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Wednesday August 10, 2005

Orthodoxy and Islam

This isn't a full book review of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania's book Facing the World, which was a kind gift from the translator, the Monk Pavlos Gottfried, but simply (and quickly!) a passage from one of the chapters I especially enjoyed, on the Orthodox dialogue with Islam:

Throughout the theology of the eastern Church we encounter the certainty that the Holy Spirit works in ways that transcend human thought and imagination, ways that cannot, as a consequence, be contained within any theological paradigm, description, or speculation. Everything that is noble and truly good is an act of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Spirit are the preeminent building blocks for harmonious coexistence: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22). This assurance from the apostle Paul leads us to the conclusion that wherever these fruits are found, evidence of the activity of the Holy Spirit can be discerned. Moreover, there appears to be a great deal of such evidence in the lives of many Muslims.
In the end, our relationships and the dialogue we have with every human being are defined by our obligation to love in a way that includes everything and everyone, for this is the central core of Christianity: "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 Jn 4:16). People who belong to another creed never lose their basic identity, their spiritual citizenship, so to speak. Even if they themselves choose to ignore it, they do not cease to be children of God, created in God's image, and consequently our brothers and sisters.
pp. 125-126

Amen, Amen. Eis polla, eti Despota!!

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(2005-08-10 09:51:55.0) Permalink Comments [3]

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