S
"Friends,
Questions from Evangelicals.
"The Bible Alone? The true Christian faith is based on the Bible alone.
"The Bible never has been and never can be "alone." It was the Orthodox Catholic Church
that finally decided what books belonged in the Bible and what did not. In the era following
the death of the Apostles, there were many books that claimed to be Apostolic Scripture.
The Church decided what books were authentic and what were not, based on whether or
not those books conformed to the oral tradition she had received from the Apostles.
Without the Church there would be no Bible. Heresies and distortions result when the
Bible is torn away from the Church or interpreted privately outside of the catholic
traditions of the Church (cf. 2 Peter 3;!6). The same Holy Spirit that inspired the Scriptures
is promised to guide the Church unto all truth and preserve her from error (cf. John
16:13). The Bible is not "alone" --- it belongs to the Church.
"The Invisible Church and the Denominations
"The Church of Christ is invisible. I don't believe in the Orthodox Church or any other
denomination.
"The Orthodox Church is not a "denomination." It is identical to the Church that was
established by the Apostles, that vanquished early heresies such as Gnosticism and
Arianism, that proclaimed the canon of Scripture, and that defined the great Christian
doctrines relating to the Trinity and the divine and human natures of Christ. Orthodox
Church history can be traced from Jesus Christ himself directly to modern times without
interruption. It is impossible to claim that the Church is invisible. Were the local
churches established by the Apostles invisible? Did the formation of the Bible take
place outside of history? Were not the great heresies defeated in history by the historical
Church? The truth is, then, that the Church is visible, it has a history, and it is identical to
the Orthodox Church of today.
"The Bible and Tradition
"But Orthodoxy de-emphasizes the Bible and stresses the importance of tradition.
"Orthodoxy does not de-emphasize the Bible. The Orthodox Church accepts the Bible as
the divinely-inspired, infallible Word of God. The Bible has unparalleled authority in the
Church of God when it comes to faith and practice. But the Orthodox Church insists that
the Scriptures must be interpreted according to the catholic tradition of the Church. This
"catholic tradition" is based on the oral teaching of the Apostles as it has been handed
down in the Church (cf. 2 Thess. 2:15). It is the result of the fact that the Holy Spirit
lives in the Church (cf. John 14:26). It is enshrined in the teachings of Ecumenical
Councils of the Church and the teachings of the saints and Church Fathers. Those who
live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit are our best guides to the Scriptures; it is they who
testify to the deep union between Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition in the Church."
(pages 12-14: An Eastern Orthodox Response to Evangelical Claims. by Fr. Paul
O'Callaghan. of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Copyright 1984. Light and Life Publishing
Company, Minneapolis, MN).
God save us in Christ Jesus our LORD. Amen. In Erie PA USA Scott R. Harrington
Questions from Evangelicals.
"The Bible Alone? The true Christian faith is based on the Bible alone.
"The Bible never has been and never can be "alone." It was the Orthodox Catholic Church
that finally decided what books belonged in the Bible and what did not. In the era following
the death of the Apostles, there were many books that claimed to be Apostolic Scripture.
The Church decided what books were authentic and what were not, based on whether or
not those books conformed to the oral tradition she had received from the Apostles.
Without the Church there would be no Bible. Heresies and distortions result when the
Bible is torn away from the Church or interpreted privately outside of the catholic
traditions of the Church (cf. 2 Peter 3;!6). The same Holy Spirit that inspired the Scriptures
is promised to guide the Church unto all truth and preserve her from error (cf. John
16:13). The Bible is not "alone" --- it belongs to the Church.
"The Invisible Church and the Denominations
"The Church of Christ is invisible. I don't believe in the Orthodox Church or any other
denomination.
"The Orthodox Church is not a "denomination." It is identical to the Church that was
established by the Apostles, that vanquished early heresies such as Gnosticism and
Arianism, that proclaimed the canon of Scripture, and that defined the great Christian
doctrines relating to the Trinity and the divine and human natures of Christ. Orthodox
Church history can be traced from Jesus Christ himself directly to modern times without
interruption. It is impossible to claim that the Church is invisible. Were the local
churches established by the Apostles invisible? Did the formation of the Bible take
place outside of history? Were not the great heresies defeated in history by the historical
Church? The truth is, then, that the Church is visible, it has a history, and it is identical to
the Orthodox Church of today.
"The Bible and Tradition
"But Orthodoxy de-emphasizes the Bible and stresses the importance of tradition.
"Orthodoxy does not de-emphasize the Bible. The Orthodox Church accepts the Bible as
the divinely-inspired, infallible Word of God. The Bible has unparalleled authority in the
Church of God when it comes to faith and practice. But the Orthodox Church insists that
the Scriptures must be interpreted according to the catholic tradition of the Church. This
"catholic tradition" is based on the oral teaching of the Apostles as it has been handed
down in the Church (cf. 2 Thess. 2:15). It is the result of the fact that the Holy Spirit
lives in the Church (cf. John 14:26). It is enshrined in the teachings of Ecumenical
Councils of the Church and the teachings of the saints and Church Fathers. Those who
live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit are our best guides to the Scriptures; it is they who
testify to the deep union between Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition in the Church."
(pages 12-14: An Eastern Orthodox Response to Evangelical Claims. by Fr. Paul
O'Callaghan. of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Copyright 1984. Light and Life Publishing
Company, Minneapolis, MN).
God save us in Christ Jesus our LORD. Amen. In Erie PA USA Scott R. Harrington