I have a terribly dry personality on paper so I am relegated to notes. Sorry friends.
Quick notes:
Note 1)St Paul doesn't teach that faith requires understanding, as was stated above. Understanding requires faith. St. Augustine said; "I believe that I might know" He gets this from St Paul's words which say; "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of your calling,...." (Eph. 1:18) Hence, Salvation is not by knowledge but by grace, the very grace imputed to the infant at Baptism. I think this was a stumbling block to Infant Baptism. Anyhow, how else could a retarded adult be regenerated? We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is a mere out-working of grace. Our Lord actually calls faith a work in John6:28-29
Note 2) Scripture and Tradition are not Juxtaposed in Orthodoxy. These 2 are 1 and work in a hierarchy. Sacred Sripture sits at the top of this hierarchy. It works like this. 1)Scripture 2) 7 Ecumenicals 3) Divine Liturgy 4) Local Synods 5) Individual Patristic Polemics and Apologies. Anything produced on the bottom of the list which might seem to contradict that which is at the top of the list is considered certainly less than infallible
Note 3) This may be hard to accept, even for some Orthodox Christian; but Icons are the windows into heaven by means of earthly vessels. Iconography is found in most pre Christian Synagogues, particularly in the floor and ceiling tiles. Please recall the Sanctuary built by St. Moses, later codified by St. Solomon in the Temple. Iconographry and statuary everywhere, the doors with angels the cherubim on the arch, etc.... You can also see the reason for a high reverence of relics in the Old Testament in 2Kings13:20-21. It is quite a stretch for the Iconoclastic Protestant world to disregard pre and post Christ history in defense of a monophysite type theology (a Christology that Trinitarian Protestants abhore) that created iconoclasm in the 8th Century. St. Luke the 1st Christian Iconographer would have rebuked us all for any doubts. Iconoclasm, not iconoduolism is the innovation.
Note 4) Pope Leo IX sent Cardinal Humbert to make reconciliation over disputes relating to Southern Italy's use of the Byzantine Liturgy and the use of the Latin Mass in what is today Romania. Things got heated. It was not the intention of either side to schism, as far as I can tell.
Note 5) The Roman Synod of Trent gave to the Body of Christ a pure Divinity in that it could be everywhere at once, approaching monophysism. Calvinistic Protestants separated His divinity and His humanity to a Nestorian degree by saying the grace of the eucharist from His Flesh and Blood was transmuted only by the Holy spirit and that the Body and Blood weren't truly there in reality. The true and preservervd mystery in Holy Orthodoxy is that we are taken into Heaven by means of the Holy Spirit in Liturgy to His Body and Blood and receive Him there, no matter where or when we celebrate His feast. Ponder on Hebrews 6:19-20. I know this is kind of complicated, but I will explain if anyone should want an explanation.
I did the best that I could with the little I have. Thank you for hearing me.
For the Messiah & the Restoration,
Danny
