Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

 

God did not give the command to the forefathers to abolish the freedom from their personality. As we have already said, the universe as “being caused” cannot exist by itself. Therefore, not only does it not possess its own “being” but neither does it contain the “well being” or the “eternal existence” by its own ability. It takes this from the Creator. By adhering to the commandment it continues to communicate and relate to Him. This is an existential necessity. In the nature of the command we see God’s ineffable philanthropy, who wants to keep man near Him. God did not cause man’s fall, but the defection of created beings from Self-Life. The Scriptures justifiably say that “God did not create death; neither didHhe find joy in the demise of beings” (Solomon 1, 13).

Source: pemptousia.com


avatar

Pemptousia Partnership

Pemptousia and OCN have entered a strategic partnership to bring Orthodoxy Worldwide. Greek philosophers from Ionia considered held that there were four elements or essences (ousies) in nature: earth, water, fire and air. Aristotle added ether to this foursome, which would make it the fifth (pempto) essence, pemptousia, or quintessence. The incarnation of God the Word found fertile ground in man’s proclivity to beauty, to goodness, to truth and to the eternal. Orthodoxy has not functioned as some religion or sect. It was not the movement of the human spirit towards God but the revelation of the true God, Jesus Christ, to man. A basic precept of Orthodoxy is that of the person ­– the personhood of God and of man. Orthodoxy is not a religious philosophy or way of thinking but revelation and life standing on the foundations of divine experience; it is the transcendence of the created and the intimacy of the Uncreated. Orthodox theology is drawn to genuine beauty; it is the theology of the One “fairer than the sons of men”. So in "Pemptousia", we just want to declare this "fifth essence", the divine beaut in our life. Please note, not all Pemptousia articles have bylines. If the author is known, he or she is listed in the article above.

0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder