Priest
DANIEL SYSOEV
An Introduction Orthodox Christianity Translated by DEACON NATHAN WILLIAMS
Daniel Sysoev Inc, New Jersey 2016
Approved by the Russian Orthodox Church Publishing Committee PB 12-122-2262
The publishers wish to express their sincere gratitude to artist Elena Cherkasova for permission to use her work in this edition. The portrait of Father Daniel Sysoev on the back cover is the work of St. Petersburg artist Anton Ovsyanikov. This edition is dedicated to the six-year anniversary of the martyric end of the author. Priest Daniel Sysoev The Law of God: An Introduction to Orthodox Christianity. — NewJersey, Daniel Sysoev Inc, 2016. — 544 p. This new edition of The Law of God will serve for the enrichment of catechists and professors of various schools. Many textbooks, including the venerable work by Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy, have become dated primarily in terms of the language used. The old phraseology needs to be expanded and explained in contemporary language—a need that has been met in this work by Father Daniel Sysoev. To choose the proper wording is to find the key to the heart of the reader. Such was the goal of the late author of this book. Father Daniel spent ten years laboring at its creation, working on it until the final year of his life, constantly redoing and rewriting individual passages. And yet The Law of God is not the fruit of the labors and efforts of one man, for in the field of catechesis it is impossible not to draw on the expertise of the holy fathers and, above all, Holy Scripture. Upon opening this book the believer will fi nd himself in the catechetical school of Father Daniel, will hear his living voice, and will delve into the profound inner world of this talented priest, Christian author, exegete, and missionary. Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev
ISBN 978-5-4279-0027-0
Protected by copyright law. Reproduction of this book in whole or in part is prohibited. Any attempts to violate this law will be prosecuted.
© Daniel Sysoev Inc, 2016 © Yulia Sysoeva, 2016
AN INTRODUCTION TO ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY
Part I
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH
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T WO PATHS ur planet, lost in the vastness of the universe, is inhabited by billions of O strange sentient beings. Created of dust and subject to the laws of matter, they find no rest on this corruptible earth. Their life is unique, yet despite this uniqueness it is relatively stable, following a well-beaten track. They perform their actions instinctively, automatically, immersed in mundanity. All their countless tracks eventually converge into two basic roads, two paths. It is these beings, called men, for whom this book is written, that they might learn the true path, follow it, and find their eternal Fatherland of peace. Of what sort are these paths? The first of them is evil and filled with cursing. It is followed by those who violate the will of God, the Sovereign Lord of the universe. These are the workers of every kind of evil: unbelievers, atheists, heretics, idol-worshippers, sorcerers, murderers, adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, thieves, oppressors, slanderers, committers of abortion, liars, cowards, drunkards, drug addicts, hypocrites, and all workers of every kind of unrighteousness. This path will perish along with all who follow it. So promises the Omnipotent Judge (Ps. 1:6), and so it assuredly will be! But there is another path. Whereas the first is glorified in the newspapers, exalted in television shows, and thrust on us in commercials, the second lies forgotten. But this does not mean it does not exist. It exists, and if for one moment there were no one following it the entire mass of the world would be perish in the flames of a global inferno in the blink of an eye. This second path is called the path of the righteous, and the guide on this
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path is God Himself. It is followed by the faithful, the merciful, the meek, the chaste, the continent, those who love, the pure in heart, the courageous, lovers of God, the humble, and all who fulfill the will of the Unoriginate Father. They will receive eternal life and joy in the Kingdom of the Lord, and this is a certainty. At its heart this path is Divine, because Christ Himself said that He is the Way, i.e., the path, to the Father: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me (Jn. 14:6). But until the eternal sun begins to dawn, those who follow it must have the Law of God to light their way. The Word of God, the Bible, says that the will of the righteous man is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate day and night (Ps. 1:2). And this is no surprise, for it is written, Thy law is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths (Ps. 118:105). This book is a short guidebook on the second path, and it is intended for those who, in setting out upon this path, wish to learn the fundamentals of Orthodox faith and life, as well as sacred history. For without knowing the past works of God, how are His present works to be recognized?
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ON FAITH he first work of God that we must do is to acquire faith, without which T we can neither come to God, nor even learn Who He is. For it is written that without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). What is faith, after all? The Bible says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). In the words of St. John of Damascus it is, “the undoubting and unthinking hope in what God has promised us, and in the success of our petitions.”1 In its action “faith is an eye that illumines every conscience and imparts reason, for the prophet says, If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established (Is. 7:9). What could be more terrible than the devil? Yet even against him we have no other weapon than faith—that immaterial shield against the enemy.”2 Thus, true faith not only does not contradict the intellect, but on the contrary reveals to it horizons hitherto unknown. What can knowledge 1 2
St. John of Damascus, A Precise Exposition of the Faith, IV, 10. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, V, 4.
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based on experience understand? Only the thin film on the surface of matter, or a single facet of a phenomenon in a limited cross section of time. But faith takes a person beyond the limits of space and time and reveals to him the mysteries of God. Knowledge grows from the mind, though it likewise affects the heart, and faith is placed in the heart, though it also changes the thoughts. Thus, the assertion that faith and intellect contradict each other is a fallacy. This contradiction occurs only when either the faith is false, or when the intellect is afflicted with pride and ignorance. Frequently people say that faith is blindness of the mind, a rejection of thought, and a sign of a primitive mentality. The absurdity of this assertion is obvious. Bear in mind that the greatest minds of all mankind were firm believers—Dostoevsky, Newton, Mendeleev, Plato, Aristotle, Pascal, St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), Maxwell, and many others. Were they all really incapable of realizing their “obvious mistake”? Of course not; the answer is quite different. A person whose life has veered from the paths of the Creator’s commandments begins searching for “just cause” to reject the Word of God. As Christ said, every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (Jn. 3:20). Faith has two forms. We call the first of these belief in God, and the second—trust in God. The first is limited to recognition of the Creator’s existence, but this need not necessarily affect one’s life. The Bible says that even the demons have this kind of faith: the devils also believe, and tremble (Jas. 2:19). This faith is not perfect, and man cannot please God with this kind of faith alone. The second type of faith presumes trust in the Creator’s words and a rejection of self-reliance, an active increase in love. It is this kind of faith that is salvific. One who preserves the Orthodox faith out of a desire to live righteously can do anything. The Lord said, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Mt. 17:20). This desire need only not contradict the will of God. And this is no mere fable! Once Abba Serapion came to St. Mark the Ascetic. St. Mark began asking him about the state of the Church, and inquired, “Are there Christians who have such faith that they can even say to a mountain, ‘Move from here over to there’?” At these words the mountain on which they were sitting moved two and a half kilometers toward the sea. Seeing this, St. Mark said to the mountain, “I was not speaking to you; I am talking with my brother. Return to your place!” And it immediately returned to its former place. 3 3
The Lives of the Saints, arranged according to the Orthodox Calendar, by St. Demetrius of Rostov, for April 5 (old style).
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Thus, faith can work miracles, not in and of itself, as some think who are deceived, but by God’s power, because it draws the grace of Almighty God to the believer, providing that this faith is Orthodox. And faith is Orthodox when it strictly adheres to God’s Revelation, adding nothing to it and subtracting nothing.
ON GOD
Now we must say a few words concerning the identity of the God in Whom
Christians believe. At present we will introduce only general concepts, which will be developed later on. Thus, God is a Spirit that is one, eternal, bodiless, invisible, incomprehensible, unchanging, all-good, holy, all-righteous, omnipresent, almighty, all-knowing, loving, most wise, all-complete, in need of nothing. He is the source of goodness and righteousness, the light unapproachable, the power beyond all measure, measurable by His own will alone—for all that He wishes He is able to do. He is the Creator of all creatures visible and invisible, all-encompassing, uncircumscribable, yet preserving and providing for all things. He is the Ruler Who rules over all things and reigns with a kingdom that is unending and immortal, Who has no rival whatsoever. His power permeates all essences, itself remaining pure, abiding beyond the bounds of all things and set apart from all entities as supreme in essence and above all that exists, which establishes all authorities and ranks, but is itself above all authority and rank, above essence, life, word, and understanding. God is Light itself, Goodness itself, Life itself, Love itself, Essence itself, for He has no other existence nor anything of what exists, but rather is Himself the source of existence for all that exists, of life for all that lives, of reason for all that is rational, the cause of every good for all creatures. He has known everything before it ever came to be. He is the Savior of the perishing, the Healer of the suffering, and the righteous Judge of all creation. God is triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet He is not three Gods, but one God. Three Persons (Hypostases), but one Essence, one glory, one might and Kingdom, one will. The Father eternally begets the Son and from His essence brings forth the Holy Spirit. To help clarify this mystery for ourselves we may compare God to the sun. It is one, yet in it one may distinguish the orb, the rays, and the warmth. All three phenomena are a single whole, though they are not identical to one
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another. So also the Father eternally begets the Son, like the ray of sunshine, and brings forth the Holy Spirit, like the warmth. This comparison falls short in that the ray and the warmth are not equal to the sun’s orb, whereas the Son and the Spirit are equal to the Father. We ourselves resemble God in another way. Our rational soul possesses the power of verbal expression and the power to enliven the body. But here again we have not a perfect analogy, but only a feeble likeness. For mind, word, and life are not separate persons, but properties of a single consciousness, whereas in God the Mind, the Word, and the Spirit are three Persons, three Egos. Hence, it is wisest to humbly bow before this Mystery of mysteries, hidden even from the aming heavenly seraphim. One can only come to know the Trinity through love for God from a pure heart. As the apostle John the Theologian says, he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him (1 Jn. 4:16). Once, Blessed Augustine was walking along the seashore, pondering the mystery of the Holy Trinity, when he happened upon a little boy who had dug a little hole in the sand and was spooning water from the sea into it.
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“What are you doing?” Augustine asked in surprise. “I want to pour the sea into this hole here,” the boy replied. “But that is impossible! The hole is too small. How can the sea fit into it?” “And how is it that you attempt with your small mind to understand the mystery of the everlasting Trinity?” the boy replied, and became invisible. Thus the angel showed both the saint and us the incomprehensibility of the Divinity, before Whom our weak mind must bow.
DIVINE REVELATION incomprehensible, God has not left His creation without knowlTedgehough of Himself and His works. Through the Holy Spirit He has revealed His will to righteous men of a pure heart. These are called prophets and apostles. According to St. John Chrysostom, it ought to be that every man would willingly hear the Word of God, but since we have become mired in sins and pleasuring the flesh, God in His mercy has left us His Revelation, handed down to us by men. There is both natural and supernatural Revelation. When philosophers marveled at his wisdom, St. Anthony the Great would answer thus: “I read two books—Nature and Scripture—and through them I come to know God the Creator.” The first of these books clearly teaches to contemplate the might, the wisdom, and the mastery of the Lord and His care for the world, while Scripture, supernatural Revelation, also reveals His attributes and His intentions for the world and for men. Even the pagans, who do not know the Scriptures, are not left without the knowledge of God that is placed into their hearts, handed down to them through Tradition from their ancestors, and garnered from contemplating nature. For this reason they will have no excuse on the day of Judgment: For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (Rom. 1:20). Without supernatural Revelation, however, God would remain for us a distant Power, mighty but obscure. God’s direct intervention alone has revealed His own Self to us. How did this Revelation take place? St. Basil the Great gives this description of the state of prophecy: “In what manner did the pure and illumined souls prophecy? Having become, as it were,
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a mirror of Divine action, they revealed in themselves a clear, unmingled image undarkened by fleshly passions. For the Holy Spirit abides in everyone, but reveals His own power in those who are pure of passions, not in those in whom the masterful part of the soul [i.e., the mind — Auth.] is darkened by sinful impurities ... when the soul, having dedicated itself to every labor of virtue, through strong love for God constantly preserves in itself unsullied the remembrance of God impressed upon it, and in this manner makes God as it were to live in itself, then, having become divinely inspired through strong effort and ineffable love for God, it is made worthy of the gift of prophecy, because God bestows Divine power and opens one’s spiritual eyes to the understanding of whatever visions it pleases Him to impart... “Some say that they prophesied in ecstasy, so that the human mind was blotted out by the Spirit. But it is contrary to the promise of God’s overshadowing to make mad the divinely-inspired one, so that when fi lled with divine instructions he would take leave of his proper reason and, while bringing benefit to others, himself obtain no benefit from his own words. And in general, is it in any way in accordance with reason that the Spirit of Wisdom would make a person like one robbed of his mind, and that the Spirit of Knowledge would destroy reason from within him? But light does not produce darkness; on the contrary, it arouses the power of sight given by nature. And the Spirit does not produce darkening in souls; on the contrary, it arouses the mind, cleansed of sinful stains, to the contemplation of the noetic.”4 In this manner we receive infallible and unerring knowledge of God, the world, and man. But though one in essence, it is spread by the power of the Holy Spirit in two ways: through Scripture and through Tradition.
HOLY TR ADITION most ancient form of transmitting Divine Revelation is Holy TradiTtion.he Until the time of the prophet Moses (in the 16th century B.C.) this was done solely by word of mouth. Tradition is the name given to communication by believers under the Lord’s guidance of the teachings, laws, and rules for living received from God. True life was handed down by the prophets and apostles to the next generation of believers. Its source is the eternal Spirit, 4
Saint Basil the Great, Collected Works, II, Moscow, 1891, pp. 7, 8, 10.
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The Old Testament books of Holy Scripture include five books written by the holy God-seer and prophet Moses, called the books of the Law: 1. Genesis (Gen.) Exodus (Ex.) 2. Leviticus (Lev.) 3. Numbers (Num.) 4. 5. Deuteronomy (Deut.) Next follow the historical books: Joshua (Josh.) Judges (Judg.) 7. 8. Ruth (the latter two books are traditionally ascribed to the holy prophet Samuel) 9–12. The four books of Kings (1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings. The first two books are ascribed to the prophet Samuel; the third and fourth were written by the Old Testament prophets, and unified by the prophet Jeremiah) 13–14. The two books of Chronicles (1 Chron., 2 Chron. These were based on the chronicles of the prophets; their final version was arranged by Saint Ezra.) 15. 1 Ezra 16. Nehemiah (Neh.; in the canons this book is frequently called the Second Book of Ezra) 17. Esther (Est.) 6.
The didactic books: 18. Job (the most ancient book of the Bible, written by St. Job himself, but edited by St. Solomon) 19. The Psalter of the Holy King David (Ps.) 20. Proverbs (Prov.) 21. Solomon’s Ecclesiastes (Eccl.) Solomon’s Song of Songs (Song of Sol.) 22. The Old Testament canon is concluded by the prophetic books: 23. Isaiah (Is.) 24. Jeremiah (Jer.) 25. Lamentations of Jeremiah (Lam.) 26. Ezekiel (Ezek.) 27. Daniel (Dan.) 28. Hosea (Hos.)
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29.
Joel (Joel) Amos Obadiah (Obad.) Jonah (Jon.) Micah (Mic.) Nahum (Nah.) Habakkuk (Hab.) Zephaniah (Zeph.) Haggai (Hag.) Zechariah (Zech.) Malachi (Mal.)
30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.
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In addition to these books, which are called canonical, i.e., standard, Scripture also has noncanonical books: 40. Baruch (Bar.) Letter of Jeremiah (Letter of Jer.) 41. Wisdom of Solomon (Wisd.) 42. Wisdom of Joshua, Son of Sirach (Sir.) 43. Judith (Judith) 44. Tobit (Tob.) 45. 2 Ezra 46. 47. 3 Ezra 48. The three books of the Maccabees (1, 2, 3 Macc.)6 The authority of these latter books is great, though some do not consider them equal to the canonical books. In any case they contain God’s Revelation. The New Testament announces that the promised Savior has come and has redeemed us from sin, the curse, and death. The New Testament contains only canonical books. Books of the Law: 1. The Gospel of Matthew (Mt.) The Gospel of Mark (Mk.) 2. The Gospel of Luke (Lk.) 3. The Gospel of John (Jn.) 4. Historical books: 6
Translator’s note: The division into books follows the Slavonic usage.
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5.
Acts of the Apostles (Acts)
Didactic books—these are the epistles of the apostles. The general epistles addressed to all the churches: 6. James (Jas.) 1 and 2 Peter (1, 2 Pet.) 7–8. 9–11. 1, 2, and 3 John (1, 2, 3 Jn.) Jude 12. The epistles of the apostle Paul: 13. Romans (Rom.) 14–15. 1 and 2 Corinthians (1, 2 Cor.) Galations (Gal.) 16. Ephesians (Eph.) 17. Philippians (Phil.) 18. Colossians (Col.) 19. 20–21. 1 and 2 Thessalonians (1, 2 Thess.) 22–23. 1 and 2 Timothy (1, 2 Tim.) Titus (Tit.) 24. Philemon (Philem.) 25. Hebrews (Heb.) 26. And, finally, a prophetic book: 27. The Apocalypse (Revelation) of John the Theologian (Rev.) These books contain all that is necessary for salvation. By reading them with prayer and understanding them in accordance with the Church we can learn the will of God. “Someone once asked St. Anthony, ‘What should I do to please God?’ ‘What I command you, this keep faithfully,’ the elder replied. ‘Wherever you may go, always have God before you. Whatever you may do, have a witness to this in Holy Scripture. And wherever you may live, do not be quick to leave that place. Keep these three commandments and you will be saved.’” 7
7
The Patericon, or Memorable Sayings on the Asceticism of the Saints and Blessed Fathers, 3.
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THE SYMBOL OF FAITH he basics of the Orthodox faith, without following which one cannot be an T Orthodox Christian and salvation cannot be obtained, are the Symbol of Faith,
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or the Creed. One must know it in order to know God and to please Him. A person reads the Symbol of Faith from memory before his baptism, it is sung at the Liturgy, and one wishing to offer repentance must likewise first recite the Symbol of Faith. The church canons also require this of those wishing to enter into holy matrimony. This text in its content is completely grounded in Divine Revelation. It was adopted in its current form by the fathers of the Ecumenical Councils— the First Council in Nicaea (A.D. 325) and the Second Council in Constantinople (A.D. 381). The Ecumenical Council is a convening of the bishops of the whole ecumenical or universal Church, who, as we believe, were guided by God the Holy Spirit Himself. And it is under His guidance that the Church has preserved the original Revelation, passing it down in precise formulae and crushing every falsehood. The most precise summary of Christian dogma is the Symbol of Faith itself, which we are about to examine. The Greek word symbol has many meanings and connotations, and may be translated in 29 different ways, which is indicative of the particular shades of meaning of this sacred declaration of faith. In its ancient meaning this word signified a rod or circle broken in two, the halves of which were taken by friends or lovers when parting for a long time. Even after many years had passed they could recognize each other by reuniting the halves of the symbol. So also our Eternal Friend and Bridegroom Christ left us this faith, like half of a ring by which He will recognize us on the Day of His return. Clearly, if we lose our half, or even mar it, altering the point of junction, there will be no recognition at our meeting. Christ will say, I never knew you: depart from Me (Mt. 7:23). Another translation of the word symbol is “oath.” We Christians believe that Jesus Christ is our only Lord and King. Hence, in entering His Church, which is called the Church Militant, we take an oath to Him as our Eternal Emperor. Naturally, if we renounce our oath after Baptism we will show ourselves oath-breakers and deserters, and will fall under God’s Judgment. The word symbol can also be translated as “password,” one by which we will be admitted into Paradise restored. This password we must require of anyone wishing to enter into our heart, and our mind must guard our heart, standing sentry so that no one may rob us. The holy Symbol of Faith must be taken to heart and preserved until the end of our life. If there are no problems with one’s memory, this text
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must be learned by heart. In church read the Symbol of Faith in Church Slavonic, which is used for worship in Russia; hence, in this language it must be learned.8
The Symbol of Faith 1. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible. 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten,
begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light: true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made. 3. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the heavens,
and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. 4. And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
and suffered, and was buried. 5. And arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. 6. And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. 7. And shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead;
Whose Kingdom shall have no end. 8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life;
Who proceedeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. 9. In One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. 10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. 11. I look for the resurrection of the dead ... 12. ... and the life of the age to come. Amen.
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Translator's note: Naturally, this pertains to natives of Slavic countries. Each should learn the Symbol of Faith primarily in his own liturgical language.
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EXPLANATION OF THE SYMBOL OF FAITH of Faith consists of twelve parts, or articles. We will examine Teachhe inSymbol turn. 1. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of
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heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. Faith here is by no means a blind act of rejecting reason, as atheists think. On the contrary, it is reason in full bloom. Man finds the Creator with his mind and his heart, and thereafter he trusts Him. Thus, when a person begins to believe, first he recognizes the existence of invisible realities, and through his reason new horizons are revealed. Next he begins to trust God, and in this manner his life gains stability. The chief object of the faith of Christians is God. This word we understand to mean the everlasting Spiritual Being, Who cannot be fully comprehended in His immeasurable might, wisdom, and glory. God is omnipresent and eternal (outside of time), omnipotent, and knows everything. He is perfect Truth and Love; He needs nothing and Himself generously gives all things. God is not anything that exists in the universe. He is not matter, not energy, not the cosmos, not a supreme intellect, not a higher part of the soul. On the contrary, all that exists receives its being from Him: all that lives—its life, all that reasons—its reason, all that is strong— its strength. God is called one not because people are worshipping Him no matter whom they worship—far from it. Rather, it is because He alone is the true One That Is, and all others are false gods (Zeus, Krishna, Perun)—a falsehood devoid of existence, but behind which fallen angels lurk. Thus, beside God the Creator in Whom the Christians believe there is no other god. The one God is called the Father because He is the Personality Who begets the Son without beginning. But He likewise becomes the Father for each person who comes to believe in His Son and receives baptism. God the Father has never proceeded from anyone, and hence is also called unbegotten and unoriginate. He is called Almighty because the whole world exists to this day due to His power sustaining the universe. The whole world is also ruled by His almighty will, which facilitates every good, and cuts off every evil arising from free beings’ rejection of good, turning this evil to a good end. God the Father is further called Creator of heaven and earth, for, by His free will and without the help of anyone, in six days He created the universe out of nothing. And the purpose of this creation was that all free and rational beings might enter into His eternal bliss.
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The visible and invisible worlds are the material universe and the spiritual world. The material universe was governed by man, created in the image of God and intended to become the Lord’s likeness. The angels and our immortal souls pertain to the invisible world. Angel (from the Greek word meaning “messenger”) is the name given to created rational and powerful spirits who have no material body. Through pride part of them fell away from God and became demons, who spawned all the evil in the universe. Satan, their chief, seduced the first people. After their rebellion the demons became confirmed for all time in their hatred for God, and the gloom of eternal darkness is prepared for them. However, all that exists, both visible and invisible, was created from nonexistence by the free will of the Father. 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Onlybegotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light: true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made. As has already been said, God is called the Father because He begat the Son, and here we see how the Church describes her faith in Christ in detail. Thus, for us Jesus Christ is not a great initiate or a moral teacher, not a mere prophet or the first revolutionary, but the eternal God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is called one because He is a single Person, though existing in two natures. He is called Lord, for He is by nature the Master of creation. His kingdom is the kingdom of all the ages, and His sovereignty is in every generation. But He is our Lord in a particular sense: as our Redeemer and the Head of the Church. He received the name Jesus after He became a man. This name means “He Who came to save,” or simply “Savior.” The word Christ is not a name at all, but rather the designation of His ministry after the Incarnation. In translation it means “Anointed One,” because as a man He was anointed by His Divinity. “For in His own person He anointed Himself; as God anointing His body with His own divinity, and as Man being anointed. For He Himself is both God and Man. And the anointing is the divinity of His humanity.”9 The anointing was given to him as King, Prophet, and Priest, for in ancient times, in the Old Testament era, kings, prophets, and priests were appointed to their service through anointing with blessed oil, and hence were called christs (i.e., “anointed ones”). Jesus is called Only-begotten because He alone is begotten of the essence of God the Father, unlike the other children of God (men and angels), whose essence differs from that of the Father. 9
St. John of Damascus. Exposition of the Faith, III, 3.
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The next words, begotten of the Father before all ages, emphasizes that the Son is begotten of the Father’s essence before the beginning of time (which came into being along with the world). The universe may not yet have even existed, but the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and His birth resembles the way one candle is lit from another: the first flame is not diminished, and the second flame is equal to the first. The Son is eternally linked with the Father as the sun is with the ray of sunlight. He is the radiance of His glory and the image of His Person; He is the eternal self-expression of the Father, His Word, Wisdom, and Power. The Son, like the Father, is true God, unlike the false demigods of the pagans and the heathen. Yet one must not think that there are two or three Gods. All three Persons of the Trinity are the One God, as the single source of divinity is the Father. All three Persons have a single essence (nature), will, kingdom, glory, and power, and they abide eternally in each other, differing only in that the Father is not begotten, the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds.
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nople. It comprises five thousand Christians in Turkey, the monastic republic of Athos, and several million Orthodox in Europe, America, and Australia. The second church in Orthodoxy is the Church of Alexandria, founded by the evangelist Mark. It is the fastest-growing Church, comprising millions of Orthodox from Central and South Asia and from Egypt. The third church is the Church of Antioch, in which Christians were first given that name. It includes the Christians of Syria, Eastern Turkey, Lybia, and Iraq, as well as Arabic emigrants in the countries of the West. The fourth is the Mother of the Churches—the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It includes the Orthodox of Israel, Palestine, and Jordania. It is the ancient custom for the patriarch of Jerusalem to receive the Holy Fire that descends from heaven on the eve of Pascha at the Lord’s tomb. This patriarchate includes the ancient autonomous Church of Syria, which unites the Christians of the Sinai Peninsula. Its center is the Monastery of Saint Catherine. The fifth church in the list is the Russian Church (the Moscow Patriarchate). It includes the Christians of Russia, Ukraine (the Ukrainian Church is a self-governing part of the Moscow Patriarchate), Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. It also includes the autonomous Churches of Japan and China.108 It is the most numerous church in the world. Unfortunately, in recent times a number of schisms have fallen away from the Russian Church in Ukraine, exchanging their heavenly fatherland for nationalism. This includes the “Kievan Patriarchate” and the “Ukrainian Autocephalous Church.” All these assemblies are devoid of grace, and salvation in them is impossible. The Georgian Church, founded in the fourth century by the holy equalto-the-apostles Nina, ministers to the Christians of that Caucasian country. The pastoral authority of the Serbian Church extends to the Christians of former Yugoslavia. This church is currently enduring cruel persecutions from Islamists. From the Serbian Church the Church of Macedonia departed into schism. The Romanian Church rules the only one of the Romance peoples that is entirely Orthodox: the Romanians. This church is one of the richest in parishes (their small country contains over twenty-five thousand). The Bulgarian Church includes the Christians of Bulgaria. The Church of Cyprus, founded by the apostles Paul and Barnabas, received its independence at the 3rd Ecumenical Council. It includes the Christians of Cyprus. 108
Editor's note: As of 2007 the Russian Church also includes the autonomous Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), formed in the early 1920s in response to Bolshevik persecution of Christians and interference in the administration of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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The Orthodox Church of Greece ministers to the Orthodox of Greece. This church is one of the world’s most active, and helps conducts missionary work throughout the world. In the last century it has produced many great righteous men and elders who now adorn the heavens. The most recent of these was Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, who died in 1994. The Church of Albania rose from the ashes of persecution in 1992. Today it is headed by one of the greatest missionaries of our time, Archbishop Anastasios, who strives to convert the Albanians to Christ. The Church of Poland ministers to the Orthodox of Poland, Portugal, and Brazil. The Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia was founded by the hieromartyr Gorazd. He converted tens of thousands from Roman Catholicism and was killed by the fascists in 1942. Today this church includes the Orthodox of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Church of Amercia sees to the needs of part of the Orthodox of the USA, Canada, and Mexico. All these churches are united by a union of faith, hope, and love. Together the Orthodox hierarchs work to overcome divisions and temptations, in order to fulfill Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to all nations (Mt. 28:18–20) and to lead the flock to salvation. But this task is not yet completed, for a third of humanity has not yet heard the apostolic preaching. In addition to the episcopate, considerable local authority is exercised by monastic ascetics who are striving for perfection. To this day the spiritual capital of Orthodoxy is Holy Mount Athos, which disperses harbingers of sanctity to all the world. In Russia the undisputed spiritual centers to this day remain the Trinity Sergius Lavra and the Pskov Caves Lavra, in which over the last few years many wise ascetics have blossomed. To this day martyrs are born in the Orthodox Church. This includes the hundreds of Christians martyred by the Muslims in Serbia and Chechnya, and the monks of the Optina Hermitage killed by a satanist on Pascha in 1993, and many other saints who remained faithful to the Lord. The Holy Spirit continues to renew His Church and to lead its children to sanctity.
SIGNS OF THE A PPROACHING END OF THE WOR LD e know that this world will not last forever. Orthodox Christians await W the return of their beloved Lord Jesus Christ, that He might take us to Himself, into the kingdom of the love of His Father. But this will only take place
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when the Gospel has reached all nations inhabiting the earth, and has gathered all who are capable of receiving it and of being reborn by the grace of the Spirit (Mt. 24:14). Then there will no longer be any reason for the world to exist in its current form, and then will come the end. Both good and evil have already been sown. They are developing and growing, and both will mature in their proper time. This cannot occur before the time appointed. The world stands in order that the salvific power with which the Lord has infused our generation might do its work, as leaven works in dough. The Word of God walks the earth, rousing those that sleep and leading them to the sources of grace. This phenomenon is found everywhere—among unbelievers, those gone astray, and those who rightly believe. This world still exists because not all those who are suited for the Kingdom of Christ have entered into it, or not as many as there should be. The salvific power infused by the Lord into our generation holds back by its action the coming of the Antichrist. When it ceases to act, then he will take the stage. Thus, the Antichrist’s coming is prevented by that which not all have yet heard, and not all of those foreknown have yet accepted—the Gospel—and by the fact that the grace of the Holy Spirit still abides and still has work to do in the human race (Saint Theophan the Recluse, Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians). Simultaneously with the increase of good, however, during which all those foreknown by the Father enter the heavenly dwellings to await Christ’s return, evil is also on the rise, and its impure seeds are sprouting. The tares are also growing, as Christ foretold. In the words of the apostle Paul, For the mystery of iniquity doth already work (2 Thess. 2:7). It is manifested in the
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existence of secret anti-Christian societies, and in revolutions, and in the flourishing of man-worship, and in magic. But for now the grace of God and the power of the state are restraining that evil. When the day of the worldwide harvest arrives, then that restraining force will leave the universe. All the states that arose out of the Roman Empire will collapse, and total anarchy will ensue. And from this global chaos will arise the greatest of the wicked, the last enemy of God: the Antichrist.
THE ANTICHR IST his greatest of the wicked will be a man, and not an incarnation of the T devil, as some think. Holy Scripture tells us enough concerning this lawless
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man’s origins for us to recognize him. He will be a Jew from the tribe of Dan. Possessed of great genius and false virtues, he will become proud and will enter into an alliance with Satan. The ancient serpent himself will dwell in him as in a vessel, imparting to him the power to work false miracles. The Hebrew nation will accept the Antichrist as the Messiah, and will facilitate his reign. He himself will also do everything to pass himself off as Christ the Savior. Before him, as before the Lord Jesus, a forerunner will come—a false prophet who will work such signs and wonders that he will even call down fire from heaven. Imitating the God-man, the Antichrist will send false apostles to all the ends of the earth, so as to seduce the people by deceit and magic. He will promise peace and safety to all. As a result the Antichrist will become the ruler of the planet. His power will last three and a half years. His capital will be Jerusalem. He will restore the Temple in Jerusalem and will sit in it as God, passing himself off as God. He will come in his own name, as the greatest master of mankind, and will demand that he be worshiped as befits God. Then the greatest of all persecutions of Christians will begin. All the churches will be defiled. But to the end the Orthodox Church will remain, the Liturgy will be served, and saints will appear. The false prophet will set up an image of the Antichrist, and will make it to speak and to kill all those who refuse to worship the idol. All those who do worship it will receive a mark upon their hand or their forehead bearing the name of the Antichrist or its numerical equivalent (666). By this sign people will be deprived of God’s protection and will become slaves of the enemy. Holy Scripture promises them eternal torment in the fire of Gehennah.