Theological Foundations new file

23 Introduction Marian Fathers], Rome, 1958. The subject matter and the purpose of this book, which is to show the theological foundations of Christian life in the teaching of the Venerable Servant of God Father Stanislaus Papczynski and Blessed George Matulaitis-Matulewicz, defines the method that should be used; the book will contain an analysis of their writings and then a synthesis of the collected material around the ideas which were most fundamental and common to both of these men. This, in turn, will allow us to make a crit- ical evaluation of the material prepared in this manner. The study which has been conducted will be divided into seven chap- ters. In the first chapter I will discuss theocentrism as the leading prin- ciple in the teaching of these two authors. In their view, it consists in lis- tening to the call of Everlasting Love and in responding to this call. In practice it impels one to be always concerned about God’s glory and to dedicate oneself completely to God. The second chapter will provide a closer look at the next trait of the presented doctrine, namely, at life in Christ. I first draw the reader’s attention to the theological foundations of this idea, then to Christ’s call to repentance and to the issue of imitat- ing Christ. The third chapter deals with the teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian formation, where the two authors devote their attention to the truth about Christ’s sending the Spirit as our Comforter and show how the Spirit works in human life. The fourth chapter will discuss the next fundamental principle, i.e., the ecclesial character of Father Papczynski’s and Father Matulaitis-Matulewicz’s doctrine — the biblical vision of the Church in the interpretation of the first author and the love of the Church in the teaching of the other one; his recognition of the ministers of the Church and supporting the Church in its ministry. The fifth chapter will be dedicated to the discussion of the charism of Mary in the works of the two authors. We shall see how the Founder and the Renovator see Mary in the mystery of her Immaculate Conception and in other mysteries of her life, what place they see for her in the life of their own congregation and what their teaching about the imitation of Mary in the entire Christian life is. In the sixth chapter I draw the read-