Kingsford - Through the Intercessions

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A SHORT COURSE IN ORTHODOX STUDIESSt Spyridon Parish of South-East Sydney

Kingsford

30 November 2011

Revd Dr Doru Costache

Senior Lecturer in Patristic Studies

St Andrews Greek Orthodox Theological College

Why Every Orthodox Service Concludes with

: Through the Prayers of Our Holy

Fathers!


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Status Quaestionis

} Although this was not the custom from thebeginning, we end our services by evoking

the Church Fathers:

} Through the intercessions of our HolyFathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have

mercy on us and save us!

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Status Quaestionis

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We end our services by evoking theChurch Fathers


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} Johannes Quasten, Patrology:} Today only those are to be regarded as

Fathers of the Church who combine thesefour necessary qualifications: orthodoxy of

doctrine, holiness of life, ecclesiasticalapproval, and antiquity.

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A Series of UnfortunateMisunderstandings

} The Fathers as belonging to the pastdisinterest of many people lack of interest

in history, tradition and wisdom in modern

times

the age of whats new? (theultimate sign of boredom for a society

reduced to its pointlessness and mortality)

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} The Fathers as contributors to thedevelopment of theology (= reflection onfaith) disinterest of many people lack

of interest in theology

reduction ofOrthodoxy to pietism; depravation of life of

its spiritual dimensions

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} The Fathers as infallible authoritiesdisinterest of many people the modern

myth of free thinking refusal of guidance

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The Need for Guidance

} Two facts:Even when we are willing to take the road

less travelled, of perfection, we ignore the

rules of travellingThere are spiritually experienced people

who can take us by hand and lead the way

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} Against peoples disinterest in theology,guidance and the spiritual life, see the

message of the Byzantine prayer ,

(Grant, Lord):

Teaching Understanding Enlightenment

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} the novice naturally needs a guide, for untilthe advent of the grace of the Holy Spirit thesoul is involved in fierce struggle against her

foes, and is unable to disentangle herself ifthe enemy offers her his delights. Only the

man with experience of the grace of the HolySpirit can understand this. He who hassavoured the Holy Spirit recognises the taste of

grace.St Silouan the Athonite, Diary (On prayer)

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St Silouan theAthonite:Merciful Lord,listen to myprayer and seethat all thenations of theearth know Youthrough the HolySpirit

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} What is a father?A deifiedperson and a God-bearer,partaking of

the divine life and mediating divine participation toothers

The livingtradition, or an incarnation of theecclesial mindset (= set of criteria) and wisdom

Witness and confessorof the apostolic teachingand life

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} John Chryssavgis, The Way of the Fathers:} while there was indeed a remarkable

working of the Holy Spirit in the early yearsof Christianity, this immanence should be

regarded as the beginning of a Tradition,not the end.

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} Panayotis Chrestou, Greek Orthodox Patrology:} The Church has never excluded the appearance of renowned

teachers in her bosom, who are outstanding bearers of thedivine grace of the divine Spirit, and she has never restricted

this appearance to any particular period of her history.Orthodox ecclesiastical consciousness, which attributes the

title of father in every epoch to elect vessels of grace that livedin previous epochs, has already pushed the patristic period tothe end of the Byzantine era and is pushing forward beyond itmore and more. This does not exclude the habit of regarding

the fathers of the first Christian centuries, when thefoundation of the Christian institutions were first laid and the

dogmatic teaching was specified to a large extent, as

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} The permanence of the FathersDiachronically, the Church is blessed with

Fathers in each generation, throughout history

Synchronically, the teaching of the Fathers ofold is always relevant to the ecclesial

experience

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} To explore tradition in an ecclesial waymeans more than acquiring mere

information about the Fathers; it means to

be open to the path of guidance, wisdom

and transformation

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} The ecclesial study of the fathers is at the sametime retrospective (what it was) and prospective

(what it should be)

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} tradition is not so much a treasury of structures andforms but rather a living current of life, a way ofexisting, thinking and feeling tradition is not just a

way of handling matters of major or minorimportance, but rather the spirit which leaves itscreative traces through all possible expressions.

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The Question, again, and an Answer

} Why do we end our services by evoking theChurch Fathers?

} Because They are our unwavering guides, illustrating a

certified/canonical lifestyle, and prayerful leaderson the path

We are a traditional Church and they embodytradition

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Kingsford - Through the Intercessions