A very good idea for this series of podcasts. Most evangelicals seem to glaze over on this subject as they think they understand what eastern orthodoxy is but nearly all have no idea at all in my experience. It took a long time for the penny to drop for me, a long journey. I hope viewers can listen with an open mind and re-evaluate their understanding. It's never a comfortable experience to be challenged in long and deeply held attitudes and beliefs. May God bless this good work!
Yep, totally agree, it took me 2 years to find about 5 'ah ha' moments, one of which was through Nathan Jacobs on the thinking constructs East vs West (about 2 weeks ago) which showed me trying to nut out a 2000yo tradition with a systematic mindset was counterproductive, 'matter is good & usable for worship', 'the fall caused death so only the Word (life) is the cure', 'Mary is the Ark of the New covenant', 'the Eucharist (transfigure/resurrection/transmutation/transubstantiation, water to wine, Almighty God clothed in flesh) yes, the Eucharist is a hugh 'ah ha/Amen' moment for me; I now believe it's possible, probable but also I can't have it both ways. I'm still Protestant, I can still have the Lord's supper, even as a symbol it's the highest of privileges of absolute importance and I'm not even a catacuman yet, technically I can never have it until I'm born into Christ. I mean I'm baptised as a Baptist but if I convert I must renounce, I can't do hypocrisy. Sorry, I only just realised that, ah ha just went oh no. Lord have mercy, everything I moving fast. My wife is already freaking out a little, I think I need to talk to a priest. Anyway sorry about the long winded 'I agree' comment. To my Protestant brethren out there, "remember Jeremiah said, seek the Lord with all your heart and He shall be found. Take it back to Christ, the church started with Him and He promised the gates of hell shall not prevail. The Latins left the Greek, the Germans were booted out of the Latins thus here we are, while the Greeks have remained the Greeks and needed no Reformation. Go figure." Lord have mercy on me.
I'm finding this series of podcasts 4 years late! What a great set of interviews. I have thoroughly enjoyed the conversations. Many thanks to both of you!
Thank you for sharing this. I watched Nathan's documentary and it was a beautiful reminder that we have to be willing to meet people where they are and help them make sense of the world. I, too, was an LCMS Lutheran and converted to Orthodoxy.
After listening to this, I get the sense that I am neither Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox. I'm just a follower of Christ Jesus in the stage of progressive sanctification and on my way to final glorification
You need to be in a community if you're not already. The Holy Trinity who is One God is in communion with Himself and love, and we are made in his image and such man needs community and love. To go on your own, if you are, is dangerous. It is how one becomes delusional. Remember we are sheep of Christ and sheep travel together. God bless you and I pray you find a community if not already
@@Bakarost I'm not making a go of it on my own. I am a member of a non-denominational Church and serve in a leadership position and I also teach adult Bible study classes. It's just that false teachings that find no support in Scripture or rely on extra-Biblical support are multiplying these days, and Scripture warns us and says: 2 Pet 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as THERE WILL BE (not might be) FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU. Paul warned us in Acts 20: 29-31 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. EVEN FROM AMONG YOUR OWN SELVES MEN WILL ARISE AND DISTORT THE TRUTH in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
@@BT3701 what type church do you belong to? I'm a struggling, doubting Orthodox Christian. I'd like to hear what you think. I'm losing faith in the 'cleric-laity system'
@@Andrew-yw6kt I attend a Christian Church called the Christian & Missionary Alliance that loves Jesus and preaches straight from the Bible. You can Google them and find the closest one near where you live.
@@BT3701 I recently came across Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and read a few books by them and I like what they're saying a lot. Are they similar to the church you're in?
Thank you. I really appreciate hearing Nathan been interviewed. Many Christians think as I uses to that you can't be a Christian and Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox. Only Evangelical or Pentecostals can be Christian. Thankfully I no longer think this. I consider myself an Anglo Catholic. I do pray in tongues only in private prayer. I became a Christian through Pentecostals. On of favorite theologians is Alister McGrath. I also like Nathan. I've listened to some of his theological talks on UA-cam. Once again thank you very much. May God bless you and when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit there's no other God. Can I ask both of you a sincere question? Why do so many Evangelicals and Pentecostals hate the Roman Catholic church ?
It is difficult to judge the motives of another. Why a Christian would "hate" anyone is an oxymoron. Christ commands His people to love one another as He loves, and this is how all will know they are His disciples. Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox generally affirm the essential doctrines of historic Christianity, which are derived from the Scriptures, and affirmed in the ancient creeds (e.g. Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed); of course, there are substantial doctrinal issues that distinguish the three. The maxim applies: “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity.” Blessings
@@BibleAnswerMan totally agree with you. One of the reasons I like the Anglican position of via media. That doesn't mean that an individual or a church can water down the essentials of the faith as expressed in the three creeds and rooted in Scripture.
@Yoshke Mamzer Baalam BenStada Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mate love what you do, orthodox has so much beauty unchanged doctrines and beliefs for 2000 years. Where prosetant change there beliefs everytime no one knows what to believe and then they come athiest. Orthodoxy a unity of belief that is unchanged to the ages of ages. Until Christ comes again
Excellent video I really enjoyed the content! it's unfortunate though I went to a Romanian Orthodox Church to worship the same Christ that all Christians worship and I said to many people "oh it reminds me of a Catholic church and liturgy" and they seemed offended, almost like it was offensive. It's too bad that there's not more considerate interaction between the two. Keep up the good work. God bless you and your family 👉✝️
I have been looking into Eastern Orthodoxy and I was going to go to the church by where I live. But as I check more into it I have many questions. I read the book by Rose. Can't ever his whole name. I was depressed for weeks after I read that book. I felt like if what he says is true that God doesn't really love me like I thought he did. If demons meet me when I die and fight with the angels for my soul then why did Jesus suffer and die for my sins. Also other things I've heard about the Orthodox church makes me feel that if I don't belong to that church I am not saved at all. I know that if we are truly saved we will bear fruit but the Orthodox church makes me think that even if I bear fruit of I'm not perfect by their standards I'm going to hell. Please help me with this.
@andrettanylund830 > Many of our Eastern Orthodox friends have been deeply touched by the writings of Seraphim Rose. CRI has never assessed any of Roses’ works but understand Rose is widely read by Orthodox. God certainly loves you. The authenticity of divine love is to never let anyone become complacent. God sets parameters around our lives so that we can experience life abundantly. There is always room for improvement, and we are to run the race to win. These themes are explicated in the New Testament. So, Christ bids us to deny self and daily take up the cross to follow Him. Far too many times there is the rich man who is bidden to forsake all and follow Jesus but simply walks away in sadness. God’s love is never shared through allowing wayward children go their own way without a peep about the dangers they are heading into for the sake of sparing them from a discomforting conversation in the present. Rather, God in love corrects His children so that they might experience everlasting life. God also wants us to always be prepared for the spiritual battles ahead, and encourages us to put on the spiritual armor, carry the sword of the Spirit, and stand to the end. To learn more on the toll houses, the emphasis upon asceticism, and the meaning of Church according to the Eastern Orthodox, please contact the CRI research staff with your questions, and they can provide a research letter to help you better grasp all these important matters. Use this online form: www.equip.org/contact-2/
@@BibleAnswerMan thank you for replying to me. I have listened to you for years and respect your opinion but I would like an answer to why demons would meet us at death and fight the angels for our soul if Jesus died for our sins and we have repented. That seems to me to say Jesus wasn't enough. And as far as the book by Rose goes I can't understand how people would be comforted by it. Most evangelicals I know believe we are saved by grace to good works. We don't believe you can just say a prayer and be saved. We believe faith without works is dead. I think the Orthodox church insults us by thinking we believe in a sloppy grace. It seems judgemental to me and in Revelation it says a multitude from ever nation ECT. I'm sure all those people didn't go to the Orthodox church. You always said we shouldn't go by our feelings. I am confused that all the years I listened to you that now you have changed so many things you said. I still respect your ministry very much but I am hurt and confused
Good afternoon Hank, I often hear you say, “essentials unity, nonessentials liberty, all things charity.” Is the real presence of Christ is n the Eucharist essential for the church to operate as the church effectively?
Your question will be forwarded to Hank. The partaking of the Lord’s Supper is never to be forsaken, as it was something instituted by Christ. Christians debate on doctrinal issues related on the meaning and the miraculous with respect to Jesus’ words “this is by body…this is my blood,” but this important issue is one Christians can debate, but ultimately we want to do everything possible to never divide and even try to mend the division that persist. See the following articles… www.equip.org/article/what-is-the-central-mystery-of-the-church/ www.equip.org/article/sacrament-supper/#christian-books-3 Listen also to these podcasts.... www.equip.org/unplugged/the-mystery-of-the-eucharist-with-nathan-jacobs/ www.equip.org/unplugged/history-mystery-and-the-eucharist-with-francis-chan-and-metropolitian-yohan-k-p-yohannan/
@@BibleAnswerMan Thank you. The reason I ask is that I attend an Assembly of God church that doesn’t believe in real presence or means of grace regarding the Lords Supper, and we only receive once a month. If the church doesn’t believe it is Christ we are receiving, isn’t that a sign that we are already not united? I guess a follow up is, should this be a reason to leave a church if you are not being spiritually nourished by the supper presented?
The Christian journey is defined, by Eastern Orthodox Theology, as a gradual ascent, of the human soul, until the human soul reaches the full deification(Transcendency) of God in heaven. This theology is most popularly depicted in John Climacus' painting entitled, "The Ladder Of Divine Ascent." There are two main interpretations, within Christendom, of the ladder that Jacob dreamed of, in Genesis 28: 12. One interpretation is "The Ascetic Doctrine," accepted by Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, and the other interpretation is "The Medium Of Communication Doctrine," accepted by many other churches of Christendom. The ascetic doctrine, of the ladder that was in Jacob's dream, is best expounded by John Climacus from his explanation which he names as the "Ladder Of Divine Ascent." The medium of communication doctrine is the understanding, by not a few Christian scholars, that the ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, on which angels ascend and descend, is Christ's mediation - The foot on the earth in His human nature, the top in heaven in His divine nature. The ascetic interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, most popularly pictured in the painting, by John Climacus, entitled, "The Ladder Of Divine Ascent," developed when some church fathers, such as Augustine, allegorized the soul's spiritual ascent up this ladder (See Augustine's Confessions, Book 7, and Chapter 17-XVII). Of the many interpretations of Jacob's vision, among Jewish Rabbi's, Rabbi Bar Kappara regards the ascending and descending of angels on the ladder as the high priests ascending and descending on the stairway beside the altar. It is also worthy to note that, within the "Ascetic camp," the ladder, instead of it being an emblem of Christ Himself, it is more probable that Jacob himself was depicted, in the vision, as a "Type" of Christ as the "Son of man." Nicholas of Lyra said that the rungs of the ladder referred to the patriarchs listed at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew in the genealogy of Christ (Postilla on Genesis 28: 12-14). Both meanings - The descending and ascending angels, and the patriarchs, indicate that Christ descends from sinners, as well as from the righteous. Lyra said that the angels refer to the revelation of the incarnation of Christ - The revelation that took place through the fathers, the prophets, and the apostles. Lyra further interprets the ascent as the devotion of saints when they pray (See book entitled "Luther's Spirituality" 2007, Pages 175-176). In the spiritual literature of the Middle Ages Jacob's ladder becomes an analogue for spiritual growth and progress. The Benedictine Rule, which governed the life of the earliest monastic communities, in Britain, commenting on Luke 14: 11, says, "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The way to heavenly heights is along the steps of humility, beginning with the fear of God, and moving through obedience and perseverance in humility to the twelfth degree, and to the top (Perfect charity). The way up is the way down. Pope Gregory's "Regulae pastoralis" was alluded too in the preface of "A Handbook For Preachers," by Alain of Lille. Lille develops the allusion in Gregory's Regulae pastoralis to say that the ladder represents the progress of the catholic man in his ascent from the beginning of faith to the full development of the perfect man. In this tradition the emphasis is on ascent alone. Alain of Lille associates each of the ladder's rungs with a stage in spiritual progress: Confession, prayer, thanksgiving, careful study of Scriptures, the pursuit of sound instruction in scriptural exegesis, the expounding of Scripture, and preaching. Now that a good deal has been said about the ascetic interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, the next two paragraphs will cover the Christology mediation interpretation of Jacob's ladder. The Mediation of Christ interpretation teaches that the ladder in Jacob's dream is Christ: The foot on earth in Christ's human nature, the top in heaven in His Divine nature. This interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, does not connote the spiritual ascent of the human soul, but it conveys the omnipresence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that Christ (The Son) imputes His righteousness and His deification to human souls on earth. Those who have received Christ's righteousness and his deification, means that the Christian journey, on earth, is a narrow walk with the Lord's suffering, death, and resurrection, until he comes again. The Christian journey is not an ascending climb, by humans, so they can one day become fully righteous or deified. Christ reveals Himself to the sleeper as the Lord (Genesis 2: 4), God of Abraham thy father, and of Isaac. The various rungs in this ladder, points out to us Christ who stepped in, between eternal God and sinful man, beginning with His incarnation in time, and his being under the law, and his obedience to it, Christ's sufferings, the shedding of His blood, His death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension to heaven, and His session at the right hand of God. Christ, who sits on the Father's right hand, makes intercession there, and this may point out to us Christ as the way to His Father, of access unto Him, and acceptance with Him, by which He communicates the blessings of His grace to men, and by which they ascend to God with their prayers and praises to him, and as also being the way to heaven and eternal happiness. Dwight Moody Smith's 1999 Commentary, "John," says that the evangelist knows or presumes the Hebrew "Ladder" is masculine, and reads "Upon him," that is upon the Son of man. It must not be overlooked that Jacob is not directly named in Genesis 28: 12, and the ladder was used by the angels to ascend and descend, not the person Jacob, and this would rule out that humans - Patriarch or priest - are the ones ascending and descending on the ladder. Unlike the Tower of Babel, when humans tried to ascend to God, Jacob's ladder was God's descent to man. The ladder serves to bring Jacob into communication with God, who teaches Jacob the emphatic lesson that he is accepted through a mediator. The Lord stood above it, and Jacob, the object of his mercy, beneath. Heaven and earth have been separated by sin, but this ladder has re-established the contact. Included with this meaning is both the incarnation and mediation of Christ: The ladder was Christ in that nature before His incarnation, and from hence He came. Christ's Divine nature was at the top of the ladder, but Christ in His human nature was to be, in the fulness of time, on earth, there to live a while, obey, suffer, and die. As man, Christ ascended on high when he had done His work, and is now higher than the heavens. Christ may be fitly represented hereby as the Mediator, who has reconciled things in heaven and things on earth, and has, as it were, joined and united heaven and earth. Literally speaking, though God dwells in heaven, the ladder represented to Jacob the providence of God, and God extends His care and government to the earth, and He particularly makes use of the angels as ministering spirits for the good of His people. These angels are always in motion, either ascending to God to receive His commands, or descending to earth for the execution of His commands. Mystically speaking, the ladder represents Christ, by whom heaven and earth are united. Christ is called the way to heaven, who is the Head of the angels, who is perpetually sending them forth, either to God or from God, to minister to the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1: 14). This provision of more detail, of this vision, is authorized by our Saviour (John 1: 51). It is therefore a beautiful emblem of what mediates and reconciles John 1: 51.
Adam and Eve were good. They were without out sin, and it was their sin that brought upon them disease, death, and decay. The fall totally affected Adam and Eve - their physical bodies, their immaterial souls, and their relationship with God.
"We have learned from no others the plan of our salvation than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they DID AT ONE TIME proclaim in public, and AT A LATER PERIOD, by the will of God, HANDED DOWN TO US IN THE SCRIPTURES, to be the GROUND & PILLAR OF OUR FAITH …Matthew issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome, and laying the foundations for the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who had leaned upon his breast, did himself publish the Gosple during his residence at Ephesus in Asia. These have all declared to us that there is one God, Creator of heaven and earth, announced by the Law and Prophets; and one Christ the Son of God. " [Against Heresies 31.1.2]
Sola scriptura is not as you understand it Hank. Going on from the two horses you're riding, what if one goes left and the other right at a split in the road, which will you choose? Sola scriptura is the doctrine that scripture always trumps tradition. There's a lot in your dialogue that can be misconstrued, so I hope you mean it differently than I understand the both of you: Creation of humanity is the starting point and you can go towards God or towards animal/carnal, sounds very close to the circle of life from Buddhism, but without the reincarnation. Saying that at the grave we see what humanity was meant to be almost implies that we can become fully like Jesus, or that Jesus was fully like a created human. The former implying we can become God, the latter implying that Jesus was not also fully God. Either is troublesome and orthogonal to traditional Protestant/Reformed understanding. Your understanding of Evangelicalism is not correct (as you already admit you do, so this is just my effort to clarify), though there are (just like in Orthodoxy and Catholicism and essentially every other belief there is) those that don't really respond to the continuous call to follow our Lord. Looking forward to your video series, I might have overarched a bit ;)
Nope, unless you define “church” as a building or a community in a particular location. When Orthodox talk about “Church”, they mean the body of Christ. The body of Christ is undivided. At the end of the Nicean Creed, the Orthodox affirm belief in “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church”. If one doesn’t affirm the creed, one is not really “Orthodox”, even if one claims otherwise.
@@pappap1702 There were believers that strayed away yes like the Arians, Manaechians, etc so yes but they were not of the true Church that Christ founded which is the Orthodox Catholic Church
Great channel, great interview. I always enjoy listening to Nathan Jacobs. Please have him back!
A very good idea for this series of podcasts. Most evangelicals seem to glaze over on this subject as they think they understand what eastern orthodoxy is but nearly all have no idea at all in my experience. It took a long time for the penny to drop for me, a long journey. I hope viewers can listen with an open mind and re-evaluate their understanding. It's never a comfortable experience to be challenged in long and deeply held attitudes and beliefs.
May God bless this good work!
Yep, totally agree, it took me 2 years to find about 5 'ah ha' moments, one of which was through Nathan Jacobs on the thinking constructs East vs West (about 2 weeks ago) which showed me trying to nut out a 2000yo tradition with a systematic mindset was counterproductive, 'matter is good & usable for worship', 'the fall caused death so only the Word (life) is the cure', 'Mary is the Ark of the New covenant', 'the Eucharist (transfigure/resurrection/transmutation/transubstantiation, water to wine, Almighty God clothed in flesh) yes, the Eucharist is a hugh 'ah ha/Amen' moment for me; I now believe it's possible, probable but also I can't have it both ways. I'm still Protestant, I can still have the Lord's supper, even as a symbol it's the highest of privileges of absolute importance and I'm not even a catacuman yet, technically I can never have it until I'm born into Christ. I mean I'm baptised as a Baptist but if I convert I must renounce, I can't do hypocrisy. Sorry, I only just realised that, ah ha just went oh no. Lord have mercy, everything I moving fast. My wife is already freaking out a little, I think I need to talk to a priest. Anyway sorry about the long winded 'I agree' comment. To my Protestant brethren out there, "remember Jeremiah said, seek the Lord with all your heart and He shall be found. Take it back to Christ, the church started with Him and He promised the gates of hell shall not prevail. The Latins left the Greek, the Germans were booted out of the Latins thus here we are, while the Greeks have remained the Greeks and needed no Reformation. Go figure."
Lord have mercy on me.
I'm finding this series of podcasts 4 years late! What a great set of interviews. I have thoroughly enjoyed the conversations. Many thanks to both of you!
Outstanding; looking forward to the rest of this series. Thanks for your time Hanegraaff and Jacobs!
Thank you Hank! God bless you!
Thank you for sharing this. I watched Nathan's documentary and it was a beautiful reminder that we have to be willing to meet people where they are and help them make sense of the world. I, too, was an LCMS Lutheran and converted to Orthodoxy.
I'm also an LCMS Lutheran and am seriously looking at Orthodoxy. It has been a joy looking closely at this.
Same with me, I’m LCMS and feel called to Orthodoxy
@@N1IA-4hey, me too!
Still on the journey?
@@emptynester9241I’m also lcms and looking into Orthodoxy.
How’s it going for you?
Yes! I love this series. Bring it on!
Fantastic as always Hank
After listening to this, I get the sense that I am neither Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox. I'm just a follower of Christ Jesus in the stage of progressive sanctification and on my way to final glorification
You need to be in a community if you're not already. The Holy Trinity who is One God is in communion with Himself and love, and we are made in his image and such man needs community and love. To go on your own, if you are, is dangerous. It is how one becomes delusional. Remember we are sheep of Christ and sheep travel together. God bless you and I pray you find a community if not already
@@Bakarost I'm not making a go of it on my own. I am a member of a non-denominational Church and serve in a leadership position and I also teach adult Bible study classes. It's just that false teachings that find no support in Scripture or rely on extra-Biblical support are multiplying these days, and Scripture warns us and says: 2 Pet 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as THERE WILL BE (not might be) FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU. Paul warned us in Acts 20: 29-31 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. EVEN FROM AMONG YOUR OWN SELVES MEN WILL ARISE AND DISTORT THE TRUTH in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
@@BT3701 what type church do you belong to?
I'm a struggling, doubting Orthodox Christian.
I'd like to hear what you think.
I'm losing faith in the 'cleric-laity system'
@@Andrew-yw6kt I attend a Christian Church called the Christian & Missionary Alliance that loves Jesus and preaches straight from the Bible. You can Google them and find the closest one near where you live.
@@BT3701 I recently came across Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and read a few books by them and I like what they're saying a lot.
Are they similar to the church you're in?
Thank you. I really appreciate hearing Nathan been interviewed. Many Christians think as I uses to that you can't be a Christian and Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox. Only Evangelical or Pentecostals can be Christian. Thankfully I no longer think this. I consider myself an Anglo Catholic. I do pray in tongues only in private prayer. I became a Christian through Pentecostals. On of favorite theologians is Alister McGrath. I also like Nathan. I've listened to some of his theological talks on UA-cam. Once again thank you very much. May God bless you and when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit there's no other God. Can I ask both of you a sincere question? Why do so many Evangelicals and Pentecostals hate the Roman Catholic church ?
In my humble opinion it seems like for the same reason that not a lot of people like to follow rules.
It is difficult to judge the motives of another. Why a Christian would "hate" anyone is an oxymoron.
Christ commands His people to love one another as He loves, and this is how all will know they are His disciples.
Roman Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox generally affirm the essential doctrines of historic Christianity, which are derived from the Scriptures, and affirmed in the ancient creeds (e.g. Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed); of course, there are substantial doctrinal issues that distinguish the three. The maxim applies: “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity.”
Blessings
@@BibleAnswerMan totally agree with you. One of the reasons I like the Anglican position of via media. That doesn't mean that an individual or a church can water down the essentials of the faith as expressed in the three creeds and rooted in Scripture.
@Yoshke Mamzer Baalam BenStada
Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
@Yoshke Mamzer Baalam BenStada g
I can’t wait
"Tradition is the living faith of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."
Thank you so much, this is so interesting! Can't wait until next time. Why praying to saints during the service?
there is no praying to saints in the eastern orthodox church.
We pray to the saints and ask them to pray for us
Mate love what you do, orthodox has so much beauty unchanged doctrines and beliefs for 2000 years.
Where prosetant change there beliefs everytime no one knows what to believe and then they come athiest.
Orthodoxy a unity of belief that is unchanged to the ages of ages.
Until Christ comes again
Excellent video I really enjoyed the content! it's unfortunate though I went to a Romanian Orthodox Church to worship the same Christ that all Christians worship and I said to many people "oh it reminds me of a Catholic church and liturgy" and they seemed offended, almost like it was offensive. It's too bad that there's not more considerate interaction between the two. Keep up the good work. God bless you and your family 👉✝️
I have been looking into Eastern Orthodoxy and I was going to go to the church by where I live. But as I check more into it I have many questions. I read the book by Rose. Can't ever his whole name. I was depressed for weeks after I read that book. I felt like if what he says is true that God doesn't really love me like I thought he did. If demons meet me when I die and fight with the angels for my soul then why did Jesus suffer and die for my sins. Also other things I've heard about the Orthodox church makes me feel that if I don't belong to that church I am not saved at all. I know that if we are truly saved we will bear fruit but the Orthodox church makes me think that even if I bear fruit of I'm not perfect by their standards I'm going to hell. Please help me with this.
@andrettanylund830 > Many of our Eastern Orthodox friends have been deeply touched by the writings of Seraphim Rose. CRI has never assessed any of Roses’ works but understand Rose is widely read by Orthodox.
God certainly loves you. The authenticity of divine love is to never let anyone become complacent. God sets parameters around our lives so that we can experience life abundantly. There is always room for improvement, and we are to run the race to win. These themes are explicated in the New Testament. So, Christ bids us to deny self and daily take up the cross to follow Him. Far too many times there is the rich man who is bidden to forsake all and follow Jesus but simply walks away in sadness. God’s love is never shared through allowing wayward children go their own way without a peep about the dangers they are heading into for the sake of sparing them from a discomforting conversation in the present. Rather, God in love corrects His children so that they might experience everlasting life. God also wants us to always be prepared for the spiritual battles ahead, and encourages us to put on the spiritual armor, carry the sword of the Spirit, and stand to the end.
To learn more on the toll houses, the emphasis upon asceticism, and the meaning of Church according to the Eastern Orthodox, please contact the CRI research staff with your questions, and they can provide a research letter to help you better grasp all these important matters. Use this online form: www.equip.org/contact-2/
@@BibleAnswerMan thank you for replying to me. I have listened to you for years and respect your opinion but I would like an answer to why demons would meet us at death and fight the angels for our soul if Jesus died for our sins and we have repented. That seems to me to say Jesus wasn't enough. And as far as the book by Rose goes I can't understand how people would be comforted by it. Most evangelicals I know believe we are saved by grace to good works. We don't believe you can just say a prayer and be saved. We believe faith without works is dead. I think the Orthodox church insults us by thinking we believe in a sloppy grace. It seems judgemental to me and in Revelation it says a multitude from ever nation ECT. I'm sure all those people didn't go to the Orthodox church. You always said we shouldn't go by our feelings. I am confused that all the years I listened to you that now you have changed so many things you said. I still respect your ministry very much but I am hurt and confused
Good afternoon Hank, I often hear you say, “essentials unity, nonessentials liberty, all things charity.” Is the real presence of Christ is n the Eucharist essential for the church to operate as the church effectively?
Your question will be forwarded to Hank.
The partaking of the Lord’s Supper is never to be forsaken, as it was something instituted by Christ. Christians debate on doctrinal issues related on the meaning and the miraculous with respect to Jesus’ words “this is by body…this is my blood,” but this important issue is one Christians can debate, but ultimately we want to do everything possible to never divide and even try to mend the division that persist.
See the following articles…
www.equip.org/article/what-is-the-central-mystery-of-the-church/
www.equip.org/article/sacrament-supper/#christian-books-3
Listen also to these podcasts....
www.equip.org/unplugged/the-mystery-of-the-eucharist-with-nathan-jacobs/
www.equip.org/unplugged/history-mystery-and-the-eucharist-with-francis-chan-and-metropolitian-yohan-k-p-yohannan/
@@BibleAnswerMan Thank you. The reason I ask is that I attend an Assembly of God church that doesn’t believe in real presence or means of grace regarding the Lords Supper, and we only receive once a month. If the church doesn’t believe it is Christ we are receiving, isn’t that a sign that we are already not united? I guess a follow up is, should this be a reason to leave a church if you are not being spiritually nourished by the supper presented?
The Christian journey is defined, by Eastern Orthodox Theology, as a gradual ascent, of the human soul, until the human soul reaches the full deification(Transcendency) of God in heaven. This theology is most popularly depicted in John Climacus' painting entitled, "The Ladder Of Divine Ascent." There are two main interpretations, within Christendom, of the ladder that Jacob dreamed of, in Genesis 28: 12. One interpretation is "The Ascetic Doctrine," accepted by Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, and the other interpretation is "The Medium Of Communication Doctrine," accepted by many other churches of Christendom. The ascetic doctrine, of the ladder that was in Jacob's dream, is best expounded by John Climacus from his explanation which he names as the "Ladder Of Divine Ascent." The medium of communication doctrine is the understanding, by not a few Christian scholars, that the ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, on which angels ascend and descend, is Christ's mediation - The foot on the earth in His human nature, the top in heaven in His divine nature.
The ascetic interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, most popularly pictured in the painting, by John Climacus, entitled, "The Ladder Of Divine Ascent," developed when some church fathers, such as Augustine, allegorized the soul's spiritual ascent up this ladder
(See Augustine's Confessions, Book 7, and Chapter 17-XVII). Of the many interpretations of Jacob's vision, among Jewish Rabbi's, Rabbi Bar Kappara regards the ascending and descending of angels on the ladder as the high priests ascending and descending on the stairway beside the altar. It is also worthy to note that, within the "Ascetic camp," the ladder, instead of it being an emblem of Christ Himself, it is more probable that Jacob himself was depicted, in the vision, as a "Type" of Christ as the "Son of man." Nicholas of Lyra said that the rungs of the ladder referred to the patriarchs listed at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew in the genealogy of Christ (Postilla on Genesis 28: 12-14). Both meanings - The descending and ascending angels, and the patriarchs, indicate that Christ descends from sinners, as well as from the righteous. Lyra said that the angels refer to the revelation of the incarnation of Christ - The revelation that took place through the fathers, the prophets, and the apostles. Lyra further interprets the ascent as the devotion of saints when they pray
(See book entitled "Luther's Spirituality" 2007, Pages 175-176). In the spiritual literature of the Middle Ages Jacob's ladder becomes an analogue for spiritual growth and progress. The Benedictine Rule, which governed the life of the earliest monastic communities, in Britain, commenting on Luke 14: 11, says, "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The way to heavenly heights is along the steps of humility, beginning with the fear of God, and moving through obedience and perseverance in humility to the twelfth degree, and to the top (Perfect charity). The way up is the way down. Pope Gregory's "Regulae pastoralis" was alluded too in the preface of "A Handbook For Preachers," by Alain of Lille. Lille develops the allusion in Gregory's Regulae pastoralis to say that the ladder represents the progress of the catholic man in his ascent from the beginning of faith to the full development of the perfect man. In this tradition the emphasis is on ascent alone. Alain of Lille associates each of the ladder's rungs with a stage in spiritual progress: Confession, prayer, thanksgiving, careful study of Scriptures, the pursuit of sound instruction in scriptural exegesis, the expounding of Scripture, and preaching. Now that a good deal has been said about the ascetic interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, the next two paragraphs will cover the Christology mediation interpretation of Jacob's ladder.
The Mediation of Christ interpretation teaches that the ladder in Jacob's dream is Christ: The foot on earth in Christ's human nature, the top in heaven in His Divine nature. This interpretation, of Jacob's ladder, does not connote the spiritual ascent of the human soul, but it conveys the omnipresence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that Christ (The Son) imputes His righteousness and His deification to human souls on earth. Those who have received Christ's righteousness and his deification, means that the Christian journey, on earth, is a narrow walk with the Lord's suffering, death, and resurrection, until he comes again. The Christian journey is not an ascending climb, by humans, so they can one day become fully righteous or deified. Christ reveals Himself to the sleeper as the Lord (Genesis 2: 4), God of Abraham thy father, and of Isaac. The various rungs in this ladder, points out to us Christ who stepped in, between eternal God and sinful man, beginning with His incarnation in time, and his being under the law, and his obedience to it, Christ's sufferings, the shedding of His blood, His death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension to heaven, and His session at the right hand of God. Christ, who sits on the Father's right hand, makes intercession there, and this may point out to us Christ as the way to His Father, of access unto Him, and acceptance with Him, by which He communicates the blessings of His grace to men, and by which they ascend to God with their prayers and praises to him, and as also being the way to heaven and eternal happiness.
Dwight Moody Smith's 1999 Commentary, "John," says that the evangelist knows or presumes the Hebrew "Ladder" is masculine, and reads "Upon him," that is upon the Son of man. It must not be overlooked that Jacob is not directly named in Genesis 28: 12, and the ladder was used by the angels to ascend and descend, not the person Jacob, and this would rule out that humans - Patriarch or priest - are the ones ascending and descending on the ladder. Unlike the Tower of Babel, when humans tried to ascend to God, Jacob's ladder was God's descent to man. The ladder serves to bring Jacob into communication with God, who teaches Jacob the emphatic lesson that he is accepted through a mediator. The Lord stood above it, and Jacob, the object of his mercy, beneath. Heaven and earth have been separated by sin, but this ladder has re-established the contact. Included with this meaning is both the incarnation and mediation of Christ: The ladder was Christ in that nature before His incarnation, and from hence He came. Christ's Divine nature was at the top of the ladder, but Christ in His human nature was to be, in the fulness of time, on earth, there to live a while, obey, suffer, and die. As man, Christ ascended on high when he had done His work, and is now higher than the heavens. Christ may be fitly represented hereby as the Mediator, who has reconciled things in heaven and things on earth, and has, as it were, joined and united heaven and earth. Literally speaking, though God dwells in heaven, the ladder represented to Jacob the providence of God, and God extends His care and government to the earth, and He particularly makes use of the angels as ministering spirits for the good of His people. These angels are always in motion, either ascending to God to receive His commands, or descending to earth for the execution of His commands. Mystically speaking, the ladder represents Christ, by whom heaven and earth are united. Christ is called the way to heaven, who is the Head of the angels, who is perpetually sending them forth, either to God or from God, to minister to the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1: 14). This provision of more detail, of this vision, is authorized by our Saviour (John 1: 51). It is therefore a beautiful emblem of what mediates and reconciles John 1: 51.
@thy-ine Thanks for sharing.
can u posted the movie??
You can rent Nathan's film on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Becoming-Truly-Human-Nathan-Jacobs/dp/B0759QXCCG
Much admiration for the Orthodox from your Catholic brother!
Did Adam en eve had a different body?
Adam and Eve were good. They were without out sin, and it was their sin that brought upon them disease, death, and decay. The fall totally affected Adam and Eve - their physical bodies, their immaterial souls, and their relationship with God.
The point that man was not created perfect was profound. God created man “good” not “perfect”.
"We have learned from no others the plan of our salvation than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they DID AT ONE TIME proclaim in public, and AT A LATER PERIOD, by the will of God, HANDED DOWN TO US IN THE SCRIPTURES, to be the GROUND & PILLAR OF OUR FAITH …Matthew issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome, and laying the foundations for the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who had leaned upon his breast, did himself publish the Gosple during his residence at Ephesus in Asia. These have all declared to us that there is one God, Creator of heaven and earth, announced by the Law and Prophets; and one Christ the Son of God. " [Against Heresies 31.1.2]
Sola scriptura is not as you understand it Hank. Going on from the two horses you're riding, what if one goes left and the other right at a split in the road, which will you choose? Sola scriptura is the doctrine that scripture always trumps tradition.
There's a lot in your dialogue that can be misconstrued, so I hope you mean it differently than I understand the both of you:
Creation of humanity is the starting point and you can go towards God or towards animal/carnal, sounds very close to the circle of life from Buddhism, but without the reincarnation.
Saying that at the grave we see what humanity was meant to be almost implies that we can become fully like Jesus, or that Jesus was fully like a created human. The former implying we can become God, the latter implying that Jesus was not also fully God. Either is troublesome and orthogonal to traditional Protestant/Reformed understanding.
Your understanding of Evangelicalism is not correct (as you already admit you do, so this is just my effort to clarify), though there are (just like in Orthodoxy and Catholicism and essentially every other belief there is) those that don't really respond to the continuous call to follow our Lord.
Looking forward to your video series, I might have overarched a bit ;)
He was an evangelist for majority of his life, I think he has a better grasp of it then you're giving him credit for
There was more than 1 church in early Christianity.
Nope, unless you define “church” as a building or a community in a particular location. When Orthodox talk about “Church”, they mean the body of Christ. The body of Christ is undivided. At the end of the Nicean Creed, the Orthodox affirm belief in “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church”. If one doesn’t affirm the creed, one is not really “Orthodox”, even if one claims otherwise.
@@TheRadChadDad Yes there were other believers, ekklesia, that were not Catholic or Orthodox and I'm not talking about buildings
@@pappap1702 There were believers that strayed away yes like the Arians, Manaechians, etc so yes but they were not of the true Church that Christ founded which is the Orthodox Catholic Church
Too much talking about nothing.