| But do we see this in actuality? How few of us read their epistles, and how few of us strive to understand them! How often and with what indifference do we abandon the word of God, which is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12), and turn to earthly wisdom, the rudiments of the world (Gal. 4:9; Col. 2:8), which does not in the least reveal to us the divine wisdom hidden throughout the world and in the life of mankind! Doesn't it also happen that these words of the Apostles are even laughed at amongst us, just as they were amongst the sophists and philosophers of Athens, from whom the Apostle Paul departed with a heavy spirit, to preach in other cities (Act. 17:18, 32–33; 18:1 1 Col. 3:1–7)? Aren't the preachers of these words of the Apostles also subjected even now to persecutions, even unto bonds, like the great Apostle of Christ, Paul (2 Tim. 2:9)? Isn't the reason why unbelief is increasing in our time: that we do not want to hear and know about that living, fiery faith, which comes not from opinion or the logic of flesh and blood, but from heavenly, divine revelation (Mt. 16:17), as did the rock, Simon Peter? Is the reason why Christian love is becoming more and more scarce among people that we have completely forgotten Paul, whose mouth was always opened unto the people, and whose heart was enlarged (cf. 2 Cor. 6:11), in order to embrace with tender love all those whom he begot in the Gospels through Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 4:15)? As long as the earth stands, it will stand only on twelve foundations, which are the Apostles of Christ (Rev. 21:14; Eph. 2:20). But if instead of approaching Christ, the Chief Cornerstone, and as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5), we build upon a foundation other than Jesus Christ, then each one's work will be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is (1 Cor. 3:11-13), and the fire from which the present world shall perish (cf. 2 Pet 3:7-12) will destroy it more and more, so that new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13) might appear. |
| It is a sad fact of life that small sins are as unavoidable as dust in the air. Just as it is necessary to wash every day and to clean one's room, it is equally necessary to repent constantly for one's daily failings. Who would consider himself holier or more perfect than Christ's Apostles? Yet even they did not regard themselves as being sinless. " In many things we offend all, " wrote St. James the Apostle (Jas. 3:2). " If we say that we have not sinned, then we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us...If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, " wrote St. John the Apostle (1 John 1:10, 8-9). St. Paul the Apostle is painfully aware of his own unworthiness: " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief " (1 Tim. 1:15). Note that he does not say " I was, " but " I am, " evidently because he continued to repent for having once persecuted believers. Tradition tells us that the Apostle Peter's eyes were always somewhat reddened, for, when he heard roosters crow at night, he would wake up, remember his denial of Christ and begin to weep. St. John the Apostle teaches Christians to look after their spiritual state in these words: " My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world....But if we walk in the light...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin....And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure " (1 John 2:1-2; 1:7; 3:3). Similarly, St. Paul writes: " Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God " (2 Cor. 7:1; cf. Heb. 9:13-14). Clearly, in these passages the Apostles are not summoning pagans to repentance, but Christians, and the words they use, " cleanseth " and " let us cleanse, " suggest that moral purity has its gradations, as does sinfulness. For the same reason another scripture says: " He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still " (Rev. 22:11). |
| I cordially greet all of you with this memorable date – the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate. This important decision was taken in 1989 by the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, which marked the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia. Over the past years considerable changes have occurred not only in the life of the Exarchate, but also in the life of the county. By the mercy of God, through joint efforts of the clergy and the flock, with the favourable attitude of secular authorities and the support of benefactors, in the lands of the White Rus’ churches and monasteries are being restored, new parishes are being opened, educational work and social ministry are being carried out, and the issues of theological education and upbringing of the rising generation are being successfully resolved. It is gratifying to bear witness to the fact that the active development of church life has beneficial effect on our contemporaries, strengthening in society traditional moral values and intransient ideals of mercy, peace, goodness and justice. Giving thanks to the All-Generous God for His paternal care for the Church of Belarus over the past years, we look towards the future with hope, knowing that His mercy is boundless and His love for mankind is the unfathomable abyss (cf. Moleben of Thanksgiving). We ought to remain faithful to the ‘Prince of life’ (Acts 3:15), Christ the Saviour, to preserve the purity of faith, to keep guard over the Orthodox dogmas and canons, and to treasure our belonging to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Sharing the joy of these celebrations with all of you, I would like to call upon you to be guided in your life by the following exhortation of St. Paul: ‘Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity’ (1 Cor 16:13-14). May Christ the Chief Pastor and Author of our salvation ‘bless his people with peace’ (Ps 29:11) and multiply the glory of the Holy Church which is ‘the pillar and ground of the truth’ (1 Tim 3:15). |
| How wonderful! Now, not just Orthodox Christians, but Christians of every denomination, and in fact people of almost every religion can flock to do their devotions, being Moslems, Bahá’í, Buddists, Hindu or Taoists. Even Shamanists, Satanists and atheists would be welcome. The desire of the Greek Orthodox Church is to create a space in which all visitors will feel welcome. A spokesman for the archdiocese, the Rev. Mark Arey, stated : If I may quote Jesus, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” It will be open to everyone: the believer, the unbeliever, the Orthodox Christian, the atheist. Whoever you are, this is a space that you can come into and find some meditative solace. I find Fr. Arey’s understanding of the words of the Lord (as reported by the Evangelist) to be a distortion and a misapplication. The evangelist ( Mark 11:1 ) was quoting prophet Isaiah (56:7), who was looking forward to a time when not just the Jews, but people from all nations who had accepted the true God and had joined themselves to the Lord, would be gathered together in His holy mountain to offer acceptable offerings and sacrifices. The Church continues to invite and call “others to Him besides those already gathered” ( Is. 56:8 , cf. also Ez. 34:6 . 12 ), just as Her Founder did (see John 10:16 ), who wants to bring into the fold of His Church all the scattered sheep. But they must be receptive to “listen to His voice” ( John 10:4 ) and follow Him, so that they may become one. “The Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the Truth” ( 1 Tim. 3:15 ), is composed of the faithful, who have accepted Christ, and have become members of His Body. In such an assembly what room is there for “unbelievers” and “atheists”? On holy Epiphany this year (Jan. 5, 2016) the Archbishop spoke about the millions upon millions of people expected to visit the Memorial at Ground Zero, many of whom would also visit the Shrine. It would offer, he said, a great opportunity to our Orthodox Church to witness our faith to the world. But is this going to be the case? I’m afraid not, and I pray with all my heart that I’ll be proven wrong. |
| Attische Feste. 2 Aufl. Berlin. 1956. S. 40 ff., cf. Robert C. Athena Sciras und die Scirophorien Hermes. 1885. 20. S. 367 ff.) 40 Hatch E. The influence of Greek Ideas on Christianity. New York, 1957. p. 290. 41 Мф.13:11; Мк.4:11; Лк. 8:10; Рим.11:25, 16:25; 1Кор.2:7, 4:1, 13:2, 14:2, 15:51; Еф.1:9, 3:3—4, 9, 5:32, 6:19; Кол.1:26—27, 2:2, 4:3, 1Тим.3:9, 16; Откр.1:20, 10 42 Жан Пепен, говоря о риторическом использовании языка мистерий христианскими авторами, ссылается прежде всего на «Увещевание» Климента Александрийского (120, 1—2) (Pépin J. Christianisme et mythologie. Jugements chrétiens sur les analogies du paganisme et du christianisme/Pépin J. De la philosophie ancienne à la théologie patristique. Variorum reprints. London, 1986. VIII. p. 20). 43 Ср.: Eur Bacch., 470 сл. 44 Hatch E Op. cit. p. 305—306. Впрочем, уже Иустин Мученик использует для крещения термин «просвещение» (1 Апология, 61), ср.: Hatch E Op. cit. p. 295. 45 Ibid. p. 307. 46 Мистический культ Деметры и Коры существовал и в Александрии, где был даже пригород, именовавшийся «Элевсин». Античный толкователь Каллимахова гимна в честь Деметры приписывает Птолемею Филадельфу введение обряда шествия с кошницей «в подражание Афинам». Ф.Ф. Зелинский полагает, что перенесение всего элевсинского культа в Александрию могло состояться еще при Птолемее I Сотере (Зелинский Ф.Ф. Религия эллинизма. с. 27—28). 47 В «Строматах» Климент пишет даже, что Бог даровал философию эллинам через низших ангелов (Clem. Strom., VII (2) 6, 4). 48 Ср.: Tert. Apol., 17. 6. 49 Татиан, например, в «Речи против эллинов» (16, 1) заявляет, что демоны, повелевающие людьми, не есть души людей. 50 Учение Платона о демонах, конечно, сложнее, чем можно заключить на основании этих двух мест; см., например, Plat. Resp., X, 617e, 620 de; Phaed., 107d; Symp., 202e; Tim., 89e-90a; Leg., 717a-b. 51 См. также Ios. Bell. Jud., 7. 6, 3; Iust. Apol., 1, 17 – о душах умерших, вселяющихся в живущих. 52 « злоупотребили и своим естеством, и предоставленной им властью. |
| I know that in the past many schisms and not only schisms but also heretical movements were overcome, and their supporters reunited with the Church after repentance and renunciation of their delusions. But as far as I know, in the two-millennia-long history of the Church there are no precedents of schismatics entering the Body of the Church and ascending automatically the highest historical way of life of any Church and joining the assembly of the most glorious and prominent Churches without an interim period of maturity, asceticism, restoration of church morals and way of thinking – all this only thanks to the ‘grace and generosity’ of the first-throne Church. It should be noted that some historical Churches renowned for their spiritual level, witness and contribution, which have never fallen into the abyss of heresy and schism, have not yet received autocephaly and most probably will never receive it. In spite of this, they do not protest or complain or whimper. Therefore, the conclusion offers itself as an oxymoron: it means that as a schismatic community you sooner or later will be acquitted, restored and, moreover, elevated to the status of autocephalous Church. A schism will thus cease to be a cardinal sin and a crime not washed out even by blood but will turn into a mere light mistake easy to heal and, ultimately – O strange miracle! – To be rewarded. Whether we want it or not, but the barrier for a multitude of new schisms is thus removed and the Orthodox Church is running the risk of becoming a vineyard without a fence while causing an irretrievable damage, temptation to conscience and loss of credibility of our Church among both non-Orthodox Christians and non-Christians and non-religious people. I write all this with a great grief and spiritual pain while revering and loving the Great Martyr Church of Christ with all my heart; I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart (Rom. 9:1-2, cf. 2 Cor. 11:31, Gal. 1:20, 1 Tim. 2:7), as a consequence of the recent situation, tension and differences over the healing of wounds inflicted by schisms. At present, schisms, instead of being removed from our milieu, have strangely provoked additional spiritual and mental schisms among the defenders of unity themselves, in the wellbeing and harmonious march of the holy Churches of God. It is for the sake of the assertion of these values that my concern for all the churches (2 Cor. 11:28) fills my heart of a humble Orthodox bishop, so that I as ‘less than the least of all the Lord’s people (Eph. 3:8, cf. 1 Cor. 15:9) cannot be silent in order to avoid possible mean and worthless accusations of infidelity, betrayal, defection, etc. On the contrary, love of the Church of St. Andrew and every Orthodox Church makes me speak up and not to be silent, to say the truth conscientiously and openly. |
| Заповедь первая . Taken from Faber, Dominica 17 Post Pentecosten, No. 9 «Mysteria [on the Gospel for the day, viz. Matt. 22.35–46]», sect. 4 «Cur praeceptum dilectionis primum et maximum». 11. 1–I0 cf Faber: «Cur praeceptum dilectionis primum et maximum dicitur? Resp. Primo, quia finis praecepti charitas, inquit Apostolus 1. Tim oth. Nec solum praeceptorum omnium finis est charitas, verum etiam omnium sacramentorum et virtutum totiusque religionis Christianae, quae ultim ate eo tendit, ut hominem cum Deo bonorum omnium fonte perfecte coniungat, quod per charitatem solam fieri potest.» 11. 11–14 cf Faber: «Secundo. Quia omnia alia mandata comprehendit... Si vero diligat proximum, legem implevit, Roman. ac proinde malum non operabitur, nec ulla in re offendet proximum.» 11. 15–18 cf Faber: «Tertio. Quia maximum et praestantissimum est, quod Deo dare possumus; Charitas enim radix et fons est omnium bonorum et donorum.» 11. 19–20 cf Faber: «Quarto. Quia Charitas ostendit, quis et quantus sit homo.» 11. 21–4 cf Faber: «Quinto. Quia est vinculum perfectionis sicut nihil prosunt, inquit S. Chrysost. in cap. 3. ad Coloss, sed diffluuni partes navis, si desini tabulata, et contignationes, et ligamenta, quibus inter se devinciantur; ita nec virtutes caeterae aut virtutum opera, nisi in charitate fiant.«» 11. 25–8 cf Faber: «Sexto, quia maximam habet mercedem. Sic enim ait Apost. 1. Cor. 2. Oculuus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, quae praeparavit Deus diligentibus se.» Греси противу Духу Святому . Taken from Faber, Dominica 4 Post Pascha, No. 1 «Iniuriae in Spiritum Sanctum quadruplices», sect. 1 «Quidam resistunt Spiritui Sancto». 11. 1–4 cf Faber: «Quidam resistunt Spiritui S... Huiusmodi vero obices numerantur a D Thoma 2.2. q. 14. ar. 2. sex.» 11. 5–8 cf subsect. 1 «qui desperant»: «Resistunt ergo Spiritui S. Primo qui desperant de Dei misericordia.» II. 9–12 cf subsect. 2 «qui praesumunt de misericordia Dei»: «Secundo, qui praesumunt de Dei indulgentia. Hi enim cum ad sua peccata abutantur Dei misericordia, reddunt se ilia indignos.» 11. 13–16 cf subsect. 3 «impoenitentes»: «Tertio, inpoenitentes, qui dolere de peccatis et resurgere ad gratiam nolunt.» 11. 17–20 cf subsect. 4 «obstinati»: «Quarto, obstinati, qui monitis Spiritus S. Ecclesiae et pastorum eius, nec non parentum aliorum que superiorum aures occludunt.» 11. 21–4 cf subsect. 5 «qui impugnant agnitam veritatem»: «Quinto, qui impugnant veritatem sibi perspectam. Quid enim hoc est aliud, quam lucem meridianam excludere et velle in tenebris errare?» 11. 25–8 cf subsect. 6 «qui fraternae gratiae invident»: «Sexto, qui fraternae gratiae invident. Hi enim ligare volunt manus Spiritus S. datori bonorum omnium, ne in alios sit liberalis.» |
| Homily on the Day of the Apostles Peter and Paul Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Psalm 18:5; Romans 10:18 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles In order to raise our spirit but a little over the vanity of this world in which it is ordinarily immersed, we shall impress in our minds, brothers and sisters, the image of the holy chief Apostles Peter and Paul, filled with inexhaustible life. Their souls represent an equally abundant treasure house of spiritual virtues for us, who are in but small measure participants in the Divine life that was revealed through the appearance of God in the flesh. Both equally hazarded their lives (Acts 15:26) for the word of God, and to witness the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, desiring to shepherd the sheep of Christ's flock and betroth to Christ a Church made of pagans who were redeemed by His blood. One, a rock of faith, strengthened his brethren (cf. Lk. 22:32) who were scattered in their fear of persecution for the name of Christ after His resurrection, and first explained how God willed that to the Church, hitherto composed only of the sons of Israel, should be united those pagans who converted (Acts. 15:7–11). The other, a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15) to bear the name of Christ to peoples who had not yet heard of Christ (Rom. 15:20–21), travelled with words of preaching to nearly all the known inhabited world, so that the words be fulfilled, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not (Gal. 4:27; Is. 54:1) and Be glad, thou thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult (Is. 35:1)— the hearts of the pagans. Both were equally filled with love for Christ, dedicated their whole lives to preaching the Word and to apostolic labors, and both sealed their love for Christ with a martyr's death. One, having first denied Christ, followed Him for the rest of his life in repentance, as if on the crucifix, enduring fiery temptations and satan's calumny (1 Pet. 4:12; 5:8), in order to fulfill what Christ had said to him: Follow Me (Jn. 21:19). The other, called from amongst the persecutors, counted all things as dung, that he might win Christ (cf. Phil. 3:6–8), and desired to be accursed from Christ that he might bring to Him his brothers in the flesh—Israel (Rom. 9:3), until he finished his course by martyrdom in order to receive a crown of righteousness (cf. 2 Tim. 4:6–8). |
| 324 Cf. the remarks of Fr Y. Congar in Le Concile et les Conciles (ed. B. Botte et al., I960), p. 287: The East “suit beaucoup plus l’idée, très presente chez les Pères et dans la liturgie, d’une ‘phanie,’ d’une manifestation des réalités célestes, invisibles, sur la terre. Il s’ensuit une conception principalement sacramentelle et iconologique de l’Eglise.” 325 Thus it is a common phenomenon in ecumenical circles to regard the Orthodox both as “traditionalists” and as detached from the problems of history and preoccupied with the “triumphalism” of their liturgy. 326 E.g. the difficulty of integrating the sacramental conception of apostolic succession with the idea of linear historical transmission of authority in Vatican II. See B.-D. Dupuy, “La succession apostolique dans la discussion oecuménique,” Istina 12 (1967), pp. 391 – 401, esp. p. 391. 327 For a discussion of these difficulties see R. Schnackenburg, “L’apostolicité: état de la recherche,” Istina 14 (1969), pp. 5 – 32; Engl. trans. in One in Christ 6 (1970), pp. 243 – 273. 328 The sending out of the apostles in pairs ( Mark 6:7 ) need not occupy us here. On this peculiar Jewish-Palestinian feature see J. Jeremias, “Paarweise Sendung im Neuen Testament,” in New Testament Essays (in memory of T. W. Manson, ed. by A.J.B. Higgins, 1959), pp. 136 – 143. 329 Cf. К. H. Rengstorf “πστολος” in Kittel’s Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament (1933), pp. 406 – 448. For a critical approach: G. Klein, Die Zwölf Apostel (1961), pp. 22 – 38, Cf. below, n. 403. 330 Hence the application of the term “apostle” to a group broader than the Twelve. Paul’s apostolate constitutes part of this problem. On these and related questions see R. Schnackenburg, op. cit., pp. 246ff. 332 This scheme is offered basically in the New Testament: John 20:21 ; Luke 10:16, etc. Christ Himself is an “apostle” (Heb. 3:1). See also John 17 :7f; Matt. 28:18 – 20; Rom. 10:13 – 17; I John 1:1 – 13; II Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:5 , etc. It is on the basis of this “historical” or “missionary” scheme that transmission of apostolic authority to other persons for the continuation of this mission is mentioned already in the New Testament (Acts 20:17 – 35; I Tim. 5:22; 4:4; II Tim, 2:2; Tim 1:4; 2:1 – 15, etc.). Cf. Ph. Menoud, L’Eglise et son ministère selon le N. T. (1949); J.Colson, “La succession apostolique au niveau du Ier siècle,” Verbum Caro (1961), pp. 138 – 172. |
| 3311 Nothing comes into being against God " s will except evil deeds (Cleanthes» Hymn to Zeus in Stobaeus Ed. 1.1.12, in Grant, Religions, 153). 3312 1QS 11.11. This comparison was offered as early as Brownlee, «Comparison,» 72, and has often been offered subsequently (Wilcox, «Dualism,» 89; Cross, Library, 215 n. 34). Freed, «Influences,» 146, in fact, calls it «the closest parallel from the Dead Sea Scrolls yet known to any passage in the NT.» 3314 1QS 11.17. Schnackenburg similarly comments on the contrasts between «all» and «nothing» in creation language in this document (John, 1:238); cf. a similar contrast in 1 En. 84:3. 3315 1QS 3.15. Hengel, Judaism, 1:218–19, regards this as analogous to Greek philosophical language. 3316 On the universés or matter " s uncreatedness and consequent eternality (the Peripatetic view), cf. Aristotle Heav. 1.9 (the heavens, not the elements, 3.6); Cicero Tusc. 1.23.54 (the heavens); an Epicurean in Cicero Nat. d. 1.9.21–22; Plotinus Enn. 2.1.1; Philo Eternity passim; Chroust, «Fragment»; idem, «Comments.» On its eternality in particular, cf. Macrobius Comm. 2.10, 19 (Van der Horst, «Macrobius,» 223); Lucretius Nat. 1.215–264, 958–1115; Sidebottom, James, 119; on its continual re-creation till the present (closer to the Platonic view, cf. Bauckham, Jude, 301; cf. Stoicism in, e.g., Seneca Berief 4.8.1; Dia1. 6.26.7; Heraclitus in Diogenes Laertius 9.1.7), Gen. Rab. 3:7; Ecc1. Rab. 3:11, §1; cf. disputes in Gen. Rab. 1:5. 3317 A view often espoused, even as late as the late-fourth-century writer Sallustius in Concerning the Gods and the Universe §§7,13,17 (Grant, Religion, 184–85,190–91,192–94). 3318 Plato Tim. 29A-30. The universe thus originates from what is eternal, not from what has become (το γεγονς). 3319 Cf. the Loeb introduction to Plutarch " s Gen. of Soul (Moralia, LCL 13:137); others may have simply echoed the language (e.g., Aelius Aristides Defense of Oratory 379, §126D; Menander Rhetor 2.17,438.16–17). 3320 Cf. Epitome of Gen. of Soul 2, Mor. 1030E; the note there refers to 1016C, 1017AB, 1014B, 1029DE, and 1030C. Stoics in Paul " s day could picture God as the universés soul (Seneca Nat. 2.45.1–2). |
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