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Dear Woody,

Yes, that's an important point I missed - the ascetical discipline of the East.

We in the West try to minimize fasting requirements etc., but these are important and even without rules, we should feel free to take on as much of this living tradition as possible.

The rules laid down about this or that - these are not dictatorial, they are rooted in community living etc.

Good point!

Alex

One of my all time favorite overviews is:

First Visit to an Orthodox Church--Twelve Things I Wish I'd Known by Frederica Mathewes-Green

http://www.frederica.com
(Essays... Spritual Writings)


Her writings are enjoyable (emphasis on joy!); she always brings a balance of intelligence, insight, spirituality, common sense and humor into her writings. I have had the pleasure to hear her in person at a local OCA parish and praise the Lord for this dear sister in Christ!

Woody

Here are Father Loya's "Ten Points" on how the world and the Church are nourished by the Eastern Christian Spirituality.

1. The lesson that bigger does not mean better or the only way.

2. Influenced Vatican II in very specific ways:
a. Collegiality; b. Inculturate the Gospel; c. Worship in the vernacular; d. Lay participation; e. Parish councils; f. Restoration and significance of the Diaconate; g. Holy Communion in both species; h. Baptism by total immersion; i. Restore proper sequence of Baptism, Chrismation, and Eucharist.

3. Emphasises the Transcendence of God.

4. Mystery: God is totally transcendent but at the same time immanent a. Being at home in the tension of paradox; b. Antidote for dualisms: 1) Sacred and secular; 2) Spirit and matter; 3) Body and soul=leads to sexuality versus spirituality; 4) Christ Crucified versus Chrrist Resurrected; 5) Heaven and earth; 6) From everything is a sin to nothing is sin; 7) No meat on Friday to 'we can eat meat on Friday'

5. Man=starting point is that he is image and likeness of God which Grace perfects. Divinization: 2Peter 1:4 (Being perfect=being human)

6. Monasticism
a. The reference point for all of the baptized (Orientale Lumen); b. spiritual warfare; c. Asceticism (8 vices and Logismoi=Dispassion "apatheia"

7. Prayer=Theology "If you are a theologian you will truly pray. If you truly pray you will be a theologian." Evagrius Ponticus

8. Contemplation=Sense of the sacred
a. Contemplation of nature--contemplation of God; b. Sacred art, chant, space.

9. Liturgy
a. Participation in a transcendent reality (heavenly liturgy); b. Sensate; c. Touch God; d. Transfiguration.

10. Holy Trinity

I hope that Father Loya will flesh these out. I look at many of these and appears that many are gifts not received.

Dan L