Dante's Divine Comedy

Devotional Themes

• God's love permeates existence
• Free will
• Justice
• "Hate the sin, not the sinner."
• Christ unites all in Heaven and earth

Biblical Foundation: Ephesians 1:7-10

• In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure . . .

Biblical Foundation cont.

• . . . which he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Untitled Slide

Some Business

Reading Review: Canto 1

• Dante's in a midlife crises and he meets his hero, the poet Virgil
• They are going on a journey through hell and purgatory
• Virgil = Reason & Virtue
• Mans journey through life moving towards salvation

Reading Review: Canto 2

• Journey begins on Good Friday and ends on Easter Sunday
• Beatrice is worried about him, so is Virgin Mary & St. Lucia
• Virgil has been sent to put Dante (the Pilgrim) is on the best path

Reading Review: Canto 3

• "Abandon all hope ye who enter here."
• Souls of the uncommitted (people & angels)
• Dante can't ride with Charon because he's not condemned
• Dante has pity on the sinners but learns not to because these people had a choice
• The souls choose to go to their place in hell (cross the river) just as they chose their sins during their lives
• Dante passes out

Reading Review: Canto 4

• Dante wakes, Virgil is pale (pities the souls)
• They enter limbo (where virtuous pagans, unbaptized, pre-Christian reside)
• Dante meets some of his heroes who like him too

Reading Review: Canto 5

• Minos uses his tail to designate where souls go
• The realm of lust
• Reading about Lancelot tempts Francesca and her lover who are stuck together forever
• Hurricane winds blow the lovers for eternity

Untitled Slide

Purgatory

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide