance of it all without undergoing most or even the
entire process.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Luther Osting Odoc is a native of Benguet, Philippines. As he grew up, he used to attend religious
activities initially because his father willed it, later because he avoided doing household chores, farm work,
and other things being asked of him when he did not go to church, and then because of socialization and fun.
After his high school graduation in March 2003, he entered a diocesan seminary to finish his bachelor’s degree
and left the seminary to take up law. However, after finishing only the first-year philosophy course, he left the
seminary and then attended a ‘catholic’ university for a summer and a semester. In that University, he learns
to doubt everything including his faith in God and Catholicism. His faith in God which gives meaning to his
existence and hope to his life’s struggles was shaken. The influence of his philosophy instructor coupled with
the many attacks on the Catholic Church and her official teachings written in the worktext being officially used
in their religion classes serve as the main factor. He learned to deconstruct everything including his faith and
painstakingly endeavored to establish something that is well grounded in proven truth and reality. The
question of Jesus’ resurrection and miracles in general came to the fore. After a break from non-schooling for
a semester and a summer, the author enrolled in a state university where the question of God and religion lay
low but eventually became very crucial and agonizing. Holding on to the saying: “The truth shall set you free,”
the author had his intense personal inquiry. In his fourth year at the state university, he finally made up his
mind and the blueprint of this presentation is also complete. After obtaining his degree in BSE Physical Science
in November 2010 from Benguet State University, he went in June 2011 to Mother of Life Center and finished
the academic requirements for MA in Religious Education in August 2013. From the academic year 2012 to the
academic year 2015, he had been teaching Christian Living at Colegio de Sta. Monica de Angat in Bulacan,
Philippines.

* The graphic organizer page is laid out in B3 size (width by height: 353 mm/13.9” by 500 mm/19.69”) while
‘EXPLANATORY NOTES,’ ‘CHANGELOG’ and ‘ABOUT THE AUTHOR’ sections have 8.5” width with varying height up to
a maximum of 11”.

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