Scripture scholar's talk travels from creation to now

André Villeneuve

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve so that they could share in his life as his beloved children. They knew the truth and purpose of their life: to love God and each other. They knew the laws that had to be obeyed.

"Creation was a temple, a meeting place of God and man and the Garden of Eden was a sanctuary," said Andr‚ Villeneuve, a 37-year-old Canadian Scripture scholar who is completing doctoral studies in Jerusalem.

Villeneuve gave two lectures at ScriptureFest 2006 at St. Thomas More Church: Understanding the Scriptures and Salvation History Today. In his PowerPoint presentations, Villeneuve touched on almost everything under the sun, from the creation to the present day.

"By breaking God's law, Adam and Eve's friendship with God was broken," he said. "They lost God's supernatural life, the truth by which they were to live and their way and direction, becoming inclined to sin."

Beginning with Abraham, God begins to gather his people but he chooses Moses to deliver Israel out of Egyptian slavery and to be a prophet who will mediate between God and mankind. God adopts Israel as his first-born son, makes it a kingdom and gives its people the Torah.

After touching on the significance of the Davidic kingdom and Judaism after the exile, Villeneuve described Jesus Christ, as the Immanuel who has brought the kingdom of heaven to us.

"Jesus chose 12 apostles to be with him," Villeneuve said. At the Last Supper, Jesus made a New Covenant with Israel. "The 12 apostles represent the 12 tribes of Israel and are the foundation stone of the New Jerusalem," Villeneuve said.

"And the origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus."

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