On Line Library of the Church of Greece
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On Line Library of the Church of Greece |
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Panayiotis Christou Partakers of God
Patriarch Athenagoras memorial lectures
Epilogue
All these
experiences cannot
be understood
outside of
the Church, which
forms the
framework for
Christian life
and activity.
The Church
does not
cut Christians off
from the
world because , in
a way , the
Church is
the soul
of the
world. According
to a
magnificent expression
of an
ancient apologetic
text , the Church
is in
the world
as the
soul is
in the
body. The
Church is
the world’s
breath and
life.[i]
Μoreover
, it is
the Church
that prays
for the
sanctification of
nature and
sings:
He pours
forth , through the
Holy Spirit , the
streams
of grace
watering all
the creation
for its
vivification.[ii] And
the Church
also brings
the faithful
to a
plane higher
than the
world. The
Church is
the society
of Christ’s
friends , of God’s
friends , [iii]united
into one
whole through
the love
of the
Father , the grace
of Jesus
Christ , and the
communion of
the Holy
Spirit.[iv]
As an
organized society ,
the Church
is an
ecumenical community
both geographically
and temporally -
geographically , because she
extends throughout
the entire
world; temporally ,
because she
possesses the
apostolic tradition
which binds
all times , past ,
present and
future , tightly together.
In the
Liturgy
of Saint
John Chrysostom ,
the Holy
Eucharist , the heart
of the
Church , is the
rememberance of
all the
events of
Christ’s life
that took
place for
our sake:
the cross , the
tomb , the resurrection
on the
third day , the
ascent to
heaven , the sitting
at the
right hand
of the
Father , and the
second and
glorious parousia.[v]
Hence , the Liturgy
also renders
the Church’s
nontemporal significance.
Furthermore , the Church
is ecumenical
from the
aspect of
her influence
in human
life; for
the Church
influences all
forms of
social life
and all
cultural and
technological expressions
of mankind.
Within the
Church , everything fits
in well
and is
sanctified because
everything is
offered for
sanctification.
The entire
Orthodox Christian
community lives
in each
of its
part.It exists
even more
within the
assemblies of
the house
of the
Lord. It
is no
accident that
the Greek
language , with all
its richness ,
reserved the
same word , εκκλησία
, for the
institution as
well as
the place
of worship.
The hymn
of the
service of
Consecration presents
both of
these meanings
(i.e. , the Church
and the
church building)
so descriptively:
The Church
has become
a brilliantly
lit heaven;
She illuminates
all the
faithful.
Standing within
it , we cry:
«Lord , strengthen this
house.»[vi]
The entire
community lives
within this
building , be it
large or
small. There
God the
Pantokrator is
present. He
gazes upon
all so
imposingly and
blesses them
with much
love. There
are the
saints and
the leader
of their
choir , the Panagia ,
who is
already with
the life-giving
King forever.
And if
we do
not have
the courage
to look
at them , they
look at
us and
reassure us.
There is
concord and
harmony , the union
of love , and
the prayers
of the
priests. No
one feels
alone in
this community. The spiritual experience which I have described is lived only with this community. [i] Προς Διόγνητον 6. [ii] Αναβαθμοί , tone 4. [iii] John 15 , 16. James 2 , 23.3 John 15. Nicholas Kabasilas , «Περί της εν Χριστώ ζωής» 2,27. [iv] 2 Corinthians 13.13: «Βασίλειον ιεράτευμα , έθνος άγιον,» 1 Peter 2.9. [v] Έκδοσις Αποστολικής Διακονίας (Athens , 1977) 125.
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