is truth realtive to tradition?

[mdsimpson92]

However, it appears that Isaac, who did not use the Alexandrian terminology of deification (the Greek term theosis, 'deification', was never rendered into Syriac), did not reject the very idea of deification, but he expressed it in a different way. According to him, the man Jesus, upon ascending to God after His resurrection, raised human nature up to the level of the Divinity. Furthermore, the suffering, the death, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ opened up for human nature the possibility of ascending to God:


"...Amid ineffable splendour the Father raised Him to Himself to heaven, to that place which no created being had trod, but whither He had, through His own action, invited all rational beings, angels and human beings, to that blessed Entry, in order to delight in the divine light in which was clothed that Man who is filled with all that is holy, who is now with God in ineffable honour and splendour."

The question is, therefore, about an approach to soteriology that differs from the Alexandrian; but the essence of the Christian message is not lost, which is the salvation of the human being by Christ through the unity of human nature with the Divinity. The way by which the man Jesus ascended - from earth to heaven, from humanity to the Divinity - is opened up for everyone after His resurrection. Deification is here perceived dynamically: as an ascent of the human being, together with the whole created world, to divine glory, holiness and light.

[Metacrock]

Since West has been "Christian" for so long it's not strange that we don't have big expansion of Christianity. The old Soviet empire is losing adherents. I would have expected it to grow but have followed the rates and known all along that it was not. I still don't know why really. My theory is admired and longed for the materialistic life style of the West for so long, the chruch was only the place to go in hard times. No more hard times in the sense hat the had them under communism, so they put religion aside and go for money making.

Way way back in my old days as Sociology major I remember the prof saying that in Australia Eastern European communities followed the fortunes of the old country and when they had persecution in say, Poland, the Polish Aussies would have a revile.

[mdsimpson92]

Maybe in terms of religiousity. Though I think somewhere between 65-+70% are Orthodox Christian (or at least self-identify).

[Metacrock]

Maybe in terms of religiousity. Though I think somewhere between 65-+70% are Orthodox Christian (or at least self-identify).

that's not what the figures I've seen suggest. they show massive falling away since the fall of communism.

[mdsimpson92]

Maybe in terms of religiousity. Though I think somewhere between 65-+70% are Orthodox Christian (or at least self-identify).

that's not what the figures I've seen suggest. they show massive falling away since the fall of communism.

Wierd, I keep hearing the opposite.

http://www.russiablog.org/2006/12/are_r ... re_rel.php

[Metacrock]

Maybe in terms of religiousity. Though I think somewhere between 65-+70% are Orthodox Christian (or at least self-identify).

that's not what the figures I've seen suggest. they show massive falling away since the fall of communism.

Wierd, I keep hearing the opposite.

http://www.russiablog.org/2006/12/are_r ... re_rel.php

good I"m glad to hear it! your first quote explains the problem.

RELIGIOSITY ON THE RISE IN RUSSIA: In 2006, 15 years after the fall of the atheist Soviet Union, 84 percent of Russian citizens said they believed in God, according to a study conducted by Izvestia and the polling agency, VTsIOM. A similar VTsIOM poll in the early 1990's found that 34 percent believed in God. Among respondents, 63 percent considered themselves Orthodox Christians, 6 percent were Muslims and 1 percent Catholics and Buddhists. Another 16 percent said they were atheist. The percentage of Russians who attend religious services has grown from 4 percent during perestroika to 10-12 percent today.

my stats were old!

[mdsimpson92]

how old were your stats? Anyway, it seems that Putin and Mednev seem to be de facto adoption the Russian Orthodox church as a state religion. . . .While I'm glad about the religious revival (I checked, current polls around 2010 put Orthodox Christianity between 70%-75%) I find the lack of separation of church and state to be potentially worrying.

[Metacrock]

how old were your stats? Anyway, it seems that Putin and Mednev seem to be de facto adoption the Russian Orthodox church as a state religion. . . .While I'm glad about the religious revival (I checked, current polls around 2010 put Orthodox Christianity between 70%-75%) I find the lack of separation of church and state to be potentially worrying.

they were at least late 90s.

[mdsimpson92]

Yeah, that's a bit outdated.
Anyway's bumping this up.

However, it appears that Isaac, who did not use the Alexandrian terminology of deification (the Greek term theosis, 'deification', was never rendered into Syriac), did not reject the very idea of deification, but he expressed it in a different way. According to him, the man Jesus, upon ascending to God after His resurrection, raised human nature up to the level of the Divinity. Furthermore, the suffering, the death, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ opened up for human nature the possibility of ascending to God:


"...Amid ineffable splendour the Father raised Him to Himself to heaven, to that place which no created being had trod, but whither He had, through His own action, invited all rational beings, angels and human beings, to that blessed Entry, in order to delight in the divine light in which was clothed that Man who is filled with all that is holy, who is now with God in ineffable honour and splendour."

The question is, therefore, about an approach to soteriology that differs from the Alexandrian; but the essence of the Christian message is not lost, which is the salvation of the human being by Christ through the unity of human nature with the Divinity. The way by which the man Jesus ascended - from earth to heaven, from humanity to the Divinity - is opened up for everyone after His resurrection. Deification is here perceived dynamically: as an ascent of the human being, together with the whole created world, to divine glory, holiness and light.

[Metacrock]

good. glad to be wrong about that.