Christ is risen from the dead, and through death He did trample upon death, and thus bestowing to those in the tombs the gift of life, of eternal life!
Posted by jeremy stock at April 28, 2003 09:20 AMmost important word "GIFT". but I don't think gift fits into the orthodox view, as I understand gift.
Posted by: jeff at April 29, 2003 06:26 PMFather,
Then I guess you don't understand Orthodoxy very well.
Perhaps you ought to read Frederica Mathewes-Green's book The Illumined Heart. If you find her presentation of Christ's Gift to us as problematic then perhaps we can have a constructive conversation about it.
But as long as you refuse to confront Orthodoxy on its own merits, i.e., read something that explains what Orthodoxy Christianity really teaches docrtinally, then most of our discussions will be futile.
You might also keep in mind that Orthodoxy is as much experienced as it is adherence to cold, hard doctrine...therefore, really, in the end, just reading a book about "Orthodoxy" will leave the reader with but a limited understanding of Orthodox Christianity... But it's a good start.
Read her book; take notes; write down questions, comments, beefs, and let's talk about it.
Posted by: jeremy at April 29, 2003 07:04 PMGift doesn't fit?!?!?! Darn it, we're going to have to change the liturgy and the psalter...and that's just for starters.
:)
Posted by: james at April 30, 2003 06:41 AMI don't know who this lady is . but the word of god says in 1st jhon.I write these things to you so that you may KNOW you have eternal live. jer you have stated to me that you don't know that you have eternal live. only that you have the hope of eternal life. and that is all anyone has is the hope?
Dad
Jeff,
The Bible also says that "he who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13)
Have you endured *TO THE END* yet? If you are reading this sentence, my guess is not!
Jeff, you really should read the Church Fathers on the topic of salvation....it will greatly help you in understanding where we are coming from.
The truth is, we WERE saved when Christ died and rose from the dead. We are BEING saved (1 Cor 1:18), and we HOPE to be saved if we endure till the end, with God's grace.
Orthodox soteriology is *holistic*....
Posted by: Karl Thienes at April 30, 2003 09:19 PMJeremy,
Hey, off subject, so apologies. But did you get into UCLA? I haven't seen posts on this subject, but I figure I could've missed it. What's the plans for the fall? Write me offline if you want to keep this space open for the current thread. Hope you and your wife are doing well. -sc
Posted by: scott cunningham at May 16, 2003 10:45 AM