Nicene Truth

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 3

Considering the Eastern Orthodox View

By: Jay Dyer

Distinction isn't tension and often times this distinction I've been writing about is characterized as an opposition.  Human nature, even fallen, isn't in opposition to grace, but it the effects of the Fall do bring about a tendency towards sin and opposition to God.  In the Catholic view, synergism, which is the human will following and conforming to the divine will is always is always upheld, even if one takes the Thomistic and Augustinian view that there is operative or efficacious grace.  The human will never can and never does lose its own natural energy.  But the natural energy of the human will isn't sufficient to cause divine grace or life, and this is where we differ with both the Calvinist and the Orthodox concerns the need and power of divine grace.  I know the Orthodox would not say that the human will causes divine grace, but in the final analysis, salvation, whether the beginning of faith or the persevering therein is ultimately in the hands of man.  This is the point where we differ.

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 2

By: Jay Dyer

In part one, I was discussing the implications of classical, Reformation Protestantism's skewing of the nature/grace distinction into erroneous views that ultimately end up with a heretical Christology.  I intended on making that post much longer and filled out, but had to leave in the middle.  Let's move to the pre-lapsarian man to further show the implications of these different views.

Oddly enough, both Pelagianism and Calvinism have the same views of pre-lapsarian man.  Man in the garden, for both Pelagius and Calvin, is not in a situation to need grace.  For Catholic readers, I'm not avoiding using the term "sanctifying grace" because I deny it, but because most Calvinists don't know about the Catholic view to begin with, except that whatever the Catholic view is, they hate it.  Anyway, its undeniable that both Calvin and Pelagius viewed man in the garden in the same way-in no need of what Catholics call the donum superadditum, the super-added gift of grace, which is the divine life itself--the Holy Spirit.  Man in the garden was created naturally good and thus needed no grace.  Now where Calvin and Pelagius differ is the fall, and most of us know the rest of this story. 

The Importance of the Nature/Grace Distinction, Pt. 1

By Jay Dyer

We all intrepret phenomena in our experience according to certain criteria that make up our worldview.  This fact is inescabpable, but this is important because I have noticed a common-thread problem in various groups that I have been affiliated with and debated and dialogued with.  The problem I am speaking of is philosophical in nature, and deals with one's perception of others as well as their own psychological/existential situation in the given belief system in which they are involved.  This problem often revolves around errors regarding the all-important nature-grace distinction that is so foundational for Catholicism.  It seems, in my experience, that various anti-Catholic groups all share this same fundamental philosophical flaw (and I myself shared this same flaw for many years). 

Aquinas' Prologue to Dionysius' On the Divine Names

By: Jay Dyer

The question of St. Thomas Aquinas' use of Platonic ideas has arisen often in Thomistic circles. Often, incorrectly, its assumed that St. Thomas was a slavish follower of Aristotle, neglecting truths in the more prevalent neo-platonic tradition of the early middles ages that preceded the Aristotelianism of his day. This is important for East-West issues, including the via negativa, since many might find St. Thomas' discussion of Dionysius quite surprising. In fact, as McInery notes, its Dionysius who is quoted the most in the Summa!

St. Augustine the Roman Catholic

1. On the authority of councils and apostolic traditions:

"But in regard to those observances which we carefully attend and which the whole world keeps, and which derive not from Scripture but from Tradition, we are given to understand that they are recommended and ordained to be kept, either by the apostles themselves or by plenary [ecumenical] councils, the authority of which is quite vital in the Church" (Letter to Januarius [A.D. 400]).

2. On the canon of Scripture and prayers for the dead:

"The whole canon of the scriptures, however, in which we say that consideration is to be applied, is contained in these books: the five of Moses . . . and one book of Joshua [Son of] Nave, one of Judges; one little book which is called Ruth . . . then the four of Kingdoms, and the two of Paralipomenon . . . . [T]here are also others too, of a different order . . . such as Job and Tobit and Esther and Judith and the two books of Maccabees, and the two of Esdras . . . . Then there are the prophets, in which there is one book of the Psalms of David, and three of Solomon. . . . But as to those two books, one of which is entitled Wisdom and the other of which is entitled Ecclesiasticus and which are called ‘of Solomon’ because of a certain similarity to his books, it is held most certainly that they were written by Jesus Sirach. They must, however, be accounted among the prophetic books, because of the authority which is deservedly accredited to them" (Christian Instruction 2:8:13 [A.D. 397]).

Salvation is Both a Reward for Works and a Gift of Grace

From the anti-Pelagian treatise, On Grace and Free Will

"Chapter 18.— Faith Without Good Works is Not Sufficient for Salvation.

Unintelligent persons, however, with regard to the apostle's statement: We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law, Romans 3:28 have thought him to mean that faith suffices to a man, even if he lead a bad life, and has no good works. Impossible is it that such a character should be deemed a vessel of election by the apostle, who, after declaring that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, Galatians 5:6 adds at once, but faith which works by love. It is such faith which severs God's faithful from unclean demons,— for even these believe and tremble, James 2:19 as the Apostle James says; but they do not do well. Therefore they possess not the faith by which the just man lives,— the faith which works by love in such wise, that God recompenses it according to its works with eternal life. But inasmuch as we have even our good works from God, from whom likewise comes our faith and our love, therefore the selfsame great teacher of the Gentiles has designated eternal life itself as His gracious gift. Romans 6:23

My Retraction of Eastern Orthodoxy

Or, Jay Refutes Jay

[Note: this post has been tweaked]

By: Jay Dyer

As some readers now know, I have decided not to become Eastern Orthodox.  Though I confessed it for the past two and a half years and was a catechumen, I chose not to be chrismated, and thus not technically becoming Orthodox.  I have, after much reflection and prayer, decided to return to Catholicism.  I was also instructed by my spiritual advisors to publish this retraction.  Let me say that also that this isn’t being posted as a subtle “challenge” to get Eastern Orthodox friends to spark a debate.  I’m just not really as interested in that as I was as a 21 year-old Calvinist.  I’m more interested in union with Christ nowadays, than debating every naysayer.

In the debate with Josh Brisby, Josh changed his position on infant baptism (not because of me), while he likewise presented me with many quotes from key Eastern theologians concerning the papacy that I simply could not answer.  He also made the key point that I believe is ultimately correct: the Orthodox are not able to adequately deal with legal categories such as expiation, propitiation, etc.  The fact that a very learned Orthodox writer had to point us to an obscure article in a seminary journal on what exactly the Orthodox view on these concepts illustrates the point.  I have likewise changed my position.  While some of the quotes can be explained as references merely to St. Peter himself, many cannot.  I also doubt that they are all forgeries, as this is very unlikely.

The Vatican Clarification on the Filioque

A Complete Byzantine Liturgy

Beautiful.  This is the reality which has replaced the shadow: the New Holy of Holies, the New Ark, the New Synagogue, the New Eden, the New Covenant.

The Destruction of the Temple, Josephus, and Christ's Prophecy

Flavius Josephus' Account of the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Partial-Preterist Vindication of Christ's Olivet Prophecy    

By: Jay Dyer   

     One of the most fascinating first-hand battle accounts is that of the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 A.D. by the Roman Governor Titus Vespasian, later written based on the eyewitness experience of Jewish Pharisee/historian Flavius Josephus.  Josephus, however, is not the only prominent historical figure to give a description of the events of the Jewish war of that year.  Jesus of Nazareth also appears to give an accurate and detailed foretelling of the disastrous events to come upon Israel in Matthew, Chapters 23-24; and Luke, Chapter 21.  The thesis of this paper is that both Gospel accounts are referring to the same event that Josephus describes in The Wars of the Jews.