dave@cs.utah.edu (Dave Holcomb) (08/06/90)
The recent discussion of talking (praying) to/with the Saints has been
revealing of the misunderstandings that exist between "Catholics" and
"Protestants."
A fundamental issue regarding prayer has not been touched, though, in my
opinion: the reason you and I can pray to God simultaneously and be
"heard" by God simultaneously is because God is omnipresent.
How is it possible for a Saint in Heaven to be omnipresent when only God
is supposed to possess this attribute? If it is answered that angels
(messengers) carry our requests/conversation (i.e. "prayers") to the one
being invoked, what about the "time" element and the number of
requests/conversations/answers being carried on at the same time (yes,
the target of the prayer may be "out" of time, but we who are making the
requests are still in "time.")? This may be the point that the
protestants are driving at but haven't identified, when they express
concern for "communications with the 'dead'."
In the end, the answer might be that we do "by faith" that which we feel
brings about glory to God.
Dave Holcomb, Mentor Graphics, Silicon Design Division
5295 South 300 West Suite 300
Murray, UT 84107-4763 USA
(801)265-8007
caeco!dave@cs.utah.edu