ΤΗΕ ROLE OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
The
heretics (who are full of demonic pride and egotism) oppose the
Orthodox theology by claiming that we humans are not supposed to
change.
You
probably know that heresy originates in pride and egotism. All
heretic leaders were extremely proud people. According to them, it is
God Who must change, not man! They have based their whole theology on
this perverted thesis, although the opposite is true. God is
unalterable, He never changes. Moreover, according to Orthodox
theology, God is ever-same (ἀίδιος,
aídios),
meaning He is always the same (was before all times, is and will be
for ever). God is perfect, All-perfect, above all perfection. That's
why He does not need to progress, to become better or to change.
Alas!
If God was ever to change, it would mean He has passions! But, of
course not... God is dispassionate (ἀπαθής).
He is unalterable. However, according to heretic (papist, protestant
etc.) theology, God changes, indeed!
Now,
please, notice how this theology unfortunately pervaded our orthodox
theology. Fr. John Romanides says: "For
them, in the West, Papists and Protestants, man does not change. For
them, the only thing man does is that he becomes a 'good' boy",
meaning we only change our outward behavior.
Our inner part, our
essence, our soul (essentially) does not change. We only become
externally a 'good' boy. And when we, from 'bad' boys and girls,
become 'good' boys and girls, God loves us or, else, He turns away
from us. What a strange theology! Totally wrong!
This
means that, according to them, God can hate and abhor! If we continue
being 'bad' boys and girls, God does not love us. Can you please tell
me, have you realized that this kind of perception of God has also
pervaded our orthodox way of thinking?
This
is a result of the influence of western standards on orthodox
catechism. The same teachings are often to be observed in
contemporary orthodox Sunday-Schools: "If
we become 'good' boys and girls, God changes and becomes also
'good'!"
Do you realize where we end up being with all this absurd theology?
And,
from a past situation, when God supposedly did not love us, He now
ends up loving us. "When we become 'bad' boys and girls, God is
angry, and when we become 'good', God is happy"!
Unfortunately,
these are the opinions prevailing in Europe. This is the theology of
the West. In fact, this teaching is a total disproof of God Himself,
because God is not like this at all. This is the reason why the West
has ended up actually refusing God and getting into a state of pure
atheism (a good Greek source on the theology of the death of God can
be found here).
f. Savvas Agioreitis
To be continued...
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου