Holy Tradition and The Bible Where did it come from and How do we use it
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Bible Most important book in Christianity. What do we Know about it? Revelation of God. Written by Human authors inspired by Holy Spirit. Uses human language to describe things that are indescribable. Like a verbal icon- Not full truth, but points to whole truth. Synergy of what is divine and what is human.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Bible What is difference between Bible and Science book? About why of things, meaning of life and purpose. Science and the Bible are not in competition. What is difference between Bible and History Book? Humans have different views of the same event. Cant be distracted by small differences. Bible more than history - about spiritual truths Book of faith by people of faith. About relationship with God based on Love. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Bible True or False? “The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience.” (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries Abstract of Principles)
Sola Scriptura - Foundation of Protestantism 16th Century Invention Orthodox do believe that Scripture is “Truth” inspired by God. But not “only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule.” Most common way Orthodox Christians are attacked by NonOrthodox. “Where does it say in the Scripture that .........?” Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura
Why is this a direct attack on the Church? Leads to a rejection of the Sacramental life of the Church. How? Denies the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Limits religion to what is recorded in a book.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura Problems with this idea 1. Presupposes Scripture is self-authenticating Forgets that the Church is Body and life of Christ. Rejects authority of Church which is rejecting Christ. Forgets Apostolic beginning of the Church Permits a break from fullness of Apostolic Tradition. True authority is the Church established by Apostles. Forgets that Church determined the canon of the Bible which took centuries. Bible supports Church Tradition. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura 2. Presupposes Scripture is self-interpreting. Not even true in science - theory of relativity. Texts do not exist in abstract. Interpretation comes from tradition. Question is whose tradition. Greek word used in scripture for tradition is Paradosis. Used thirteen times. NIV translates as tradition in all cases except where it is used to command persons to adhere to tradition. Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (KJV) So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. (NIV) NIV an explicitly Protestant translation. Not one Catholic or Orthodox on committee Deuterocanonical books are not included in the translation. Preserves traditional Evangelical theology. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura
Now over 30,000 denominations due to different interpretations of Scripture with new traditions. Without context, Scripture is just another set of ancient texts. Bible must be interpreted in context of Church and its Holy Tradition. Tradition of Apostles is only tradition that gives authority to Scripture.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Philip’s encounter with Ethiopian Ethopian reading Prophecy of Isaiah and Philip asks if he understands it. Eunuch replies saying, “How can I unless someone guides me” What did Philip say? Philip did not tell him to pray on it for enlightenment. He instead to this scripture told him about Jesus and His salvific mission. The proper meaning came from the Apostle. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Acts 8:26-40
Sola Scriptura 3. Presupposition that Scripture were intended to be an all sufficient guide OT gives detailed instructions about worship NT provides no details about the eucharist Do this in remembrance of Me.(Luke 22:19) Early Church came together on the first day of the week to break Bread, but most evangelicals only celebrate once a month or less. (Acts 20:7) If Paul’s letters were intended to be self-sufficient wouldn’t he have provided more details? Protestants don’t agree on the method of Baptism The Didache (1st cent) gives us the details. 14th Cent. get exact same instruc. from St. Nicholas Cabasilas. W/o tradition Bible can be used to create any doctrine Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura The Gospel of John is concluded with: But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.6 (17th century)"not expressly set down in scripture". However, it is claimed that it passes the second test of being part of "the whole counsel of God" because it is "deduced from scripture" "by good and necessary consequence." Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Where did this false idea come from? A Time Line of Church History Luther’s 95 Theses. Reformation begins 1517
CRUSADES 1291 1095
u REFORMATION ic Ch
thol a C n a
rch
1854 Dogma of Immaculate conception
1870 Dogma of Papal Infalibility
Byzantine Empire
Apostalic Age
ONE HOLYLIBERATION CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH SCHISM GREAT
33 Pentecost
om The R
Church of England 1529
69 150 Bishop Justin Martyr Ignatius describes liturgy consecrated in Antioch
325 1st Ecumenical Council and the Nicene Creed
397 451 Synod of Council of Carthage Chalcedon ratifies Biblical Canon
589 Filioque added to Nicene creed by Synod in Spain and later adopted by Roman Church
787 Icons approved at seventh Ecumenical council
880 The Photian Schism
988 Conversion of Russia begins
1054 Great Schism
The Eastern Orthodox Church 1204 Sack of Constantinople by Crusaders
1333 Gregory Palamas defends Orthodox spirituality
1453 Turks overrun Constantinople
1768 Arrival of the first Greeks in US.
1794 Rusian Missionaries arrive at Kodiak Island Alaska
1832 Greece recognized a Free Country Treaty of Constantinople
1864 1st Greek Orthodox church established in New Orleans
1921 Greek Orthodox archdiocese established in US.
Began with Martin Luther’s Break with the Roman Church over doctrines that were not apostolic. Part of effort to discredit Roman Church Orthodox Church was not a party to this unfortunate split Wednesday, January 28, 2009
1993 Construction begins on Cathedral in Greenville.
Corruption Luther Challenged The Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, thousands of holy relics collected by Frederick III of Saxony. pious veneration to reduce their time in purgatory. fund-raising campaign Pope Leo X to finance renovation of St. Peter's A Dominican priest, began selling indulgences in the German lands. Archbishop Albert of Mainz in Germany borrowed heavily for church rank. Allowed sale of indulgences in his territory in exchange for a cut. People came to Luther confession, presented their purchased indulgences claiming they no longer had to repent of their sins. Luther outraged that they paid money for what was God始s free gift. Arranged for a public scholarly debate at Univ. of Wittenberg. The Ninety-five Theses outlined the items to be discussed. Luther is excommunicated Uprisings ensue and the Protestant reformation is underway Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Where did this innovative doctrine come from?
Luther said: "a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it". "The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so." Sola Scriptura is one of the five solas, considered by some Protestant groups to be the theological pillars of the Reformation.
1 Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone") 2 Sola fide ("by faith alone") 3 Sola gratia ("by grace alone") 4 Solus Christus ("Christ alone") 5 Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")
John Wesley stated (18th century): "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sola Scriptura If you strip away Tradition from the Church what do you have? An ideology with a written set of words. Faith not based on a Book, but on relationship with God. Says anyone can pick up a book and with self-interpretation get everything one needs to be a Christian. For Orthodoxy Christianity is a way life to be lived in relationship with Christ. We seek union with Christ in His Body, the Church. We get help through the sacramental life within the Church For Orthodox, Christianity is not a set of doctrines or moral precepts. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Apostolic Tradition
Orthodox adhere to & defend Apostolic Tradition. Scripture supports Holy Tradition. Holy Tradition does not violate Scripture 40%
60%
Holy Tradition 100%
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Holy Tradition includes the Liturgy of the Church, its iconography, the rulings of the Ecumenical Councils, and the writings of the Church Fathers.
Saint Paul’s Epistles Corinthians,"I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2), Thessalonians, "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thess. 2:15).
He even gives an order, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us" . (2 Thess. 3:6)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Apostolic Tradition
Saint Basil the Great - 375AD "Of the dogmas and messages preserved in the Church, some we possess from written teaching and others we receive from the tradition of the apostles, handed on to us in mystery.... Indeed, were we to try to reject unwritten customs as having no great authority, we would unwittingly injure the gospel in its vitals; or rather, we would reduce [Christian] message to a mere term" The Holy Spirit 27:66
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Apostolic Tradition
What are implications if you reject Apostolic Tradition? Bible has to be complete to handle everything and be perfect. Hard to accept that Bible is a synergy of human and divine action. Hard to accept that writings may be culturally or situation conditioned. Who’s interpretation is the Truth?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Apostolic Tradition
Orthodox not scandalized by discovery that something has been added or there may be a different author. Why? What is important is accepted by the Church represents what the Apostles taught.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Biblical Manuscripts Bible is the most copied book in antiquity 5,700 complete or fragmented Greek manuscripts, 10,000 Latin manuscripts and 9,300 manuscripts in various other ancient languages 60000 Greek manuscripts of which written by 2100 authors. 1500 of these were Christian authors. Copies of the Bible exist in 380 libraries. For most ancient works there are only 1 - 10 copies. For Homers Iliad there are only 190 copies. 86,000 quotations from the early church fathers and several thousand Lectionaries.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Biblical Manuscripts Manuscripts dated close to original
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Testament Canon
History What were Christian in 1st and 2nd Century referring to when they said Scripture? Septuagint or OT Bible. Writings of Apostles were not referred to as Holy Scripture until 2nd century. What happened in 2nd century to change this?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tampering
2nd century some people tried to change the Gospels. Tatian - made one book integrating all the Gospels into one story. (c. 120–180)
Diatessaron, a harmony of the four gospels that became the standard text of the four gospels in the Syriac-speaking churches
Marcion - Jewish Scripture should be rejected and eliminated all references to them from the Gospels creating his own version. (ca. 85-160)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
NT Apocrypha False books created to support their teachings and ascribed to Apostles Called apocrypha. Never considered as part of NT Canon Main culprit were Gnostics. humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god unknowable Supreme Being that embodies good to free oneself from the inferior material world, one needs gnosis, or esoteric spiritual knowledge through direct experience (gnosis) of God.
Gnostic books. Gospel of Mary, Peter, Thomas, Judas, Pilot
Nag Hammad
Written much later than the Gospels - beyond time of eyewitnesses. Why would Church reject such documents? Wednesday, January 28, 2009
What books were in dispute?
All accepted 4 Gospels, 13 epistles of Paul (not Hebrews), 1st John, 1st Peter, 2 & 3rd John, 2 Peter, James, Hebrews and Revelation not universally accepted. Others included: Didache (Teachings of Apostles), Epistles of Ignatius of Antioch, Epistles of Barnabas, Epistles of 1st and 2nd Clement, Shepherd of Hermas
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Testament Canon
4th century church leaders publish list of books to make a canon. Not all the same - not an issue for the Church. Why? Antioch 22 books, Alexandria 35 books The Church relied on Apostolic Tradition
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Testament Canon
Standardization came early in West. Why? Need to translate the Bible into Latin. Vulgate by Jerome - 5th century.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
When was Canon Fixed? Not any of Following: Emperor Constantine commissioned 50 bibles 1st Ecumenical Council 325 367 when Athanasius issued the first canon that totally agrees with the one we accept today. 7th Ecumenical Council - affirmed the previous canons but did not specify a list. Lectionary was fixed w/o Revelation Revelation was still disputed.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Testament Canon
Commentary by Andrew of Caesarea on the Book of Revelation - 7th Century Translated into many languages. Muslim persecutions.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Testament Canon How was NT canon standardized? The printing press. Protestants developed a Greek version and tried to convert the Greeks. Contained the universally accepted Canon. Never was official Ecumenical Council decision. Council of Trent 1545 officially fixed canon West.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Criteria for Acceptance
Books that were in existence in 1st Century based on eyewitness testimony. Apostolic - written by apostles or someone closely associated with one. Orthodox in doctrine - no fairy tales.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Translations Jerome (c. 347 – 420) Vulgate -
John Wycliffe - 1300 translation directly from the Vulgate into common English in the year 1382, now known as the Wycliffe Bible
William Tinedale - (c. 1494 – 1536) first English translation to draw directly from Hebrew and Greek texts Burned at stake as heretic
Martin Luther 1500
In his translation of the Bible from Greek into German, Luther removed 4 N.T. books (Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation) and placed them in an appendix saying they were less than canonical. Protestants omit Apocrypha from their Bibles -in part because the Roman Catholic Church used apocryphal works to justify doctrines rejected by the Protestants
King James I - 1611 (New King James 1980)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Translations All Translations have their limitations Viewpoint of Translator Literal vs. dynamic Rained like cats and dogs Rained very hard Something is always lost Never rely on an English Translation Book Chrysostom read from in 4th century was all in caps with no spaces. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Translations King James New King James Revised Standard Version Jerusalem New American New International Use NKJ in Church and Orthodox Study Bible Never use Good News Living Bible New World Translation Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Septuagint - LXX Greek Version of OT - Why is this significant? 333BC Alexander the Great captured Palestine. Aim to civilize world with Greek language and culture. Hellenization. Left in each city soldiers who married. Way of life copied by common folks. Greek became the common language
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Septuagint
Jewish diaspora - 8th-6th century BC By 3rd century BC, most Jewish communities located outside of Judea - needed Greek version use in their synagogs. 250 BC the Hebrew Bible was translated into the common language of the time. Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Septuagint
Bible used by the Apostles Bible used today in the Orthodox Church.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Old Testament Canon When was the Hebrew Bible Canon established? At time of Christ the Jews decided that Hebrew was to be only language of Scripture. Why? The Septuagint was associated with the Christians. 200 years after the death of Christ the Hebrew canon was finalized. Septuagint has more books included Oldest texts of Hebrew Bible date to 1000 AD Septuagint whole manuscripts - 3d and 4th Cent.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dead Sea Scrolls Psalms
Discovered 1948 -1960s Caves above Dead Sea 1 BC - 1 AD a Qumran Monastic Community 960 different documents in various languages (150 B.C. to 70 CAD) Oldest Hebrew Texts Shows that the Septuagint is more reliable that the Hebrew Bible.
Septuagint Fragments of Ecclesiastes from the Qumran caves
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Protestant Old Testament Canon How and Why is the Protestant Old Testament different from the Septuagint? Martin Luther responsible. Only Bible available in Germany was Latin He translated it into German using the Jewish Canon of the Old Testament. (1534) Could not initially eliminate the additional books in the Septuagint. Put in separate section and then later removed them. Called the Apocrypha.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Catholic Old Testament Canon
Catholics responded to the Reformation in the Council of Trent. (1545 -1563) • Confirmed deuterocanonical books were on a par with the other books of the canon • Vulgate translation affirmed to be authoritative for the text
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Pope Paul III
Old Testament Canon Greek Orthodox Canon 1 Esdras Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Baruch Epistle of Jeremiah Song of the Three Children Story of Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees 3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Psalm 151
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Protestant Apocrypha 1 Esdras 2 Esdras Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Baruch Epistle of Jeremiah Song of the Three Children Story of Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees
Roman Catholic Canon
Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Baruch Epistle of Jeremiah Song of the Three Children Story of Susanna Bel and the Dragon 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees
Old Testament Canon Septuagint is official Bible of Orthodox Church. Its accuracy and completeness verified by Dead Sea Scrolls. Used by the Jews at the time of Christ therefore by the 1st Christians. References in NT and early Church Fathers are from LXX Orthodox Church remains the Church of the Apostles without innovation.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Studying the Bible
How to study the Bible daily.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible
Read with Obedience Inspired by God Christ speaking to you Maintain a sense of wonder and awe Prepare just like prayer Be open to listen Don’t make up your own interpretation
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible
Scripture not always self-explanatory With Spiritual growth there is more to learn Use your own inspiration but turn to Church for answers to questions. How about Bible study groups?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible
Study should always be Christ Centered. Scripture is a whole - a unity based on Christ Can not take an analytical approach
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible Read for personal application Saint Mark the monk (5th-6th century) says, “He who is humble in his thoughts and engaged in spiritual work, when he reads Holy scriptures, will apply everything to himself and not to his neighbor.” Do not ask, “What does this mean?” but instead “What does the mean for me?”
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible
1. Reflect that Scripture is a sacred history of the world. 2. Observe the details of this history where we find God intervening at specific times and places and entering into dialogue with specific individuals. 3. Apply it to yourself. Bring these distant places and times into your own place and time - make it your story
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Read the Bible
Can not read it like a text book or novel Let it challenge you A sacred book Read with faith and love. Read a little each day
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
http://www.goarch.org/listserv Readings for today: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 8:1-6 Luke 12:8-12
Feasts and Saints celebrated today: Paul the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople Epistle Reading The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 8:1-6 BRETHREN, we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain." But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Gospel Reading The reading is from Luke 12:8-12 The Lord said to His disciples, "Every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say
Paul the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople Reading from the Synaxarion: Saint Paul was from Thessalonica. He became the secretary of Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople (see Aug. 30), a deacon, and then the successor of Saint Alexander in about 337. Because of his virtue, his eloquence in teaching, and his zeal for Orthodoxy, the Arians hated and feared him. When the Arian Emperor Constantius, who was in Antioch, learned of Paul's election, he exiled Paul and proclaimed the Arian Eusebius Patriarch. Saint Paul went to Rome, where he found Saint
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Athanasius the Great also in exile. Provided with letters by Pope Julius, Paul returned to Constantinople, and after the death of Eusebius in 342, ascended again his rightful throne; the Arians meanwhile elected Macedonius, because he rejected the Son's con-substantiality with the Father (and the divinity of the Holy Spirit besides). When Constantius, yet at Antioch, learned of Paul's return, he sent troops to Constantinople to drive Paul out. The Saint returned to Rome, where Saint Athanasius also was again in exile. Constans, Emperor of the West, Constantius' brother, but Orthodox, wrote to Constantius that if Athanasius and Paul were not allowed to return to their sees, he would come with troops to restore them him-self. So Paul again returned to his throne. After the death of Constans, however, Constantius had Paul deposed. Because of the love of the people for Saint Paul, Philip the Prefect, who was sent for him, was compelled to arrest him secretly to avoid a sedition. Paul was banished to Cucusus, on the borders of Cilicia and Armenia; a town through which his most illustrious successor, Saint John Chrysostom would also pass on his way to Comana in his last exile. In Cucusus, about the year 350, as Saint Paul was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the little house where he was a prisoner, the Arians strangled him with his own omophorion, so much did they fear him even in exile. His holy relics were brought back to Constantinople with honour by the Emperor Theodosius the Great.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone Thy confession of the one divine Faith showed thee to the Church to be a new Paul and a zealot among priests, O holy one. The righteous blood both of Abel and Zachary with thee doth cry out together unto the Lord. Righteous Father, intercede with Christ God in our behalf that His great mercy may be granted unto us.
Kontakion in the Second Tone Thou shonest on earth, a star bright with celestial light, and now thou dost shine enlightenment on all the Church, in behalf of which thou didst struggle, laying down thine own life, O Paul, and like Abel and Zachary, thy blood doth cry out most clearly to the Lord. You may also read the prayer of the hour, listen to the weekly audio meditation and search for saints and feasts online by visiting the Online Chapel at: http:// www.onlinechapel.goarch.org Visit the online feast day and fasting calendar to view the prescribed fasting schedule for today at: http://www.calendar.goarch.org
Podcast Search the Scriptures Interesting and accessible Bible study for busy people Presvytera and Dr. Jeannie Constantinou guides us through Holy Scripture with the eyes of the Church Fathers. http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/searchthescriptures Introduction to the Bible - Lesson 1: Overview June 07, 2008
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009