TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD

The Moral Dimensions of Christian Sonship in the Doctrine of St John of the Cross

Abstract

This doctoral thesis, Transformation of the Children of God: The Moral Dimensions of Christian Sonship in the Doctrine of St John of the Cross, is a systematic study on the concept of Christian sonship undertaken in the field of moral theology. This study investigates the research question, ‘what does really constitute the life of the children of God?’ This basic question of the study is influenced by two factors. On the one hand, it tries to probe the concept of Christian sonship as understood by St John of the Cross and on the other hand, it tries to trace out the moral implications that he presents in his doctrine as a means to achieve the fullness of it. In this effort, the working proposition of this thesis is that the fullness of filiation involves a gradual moral maturity of the believer. Without a moral life it is impossible to achieve a solid spiritual life and the fullness of Christian sonship.