Interdict

Maple Ridge: Last week

Cited

Most historians agree that the greatest Christian of the early 12th century was Bernard of Clairvaux, a man who excelled in all areas of Christian ministry and leadership. His powerful influence led to a renewed interest in and understanding of the humanity of Christ, and his deeply devotional emphasis served to recover an important part of Christian worship at a time when there had been considerable spiritual decline in the leadership of the Church. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com

New Advent

Born in 1090, at Fontaines, near Dijon, France; died at Clairvaux, 21 August, 1153.

New Advent

What most interested me from this video presentation from Mr. Gore, for the context of this website, was Interdict.

Cited

(Latin interdictum, from inter and dicere). Originally in Roman law, an interlocutory edict of the praetor, especially in matter affecting the right of possession; it still preserves this meaning in both Roman and canon law. In present ecelesiastical use the word denotes, in general, a prohibition.

Cited

An interdict is a censure, or prohibition, excluding the faithful from participation in certain holy things. These holy things are all those pertaining to Christian worship, and are divided into three classes: the Divine offices, in other words the Liturgy, and in general all acts performed by clerics as such, and having reference to worship the sacraments, excepting private administrations of those that are of necessity; ecclesiastical burial, including all funeral services. 

This prohibition varies in degree, according to the different kinds of interdicts to be enumerated: 

First, interdicts are either local or personal; the former affect territories or sacred buildings directly, and persons indirectly; the latter directly affect persons. Canonical authors add a third kind, the mixed interdict, which affects directly and immediately both persons and places; if, for instance, the interdict is issued against a town and its inhabitants, the latter are subject to it, even when they are outside of the town (arg. cap. xvi, "De sent. excomm." in VI). Local interdicts, like personal interdicts, may be general or particular. 

A general local interdict is one affecting a whole territory, district, town, etc., and this was the ordinary interdict of the Middle Ages; a particular local interdict is one affecting, for example, a particular church. A general personal interdict is one falling on a given body or group of people as a class, e.g. on a chapter, the clergy or people of a town, of a community; a particular personal interdict is one affecting certain individuals as such, for instance, a given bishop, a given cleric. 

Finally, the interdict is total if the prohibition extends to all the sacred things mentioned above; otherwise it is called partial. A special kind of partial interdict is that which forbids one to enter a church, interdictum ab ingressu ecclesiae mentioned by certain texts. Omitting the mixed interdict, which does not form a distinct class, we have therefore:
---
Mr. Gore explains that with Pope Gregory VII versus King Henry IV, the papacy placed an interdict on the Holy Roman Empire, therefore according to the Roman Catholic Church theology of the time, the Holy Roman Empire and its citizens were prohibited from taking part in the Roman Catholic sacraments and therefore outside of salvation.

Thankfully, biblically, the New Testament does not teach sacramental required salvation.

Rather, within various biblical Christian interpretations, the sacraments are indeed spiritual, but as a sign of obedience within salvation. Not a requirement for salvation.

In the New Testament sins are forgiven for salvation as the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) implements a plan of atonement for human sin through the death and resurrection of the incarnated God the Son, Jesus Christ. This salvific work is applied to chosen, believers by grace through faith through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (See the Gospels, Romans, Galatians, Titus, Hebrews, as examples).

APA citation. Boudinhon, A. (1910). Interdict. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08073a.htm

The problem when the Pope becomes a King

Cited

The first hint of the movement that would become a protest against the decline of the central leadership of the Church in the late middle ages came with a little known character named Peter Waldo. His reading of the New Testament led him to the conviction that the Church leaders had lost their way, and in simplicity of life and message, he attempted to call it back to its New Testament moorings. His followers, the Waldensians, persisted for centuries as a persecuted sect in Europe, but with unfailing vigilance the small group of maintained their devotion to Christ and the purity of the gospel message as they understood it. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com.

I especially relate to Mr. Gore's comments in his introductory:

(Paraphrased)

The problem when the Pope becomes a King.

This led to promises, for example, that participation in the crusades to the Holy Land, would earn forgiveness of sins.

Gore is not blatantly anti-Roman Catholic, but states that this theology is an historical embarrassment for the Roman Catholic Church.

Indeed, this ancient theology demonstrates heretical, politicized theology.

Yes, the Church is a vehicle of imputing God's forgiveness, but atonement should always be biblical and never political.

In the New Testament sins are forgiven as the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) implements a plan of atonement for human sin through the death and resurrection of the incarnated God the Son, Jesus Christ. This salvific work is applied to chosen, believers by grace through faith through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (See the Gospels, Romans, Galatians, Titus, Hebrews, as examples).

Titus 3: 4-7 New American Standard Bible

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs [a]according to the hope of eternal life.

Snipping tool

The Orthodox Study Bible: The Saints (Brief)

The text

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

This text review continues...

Five sources of Christian tradition (iv)

4) The Saints

I have already dealt with an aspect of this issue, veneration, in the second review entry. This is the sixth entry. Within my Reformed theology, in particular, I embrace Hebrews:

New American Standard Bible

Hebrews 9: 15

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 

Hebrews 12:24 24

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

In regard to reverence, related to prayer, Jesus Christ, as God-man, via the Trinity, within the Christian Church, is our source of atonement and resurrection, and this eliminates the need for any human, finite mode of veneration.
---

However, let us allow this section to present itself...

Within the saints are the Fathers, and sometimes the mothers. (vi). These are classic, historical examples of the Christian faith. (vi). These are those that show great spiritual wisdom and also defend Church doctrine. (vi).

These are the heroes of the Church. (vi). These provide witness to the traditions of the Church. (vi).

On this point, in regard to the saints, I am in agreement. So, I disagree on veneration, but agree in regards to saints, Church Fathers and mothers as historical Christian Church, examples.

Interestingly, I own a Bulgarian Orthodox icon, given to me by my Bulgarian friend, An Jela, and her husband. For me, it is purely a beautiful piece of art sitting on the fireplace mantel. As you may have noticed, I really like red (and blue).

Today, Maple Ridge

Yesterday, Maple Ridge

Sunday, Port Coquitlam

The Orthodox Study Bible: The Councils

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

This text review continues...

Five sources of Christian tradition (iv)

(3) The Councils (v)

(Paraphrased)

The text describes a council as a meeting of those in the Church that have been given the authority to decide what theology and doctrine is faithful to the tradition of the Church and what is not. (v).

Here as a theologian and philosopher of religion within Protestant, Reformed, Mennonite, evangelical traditions, I can read a difference in emphasis on this point.

Moderately conservative to conservative churches within these 'Protestant' (Mennonites often consider themselves other) traditions would state something more along of the lines of...

...those in the Church that by the Holy Spirit have been given the authority to decide what theology and doctrine is faithful to the scripture and the Bible, and what is not.

Protestant, Reformed, Mennonite conservative (degrees of) churches would tend to emphasize biblical adherence over faithfulness to tradition.

I reason this does not, having reviewed this text so far, mean the Orthodox Church is not biblical or even necessarily, less biblical, but this difference in emphasis would certainly at times create theological tension, and perhaps misunderstanding between, in broad terms Orthodoxy and Protestantism.

The text is historically accurate that the Christian Church has had many councils over the centuries and things have been resolved in creeds and canons. (v-vi).

Indeed, someone within Protestantism should rightly admit that what is actually bible was agreed by the Church as canon.

From this website archives:

H.D. McDonald explains that God is considered the authority behind the New Testament. God has revealed himself, and therefore the revelation is a key to the Biblical authority. McDonald (1996: 139).

J.R. McRay notes that the earliest list of New Testament books with the current twenty-seven appeared in A.D. 367, in a letter to Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. McRay (1996: 141). McRay writes that the formation of the New Testament canon did not come from a council. The council of Nicea in 325 did not discuss canon. McRay (1996: 141). At Carthage in 397 the council deemed the twenty-seven books canon, and that nothing else would be considered New Testament divine Scripture. These twenty-seven books were regarded by consensus as canon. McRay (1996: 141).

W.R.F. Browning explains that canon comes from the Greek word for 'rule' or 'standard'. In both the Old and New Testaments canon formation was gradual and controversial. Browning (1996: 57). Browning notes some New Testament era books were quoted by Church Fathers, although the texts were not canonized. Browning (1996: 57). Jesus Christ's teachings and story was passed along in oral tradition and then eventually written down in the Four Gospels, and sidelined rival versions. Browning (1996: 57). The Epistles from Apostles and their scribes were preserved by the churches and soon formed a collection along with the Gospels. Browning (1996: 57).
---

The text under review also explains that 'canon' comes from the Greek 'kanon' which means ruler or yardstick. Something to measure what is normative for the Church. (vi)

Revelation from God has taken place in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament books to the people of God, and what is scripture is verified and determined by the Church as canon; therefore, whether Orthodox or Protestant, indeed tradition and bible do work together in Christian Church, faith, theology and philosophy.

There is differences in emphasis between biblical Orthodoxy and biblical Protestantism.

Personally, I very much acknowledge the use of scripture and have never been one to rely much on the use of creeds and tradition. However, I do acknowledge the validity of creeds and tradition when biblical, as can be understood based on my writings. My educational and ministry background places more importance on philosophical theology and philosophy of religion (examining religious and philosophical truth, from outside the bible, while still submitting to the scripture as the ultimate, documented, spiritual authority) as opposed to primarily seeking creeds and tradition for my religious and philosophical education.

But this is just an emphasis...

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

MCDONALD, H.D. (1996) ‘Bible, Authority of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

MCRAY, J.R. (1996) ‘Bible, Canon of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.