But than to affirm that the Divine Will is thus solely and without cause the author of their condemnation, what greater calumny can be fixed upon God? and what greater injury and blasphemy can be offered to the Most High? For that the Deity is not tempted with evils, and that He equally willeth the salvation of all, since there is no respect of persons with Him, we do know; and that for those who through their own wicked choice, and their impenitent heart, have become vessels of dishonour, there is, as is just, decreed condemnation, we do confess. But of eternal punishment, of cruelty, of pitilessness, and of inhumanity, we never, never say God is the author, who telleth us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. Far be it from us, while we have our senses, thus to believe, or to think; and we do subject to an eternal anathema those who say and think such things, and esteem them to be worse than any infidels.
- Patriarch Dositheos II (Notaras) of Jerusalem,
The Confession of Dositheos, 1672
Hello and a Happy Easter to you. Thank you for your blog which I have found to be interesting and helpful as I try to take Christianity more seriously. May I ask given the quote above, what your own views would be around eternal punishment and how you view salvation and damnation?
ReplyDeleteChrist is Risen! Thank you, Unknown!
ReplyDeleteMy own views on salvation and damnation, though? They probably (thank God) don't matter very much. It won't ever be up to me to stand in judgement over even one single soul. Scripture, Tradition and reason all inform us that God does want and will to save all people, and that is where our hope should be. But presuming to speak for God in the matter is as dangerous one way as the other.
Thank you for the reply. It's just I come across so many blogs that hold an extremely restrictive view on salvation following in the tradition of Augustine and yours is quite refreshing. It's also interesting to see your appreciation for pre-Christian philosophers such as Zoroaster and Confucius.
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