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We are what you once were.
We believe what you once believed.
We worship as you once worshiped.
If you were right
then, we are right now.
If we are wrong now, you were wrong
then.
A Canonical Orthodox Church of World
Wide Orthodox
 A Monk's Wisdom!
Theology
Theotokos specifically excludes the understanding of Mary as Mother of
God in the eternal sense. Christians believe that God is the cause of all, with
neither origin nor source, and is therefore "without a mother." This stands in contrast to classical Greco-Roman
religion in particular, where a number of divine female figures appear as "mothers" of other
divinities, demi-gods, or heroes. For example, Juno was revered as
the mother of Vulcan; Aphrodite, as the mother of Aeneas.
On the other hand, Christians believe God the Son is begotten of God the Father "from all
eternity" (see Trinity and Nicene Creed), but is born "in time" of Mary.
Theotokos thus refers to the Incarnation, when the Second Person
of the Holy Trinity took on human nature in addition to his pre-existing divine
nature, this being made possible through the cooperation of Mary.
Since mainstream Christians understand Jesus Christ as both fully God and
fully human, they call Mary Theotokos to affirm the fullness of God's
incarnation. The Council of Ephesus decreed, in opposition to
those who denied Mary the title Theotokos ("the one who gives birth to
God") but called her Christotokos ("the one who gives birth to Christ"),
that Mary is Theotokos because her son Jesus is one person who is
both God and man, divine and human. As Cyril of Alexandria wrote, "I am amazed
that there are some who are entirely in doubt as to whether the holy Virgin
should be called Theotokos or not. For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God,
how is the holy Virgin who gave [Him] birth, not [Theotokos]?" (Epistle
1, to the monks of Egypt; PG 77:13B). Thus the significance of
Theotokos lies more in what it says about Jesus than any declaration
about Mary.
Within the Orthodox doctrinal teaching on the economy of salvation, Mary's
identity, role, and status as Theotokos is acknowledged as indispensable,
and is for this reason formally defined as official dogma. The only other Mariological teaching so defined is
that of her virginity. Both of these teachings have a bearing on the identity of
Jesus Christ. By contrast, certain other Marian beliefs which do not
bear directly on the doctrine concerning the person of Jesus (for example, her
sinlessness, the circumstances surrounding her conception
and birth, her Presentation in
the Temple, her continuing virginity following the birth of
Jesus, and her death), which are taught and believed
by the Orthodox Church (being expressed in the Church's liturgy and patristic
writings), are nonetheless not formally defined by the Church, and belief in
them is not a precondition for baptism.
To see the full article above: click here.
More from Monk Michael;
You ask what in the world makes us think that we know everything, I tell
you that we/I do not know everything. But there is a resource that has
the earliest church writings for you to study.
It's your soul and your eternity, do with it what you like but the excuse
that you just simply did not know will not be accepted on that dreaded
day of judgement. Don't be one who neglects his own communion with the
Father through the blood of Jesus Christ because of the subtle pride that
has you trapped.
Study to show thyself approved, get rid of your pride and just do it. Knock
and the door shall be opened, seek and ye shall find. Ask and it will be
given unto you.
Who said these words? The person that you claim to follow, are you doing as He said? Or does your pride keep you where you are because you are the Pastor, the music director, the assistant Pastor, the youth director, the Deacon, the head of the women's committee?
Here is a resource for your re-course for a better understanding..
Early Church
Fathers
I will give you another one here, the seven Oecumenical councils that established
and shaped the church. Agreed on by the whole church before schism and
reformation. These two links; one above and one below will show the true
church to you, it is up to you to believe the truth or to believe a lie.
You'll find that the scriptures that you claim to follow will be found
here in these two links, in living color.
The Seven Oecumenical Councils.
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 Some personal thoughts from the heart of Monk Michael.
You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling
you why, Santa Claus is coming to town.
What a wonderful icon of America's greed and material lust. It's even better
that it passes itself off as Christian. I mean, after all it is the birth
of the Christ that we celebrate at CHRISTmas isn't it? and who better to exemplify that celebration than Santa Claus,
now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Santa Claus personally,
after all he is a jolly old elf, right? Shouldn't we be happy during this
Christmas season when we are celebrating our material gain, ooops, I mean the
birth of our Lord and Savior of material gain and greed?
So, how did a saint of the church, St. Nicholas become the forerunner of an American icon of greed and lust? Who was St. Nicholas? One of the most beloved saints all through the Middle Ages was St. Nicholas
of Myra who actually lived in early Christian times. In fact, St. Nicholas is
still the favorite saint of little children in the Catholic sections of Europe.
This veneration is easily explained, for he was, and still is, a special patron
saint of children. His feast day, December 6, is a great day of celebration for
children.
On the night before his feast, the Saint has been known to leave bags or shoes filled with gifts and treats for the children as a small foretaste of the graces God desires to give His children while they are in this world to help them attain Heaven. St. Nicholas comes to them in Jesus" Name.
Well this sounds just exactly like Santa Claus to me doesn't it to you? Now how could a Christian nation twist and pervert the name and meaning behind a saint of the church and then apply this to the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ? Did I mention greed and material lust yet or was that my imagination?
Do you honestly believe that America is a Christian nation? Really? In
the name of God, WAKE UP! Look at your congress, look at your judicial branch, look at your
executive branch. These people have passed laws that allow for mass murder on a whim without a second thought. It is the murder of unborn children, it's called abortion. They steal money from the American taxpayer and then lie about it and cover it up. Or at the very least they attempt at every turn to steal from the American taxpayer, read this article from 2001
Don't like that one? let's take a look at a democrat who thinks it's O.K. to dip into the funds here..
How did these peole get into office and why are they still there? Well
they were voted in by our Christian nation of voters. The so-called moral
majority is a fallacy, when one claims that one is Christian but yet votes
for all things unchristian, one is a liar and a thief. America is not a
Christian nation, if it was these people would not be in office and never
would have been. Do you think that by having religious freedom that means
we are Christian? No, it means that we have the freedom to twist the truth
of Christ into a lie and build a church on every street corner and proclaim
any lie we choose to suit our own personal conviction of our plastic Jesus
without fear of criminal conviction. What happens if you tell the truth
about God or Christ in a public place?
You get fired and the American public gets mad at you, read this quick article from last year.Or if that one doesn't do it try the one that happened this year when a teacher in the bronx told his class that Jesus died for their sins here. But if you are a bigot and a hateful liar and terrify small children based on a political basis you most likely will not lose your job, don't believe it? Go here.
The true church will be going underground soon. How soon? I do not know.
She will no longer be allowed to speak the truth without persecution and
law suits, freedom of speech and worship will apply, just not to the truth.
As long as you proclaim a false Christ to the world and participate in
a church that aids in the confusion of the many Jesus's that abound today,
you will be allowed to continue. Such is the way of the world and the ever
so wordly Jesus.
So while you're wondering what to wear on Christmas day and in the meantime
frantically trying to find the best gift, ever, for those in your life.
You just might want to take the time to find out the real truth of Jesus
the Christ, the worship that He established through the true church that
He established. If not , well, that is what free will is all about isn't
it? You are given the right not to believe, or believe in the plastic Jesus
who conforms to whatever you want him to conform to, or you can honestly
seek the truth and not be content on spending eternity in Hell for your
feel good Jesus moment here now.
I honestly have no issue with Santa Claus, not in the personna of St. Nicholas,
you can tell your children fairy tales, but to make a true story into a
fairy tale, as in the case of Santa Claus, then you must, absolutely must
tell the truth about him, forget about the American icon of greed and material
lust, bring the truth back into Christmas.
You need to look inside of yourself and see the truth of yourself and begin to become one with God through the church that Jesus Christ established. Do not let a good deed go unnoticed by Christ in the day of judgement, don't say it won't happen, you already know that Jesus Christ said to go because He never knew you. Pay attention to these words.
Write to us if you want to know more at;
monkmichael@newwarriorministries.com
or to the Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Thaddeus who will take the time to help you for the sake of your soul, reach him at; thaddeus@apostle1.com
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