Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers

idolatry

4 Entries

He who refuses to give into passions does the same as he who refuses to bow down and worship idols. St. Theophan the Recluse

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If you speak of pagan abuses, these abuses do not make our veneration of images loathsome. Blame the pagans, who made images into gods! Just because the pagans used them in a foul way, that is no reason to object to our pious practice. Sorcerers and magicians use incantations and the Church prays over catechumens; the former conjure up demons while the Church calls upon God to exorcise the demons. Pagans make images of demons which they address as gods, but we make images of God incarnate, and of His servants and friends, and with them we drive away the demonic hosts....If the Scripture says, The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands (Ps. 135:15), it is not forbidden to bow before inanimate things, or the handiwork of men, but only before those images which are the devil's work. St. John of Damascus: On the Holy Images

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He who refuses to give into passions does the same as he who refuses to bow down and worship idols. St. Theophan the Recluse

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...if we practice every virtue and perform miracles and omit nothing either great or small from the commandment, yet desire nothing but the glory that comes from men and seek it, however slightly, by our endeavors and hasten to receive it, we shall be deprived of the reward for all the rest. For if we receive the glory that is from men and do not prefer that which comes from God (Jn. 5:44), we shall be judged as idolaters, because we worship the creature rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). REF:St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Discourses, Paulist PressX no. 4, Pg 165

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