#Syrian Christians

[religious-extremist]

Conquer men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of justice to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.

+ St. Isaac the Syrian

[dramoor]

[apenitentialprayer]

hi, this is a legitimate question, I'm not trying to start any kind of argument or debate. Where does the idea in Catholicism that the Virgin Mary was free from sin come from? Again, I'm merely asking for informational purposes, not to start anything.

Okay, lets hit this real quick.

The sinlessness of Mary was a majority, but not unanimous, opinion of the orthodox Christian community by the late fourth century. Saint Augustine can confidently say that out of all the saints, she is the only one who did not sin; as does his teacher, Saint Ambrose. Maximus of Turin likewise takes this position, but instead of talking about her lack of sinfulness, he focuses on a positive formula: she has "original grace." The Syriac Fathers, of whom Ephraem of Edessa is probably the most well known, also love, love, love drawing parallels between Mary and Eve, as well as giving her titles like "all-pure" and "most-holy."

(Lest anyone think this is a post-Nicene development in Christian theology, Hippolytus of Rome also taught that Mary was free from corruption. This is especially interesting, because Hippolytus is said to be a student of Saint Irenaeus, who could trace his teaching back to Saint John the Apostle).

But by the Middle Ages, all that was universally agreed on was that Mary was never personally responsible for committing a sin; there was a question of whether she was still under the effects of Original Sin. It was an 11th Century English theologian who first formulaically proposed the idea that Mary was free from sin from the moment of her creation; he said it was possible, it was fitting, and so God did it. (Notice that this argument expressly does not argue that Mary had to be immaculate in order to give birth to the Savior). It wasn't until Franciscan theologian Blessed Duns Scotus took up the cause that it became the controversy that it did. Duns Scotus (who, it should be noted, was also the major proponent for the absolute primacy of Christ in the Middle Ages) provided arguments from Scripture, tradition, and reason to argue in favor of the Immaculate Conception.

That being said, Mary's Immaculate Conception remained a pious opinion for a long time; even the Council of Trent, which affirms the Virgin Mary's freedom from personal sin, only suggests Mary may have been exempt from Original Sin. It is not until 1854 that the Catholic Church elevated the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception to dogma and formally defined what that doctrine meant.

As I said, this is a very, very fast overview; if you want a Scriptural reference, I would suggest Luke 1:28, in which Mary is referred by the Archangel Gabriel not by name, but by a title: κεχαριτωμένη, or Kecharitōmenē, translated as "Favored One" or "Full of Grace." This word, which is unique in Greek literature to Luke, indicates that Mary is some sort of beneficiary of God, and (as Fr. Charles Grondin says) is an identity; it's connected to her personhood.

[orthodoxadventure]

Preserve your inner peace at any cost. Do not trade your inner peace for anything in the world. Make peace with yourself, and heaven and earth will make peace with you.

Saint Isaac the Syrian

[thepatristictradition]

Orthodoxy is Catholic

Orthodox people (converts especially) often hear, see, and read; even think, say, and believe, that to be Orthodox, you must adopt the clothing, practices, and language of some culture that is foreign to your own.

This is not something a priest will ever tell you, Thanks be to God, but it is an overall impression that people can gather online, at coffee hour, or at Bible study. It always happens the coolest guy there is studying koine Greek.

Evangelists online, with only the best of intentions (probably a recent seminary student) will recommend converts brush up on their Greek or Church Slavonic. Female ortho-personalities will recommend women not just veil, but wear a pavlovo posad. Be sure to use the liturgical calendar to plan all events, religious or otherwise! The more niche evangelists (Antiochians) will make you learn classical Arabic and grow a beard.

All of these things are well and Good. It is good to learn the liturgical languages. Women should veil and the pavlovo posad is as fine a way as any, and I love the Julian calendar as much as the next girl. I too am studying classical Arabic and beards have my stamp of approval. But none of these are necessary to be Orthodox.

No one needs to make themselves into a Russian, Syrian, or Greek to be Orthodox. I find the accusation that you do to be particularly gross because our whole Liturgical theology goes against this-- our whole evangelistic history goes against this. We have our liturgy in the vernacular for a reason! Saint Herman of Alaska evangelized the way he did for a reason!

Our Church is Catholic. It is Universal. You ought to love the people that God allowed you to be born into.

[divinum-pacis]

"Blessed are you, O heart that is lucid, the dwelling place of the deity. Blessed are you, O heart that is pure, which beholds the hidden essence. Blessed are you, flesh and blood, the dwelling place of the Consuming Fire. Blessed are you, mortal body made from dust, home of the fire that sets the ages alight."

Sahdona the Syrian, The Book of Mystical Chapters: Meditations on the Soul's Ascent from the Desert Fathers and Other Early Christian Contemplatives , translated by John Anthony McGuckin, pgs 74-75.

[sidebee-hive]

"If a man does not argue with the thoughts that the enemy secretly sows in us, but by prayer to God uproots conversation with them, this is a sign that his mind has attained wisdom, and that he has found a short path."

- St. Isaac the Syrian

[orthodoxsoul]

This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One -Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One -Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy -Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace -Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY.

The Nativity Homily of St. Isaac the Syrian

Christ is Born!!! Glorify Him!

[tsalmu]

Winged Sun over Gilgamesh flanked by two Bull-Men From Palace of Aramean King Kapara Tell Halaf / Guzana, Syria c. 950 BCE This stele would later inspire the modern national flag of the Aramean people, pictured below.

[mithliya]

Hey did you see the post on ovarit about middle east men beating up a lesbian couple in Canada? Is the news true? How do you find out if it's true or not? The comments on there are something else...

The article:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/middle-eastern-men-beat-lesbian-celebrating-birthday-canada/

The ovarit post:

https://ovarit.com/o/WomensLiberation/573777/mob-of-middle-eastern-men-brutally-beat-lesbian-couple-out-celebrating-a-birthda

yeah the story is true, tho that source i find quite iffy bc i know hate crimes by white men wouldn't start with the headline "white men beat lesbian" for example, it would just say "gang of men" instead bc race isn't considered note-worthy if its a white person

i hope they receive justice. theres some absolutely deranged men out there who don't know how to act normally and get violent when theyre barely provoked

also the fact that in no part of any of the articles was these men's religion mentioned, yet ppl in the comments in ovarit made it about muslims and how dangerous muslims r... this is why i keep saying that ppl just use muslim as a way to disguise their racism. even tho clearly, on ovarit, theres no need to disguise any of it and u can openly talk about how wrong it is to support refugees escaping their countries

[religious-extremist]

Today the Divine Being took upon Himself the seal of our humanity,

In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of Divinity.

[dramoor]

"Before the wheel of time stops in my life, have mercy on me. Before the wind of death blows and diseases appear in my body, have mercy on me. Before the majestic sun in the heights becomes darkened for me, have mercy on me. Before the trumpet sounds, spare Thy servants and have mercy, O our Lord Jesus."

~St. Ephraim the Syrian

(Image via Pinterest)

[momentsbeforemass]

Why did Jesus have to die?

Today’s Gospel is John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It’s beautiful. But it also begs a question, one that I struggle with. Why did Jesus have to die?

When you ask why Jesus had to die, once you get past the basics (“Christ was killed for us, His death washed out our sins, and that by dying He disabled death itself.” – C.S. Lewis), the usual responses get into theories about how salvation works. Things like atonement, forgiveness, suffering, sin, reconciliation, etc.

Important stuff, to be sure. But it really doesn’t answer the question.

Why did Jesus have to die?

That is, if God is God, then God can do anything (that’s part of what it means to be God). So, couldn’t God have done it some other way?

The answer is an unqualified yes.

Then why didn’t God do it some other way?

The best answer that I have found (by “best,” I mean most unsettling, most disruptive to the preconceived notions and limits that I am way too comfortable putting on God’s love) comes from St. Isaac of Syrian.

“Not that God was unable to save us in another way, but in this way it was possible to show us His abundant love abundantly, namely, by bringing us near to Him by the death of His Son.

If God had anything more dear to Him, He would have given it to us.”

That last sentence is everything.

Through the greatest example possible (the way of salvation for all of humanity). One which is at the same moment the most personal example possible (because God would have done exactly the same thing if you or I were the only ones who needed to be saved). God shows us what love truly means.

Love is not an exchange. If it’s a transaction, it’s not love.

Love is not measured. If it’s limited, it’s not love.

To truly love, as God loves (the One whose very nature is love), means not counting the cost.

This is how you and I are called to love.

Because this is the love that God has for you.

Today’s Readings

[orthodoxadventure]

It is essential for us to confess that the Holy Ever-Virgin Mary is actually Theotokos (Birthgiver of God), so as not to fall into blasphemy. For those who deny that the Holy Virgin is actually Theotokos are no longer believers, but disciples of the Pharisees and Saducees

Saint Ephraim the Syrian, "To John the Monk"

[rodeodeparis]

having jewish family from n iraq general area is very strange. n iraq area is a bit of an outlier from its neighbors people group-wise because it’s often kurd = muslim; arab = muslim also; assyrian = christian (or at least an overwhelming amount of christians are assyrian); yazidi = yazidi; but jews are called ‘kurdish jews’? they probably just got that label because they were in the area (some have ‘tribal’ last names if they were from the literal towns the tribes got their names from), but for example syrian jews who lived in aleppo/damascus and spoke arabic are called syrian jews, some people use “arab jew” but afaik most don’t 

in that context “kurdish jew” seems a little...misleading? “assyrian jew” is too, they were both religious minorities and spoke aramaic but jews have a separate history (and due to current politics it feels insensitive but idk.) and both of those can be used by israeli govt stuff for propaganda purposes, so looking into sources for this is nigh impossible. tbh i prefer ‘mesopotamian jew’

[divinum-pacis]

"It is truly a matter for wonder and astonishment that he, before whom even the heavens are not pure and who fills even his great angels with awe, should think to take delight and pleasure in a heart of flesh, one that is filled with love for him, and so has become large enough and pure enough to be his dwelling place."

Sahdona the Syrian, The Book of Mystical Chapters: Meditations on the Soul's Ascent from the Desert Fathers and Other Early Christian Contemplatives , translated by John Anthony McGuckin, pg. 75.