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Ah, FK, you have stumbled into one of the thorny thickets which demarcate the line between Orthodoxy and Latin Rite Catholicism. One of the most arcane and yet at the same time most fundamental differences between Latin theology and that of the East is in the area of grace, created vs. uncreated.

Try reading this:

http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/christou_palamas.html

Yes, FK, Kolokotronis is right that this is something key to understand if you want to get at the heart of understanding the differences.

As a Protestant, you actually have an advantage in understanding Orthodox writings on grace, since while Protestant conceptions of grace are narrowly focused on salvation (in an "absent or present" sense), they are relatively inchoate and non-specific. This is not at all a criticism of Protestantism -- overdefining things is not something we Orthodox always view as a good thing!

When you're done reading the excellent link that K gave you, let me know, and I'll give you a couple more! :-)

One of the most arcane and yet at the same time most fundamental differences between Latin theology and that of the East is in the area of grace, created vs. uncreated.

Yes, I have been reading about this very complicated area of theology lately. Latins believe in both as being present in the justified man.

Regards

Hi Kolo, thank you very much for that article about St. Gregory Palamas. I read the whole thing, and found it very helpful. There were enough terms in it with which I am still not comfortable using, so I don't think I have a solid understanding yet, but I do think I made a lot of progress. I think I get the difference between created and uncreated spirit, but I am not sure about grace. If the parallel holds, would created graces be things we might ordinarily call "blessings"? Uncreated grace is contrasted as that which exists only in people who have reached theosis?

I think that's where I got lost sometimes, when it "appeared" to me that there was some crossover between created/uncreated and the effects. For example:

"Life to the body is granted by the human spirit and real life to the soul is granted by the divine spirit. That is why the abandonment of the soul by the vivifying divine spirit causes its spiritual death, just as the abandonment of the body by the vivifying human spirit causes its physical death."

But then three sentences later, it says:

The death of the body is an inevitable consequence of the spiritual death of the soul, which is extended to the human spirit: the power which vivifies the body.

My poor little brain. :) I think I just need to get more familiar with the concepts on a definitional level, and then it will be much easier to relate them to one another. I am definitely going to bookmark this for further study. Thanks again.

One difference between Catholics and Orthodox I "think" I see is that to the Orthodox, divine grace is a lifelong pursuit that is never fully grasped until theosis is achieved. Catholics might say that sanctifying grace is achieved at Baptism. (Of course, this could be completely wrong, but I'm trying. :)