1. Out Of Captivity (5) Syncretism Lent 2013

2. Great Lent 2013: Out of Captivity ① Superficial relationship with God ② Pizza Slice or Bicycle Hub ③ Selective hearing and selective reading ④ Dyparentification ⑤ Syncretism

3. (St. Augustine)  Reveal yourself to Him, who knows you; so that He would reveal Himself to you, who do not know Him

4. Syncretism  Syncretism is “the attempted union or reconciliation of diverse or opposite tenets or practices, especially in philosophy or religion”

5. The world mind set we live in a world that seeks conformity to values dictated by the majority.

6. Yet  They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away 2 kings 17:33

7. Majority is Death  There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12, 16:25

8. The Inheritance  The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. Prov. 20:7

9. Herod’s Syncritism  20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly…  22 And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” Mk 6:20,22

10. King Amaziah  14 Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?” 2 Chr 25:14,15

11. The truth of the Gospel  11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. Gal 2:11,12

12. sermon of St. Athanasius (Oratio de incarnatione Verbi, 10: PG 25, 111-114)  By His teaching he healed their ignorance, and by His power and might he re-founded the whole of human nature.

13. Syncretistic Churches  Health and wealth Gospel  Sex before marriage  Omitting parts from the Bible  Abortion

14. Saint Ephrem This excerpt from a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem (1, 18- 19: SC 121, 52-53)  The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink.