The Eastern Church on Marian Dogma/Doctrines

  • Thread starter Thread starter brb3
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Just that I have been told that the Eastern churches do not have the same viewpoint about what “original sin” means, so the concept that Mary was free of original sin would not necessarily have the same meaning in the East as in the West.
On original sine, the actual differences, as far as I can tell, are very subtle - far more subtle than conflated “orgianl sin” with the “stain of original sin”.
And I must say I do get a little tired of Latin Rite Catholics telling Eastern Rite Catholics what they should or should not believe.
I suppose that I am pretty inured and indifferent to that. ;)
 
No, I do not believe in the Western theory of the Immaculate Conception, and in fact I view it as quite unnecessary, because I do not believe in the idea of a “stain of original sin” in Adam’s descendants. No one is conceived or born sinful or guilty - either personally or collectively guilty.
"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.

Hence, if anyone shall dare – which God forbid! – to think otherwise than as has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church; and that, furthermore, by his own action he incurs the penalties established by law if he should are to express in words or writing or by any other outward means the errors he think in his heart."

papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

“If any one denies, that, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted; or even asserts that the whole of that which has the true and proper nature of sin is not taken away; but says that it is only rased, or not imputed; let him be anathema.”

history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct05.html
 
“[was preserved free from all stain of [SIN], is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful”
Being my same point throughout. Doesn’t really matter what one may interpret this A+O condundrum as, it wouldn’t have priority over the Savior. How?:confused:
 
"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.

Hence, if anyone shall dare – which God forbid! – to think otherwise than as has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church; and that, furthermore, by his own action he incurs the penalties established by law if he should are to express in words or writing or by any other outward means the errors he think in his heart."

papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

“If any one denies, that, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted; or even asserts that the whole of that which has the true and proper nature of sin is not taken away; but says that it is only rased, or not imputed; let him be anathema.”

history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct05.html
Now translate this Western Theological understanding/wording into Eastern Theological understanding/wording. :rolleyes: The West and East were separated from each other for many years. You can’t push a Western teaching into the East without a proper translation.

Western “substance” is the same as Eastern “essence” in some places and in other places they mean different things. I doubt that the above has been translated for our (the East’s) understanding. 😉
 
Now translate this Western Theological understanding/wording into Eastern Theological understanding/wording.
Ok. Believe the Church’s teachings or You’ve lost the Catholic faith. Is that a sufficient translation?
 
Isn’t it fun being in union with such understanding, humble, and loving Latins, you filthy Eastern heretics? 😃
 
"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.

Hence, if anyone shall dare – which God forbid! – to think otherwise than as has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church; and that, furthermore, by his own action he incurs the penalties established by law if he should are to express in words or writing or by any other outward means the errors he think in his heart."

papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9ineff.htm

“If any one denies, that, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted; or even asserts that the whole of that which has the true and proper nature of sin is not taken away; but says that it is only rased, or not imputed; let him be anathema.”

history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct05.html
Wow … thats pretty strong language !! Was he serious, or bluffing ?
 
What concerns me …is that the Rosary beads seem to be a takeoff from the ancient Eastern Church’s Jesus Prayer rope decade .

Is that just accidental ?
 
What concerns me …is that the Rosary beads seem to be a takeoff from the ancient Eastern Church’s Jesus Prayer rope decade .

Is that just accidental ?
Yes. All sorts of religions (even pre-Christian) use prayer beads. They’re a counting device, nothing more or less.

(and even if it weren’t, why would it concern you? There’s nothing wrong with borrowing something from another tradition, as long as you’re not profaning it or misusing it. 👍)
 
What concerns me …is that the Rosary beads seem to be a takeoff from the ancient Eastern Church’s Jesus Prayer rope decade .

Is that just accidental ?
Yes. All sorts of religions (even pre-Christian) use prayer beads. They’re a counting device, nothing more or less.

(and even if it weren’t, why would it concern you? There’s nothing wrong with borrowing something from another tradition, as long as you’re not profaning it or misusing it. 👍)
The “bead/knot counting” practice of the Church originated with the Desert Fathers. They would place place pebbles in a container to keep track of how many Psalms they had recited. This eventually was replaced by making a knot for each Psalm or prayer.
 
Ok. That Mary was preserved free from all stain of ancestral sin.
The East defines the doctrine of man’s “inclination towards sin, a heritage from the sin of our progenitors” and that this is removed through baptism. No one is guilty for the actual sin that Adam and Eve committed but rather everyone inherits the consequences of this act; the foremost of this is physical death in this world. This is the reason why the original fathers of the Church over the centuries have preferred the term ancestral sin (Greek: προπατορικό αμάρτημα).

Since the East does not see ancestral sin as an inheritance of guilt or a stain, there is no reason for the miraculous removal of either. Nonetheless, the Eastern tradition does hold that the Theotokos remained free of personal sin.

“As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires” - St (common to East and West) Ephraim the Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41
Source: ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god
 
The East defines the doctrine of man’s “inclination towards sin, a heritage from the sin of our progenitors” and that this is removed through baptism. No one is guilty for the actual sin that Adam and Eve committed but rather everyone inherits the consequences of this act; the foremost of this is physical death in this world. This is the reason why the original fathers of the Church over the centuries have preferred the term ancestral sin (Greek: προπατορικό αμάρτημα).

Since the East does not see ancestral sin as an inheritance of guilt or a stain, there is no reason for the miraculous removal of either. Nonetheless, the Eastern tradition does hold that the Theotokos remained free of personal sin.

“As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires” - St (common to East and West) Ephraim the Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41
Source: ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god
That is why there is agreement between the east and west as shown in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the guilt or stain of original sin is analogical and there is no personal fault in it. Sin with personal fault is called actual sin by the Catholic Church.404 … It is a sin which will be transmitted by propagation to all mankind, that is, by the transmission of a human nature deprived of original holiness and justice. And that is why original sin is called “sin” only in an analogical sense: it is a sin “contracted” and not “committed” - a state and not an act.

405 Although it is proper to each individual,295 original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam’s descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called “concupiscence”. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle.

The east and west both teach that infants are free from actual sin and baptize for the same reason, as seen in St. John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instruction 3:6. (Ancient Christian Writers, p. 57): You have seen how numerous are the gifts of baptism. Although many men think that the only gift it confers is the remission of sins, we have counted its honors to the number of ten. It is on this account that we baptize even infants, although they are sinless, that they may be given the further gifts of sanctification, justice, filial adoption, and inheritance, that they may be brothers and members of Christ, and become dwelling places of the Spirit.
 
the East does not see ancestral sin as an inheritance of guilt or a stain, there is no reason for the miraculous removal of either.
By the East, you mean the Orthodox. Faithful Eastern Catholics believe the Church’s teaching on the inheritance of the juridical guilt of original sin.
 
By the East, you mean the Orthodox. Faithful Eastern Catholics believe the Church’s teaching on the inheritance of the juridical guilt of original sin.
I accept all of the Councils myself and I love reading St Thomas Aquinas. However, the Eastern tradition has its own language/expressions of understanding the same truths as the West. Therefore, the IC is understood by some Eastern Catholics using of Eastern phrasiogy.
 
All this has been discussed, were past A+O, we are on X. The rest is already in this thread. For the sake of the circular argument does anyone have anything “new” to add.

Or are you saying this is what the EO said and its like that…this doesn’t indicate case closed, this indicates “mind closed”.

The point is very simple…

A. Mary is preserved at the moment of Christs conception.

B. Mary is preserved after Her birth, before the Incarnation.

C. Mary is preserved at the moment of Her conception.

I take C and conclude it is “most fitting” of our most perfect, all knowing, all Loving Lord,

Which point do others chose to debate from this lesser perspective of God which reduced God to his own law, which “HE placed” on Eve and Adam/man?

Remember He “knew you” before you were in your mothers womb. 😉
 
All this has been discussed, were past A+O, we are on X. The rest is already in this thread. For the sake of the circular argument does anyone have anything “new” to add.

Or are you saying this is what the EO said and its like that…this doesn’t indicate case closed, this indicates “mind closed”.

The point is very simple…

A. Mary is preserved at the moment of Christs conception.

B. Mary is preserved after Her birth, before the Incarnation.

C. Mary is preserved at the moment of Her conception.

I take C and conclude it is “most fitting” of our most perfect, all knowing, all Loving Lord,

Which point do others chose to debate from this lesser perspective of God which reduced God to his own law, which “HE placed” on Eve and Adam/man?

Remember He “knew you” before you were in your mothers womb. 😉
An Example of how the Theological language causes the East and West to define things differently:
The East and West believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. The West explains this truth using substance and accidents. This wording if foreign to the East and is not used. The East never saw a reason to define how the change occurs (we didn’t have a protestant-reformation or anything requiring us to define it using Eastern language). We call the change a mystery. But both East and West believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ.

We pray this prayer of St John Chrysostom in the Byzantine Rite before Communion at every Divine Liturgy:

“I believe, O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly thine own precious Blood…”
 
The East defines the doctrine of man’s “inclination towards sin, a heritage from the sin of our progenitors” and that this is removed through baptism. No one is guilty for the actual sin that Adam and Eve committed but rather everyone inherits the consequences of this act; the foremost of this is physical death in this world. This is the reason why the original fathers of the Church over the centuries have preferred the term ancestral sin (Greek: προπατορικό αμάρτημα).

Since the East does not see ancestral sin as an inheritance of guilt or a stain, there is no reason for the miraculous removal of either. Nonetheless, the Eastern tradition does hold that the Theotokos remained free of personal sin.

“As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires” - St (common to East and West) Ephraim the Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41
Source: ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god
That was very well stated by that ECF !! Why not leave it at that language…w/o trying to overreach into matters we can’t possibly know
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top