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To: qua; Kolokotronis; Agrarian; annalex; jo kus; HarleyD; Forest Keeper
Plato believed in a strict dualism between being and non-being, matter and unity, and we see these concepts actualized in the Greek emphasis on Asceticism and Theosis

Aristotle, OTOH, said there were stages between pure being and pure non-being and we are all on a ride towards pure being. This concept undergirds most of Latin theology from Justification on to Glorification accompanied with sacradotalism as participation with pure being

Except that theosis is a process and not an accomplished fact. So, your generalization is incorrect.

However, what both Plato and Aristotle agreed on, which is reflected in both Greek and Latin theology, is that man, because of his intellect, has a spark of divinity within him, has a small portion of the metaphysical properties of God, a partial pure being, a kind of self existence that God himself has, an ooze of godness within him, which is generally understood as free will

This is some Philosophy 101 mumbo-jumbo, dumping everything into a neatly worded package to appear smart, but it's rubbish. God gave man intellect so that we may make independent and rational decisions (free will), as opposed to animals (which are driven by necessity). This is not some hyperbolic "belief" of the Latins and the Greeks.

Since our fall was precipitated by Adam's and Eve's decision to disobey, our restoration must be accomplished by an equal and opposite decision to obey.

And just as our fall would be meaningless without God's intervention, so is our restoration meaningless without God's help.

Reformed theology places man on the same level as a beast, a slave to sin or to God, but always a mindless slave. That's not the message of Christ.

3,188 posted on 03/03/2006 7:07:36 AM PST by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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