Orthodox Dogmatic Theology Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church St. Hubert, QC

Module Outline Introduction Dogma of the Holy Trinity God and Creation Evil and Sin God and the salvation of Mankind The Church of Christ

Introduction What is the purpose of Dogmas –Dogmas are intended to guard the right path of faith. –Dogmas relate to TRUTH –"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1: 4)

Sources of Dogmas Two sources –Sacred Scripture –Sacred Tradition Sacred Tradition is that which comes from the ancient church of the apostles. The ancient church carefully guarded the inner life of the church from those outside. St. Basil the great writes –"Of the dogmas and sermons preserved in the Church, certain ones we have from written instruction, and certain ones we have received from the apostolic tradition handed down in secret".

Where to find Sacred Tradition The canons of the Holy Apostles The liturgies, rite of Baptisms Ancient acts of the martyrs Ancient records of the church Works of the ancient fathers and teachers of the church.

The Mind or Conscious of the Church We appeal to the works of the Holy Fathers of the church, acknowledging that the unanimous agreement of all of the fathers is an undoubted sign of truth.

Dogmatics & Faith Dogmatic theology is for believing Christians. In itself, it does not inspire faith, but presupposes that faith already exists

Faith Faith is the path on which an encounter takes place between us and God. It is God who takes the first step. Faith is both a mystery and a miracle

Faith People come to God in diverse ways –Sometimes the encounter is sudden and unexpected –Sometimes conversion is the result of meeting a true believer –To be born in a believing family, and to be raised a believer

From the sayings of the fathers “How happy are we Christians ! What God is hours. How much to be pitied are those who do not know God. O, unhappy, erring peoples! They cannot know what true joy is … But our joy is Christ. By His sufferings He has inscribed us in the Book of Life, and in the Kingdom of heaven we shall be with God for ever, and we shall see His glory, and delight in Him. Our joy is the Holy Spirit, so pleasant. He bears witness to the soul of her salvation”

God The name by which God revealed Himself is Yahweh, meaning the “One who Exists” – “I AM WHO I AM” This means –“I live, I am here, I am together with you” –The superiority of God’s being over all other beings”

God After the Babylonian captivity, the Jews refrained out of reverential awe from uttering the name of Yahweh, and used instead “Adonai” (the Lord) St. Gregory the Theologian says “The Divinity is unnamable”

Divine Names In the Scripture, we meet many names for God, each of which, while incapable of describing his essence, points to certain of His attributes God is to be praised both “by every name” and “as the Nameless One”

Divine Names Lord – His power, dominion & glory Lord of Hosts King of Glory Almighty – Pantokrator Holy, All-good LOVE There are also names that originate in human experience (Shepherd, Lamb, Way, Door)

Attributes of God Uncreated & without beginning –No higher principle or cause of existence beyond Him. He is the cause of everything Being infinite & boundless –God exists beyond the categories of space and is free from all limitation. He cannot be measured

Attributes of God Eternal –Exists beyond the category of time. –“I am the first, and I am the last” (Isa. 48:12) –“I am the Alpha and the Omega” Immaterial –By nature, “God is spirit” Indefinable, invisible and inconceivable

St. Gregory the Theologian O you who are beyond everything ! For what else can be sung about you? What word can glorify you? For you are unutterable by any word You alone are inexpressable, for you have begotten all things that can be described by words You alone are unknowable, for you have generated all that is knowable All exists because of you alone. All in its entirety longs for you

Theology Summarized It is not by speculative knowledge but in the depths of prayerful silence that the soul can encounter God, who is beyond everything, and who reveals himself to her The truth encountered by the saints is what is formulated in the dogmas “A theologian is one who prays”