parresia

Antony

Apostolic Bishops and Pagan Philosophers somtimes see the same truth.

In an article admonishing Orthodox Christians to live their faith, entitled, "Praxis as Incarnation and Kenosis," Metropolitan Anthony (Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of San Francisico) writes as follows:

True theology cannot remain merely at the level of the "word," of abstract propositions requiring merely mental acquiescence. True theology must be enfleshed, incarnate in time and space. It must become praxis...Our theology, therefore, must constantly reflect this movement from "word" to "flesh," from abstract to concrete, from intangible to the human touch.

Similarly, yet so contrary, the mad-man Nietzsche writes the following in his tirade against Christianity The Anti-Christ.

It is false to the point of absurdity to see in a 'belief', perchance the belief in redemption through Christ, the distinguishing characteristic of the Christian: only Christian practice, a life such as he who died on the Cross lived, is Christian... Not a belief but a doing, above all a not-doing of many things, a different being.

So obvious a truth, yet so difficult to subject oneself to-- we are called to live out our Christianity, not merely to believe. For lo, even the demons of Satan believe that there is but one God! (James 2:19). Monk Evagrios is quoted by Anthony as saying,

"...the way of prayer is twofold: it comprises practice of the virtues [praxis] and contemplation [theoria]"

...remember the Saint's words: faith, without works, is dead.

Posted by at July 22, 2002 06:55 PM