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Dogmas, canons and theological opinions. What is the difference? The dogmas of the Orthodox faith - the expression of divine truths

RELIGIOUS DOGMA (Greek dogmatos) - main. the provisions of the dogma, recognized as indisputably true, eternal and unchanging deities, institutions that are obligatory for all believers. Each contemporary developed has its own. dogmatic system developed in the process of lengthy disputes and vnutrikerk. fight. In Christianity, dogmatics was approved by the first 2 ecumenical councils and received the name of the Nikeo-Tsar-grad "Creed", which included 12 fundamentals. dogmas: about the trinity of God, the incarnation, redemption, ascension, baptism, the immortality of the soul, etc. Subsequent replenished D. r. about deities. and human. the nature of Christ, about the presence of Christ 2 wills and 2 actions, about the obligation of icon veneration. After the separation of Christ. churches, each included in its doctrine D. r., not recognized by other Christs. churches. Catholicism approved D. r. oh, the procession of the holy spirit not only from the father, but also from the son, the immaculate conception of the virgin and her bodily ascension to heaven, the infallibility of the pope. in matters of faith and morality. Protestantism rejected the common Christ. D. r. about the priesthood, unction, etc. and recognized the new D. r. about justification by faith. In the fight against heresies, freethinking, atheism, Christ. developed a complex system of substantiation of dogmatics. Without abandoning the whole tradition. understanding the content of D. r., all denominations, to one degree or another, seek to interpret them in relation to the spirit of the times, the changed views of believers. The process of renewal of religion could not but affect the ideas about D. r. as absolutely unchanging truth. In present temp. the majority of Christians, Muslims, and Jewish theologians reject the former dogmatic. literalism, develop new formulations of D. r.

Atheistic Dictionary.- M.: Politizdat. Under total ed. M. P. Novikova. 1986 .

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Books

  • The origin of Christianity. The Secular Version, Joel Carmichael. The modern American historian Joel Carmichael presents to the readers his view - the view of a secular researcher - on the problem of the origin of Christianity and the formation of institutions ...

Christian dogma was formulated and generalized in IV- VIIIcenturies on the Ecumenical Councils - congresses of representatives of Christian churches around the world, in the process of a sharp struggle between various trends in Christianity, theological schools, with the active participation of the imperial government, interested in church, and hence state unity.

The First Council of Nicaea made the divine origin of Jesus Christ (the first part of the Creed) a dogma. The First Council of Constantinople formulated the second part of the Creed, recognizing the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The Council of Ephesus made it a dogma to define Jesus Christ as the incarnate Logos - the Word of God, and also legitimized the veneration of the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. At the Council of Chalcedon, the church made it a dogma to understand Jesus Christ as true God and true man in one person. The dogma of the Trinity and Jesus Christ as the "consubstantial" Son of the Father was finally formalized at the Second Council of Constantinople.

The Third Council of Constantinople, in order to combat heresies, recognized the human will of Christ, and the Second Council of Nicaea, condemning as heresy the iconoclasts who denied the veneration of icons, made the cult of icons obligatory.

The result of the activities of the Ecumenical Councils - Symbol of faith, in a concentrated form containing all Christian dogmatics:

1. I believe in the One God the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth.

2. I believe in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, from the Father before all ages, the Light from the Light, the True God from the True God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father.

    I believe in the mystery of the incarnation and redemption of Jesus Christ.

    I believe in the suffering of Jesus Christ, who was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate.

5. I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day according to Scripture.

    I believe in the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven.

    I believe in the second coming and the Last Judgment.

    I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father.

9. I believe in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

10. I confess baptism and the remission of sins.

11. I look forward to the coming resurrection of the dead.

12. I look forward to eternal life.

2.3. Holy Scripture of Christianity

The Holy Scripture of Christians is the Bible (Greek books), consisting of the Old Testament and the New Testament. According to Christian teaching, Holy Scripture is "God-breathed", i.e. received as a result of divine revelation, and its texts are canonical (Greek law), binding on believers.

The Old Testament of Christians is a translation of the Jewish Tanakh. For Christians, it is inseparable from the later New Testament, which is categorically rejected by Judaists. Unlike Jews who read the Tanakh in the original, in Hebrew, Orthodox and Catholics venerate the Old Testament, which goes back to the text of the Septuagint (Greek translation of 70 interpreters) - the translation of the Tanakh from Hebrew into Ancient Greek, carried out in the III-II centuries. BC. This translation contains not only the canonical Jewish Tanakh (39 books), but also 11 non-canonical books created by the Jews of the Diaspora in a later era, as well as Greek additions to the canonical texts. For Orthodox and Catholics, the number of revered books and additions to them differs slightly. Protestants consider the exact translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew language to be canonical.

The New Testament, consisting of 27 books, is dedicated to the activities of Christ and his closest associates - the apostles (Greek messenger), and therefore is called the New - as opposed to the Old, concluded by God only with the Jews. The apostles and their disciples are credited with the authorship of all the books of the New Testament. The structure of the New Testament can be divided into three parts:

gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Description of the birth, preaching work, death and resurrection of Christ, formed on the basis of oral traditions

Mid I

end of the 2nd century

The Epistles of the Apostles

2 James, 2 Peter, 3 John, Jude, 14 Paul

Messages exchanged between the leaders of Christian communities in various cities for the purpose of preaching and developing a common dogma

End I -

beginning of the 2nd century

Other books

Acts of the Apostles

A late attempt to create a history of the preaching activity of the apostles

Revelation of John (Apocalypse)

Part of the New Testament containing eschatological prophecies

There are some contradictions between the canonical texts of the Bible, related to the fact that they were created at different times by representatives of various currents in early Christianity. It is generally accepted that the oldest of the books of the New Testament is the Apocalypse; The oldest of the Gospels is the Gospel of Mark.

In addition to the canonical texts, Christian apocrypha (Greek hidden) - works that, for one reason or another, were rejected by the official church, not included in the canon. As a result of archaeological searches, the Gospels of Peter, Philip, Thomas, the Gospel of Truth, the Apocalypse of Peter and other apocrypha have been discovered.

New Testament

Ten Commandments of Moses

Old Testament

COMPOSITION OF THE BIBLE

The Bible is the main sacred book of Christianity. Consists of two parts:

1. Old Testament

2. New Testament.

Created within the framework of Judaism before our era. For the first time in human history, a great religious idea appears in the "Old Testament" monotheism.

The idea of ​​the fall of man - Adam and Eve violated the only commandment of God.

Covenant- the contract of man with God, in the Old Testament there is a contract between God and one chosen people - the Jewish people.

The prototype of the covenant is with Noah (after the flood, a rainbow appeared - a sign that there will be no more flood).

Abraham- with him, as with the ancestor of the Jewish people, God for the first time concludes a Covenant.

"Trial of Abraham"- a key episode of the Old Testament. Abraham must sacrifice his only son to God to prove that he loves God more than anything else.

Prophet Moses- leads the Jewish people out of Egyptian captivity. Receives commandments "Ten Commandments of Moses"- Mandatory for all three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam.

1. “I am the Lord your God: let there be no other gods for you, except for me” - the most important commandment (monotheism). Worship of the God of the Bible - in the Old Testament, God is called differently: Adonai (Lord), Sabaoth (God of armies), Yahweh (distorted Jehovah) - "I am who I am", Ellohim.

2. Do not create for yourself an idol and any likeness

3. Do not mention the name of the Lord in vain (in vanity).

4. Honoring the seventh day (Saturday).

5. Honor your father and mother

6. Thou shalt not kill

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. Don't steal

9. Do not bear false witness

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife and his property

In the later books of the Old Testament, the idea appears messiah- the future savior of the world. Sometimes the term messiah was replaced by a close Hellenized one Christ- "the anointed of God." The prophet Daniel also indicates the birthplace of the messiah - the "star of Bethlehem" will shine.

Jesus declared that he was the Christ. Only a small part of the Jews believed in this - they became the first Christians. Most of the Jews considered Jesus Christ a deceiver, they insisted on executing him with a shameful execution - through crucifixion (this is how robbers and cheaters were crucified). The Jews are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah.

Created already in the Christian era (I century AD)

Composition: Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles of the Apostles, Apocalypse of John.

"Gospel"- the good news, the story of the birth and earthly life of Jesus Christ. Many Gospels are known, but only four are recognized as canonical and entered the Bible: from Matthew, from Luke, from Mark, from John.

1. Monotheism (belief in one God, not just some, but the God of the Bible!)



2. The dogma of the Holy Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit). It is impossible to understand with the mind how the three hypostases are united in one God - it surpasses our understanding.

3. Jesus Christ as the God-man - this is also a mystery - how the divine and human natures were united in Christ.

4. The dogma of the infallibility of the Ecumenical Councils - thus in Christianity there is a dual foundation of doctrine: Holy Scripture (Bible) and Holy Tradition (works of the Church Fathers, decisions of the Ecumenical Councils).

5. The dogma of redemption - Christ, by his death and resurrection, atoned for original sin and opened the way to salvation for all who believe in him. Faith in Christ is the only way to salvation.

6. The dogma of icon veneration and veneration of saints (not worship!)

7. The dogma of the seven basic sacraments - their grace-filled power.

and resolutions of Christian ecumenical councils).

Christian dogma was formed in continuous disputes and struggle of opinions of theologians for four centuries and was adopted as a “Creed”, consisting of 12 points, at the first two Christian ecumenical councils - Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381).

1. The first paragraph refers to the divine trinity - faith in one God, acting in three persons (persons): God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father is not born of anyone, exists eternally, but he himself gives birth to the Son and produces the Holy Spirit; The Son is eternally born from the Father; The Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father according to Orthodoxy, and in Catholicism both from God the Father and from God the Son.

2. The dogma of the incarnation, according to which Jesus Christ, while remaining God, at the same time became a man, having been born of the virgin Mary.

3. The dogma of redemption - faith in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who by his death atoned for the sins of mankind.

4. The dogma of the resurrection - belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after the execution and burial.

5. The dogma of the ascension - faith in the bodily ascension of J. Christ to heaven.

6. Belief in the second coming of I. Christ on earth.

7. Faith in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

8. Faith in the sacrament of baptism.

9. Belief in the resurrection of the dead.

10. Belief in the afterlife, in heavenly reward.

11. Belief in the immortality of the soul, angels and the devil.

12. Faith in the end of the world.

The cult in Christianity is expressed mainly in the rites-sacraments, during the administration of which, according to the teachings of the church, a special divine grace descends on the believers. They are called sacraments because, according to the teachings of the church, their essence and meaning is inaccessible to human consciousness, the real action takes place in God's heaven (for example, they say: "Marriages are made in heaven"). In total, there are 7 sacraments in Christianity.

Baptism - one of the most important rites, without passing which a person cannot be considered a Christian. The baptism procedure consists in immersing the baby three times in a font of water (among the Orthodox), dousing with water (among the Catholics), sprinkling with water (among the Protestants) with the call of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, which means spiritual birth. During baptism among the Orthodox, the priest also reads three prohibition spells, addressing them to the devil, blowing into the mouth, forehead and chest of the newborn, calling on God in order to expel the unclean. Then the rite of “cleansing from the devil” is performed, during which the priest and the godchildren of the newborn spit three times on the floor - as if on Satan. After baptism, the child is called the name, most often of the saint whose memory is celebrated on the day of baptism.


According to Christian doctrine, baptism cleanses the newborn from the sin of his forefathers and drives away the devil, as a result of which a person is born again and receives the right to eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.

The theory of the "second birth" of man is attributed to Jesus Christ himself (the Gospel of John). The Pauline epistles explain in detail the meaning of the Christian teaching about the second “birth” of a person through baptism: it is associated with faith in the resurrection, and baptism itself is viewed as death in Christ, which guarantees the believer at the same time and together with Christ the resurrection into a new life.

communion - (Holy Eucharist - from the Greek. Eucharistia - thanksgiving sacrifice). In the sacrament of communion, the believer, under the guise of bread and wine, partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ for Eternal Life.

The Sacrament of Communion, according to Christian doctrine, was established by Christ himself at the Last Supper, and thus he “gave praise to God and the Father, blessed and consecrated the bread and wine, and, having communed his disciples, ended the Last Supper with a prayer for all believers.” In memory of this event, the church performs the sacrament of communion. The priest takes a prosphora and cuts out a cube on the sacrificial table, which is called "lamb". At the same time, he says: “Like a sheep is being led to the slaughter.” Then he cuts the “lamb” into four parts, saying aloud the words: “The lamb of God is being sacrificed”, pierces it with a spear and says: “Take, eat, this is my body, and drink from it all, this is my blood.”

In Catholicism, the clergy partake of bread and wine, while the laity only partake of bread (unleavened). In Orthodoxy, both the clergy and the laity take communion in the same way: wine and leavened bread. In Protestantism, they partake only of bread (breaking bread).

Chrismation - anointing with chrism (specially made and consecrated olive-based oil) of individual parts of the body and thereby transferring the “grace of the holy spirit”. The anointing of the “chela” means the sanctification of the mind, the anointing of the chest - the sanctification of the heart or desires, the anointing of the eyes, ears and lips - the sanctification of the senses, the anointing of the hands and feet - the sanctification of the deeds and all behavior of a Christian.

In Orthodoxy, they perform chrismation over an infant, in Catholicism (confirmation) over children aged 8 and over, and in Protestantism it is completely absent.

Repentance (confession) - this is the confession of one's sins before the priest, who lets them go in the name of Jesus Christ.

Priesthood (ordination) - a sacred act, consisting in the fact that the bishop, who owns the monopoly right of consecration, lays hands on the ordained to the spiritual dignity.

Marriage - takes place in the temple at the wedding, the marriage of the bride and groom is blessed.

Unction (unction) - anointing the body with oil, while calling on the sick the grace of God, healing the infirmities of the soul and body. This sacrament is intended for seriously ill believers and those who are dying.

In the Christian cult, a large place is given to holidays and fasts. As a rule, fasting precedes major church holidays. The essence of fasting, according to Christian doctrine, is “purification” and “renewal of the human soul”. In Christianity, there are 4 multi-day fasts: before Easter (Lent), before the day of Peter and Paul (Peter's fast), before the Assumption of the Virgin (Assumption fast) and before Christmas (Christmas). The most revered common Christian holidays include Easter, and the so-called "twelfth" holidays: the Nativity of Christ, the Meeting, the Baptism of the Lord, the Transfiguration, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the Annunciation, the Nativity of the Virgin, the Entry into the Temple of the Virgin, the Assumption of the Virgin.

Dogmas- indisputable truths of the Christian, given through, stored and interpreted, obligatory for all Christians (some dogmas were formulated and revealed on).

The properties of dogmas are:
- creed,
- divinity
– ,
- universality.

Dogmas defined by the Ecumenical Councils:
- Dogmas, summarized in, adopted by 318 holy fathers of the I Ecumenical Council (Nicaea) and 150 holy fathers of the II Ecumenical Council (Constantinople).
- Dogma 630 of the Holy Fathers of the IV Ecumenical Council (of Chalcedon). About two natures in one Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Dogma of 170 Holy Fathers of the VI Ecumenical Council (Constantinople). About two wills and actions in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Dogma 367 of the Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council (Nicaea). About icon veneration.

Among the dogmas that were not discussed at the Ecumenical Councils, one can name: the dogma of the resurrection, the dogma of redemption, the dogma of the Church, the dogma of the ever-virginity of the Mother of God, etc.

Dogmas are the doctrinal definition of the Orthodox Church, which introduces the human mind into the knowledge of God. “All dogmas either speak of God, or of visible and invisible creatures, or of providence and judgment manifested in them,” St. . Dogma is a God-revealed truth that transcends reason, possessing, according to the word of St. , unexplored depth. Being the result of Divine Revelation, dogmas are indisputable and unchanging definitions of the saving Christian faith.

Dogmatic conciliar definitions of Orthodoxy are denoted by the Greek word "oros" (oros). In the literal sense, it means "limit", "border". Using dogmas, he determines the human mind in true knowledge of God and limits it from possible mistakes. The formulation of dogmatic definitions in the history of the Church, as a rule, is associated with a response to heretical distortions of the meaning of Christianity. The acceptance of dogmas does not mean the introduction of new truths. Dogmas always reveal the original, unified and integral teaching of the Church in relation to new issues and circumstances.

The presence of a strict and distinct religious consciousness is a characteristic feature of Orthodoxy. This feature of church teaching dates back to the time of the apostolic preaching. It was the apostles who first used the word "dogma" in the sense of a doctrinal definition. “As they passed through the cities, they told the faithful to observe the decrees (Greek - ta dogmata) decreed by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem,” testifies St. Evangelist Luke (). In the Apostle Paul in the epistles to the Colossians () and Ephesians () the word "dogma" is used in the meaning of Christian teaching in its entirety. In the same sense, the word "dogma" was used in the II, III and early IV centuries, used by saints,. The oldest dogmatic monument of Orthodoxy, preceding the period of the Ecumenical Councils, is the creed of St. (Wonderworker), written by him around 260-265.

From the 4th century the word "dogma" acquires a more definite meaning. The continuous systematization of Christian doctrine leads to the separation of doctrinal and moral truths. Dogma is identified with doctrinal truths among the saints, and on the border of the 4th-5th centuries. and at . In the era of the Ecumenical Councils, the meaning of dogma is finally determined. Doctrines began to be understood as doctrinal truths, which were discussed and approved at the Ecumenical Councils.

“Only the malice of heretics compels us to do things that are forbidden, to climb unattainable heights, to talk about ineffable subjects, to undertake forbidden research. We should be content to do with sincere faith what is prescribed for us, namely: to worship God the Father, to honor God the Son with Him, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But here we are compelled to use our weak word to reveal ineffable mysteries. The errors of others compel us ourselves to embark on the dangerous path of explaining in human language those Mysteries that should be kept with reverent faith in the depths of our souls.
St. (R. 2:2).

Dogmas are unshakable axioms, arguing with which is to your own detriment. These axioms are everywhere: in mathematics, in medicine, in technology, in physics. “If you try to challenge the law of gravity by jumping from an airplane without a parachute, then you will end up breaking your own neck, not the law of gravity” ...
Deacon Andrew