Eastern Theology and Sin

[Neil_Anthony]

Does Eastern Theology emphasize sin less?

 

[Aramis]

Does Eastern Theology emphasize sin less?

Not less. But differently. More of an illness model than a willfulness model.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

Not less. But differently. More of an illness model than a willfulness model.

Is it the same teaching with sanctifying grace, mortal sin, and venial sin?

 

[GodIsGracious]

Not less. But differently. More of an illness model than a willfulness model.

Could you expand on that, please?

I don’t get why confession just doesn’t seem as important to my Byzantine beau. I know he did explain that he never learned two types of sin, venial sin and mortal sin. So he got confused when I started bringing that up.

He never mentioned sin in this way. So I was hoping you could expand on that, please.

 

[jimmy]

Could you expand on that, please?

I don’t get why confession just doesn’t seem as important to my Byzantine beau. I know he did explain that he never learned two types of sin, venial sin and mortal sin. So he got confused when I started bringing that up.

He never mentioned sin in this way. So I was hoping you could expand on that, please.

Confession is important in the Byzantine tradition but it is emphasized differently.

Sin is a sickness that we are all subject to. In the west there is a tendency to reduce sin to a few actions which we commit through a weak will. We might commit some act of adultery or greed or pride or whatever. But in the east our whole mentality is seen as sinful. It is not just a few acts of the will but our whole way of thinking and living which falls short. It is a sickness that must be cured through a life of repentance and through the reception of Grace through the sacraments and prayer and fasting. It is a continual conversion (which is the basic idea of repentance which means an about face) to God.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

Confession is important in the Byzantine tradition but it is emphasized differently.

Sin is a sickness that we are all subject to. In the west there is a tendency to reduce sin to a few actions which we commit through a weak will. We might commit some act of adultery or greed or pride or whatever. But in the east our whole mentality is seen as sinful. It is not just a few acts of the will but our whole way of thinking and living which falls short. It is a sickness that must be cured through a life of repentance and through the reception of Grace through the sacraments and prayer and fasting. It is a continual conversion (which is the basic idea of repentance which means an about face) to God.

So what do you do in confession then? Do you list specific sins? Are some sins more important to bring to confession than others?

I think in the West our mentality is seen as sinful and a sickness too.

 

[GodIsGracious]

So what do you do in confession then? Do you list specific sins? Are some sins more important to bring to confession than others?

Good questions! I’d also like to know how it is conducted. My beau said that you face an icon of Jesus and the priest is behind you as you confess. Now, how the confession goes, I don’t know.

I think in the West our mentality is seen as sinful and a sickness too.

I don’t know about this. I never learned it was a sickness, per se. It was more like, we’re all sinners, we’re all tempted, and we’ll all sin. It is but by God’s grace that we don’t sin, and his mercy that we get forgiveness. Something like that. I may be wrong, or have only a minimal aspect of this.

I find Byzantine confession and the concept of confession interesting. I now have some questions:

If sin is considered a sickness, is there a cure? Is the cure confession? Or is it death when we are free of our earthly bodies? Where does temptation play into all of this? Or is there even temptation?

 

[josethekke]

So what do you do in confession then? Do you list specific sins? Are some sins more important to bring to confession than others?

I think in the West our mentality is seen as sinful and a sickness too.

lack of awarnes of sin is today’s major problem hence proper confession isnot taking place basic fact of sin is no love (agape)