Subject: Re: God's love cannot be meeting point with man
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 00:10:44 GMT
From:   (St.Athanasius)
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian
<> 
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One God,
Amen. Peace and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Dear Graeme,  You asked....

>But apart from what anyone else has written, how would you get past 
>that paragraph of mine above?

Now below......

Graeme asserted:
>>>You call the death of Christ deicide. That is plainly ridiculous.
>>>Deity is eternal life, it cannot die.

Of course we are in agreement, however, we must proclaim the 'truth'
of both sides of this Mysterious coin. God is Eternal and Immortal,
yet God was Incarnated in flesh and Jesus Christ is the Incarnated
God. Yet Christ died! This is a Mystery. In fact Orthodox Theologians
state that ALL true Theology ends in Mystery as it deals with God as
its first/last cause. This affirms that position. 

>>> Deity is omnipresent, it cannot
>>>reduce itself to one point - the cross.

On this point I am minded of the great Theological mind of Charles
Wesley..."Tis Mystery all the Immortal dies, who can explain this
strange design, emptied Himself of all but love and bled for Adam's
helpless race, Amazing love how can it be that Thou my God, shouldst
die for me, Amazing love,  How can it be, That Thou my God shouldst
die for me."

I always loved this hymn when I was a fundie protie, and now I am
Orthodox I know WHY I used to love it. It proclaims the truth of
Christ being God, yet dying. "Tis Mystery all".

>>> Deity is sovereignty, it
>>>cannot subject itself to death. 

I suppose this is why we Orthodox use the term, "God -tasted- death in
the flesh." Sounds much safer theologically than saying "God died"

>>>Deity is absolute righteousness, it
>>>cannot be made sin. Deity it immutability, it cannot change any of its
>>>characteristics, etc., etc., etc. 

Of course. :-))


I asked:
>>Graeme, do you believe that your statement above proves that you
>>seperate the nature(s) of Christ (Humanity and Divinity) at the point
>>of death on the Cross. So that His humanity parted from his divinity?

Graeme answered:
>I believe a knowledge of what the hypostatic union is will answer that
>question.

Greg responds:
True indeed. Forgive me while I ask yet one more question.. After the
Hypostatic Union of the Divine and the Human was there ever a time
when the Divinity and the humanity were 'seperated' into two seperate
beings either for a short time or for the rest of time?

Graeme said:
>It's pretty deep, I agree. However, we can get a bit closer than that.
>To say that the death of Christ on the cross was "deicide", as Nigel
>does, is heresy.  

Greg responds:
I agree that its pretty deep. Further, on your other reference I agree
that if someone posts a statement that he does not really mean and
'intends' to 'creatively misuse English' that perhaps there should be
a disclaimer along with it to indicate this to the simple such as
myself. :-))

Peace and grace.