"on The Orthodox Veneration Of Mary"

[Byzantine]

That's the title. At least I think it is. It apparently has a large chapter refuting the Immaculate Conception. I'll admit that I'm on shaky ground when it comes to defending the I.C. as it is, and this was written by a 20th century Orthodox saint. So what should I do with the book? Read the parts that are't the I.C. chapter, get rid of it, or keep it until I'm more spiritually advanced?

[Aya Sophia]

How about reading well up on the IC in orthodox (not Orthodox) Catholic sources so as to build up your strength. Then, formed and shored up in the truth, you can be not afraid to read a dissenting view.

BTW, the Orthodox call Our Lady "Panagia" - the "All Holy" - don't know about you but this smacks of sinlessness to me!

[Byzantine]

Thanks for the advice.


[quote name='Aya Sophia' timestamp='1315709708' post='2303160']
BTW, the Orthodox call Our Lady "Panagia" - the "All Holy" - don't know about you but this smacks of sinlessness to me!
[/quote]

Byzantine Christians, both Orthodox and Catholic, have so many ways to describe the Theotokos that you could probably fill a respectably sized book with them Then, of course, there's the prayer

O Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Byzantine' timestamp='1315707205' post='2303148']
That's the title. At least I think it is. It apparently has a large chapter refuting the Immaculate Conception. I'll admit that I'm on shaky ground when it comes to defending the I.C. as it is, and this was written by a 20th century Orthodox saint. So what should I do with the book? Read the parts that are't the I.C. chapter, get rid of it, or keep it until I'm more spiritually advanced?
[/quote]

They don't accept the Immaculate Conception because they don't accept the doctrine of Original Sin. Eastern Christianity holds a different worldview in regard to how sin is inherited from Adam. Knowing more about the Eastern belief could help further your understanding of the Western doctrine of Original Sin, but I reckon it all depends on how much that interests you.

[Byzantine]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' timestamp='1318044180' post='2317781']

They don't accept the Immaculate Conception because they don't accept the doctrine of Original Sin. Eastern Christianity holds a different worldview in regard to how sin is inherited from Adam. Knowing more about the Eastern belief could help further your understanding of the Western doctrine of Original Sin, but I reckon it all depends on how much that interests you.
[/quote]

I would bet that, like other things, they/we just don't use the term. Same definitely goes for purgatory. We have the concept, but our idea (generally) doesn't include fire, etc. and we don't use the word.

[Selah]

The Theotokos in Eastern Orthodoxy is called Panagia. It is believed she did not sin, but there is no doctrine of Immaculate Conception because of the view on sin, which we call "ancestral sin" and not "original sin". It is a very different outlook on sin than in the Catholic Church. Sin is not an inheritance, a guilt or a stain, and is always a choice-it's called gnomic will, the idea that we choose to sin, rather than natural will, which asserts that it is in our nature to sin. I think this especially makes sense when we see the Theotokos as the New Eve: Eve chose to disobey God and the Theotokos chose to obey God-key word being "choose". While she is called Immaculate, this does not mean the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is accepted.