Apparitions, Visions, and Revelations

Apparitions, Visions, and Revelations

(Theological possibility and significance

of these unusual manifestations)

Dr. fra Ivan Dugandzic, OFM, 1995

Content:

1. EXTRAORDINARY MANIFESTATIONS IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES
2. THE CONCEPT OF APPARITION AND VISION IN THEOLOGY
3. MYSTICAL AND PROPHETIC VISIONS
4. NATURAL, PARAPSYCHOLOGICAL AND SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATIONS
5. CRITERIA REGARDING THE CHURCH
6. THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS
Dr. Fr. Ivan Dugandzic

1. EXTRAORDINARY MANIFESTATIONS IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES

- TOP - Apparitions, Visions, and Revelations -Theological possibility and significance of these unusual manifestations

In 1973, there was a stormy discussion among theologians about the significance of Jesus' resurrection and the meaning of speech in the apparitions of the Risen One as the New Testament speaks of them. R. Pesch, a liberal Catholic biblical scholar, provoked that discussion with his assertion that talk about the resurrection is merely "the expression of the believers' recognition of Jesus' eschatological significance, his mission and authority, his legitimation in view of his death." Talk about apparitions would merely be the "legitimation" of the disciples, that is, their determination to proclaim that "significance of Jesus." His Protestant, very moderate colleague, M. Hengel, in his response particularly regrets that in present times visions are made equivalent to hallucinations and continues, "Since the rich mystical tradition of the Church has dried up, at least in our regions, theologians are then no longer in authority for these manifestations, but rather psychiatrists or drug experts. A vision is considered a pathological manifestation" (ThQ 3/1973, p. 255). It was as though it were a prophetic word for what will be shown also in the case of the apparitions in Medjugorje eight years later.

About The Role Of Mass-Medias

About The Role Of Mass-Medias

In Spreading The Message Of Medjugorje

Hans Schotte, 1995

Nowhere in the world has Our Lady ever spoken for such a long time and through so many messages to the people of this earth. This fact alone is so unique that it makes us wonder. The Messages have nothing spectacular nor sensational in them, as we journalists expect and as we are used to in news broadcasting. Many Messages are repetitions, deepening of the same content, offering help to make even the smallest step in faith; they are repeated invitations finally to do and to live what Our Lady already invited us to live. She motivates us again and again to turn to her to learn how to believe, to find Jesus, to find ourselves. All this is not particularly interesting for the demands of a journalist. No wonder, because the Messages are not passing news which seem a sensation today and become "cold coffee" tomorrow, according to the proverb: "There is nothing as old as yesterday's newspaper." The Messages are not like that. They are supports and helps to grow continually and in simplicity.