Comments for Wisdom!: Readings from the Fathers of the Church http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com The holy and life-giving Faith of the Church as expounded by Her Saints. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:51:38 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on St. Gregory Palamas: On Participation in God by Reflections on St. Gregory’s Dialogue IX « This Is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/08/st-gregory-palamas-on-participation-in-god/#comment-1827 Reflections on St. Gregory’s Dialogue IX « This Is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:51:38 +0000 http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/08/st-gregory-palamas-on-participation-in-god/#comment-1827 [...] XLVI. In that way those who participate in the activity of God participate in God as a whole, but not because we also participate in His essence in itself which is imparticipable and simple and undivided, and (we do) that all at the same time, but everyone differently. . . . XLVII. . . . the things which are only sensible do participate and they participate in God as a whole because He is undivided, but only according to their being. But they do not partake of the vivifying power of God in whatever way, lest, when their own proper being is taken away, heaven itself is done away with together with the foundation of everything under the sky; i.e., the four elements and the beings without soul and perception which come forth from them. And things which have the property to live only according to perception participate through that perception in God as a whole, God who is participated in in every respect in an undivided way, but not also on the level of reason or intellect lest the irrational beings become rational. But because they do not participate on the level of reason, it is not true, therefore, that they do not participate in God as a whole. And the beings which participate in God on the level of reason or intellect do not all participate on the level of spirit as well, lest the wicked continue to be divine and spiritual people although they still abide in their wickedness. In that way, too, divine and spiritual people, participating in the grace of God but not in His essence, also participate in God as a whole. As a whole, because God, being present and active in them as a whole through the proper grace in a unified and simple and undivided way, is also known by them as a whole. But they do not in the least participate in His essence because they do not continue to be gods by their nature. –St. Gregory Palamas, Dialogue between an Orthodox and a Barlaamite which Invalidates in Detail the Barlaamite Error, XLIV... [...] [...] XLVI. In that way those who participate in the activity of God participate in God as a whole, but not because we also participate in His essence in itself which is imparticipable and simple and undivided, and (we do) that all at the same time, but everyone differently. . . . XLVII. . . . the things which are only sensible do participate and they participate in God as a whole because He is undivided, but only according to their being. But they do not partake of the vivifying power of God in whatever way, lest, when their own proper being is taken away, heaven itself is done away with together with the foundation of everything under the sky; i.e., the four elements and the beings without soul and perception which come forth from them. And things which have the property to live only according to perception participate through that perception in God as a whole, God who is participated in in every respect in an undivided way, but not also on the level of reason or intellect lest the irrational beings become rational. But because they do not participate on the level of reason, it is not true, therefore, that they do not participate in God as a whole. And the beings which participate in God on the level of reason or intellect do not all participate on the level of spirit as well, lest the wicked continue to be divine and spiritual people although they still abide in their wickedness. In that way, too, divine and spiritual people, participating in the grace of God but not in His essence, also participate in God as a whole. As a whole, because God, being present and active in them as a whole through the proper grace in a unified and simple and undivided way, is also known by them as a whole. But they do not in the least participate in His essence because they do not continue to be gods by their nature. –St. Gregory Palamas, Dialogue between an Orthodox and a Barlaamite which Invalidates in Detail the Barlaamite Error, XLIV… [...]

]]> Comment on St. Gregory Palamas: On the Divine Simplicity by Reflections on St. Gregory’s Dialogue VIII « This Is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/st-gregory-palamas-on-the-divine-simplicity/#comment-1826 Reflections on St. Gregory’s Dialogue VIII « This Is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:13:14 +0000 http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/09/st-gregory-palamas-on-the-divine-simplicity/#comment-1826 [...] On the Divine Simplicity L. . . . B[arlaamite]. Why is God not composed when He has both an eternal essence and an eternal activity? O[rthodox]. . . . the divine is one and simple in its essence; and that “one” is, in an appropriate way, a whole in relation to all the things which we properly think about it, and not divided in relation to each individual part of them. For it is, as a whole, goodness, and, as a whole, wisdom, and, as a whole, justice, and, as a whole, power in our thoughts. Not because it becomes such, not even when it is thought, but because it is such from eternity and because it manifests itself through His works to us who are born later. For we have come to understand that He has been moved to produce the universe by His goodness, and also that He accomplished it completely since He has the power, and that He composed it in wisdom, and holds it together and rules it with foresight. But that that “one” is according to His essence and what genuine name can get, in accordance with that essence, that which produces and arranges the universe in unspeakable wisdom and power and goodness—no one has understood that yet to this very day. –St. Gregory Palamas, Dialogue between an Orthodox and a Barlaamite which Invalidates in Detail the Barlaamite Error, L (G... [...] [...] On the Divine Simplicity L. . . . B[arlaamite]. Why is God not composed when He has both an eternal essence and an eternal activity? O[rthodox]. . . . the divine is one and simple in its essence; and that “one” is, in an appropriate way, a whole in relation to all the things which we properly think about it, and not divided in relation to each individual part of them. For it is, as a whole, goodness, and, as a whole, wisdom, and, as a whole, justice, and, as a whole, power in our thoughts. Not because it becomes such, not even when it is thought, but because it is such from eternity and because it manifests itself through His works to us who are born later. For we have come to understand that He has been moved to produce the universe by His goodness, and also that He accomplished it completely since He has the power, and that He composed it in wisdom, and holds it together and rules it with foresight. But that that “one” is according to His essence and what genuine name can get, in accordance with that essence, that which produces and arranges the universe in unspeakable wisdom and power and goodness—no one has understood that yet to this very day. –St. Gregory Palamas, Dialogue between an Orthodox and a Barlaamite which Invalidates in Detail the Barlaamite Error, L (G… [...]

]]> Comment on St. Photios the Great: On the Apostolic Faith Contra the Filioque by JAMES LIKOUDIS http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/st-photios-the-great-on-the-apostolic-faith-contra-the-filioque/#comment-902 JAMES LIKOUDIS Sun, 08 Apr 2007 01:43:47 +0000 http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/st-photios-the-great-on-the-apostolic-faith-contra-the-filioque/#comment-902 Photius not only misconstrued the tradition of the Greek Fathers concerning the Eternal Procession of the Holy Spirit through the Son (they did not confine the Holy Spirit to His temporal mission), but also mistakenly appealed to the Popes as confirming his error that the Holy Spirit eternally proceeded from the Father alone. thereby excluding the Son from participating in the Eternal Procession of the Spirit from the Father. The Eastern Orthodox signatories of a recent Orthodox/Catholic Dialogue Statement on the Filioque rightly conceded that the Filioque doctrine should not be regarded as heretical. So where does that leave Photius? -JL Photius not only misconstrued the tradition of the Greek Fathers concerning the Eternal Procession of the Holy Spirit through the Son (they did not confine the Holy Spirit to His temporal mission), but also mistakenly appealed to the Popes as confirming his error that the Holy Spirit eternally proceeded from the Father alone. thereby excluding the Son from participating in the Eternal Procession of the Spirit from the Father. The Eastern Orthodox signatories of a recent Orthodox/Catholic Dialogue Statement on the Filioque rightly conceded that the Filioque doctrine should not be regarded as heretical. So where does that leave Photius?
-JL

]]> Comment on St Theophan the Recluse: On How to Soften One’s Insensitive Heart by Vine Blog http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2004/03/12/st-theophan-the-recluse-on-how-to-soften-ones-insensitive-heart/#comment-864 Vine Blog Fri, 19 Mar 2004 21:20:42 +0000 http://hagioipateres.wordpress.com/2004/03/12/st-theophan-the-recluse-on-how-to-soften-ones-insensitive-heart/#comment-864 <strong>Cheerful Thoughts</strong> I have faith that he would forgive me, but the pain of having to stand before God with that in my heart was overwhelming. Cheerful Thoughts

I have faith that he would forgive me, but the pain of having to stand before God with that in my heart was overwhelming.

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