S
Friends,
"The Ransom doctrine of justification is the ancient and apostolic teaching. Western historians of the Christian Church like to think of teachings as constantly changing. Therefore, they conclude that either justification is a "theory" which has been altered with time -- from the "ransom theory" to the "Latin theory" to the "theory" of Christ's redemption as a symbol of human victory over evil and tragedy; or yest, as some argue, there is no one theory which Christians need to believe.
"But, as already mentioned, the doctrine of justification for a thousand years was based on the "ransom theory", that is, the conquest of death and the devil, the expunging of sin, a conquest which we appropriate to ourselves by sharing the Life of the Church. Put another way, Christ was not born to die, but to give new life to His creation. He delivered the human race from death, the devil and sin on the Cross. Grace is everywhere. No man is denied salvation. But eternal life -- theosis -- comes only to those who have freely joined themselves to Him by Baptism, to the Resurrected Christ, to His Body, the Church.
"There may be some irony in the fact that the "Christian" post-Orthodox West, conceives "the Sacrifice on the Cross" to be little more than the "remission of sins," therefore, viewing justification as the escape from deserved punishment, pain and damnation. There is little memory of salvation (hence, justification) as a process of spiritual perfection or sanctification which leads to deification. The vision of Haven is sinless and unending happiness (Augustine's eudaemonism). Its faith is reflected in its false worship and piety.
"This heretical vision also betrays an erroneous conception of God. As the theology changed so did the idea of the Mystery (if it was not simply neglected), and so the understanding of Christ, the Church, the Holy Mysteries, and the whole Christian Economy. When law and reason rather than Apostolic Faith became the source of theological categories, "retributive justice stands out as the primary attribute of God".
"The God of Orthodoxy is not the God of the philosophers, not of retribution, not of wrath (save at the Judgment), but the God Who gives us thee great victory; hence the Paschal troparion -- Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the grave bestowing life. The Cross is not a punishment, not Christ suffering to make restitution, to satisfy the offended dignity of a vindictive God, but the victory of God over the devil, of good over evil, of life over death. It is a "sacrifice of praise", a return to fellowship with God.
"The Cross is unthinkable without the Resurrection -- the promise of the Eighth Day, the everlasting Day of the Lord, the Age to Come where the justified who have been saved are transformed into "gods", dwelling in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, in the company of angels, and the church of the firstborn, which have been written in heaven, and with God the Judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant .... (Hb. 12:23-24)." (pages 21-23: JUSTIFICATION: The Path to Theosis. Rev. Dr. Michael Azkoul. Synaxis Press, The Canadian Orthodox Publishing House, 37323 Hawkins-Pickle Road, Dewdney, BC, Canada V0M-1H0 ). God save us and be with us always in Christ Jesus. Amen. In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington May 2011 AD Lord have mercy. Amen.
"The Ransom doctrine of justification is the ancient and apostolic teaching. Western historians of the Christian Church like to think of teachings as constantly changing. Therefore, they conclude that either justification is a "theory" which has been altered with time -- from the "ransom theory" to the "Latin theory" to the "theory" of Christ's redemption as a symbol of human victory over evil and tragedy; or yest, as some argue, there is no one theory which Christians need to believe.
"But, as already mentioned, the doctrine of justification for a thousand years was based on the "ransom theory", that is, the conquest of death and the devil, the expunging of sin, a conquest which we appropriate to ourselves by sharing the Life of the Church. Put another way, Christ was not born to die, but to give new life to His creation. He delivered the human race from death, the devil and sin on the Cross. Grace is everywhere. No man is denied salvation. But eternal life -- theosis -- comes only to those who have freely joined themselves to Him by Baptism, to the Resurrected Christ, to His Body, the Church.
"There may be some irony in the fact that the "Christian" post-Orthodox West, conceives "the Sacrifice on the Cross" to be little more than the "remission of sins," therefore, viewing justification as the escape from deserved punishment, pain and damnation. There is little memory of salvation (hence, justification) as a process of spiritual perfection or sanctification which leads to deification. The vision of Haven is sinless and unending happiness (Augustine's eudaemonism). Its faith is reflected in its false worship and piety.
"This heretical vision also betrays an erroneous conception of God. As the theology changed so did the idea of the Mystery (if it was not simply neglected), and so the understanding of Christ, the Church, the Holy Mysteries, and the whole Christian Economy. When law and reason rather than Apostolic Faith became the source of theological categories, "retributive justice stands out as the primary attribute of God".
"The God of Orthodoxy is not the God of the philosophers, not of retribution, not of wrath (save at the Judgment), but the God Who gives us thee great victory; hence the Paschal troparion -- Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the grave bestowing life. The Cross is not a punishment, not Christ suffering to make restitution, to satisfy the offended dignity of a vindictive God, but the victory of God over the devil, of good over evil, of life over death. It is a "sacrifice of praise", a return to fellowship with God.
"The Cross is unthinkable without the Resurrection -- the promise of the Eighth Day, the everlasting Day of the Lord, the Age to Come where the justified who have been saved are transformed into "gods", dwelling in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, in the company of angels, and the church of the firstborn, which have been written in heaven, and with God the Judge of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant .... (Hb. 12:23-24)." (pages 21-23: JUSTIFICATION: The Path to Theosis. Rev. Dr. Michael Azkoul. Synaxis Press, The Canadian Orthodox Publishing House, 37323 Hawkins-Pickle Road, Dewdney, BC, Canada V0M-1H0 ). God save us and be with us always in Christ Jesus. Amen. In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington May 2011 AD Lord have mercy. Amen.
