| John Anthony McGuckin Yannaras, Christos (b. 1935) see Contemporary Orthodox Theology Appendix Foundational Documents of Orthodox Theology Contents 1 Creed of Nicea 650–1 2 Creed of Constantinople 651–2 3 Documents of the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus 652–9 4 The Definition of Faith of the Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon 659–60 5 The Definition of Faith of the Fifth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople 660–70 6 The Definition of Faith of the Sixth Ecumenical Council 671–3 7 The Definition of Faith of the Seventh Ecumenical Council 674–6 8 The Five Theological Orations of St. Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian) 676–734 9 Excerpts from the “Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” by St. John of Damascus 734–71 These documents are adapted from the source collections presented in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Church (series 2), Eerdmans, Grand Rapids; and T&T Clark, Edinburgh. Especially NPNF: vol. 7, 1893 (St. Gregory of Nazianzus), vol. 9, 1899 (St. John of Damascus), and vol. 14, 1900 (Seven Ecumenical Councils). Texts modernized and clarified by the editor. Original text and all secondary references related to it can be accessed from www.ccel.org/fathers.html. Introduction The range of the Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodoxy is immense in both geographical and temporal terms. Its topical coverage, from the front of the alphabet to the end, allows for easy access for a researcher on any major theme that they may wish to follow up. This appendix tries to offer more. It is attached to the main body of the articles, in a sense as if it were the words of the ancients themselves (indeed, that is chiefly in what it consists) telling of the Orthodox faith directly, viva voce, rather than having it presented by contemporary commentators and exegeted in historical context. Both things, of course, are useful and necessary, and should complement one another invaluably. But if someone were to ask, “What are the essential primary texts of the Orthodox faith?” it might be easy enough to answer that here in this appendix one will meet with a good collection of them. Not all of them, by any means, but a representative sample of what the major theologians and dogmatic bishops (fathers) of the early church thought were essential architectural elements of the building. |
| Craig S. Keener The ultimate model for love and service. 13:1–38 THE FOOT WASHING IN JOHN is the narrative introduction for the final discourse, part of the lengthy prolegomena to the Passion Narrative. Jesus» impending death dominates this scene. It intersperses Jesus» words and example of service (13:1, 3–10, 12–17, 31–35) with foreshadowings of his betrayal (13:2, 10–11, 18–30), then opens directly into discussion about Jesus» departure by way of the cross (13:36–38; 14:3–6). 8048 This scene therefore paves the way for the Farewell Discourse (13:31–17:26). 8049 By the foot washing Jesus prefigures his impending glorification, which is the theological subject of most of the context (12:16, 23, 28,41; 13:31–32). This act identifies Jesus as the Suffering Servant and defines his passion as an act of loving service. At the same time, however, it also summons Jesus» followers to imitate his model, serving and loving one another to the extent of laying down their lives for one another (13:14–16, 34–35). The Setting (13:1–3) John again links Jesus» imminent «hour» with the Passover season (13:1). (On the «hour,» see comment on 2:4; cf. 12:23.) In contrast to the Synoptic picture of the Last Supper, however, Jesus» closing hours before his arrest in this Gospel are «before» Passover (13:1). This detail fits John " s chronology (13:29; 18:28; 19:14, 31, 42), 8050 which ultimately supports his portrayal of Jesus as the paschal lamb (1:29,36; 19:36). At this point, however, John underlines a different aspect of the chronology: Jesus loved his own «to the end» (13:1). This is Johannine double entendre: it can imply «to the utmost,» «fully,» as well as «to the point of his death.» 8051 Such a double entendre reinforces the measure of God " s love in the Fourth Gospel (3:16) and early Christianity ( Rom 5:5–9 ): Jesus» death. The preceding context also illustrates Jesus» love (11:5) that would cost him his life (11:7–16), but here the specific objects of his love in the Lazarus story give way to all of «his own» (cf. 10:3) who would be remaining in the world (17:11). |
| Источники и литература Ф. И. Успенский. История Византийской империи Сноски к Введению 1 See bo m. Village Community. В«Журн. Мин. Нар. Просв.» за 1911 г. (март и апрель) помещена статья по этому вопросу профессора Π Γ. Виноградова. 2 Monum. Germaniae Historica. Capitularia ed. Boretius (Capitul. de villis и Capit. Aquisgranense). 3 Λμπρος Μιχαλ Ακομιντου τα σωζμενα. II. Ρ. 207—208; моя книга «Образование второго Болгарского царства». Прилож., с. 65—66. 4 Nicetas Acominatus. P. 391, 537, 761. Период I Сноски к главе II 1 Herodoti, I. V. С. 923. Русский перев. Ф. Г. Мищенко. 11.18—49. 2 Cod. Theod. IX. 14, 3. 3 Polybii Hist. lib. XXXVI. С. 4 (V. IV. P. 106 sq. ed. Dindorf). 4 Annal. XII. 63. 5 Seeck. Geschichte des Untergangs der antiken Welt. Берлин, 1895—1909. 3 тт.; Bury. A History of the later Roman Empire. T. I. Introduction; Schurtze. Geschichte des Untergangs des griechisch-romischen Heidentums. Иена, 1887—1892. 2 тт.; Корелин. Падение античного миросозерцания. СПб•., 1895; Boissier. La fin du paganisme. Париж; есть рус. перев. 1892—1894. Москва. Сноски к главе III 1 Описание Тацита. Annales. XV. 38—45. Литература обширная. Назовем: Baur. Das Christenthum der drei ersten Jahrhunderten; Hausrath. Neutes-tamentliche Zeitgeschichte; Renan. Ongines du christianisme, и др. 2 Suetonius. Nero. C. 38. 3 Dio Cassius. 62, 16. 4 Priamum felicem vocabat, quod superstes omnium suorum extitisset. 5 Annales. XV. 44. 6 Schiller. Nero. S. 433. Anm. 4. 7 Suetonius. Tib. 36. 8 Plinii epist. X, XCVI. 9 Acta S. Maximiliani: «Mihi non licet militare quia christianus sum»; «Non possum militare, non possum malefacere». 10 Burckhardt. Die Zeit Constantins des Grossen. 3. Aufl. S. 308—309. 11 Burckhardt, 157; Wietersheim. Geschichte der Volkerwanderung. B. III. S. 223. 12 Vita Constantini. C. 28. 13 Panegyr. Nazarii. C. 14. 14 Lactantii. C. 48; Eusebii. Historia ecclesiastica. X. 5. 15 Vita Constantini. II. 24—42, манифест к язычникам; II. 48—60 — к восточным народам. 16 Burckhardt. Die Zeit Constantins des Grossen. S. 340—341. |
| Is Our Copy of the Bible a Reliable Copy of the Original? Introduction Many skeptics believe that the Bible has been drastically changed over the centuries. In reality, the Bible has been translated into a number of different languages (first Latin, then English and other languages, see History of the Bible). However, the ancient manuscripts (written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) have been reliably copied over the centuries - with very few alterations. Old Testament How do we know the Bible has been kept intact for over 2,000 years of copying? Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, our earliest Hebrew copy of the Old Testament was the Masoretic text, dating around 800 A.D. The Dead Sea Scrolls date to the time of Jesus and were copied by the Qumran community, a Jewish sect living around the Dead Sea. We also have the Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament dating in the second century B.C. When we compare these texts which have an 800-1000-year gap between them we are amazed that 95% of the texts are identical with only minor variations and a few discrepancies. New Testament There are tens of thousands of manuscripts from the New Testament, in part or in whole, dating from the second century A.D. to the late fifteenth century, when the printing press was invented. These manuscripts have been found in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, making collusion unlikely. The oldest manuscript, the John Rylands manuscript, has been dated to 125 A.D. and was found in Egypt, some distance from where the New Testament was originally composed in Asia Minor. Many early Christian papyri, discovered in 1935, have been dated to 150 A.D., and include the four gospels. The Papyrus Bodmer II, discovered in 1956, has been dated to 200 A.D., and contains 14 chapters and portions of the last seven chapters of the gospel of John. The Chester Beatty biblical papyri, discovered in 1931, has been dated to 200-250 A.D. and contains the Gospels, Acts, Paul's Epistles, and Revelation. The number of manuscripts is extensive compared to other ancient historical writings, such as Caesar's " Gallic Wars " (10 Greek manuscripts, the earliest 950 years after the original), the " Annals " of Tacitus (2 manuscripts, the earliest 950 years after the original), Livy (20 manuscripts, the earliest 350 years after the original), and Plato (7 manuscripts). |
| Archive Summer institute for Moscow Patriarchate representatives held in Rome 28 May 2018 year 15:58 From May 19 to 26, 2018, the 3d Summer Institute for representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church was held in Rome as part of the academic and cultural cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Roman Catholic Church. The project was organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity with participation of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR) and the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute for Post-Graduate Studies (CMI). The group of attendees included staff members of the synodal departments of the Moscow Patriarchate and representatives of theological schools and clergy from various dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. The group was led by Bishop Arseniy of Yuryev, vicar of the diocese of Novgorod. The institute’s program included visits to common Christian holy places, introduction to the work of higher education institutions of the Roman Catholic Church and meetings with leaders of various institutions of the Curia of Rome, among which was a meeting with the Holy See State Secretary Cardinal Pietro Parolin, which lasted an hour and a half. They also met with Russia’s ambassador to the Vatican A. Avdeyev and the former Apostolic Nuncio to Russia, Archbishop Antonio Mennini. Throughout its visit the group was accompanied by the Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle, a staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. On May 20, the guests from the Russian Orthodox Church visited the St. Clement Basilica, in which they celebrated a thanksgiving at the relics of St. Cyril Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Enlightener of the Slavs, as the next year will mark the 150th anniversary of his demise. On May 23, the group attended the Papal General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. After it they were introduced to Pope Francis. In his brief greeting, the head of the Roman Catholic Church underscored the topicality of inter-Christian dialogue. After that the sides exchanged gifts. On May 24, the commemoration day of Ss Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Teachers of the Slavs, Bishop Arseniy celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Catherine’s in Rome. He was assisted by the delegation members in holy orders. After the service, Many Years of Life was sung to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill as it was his name day. The regular Summer Institute in Russia for representatives of the Roman Catholic Church is expected to take place this autumn. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| The Book of Revelation is often confusing. But, ironically, it enlightens baptism for us and draws us into a much deeper experience than you ever could have imagined! Because of a recent baptism, I think a post on Revelation , or Apocalypse , by St. John is appropriate (please note, it’s “ Revelation ,” singular, not “ Revelations ,” plural). To read the passage ( Revelation 3:14-22, the letter to the Laodiceans), click here . This may seem like an odd choice for a passage. Indeed, Revelation isn’t read liturgically at any service throughout the church year. However, the imagery within Revelation plays a very important part in the life of our church. This passage, as we’ll see, illuminates the meaning of baptism. In fact, it is baptism that makes us hot or cold – that is rich – rather than lukewarm. First, a bit of background… Revelation begins with two short introductions and then 7 letters written to 7 different churches that existed in the ancient world. This letter is the 7 th and last of the letters and it was written to Laodicea; though it addresses one particular church, the message is for all churches, at all times, in all places. But knowing a bit more about this city will help us understand it a bit better. Laodicea is situated in the Roman district of Phrygia in the west central part of Anatolia. Today, this is located in the southwest region of modern day Turkey. In the first century – when John wrote his Apocalypse – it sat on a major trade route and, as such, was known for its riches. It was also a major banking center and it was well known for its medical school. In particular, Laodicea was well known for its ophthalmology school. Though this town was rich in material goods, one thing it did not have was good water. In fact, like many places around the United States today, it had to have water shipped in. To the north, was a city called Hierapolis, which was famous for its hot springs. In fact, even to this day, you can visit this city and see these springs. In the first century, an aqueduct was built that carried the water from Hierapolis to Laodicea but, after traveling 5 miles, the water was no longer hot – it was merely lukewarm. |
| BH J. Meyendorff, Byzantine Hesychasm BZ Byzantinische Zeitschrift C. Caput/Capita (Capita 150) CA Palamas, Contra Acindynum CAG Commentaria in Aristotelem graeca CFHB Corpus fontium historiae byzantinae CSHB Corpus scriptorum historiae byzantinae DOB/D Palamas, Dialogue of an Orthodox und a Barlaamite DOP Dumbarton Oaks Papers DSp Dictionnaire de spiritualité DTC Dictionnaire de théologie catholique EEBΣ πετηρς " Eταιρεας Bυζαντινν Σπουδν EEΘΣ πιοτημονικ πετηρς Θεολογικν Σπουδν (Thessalonica) EO Échos d " Orient Ep Epistula/e (Gregorii Palamae) GCS Griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller H Palamas, Homily JÖB(G) Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Byzantinistik (der Österreichischen Byzantinischen Gesellschaft) K Palamas, Reply On Cyril MM F. Miklosich, J. Miller (eds.), Acta et diplomata graeca medii aevi sacra et profana OCP Orientalia christiana periodica OECT Oxford Early Christian Texts PG Patrologia graeca PLP Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit PO Patrologia orientalis PS Chrestou, Παλαμ Συγγρμματα PTS Patristische Texte und Studien SC Sources chrétiennes T Palamas, Theophanes TU Texte und Untersuchungen Union/U Palamas, On Union and Distinction 1 On these early editions see J. Meyendorff, Introduction a l " etude de. Grégoire Palamas (Patristica sorbonensia 3; Paris, 1959), pp. 335–340. 3 Theologia dogmatica christianorum orientalium ab ecclesia catholica dissidentium, 5 vols. (Paris, 1926–1935) 2: 47–183; art., «Palamas Grégoire,» dtc 11 (1932) 1735–1776; art., «Palamite (Controverse),» dtc 11 (1932). 1777–1818. 5 On Jugie " s life and career see V. Laurent, «L’œuvre scientifique du R P. Martin Jugie,» reb 11 (1953) 7–32. 6 J. Meyendorff, « L " origine de la controverse palamite. La premiére lettre de Palamas á Akindynos,» Θεολογα 25 (1954) 602–613 and 26 (1955) 77–90; idem, «Une lettre inédite de Grégoire Palamas á Akindynos, Texte et commentaire sur la troisiéme lettre de Palamas,» Θεολογα 24 (1953) 557–587 [both articles were reprinted in Byzantine Hesychasm: Historical, Theological and Social Problems (London, 1974), nos. II and III]; idem, Grégoire Palamas. Défense des saints hésychastes (Spicilegium sacrum lovaniense, Etudes et documents, fasc. 30–31; Louvain, 1959; reprint with revisions, 1973). |
| Perhaps lest the accusers of John " s audience complain that glorifying Jesus detracted from God " s glory, John is at pains to demonstrate that it is the Father himself who glorifies Jesus and that Jesus» costly glory glorifies the Father (7:18; 8:50,54; cf. 1 John 2:23 ). Jesus is exalted on the basis of his prior submission to suffering for the Father " s honor. 9416 In Isaiah, God glorified himself in glorifying Israel (Isa 44:23; 46:13; 49:3; 55:5; 60:1–2, 7, 9, 19, 21; 61:3); thus an Amora could remark, for example, that God told Moses to glorify Israel, for Israel " s glorification would glorify God. 9417 That Jesus rules «all flesh» (17:2) simply means that he rules «all humanity.» 9418 This was a role normally attributed to God alone, 9419 but the Fourth Gospel reveals that the Father has repeatedly delegated his authority to the Son (3:35; 5:22, 26–27; 13:3); 9420 the Father " s gifts to the Son (especially disciples; also glory, revelation, and authority) and the Son " s gifts to disciples in fact make the present context the Gospel " s greatest concentration of δδωμι (17:2,4,6–9,11–12,14,22,24). That Jesus was authorized to give eternal life to his own would encourage those whose faith was challenged by opponents who claimed to speak for God apart from Jesus (cf. 6:37–40; 10:28–29). John 17continues the connection between the Father and the Son; eternal life, eschatological life, involves an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son (see discussion of «knowledge» in the introduction, ch. 6). 9421 The connection between Jesus and the Father in 17is very close. It is even grammatically possible to construe the dual object as a hendiadys, identifying Jesus Christ with «the only true God,» but this construction is impossible both logically and from the standpoint of Johannine theology. 9422 In John " s theology, the Son is not the Father, and it is hardly coherent for Jesus to identify himself as the Father he was addressing. The close association, however, places Jesus in the role reserved for the Father (or at least divine Wisdom) in standard Jewish teaching. Besides 1:17, «a legitimate anachronism,» 17is the only instance in the Gospel in which «Christ» appears as part of a proper name and not simply a title. 9423 |
| 10788 Other rhetoricians employed the same technique: Lysias, for example, complains that his only problem in prosecuting Eratosthenes is to know when to stop reciting his crimes. 10789 He warns that even if they executed Ergocles many times, they would not have avenged all the wrongs he had done. 10790 Aeschines also declares that recounting all his opponent " s crimes from one year would consume his entire court day. 10791 Rhetoricians also employed such language for praise: for example, one doubts that anyone could recount all the great deeds of those who died for Athens in battle. 10792 A rhetorical biographer would not recount further civil honors of Rufus of Perinthus because such honors cannot compare with Rufus " s «skill and learning.» 10793 Most rhetoricians provided the examples they did include as models for imitation (see introduction, pp. 14–16, 19, 46). Jewish writers could speak of God " s deeds and expect them to elicit a response. 10794 John could have written other signs but provides a basic sample for a specific purpose, namely to elicit adequate faith (20:31). In this Gospel, signs are inadequate to guarantee solid faith (cf. 2:23; 4:48; 6:2, 30), but they can provoke one to begin on that journey (e.g., 2:11; 6:26; 7:31; 9:16; 12:37). John had «written» these things (20:31), and as in 19:22, he uses the perfect tense, signifying the continuing impact of what he has written. 10795 In John " s (and often early Christian) style, however, «written» in the perfect most often refers to Scripture (2:17; 6:31, 45; 8:17; 10:34; 12:14, 16; 15:25). 10796 Because he is inspired by the Paraclete (see pp. 115–22, 979–81), the author of the Fourth Gospel may quietly suggest that his work belongs in the same category with the Scriptures of old. 10797 Purpose of the Conclusion Surely this conclusion (20:30–31) emphasizes the purpose of the Gospel, which should imply something about the sort of audience the Gospel originally addressed. 10798 Because John says, «that you may believe,» many think that the purpose of the Gospel is evangelistic. |
| Some scholars read this pericope as a portrait of the obsolescence of Judaism or Jewish ritua1. 4361 Others, pointing to the new application of the pots and purifying of the temple, argue that this chapter supports a renewal within Judaism, rather than its repudiation. 4362 Still others see both tendencies, suggesting both Judaism " s fulfillment and its destruction. 4363 Onés particular perspective will depend on whether one concludes, on reading the whole Gospel, that the Johannine community still considered itself part of Judaism. As argued in our introduction (ch. 5), the Johannine community probably retained its attachment to Judaism; one may thus read this passage as arguing that Jesus has brought an eschatological renewal to Judaism, which the Jerusalem (and perhaps Yavneh) hierarchy have rejected. The water motif throughout the Fourth Gospel consistently represents Jesus and the Spirit superseding Jewish traditions (often by fulfilling rather than negating them). Although there is no explicit mention of the Spirit in this chapter, 4364 parallels from the water motif in 3and 7:37–39 suggest that the old purification has become less important only because Jesus is ready to make the new purification of the Spirit available. 4365 A careful first-time reader of this passage might have already caught that cue from 1:33. 4366 Some see the figure of wine here as an allusion to the messianic banquet (cf. Isa 25:6–9; Rev 19:9); 4367 rabbinic literature 4368 and possibly 4369 the Dead Sea Scrolls 4370 speak of an eschatological banquet for the righteous. 4371 Supernatural abundance of wine would mark the future era. 4372 This image and some other clues could suit a sacramental reading of this text if something pointed clearly in this direction, 4373 but banquets were common, and little in the passage supports a sacramental reading with sufficient clarity to make the case. 4374 More importantly, wine does not always symbolize the future banquet. In late rabbinic texts, for instance, it seems more often to symbolize the Torah. |
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