Dist. 9
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/3/d/9/q/bon-sent-III-d9-littera
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### DISTINCTION IX.

### Single Chapter. *On the adoration to be shown to the humanity of Christ.*

Furthermore it must be investigated whether the flesh of Christ and his soul ought to be adored, together and as one with the Word, with that adoration, namely, which is called *latria*. For if to the soul or flesh of Christ *latria* be shown — which is understood as the service or worship owed to the Creator alone — since the soul of Christ or his flesh is creature only, there is shown to a creature what is owed to the Creator alone; which is reckoned to the doer as idolatry. *(Opinion 1.)* — Therefore it seems to some that the flesh of Christ or his soul is to be adored not with that adoration which is *latria*, but with that which is *dulia*, of which they say there are two species or modes. For there is *dulia* of a certain mode, which can be shown to any creature whatever; and there is a certain [*dulia*] to be shown to the humanity of Christ alone, and to no other creature; because the humanity of Christ is to be venerated and loved above every creature, yet not so far that the worship owed to the divinity be shown to it, *(Doubt 1.)* which worship consists in love and in the offering of sacrifice and in reverence, which in Latin is called *pietas*, but in Greek *theosebia*, that is, the worship of God, or *eusebia*, that is, good worship.

*(Opinion 2, and the true one.)* But to others it is pleasing that the humanity of Christ is to be adored with one adoration together with the Word, not on its own account, but on account of him whose footstool it is, to whom it is united. Nor is the humanity itself, *alone* or bare, but together with the Word, to whom it is united; nor on its own account, but on account of him, is it to be adored. Nor can he who does this be judged guilty of idolatry, because he serves neither the creature alone nor on account of it, but the Creator together with the humanity and in his humanity.

*(Damascene.)* Concerning this John Damascene thus says: «There are two natures of Christ, differing in account and mode, but united according to hypostasis. One Christ therefore is perfect God and perfect man, *(Doubt 2.)* whom we adore together with the Father and the Spirit with one adoration, together with his undefiled flesh, not declaring his flesh unadorable — for it is adored in the one hypostasis of the Word, which hypostasis was begotten — not offering veneration to a creature. For we do not adore the flesh as *bare*, but as *united* to the deity, the two natures being reduced into the one hypostasis of God the Word. I fear to touch the coal on account of the fire joined to the wood. I adore both natures of Christ, my God, together, on account of the deity united to the flesh. For I do not set up a fourth person in the Trinity, but I confess one person of the Word and of his flesh». *(It is confirmed by Augustine.)* — By these words it seems to be intimated that the humanity of Christ is to be adored with one adoration together with the Word. — Concerning this also Augustine, from the discourse of the Lord, where he says: *Let not your heart be troubled*, thus says: «The heretics say that the Son is God not by nature, but created. To whom it must be answered, that, if the Son is not God by nature, but a creature, he is in no way to be worshipped, nor to be adored as God, the Apostle saying: *They worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator*. *(They reply.)* — But they will reply to this and say: How is it that you adore his flesh, which you do not deny to be a creature, together with the divinity, and serve it no less than the divinity? *(Doubt 3.)* — I adore the Lord's flesh, nay rather the perfect humanity in Christ, for this reason, that it has been assumed by the divinity and united to the deity; so that I may confess not one and another, but one and the same God and man, the Son of God. Finally, if you separate the man from God, I never believe in him nor serve him, just as, if someone should find purple or a royal diadem lying about, will he try to adore it? But when the king has been clothed with it, he incurs the peril of death who scorns to adore it together with the king. So also in Christ the Lord, if anyone scorns to adore the humanity — not alone or bare, but united to the divinity, namely one Son, true God and true man — he will die eternally». — The same, on the ninety-eighth Psalm, where it is said: *Adore the footstool of his feet, for it is holy*: «It must be known that in Christ there is earth, that is, flesh, which is adored without impiety. For he took up earth from earth, because the flesh is from earth, and from the flesh of Mary he received flesh. This, assumed by the Word of God, is adored by us without impiety, because no one eats his flesh unless he first adore it; but he who adores does not look upon the earth, but rather upon him whose footstool it is, on account of whom he adores». — By these authorities the resolution of the foregoing investigation is set forth.

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