Attributes Of God

[toservelove]

Hi, I am looking for non-scriptural refrence material (theology, philosophy, spiritual writers) to understand the attribute of Divine Justice. We hear often of God's mercy, but He is also justice. I think justice is a part of mercy. I looked in the CCC but it only talks about social justice, as in how we should manifest justice towards each other. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[kafka]

Good question. I agree God is Justice and is Mercy. Mercy and Justice, and all attributes in God are One and the same.

Personally I would prayerfully read the books of the Prophets and the Psalms, since the theme of God's justice often arise in those.

As far as works are concerned outside of Sacred Scripture. That is difficult, since the theme of God's Justice is usually treated in works of eschatology which deal with man's personal/private end as well as the collective/public end of salvation history culminating the the Second Coming, the general resurrection and general judgment.

Personal/private eschatology will deal with the last four things namely death, judgment, heaven hell (also purgatory). It will attempt to answer why one dies, human freedom and responsibility before God, why one must be judged, who goes to heaven and who goes to hell? Which leads to the question of sin, grace and justification before God, Jesus Christ the Justifier, the punishments of hell, the temporal punishments of purgatory, and other topics. These topics all have a relation to God's Justice.

Public/collective eschatology deals with all the terrible events of the End Times and why they eventually occur according to God's Justice.

Aquinas wrote a little about it so you might want to try a search at newadvent.org, otherwise you might want to find a good Catholic book on eschatology or the last four things.

I know I havent quite answered your question, but maybe I lent a few ideas. Its rare to find an actual work of a theologian/philosopher or spiritual writer solely on the topic of God's Justice. Many have probably written about this subject within a larger work of there's but I simply cant think of any right now.

Did you maybe want to start a discussion here? Maybe post some questions or thoughts to get things going? I would participate.

[Dr_Asik]

See [url="http://newadvent.org/summa/1021.htm"][b]Summa - question 21 : the justice and mercy of God.[/b][/url]

[Ziggamafu]

What interests me is the prospect of ultimate justice. God is the source and standard of goodness and justice and, hence, God both [i]deserves [/i](goodness) and is [i]owed [/i](justice) everything He wants. God wants everyone to be saved. It would therefore seem that in order for justice to triumph in the end, God would have to give everyone the appropriate graces - even if only at the moment of death - for extraordinary baptisms or perfect contrition. We can't presume this of course...but we do know that our hope in such mercy is so sacred and strong that it is actually a grave sin to despair of anyone's salvation. And yet, despite all of this, there certainly seems more than enough evidence, not only from history but also from Divine Revelation (both public and private), to at least [i]indicate [/i]that the majority of humanity is or will be in Hell. Could all such references merely be using descriptions of Hell's tortures as a reference to Purgatory (which some have speculated to be nothing short of the pains of Hell excepting the lack of hope)? Perhaps. It is, of course, as much of a grave sin to presume salvation (and heresy to [i]teach [/i]universal salvation) as it is to despair of damnation. Nevertheless, the concept of justice does make this an interesting philosophical / theological exploration for me. Will Satan win (even if his victory amounts in the destruction of a single soul lovingly created by God for Himself) in the end?