In response to Jason's post below:
While we probably won't be able to resolve your paradox in one shot, one way to begin to resolve it might be to refine our initial assumptions. To begin, I will argue that scripture does not view Adam as "perfect" by your definition: "X is perfect, if and only if, there is nothing Y that could add to X to improve X, and no subset of X, say Z, which could subtract from X, to improve X. That is, X is the best it can possibly be."
The idea that pre-Fall human nature was "perfect" is an assumption that is not explicitly stated by scripture. First, let's define one of God's attributes as being "perfection" in the sense in which you've used the term -- by definition, then, God is a being whom nothing can be added to or subtracted from that would improve him. Some Christian traditions base their view of Adam's perfection on the statement that Adam was created "in the image of" the perfect God. An image of a being, however, is not equivalent to that being. If I paint or sculpt an image of you, for example, we wouldn't assume that it would automatically be a perfect image that I couldn't improve upon. I could certainly consider the image of you to be a work in progress.
Likewise, there are areas in which pre-Fall Adam falls short of God's perfection. God explicitly states ways in which Adam's nature could change in order to be closer to the nature of God -- "Then the LORD God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil...'" (Genesis 3:22). "Knowing good and evil" here is an attribute that has made Adam "like one of us" in a way that he hadn't been before this point. So obviously, at least one characteristic of God's perfect nature did not initially exist in Adam when he was created in God's image.
The term "perfect" is rarely used by the Old Testament, refers nearly exclusively (with an interesting exception or two that lie outside of the scope of this discussion) to God, and is never used to describe anyone human, including Adam.
On the question of Adam's perfection, the Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes Aquinas and Leo that, through Christ, human nature can be perfected beyond what it was prior to the Fall:
412 But why did God not prevent the first man from sinning? St. Leo the Great responds, "Christ's inexpressible grace gave us blessings better than those the demon's envy had taken away." And St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "There is nothing to prevent human nature's being raised up to something greater, even after sin; God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good. Thus St. Paul says, 'Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more'; and the Exsultet sings, 'O happy fault,. . . which gained for us so great a Redeemer!'"
My next post will take up this idea and address the possibility of human perfection after the Cross, especially as addressed in the Orthodox concept of theosis.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Paradox of the Perfect Man-The incompatibility between freewill and a perfect human nature
Definitions-The following are some definitions I am using for the purpose of this paradox.
Perfection: X is perfect, if and only if, there is nothing Y that could add to X to improve X, and no subset of X, say Z, which could subtract from X, to improve X. That is, X is the best it can possibly be.
Genuine Freewill: A will is genuinely free, if and only if, it is unbounded by prior conditions, and it is not contaminated nor has any defects because of sin (i.e., the type of will that Adam and Eve possessed prior to the Fall).
The Paradox
I have constructed a paradox, which I have been thinking about for some time now (about a year). It is a paradox relating to the synchronicity between human nature prior to the Fall in Eden and the future state of human nature in the “New Heaven and Earth” (God’s future Kingdom). It goes like this.
Scripture says God created Adam and Eve perfectly (i.e. perfect human nature) in Eden. Adam chooses to sin, and as a result, became imperfect, as did the rest of his progeny. Adam (and Eve), having genuine freewill seemed, at the very least, to allow for the “possibility” of sin. However, Scripture also says that Christians in God’s future Kingdom will be perfect, i.e. sinless. In other words, God’s Elect, in the future Kingdom, will have the restoration of the same perfect human nature that Adam had prior to The Fall.
Since Adam had genuine freewill prior to the Fall, does this entail that the Elect will posses genuine freewill in the future Kingdom? For example, can one of the Elect, with their new nature and glorified body, freely choose to sin like Adam did (since Adam had genuine freewill, was perfect, but still choose to sin)? Would God have to start all over again if someone “actually” sinned?
Answering affirmatively to these questions seems, contra Scripture, that, the “possibility” of sin remains in God’s future Kingdom (assuming we take genuine freewill to entail the possibility of sin). However, answering negatively to these questions seems to abolish genuine freewill and thus is not a true restoration of God’s design of a perfect human nature.
Therefore, it seems God cannot make man perfect without also affecting his genuine freewill. The paradox exposes that these doctrines are at the horns of a theological dilemma.
Thoughts anyone?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Catholicism vs. Orthodoxy on Original Sin
Comments by Jason on Andrew's post-"More on the 1672 Synod of Jerusalem". The Filioque clause and differences between the Catholic and Orthodox views on Original Sin
Here are my thoughts on the issues. I am inclined to take the filioque clause to be a genuine dispute rather than just a semantic one. The readings of the two are obviously fundamentally different. However, I also take the two views of Original Sin (OS hereafter) that you alluded to in your earlier post as a genuine dispute not merely a semantic one. Here is why.
Saying that a "thing” such a stain, virus, or whatever metaphor one chooses to talk about OS, seems to be asserting that there is a substance that has existential status (i.e. that something exists). That is to say, Adam's action in Eden tainted human nature with a “thing” called Sin. Now, that is a very different claim than saying that humans lack holiness. That is a denial of the existence of a given substance or thing. The former claim presupposes the existence of two categories, namely, sinfulness and holiness, where the latter claim does not. Thus, logically speaking, they are NOT definitionally equivalent.
I am sure some of us recall when St. Augustine made a similar point in his Confessions when criticizing the Manichaeans’ views about evil. They treated evil as “Evil”, a thing that is a real substance. That EVIL and GOOD are two equal but opposing substances. Augustine contra the Manichaeans' said that evil has NO real subsistence. Rather we should define evil as the negation (or deviation from) of God’s perfect holiness. This is a claim of the existence of only one category, holiness. Hence, if the Papists and some Protestants, view Sin as having real subsistence, then that is a very different claim than the Orthodox’s claim that Sin is the negation (deviation) of God’s perfect holiness.
Many Christians regardless of theological persuasion talk of “Sin” as some kind of substance; so does Scripture. Perhaps these are just examples of taking the metaphors too seriously. However, it is endemic in sermon talk among Evangelicals and Catholics. Unfortunately, using metaphoric language to explain difficult theological doctrines often confuses rather than clarifies these issues. Therefore, I am inclined to think the two views of OS are conceptually if not fundamentally distinct (if we take the metaphors seriously).
Here are my thoughts on the issues. I am inclined to take the filioque clause to be a genuine dispute rather than just a semantic one. The readings of the two are obviously fundamentally different. However, I also take the two views of Original Sin (OS hereafter) that you alluded to in your earlier post as a genuine dispute not merely a semantic one. Here is why.
Saying that a "thing” such a stain, virus, or whatever metaphor one chooses to talk about OS, seems to be asserting that there is a substance that has existential status (i.e. that something exists). That is to say, Adam's action in Eden tainted human nature with a “thing” called Sin. Now, that is a very different claim than saying that humans lack holiness. That is a denial of the existence of a given substance or thing. The former claim presupposes the existence of two categories, namely, sinfulness and holiness, where the latter claim does not. Thus, logically speaking, they are NOT definitionally equivalent.
I am sure some of us recall when St. Augustine made a similar point in his Confessions when criticizing the Manichaeans’ views about evil. They treated evil as “Evil”, a thing that is a real substance. That EVIL and GOOD are two equal but opposing substances. Augustine contra the Manichaeans' said that evil has NO real subsistence. Rather we should define evil as the negation (or deviation from) of God’s perfect holiness. This is a claim of the existence of only one category, holiness. Hence, if the Papists and some Protestants, view Sin as having real subsistence, then that is a very different claim than the Orthodox’s claim that Sin is the negation (deviation) of God’s perfect holiness.
Many Christians regardless of theological persuasion talk of “Sin” as some kind of substance; so does Scripture. Perhaps these are just examples of taking the metaphors too seriously. However, it is endemic in sermon talk among Evangelicals and Catholics. Unfortunately, using metaphoric language to explain difficult theological doctrines often confuses rather than clarifies these issues. Therefore, I am inclined to think the two views of OS are conceptually if not fundamentally distinct (if we take the metaphors seriously).
More on the 1672 Synod of Jerusalem
I'm writing these more or less of the top of my head, with an occasional wikipedia glance to make sure that I have at least my dates right. Maybe I'll edit for grammar/coherency later, but I wanted to at least throw some rough topics out there.
While pointing out the convergence of Catholic and Orthodox doctrine on a wide range of issues, and thus demonstrating the closeness of Catholicism and Orthodoxy compared to the gulf that separates both from Calvinism, the Synod of Jerusalem also reaffirmed the Orthodox rejection of the "filioque clause." The Catholic reading of the Nicene Creed states the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son ("and the Son" = "filioque" in latina lingua), a clause rejected by the Orthodox, who proclaim that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone. I've always found it a little strange that this was such a huge point of controversy. Many of the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism seem to be differences of semantics and cases of looking at the same phenomenon from two different vantagepoints. For example, at risk of oversimplifiying a complex topic into one sentence, Catholicism views original sin as the presence of a stain, whereas Orthodoxy views it as an absence of holiness. Presence of the negative or absence of the positive? Seems like it could be two different ways of looking at the same phenomenon.
But in the filioque clause, we find an actual theological difference between the two traditions that can't be reconciled as "looking at the same thing from two different angles." The Holy Spirit either proceeds from just the Father, or from both the Father and the Son. Both can't be right. But isn't it a pretty minor topic to base the theological roots of a schism on? The filioque clause has come up over and over for 1,000 years as a major point of theological contention and reason, on both sides, for not reconciling. My rough conclusion on why a topic seemingly so tangental to the basic premises of Christianity has historically become such a huge point of contention is simply that the two sides needed something theological to justify what has always been fundamentally a political split.
Thoughts?
While pointing out the convergence of Catholic and Orthodox doctrine on a wide range of issues, and thus demonstrating the closeness of Catholicism and Orthodoxy compared to the gulf that separates both from Calvinism, the Synod of Jerusalem also reaffirmed the Orthodox rejection of the "filioque clause." The Catholic reading of the Nicene Creed states the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son ("and the Son" = "filioque" in latina lingua), a clause rejected by the Orthodox, who proclaim that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone. I've always found it a little strange that this was such a huge point of controversy. Many of the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism seem to be differences of semantics and cases of looking at the same phenomenon from two different vantagepoints. For example, at risk of oversimplifiying a complex topic into one sentence, Catholicism views original sin as the presence of a stain, whereas Orthodoxy views it as an absence of holiness. Presence of the negative or absence of the positive? Seems like it could be two different ways of looking at the same phenomenon.
But in the filioque clause, we find an actual theological difference between the two traditions that can't be reconciled as "looking at the same thing from two different angles." The Holy Spirit either proceeds from just the Father, or from both the Father and the Son. Both can't be right. But isn't it a pretty minor topic to base the theological roots of a schism on? The filioque clause has come up over and over for 1,000 years as a major point of theological contention and reason, on both sides, for not reconciling. My rough conclusion on why a topic seemingly so tangental to the basic premises of Christianity has historically become such a huge point of contention is simply that the two sides needed something theological to justify what has always been fundamentally a political split.
Thoughts?
The Calvinist Patriarch
One interesting footnote to the Reformation is the brief impact of Calvinist thought on the Orthodox world. Specifically, Cyril I, Patriarch of Constantinople in the early 1600s, studied in Geneva and ultimately incorporated basic Calvinist ideas into his thought. In 1629, he published his own Confession -- I've copied some of the interesting points below:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Cyril, Patriarch of Constantinople, publishes this brief Confession for the benefit of those who inquire about the faith and the religion of the Greeks, that is of the Eastern Church, in witness to God and to men and with a sincere conscience without any dissimulation.
Chapter 3.
We believe that the most merciful God has predestined His elect unto glory before the beginning of the world, without any respect of their works and that there was no other impulsive cause to this election, but only the good will and mercy of God. In like manner before the world was made, He rejected whom He would, of which act of reprobation, if you consider the absolute dealing of God, His will is the cause; but if you look upon the laws and principles of good order, which God’s providence is making use of in the government of the world, His justice is the cause, for God is merciful and just.
Chapter 14.
We believe that free will is dead in the unregenerate, because they can do no good thing, and whatsoever they do is sin; but in the regenerate by the grace of the Holy Spirit the will is excited and in deed works but not without the assistance of grace. In order, therefore, that man should be born again and do good, it is necessary that grace should go before; otherwise man is wounded having received as many wounds as that man received who going from Jerusalem down to Jericho fell into the hands of thieves, so that of himself he cannot do anything.
Chapter 15.
We believe that the Evangelical Sacraments in the Church are those that the Lord instituted in the Gospel, and they are two; these only have been delivered unto us and He who instituted them delivered unto us no more.
Cyril was martyred at the hands of the Turks in 1637. Within a generation, the Synod of Jerusalem repudiated Cyril's ideas, while also reaffirming both the similarities and differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The Synod adopted the Confession of Dositheus, some interesting points from which I've copied below:
DECREE III.
We believe the most good God to have from eternity predestinated unto glory those whom He hath chosen, and to have consigned unto condemnation those whom He hath rejected; but not so that He would justify the one, and consign and condemn the other without cause. For that were contrary to the nature of God, who is the common Father of all, and no respecter of persons, and would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; {1 Timothy 2:4} but since He foreknew the one would make a right use of their free-will, and the other a wrong, He predestinated the one, or condemned the other. And we understand the use of free-will thus, that the Divine and illuminating grace, and which we call preventing grace, being, as a light to those in darkness, by the Divine goodness imparted to all, to those that are willing to obey this — for it is of use only to the willing, not to the unwilling — and co-operate with it, in what it requireth as necessary to salvation, there is consequently granted particular grace; which, co-operating <115> with us, and enabling us, and making us perseverant in the love of God, that is to say, in performing those good things that God would have us to do, and which His preventing grace admonisheth us that we should do, justifieth us, and maketh us predestinated. But those who will not obey, and co-operate with grace; and, therefore, will not observe those things that God would have us perform, and that abuse in the service of Satan the free-will, which they have received of God to perform voluntarily what is good, are consigned to eternal condemnation.
But to say, as the most wicked heretics do and as is contained in the Chapter answering hereto — that God, in predestinating, or condemning, had in no wise regard to the works of those predestinated, or condemned, we know to be profane and impious. For thus Scripture would be opposed to itself, since it promiseth the believer salvation through works, yet supposeth God to be its sole author, by His sole illuminating grace, which He bestoweth without preceding works, to shew to man the truth of divine things, and to teach him how he may co-operate therewith, if he will, and do what is good and acceptable, and so obtain <116> salvation. He taketh not away the power to will — to will to obey, or not obey him.
But than to affirm that the Divine Will is thus solely and without cause the author of their condemnation, what greater calumny can be fixed upon God? and what greater injury and blasphemy can be offered to the Most High? For that the Deity is not tempted with evils, {cf. James 1:13} and that He equally willeth the salvation of all, since there is no respect of persons with Him, we do know; and that for those who through their own wicked choice, and their impenitent heart, have become vessels of dishonour, there is, as is just, decreed condemnation, we do confess. But of eternal punishment, of cruelty, of pitilessness, and of inhumanity, we never, never say God is the author, who telleth us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. {Luke 15:7} Far be it from us, while we have our senses, thus to believe, or to think; and we do subject to an eternal anathema those who say and think such things, and esteem them to be worse than any infidels. <117>
So, here the Orthodox Church officially proclaims that what Calvinists (and Cyril) mistake as predestination is simply God's foreknowledge.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Cyril, Patriarch of Constantinople, publishes this brief Confession for the benefit of those who inquire about the faith and the religion of the Greeks, that is of the Eastern Church, in witness to God and to men and with a sincere conscience without any dissimulation.
Chapter 3.
We believe that the most merciful God has predestined His elect unto glory before the beginning of the world, without any respect of their works and that there was no other impulsive cause to this election, but only the good will and mercy of God. In like manner before the world was made, He rejected whom He would, of which act of reprobation, if you consider the absolute dealing of God, His will is the cause; but if you look upon the laws and principles of good order, which God’s providence is making use of in the government of the world, His justice is the cause, for God is merciful and just.
Chapter 14.
We believe that free will is dead in the unregenerate, because they can do no good thing, and whatsoever they do is sin; but in the regenerate by the grace of the Holy Spirit the will is excited and in deed works but not without the assistance of grace. In order, therefore, that man should be born again and do good, it is necessary that grace should go before; otherwise man is wounded having received as many wounds as that man received who going from Jerusalem down to Jericho fell into the hands of thieves, so that of himself he cannot do anything.
Chapter 15.
We believe that the Evangelical Sacraments in the Church are those that the Lord instituted in the Gospel, and they are two; these only have been delivered unto us and He who instituted them delivered unto us no more.
Cyril was martyred at the hands of the Turks in 1637. Within a generation, the Synod of Jerusalem repudiated Cyril's ideas, while also reaffirming both the similarities and differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The Synod adopted the Confession of Dositheus, some interesting points from which I've copied below:
DECREE III.
We believe the most good God to have from eternity predestinated unto glory those whom He hath chosen, and to have consigned unto condemnation those whom He hath rejected; but not so that He would justify the one, and consign and condemn the other without cause. For that were contrary to the nature of God, who is the common Father of all, and no respecter of persons, and would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; {1 Timothy 2:4} but since He foreknew the one would make a right use of their free-will, and the other a wrong, He predestinated the one, or condemned the other. And we understand the use of free-will thus, that the Divine and illuminating grace, and which we call preventing grace, being, as a light to those in darkness, by the Divine goodness imparted to all, to those that are willing to obey this — for it is of use only to the willing, not to the unwilling — and co-operate with it, in what it requireth as necessary to salvation, there is consequently granted particular grace; which, co-operating <115> with us, and enabling us, and making us perseverant in the love of God, that is to say, in performing those good things that God would have us to do, and which His preventing grace admonisheth us that we should do, justifieth us, and maketh us predestinated. But those who will not obey, and co-operate with grace; and, therefore, will not observe those things that God would have us perform, and that abuse in the service of Satan the free-will, which they have received of God to perform voluntarily what is good, are consigned to eternal condemnation.
But to say, as the most wicked heretics do and as is contained in the Chapter answering hereto — that God, in predestinating, or condemning, had in no wise regard to the works of those predestinated, or condemned, we know to be profane and impious. For thus Scripture would be opposed to itself, since it promiseth the believer salvation through works, yet supposeth God to be its sole author, by His sole illuminating grace, which He bestoweth without preceding works, to shew to man the truth of divine things, and to teach him how he may co-operate therewith, if he will, and do what is good and acceptable, and so obtain <116> salvation. He taketh not away the power to will — to will to obey, or not obey him.
But than to affirm that the Divine Will is thus solely and without cause the author of their condemnation, what greater calumny can be fixed upon God? and what greater injury and blasphemy can be offered to the Most High? For that the Deity is not tempted with evils, {cf. James 1:13} and that He equally willeth the salvation of all, since there is no respect of persons with Him, we do know; and that for those who through their own wicked choice, and their impenitent heart, have become vessels of dishonour, there is, as is just, decreed condemnation, we do confess. But of eternal punishment, of cruelty, of pitilessness, and of inhumanity, we never, never say God is the author, who telleth us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. {Luke 15:7} Far be it from us, while we have our senses, thus to believe, or to think; and we do subject to an eternal anathema those who say and think such things, and esteem them to be worse than any infidels. <117>
So, here the Orthodox Church officially proclaims that what Calvinists (and Cyril) mistake as predestination is simply God's foreknowledge.
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