www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Mortal and Venial Sin

What precisely does the west mean by these terms and what do our eastern brothers think?

Thanks

Jason Brim

While you await discussion..here are a few old ones

https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001047#000000
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001375#000000
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001787#000000
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002552#000000
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000089#000000

Hi,

That depends on the eastern brother you ask.

Some, who have a deep animosity against the West will tell you that these are Western inventions and that their ancient Orthodox belief is that sin is sin is sin and that there should't be any categories of sin.

Others, who I think are a little more honest with themselves, will recall that their own liturgy usually couples "sin" with "transgression" and with "infirmities" as things God needs to forgive, purify and heal in us.

If you were to ask a little further about these three terms, you, as a Western Christian, will soon recognize "grave matter", "full knowledge" and "free will" among them.

I am not saying that there is an exact one-to-one relationship, but the general idea is there.

Just like with about everything else the East and the West seem to be at odds with each other.

Shalom,
Memo.

Memo,

Perhaps a gentler expression of it would be that the East and the West express theological ideas in different terms?

Many years,

Neil

Hi,

Perhaps, Neil, Perhaps.

But then again, neither the East nor the West are particularly gentle about some of our alleged differences.

So, I'd rather call a mess a mess, and not an untidy situation.

Please remember I am Hispanic, I do not suffer from this compelling drive to be PC all the time.

Shalom,
Memo.

Memo,

Actually, I wasn't aiming for PC (we Irish aren't very good at it ourselves :rolleyes: ). I actually think that, in this instance, it is a different expression (rather than understanding) of a similar, if not identical, concept,

But, since there may be a difference in expression or understanding of "PC" between we Irish and you Hispanics , you may be right.

Many years,

Neil, wondering if Memo is holding a grudge cause we didn't swim out and rescue them when the Armada foundered off our coast - and was that a grave matter ?

And no doubt with sufficient reflection, full knowledge, full consent, and free will.

Dear Memo,

As I've attended Latin Catholic schools all my life, I just wanted to say, on behalf of my Latin brothers and sisters, that when it comes to being mean to the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics, they take second place to no one!

I guess that didn't come out very complimentary, did it . . .?



Alex

Jason,

In the Orthodox Church there are sins which must be confessed before one approaches Communion, they in effect excommunicate you. Then there are the sins which do not excommunicate. It seems that mortal sins correspond to the first category and venial the second. There may be greater nuances but it seems a difference of terminology.

Tony

I think the Church in the West has a tendency to catagorize everything. The East does not, yet my confessor expects me to confess certain sins.

What about all the sins that comprise my sinfully prideful nature. Sins that he and the Church, nor I, am aware of? Doesn't that constitute some sort of separation between sins?

Zenovia

Well, I think it shows good judgment and common sense to have some sort of division between "grave" (mortal) sins and "lesser" (venial) sins.

The basic idea is spelled out in Scripture, the verse about how there is sin that leads to death, but not all sin leads to death.

For example, for an adult to cold-bloodedly murder of an innocent child is obviously a mortal sin.

On the other hand, if you impulsively grab a few extra packets of "Equal" from the 7-11 when you buy a cup of coffee, because you just realized you're out of it at home, and you don't have time to go to the grocery store -- well, that's a sin, but hardly on the same level.

(And I only took the ones that fell on the floor!)

HOW did you know?

( except my sin of grabbing 'a few' extra Equal usually occurs at Starbucks...well, at almost $3.00 for a small cup of coffee.....) :rolleyes:

Fondly,
Alice, feeling guilty

You folks are too funny! When I was a teenager, I used to categorize sins as either fun = confessible, or not fun = not confessible. Of course, I was a pretty wicked teenager.

I understand there is talk in certain ecclesiastical circles of adding a third category of sins...

Venial Sins
Mortal Sins
Jerry Springer Sins

Gaudior, who hopes never to see a Town Hall notice of any of you "Confessing" on daytime televison :p

Don't worry, it will never happen. Springer has no shame. Thank goodness I still do.