Replies

This thread has become filled with the evil one's work. It is active today and pulling hearts away from Christ. I trust that you are strong and can resist, and I send you love as always.

I have no intention of "resisting"... when instead of merely "resisting" the Devil's Divisions between faithful Orthodox and Protestants, I can mount a counter-attack against his hateful wiles by seeking Common Ground between our two great and ancient Faiths.

The following is a direct citation from The Old Orthodox Prayer Book, which was brought to my attention by my beloved Dutch Reformed comrade-in-Calvinism "Jean Chauvin" (trust the Dutch Reformed to do the scholarly work of seeking mutual understanding, while we Scot Presbyterians are busy with theological brawling).

"Save me by Faith, oh Christ my God, Creator, and Savior"
An Orthodox Prayer for Justification before a Holy God.

My most merciful and all-merciful God and Lord Jesus Christ, Who of Thy great love didst come down and take flesh to save all: Again, O Savior, save me by Thy grace, I pray Thee.

For if Thou shouldst save me for my works, this would not be a grace, but rather an obligation, not a grace or a gift. Yea, my Christ who art abundant in generosity and ineffable in mercy, Thou hast said: He that believeth in me shall live and shall never see death.

If, then, faith in Thee saveth the desperate, lo, I believe; save me, for Thou art my God and Creator.

Let my faith be reckoned in place of works, and seek not deeds which would justify me.

But may my faith alone suffice instead of any deeds; may it answer for me, may it justify me, may it make me a partaker of Thine eternal glory. Let not Satan seize me and boast that he hath torn me from Thy hand and fold, O Word.

But whether I will it or not, save me, O Christ my Savior. Go before me quickly, quickly, for I am perishing! Thou art my God from my mother's womb.

Grant that I may love Thee, O Lord, as formerly I loved sin itself, and that I may work for Thee earnestly and without laziness, as I once worked for deceitful Satan.

From the Canon to Jesus in Old Orthodox Prayer Book, Priest Pimen Simon, Priest Theodore Jurewicz and Hieromonk German Ciuba, trans. and ed., pp. 150-151.

(And to those Eastern Orthodox who have [IMHO, unfairly] accused me of mis-quotation -- surely I have not mis-quoted this prayer, being taken directly from the website of Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church of Dallas, Texas.)

My accusers on this thread have made many Hard and Uncharitable accusations against my Honesty, accusations which I have believed to be baseless and unwarranted -- and, I will admit, in defense of my Honesty I have been Hard (and perhaps even Uncharitable) towards them.

But let us not forget -- Satan tries to create divisions at the margin. Envious as he is of the Joy of self-sacrifing Christian Love (being that dominating Individual Power is his only satisfaction, as he seeks the greatest Individual Power over all, as it has been from the beginning) -- the Ancient Adversary seeks to deny us our Common Love, and instead magnify our Differences.

Well, I say against him -- without denying our Differences, let us instead magnify our Common Love. On this Great Lent, let us "resist the Devil, and he will flee from us". Let us Pray Together.

And this Calvinist will happily admit: with the exceptions of the Messiah and the Psalmist, NOBODY writes better Prayers than do the Eastern Orthodox ("Three are we; Three are Ye; have Mercy on us, O God!" -- the prayer of the Three Orthodox Hermits, twelve words which cannot be improved).

Let the Eastern Orthodox write the Prayer, and let Calvinist "Amens" echo in Humble Joy.

When the Eastern Orthodox writes the Prayer... will they permit the Calvinists to partake of the antidoron, and echo our worship from the alcoves?

Or will we allow Satan to divide us at the margins... magnifying our Differences, even from Prayers which we ought Truly Pray Together?

For myself, as a committed Calvinist Presbyterian, I have certain serious Theological Differences with the Eastern Orthodox (some, not all). I also have some Ecclesiological Differences -- although given that both Presbyterians and Orthodox affirm the Biblical standard of Conciliar (Non-Papal) Government of the Church, our differences here are not so profound.

But for today, I am not here to magnify differences. For all accusations which have been cast against my Honesty on this thread -- I lay it aside. I here and now tell my Grudges to "get thee behind me". I freely forgive. It is Great Lent, is it not? (You Eastern Orthodox will have to tell me; Calvinists lack a proper Liturgical Calendar). Let us not merely "resist" the Devil, let us counter-attack. Let us Pray Together. And let the Old Orthodox Prayer Book be our guide.

My most merciful and all-merciful God and Lord Jesus Christ, Who of Thy great love didst come down and take flesh to save all: faith in Thee saveth the desperate. Lo, I believe; save me, for Thou art my God and Creator. May my Faith alone suffice instead of any deeds; may it answer for me, may it justify me, may it make me a partaker of Thine eternal glory. Whether I will it or not, save me, O Christ my Savior. Go before me quickly, quickly, for I am perishing! Grant that I may love Thee, O Lord, as formerly I loved sin itself, and that I may work for Thee earnestly and without laziness, as I once worked for deceitful Satan.

Written by the Eastern Orthodox, this Prayer is as fine (or better) than you will find in any Calvinist Prayer-Book.

I will Pray this fine, incredible, beautiful Eastern Orthodox Prayer.

But... Will we Pray Together?

I hope so. Best, OP