The have mercy part is misleading actually. the Greek root is like oil which was a balm or medicine in the old world. It’s root is much gentler and out of a framework where the problem isn’t legal—we’re guilty—but we’re sick or disjointed and not able to reach the heights God calls us to without healing. It’s like asking God for his grace to come upon me like a balm to soothe my sores and heal my ridiculousness. I understand even though I’m younger, I grew up in a real strict reformed fundamentalist evangelical type church—total depravity—etc. I actually was attracted to Orthodoxy because its focus is on we are sick and need a physician instead of fire and brimstone. Actually the best book I’ve ever read—or 3 book volume—is called Therapy of Spiritual Illnesses—written by an orthodox patristics and spirituality scholar. He begins the series arguing why we should focus on a therapeutic model of salvation.
This is such an important point and a reminder of the insufficiency of the substittionary model(s) of the atonement, which locates the act of forgiveness outside of humanity and within God the Father alone. But sin is our problem, not God's, and we need healing, not justification. As Athanasius put it, to be a sinner is to be on a trajectory towards non-being. Whatever salvation is, it must be a different trajectory, not just a checkmark in a divine ledger.
This transformative process where life becomes wordless prayer is theosis - this is salvation. Someone may ask, though: “I thought we are saved by Christ’s Incarnation. How does that fit in with this? I don’t see how the Incarnation was necessary.”
God, the Logos incarnate, Jesus Christ by becoming incarnate and participating in our nature bound up with fallen time and space, by assuming all of what has gone astray and suffering our sufferings, he thirsted as we thirsted as we thirsted, he was humiliated and abandoned, he died our death, made it possible that he could meet us in our very sufferings and brokenness and not only suffer it with us, for us, but in such a manner as to heal our nature and recapitulate, fulfill, and restore it to its initial intended gory and give us the grace necessary to overcome the passions that bind us to this fallen world and hold our wills hostage to desires unbefitting of the gods he made us to be. We are most often driven by self love and ego and ideology and when our desires are thwarted we give into anger or despondency. We are unstable and incapable in this state without the Grace of Christ becoming incarnate in us with our cooperation to obtain to the pure light, the glory and love of God. Theosis is union with God this by Grace. God became man that in turn he can give us the grace which is his uncreated life even in our current state to rise above it to the initial heights we were called. God says, you are gods but die like mortal men. This is the fall, but Christ in becoming human and taking on our baggage conquered this baggage and conquered death by death. Thus we die with him to sin and live to Christ in prayer. He gives us eternal life, he endlessly pours himself out, his grace to us, but we have to be willing to accept it to become God and enter eternal life and union with him. The prayer is but practical means of accomplishing Gods will, the logos, to become incarnate in all things at all times and places. Theosis is union logos is the archetype, the image of Gods fullness and is the first fruits of a new creation. Moreover the simple mystery is really God became man that we might become God. God was always to become man because he is the human being made truly alive, the fullness of humanity forged in fire of Divinity and the only one to never stray or sin but to show us Gods greatness is his humility and love. In John’s gospel he tells the father let them be one with me that they might share in what the father and the son and Holy Spirit shared from all eternity. That through this apostles words all those who hear their words will be united with the apostles and him as he is with the father. The whole point of Christianity is not just forgiveness but a healing and new creation, earth being raised to heaven with the resurrection and ascension of Christ. (Or to put it bluntly we are not God but become God, as created, beings through grace. Through God giving himself to us while yet remaining himself.
Looking it up it usually reads weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of this life, but from memory dissipation, drunkenness and the cares of this life were summarized by distraction. This becoming uncentered and dispersed seems to be the sense of this.
I also think communal prayer is essential. Maximus the confessor does a good job of showing that it’s not just me and my spiritual practice but that and liturgy and prayer as a church. If you don’t have a church and community, then you can get all deluded and out of sorts, but if I just go to church on Sunday to pay my dues, then what’s really going to change? Paul says pray ceaselessly and the psalms have always been prayed together in the church. I just myself have had to learn to practice watchfulness and the Jesus prayer—which sometimes prays itself without words if that makes sense—in order to survive and regulate my mood. I’m bi-polar but if I am watchful I can see triggers and evade them and realize depression is different then despair. Depression can ache and lower your energy and slow your mind but despair is when I allow it to provoke me to let in thoughts that make me crazy or give into self-pity, or project my current state as never ending etc… does that make sense?
The have mercy part is misleading actually. the Greek root is like oil which was a balm or medicine in the old world. It’s root is much gentler and out of a framework where the problem isn’t legal—we’re guilty—but we’re sick or disjointed and not able to reach the heights God calls us to without healing. It’s like asking God for his grace to come upon me like a balm to soothe my sores and heal my ridiculousness. I understand even though I’m younger, I grew up in a real strict reformed fundamentalist evangelical type church—total depravity—etc. I actually was attracted to Orthodoxy because its focus is on we are sick and need a physician instead of fire and brimstone. Actually the best book I’ve ever read—or 3 book volume—is called Therapy of Spiritual Illnesses—written by an orthodox patristics and spirituality scholar. He begins the series arguing why we should focus on a therapeutic model of salvation.
This is such an important point and a reminder of the insufficiency of the substittionary model(s) of the atonement, which locates the act of forgiveness outside of humanity and within God the Father alone. But sin is our problem, not God's, and we need healing, not justification. As Athanasius put it, to be a sinner is to be on a trajectory towards non-being. Whatever salvation is, it must be a different trajectory, not just a checkmark in a divine ledger.
Exactly!
This transformative process where life becomes wordless prayer is theosis - this is salvation. Someone may ask, though: “I thought we are saved by Christ’s Incarnation. How does that fit in with this? I don’t see how the Incarnation was necessary.”
God, the Logos incarnate, Jesus Christ by becoming incarnate and participating in our nature bound up with fallen time and space, by assuming all of what has gone astray and suffering our sufferings, he thirsted as we thirsted as we thirsted, he was humiliated and abandoned, he died our death, made it possible that he could meet us in our very sufferings and brokenness and not only suffer it with us, for us, but in such a manner as to heal our nature and recapitulate, fulfill, and restore it to its initial intended gory and give us the grace necessary to overcome the passions that bind us to this fallen world and hold our wills hostage to desires unbefitting of the gods he made us to be. We are most often driven by self love and ego and ideology and when our desires are thwarted we give into anger or despondency. We are unstable and incapable in this state without the Grace of Christ becoming incarnate in us with our cooperation to obtain to the pure light, the glory and love of God. Theosis is union with God this by Grace. God became man that in turn he can give us the grace which is his uncreated life even in our current state to rise above it to the initial heights we were called. God says, you are gods but die like mortal men. This is the fall, but Christ in becoming human and taking on our baggage conquered this baggage and conquered death by death. Thus we die with him to sin and live to Christ in prayer. He gives us eternal life, he endlessly pours himself out, his grace to us, but we have to be willing to accept it to become God and enter eternal life and union with him. The prayer is but practical means of accomplishing Gods will, the logos, to become incarnate in all things at all times and places. Theosis is union logos is the archetype, the image of Gods fullness and is the first fruits of a new creation. Moreover the simple mystery is really God became man that we might become God. God was always to become man because he is the human being made truly alive, the fullness of humanity forged in fire of Divinity and the only one to never stray or sin but to show us Gods greatness is his humility and love. In John’s gospel he tells the father let them be one with me that they might share in what the father and the son and Holy Spirit shared from all eternity. That through this apostles words all those who hear their words will be united with the apostles and him as he is with the father. The whole point of Christianity is not just forgiveness but a healing and new creation, earth being raised to heaven with the resurrection and ascension of Christ. (Or to put it bluntly we are not God but become God, as created, beings through grace. Through God giving himself to us while yet remaining himself.
What a good question and such a thoughtful response.
What translation is the Luke 21 passage? It really opens up this verse.
Mine.
Looking it up it usually reads weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of this life, but from memory dissipation, drunkenness and the cares of this life were summarized by distraction. This becoming uncentered and dispersed seems to be the sense of this.
I agree. Is this your own translation of the original Greek text? If so, well done and very helpful. If not, whose translation is it?
Man you’re on a roll with series, thank you! thank you!
So interesting. Do the individual churches offer group practices?(when 2 or 3 are gathered in my name)
Can one practice at home? I do centering prayer20 min twice a day and a group session once a week-
small town problem.
As for perennialism I disliked the thought of changing to Islam like Martin Lings and
F Schuon did. Henry Corbin did not and he at one time knew more about the Islamic faith
than most people. I believe that when one is raised as a Christian, you need to find your
self within the fold.
My mentor 1997 through 2002 Brian Keeble(an English author), just explained the meta-
physics as well as save yourself, then save the word! I found out about Brian who wrote
the introduction to a book he published for Wendell Berry.
I have 13 hand written letters from Brian(before the internet). Late last year, I transferred
his advice to me - 3 type written pages.
He, Philip Sherred and Katherian Raine(William Blake) founded Themos Journal in London that has
since been bought out. Forgive my spelling.
One last thing: I don't like have"mercy on me." Yes we are all sinners because of however the "fall"
happened, but God wants us to commit, warts and all, and I don't think it is a qualification,
but I have to say Yes(free will?) and when I do I enter the Presence in my upper soul, after igniting
our God given "spark" that I believe is His divine image for All humans-not just Christians.
For those of you who think I am craze I am! But if you live just 30 miles from the "Scopes Trial"
exactly 100 years ago and the refrain every Sunday is"repent"as well as the view of the local
newspaper writers you dear reader would be crazy too!!
I also think communal prayer is essential. Maximus the confessor does a good job of showing that it’s not just me and my spiritual practice but that and liturgy and prayer as a church. If you don’t have a church and community, then you can get all deluded and out of sorts, but if I just go to church on Sunday to pay my dues, then what’s really going to change? Paul says pray ceaselessly and the psalms have always been prayed together in the church. I just myself have had to learn to practice watchfulness and the Jesus prayer—which sometimes prays itself without words if that makes sense—in order to survive and regulate my mood. I’m bi-polar but if I am watchful I can see triggers and evade them and realize depression is different then despair. Depression can ache and lower your energy and slow your mind but despair is when I allow it to provoke me to let in thoughts that make me crazy or give into self-pity, or project my current state as never ending etc… does that make sense?