Augustine defines "use" as "something to apply whatever it may be to the purpose of obtaining what you love-if indeed it is something that ought to be loved." The first part of this definition is relatively straightforward. It is the second part regarding whether something out to be loved or not that open much room for discussion and we will get in to that later. Augustine also says "To enjoy something is to hold fast to it in love for its own sake." Now our task is deciding that which we should use and that which we should enjoy. Augustine gives an example to help us understand the framework of this idea and the way it should be applied when making this decision. Imagine travelers who can only be happy in their homeland and, because they couldn't find happiness being away form home, they wished to return. Therefore they need some type of transport to bring them to their

For a number of reasons, Bonhoeffer believes that humanity is a symbol of God. One reason is because we have freedom as humans. This freedom can be taken as a symbol for God thus showing our connection to him. It is ironic that this symbol is in an image of freedom because most images are not free, but rather confined in a fashion that makes it conceivable. Since it is difficult to find an image of God, Bonhoeffer uses freedom. Freedom is captured in our humanity and that is why our humanity can be a symbol for God as well. When our freedom of dominion is exercised, we have the ability to interact with the world and the ability to enter into relationships. How we choose to use this freedom is what brings about the degree to which God is present in the world and our humanity. Our relationship with creation affects the relationship with our neighbors and God. How we use nature and creation directly ties into this. If we were to use tree to build our homes but did not!

light. This causes us to use our conceptual ideas as opposed to our perceptual. To gain a full understanding of God, the cycle may be something like this: Catophatic language gives rise to a perceptual understanding. When a perceptual understanding is realized to not be enough, a conceptual understanding begins to arise which is more precise than the perceptual. The conclusion brings you from a conceptual understanding to a apophatic understanding. It is this full process that needs to happen before God can be fully understood. In this understanding also comes the realization that no single name can be given to God.

Staniloae, in reflecting upon this scriptural passage from John 6:54, would look at it from a slightly different angle. He may not disagree with what Augustine is saying, but he may be more prone to concentrate his thoughts on other aspects of the passage. Yes, Staniloae would agree it is impossible for us to eat the actual flesh of Jesus, but instead of gravitating towards discussion on the pleasurable and useful knowledge that His body brings us, he would concentrate on the miracle of the Eucharist and how God humbles himself in this type of transcendence. The goal of scripture for Staniloae is to achieve revelation, which comes form being brought to a higher spiritual level through God as a source of spiritual energy. Therefore a relationship with God must be made and, like all relationships, communication must occur. By God humbling himself through something like the Eucharist, we are able to communicate. It is through "eating the flesh of the Son of Man and drinkin!

ive language to make a point about a certain issue. When this happens it is imperative for us to understand that whatever is said to make this point, it does not trump Gods message of forbidding wickedness and enjoining kindness. For example: scripture states, 'Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you' [John 6:54]. Because this appears to enjoin wickedness by saying we should cut actual flesh from the body of Jesus and consume it like food, it is figurative. Obviously, it is impossible for us today to eat from a body that was resurrected 2000 years ago. Augustine states that the figurative translation o

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Approximate Word count = 2195
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)