While I am not sure if the title of this article is exactly accurate, hopefully I can go on to clarify what it is that I am trying to communicate.
One thing that I have learned in the past five years of being Eastern Orthodox is that of objectivity. The Protestant denomination of which I had previously been involved, prided itself on identifying and living out an objective faith built on an objective covenant theology. But their doctrinal distinctives were, to put it bluntly, subjective, like all other Protestant denominations.
What I have learned in the historic church is that those things which may be seemingly subjective to us, are actually foundational and concrete within the Orthodox faith. In practical terms this means that the experience and relationship we have with God manifests itself in seeming subjective ways, but these manifestations are, in reality, very objective. Drawing into God's presence through active involvement in the Divine Liturgy is an objective reality that appears like a subjective experience. Fasting and prayer draws us closer to God by focusing our attention away from the distractions of the world and into our hearts. We love and interact with our Triune God relationally. This is not a legal arrangement like that of a judge and a criminal. A much clearer picture was given to us by Jesus himself in the story of the prodigal son. Ours is a loving father yearning to draw us to himself.
So the real point of all this is the manner of relationship we have with our God. The historic church has articulated and defined the way we live in relationship with our God. It is not a privately defined, subjective experience. It is a personal experience, for sure, but it is an objective reality that, in reality, draws us into deeper and deeper relationship with God.
One thing that I have learned in the past five years of being Eastern Orthodox is that of objectivity. The Protestant denomination of which I had previously been involved, prided itself on identifying and living out an objective faith built on an objective covenant theology. But their doctrinal distinctives were, to put it bluntly, subjective, like all other Protestant denominations.
What I have learned in the historic church is that those things which may be seemingly subjective to us, are actually foundational and concrete within the Orthodox faith. In practical terms this means that the experience and relationship we have with God manifests itself in seeming subjective ways, but these manifestations are, in reality, very objective. Drawing into God's presence through active involvement in the Divine Liturgy is an objective reality that appears like a subjective experience. Fasting and prayer draws us closer to God by focusing our attention away from the distractions of the world and into our hearts. We love and interact with our Triune God relationally. This is not a legal arrangement like that of a judge and a criminal. A much clearer picture was given to us by Jesus himself in the story of the prodigal son. Ours is a loving father yearning to draw us to himself.
So the real point of all this is the manner of relationship we have with our God. The historic church has articulated and defined the way we live in relationship with our God. It is not a privately defined, subjective experience. It is a personal experience, for sure, but it is an objective reality that, in reality, draws us into deeper and deeper relationship with God.
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