What is Grace?

Is there a force that pulls up up towards God when the world drags us downwards?

Discussion with Gordon College

Facebook event page:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102110646565158

The Philosophy Department has, for the last several years, had discussions twice a year with students and faculty from Gordon College, a Protestant Christian College in Wenham, MA, on philosophical and theological topics relating to the intersection between Catholicism and Protestantism.

The scene on Nature and Grace from the recent film The Tree of Life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbqMH46Yz5g  (starts about 1 minute in)

The readings are not necessary for the discussion, but if you wanted a bit of background here they are:

Readings:

How catholics understand grace:

http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac1000.asp

Simone Weil from Gravity and Grace : 

http://lucubrations.org/misc/Simone%20Weil%20from%20Gravity%20and%20Grace.doc