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The Creed the topic of our catechetical discussions
Rev. Dr. Doru Costache
Those eager for prayer have enthusiastically welcomed the initiation of the every-Friday night service, which has also given us the opportunity to inaugurate our catechetical discussions about the Creed. I have chosen the Creed as the topic of our discussions thinking that it will contribute to a better establishment of our community life, as it is the main form of expressing our faith. After all, we gather not only because we are Romanians (there are also heterodox Romanians and atheist Romanians; and among us there are some non-Romanians), but mainly because we are orthodox. Under these circumstances learning about our common faith can become a strong reason to meet one another in front of our Lord. The holy fathers (theologians and bishops) of the Church officially formulated this testimony of our faith, the Creed, in the first two ecumenical synods. These ecumenical synods (clerical meetings with representatives of nearly all churches) have taken place at Nicaea (in 325 AD) and Constantinople (in 381 AD), and their goal was to reject those teachings that did not accept the faith in the Holy Trinity. The term catechism, used for the Christian education in church, comes from Greek and it means to educate orally and through dialog. our criteria do not come from convictions of the worldly wisdom but from God, the one and only trustworthy. In the past the Creed started more adequately with the words we believe, indicating the fact that it is a joint confession of what defines us. In one God. In those days when most of the religions were polytheistic, the statement that there is only one God was of great importance for the establishment of the truth. Today we can use this statement in a spiritual way: we have to fight against our tendencies to transform our preoccupations, pleasures or needs into gods or idols. If we believe with all our heart that there is only one God we will never submit to things like money, alcohol, not even to our own vanity or any other earthly pleasure. In comparison to the religions that preach about a number of gods or even only one god, Christianity gives testimony about one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although there are three persons there are not three Gods but one God. This is one of the mysteries we have accepted through our faith and we proclaim it during our liturgy. The priest urges: Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess to which the Christians answer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Trinity one in essence and inseparable. ther we confess that we are his sons and therefore brothers and sisters to one another. This means that if we pray together we have to accept each other as sons of the same Father. For not accepting and loving our neighbour means not admitting to be the Fathers sons. The Almighty. The unmeasurable power of God, through which he created the universe, is revealed together with his care or providence. It is new proof that God is a loving Father. Nothing could exist if God would not sustain the world and life. He is everywhere present with the power of his work (his energy), so in him we live and move and have our being (Acts of the Apostles 17:28). The fact that we exist is a daily miracle to which we got used to so much that we do not see it as a miracle anymore. But if we exist it is only through the mercy of the Almighty. Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. The expression, referring to the first divine revelation, that is the creation of the world (God reveals himself through the creation of all things, as being the one who gives life), recalls the language of the first verse of the Bible. Only the expression heaven and earth is not describing our planet and the starry sky, the material universe. These words have a metaphoric role explained by the association with the terms visible and invisible. Thus, the earth means all that is seen, the material universe, and heaven means all that is unseen, the spiritual universe of the angels. We therefore firstly confess our belief that there is nothing outside Gods power or that has gained its existence in a different way but by Gods creative action. Secondly we confess that the seen and unseen world is not eternal but
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Parochial Life | May - June 2005 |
The first statement of the Creed: I believe in one God, Father Almighty, The Father. God has not revealed maker of heaven and earth, and of himself as an authoritative master or all things visible and invisible. as a tyrant. He is first of all a Father. I believe The first words I be- We can pray because he has revealed himself to us as a loving and a caring lieve or Credo, in Latin, gave the Father. As Father he has the wisdom title of this confession of the faith. They indicate that we are members to work in a different way with each of his children, according to their of the Church (in Greek royal possibilities and understanding. We house and gathering of the chosen) because God has spoken to us are never left without his care and and has called us. We are Gods peo- the trials we have to endure in our ple because we believe in his word, life are always measured to our strength. The Son who was sent for because we trust him. Our way of our salvation revealed his Fathers life, the hope, our aspirations and love for us. By calling him our Fa-
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The Creed
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THE CREED
(the official version of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia)
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one essence with the Father; through him all things were made. Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human, and was crucified for us under
created by God in time, according to the love (mark of the Father), the wisdom (mark of the Son) and his power (mark of the Holy Spirit). Thirdly we confess that the world is neither simply visible, as would the materialists believe (in this case there would be no spiritual existence) nor simply invisible, as would the spiritualists believe (in this case matter is an illusion), but seen and unseen alike in the complexity of its unity. Fourthly we get to the conclusion that man, who is also complex in its unified being (soul and body), can live neither a purely bodily existence nor a purely spiritual one. As God himself has assumed the human body proves that we can live bodily in the spirit and spiritually in the body. This is why the Holy Fathers of the Church recognise in the Orthodox faith the recovery of the natural and fulfilled life. [English version by Cristina T nase]
Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and dead, and his kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, and who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the ages to come. Amen.
Letters
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that constantly alter ones perspective on the world. But, as I learned, it is the way a person reacts to different situations that really make a difference. Life, my child, is many things at many different times. It can be interesting, exciting, exhilarating, challenging, discouraging, stressful or sad. There may be times when youll wonder why we have to go through grief or sadness in our lives. I remember my feelings as a young teenager when my family moved far away to a new country, a new continent, and a land that seemed so different to my original birthplace. For a while I felt lonely and intimidated by a culture that was totally unfamiliar to me. I struggled to accept and be accepted within a society that seemed alien to me. But as time passed and my new language skills improved, I became more self assured and confident. I gained a better understanding of my new adoptive country, its culture and its
Parochial Life | May - June 2005 |
people. I grew to love it more than I thought possible. I came to realize that whatever changes, losses or grief, pain, mistakes and heartaches we might encounter in our lives, they are all part of a persons journey in life. Everything we experience good or bad serves a purpose and is meant to teach us a lesson and help us become wiser and stronger. I have learned to live in the moment, as each passing moment is precious. I remember my dear grandmother would praise the Lord each day when she woke up. She taught me to thank God for every day of my life, because each day is a new day, a new beginning, another opportunity. My child, you have to learn to count the blessings in your life and to be filled with gratitude, for your very existence is a miracle in itself. Cherish the people you love for they may not be there tomorrow when you wake up. Learn to appreciate others and never take anything or anyone for granted. Live
a full life, a life of meaning and purpose and never lose sight of your dreams. Learn to forgive others and not to hold onto grudges because none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Try and look for the good in people instead of trying to find faults in them. Do not judge people according to their social status because it does not matter if one is rich or poor. We are all individuals with the same worth as every other member of the human race. Learn to accept people for who and what they are without false expectations or judgment. Do not take life too seriously and learn to laugh often at life or even at yourself. Be true to yourself and do not diminish your own worth by comparing yourself with others. It is our own uniqueness that makes each of us special. Do not let your life slip away by living in the past nor for the future, instead live your life one day at a time. I will talk to you again soon.
