'Fron thit day,Jiom this hour,

fron thisminute, la ut stiue to loue (iod

aboue I, andftlf II His holy will.
- $1.flclmxn of Alaska

\YOK
OKTHODOI(
THG
For the Mission of Trae Orthodox Christianity
Iitablishd uith the blcsing of Sr.John Mtxinottitcb'
Archbishop,rrcl\Vontleru'orhcroJ'Sltanghainnd San Ftancisco.
I'ublishedu,ith tlr ltlrssingof Hit CruceMtxin,
BisbopoJ' rc'Vutcrn AnrcricuuDioccse ol'theScrbianOrtltodoxChutch.

V ol .44, N os. I 2 ( 258- 259) llnuar v- Apr il, 2008 I SSN 00. 10- 58. 1')

5 Annull Confcrcrrcqsin Moscorvon " l'hc ()rthoclox Intcrprctltion of

rhc (lrcation of thc World"

9 (lreatcclirt Incottuption:'l he Orthotlox l)arristic[lndersran<lingof

Man rnd rhc (irsrros in l'hcir Originrl, Fallcn';rnd Rcdeemed Starcs
by Hiuotnonk Danasctttr

f'ront r'ovr:'I l't<crcarionof the slttt, utoon and stars(" lights in the firnlamcnr
ofrhc hcaucns")on r hc f bur r h dlv of cr cat ion ( G en. l: l4) . ( 'f lr c pt ant s
are shown to have been alrcady createdon the third day.) Dctail of a
frescoat SuchcvitsaMonastery,Moldavia, Rotnania'sixtccnrhccntury.

'l tl l i ()R I I IOD ()X !(()l { t) i s pul ,l i rhc tlbi nuthl r- (c .c eprl i rr r c ornbi nc n J rnurn-A pri l n' Lr.)bt' thc
S t. Itcnn.rrol A hrLrl l rr' (h(rl x nal ($1v s . i ,' rh(rnruprc s torl ) l ' c ri r r.rl P os (.' gc pl rrI' l rri rt' ,(l rl i
l i rnri r.$4.0{)pcr i s rc , 57.{ x )pc tl oubl ci s uc . S rrhrri pti rrx :$ l ' t l ot onc rc rr, 5l l 11' t$r! \' trh s 46l i x
rhrecvcrn.S rrdcrr$l x ri t,k nN :$l 6foror,(v .rr.S l ()i i trntr!c .rrr,54|l i rrtLrc c v (i A l i { (i gtt!rbs ' ' i P
ri orrr.rrcs: l i .t0l i x orl c rr. S 5,1l or u, v c ,tn,57i fi ,rrhrc cy c rn. Ii rc i gn s rl rl c nrrubs tnpti ,rnr:S Jrrx 5 onc
vt.rr.54l l i rr rs,r vc r* , S 6" l ,rrrhrc c rc ,rn.()l i l c c ol publ i t:rrhn:l { ) l } c c gurrr t;rrgc l l rrrtl l rl .n;nr.(l rl i l or'
'l hc crc,ttionof A.lunt. ni .r.t)opi a ol l ,reI i s us rntl ,rl i ndi v i dl rl .rmc l trl ri l .' l ' l c l i ,n N rri ,u.rl A ri hi v t P ubl i s hi ng ti r' . l i )
R or .l .l tl ,A rn A rhr r. l \1i e[i Frn481{ X ,l )' )' )8.(1)p!ri ghr){ l 0l t hv rhc S r' I l ernH nol A l .rs k .r l ]dl rthrr
I:rcscofronr thc (lhrrrch o1 (ihrisr "l)rnrocrarrrr, [)cchlni Monastcry, (l .rl i l i rrti .r
I'OS l i \l A Sl l :l t: So rJ J r.\\.htrn86r,)l l l l i ()l tIl l ()l X )X \(t()R l ) l ' () l bx 70 1' l ,rtanr'
Kosovoancl Mcohija. rrrid-fburtccnthccnturv,
 Arunml Confbrencesht Moscotu ott
" Tbe Ortbodox lrterpretrttion oJ'the
Crerrtiort oJ'tlte World "

r' .r \Lr!( r ollr

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 I I l l ' ( )l t I I l ( )l X )\ \\' ( )l { l ) ,\NNt':\t (.()\l:t.Rl,\(.t.s l\ \t()\( ( )\\,

(icorgiil,Selbi.r.( l.rnirclir, lirirnceirnrl Italv. Ilrc thcologicllrrlks havc

[rccn givcrr lrr' .rrchinrundlitc\,irb[)ors.pricsts.serrrirlrrvirrstnrc(ors,
'l lrc sci-
chrrrchschoolrcacllers, ciltccllisrs, llrthors irr)(lnrissionurics.
cnrilic tillks,rvhichc,rrrPris,.rhc rrrrrjolin,lrrrvcbccrruivenl)\'(l()ct()rs
atrd profi'ssors of triolog\'(biocltcrrrisn. ntolccrrlrtl i, qt-
rtrttl1.ro1rrrlar
'rt
nclics,zo()log\'),Physics,nr.tthcnrillics, gcol(uy llr(l .lslr'()n()nl\', \vh()
l)r. r\lcr.rndcr ilre cullcnrl\' \ v()rkingin scculilrscicnrilic/rrc:rrlcr)lic institutiorrs. Ilrl\'-
l.rl.rrr.r' int .lecarlcs ol-cxpcricrrcc in thcil spccialized rlisciplincs.thcscsricn-
rpt,rlirrq,rt tists tcrtifi' thrrt tlrct, h,rvc rr,tt sccrrct,nclrrsivcplooli against thc
thc sccrrnJ
Scriptrrrtl/l)rrtristic rrrrtlctstrtntlirtgol crerttiort.ttttlltistorr',rtntltltrtt,rtt
(lrc corrtrrrrythcy hirvefirrrntlrnrrchcvitlcnccsu[)strrnti.ltirlg ir .rrr.lol]
l j c b r r r , rvr I ,
l( )()('. fcringulirnpscsinto tltc rvisdortrrrtrlttltjcsn of (iorl.
llicrarelrsof tlrc l{Lrssirtrt ()r'tlrorLrr(.hrrlclt ltrtvcprcsirlcrl ovcl tltc
''Shcsrotlncr," confi'rcrrccs, irclrrrling Archbislrop [)rrrirrv of Iobolsk
irrrtl I\'rrnrcn,untl Arclrbishopr\lcxvol ( )r'ckh,rvo-Ztrcvo. I:rtclttortlcr-
\tu(licsilr thc I)arlisric(cil(ltingon crciltionllil(lltv rhnt tirrrcltccnptrlt- cncc is inrrugrrrrrtccl rvith ,r hicrrrlchicall)ivinc l.itrrrgl or N'Iolclrtn.At
l islrcdin I{ussia. rlrc nrost rcccnr confi'fcnccirr l(X)li, r\r'chbislropI)nritrv gilvc thc
Havirrgirrrcxrcnsive crltrcuriorrirl [l:rcligrotrnd oPcrringrllk ()l)\onlc of rhc Plirrr.rrylsl)c(ts()l'rhc()rthotlox rcuching
irr botlr rhcologyarrtl
nltrrrirl sci(rrcc, Irl. (lonsti rtinc \\,rlswcll Pr',:P,rr.ccl ott ctclttiort.
ro llcx(l rlle
"Shcstotlncr:'socicr\,. "Shcsroclncr," hasprrblishctiboolisof thc 1tloccctlings of cacht'c.rr''.s
\\,hil( r\nna'srrothcr lrlcn.rbcc.rrncrhc nr.rirror',
'l
grlnizcflr)(l sc(fcrll\'. 1'lresotictt *,rrsjoinccllrrlrr thc slilrt l)\,lnolllcf conlcrcncc. hc lrrxrksilrc :lll in l{rrssi.rrr, brrt u,c plirrrto tlirrrslatc sc-
tloctorof gcologvltrr clnrirrtlrtlqgt,, l)r. AlcxrrptlcrLrrl6rrr9r., lccrctlltticlcs:rntlptcscrrrrltcrl itt tlrc prtgcsol-tltisnrilg.rzir)e.
<lirccrtlr9l-
thc AI{O'l [1ll scokrgic:rl rcscar.hl.rlror'.rrorv in I{rrssi.r. ln this issLrc, \\'eplcscrrt,rrrcxpunrlccl vclsionoia rlrcokrgical ralli
llcsi<lcs hclpinu
rvirh tlrc rvork of-",Shesrotlncr'," givcn at rltc l00lJ corrfcrcncq.'lltis.rrticlcrvill itlsolrc inclLtrlctl in thc
l)r. l-alonrovlrrrssincccrrrrrpilcd thrcc
()f illr .lllthologyof'scicrrtiflc sccorrrlcrlitirrrrof l:r'.Sclaplrirnl{osc'sbook. (itrriis. ()trtiotr trnr/lnr/y
volLtll)cs t i1,c(C,rc-
rrlriclcscnti rlctl.\ott,rtrtt
rttion). Intcrcstirrglr,, lre rvasirriri.rllybr','trqltr[r.r.li r,' rlr. t)r.rlrorkrx ,41a1, s'hich is norvbeingplcprrretl lirr prrblic:rtion.'llrc nov ctlition o{-
(llrLrrclrrhrorr{:hlris scicntillcrcsenrch. s,hcn rhc nrosrrcli.lblcn)(rh, Irr.Serlphinr's [rrxrkrvill irrclrrtlc
scicntiflcnrarcli:rlbv otlrcrconfircrrcc
otlsof-rrcrrstrring rhc rrgcof placcrnrincralrlePosirs spcirkcrs, irrrtlrvill bcncllr lnrrn thc plctlrolaol b<x,ks,rncl alriclcspul.l-
confirnrctlfirr lrinr
lishcrl in I{Lrssirr ovcr the lrrstsevcr'.rlycirls rrol only br, Slrcstorlrrev"
rlrc Scriprural/l)irrrisric lelding of rhe crrrtlr'.s historv r:rrhcrrhrrn rhc
gcncrallvacccl)tc(lsccrrlrrrlcatlinq. btrr bv orhcr ()rthotlox prrblishclsas lravcfirrrhclcdtltc
"vcll-rvlrich
'l'lr( rvork of l:r. SerrrPhinr in Prescntirrq unrl rrplrr,ltlinlthc SeriPtrrrirl/l).r-
rlrtnrr,llc()ltfcrcr)ces hcltl llt' "Shcstotlncr,"hrrvcfe'lrtrr.cdtrrlhs
()n both rhcologicaluntl scicnrificsLrbjccrs. tristietc.rchirrg on crcrlt;onantl thc {irst-erc.rtcrl uolltl.
Whilc rrrosrol-rltcspcaliers
havc bcen nirtlvcl{us:i;lns.sonrc hlvc becrrfionr thc Unitccl St:rrcs, | | i tn tttou k l rt nrtt\tt'nL

'l-hc
c r c r t ion ol l: r c lior r t t hc lit r ol Ac l u n r .
lrr'cscolionr rhc (lhLrlch ol th( Ilcsurr(.(i()r1,SLrehcr'irsir
Nio ldlv i. r .l{ or r r : r r r i;sr .ir t c c nt h c c t r r t t r r '.
Createdin Incorruption
'l-HE OI{l'H()t)()X PAI'I{lS l lCl UNI)tiRS'IANI)lN(,
OI] MAN ANI)'fHF, (]OSMOS IN'I'HI.]IR, ()RICINAI-.
IrAi.l.t'.N,ANl) I{t'lt)UtlMUl) S IXI'tis
By Hie rorrtonk [)arnrtscerte
Arlapted.f on d ta/k {it'ttt ttt t/tt "()nlirrnct' orr Ortholox.y tltt Nn-
'tntl
ural Ent'iruunotr," St. Nitlnhs Rtnth, Dunhp, (.hlilitrnia, Otobt
27, 2007, tnd tgtrirr tt tlr lnunmtiontl Nttit'it.y I-)luntional l?ctdinw
of'tht Mosuttl httriarthta', it tlr srtiott "'l /tt OrtLodox lntoltrrtttton
of'thc Crcntitnt ol tlr Wtrlrl," htLl tt t/,r lllostou' Sttt Uniuar:ii' rlf
Rai hua.yL)ngi trr t'i ttg, ./ttrt ua n, J0, 2001t.
'fltrough sin, lLis rostrtosbtc,ttttcr
7l,ttt,,l r/c,tt/ttutr/
(orfuPnon.
tlre ( lonrcssor
St. MaxinrLrs
l. lNrnooucrroN
conscn.Lrs of thc Holv Frrhcrsof rhc ()rrhorlox(lhrrrch holcls
Jtnr
I tlrlt nrrrn rurrl thr: rst of rhc visilrlc crcutiorr rvcrc phvsic,rllv
incornqt (ti60ap:os, wirhout decry) befbrc thc tirll of rn:rn,en.l that
clcrtrhlnd cornrpriorrcnrcrcclthc rvorltiorrlv ur rlrc irll. lhis cftrctrinc
is lrascclon a comrnor] interprctationof both rhc ()ld and Nov'lcsrir-
ntcnts. In thc book of(lencsis wc lcurn rhar nriln wAsnraclcstrtrjectto
St. Nl,rxinrus th,: (irnfcssor. )d ll,ala*inn 65; ILrnloti,tt (ittcat (l\(i)
( ) {) ; l , i 0 t l ( l '. r r i s :
\lotrrrstcrt. f.- [] N l i q r r e .l l J( r 5 ) rcf. II:r n s L l n vo r r Il a l r h ;r su r(.) tstu i c l i r r r r sl Il r
I ircr:t tltconlitry to ,l l,t.ritntr tlu (.irr/rsar (Srn ljr.rncisco:lgrrrrtius.J{X}.1),p. lt{5.
lu

l tlL ()l{l ll()l)OX \\/()ltl)
clearhand that thc carthwas"cursed"ar the frll ((icn.3:I7-I9). In the
Visdonr of Solornonit is said thar Cod did not tttakcdeath and did
not crcilteliving things fbr destruction(\(is. l:ll-14), and furrhcr
(Vis.2:23-24).'l'his tcach-
rlrarnran wls crcatcdto lre incorrup.trible
ing is repeatcdin the Ncw'ltstament by St. Paul,whcrc lrc lfllrnrs tlrat
sin (llorn. 5:12, l7; I Cor.
clcathcanrc into rhe world tlrrough Inirtr'.s
l5:21-22), thar bccauscofman the creation was nradcsubjectto "ftr-
ti lity" (Ronr.8:20),and that rlrecre:rtionand nran himsclfawaitdeliv-
crancefiom rhc "bonclageto corruption" (Ronr. 8:19,2l-23) at the
Ccncral Rcsrrrrection.
-['lreconrnron Parrisricintcrprctationof rhis Scriptulal te:rching
finds concisccxpressionin thc rheologyof St. Synreonrhe New 'I'heo-
logian, rvho wrircs :rs follows on the incorruption of nran arrd rhc
world in the beginning,and on thcir tall into corrtrption:
Achmw;rscrc,rred with un incorrLrptibletro<1v,thouglrotrewhichrv:rs
nrercriullncl on thc rvholcnot 1.erspiritual,an<lwascstablishecl by
(lod tlrc Crcttor rs tlrc imnrortll king of ln incorntptworld, lncl I
nrclnby thc lattcrcvcrt'thingun.icrhcavcnlnd not jusrParadisc.. . .r
You scethen th,tt not ttnrelson,rbly rlo n'c savrhat all thc crc-
rltionwirsllso incorruptfrom rhe bcginning,attdwls firrnishcdby
(lor.lafrcrrhcordcrof I'arlclisc, bur rvascurscdwitlr corruptionrnd
lcd inro bontle{ac rvhcttit rvrs strbjcctcd to rhe firtility of nrcn (cf.
1
llorn.8:20-21).
1'his Scriptural/l)atristicteeching,that tlcath and corruption etr-
rered thc cosmos only at thc fall, is r basic tetret of the Orthoclox
I Sr. Svnrcorr rhc Ncrv I hcologiln, lltltiLa/ I)iwurr 1.2; Sourctt (,ll'ftticnuct
(S(l) 122:lll4 (f)rrris:[-cs[.]dirionsdu (lcrf. 1966)i cf . idcn. ( h rl,c /VystitalLifi: lht
vol. I ((lrcsnvoorl.N.Y: Sr. Vlldimir's ScnrinurvI'rcss.1995), pp.
l:ltlical I)istorrrtr,t.
)6 )7: tlx'l:irst-()tt',rtcdi)ldn (l'lirrin.r.(lelil.: St. Hcrnritrr ol ;\l;rskitlJrorhcrhootl,
), p. 90.
I9().'r
'llrirl.f.5rS(llll:2llrcl. l:irtr'(.ntnd
i\lan.p. lll.\.
lo
(ll{trAI-lll) IN IN(lOl{ltLJP.l
l()N
(lhristian worldview.lr is ticclto, ancl inclcedforms an integrll pirrt ol,
Orrhotlox lrnthropolo[y, sotcriolosy rll]d cschatology.Becauscthts
rcirchingis such a crucial otre, an.l lrecattsetoday'.ssccul,rrworldvicw
nrilitatcsagrinstit, it is worrhy to trc cxallined in clcpth.In rhis arriclc
we will ,tttcmltr to [)rcsct]tit irt :r gencrlllv chronologicalnlinncr. otlt-
lining firsr rhc itrcorrtrptsrlte of nlan atrclthe costnosbefirrc thc firll;
thcn tlre clearhlncl corrttPti()ltthlt enteredat the [rll; end fintrlly the
redcnrptionltrd sllvttiotr of ntan and the cosnrostry the inc;rrnereSon
(lcneral
of (locl, cuLninarinein rheir final' ;rcrfcctcdst:rreaftcr thc
RcsurrccrioIr,whcn tlclth ittrd corrttptiotl will be pernunentlv over-
conre.\Wcwill firthcr clisctrss horv,sPccifically, thc Orrhotlox Chtrrchs
tcachir)gorl ;rrclrtpslri:rnincorruption relatcs to hcr tcachinqort thc rc-
dernption of ttranantl thc costl)os,atlclotr tlreir flnal, redccrnctlcondi-
tion. In conclusion,rvewill corrsiclcr how the ()rrhodox Lrndersrlntlitrg
of the flrst-crcatedworld, rhc titl. .rnd thc firturc lge crttrittfirrnr ortr
frrithas Orthodox Christians.
IL THe Onlcrr.rel CoNnltIoN oF MAN
Man's Spirintl Condition bcJbn tfu full
Bcfirrc cxamining the subiect of thc oriliinal incorruption of thc
whole cosmos,lct us begin Lrylooking sPccifiolly at the original stlte
of man, who St. Synreortthc Ncw l heologiansayswls crertecl'ts "lortl
and king of all thc visiblccreirtion,"'rncl who' in rhc wordsof St.John
Chrysostonr,is "rnore preciottsto God tlrltr irll cre;rtion."'
According ro thc ()rthotlox Patristiccosnrology,the cntirc visible
rrniverscrvasm:rdc fbr rhc sakcof tnln' itncl Irtln was nllde filr tttrtorl
with God. Man was crcrtccl"in [)ivinc grace."as St. Creqory of Nyssa
, ftrid. l . l ; in On lu, lt'lytticalLili. vol. L p. 21.
5 St. (irtctit 2 (llrooklirreNl'rss:
fohtr(ihrvsostrltr,liigh Strntouton tfu Rolk ol
llolv (l<rss ()rrhodor llcss, 2(X)4), p /t 1.
II
 t t It. ()l{fLIot)()x \(i()t{D Cl{t-Al tlt) lN lN(l()l{RLlPll()N

:rf1lrms."Sr.John Chrysostonrwritcs that'thc glory fionr abovcgarbcd no nccessity cirhcr in their remainitrgirlcorrttPtor irr rhcir f'allinginro
thenr [Aclrrmand L-vc]bctter than any garmcnr."- t_ikcwisc,St. corrlrption:thcir fiec rvill was rhe dcternriningfactor.In thc wordsof
John
I)amasccncsmresrhar, in l)aradise,Adam "had the indwelling Cotl as Sr. Arhrrnasiusrhc (lrertt:
a dwelling placcand worc Him asa glorioLrsgarmenr.Hc was wrappcd
about with His gracc."' Knorvingthlt rhefrccrvill ,rf tn,rncc,trltlinclinero cirhcrsicic,in an-
-l-hcOrthodox ticipationllc l(lodl rnacle sccltrctlrcgrlccliivcnthenr'b1'nrerttrs rrf
Clhurchundersrandsgracero bc the very cncrgy of 't
Cod, distinct ycr inseparablefiorl the L)ivine esscnce.God is whollv lrrv ancla phcc. lror,bringine rhcnr into His orvtrI)lr:rtlisc((ilrdcn)'
presentin His energies.Thcrcfbrc, when man was createdin gr:rce,hc I Ic glvc thcnr:r l:trv,so rlrrt, if thevgtrardcdthc grrccartdrctrritittctl
had God Hinrself within him. He wils nreanr ro particirrarein God s goocl,tho' nrighrposscss rvhichis frecof'sorrorv,
the lilc in I'rtr.rdisc
lifi'rhrorrgh rhc Divine cncrgies.ro bc firllv and pcifccrlv plin or crle,bcsicles hrvingthc plonriscof itrcorrtrpt iolr itr hclvcrr."'
1.,.n.rrate.lbv
gr:rcc,and thus to arrain to union wirh God-a Lrrrionwhich rhe Holv 'l'har thc flrst Iran wrs gntrrtcdconditiorralinlllorralitv et his crc-
Frthersdo not hcsitrte to call dcificarior-r (\toaq).
lrion lvirsaffirnrcclin a (lanotr approvedat thc (louncil ofOarrhlgc in
St..fohn Danrasccnetcachcsthar Aclanrwas not tleifled ar his cre-
419 and ratificclrr rhe (]uiniscxt(buncil (692)" and rhe Scvcnrhflc-
arion, but wascrearedr0,rdeification:he wls "to completethe nrysrery
umenical(btrncil (787):
bv bcing dcified rhrough rcversiorrto Ciod-rhis, however,,ror bv lre-
ing trlnslirrnrcd into rhe Divine csscncc,bur bv participarion in the \Whosocver srvsthirtAdant.tlrellrst tnatr,rvlscrearcdnlorral,so rh,tt
Divinc illLrnr ination."" ruhethcrhc htd sinncdor trot,hc \\ould hrtvctlicd in body-rh:rr is'
hc wouldhlvc goncfirrthflonr thc [r,rclv, hissin nreritccl
nor becrtLtsc
Marti I'blsiml (.lonrlition bet'itrcthe fitll L'l
this,but by naturalncccssitlr-lcthim bc iltlrlthenla
In the Visdorr of Solonron ir is slicl; "God nrrrtlcnran fi>r
()riginally, the incorrupt bodiesofAtlant and Evc cliclllot hlrvc,i11
incorruprion,end nrrdc him ro lreln imrge of his own ererr]itv Ncvcr- 'l'hcologian,the "coarscrf:lcsh,nrortal and
thc words ofSr. (ircgory thc
rhelcss,throrrghthc cnvy of rhc dt'vil .'lcarire.rnrcirrro rhc worid" (Vis.
rcsistirnt,"that our lroclicsrlow l]ilve.r1Accorclingro St. (]regory of Si-
2:23-24)- As thc Holy Farhcrsunivers:rllytaught, Adenr ancl Eve wqrc
crea,tcdconditiotrirl/yirnmorral, thar is, if thcv hacl nor sinnctl rhey
could lraveliveclfbrevcr in incorrLrpttroclies,pirrtakingof thc Trce of l'l Sr. Arhrnrrsiusthc(ircet. Ou rltt lluttatint oJ rfu \lltnl: l'(i l5b:l0lli(l; cf.
I-ifc in I'aradise,and cventuallylrraining ro hcavenas well. 'l'hcrc was NI)NIr, lntl Scrics,vol. 1r,pP. .i7 .ltl lirr lirrthcr tliscrrssitrttol Sr' Athitnrsittsstclch'
ing on rhc inrnrortalitvol nr:rn belirrcrhc firll. scc pp 59-(12 belorv.
ll l lrc yclrs llicr thc Sixth [cunteni'
i' St. (ilcgorv rrf Nlss,r. QLrirriscxrOouncil in litrlLr rvrrshcld clcvcrt
Ot tfu illaliug ol'llan 30.l'4: Nitn aud llnr,Nicttu, hr clrl (iruncil, :tnd its rlcerccsitrc ltcccl,tc.lin thc ()rtltrclox (lhtrrch :tsrl c()tl(ln!tltl()t1
t / , rrL(N I ' NF-),2n cl Scrics,v ol. 5, p. 417. ,,f rlrc .rcrsof tlrc Sixrh ( iru ncil.
St. John (ihrlsosront, llonilits ot (),ntiis 16.14;Iithtl oJ't/t((.:btt.b |:(.,),\(.r1. rr (i:rnon l0') ol thc Aliicln (lodc'r in 7il Stt'ot l:lcuuttnital (.brrtrci1r. Nl'Nll
74 (\X hshin {ro n.l).(1., I-hc ( ler holic Univ c r s ir y ol Anr c r ic l It c s s ,
1 9 8 ( r ) ,p . 2 1 7 . lrrrf Scrics,vol. 14. p. 1t')6.ln lltt /lrtzlz/r'r (l'cd.rlion)of St Nicrxlcntrrsol i\'ftrrrnt
x Sr..fohn [)rnrrsccr.t,:,
l-.|*ttrl*2otrtiLttroJ tfu (h.tbotLtsf:aitL 2.ll: l:i_, vol. .]7 t\thos. rhis ( litnon is listed rts( lrtnort 120 ol lhe (irrrncil ol (.lrrh.rgc.
{ le58),p. 232. rr St. (ircgorv thc Ihcoloeirrr. or;llor
-i8 l 2r t'( i .36:ll'i(l: cf. N l)N ll lrr.l Scrics.
" Ibicl.2.12; p. 135. v ( ) 1 . 7 .P . . l 4 t i .

tl It
 't H t.:()t{l'H()DC)x
wot{L) f t-lDlN IN(l()Rl{tJI'll()N
CRI.-A
nri, rhey wcre "wirhour boclily hunrors"i" in rhe words of St.
incorrtrptiblefruits, but did not void bodily waste;'' rhcy had no alilic-
Maximus, rhcy did not have"the rempcramcnrwhich makesthe flcsh
riorrs,infirmities, illncss,disease,physicaldefects,or tnaintingsof thc
denser,nrortal,and tough."''
body;tt they kncw no difficulties, sorrows,labors, sweat, htlnger' or
From rhe writings of many Holy Fathcrs-Srs. Ircnacusof Lyons,
rhirst;rrrheydid not expcricncephysicalpainlr' they wcre not strbiecrto
Athanirsius the (lreat, (iregory of Nvssa, John Chrysosrom, John
cold and he{t, or to thc elctnenrs.r'-fhus, writcsSr.John (ihrvsostom,
l)anrlscene, Maximus the (]onfessor,Syrncon thc New 'l'heologitn,
beforethc fall rnan'sexistenccwrrsakin ro that of the angcls:
anrl Ciregorvof Sinai-we know that, befbre the lall, Adam and Eve
rverefrcc fronr rhe boclily necdsofsheher and clothing,'t'anclcven of
sleep;'-thcy hatl no scxualrelarionsor cvensexurlpassion.:''rlrerervas rl St. Synrconthc Nov l'hcologillt. I';hial I)istouncs l l' l.5r in Ot rlu'lll.ytical
no ernissionofsectl;'" rhcir c),esdid not producetcars;t"rhev partook of
s c ( l o r r l e ss( nAn
L i l i , w l . | , p p . 2 ( r ,.1 l t.Sr .l vl :r xi r r r uth . bi! t l 0 :i n An d r cr l l .o u tl t,
thc ()trli*ar {l.ondon :rnd Nou York: I{otrtletlge. l()9(r), p. l2(r. Sr. (ireg-
'l'laxintus
orvof Nyssir, (hrhc.\o and thc l?rsarzlriorr; NI'NIr frrcl Scrics. vol.5. p.4(r5. St.
(iregorvof sinai, Ot ()tnn,ndtntts rtul l )orrrittrsS-t); in l'l'ihlalu. vol 4,p. il.1.
l1 St.(ircgorvofSin .Ou Connrtdnctrs atd l)o.tri cs8,81:in Ifu
!,hilokdlia,
St. Svntcott taught that nrrtl ncedcd to cilt irrcorrupt tirrit bcfbre the f.rll (sec pp
v o l .4 (l .o n r lon:F ir bcer r r cflj e b c r,1 9 9 5 ),p p . ] 1 3 ,2 2 7 rc f.4 6 , p. )2l .l n rhcS l avoni c
l5-l(r, lltl bclorv),rvlrilc Sr. Mrximtts tartght th,rt Athnt rvotrld not hrvc krst his inr'
trrrrsl.rtionof rhis rvtrrk.firund in thc Sll,..rrticllilokdlid (Dobrotolubie), rc (lrcek
nrortllin if he had obcycd (iod;rnd bccn nottrishcd fronr rhe trcc ol lifc (cf. (icn.
,rL'r,Jyvp'"oi(trlnsl:rrctlhcrc:rs bo<lilyhumors")is rcndrrcd.rs uoxpcrrr,r, which
l:9). St. (ircgorv of Nvsseancl Sr. (ircgorv of Sitr;rilistcd fcctling,.rs.r rrrrrrkol thc
nrc:rnsntoistttrcs.
l' St. l\4:rxinrrrs corruprion thilt cilmc int() cxistcttcc:tt thc frtll; horvcvcr,lt,rth of thcnr listc.l it tt,-
rhc(inlcssor,,,Lalrqrntn45: lt3 9l : l35lll.
l(' Sr. ( ihl, s os t < t ot, tcthcl rvith thc voiding ol botlilv wrstc. I:ronr thc srrntol'thc l)erristictc:tchingon
Jo l r r r H o rti l i tso tt (i u ti s 1 5 .1 4 ,1 f,.21. 7.1,17.30rI;(1.vol .74,
this rubjecr, wc crn concludc thar, whilc incorrrtpl nran tlid clt incorrupt lixrcl bc-
pp. l0l--]. 207, ))2. 1.18. Sr. N4:rximrrs rhc (lonfcssor,Anbigrun /t5; l'o
forc rhc firll. this c:rtingrvasnot thc sittttc:u rvhlt rvc knovv t<xlltvwhcn thc kxr,l rrn-
9l : l .l 5 3 l l .
1- St. frcnrrcusofLyons, I )tnrnt tt,tt iott of'theApo*li Prrachir,g dcrgocscorrtrption,rnd wlstc is cxcrcrcd-
)jl in idcnr. Oa rlr rr St. B.r"il tlrc (ircrt, Honil.y !)sphining l lttt (iol Is Nor lr ('ltttr' ol h'il 6t irt
tlpouolitl\uJiry (( lrcstw<xxl, N.Y.:Sr.Vlrrdimir'.s Senrinury l)rcss,I 997),p. 481 Sr.
(ircgorvof Sinrri,Ot Ootnnuultteur,t Docnircs8:ft lrhilokalia, iLlcn, Ot thL'l!unar Oondition ((lrcstrvootl.t'r-.Y.:Sr' Vlldinrir\ Seminarl l)rcss
vol.4, p.2l-).
rHSr.Athrnasirrs 1005), p. 73. St. (lrcgorv of Nvssr, Oz rfu Sotl nd tt Rtsut'ttttitttt. 1>p.464 65-
rhc()rctr, Oonntnury onth l\alnx (I'sdnt50:5);l)( i 27:240(lt). (
llcn, C)t thc I.orrl's I)uyo 4.2; Antiet t lltritt i,tn \Vrittrs, no. I li ($/cst nt instcr, l\4t1.:
St.(lrcqoryof Nysse,Or tlr hltkiqol/lln 17.l 3; Nl)Ntl2nrlSerics,r'o1.5,p.407.
Ncwnun l)rcss. 1954). p. 5ti. 5t. i\'hxinrtts thc (lonfcssor, Anltigttuu 1t5; l'o
Sr..fnlrn( )hrysostrrm . llonilieson Gtutis I 5.I 4; l:C, vol.74, pp. J02-3. Itrid.I lt.I lr ( )I : l 3 5 l l l .
lrC,vo i .tl 2 ( 1990) pp. , l0- ll .S t.J o h n [)a n rrs c c n cfs , :a ttL s posi ti on 2.l l , 4.24;1C ., rrSt. (ittrtis 17.41 Ii(1, vol T'i' p. 14.) St.
vol..17.pf. 2.1I,.194.Sr.N4rxinrus John (lhrvsrrstonr. Itonilits ott
rhcConfessor, Al / hdl,tssitltt Z1;in i<lcnt,On thc
(.ln i'trltrt.,'t ol16ro(-'lrrr ((lrcsrrvood, Synrcorrthe Ncrv l-lrcologien.hltial I)i'tour*'s 1.2;in On r,tl.vttital IiJi vol. l,
N.Y: Sr.Vledimir'sScnrinrryl)ress, 200.i), pp. 9(r ()7. Iclcnr.
pp. 27-2S. ldent, (.l,urhtitl l)irourttt 57, in [)i*tursts
pp. f {)9- f 0. St. Synreonthc Ne.rvl-lrcologi:rn , ( irctbttiu l I) ix.onlcr 2(r.4r in idcnr,
I:irsrCrcatul tllan, pp. ( , 91 92. I I L
7lr 1)rlrzrrro(Ncw Yrrrk:l);rulist[\css,l9tt0),pp. 2(11)-7(]. rr St. Athenasiusthc (ircet. Ol tlJ. I otrtttttio,tol tlr Vovl 3; NPNI', 2nd Scrics.
l" St. Svmconthe 'l hcolosian,I:lthiatlDistorosas l3; in idcm, Ot tfu Mytti.tl LiJi,,
vol.4, p. -11t.St. John Ohrvsostort. Honilies on (ienuis l7.l' 30r F(l' vol. 71r' pp.
vol. I ((lrcstwoo<|, N.Y: Sr.Vlaclinrir'.s ScnrinurvPrcss,199(r),p. 167. 'l hcoloqiarr, ()tttcltrtic'tl l)irouttts 25.4; it [)iv
r" St. 22.1. l3tt. St. Svmcon thc Nov
JohnOhrysosronr. Ot tfu Stttut'tI I .3: l)( i 49rI 221cf. N l)N 1..lsr Scrrcs, vol.
(), p. 414. Scc l)rrnrviotisNclllrs.Dcilirtion l?Xr:n'J,l). 169
lr CTrlm(Cresrwood,N.\'.: St. Vl.rcli- ri St. Nlirxinrttsthc (',<t lesxtr,Anbiguutn 45; I'}(l 9l: Il5lll. St. Svnrconthc Ncrv
tnir'.rScnrinlrr'l)rcss.l9tl7), p. 7.1. 'fhcologirn, (.''rtrclnial Djstorrso i.7, in l)iscotrrtts. p 97. Itlcnr, l:irt-(.tt'rtttd

r5
 'l'll li ()t{t H()t)()x \x()Rl) ( iRt._A
l t..t)lN lNcoRIt LJPt-t()N

Up u n t il t har t inr c I of r h c f]l l l th c v w c rc l i v i n g l i k c rngcl s i n P aradi sc Dcsirr nnd llrnsurt h(irc tfu Fnll
and so rhcy wcre not brrrning with desirc,not:rssrrulretl by othcr Pls-
originil condition, Sr. Symcon rhc Ncw Theolo-
Describingnrrr'r'.s
sions, not srrbjectt<l the ncedsof naturc, bur on the contrrry \\,crc
giln wriresthlt
crcrrte<l
incorruptiblc and inrrrrortrrl,:rndorr rhat accounr{r xny ritc
thcy had no nccd ro wcar clotncs... .
(irnsidcr, I ask you, thc rrarrsccnclcncc flcrv lust or nrovcrlcnt.or thc irmtionrrlnr,r.lncss :rtrtldcsircof rhc
of rheir lrlessc'd
condi-
stonr.rch, is ycr did lot irt all cxist,
lrttr in hirr IAclanrlwrs lifi'with-
tiorr, hol rhcy wcrc supcrior to all bodilv conccrns,how rhct, livctl
our inrernrrldiscold,and hisexisrerrcc wasfrccfrornp,rin.'"
on c:rrth as ifthcv rvcrc in hcavcrr,.rnrl though in ftct posscssirrg,r
bocly thcy dicl nor lecl the limirations of rhcil lrcdics.Aficr .rll, rhcv
Fllscwhere,rhc srlnrc Saint says that the fiuits in Paradiscaflirrdcd
hatl no nccclof shclrcr or hltritation, clorhinq or irnvrhing ()1'rhilr
flrst-crelrcclnlan with "indescribablepleltsurcrnd enioynrer)t."r"Irronl
ki n cl ... .
thesetrvo strtenrcntsit may be concludeclthlt, irt cxperietrcirrg "plca-
F,vcrything,you sec, He [(io<l] nratlcrrrri urrangcdso thlr rhrs
surernd cnjoynlent"irr creatcdthings prior to thc fill, thc flrsr htr-
ra ri o n albc ing { m anl c rc rte d b v H i rn h rd rh c g i o o df orrune ro bc of
nransdid not cxpcricnccirrltionll dcsircfbr rhcrl.
thc grcirrcsrirnporrrrncc,anclirr fronr bcing inlcrior to rhc lifc of-the
According to Sr. Maximus thc Confessor,at his crciltior')r'tl:ltlw:ls
lngels, cnjovcd in rhc lrorly rheir imnrunirv frorn strf]ering.l"
supposedto dircct his clcsircand longing not to creatcdthings bur to
(rilar,{) in Him:
God, and to find his grleastrrc
F.lsewhcreSr. John Chrysostom wrircs rhar, befbre rhe firll, Aclanr
rnd llvc
Vhcn (iod crc:rred Irum:rnnirturc,He did nor crclrcscnsiblcplea-
surcand plin .rlongwith in rarhcr,Hc furnishcdit with a ccrtrttt
irsin hcrvcn ancl rhcl.cnjoycd (iodl., conrpany.[)c-
livccl in [)rrrrclise
capacitl,firr plcasure,a plcrsurewhcretryhttrran bcing,t
spirirr,rirl
sire for scxull inrcrcoursc,conccpri()n,hbor. childtrirrh lnd evcry
would bc atrlc to cnjoy Cod ineffirbly.Rut togcrhcrrvith conr-
fb rm o f c or r upr ion ha c ll re c n b a n i s h c cfro l n r rh c i r soul s.... A r rhur
ing-into-lrcing,thc flrst rrran,by Lrscof his scnses, s<lulrrdcrcd
tlris
ti me th c r ewc r c no c it i c s ,e rl fi s , o r h o u s c s ....N c v c r thcl css,
nothi ng
spiritualcapaciry-thcrr,rrur,rl of the nrind firt
clcsirc ('od on scn-
cithcr thwlrtecl or hinclcreclthar haPPy lil'c, n4rich u,as far bctrcr
siblcthings. "'
rl ra n th is .r '

r8 Sr. Svnrcon thc Nerv I hcokrgirtn, (itd,ttttl I)i*tnnt )5.4: S(, I I.l:56
Ltu,yt.60. Scc.rlsoSr.Scrlphinrol Sirtl, '(irnvcrsirrion ol Sr. Scrirplrinr
of Serov (l'Xr5lr cf. idcnr, l)rr,zrnr'l, p. J(r9.
on rhcAinr of rlre(lhrisri.rnl.ifc."it I.irtb l?lrl'ti,uI'lilol',rlr. vol. l, 4rh cd. (l)larin:r, r') Scep. 25 bcLrrv.
(irlil.: St. Herrnenol Al:rskrr Erorhcrhrxrd,200lt), p. 9{). r') Sr. Mrxinrrrs thc (lonfi'ssor, Ad 'l/tttk'siurn 6l Oorpu Ohritti,t ttonrttt, Srrir:
r('St. ( lhr y s or r or n,
H o u i l i ti o n (i c ttc s i1s5 .1 4 ,1 6 .1 l, 7.l ; f(1, vol . 74, pp. (,rzrrz ((l(lS(i) l2:85 ('lirrnhout. Bclgitrnr:Rrcpttls/LctrvcnLJnivcrsirvl)rcss.1990)r
fo l rn
l0r l , :0 7 .2. t 2. cl.On rln (.itstttit,\t.rrtol,,p. l3lliclcnr, lhiotrs /i.rt: rn l hology, tlrl)it'im Ii,on'
r- St.
folrrr(lhrvsostonr, (h Virgi t.1,14.J. 5; in itlcn. Ot Vitqinity,lEtintr Rr ort.t,ltrl Vi rt ttMt llit 4.3.)-35, I lr I'hibfulid, vol. .l (l.ondon: l:rbcr itnti I:.rbcr.
r r, rn r,rg(lt .r : r v is r on,
N. Y . : lhc l i l w i n J \l c l l c nl l c s s . l 9 l .l .l ),p .21. l9ll l). p. 1.'t.1.

t6 t7
 I t .: ()tlf t t()t)()x \(/()t{t)
lbr St. Maxinrtrs,"plersurc"in irs fallcn courexris ir conrlrirration
of
scnsuelfi'cling arrda passit>natc
dcsircfbr l scnsiblcolrjcct:
ti,cry firlbiddenplcasurchusconrcro bc throughpussionarorrscd
throLrghthc senscs lry sonrcobjcctofscnsc....Fol tlcsircldclcclro
scnsurrl fcclingchrrngcs inro plclsLrrc.
giving ir a slrlpc,rrntlscrrsrnl
fcclingnrovcdbv dcsircproduccsplclsurervlrcnit is applicclto sonrc
objcctof'scnsc.'r
In thc writingsof .Sr.Syrnconand St. Mirxirnuson this srrtriccr, wc
scc rwo Flthcrs vieu,ing rhe sirrlc rcality fronr tlifkrcnr sidcs. St.
Sytncon,in savingtlrrr nrrn cx;rcrienced "plcasurc"in plrtlking of rh.
fi Lrirsof Flclen,wrs spe:rkingof plcasurcin cre:trccltl-tir-tgs
tttit/toutirrlt-
tion:rltlcsirefirr thcrn.St. Maximus,on rhc orhcr liirnd,in savingthar
nlrln wils not originllly crclrcd rvirh "sensiblcplc,rstrrc,u,rr,spraking
prccisell of plcrsrrrcL'ont of't1esirc. Frorl thc sunr of thc rcrchingsof
borh l"irrhers,we lrrivc at rhc fbllowing: in expcriencingplcasurcirr
crcatctlrhingsbctbrc thc firll, nran tlid not turn his dcsircrowilro rncrl.l,
but insterrdkcpt it clirectcd rowarcl (lod, rlre nltural objcct of his
clcsire.
Inclcccl,according ro a passlgc arrributeclto St. '['heodorc thc
(lrcrt Ascetich'l'lr I,bi/olealia,nran'senjoynrcntofcrcatcd things was
onc of thc wrrysby rvhich he coulcl raisc his nrintl to his Crc:rtor irr
Paraclisc:
'l-hcfirst nrlrr coLrlcl
indecrl.wirhout.rnr,lrindrrrnce,
rpprchcndund
cnjovscnsorv rhingsbv nrcarrsof rhc scnscs antl intclligiblcrhrrrgs
rvithrhc rrarri(nrind,inrcllcct).llrrrhc shouldhrrvcgivcrrhisrrtrcn-
riorrro the lrighcrrlthcr rhln the lorvcr,frlr hc rvesirsltrlc to conr-
rrruncrvirh intclliciblcthings through rhc zaro, rrshc rvusu,rtlr
sensort,thing. rhrotrglrrlrcscnscs. I do rrotsly rharAclirnroughrnot
'L St. Mrrxinlts tlrc (irnfcssor,,.llrlr(rrrrlr l0l in I tttth, i.l,t.,:jnu lx,(.ittfitttt,
100: cl. l'hiloltalit. vol. i. p. 277.
l6
CI {LAI ll[ ) I N I NcO I {RUI 'f l( ) N
to lr,rvcusc.l the scnscs,firr it wrrs not fbr nothitrg rhlt lre wirs itl-
vcstcd u'ith l botly. []trt hc shoulcl not hirvc indulqcd in sensorv
things. !(hcn perccivingthc belutv ofcrc,tttttes.he shoultl hlvc rc-
fcrrcrl it to irs Sourcc lncl ls a c,rnsc.lLtctrcclr,r"e ltrttnd his cniov-
nrcnt and his rvorrdelfirlflllcd irr rhrt, thus uiving hinrsclf.r rrvofoltl
rcls,rrrf,rr nr:uvellintriar thc (lrcrttor. Hc shoul.l tror havc rttt:rchccl
hinrsclf,rs hc rli.l. ro scttsorvthings lnd hlvc losr hintself in rvonclcr
:rr rhcrrr,ncglectinqthc (,re:ttorof itrrclligiblctrc:run'.
"
' l -hus,
thc pleilsr r r cit r sensiblcr lr inlis t hat I r t r n cot lld exPer icnccbc-
fbrc rhc fhll wlrs not il sclt--inclulgent, cgori5tic Plcasurc, tlot an etrcl itr
itsclf. Rethcr, it rvls onc lltcilns [)v rvhich nran cotrltl, in the wortls of
St. M;rximus, cxcrcisc his "spirirual crP.tcitv fi)r plclsttrc" ancl "eniov
(i od i ncffi bl v"
A s S r. Max inr us him self t est if ied,( iot l plenncd f ionr t hc beginr r ir r g
thrt man\ nrincl u'ould be ririscd to Hinrsclf lrv tlteatts of rhc sctrsilrle
crcatiorl, fbr in all crcltccl things ttnc cJtt flnd "trllccs" of His rnrtjcsr"':
'I'his
wls rhe pcctrlirtrplln of (lotl'.sconsttnrntatcg<xrdncsst not onlv
csscr
tl i d thc cl i vincat r d ir t cor por c. t l r of
ccs int clligiblct hir t gscot t st i-
rute represcntrltiorrs of (lod'.s inefl,rblcglorv, acquiring legirinlatclv
and proporrionallv rvirhin thenrsclvcsrhc rvholc irlcontprchensiblc
lovclincss:tntl inrtpproachablcbertLttv.bLrt, itt rtcldition, rr,tcesof
(lod'.sou,n n)riesr] inrr'rnringlctlrvirh scnsiblcrhings, things rhat flll
'l'hcsc rrrtcesof (lod's nlrticsrl rtrc
fir short of intcllig,iblcessenccs.
,rbleto trlnslrort thc hunratt rrolr, rvhich tlscsthcnl rtslt vchiclc' ttr-
fi l l i bl v to ( iod. "
tr St. Ilrcodolc thc (itc.tt Asecrie,Ilnnuilon:it I'lilok,rli,t' vol. 2 p 4/t.
r i S t . N l : t x i n r ttsr h e ( i r n fe sso r 'zl l l l ta l d ssi n n Sl ;( "( S( i 7 :.1 ') 5 ( l 9 tt0 ) ;i n l ) l tr l M'
Illrrrvcrs, l.rtgrv., ,rrzl Spiritual l\tl ryogvin illtiutrs th ()tfistor (Notrc l):rnrc, lnci.:
yt. U n i v c r s i t vo l N o tr c [) u r r r cl ) r css,I9 9 l ) . p . I l {) l cl . St. l r 4 l xi n r u s, Vti o tr t Ia x ) .') 6 '
l'/tih[alit, vol. 2. p. 2011.
r9
 t'l-tE oRf rJ()tx)x \f()Rt)
'l'lr
Conditiort o.fMnn's Mind bcforc tha f:all
I;ronr Sr. John Chrysosrom we learn rhat Adanr was originrrlly
clcarcclrvith "incflirblc intclligcncc,"which cndowcd him with the cir-
p.rbilin,to rranrc;rll rhc ;rnirrrllr((icn. 2:19-20), and wirh "prophctic
gr'.rrr'."wlrich cnrrblctlhirr to prophcsvlbour Evc after her crelrron
(( icrr.l:l.l l4). "
St. MaxinrLrs providcsus with furthcr insighrsinro the originelin-
tclligcnccof mirn,cxplainingrharthe hunrarrrlintl wasnot rouchcdbv
inr:rginarionbcforc rhe f.ill:
ln thc bcginning,passiorrarrdpain wcrc not crc:rtcdrt>gcthcr rvirh
rhc body; rror lbrgcrfLlncss
and ignorarrcc rogcthcrwirh rhc soul;
nor thc cvcrchrrngingim;rrcssions in rhc'shlpcofcvcnrswirh rhc
nrind.All thcscrhingswcrebroughtabourin m;rnbv his disobcdi-
encc....-l-henrind ofAdam at firsrw:rsnor inrpressccl
lrv the inrlgi-
nation,whichsrancls bctwcenthc nrindand the rhoughrs, scrringup
a wall lround rhe mind anclnor allou'ingir ro cnrerinro rhc musr
simpleand irnrgclcss csscnccs
ofcrelredbeings.r'
ln a sinrilarvcin, Sr. (iregoryof Sinai speaksof man'smcnrory irr thc
prelirps:rrian
stare:
-l he ncmory wrrsoriginallvsinrplelnd one-pointcd,
but:rsu rcsult
of thc fall its natuml powcrshlve l,ccn pervcrrcd:ir hls lost its
recollectcdncss in (locl and hasbeconrcconrpround
irrsrcirdofsrnr-
ple,diversificclinsrcacl
of onc-poinred.r('
'' St.J, r hnChr v s os r onHr,o tri l i e to u (i ,trc s i s 1 5 .1 2 ,1 5.14,
. l0 l -.1 ,2 1 8.S c eals ol4. lli . p . 1 9 0 .
15St. Muimus rlre
Oonlcssolqrrorcdin Sr. Nicodcnrus
lhtrlbookol .\pirtrn (.ot,tultNcw V,rk: l'.rulirrltesr, l.)lJ()).p.150.
'(' Sr. (ircgorv of Siniti, (ht Oonnanlnerts rnt I)ocnirtet(tO;in l,bilokdlia,v<>1.
p.2 2 2 .
( lRt r . Aflll) lN lN( ioRI lt JP'fl( ) N
St. Ma,rinus on Man's Origintl Conlition
A dcrailetl description of ntan'.scxistencc bc[bre thc lxll has bccn pro-
vidcd by St. Maximus in l'is Ambiguurn 45. F.xplaining a phrase of St.
(iregory thc I'hcologian-that tlrc flrst-crearcd nran was, befbrc rhc fall,
" n:rkecli n h i s sir nplicit y and I in his] lif c wit hot r t ar t s and skills ( r ir i2r qr ) ,
.--St.
and withour ltnv covcrirlg or Protcction" Maximus writcs:
So I strpposcthlt thc' tcitclrersaid rhcsethings wanting ttt ittcltcltc
rhc diflcrcncc bctwccn the tcn)Pcr.lnlclltof thc hunratr body in the
lncl that which in rtsis norv
firreflthcr Acllrr lrcforcthe trilttsgrcssioll
.cen lnd holds 5q'31',bccrtrtscback thert mrln clcarlv wrs not tort')
aprrr l)y quxlitics contratv to arrd corruptivc of circh otlrer in rhcir
bodily nrixrurc,but wasaccordinglt'rvithotttflux or efllux-an.l frc.
of tlre constantaltcrittionlrenvcenthcnt, dcpcnding on which qu:rl-
irv prcdorninarcs.For indccd nratrw,rstror dcprivcd of thc'irnrrort'rl-
iry thlr is by grlcc, an.l dicl nor h,rvccorrttptiotr rvhich norv rvhips
hinr with its golcls,trut irrrotlrcrtcnrper:rm.'ntof thc b.rdv nranilisrlv
befit hirn. :l tclrlpcranlcnthcltl rogethcrbv qurlirics th:lt rrc sinlplc
lncl without strifc'.
Iirr rcasonof this rcnrperlmcn( w:rs thc first mrtn nakc<i,not ls
ottc flcshlcssor bodilcss,t"but..ts ottc not hrlving thc tclllPc-r.rnrcnt
which mrtkcsthc flcsh clcnser,trtorral,,rnd tough. According to this
grelr re,rcher,thc flrst nran both livctl u'ithottt lrts lnd skills
(d,':ixvary\ rvithout dissiprrirrgthc nrttrrirl eo(,d health givcn hinr
atr.l *vls rvirlrottrnccd of plotccrivc cc,vcr-
oncc firr lll in lris cssctrcc,
ing, fe:rringno $hirnc bcc:tttseof his innltc disp:lssion,xnd not stlb-
jcct ro cithcr cold or hclr-firr which rc:rsonscspcciallytlre tncansof
16.16;| O,vol .74,pp. r; St. (ircgrrv thc l-hcolrgi.rn Oration 4511.1)(i.16:(;.]l(l; cf. Nl'Nl' lrrd Scrics'
vol. 7. p.425.
of rhc l{olv Mor.rntrrn.,1 Js St. Mlxinrtrs is hcrc rclirring a rcrrchingot ()rigcnisnr. lhc()rigcnists, belicvine
th:rt mrn rvasflcshless errclbodilcsslttbrt'the firll (sccp. 2.1'notc 40 belorv),wcrc apt
4, ro firlselyintcrprct thc.rbovc-qrtotcclphr:rscof Sr. (ircgorv tlrc Ihcologian to nlcan
rhrt mrn wiu originllly 'irakcd of flcsh.
 .t
t. t oRn-l()lx)x !(/oRt)
lrrolccrivcc()\,(ritrg,b()rlr shclter and clorhing, havc lrccn contrivcd
l i rr h r lr r r r ns ....
lirl bcirretlisplssionarebv gracc,he wils nor by way of plcrsurc
rrrovcrlbv rhc clcccirfulplssions of rhc inraginarion;:rnd exisrrng
rvitlrout any wilnr, hc was fiec o[ rhc obligation rt) r.rse
.rrrsanclskills
bccrruscof ncccssitvllncl bcirrg wisc, he had bccn by wav of knowl-
crigc scr :rbovcrhe stutlv ofnaturc.
-[hus thc flrsr nrrn had norhing
b*wcen him and God rl,hich
rvusobsrrucring his knowlcdgc rrnd which wls sropping lris nrove-
nrcnt towlrd God, rnovcmcnrsclflchoscnout of lov.,, f'rom bccorn-
ing :r kinship. And hcrrusc of rhis, he was called by rhe rcachcr.
"nakcclin his simplicirv," irs exisringlbovc lll rcscarchinro
nlrure;
a n d rv it h a " lif e wit h o L rrrrrs a n c ls k i l l s ,"a s b c i n g p urc ofal l l i f' ei n
nc-cclof irrrs lnd skills: rrnd "ra,irhourarry covcring or grrorecrion,"
sincc he wrs frcc'ofsuch impassioncdinrertwining ofthc scnsesrvirlr
scnsiblc rhings, to rvhich rhings hc wls jusrly subjccrctl larcr on,
rvhcn he fell shorr rhrough clcf'ecr-rvhcn hc of his own choicc,prc-
lerrcd to bccorncenrprv ofcvcrything rirrlrcrrhan ro bc full, rhLrsbc-
conring infcrior to rhosc rhings ro rvhich hc had naturrrllv ircen
srrpcri<lr.
" fi,rnrovork and indiclrcs a rinrc Ilpsc tre(rvccnnr,rn'scrclrion lnd his tirll llcrc it t.trr
From rhis citation ir is clearly sccn rhirr, fbr Sr. Mlxirnus rs fbr
ot h e r H o l y f r ar her s ,m a n l i v c d fo r a ti m c i n a n u n fal l en srarc, w i rhout
bo d i l y co r r upt ion and w i rh o u r rh e p a s s i o n s ,c a re sxnd neccssi ri cs:l sso-
c iatcd wi th hur nan lif c a s w c k n o w i r.' rr)
r'' Sr. Mlxintus
rhc (lonfessor,,4rrlrgtut ttt 45: It(l 9 l : l _l5lD- l .l5(rA.
rrrSonrc contcnrporer!,scholers,
citing rhc rvords of Sr. JVl:rxinrus quorcd cirr-
lier-rher thc first rnen nrisusecl
his spiriruirlcrrpacirv'rogcthcl with conring-rnto-bc-
inr:. \dp,a ;Qt livtoSar Ad Ikltisirn (rLsccp. l7 eb<rvclscc elso,4rrliguurt 4l;
I'(i 9l:l.j2ll])-h:rvc suggcstcdthat St. Muxinrus bclicved thcrc w:rs tlcvcr I rnc
rvhcn nran wirs in ln unfallcn st:rtc.'l his intcrpretltion. howevcr.doc,sn()( c()ncrrr
wirh nrhcr lnrtions ofrhc Sainr'.srcirching.In rhe lcngrhv p:rssagcfronr ,,1nbi(uutl
45 thet rvc huvc jrrsr<;uotcrl.Sr. Nllxirnrrs speeksof Adlnr'.sincorrtrpr, unfellcn srare
(ll{liAl-trl)lN lN(l()RRUI'll()N
St.Mnxintus and St. S;ymaonon \Ylnt Might Halr Bcen
Suchwas thc conclitionof ttranin rhc beginning.Bv clrawingcvcr
closcrto (lod in love. by naturally direcring his dcsireand longin!! to
Hinr rather rh:rn unnrturallv ttlrninf! it asiclcro tlrings of rhc sctrscs,
rlllul wASto bccomeever nroreholv ilnd spiritual' ever morc in the like-
ncssof(lod, rver more transfbrmedby the graceof (lotl. Flarlierwc
(luotedtlre wordsof St.John Danrascene that man was"to colrlplcrcthc
nrystery by lreing deificd." Fixpandingon th is theme, St. Max inrttsstltes
rhirt man, by freely following God's cotnnrandmcnt in F.den,wotlld
h:rvebcconrea deified"son of (lotl"-a god not bv nilturcbtlt bv gracc:
ln thc trcginningnlrn wascrciltedin thc inragcof (iod for rhc trn-
tloLrbtcd choicc,rntl of,rc-
pttrpostof bcingboln of thc Spiritby f-r'ec
quiringwhatw:rsin rhc likcness of(lotl throughkccpingrlre[)rvruc
conrmirrrdmcnt wlriclrhadbccnlaicltrponhirn. ltl thisrv:rytlrcslnte
Morcovcr, bv slryinglh;tr this stetc cxistccl 'ltlirrc thc tlllrsgrc\\ir'll
.ls:ln rrctrtllli(\'.
,rnd thlt Ad,rnt'.., conclitionwls ch.tngcd"lrttcron (iatoooi), rvlrcn hc lrltl irllcrr"'Sr.
i\4rxinrLrspllces his dcnilcd pc,rtrryrl of thc prclapsarienstittc rvithin :t tcnrporel
bc sccn thlt St. iVlaxinrus's tclching,docs in fact agrccwirh lhc conlmon ltltrtsrtc ttn'
dcrsranclingol rhc (lcncsis eccount.
lr is likelv th:rr St. Nlarinrrrssairl th;rt nrln nlirttscclhis spiritttirlc:rpecitv to-
gcrhcr rvith conlirrq-in(o-bcing"in onlcr to rcbrrt ()r'igettisriclcrs of .tn cxrcnrlctl
prcllpsuriln st,ttc ,trrrl of I ilottblc-crcltiori' oi nnn. (Accorcling to ()rigcn,
irrtclligcnccs[,de;] rverccrc;ttcdalicr ctcrnrl l)ivinc lirrrns rtnd corrtcnrpl;rrd (itrl
unril thcy trcc.tntc s:ttcd'rvith llinr.:rr which tirnc ther" coolctl dorvtt lo becontc
souls, lncl (;o(l crc:rtcdthc nratcriitlbodies,rnclscnsiblcworlti into rvhich thcv lcll
{c1.()rigen, fint I\'inciplcs2.It..11.)Vierving St M:rxinrttslsstirrenrcntin r}ris ligh(,
trirnslutorl)aul M. llkrrvcrshls intcrprctcd thc SlIint's.uordsto nrealt: I:allcnncsshits
hcen rhc rlilcnrnrl of hunrlnkin.l yitually fiont lu' lulinting" (St. M:rxinrrrs.Oa r/lr'
()x,ait lll),itrt'y.p. tl5, ntrc 10, crnph.tsisin the origirlll) St. M:rxinrttssrvords \o-
gcrhcr rvith conring-inrr>tting, thco. trc t<, be trnclcrstorxlin l rclrtivc scnsc' :ts
nrcrninq vcrvclosc to th,.'hcginnirrg. lir irrrcrprctrhcnl in ltrt rtbsolLltc scnsc.rtsde'
nvinq thc vcrl cxistence of thc st,ttc.
ptcl;rpsariett nrek.', tlo scnsc within thc contcrt
context.
of St. M.rrirrrusstltou{ht, lct elonc thc rvidcr Scriptttral/l)atristic
 'r'HIi ollr't.l()t)()x\foRI)
nrln would on rheone h:rndbe a crcrrurc'of(iod by narur.c,
and on rhc
o th c r r s on of ( iod u n d u q o rl rh ro u g l rrh e Sp i ri rb l ,gracc.Ii rri trvas not
possiblcirr anv othcl rvuvlirl nr.rl :rficr.his crclrrionro bc provctla son
,rl'(iotl antl .r gotl rhrough dcificarion by gracc, unlessfirsr bl,frcc
. lr,,it r' lr<lr.rdlx crrborn ol rhc Spirit th rough rhcsclf'-nroving:.rncl sov_
(rcrgn f o\ \ ' c f s hic h rra ru rl l l yL rn i re h
s i m rv i th Go tl .rl
Sr. Synrcon rhe Ncw Thcologian provides us with an irnagc of
rvhet lifi. would havcbcen likc if the flrsr pcoplehad firlflllcd rhcir
orisinrldesignrrion. "lmagine,"lrc.writes,
... rv hr r s or r of lif c a n d w :ry o [l i v i n q rv c n ri g l rrhavc had i f' rvc hl d
Irccn prcscrvcdincorruprible and irnntorral in err incorru;rt world.
going through lifi, manifcstlywirhour sin or sorroq fi.ccofcareslnrl
tuntroublctl.And irnagine, roo, how bv progrcssin kccping (iocl'.s
co n l ! landm c nt sand rh c p rrrti n gi n to p ra c ti c co fo u r g< l odi rrtcntrons
rve would havc bccn led trp in <lucrimc ro :l nlore pcrfccr glory ancl
transfcrrnrarion,
r{rawingnclrcr to God arrclro the rayswhich sprrng
fiom His Divinirl,. 'fhc soul of cach would havc bccomc brighrcr,
ancl rhc pcrccptiblcand rnarerill body of e,rrch.rltcrccllntl changed
inro irn imrnarcrialancl spirinral onc, inro sonrcrhingbcvond serrse
p crcepr ion. ' l
III. THs OnrcrNel CoNorrrot
or rue Cosuos
httristic Atcounts oJ't/te C'osrrosbcfore tb t:all
Ve havc alreadvquoted briefl1,fiorn .Sr.Syn:con'sdescriprionof
. arld varieryof fruit, fiuir rvhich is treversPoiledor lacking lrut always
the cosmosrhat man originallyinhabiretl.St. Svnreonis quire explicit
'l St. i\'{axinrrrs rhc (lolfissor, Antbiguunt 4Jl in Ncllas, Dd/ic,ttiort in Oltitt, 1.t.
I 19.
rr Sr. Svnreonrhc Nov 'l
heologian, I:thicdl Diy.nrrrsoI . I I SC | 22: l7(r-713;cf. Oa
rlt Nlyttiul Lifi, vol. I , pp. 22 ).\: l:irst,(.)attcd Man. yt. 88.
(:RLA'f t.]l) IN IN(I)RlluP f l(lN
that the entire visible crearion, and not only Paradise,was in a state of
incorruption before thc fall of rnan. He writes:
(lod did rrot, as sotrrepcoplc think, jLrsrgivc l)rtritclisc
to our ilnccs-
rors at thc bcginning, nor clid Hc n)irkconly Paradiscincorrtrpriblc.
No! Insrcad,Hc did nrtrch norc. Bcforc ParrdiscHc madc thc wholc
carth, rhc onc which wc inhabit , ancl cver lt hing in ir . Nor t hr r
alonc, btrr He also in fivc davsbrotrght tlre lrcl'crrs atrcl,rll thcv con-
rain into hcing. On thc sixth drv I Ic nraclcAclant lnd csrablishc.l
him rs lord and king ofall thc visiblc crcrttion.Neithcr llvc nor Prrr-
disc rvcrcyet crclrccl,bttr thc rvholcs',rrltl had bccn brottqht into bc-
i ne bv (l od. r s ot lc t hir r li,as: r kin<1of pr r adisc. lt ( ) nccit r cor r uPt iblc
yct rnrtcrial rn<l pcrccptiblc.It rvls rhis ruorld,ils rvc s.li(l'rvhiclrrvrs
given ro Adlnt lntl to his dcsccnclanrs firr their c'njovtnctrt.Docs rhis
secnrstrilnqcto vou? lt sht,ttldrrcr."
H erc S t. Sym eon is cchoing t he Visdont of Solom on, in which ir
is dcclared: "God did not nrtke dcath, ncither tlocs He take dclight in
rhe dcstrtrcti on of living t hings. G ot l cr ear ecl all t hings t hat t hey
nrighr hlve tlrcir bcing; and thc gctrerations of the worlcl wcre fbr
prescrvation, and tlrerc is no poison of dcstructioll in them" (Vis.
l:13-14).
According to St. Symcon, befbrc the originrrl creation wls
"changedovcr to corruption" it clid rrot "belr pcrishrtrlcfrLritsand . ' .
sprout thorns and thistles"(cf. Gcn.3:18)." Elsewhercitr thc sanlc
work, St. Symeon affirrns that (lod gaverlatr in Paraclisc "evcry kind
frcsh, firll of sweetness,and providing our anccstorswith indescrib-
ablc plcesureand enioyment. l-or it was fitting that their incorruptible
' 1 l bi rl .ri n On r h L'l. yt t i*rLif
l i, vol. I , p. 21.
r ltrid. L4: in ( h thc rtl.ysriall.i/i, vol. I , p. j8. cl. Fint'(.lrutnd Man, p. ll).\ '
'
z5
 t HIt oRf I toD()x !(()Rl)
bodiesbe suppliedwith incorruptiblefbod."'' In othcr words, ir was
appropriatc fbr incorrupt flrst-creltcd nrarr ro bc givcn both an envr-
ronnlerrranclI fboclthut corrcsPondcdro his contlirion.
Accortling ro Sr. .lohn l)arnasccnc,bcfbrc Adarrr arrcl Evc's
tr.rnsgressiorr "thcrc rvls ncirhqr rain nor tcmpeston thc earth."lr'
l:rrrrhcrtlctailsa[rorrtrlrc sratcof rhe crearion-in parriculirr,I)ara-
<lisc bcfirrc rhc flll .rrc providcd by Sr. (lregory of Sinai. Eden, hc
s:rvs,"has lrccn pllnred lry (iod with all sorrs of thc most fragrant
plants....Ir is alwaysburstingwirh fruir, both ripe and unripc, anclis
continuouslyblossonringwith flowers."Accortling to this Saint, Para-
tlise hls bcen "mlcle betwccncorruprion and incorruptiorr,"such rhirr
nrilture trccsand fruit "rurn into fi-agrantsoil, and do not givc off thc
oc rr of corruptiorr ls do plants of rhis worlcl. 'l'his occurs lrecauscof
the grcirt richncssanclholincssof thc graceeverabor-rnding there."'-
Anirutls balitre the l:all
From St. I'heophil usof Antiocli we learn rhar animalswcre nor
venonlollsbefbrcrhe fhll.'' Both hc anclother Holv Fathersraughrrhrr
beastsdid not evokc fcar in nran in thc prclapsarianworld, but rarl.rcr
subnrittcdto hirn. As Sr.John Chrysostonrobscrvcs,whcn the anirnals
came bcfbre Adenr ir: ordcr to rcceivcnames,"rhcy came in cornplete
subjectionto hinr irsro a nlasrcr.rntlaceeptc.lrhc rr:rnrcs,
whilc Ad;rm
'' Ibid. l.l ; S(l f l2:lttl; ct. On rht illstirul Lry', vol. l, p. ]G l:irsr-(.).eaprl
Matr
P. 9 0 .
1('Sr.
John I)lnrirsccne,I\,ttt l:lx2ositiort 2.10r NI,NI:, fnrl Scrics,vol. 9. p. 2tt.
Sr. (irc'gorv of Sinui. Oz (,lonnttt nttutt ,nd Doctriars l0: in l>hilokalia (in
'-
( i rc e k), vol. 4 (Arh cn s. l()7 6) , p. 12r c f . Pbik halia ( in English ) , v o l . 4 , p . . 2 1i . I n
<luoting thcsc rvords o[ Sr. (ircgory, Iir. Scrlphirr Rose norcs: "-l his passugcir cr,
prcsscd in thc prescr.t tcnte-hrctt,tt' tlt l\ralic itt u,l,ih ldau u,ai pl,rttl I sril/ in
rxirrcarc lTut is not visible rr otrr nornrel sensc()rg:lns'(fr ScraphinrRose. (r'r,rzrlr,
(,lrdtiott,tul l)dy Mtrr [)l.rrine. (]llif.: Sr. Hcrnr.rn ol-Alrsku Rrothcrhood, 20{)01,
P 4t4).
'l
'NSt. hcophilrrs
of Auioch,li Autolynrs
2.17;Artc-Niwr lirlrt (ANli),vol.l,
p. l{) l. qtroteti on p. 52 bclorv.
z6
(ll{liAl lll) lN IN(lC)l{RLJPl
l()N
had no fcar of thesewild beasrs.""'"Befbrethc fill'''writcs St. Jttlrrr
[)rnrascene."all things wcrc sutriectto the control of man, bcctuse
(lod had nradehirrrrLtleroverall thc thingson the carthlnd in the wa-
TC T.
As statedin (lcncsis l:-10,lr the lreginningof crcariorlCod indi-
c:lted that rll the animals wcre to cat plirtrtsrathcr thln e:rchorher:
'Antl to evcrybcasroltthe earth, and to cvcrv bird of the.lir, and to cv-
cry rhing thllt crcel)son thc cirrth,cvcrythingrhxr hasthc [rrcarhof life,
I h:rvegiven cvcry grccn plrrnt fbr fbod." I'ollowing fionl theservords
of Scripturc, thc Holy Fathcrscotrsistctrtlytaught th.rt animirlswerc
givcn plants to cat befbrc thc flrll.'l-hus,St.'l'heophilusof Atrtioch
\\,rotcthltt aninralswcrc not Prcdat()rybefirrcthc frrll,and that efier rhc
(iencrll l{csurrectionthcl' rvill bc "rcsrorcclto thcir oliginll gentle-
ncss."irSt. Ircnltcusof l-vonsttughr thc silnle:cotlll))cl)tingoll lsaiilh's
prophecyrhrt "tl.rcwolf shall feedwith thc larnb.anclthc lcoparclshall
lic clownwith thc vounggoat ... and tlrc lion and ox shallcit strawto-
gether"(ls.ll:(r-71 sceelso ls. ll:8-9, (r5:25),he rrfllrmcdrhrrrrhis
clln be sccn ro rcfer to the stlte ttfirttintrls both lrcfirrerhe irll and aftcr
the (ierrcral l{csurrcctiotr:
shotrld
Ir is right that rvlrenthc crcrrionis rcstorcd,all thc itninr:rls
olreyert.lbc itt subjcctionro nrln, an.{tevcrtto thc t<xrdoriginrllv
givenbr'(iocl (fi>rthcvhadbccrroriginrrllv subicctctlin obediencc to
Adanr),thrrtis,thc prodLtctions of rhcc,trth.'l
(lhrvxrstonr. HonilA ot (inois l/t.l'): l:(l' vol. 74' p. l()1. scr rrlso
")Sr. Johrr
1 6 . 4 .p . J 0 9 .
i(' St.
fohn I);tnusccnc, ll.v.rt l-.xfotitiott2.101 l:(1, vol -)7. p 2J'). Scc ilso st
Svnrconthc Ncw'f hcrrlogien,l:irst-(.lran'dMan, 1t.')).
i l S r . l l r c o p h i lr r so i An ti o ch , Ib tl u to l .yu t l .l 7 r AN l r vo l J, p l 0 l Scc r h c fr r l l
tluotatiorron p. 52 bckrrv.
il St. frcnlcur, ,4g,1nstItot'tics 5..1.1.ANltvol. l.p 5(r.1.St. lrcnrtcuslt()tc(lthit,
lrcsiclcsrcfi'r'ringto rhe originitl itrtd finel stetcsof rttrirnlls,this prophccv ol ls:rieh
ll:6-10 c.ln:rlso rcfcr to thc h:rrnronv lrcnvccn lirrrrtcrlv licrcc pcoplcs.trrd thc
Z/-
 THE ORTHODOX\fORI)
St. John Damascenelikewisespokeof animalseating plants before
the fall, sayingrhat rhen "the earth brought forth of itself fruits for the
use of the animals that were subject ro man."tr St. Gregory of Nyssa
observedthar plants were crearedbeforeanimalsbecausethey were to
serveas food for the animals.-''According to St. John Chrysostom,
God rold Adam that He had given planrsfor rhe animalsro ear so rhar
Adam, who had been placedas lord ofthe crearion,would not be con-
cernedabour how to provide for animals.tt
'fhe Fathersdo nor speak
of any kind of carnivoryexistingbefore
the fall. In the writings of St. Basil the Great, on rhe other hand, we
find an explicit reachingthat animalsdid not eat eachother, and fur-
thermorethar they neitherdied nor decayedin the first-createdworld:
Doubtless indeedvulturesdid not look aroundrheearthwhenliving
thingscamero be. For nothingyerdiedof rheserhingsgivenmean-
ing or broughtinto beingby God, so rhatvulturesmighrearir. Na-
rurewasnot divided,for ir wasin its primc;nor did hunterskill, for
that was nor yct rhe customof hurnanbeings;nor did wild beasts
clawrheirprey,for rheywerenor carnivores. And it is cusromary for
vulturcsto feedon corpses,bur sinccthercwerenor yet corpses, nor
yet their stcnch,so thcrewasnot yet suchfood for vulrures.But all
followedthe dicr of swansand all grazedrhe meadows.s('
rightcousin rhcChurch(,4.(arrir Hersitt 5,33).ln rhesanrevein,Sr.Cyril ofAlex:rn-
dria saiclrharrhc prophecvin Isaiah65:l7- l9 canrcf'erborh to rhestarcof bclievers
in the Churchof(lhrist irndro rhesrarcofrhe righreous beyondrhc (ieneralResur-
rectionlConncntary ou ltaith 5.(t).
tl Sr.
John f)amasccnc, ExactEtposition 2.10;F(1,vol. 37, p. 229.
'a Sr.Grcgoryof Nvssr,Or theMahingol/l/aa 7..j; NPN I-,2nd Series,vol. 5, p. -393.
15St.
JohnChrysostom, Homilio ott Gcneshl0.ll: FC, vol.74, p. 135.
t('St. Basilthc (lrcat, On tb Origin of'Huna
ry, Discourse2,6r SC 160:242
(1970);cf. Ot tlr Hrmot Conditiott, p. 53. Hereir mavbc noredrhar,whenSr. Ba-
sil'.s
brorher,Sr.Grcgoryof Nvssa, saysrhatanimrlshad"thepotcnrialofdying" (11,
rpit; rit ,uexaoAoSar
iJrap.n,), prcsrrmablyat their crearion(Cate&etia Omtiou 8),
28
( ll{[ All: l) lN lN( ( ) l( Rt l'll( ) \
Tfu Unknowability of the World balbre thc l'hll
Drewing frorn the Scriptu ral/Parristictesrirnonyon thc ittcorrtll)t
flrst-createdworld-its vcgetation,anintals,and clinrate-St. Ignatius
Brilnchaninov a Holy Fathcr of ninetcenth-century Russia,Provides
us with a compositcdescriptionthat is rcrnarkablein its derails.At the
silmc time, howevcr,he points out rhar knowledgeof the first-crearcd
world rcnrainslargelyineccessiblc to tts who know thc creationonly in
its corruptedstatc:
'I'hccrrrh, crciLretl, by God, did nor haveany dcfi-
adorncd,blcssed
cicncies.Ir wasovcrflowinliwith rcfincntcnr."Cod saw,"after rhe
conrplctionof rhc wholccreltionof rhc worlcl,"everything rhrr Hc
hrd nraclc:ancl,lrehold,it wasvcrygood" (Gen.l:-] I ).
Now thc earthis prcscnrccl to otrr evcsin a cornplctclv diffcrent
look. Wc do not krrow hcr condition in holv virginirvlwc knorv hcr
in the conditionof corruptiotrand lccursedncss, ruc know her ll-
to brrrninglshc was crc,rtcd fbr crernity.-I-heGod-
rcaclyscntenccd
inspircdu,riterof Gencsis srysrharthc carthin itsoriginalcondition
did nor h,rvenccd of tilling (Clen.2:5): ir broughrforth by itself
gririns irnd othcr nourishing grrsscs,ucgctablcsarrclfruirs
'l-herewere no hlrmful
ovcrabundlntlylnd of supcrb worth.
growtlrson il platrtswcrcnot subicctcd citherro clecal'orto discases;
hc docs not ncccssitrily contradict St. Ilesil. ftrr hc docs not sav that lninlals:rcrtrallv
dicd :rnd dccevcdltcfirrc thc fall. ln thc contexr of thc contnron l)atristictclching on
rhc incorruprion of thc lirst-crcatcdworlcl,,tnclon dcetfr:rn.l corrttPtion cntcring thc
cosnrosonlv at the fill (of rvhich nrorc rvill bc s:ri<l[>clow),Sr. (ircgorlis stltcnlcnt
cln bc rrndersroodto rcfi'r to:t potcntiel th,tt:tnirrulshld bctbrc tlrc firll' btrr thlt rv;rs
not exprcsscdin acttralrcrms ttntil lficr rhe f-,rll.Simillrlv, whcn St (ircgiorv.pc.rk',rI
aninrlls lxing cndowcclwitlr ,rttritrtttcssttch :rs courlgc lnd fe,rr "Rtr 5qlf-Pmscrva-
rion" lOn tfu trl,rhing of Mtr ltl.2), this c,rn bc sccn to refer to tlualirics rlrirt (iotl
g:lvc(hcm irr llis firrckrrorvledgc, :tsit provision fbr thc corrtrptc.lsrltc ofthe cosrnos
lfrer rhc fill. Ihis intcrprct.ttion ofthe stltcnrcnt is corrotroratcclby rhc discussiott
prcccclingir. whcrc St. (ircgorv is relatirrghow (lod cnclorvcdnrln wirh thc rrtrilr-
utcs o[anirnuls "by thccxcrciscof His forcknorvlcdgc"c'f thc fill (ibid. 17.4).
zr)
 'I H t-:ORt H()tX)X WOt{t)
both clecay anddiscnscs, nnrlrherveeds rhcmselvcs, appcarcd lficr rhc
altcrarionof thc clrth fbllowingthc firllofrlln, asonc oughrro con-
cludefrorrrrhc rvordsol'(iod ro Aclamashc w:rsbcinqcxilcdfrorrr
I)rrrrdise:"'fhorns and thisrlcsshallir Irhc urouncl]bring fbrtir ro
rhcc"((lcn. .1:I tl). Accordingro irscrcariorr, rherew.lson ir only rhc
splcndid,only thc rvholcsomc, rlrcrew:rsonly rlrrrrvhichwassuitablc'
firr rhc inrnrorralrncl lrlessedlilc of irs inhabiranrs.(lhangesin rhe
wc.rtherdid rrorcxist:ir wascontinu:lllyrhc r1n1c-1hgnrostclcrrr
rrtrdfivorable.I hcrcrvcrcno rrins. A springcarncfirrth fronr rhc
errth and wrtcredits fircc((ien. 2:5-6, Scpturgint).'l'hc bcastsrncl
othcr arrimxlslivcclin perfecrh,trnronyanrorrgrhenrsclvcs, nt>urislr,
ins rhemsclvcs orrplanrlifi' ((icn. l:-)0).('
Fr. SeraphimRose,who exrcnsivclyrcs€archedrhe l)arrisrictcrrch-
ing on thc condition ol crc:rrionbefbre the fill, statcd along wirh St.
Ignrtius that we do rrot know "preciselywhat rhis srarewas and thaf ir
is "very nrysteriousto us who Iivc enrirely in corruption." "lr is
cnough," hc wrotc, "fbr us to know that Paradise,and rhe srateof thc
wlrole creation bcfbre thc fhll of Adam, was quire cliffcrenrfionr rvhlr
wc know now."'"
A similrr obscrvarionwas nradecirrlierin rhc rwcntierhcentury by
Sr. Barsanuphiusof C)ptina Monasreryin l{rrssia.Oncc, whcn stand-
ing befbre a wintlow ar nilihr, St. llarsanuphiLrs pointed ro rhe rnoon
rncl saiclto his disciplc (the futurc F)ldcrNikon):
l-urk-whar ir picturel... I his is lcfr ro us as:l consollrion.lr'.srro
wondcrthrt thc l)rophcrDavid srid. "'l horrhrs gladclcncd mc, ()
l-ord,by 'l'hy rvorks"(l's.9l:3). "'l'hou hrs ghddenedtuc." he says,
alrhouglrthisis only rrhinr ofrhar rvonclrous bclutv.irrconrprchcnsi-
blc ro hurrrlnrhoughr,which rvasoriginallycrcirtccl. Vc doni knou,
i- Sr. IgnrrirrslJrilnchlninov,Honily ot rtrlrlr(in
Russian)(Moscorv:lll:tgovest.
2{)0 l ).p . 19.
rx Fr.Ser:tlrhinr
fLose,(,i'rrrlr.()tatiott ttd Drly tll,ot,pp.41i,.\29.
Jo
(lll[AI lr.t) lN INCORIiLJPI I()N
what kind of nroorr tlrerewrs therr,whar kind of sLrn,whar kind of
l i ght.... A l l of r his chanqcdaf ier t hc lill. '''
A r anothcr t im c St . Br r r sanuphiusr old his spir ir uir l childr er r t hat we
seeonlv "fiagrne nrs" of thc original, incorrupt cosnros-rl cosnros thtr
has been shattered bec:ruseof mirn'.ssin:
-l-hc
clrrh is r placcof lranishmerrt,ofcxilc. l]or criminal uctspcoplc
rrc condenrncdro hrrld labor-onc fbr rrvclvclerrs. onc fbr fifrccn
ye:tts,rnd lnothcr pcrrnancntl'',trnril dcath. llc roo arc guilrvl wc
hrvc sinned lrcfbre thc Lord, ancl wc'rc condcmncclro banishnrcrrr.
to hlrd labor'.Btrt thc [.ord is so cndlcsslvloving rhar c,,'cnin rhis
placeof banishrrcnt l-lc hrs lcfi us nrrrchbcltrry, nranv delighrsrrnd
consolrrtions, rvhich lre cspcciallvundcrsroodbv arristicallysensrrrre
tcmpcrr[lcnts. 'l hc beaurifll rhings of rhis world lrc onh, hinrs of
thrtt bclrrry rvith whiclr thc lirst-crcatcdworld rvrrsfillcd, us Acl;rrn
:rrrclF-vcsaw ir.'l'hrt beauty w:rsdcstrovcdbv rhc sin oirhe firsr Pco-
Plc
lntagine a marvclous staruc by a grcat nrlstcr-and sudclcnlr',
l i kc a rhundcr bolt , sonr concsnr r shcsir . Whar will r cm ain of ir ?
Fragmenrs.\(c cln pick thcm up; wc cirnsclrch our the ncck, l por-
ri on of l n ar m , or t hc f acc.I ndicat ionsof r hc bclur y of r hc lincsar c
preserveclin rhescsep:rrarcfragnrcnts,bur thcv no longcr producc
ftrr trs thc fbrmcr harnronl,.rhc fbrnrer wholcnessand bclury. I'hus
;rlso tlicl thc f:rll into sirr of thc flrsr pcoplc <lesrrovrhc bcrrtrtl,of
(lod'.sworld, arrclthcrc rcnnin to us orrlv fr:rgnrcntsot ir by rvhich
u'c nrlv jrrclgcconccrning thc prinror<lialbcaurv.""
As lrr. Scraphim l{ose pointed out, thc nrlture of rhe flrsr-crearcd
world cannot lrc invcstiglted without rhe aid of [)ivirre revclrrion, firr rr
'') Victrrr r\firrrrsicr'.I:.//tr I),trvnupl,iut ol O2ritu ll'fu,int, (l:rlil.: St. []crnrun ol'
AlaskulJrorhclhrxrcl. 2(X)0),p. 180.
"" l bi d..p. 4 61 1.
 l Hu ()Kfl lolx)x s(/()RI) (]REATIII)IN INCoRRLJP-I'IoN

diffcrent"law ofnature" (in rhc worclsofSt. Synreonrhc New Theolo- pcrfectedstate.Sincethe visiblecrearionwas made for man, according
gian) existcdbeforcthc fhll, and it is vcry likcly that evetrthe tratttrcof to Cod'.secorromyit was throughman that the creation was to reach
m.rrrer was difhrenr.t'' "I'hc incorruprion of the f.irst-crcntcd worlcl," this final condirion.lbssessing both boclyand soul, man was the link
he wroIc, bcrween thc originally incorrupr nrarerialvvorltl ancl rhe noeric,
spiritual world of thc angcls.As hc bccrrnc spirirualizrcl:rncldivinized
is beyondthecornpctencc oflnaturrl] scicnccro invcstiglrc....Tlrrrl by drawing closerto (lod, man was to leadall of crearioninto such ,r
at I tbort iri ObvioLrslv,
l,ou,do ur hnou'tn_ytltitrg Clodhrs
bcc.ttrsc contlition as well. St. Maxirnus rhe (lonfessorwrites conccrning rhis
revcalcd somcthingof it ro us throtrghrhe SrcretlScri;tturc.Iltrr wc orieinalcallingof man:
know,also,... that (locl hasrcvealcd sonrcthingbcsidcsrvhatis irt
'fhrough
rheScriprurcs.... St. (ircgory ofSinri ud orhcrHoly Frthcrs ofrhc rrlilc idcnricalin cvcrvw:ryrhroughvirtuc'rl,ithrhatof rhe
highcstspirittrallifc behclclthe first-crcated worldin rhc*rre ol Di- ,tngcls,
so fir ls thrrtis possiblcro humunbcings,nrarrrrrrirc's hc:rven
t,ittcuisiortlAeopia),which is beyond all n:rrurrl
l<norvlcclgc."l andcrrth.nr:rking rhcrvholcofsensiblc crcerion oncrvirhirsclf.rn.l
tunclivirlcd,
nor sepirilrcdlocllly tiorl hirn :rrlll irr lnv of irsclirncn-
Howevcrwe may reSlard thc flrst-crcatedworld whcther we call it sions,sinccnranlrecorncs ls subtlcls sPiritlrrd is no longcrticclto
"incorrupt" (as do rrrlny Fathers)or "nrade betwccn corruptiolr lnd earthby anybodilywcight.'"
incorruption"(in the phraseofSt. (iregory of Sinai) wc can siryfor
cerrain rhat thc condition of rhe "very goocl"((icn. I :.31) prelapsarian Hlving thus united the whole ofcreation, nran was callcd "ro unirc,
world as rcvealecl in rlic Holy Scripturesand in the rcusennrspatrun is tlrrough lovc, crcarcdnrrurc wirh UncrelreclNarurc ... showing thcnr
11,,/rhc sanlcaswhrt natural scientistsstudy in thc fbssilrccorcl,which to bc onc ancl the same rhrough the posscssionof grace,rhe wholc of
is a recordofsuflcring, violence,anclblootlshcdlof animalstlevouritts creationbeingwholly pcnerretedby the whole of(lod.""'
r-achothen ofplant and aninraltliscrse;ofthe dearhsofall kinclsof liv- Summlrizing rhis te:rchingof St. Mlxinrus, Vleclimir l-ossky
ing rhings,including nr,rn;and, finally,of thc clccey(corruprion)of writes:
borh plantsand animals.Accorclingto the Scriptural/Patristic te:rching
on prelapsariirnincorruption, thcn, thc fossil record rnust be placcd, It rvls thc [)ivinclv rppoirrtcdfirnctionof rhc firsr nran,rccording
historically,ay'rr the f.rrllof men. ro Sr.Maxinrus, to unircirr hinrself
rhervholcof'crcatcd bcing;and

Man\ (.)nlliry to Daifi tfu Cosmos " !S t. l \{ rri ntLrs thc ( ir r r f cr sorAr
. t bis uD 4l: I '( l 9l: l. l{) 51) l. l{) llArcf . l. out h,
L'l,txinnt tlv Oofiusor,1t.l5ll; Ncllus,I)ufiurion ir Olrit pt.212. lr is clcer lionr
worltl wls nracleincorrupt in rhc tregin-
Alrhough tlre flrst-crearecl thc con(cxtrharS t. M axinr t r is s spcuking hcr cof r hc or igir r r r .l r llingol nun, sr ncc
ning as w:rsman, ir was-agein like rrran not crcatcdin its final and rhis prtssitgc fills rvirhiu un exposirionon nnn'.scrcurion,inrrinsicpurposc.fillcn
srltc, rnd srlvltion by Ohrist.SLrchis tlrc intcrprcrlrionol rhis plssegcgivcn bv
Vlrcfinrir Losskvh I/n: M.yttitt/ llrulogy ol rlt lixtcnt Cbucb (l.ondon: .lrnrcs
(i'rtr'.ri, (.lruttiott,url l')rly Mrn, p p . 4 l 5, .j 29.S t. S vnrcon (llarkc& (ir., 1957rrcprinr,(lresru,rxxl, Ncn Vrrk: Sr. Vl.rdinrirls Scnrinulvl\.css,
"l lrr. Scrrlrhinrllosc,
rlrcNcu f-hcoltrgirrn. Iirir-()attul tllrr, pp ttl ti.1. 1997),pp. 109-10 ,quor cdin p. r r t[ >cl<r w
()f:1 . ] 08llrcl. Nclles,1) r 'llir iarnait ( . |f it , p. 2l\
"r [:f. Scr:rl)lrifnllrrrc, (,i'rrrTlr,(.)n'atiort,twlDrtl.t'il'lan, p p .4l l t.4l 5-16. " ' l bi tl .;I' (i .

l -]

I I l l : ()l { l l l ()l )()X \(()R t)
ilt thc \xnlc tinrc to rclch lris pcrfcct ttniorr with (lo<l antl rhus
l l rx|l r r llc s t . r t c , r f c lc i fl c l ti o n to tl ]c w h o l c c rc a ti ou.... l \4l n had
o n l v ro giv e hinr s c llt o H i n r l G o d l i tr :t c o n rp l e tclbandotrnrcntof
Iovc. ,rnrl (hus return to Him thc rvholc crclred ttnivcrscgltlrcrcrl
r()gcthcr irr his orvn being. (lod Hinisclf rvould rhcn in l-lis turn
havc givcn Hirrrsclf ro nr.ln, who would rhctr. in virtue of rhis gift,
thar is ro sly bv gritcc,posscssall that Ood posscsscsbv natttrc 'l lrc
dcific:rtionof men rncl of the rvholc crcatctlttniversewotrld rhtrs bc
rcco nrplishcd."'
IV. Tne Errecrs oF rHE FALL oN MAN
'l-he()trraption
of Hurnan Mrntrc
Such wrs man'.slofry original calling. Bur aswc all know and t:xpc-
ricnceevcry da1',the first nran fell fronr this statcand brought hirlsclf
and all of creirtioninto a statcofcorrupriotrand dearh.ln partakingof
thc fruit that God h,rd lorbidden him to cat, In:rn actcd in I w:tv con-
rrary to his own natrlrc,which had bccn crcated"very'gootl" by Gocl.
As Sr. Muimus writcs:
[Jutmrn di<lnot nrovclround rlrc Unntovctl-l nrcanGod-as his
to.lo; but o[
orvn principlcin the rvly tlnt hc rv,rsn,ttttrlll;'crcarcd
hisorvn frccwill, scnsclcsslyrrndin :t nrlnncr corltrrlt\/to nltttrc, he
nrovcdaroundthc rhings bclow hint, ovcr which he ha.l bccn ap-
pointcdbv (locl to rulc.""
t'\ Lossk,r', I lttologv, pyt. 109-10. Scc rrlso Ncllts. l)rification in (lttisr' p1t.
'll.ystic,tl
i4,57, )l) l-1. 2l9r St. Mrtirnus thc ( lonlcssor,Aubisunt 41, in l-otrth, lli-rirrrr.'
r/u, (.infiixtt: p. | 58.
r"'St. N'lexinrrrsthc (lonfcssor,Anbiguunt 4lr in Nclhs, I)tifitdtiott iu (llnist. yt.
2 l 3.
(ll{ll-AItlD IN IN(l()Rl{tlP',l
l()N
Wirh thc entrartceof sin rhrough thc fiee decision of Ad:rm rnd
l-vc, hrrnrln n:rtlrrebecrlmccorrtlPted.St. (lvril ofAlexandril rvritssof
rhis es fbllows:
'l'hc fbrcirrhcr rhcconrIrlindnrcut givcnlrinr,
IAd.rm],try rreglcctitrg
srruckout lg:rinst(iocl ltrd subnrirrcclhinrsclfto thc cflccrsof Di-
vincwmth:" fbr hc slippecl .lown int,rcottrtption.'l'hctrw:rssin :rlso
drivcn into thc nilture ,lf nr.tn: thus 'ittrtnv rvcte ntatlc sinncrs
(l Lonr. 5:1 9) , t lr . r t is, t hosc t hr oughor t r, r ll t hc car t h. . . . lhclt cc-
firrrv;rrclplclsurcsancl filrhincssinv,rdcdthc tt,rrrtrct,f thc flcsh.ancl
rhcrelrosc tlrcn the s:tvrtgc llq'in our lllclllbers.()ur naturc thus llc-
bv sin rhrotrgh the disotreclicnccofonc, rhrt is' of
c,rrrr.'cliscased
Adrrnr. HcnCc all rvcrc nradc sinncrs. n,rt J\ i(Ftr.ln\8[('\ror\ \\,ith
Adanr (fol rhcy did not vct cxist thcn), [.rutbecirttscrhcv wcre of his
naturc,w l rich hat l f ir llcn ut r clert hc llw of sin, . . . lt r At llnr ht t nr ir n
n:rrurc bccrnl( sick rvith corrtrPtiorr througlr clisotrcdicncc'lnd
entcrcd in."n
thcrcforcthc passiotrs
A r the fhl l, Adanr and F. vc: t ct luir ed a t endct t cy or inclinlt ion t o-
w ard si n, antl all r heir t lescendant sinhcr it et l t lr at inclinat iot r . ln r hc
" l ) u c t o c o n tn r o n n r i sco n ce p ti o n cttttttr s n i tr g th c l l i b l i c,r l tcl n r "u r l tl t o f( l <tl '
( j o h r r . l ; 3 6 . l l o r n . l :l l l . |p h . 5 :( ', tr c.) ,.t cl l r i fvi n g n o tc n ti tv b c i n o r tl cr h cr e . Ac-
colding to thc tcrchirtg of thc lirrthcls,r'ctcrcnccs to (irrtls rvrlth rhotrld rr,rrbc rrn'
in :tn itnthroponrorphie scnsc. Sl..John (lhrvsostonr cxpleirts: \Vherr votr
tlcrstrxrd
heer'*rrrdssrrches anqcr',tn.l rvretli u"cd itt rclltion to (locl, Llo ll(tl sltPP(x( tllcrc
is:rnvthing httnrrn nrcent itr thcnt.... Scripttrrcsitls (iocl Ectsrtngr\r.not ilttribtrtirlg
p.rssiorrto Hinr. btrt erPrcssing, Ity this Lrrrgrng. Hir Ptrnisltirtlllctiorr' ,rn.l nt,tkirr{
en irnprcssiontrn.lcnsc nt,tn (St. lohrt (ihrvsostorr, Ilonilv ott l'itln ('. Honil.l'on
t\aln 1,1;l'('' 55:7ll], l90l| cl..ile n, ( )ornrwttt,rryott tltt l\tlut vol l Il]rrxrklinc'
l V a s s . :H o l y ( l r o ss ( ) r th o d o x l ) r css,l 9 9 l tl , p p .9 5 ,2 6 6 ) .
t't Sr. (lvril ol Alcxendril, (.itrrttttottur.yott l?on,rui 5:lll 1n I'(i 74:7ltlt(l 7ll')llr
cf. fohn S. l{onr:rnitlcs, Ilr Annstntl .\lrr (llidgcwood, N.l.: Zcphvr.2(X)l) pP
.33 .14: Vlrrdirnir lvloss, /l,r ltlytury ol lifunptir, ([]nsl.rnd: St. Miclrrtcls I'rcss.
2 ( X ) 4 ) .p p . I l . l 1 4 .
l5
 t Hu oRl H()Dox \(/oRt) (llLt'-A
l tr-t)lN IN(pRltUP l l()N

wordsof St.(iregoryPalamas, "Vhcn Adam lell by rurningasidefrom St. Gregory l)alanrascallsfbrth thc sameimirfle:
gootlto evil, no onc rernainedli.e.,amonghis descendants]
who was
"t"'
not inclineclto cvil. Ilcfirlcthc t ransgrcssion, r\d:tntshlrcclin th is[ )ivincillLrminirtiotr ,tnrl
brilliucc. Hc w.rs clothcd in thc truerobc of iilorv *':rs
rtn,'l t'tottrrked'
TbeLos oJ'Grnct:Spirimal Deatlt nor rvnshe uglv in his Irlkedncss, bttr rvls trult'ttnspcaklblr'trctcr
Because of rhe corruptionof his natureat rhe fall, man losr thc ad,rrrre.lth,urrhoscrvhorvqrrclildctrrs enrbellishc.l rvith mLrchgoltl
graccin which lre had beencrc.irted.He becameseparared from God. anclprccious stotrcs.... ( )ttr hunratrttltttrcrv:rs strippcdol rhis[)ivinc
(lracewas now fbreignto his narure,and so it dicl not dwell rvithin illLrnrinrttion lrr.l racliltrce as,trcsttltofthc ttglyrr,rtrslircss iotr''l
hin.rrs ir had befbrc.As VlaciimirLosskyexpleins:
This 'stripping of gracc"cotrstitutcda kirrtl of spiritualclcathirl
'l'hcrc is no longcr
l placefbr uncrcatcdgracc in a pervertcdnirrurc flrst-crclteclman. In thc lrrxrk of Ccrrcsis,(]od told Acl:rnr:"()f thc
rvhcrc, according ro Sr. Crcgorv of Nyssn,the nrind like r nrrrror rrceofthc kno\\'lcdgcofgoocl antl evil thott shllt tlot car:fbr in rhc dxv
turncd rbour, insrcadof rcflccringi(iod, receivcsinro itsclf rhc inralie th:rr rlrou catcstthcrcof thou slialt surclv dic" ((len. 2:17). ln fact'
of fbrmlessmlrrcr, whcrc rhc passionsoverrhror.r,thc original hicrar- Adanrdid nor phvsictll)'dicon thc dav he ltc frorl rhc trcc.Accorditrg
'['hc
chy of rhe lrunran bcing. deprivlrion ofgracc is nor rhc ciluse, ro [)arristicteaching,httwcvcr,(iod'.swords wcrc trtle: Adanr /lzlrlic on
but r:rtherrhc conscquenccofthc decadcnceofour narurc. Man hls rhc dav he atc thc fiuir. Hc expcricnccdrp iritunldealh thc dcath of his
obsrructcd the ficulty in hinrsclf krr communion with God, has soul. As St. (iregory l'alamaswrrtes:
closcd up rhc way bv *hich grrce should hrvc pourcd oLrt rhrough
H i m inr o r he whole c rc a ti o n . It wasindccdAdrrn'.s stttrlthardietl bv bcconringthroughhis tritns-
grcssiottscparltctlfrotn (iotl; firr botlily hc cotrtinttctlto livc :rficr
St. John Danrascenc. who as wc have seen said rhat nran was rlrarrirne.cvcnlirr Irinchttnclrccl:tndthirty yclrs. '
"wrrrpped abour" with (iod'.s grrrceat his crcation, sayslarer in the samc
work that man wils "srripped of grace" at the firll: LllscwhcrcSt. (iregory l)allmls cxpoulrdsfirrthcr on what is tncant
by thc dcathof the soul:
And so, man succumbcdro thc assaulrol'rhe dcnron, thc aurhor of
cvil; hc failcd ro kcep rhc Crc:rror'.s
conrnr:rndrncnrlnd rvls srrippcd 'l'hc dcathof thc soLrlis rvhcn(jocl lclvcsrhe soul itrrdis seP:lrltcd
of gncc and deprivcdof rhat finriliariry which hc had cnjoyed wirh
inrnrortll.Orrcc
fionr it, althoughin atrorherw.ry',thc sottlrenraitrs
( locl.-l

' ' :S r. (i rcsor y

Halt r ly 16. . \ 9, h Honilit s vol l, p 207. SccSt . John
I 'r l. t nr r s,
("'St. (ircgory (lhlysosronr,llotnilit on (btais 16.14(lr(1,vol. 74. P. 216)' rvhcrcit is,rlsoseid
Horii[, l6.llr in idcnr,l]ouiliu, vol. I (Sorrrh(llrnaan,
l)irlirm:rs,
l)a.:Sr.-likhon\ ScnrinrrvPrcss. 2t)02),p. l8(r. thlt nrrn rvus'srrippcdof gncc" at rhc frll
-I' Losskv.Myttital llrologv I Sr. (ircgtrrv l).rlrnrls, 7,,rltt lvlot l?nu'rtnl Nuu Xain 9. io I'hilulalia, vol 4' p.
1t.l-12. (lf. Sr. (ircgorl of Nyssn,Ou rbe lValtirtgof'
t r lan l ).1 0 ; Nl' NF . 2nd S c ri c sv,o l .5 , p . -)9 9 . 21Xr;cf. idcnr. l'rtttir on tfu SpiritualI'ili (lVlirrrrcepolis: l.ighr .rnd l.ifc. 1995).p
-l
St.Jolrrrl)rnr:rsccnc. I:)xtctlirposition .\.1;I;O,vol. -17,p. -267. 40.

)(, t7
 -fHIr.ot{ t()tx)x woRr) (llLl|Al Et) IN IN(]OI{RUP f ION

scparltcd frorrr (lotl ir bccomcsnrorc uglv and uselcssthan a dcird

inrnrcdiarclr,,he [Adam] rvrs strippcd of his incorrupri[.rlrvcsturc
boclr,,bLrr unlikc srrch r trody ir tlocs nor disintcgrarclficr dc:rrh
and glon', lnd clothed u,ith thc n:rkcdnc-ss
of rrrort.rlity.On sceing
si n ccit is nor c onr p o s i te .' '
hirlsclf nakcd, hc hid hirnsclf and servedtogethertig lcavcsro wr:rp
'l around hi s waist in or del t o hidc his sham c( ( icn. . ) : 7) . - '
l rc dc r r t h of r hc so u l rh a r n rl n s u fl c re d a r th c fal l di d nor, how -
o'cr, dcsrroy,thc inrirgc of'(]od in hinr. St. (iregory Palamaswrites tlr:rt
St. Maxinrus explic:rtcs this teaching as firllows:
t lrc hunr:rn sorrl

posscsscsrhc irnlge of(lod inrlienlblv, cvcrrifir cloesrrorr.ccognizc In nor rvi shingt o bc nour ishedbv Hinr I G odl, t he f ir sr nr an r ighr lv
irs
orvn digniry,or rh ink lnd livc in u nranncrrvorrhyol rhc (lrcaror'.sinr- fcll away fronr thc [)ivine lifi',:rnd took dcarh as rnorhcr parcrrr.Ac-

agc wirhin ir. Aficr orrr firrcfathcrlstransgrcssiorr
in I)lradiscthrotrglr
tltc rrcc,rvcsufJcrcclthc dcarh of orrr soLrl-which is rhe sc'prrr:rrion
of
thc soul fronr (iorl-prior ro our boclilvdc:rrh;ycr alrhough wc casr
:rwiryour divirrc likcncss,wc clid nor losc our divinc imagc. i
cordinglv hc pur on hinrsclf thc irrlrional firrnr, rrnd trl:rckcncdrhe
inconceivablebeauryof the [)ivinc, and dclivcrcd ovcr rhc wholc of
narurcas fbod fbr dcath. Dearh is living on this throueh the rvholeof
this tcmporal pcriod, nraking us his fixrd. *

Pllysiu Sufcring, Dcath, nnd [,trut1 As indicated in the passageof St. (iregory Plllnras quotcd above,
physical pain and fhriguc wcrc inrroducccl inro hurnan cxperience ro-
At the f;rll, n:r..n'ss?iritudl death-which is the seprrarion of the
gether with bodily dcath. Vc find rhis cxprcsscclin thc Gcncsis rrc-
souf fiom God-nraclc lrinr, in rr:rn, su\lcct rc physicaldeath-which
count, in the senterrce rhat (lod pronounccs on Adnm and Flvc aficr
is rhe scpararionof the soul fronr thc body. St. (;regory Palanraswrires
their fill. AddressingEve,(lod sxvs:"l will grearlynrulriplyrhv pain
of th is as fbllows:
and thy groaningi in pain thou sh:rlt bring fbrth children";.rnd ro
'l hc dcarh,lrorvevcr, Adam He says:"Cursed is the earth in thy labors;in toil shalt rhou eat
rhurbcfc'llrhesoull)ccruse ofrhc rransgrcssi,.rn
not only cripplcclthe souland nrrclcnranaccurscd; of it all thc daysofrhy life.... ln the sweatof thy faccshirltthou eer
it alsorendereq
thc botlvitsclfsubjcct brcad,till thou return unto thc cerrh our ofwhich rhou rvlsr rirkcn:fi)r
to firtiguc,suflcring,rrrd corrupribiliry,.udfi-
nallvhlndeclit overro dcarh.-" eirrththou art, itnd unro carthshaltthorrrctLrrn"((lcn.3:l(r-17, l9).
It will be rememberedthat, befbrethe irll, nrrrnwasgivcn ro cxPsli-
Sr. Synrconrhe New -l-hcologianlikewiscclrawsrhe connccrionbc- cncc pleasurcin God, cverr rhrough scnsorvrhings, brrr his cxistcncc
twcen thc "srrippin€1"ofgrlcc rhat occurretlar thc Fallend rnan'.s
bcing kncw no pain. Accordingrc rhe tcachin!!of St. Maxinrrrs,when nrln
nraclcsubjectro botlily death. At thc fall, he says, nrisusecl lriscapacitvfbr pleasurcbv nrakingscnsiblcrhingsrhc objccrof
his desirc,Gocl providcntiallyaffixcdphysicalpain to sensitrlcplcrsLrrc:
-' Sr.(ircgorvI'llanras,ly'orrlly16.7;it
Llottilia, vol. l. p. 184.
i Sr. (iregrrrvl':,rlant.ts,
lb2icsof Natuntl atd l ltological Scit,ttcc39: in trhilokalia, -- St. Svmcon rht- Nov l hcologirnt,I:rl,i.nl l)inolttrt! l.2r in itlcnr. (h tfu t\l.1,tti-
vo l .4 . p ..1( r 3.
r'5t. (ircgorvl>dtntts,li tht tl|oit l?to.enl ul Lili, vol. l. p. 27.
NunXcuit l0;i t)bihka! ,vol.4,1t. 'r
St. ,Vlaxinrrrstlrc ()onfcssor, Anbiryunr l0; in l-outh. I/rrw aus t/,t (.,ttt/is'or, 1t1t.
196.
126 )7.

Irt r9
 l-llE oKf ll()t)ox \fl()Rf)
Bec:ruscirrational ple:rsureentcred hrrnr,rnnrturc. pr,rincnt.'red our
trltturcoPposirctlris Plclsrrrcirr accordlncewith rcas()n..
. . lior eYcry
sufli'r'ing,eflcctivcly h:rving plclsurc as its primlry causc,is c;urte
rr.rtrrr:rllr', in view ol its c:rusc,:r pcn:rltyexactcdfionr all who shlrc in
h rtrrr, t nr lt t r tr c .- '
I-lscwhcrc, Sr. M;rxinrLrsobscrvcs thrrt, in hcing givcn ovcr to phvs-
ical pain and dcath, fallcn man has also bccn given ovcr to physical cor-
nrptiorl or decay aFterdcath:
God, at the very rnoment humarrity fcll . .. gavc the boclvthe capac-
in ro suflir, undetgo corrrrpriorr,and be wholly dissolvcd as rvas
cvinccd when (iod covcrcdthe body with girrmerrtsol'skin.s"
'l'he Chnngein Mani Physiutl Condition
'When manfell from hisoriginalstareof iucorruption,his bodybe-
camemoregrosslymrterial.In the wordsof Sr.John Drmascenc,
:rftcr
the primordialtrans€iression
lmanl rvasclorhcclwith thc roughncssof rhis rvretchedliti'-fbr thlt
is what the fig leavessigni!-an<J put on dearh, rhar is ro sry, rhc'
morraliry and rhc grossncssof rhc flcsh-fbr rhis is rvhirtrhc llarnrcnr
ofskins significslsrhc was cxcludcd fion.r Plrrdisc bv rhc lusr jude-
-')
St. Mrximus thc Confcssor,,4zlThahstiun 6l; in i<icrrr,Oa tb (irnic Myro1,,
p. l32; cf. i'Jcn, Vuious li'xtt tn I bcohgy, tlr Divi* hotottt.y, dtrl l'ituc,tnl l"itc
4.33 35, Philohaltu,vol. -2,p. 244.
r0 St. Maxinrrrsthc (ionlcssor,,4lrlrgxnn 8; it Ou tfu ()tnit Ll1,trry,p.76.
3l Vhilc St..lohn l)entrtsccnchcrc givesr ligurtrivc intcrprctltion ofthe llc lcavcs
;rnd g;rrncnts ofskin nrcntioncd in Ilolv Scriprrrrc((len, 3:7. 2l). othcr Holv [::r-
thcrs givc l litcral inrcrprclrtion of thcm (asin rhc abovccpotation ofSt. Svrrrconon
rhc fig lclvcs, and irr rhc firllowing rprorrrion ofSr. lohrr (lhrvsostonr on thc ger'-
rncrrts ofskin). Fr. Seraphinr l{osc, in his book Gcxuu. Crettion anl l rly l\lan (p;t.
ll4 llu), dcnronsrmtcs thet tht Holv lrlthers ofJcrcrl trorh litcrel errrl synrtrolic
4o
(]REATF,DIN INCORRUP'fION
rrcnt ofGod; and wascondemncclro dcarh :rnd nradcsubjccrro cor-
rupti on.sj
In such r condition ofbearing "grosser" or "denser" flesh, nr:rn [rc-
c:rnre subject not only to pain, death and corruption, but irlso to thc
bodily needs we know today. St. John Chrysostom wrires:
-fhe loving Goc{, whcn thcy
IAd:rm antl L-vc] rendcrcclrhcmsclves
tunrvorthyof that gleaming and rcsplendcnrvcsrurc in which rhey
wcrc irdorncd and which ensured rlrcm aglinst bodilv ncctls,
stripped them of all that glorv and cnjovment rhcy werc parrakcrsof
bcfbrc rhat rcrriblc fall. Hc showeclthem great pitv and had mcrcv
on their flrll: sccingthem covcrcdin confirsiorrancl ignoranrofwhar
to do ro avoiclbcing n:rkcdlnd lccling ashanrecl,
He nrakcsgarmcnts
ofski n for thcm anclclot hest hcm in r hem . n'
A nd agai n:
Vhcn He [Gocl] rendereclthenr liable to bodily rrcccssirics for rhc
futurc, stripping thcnr ofrhc angclicrvayoflilc'.rntl irs fit'cdonrfronr
suffcring, Hc llrcr lrrlngcd firr clorhcs lor hLrnranbcings otrt of
shcep'.s
fleecc.'l
In anorher place St. Chrysostom goes so far as ro sry rhat God "rc-
f'ashioned" mxn'.,ibody at the fill to accord with its new condition and
needs:
interprctarionsof cert,rioclcnrentsin the (lcncsis itccount without secingthc rrvo ,rs
nrurullly cxclrrsivc.At rinrcs thc sirnrcF:rrfrcrwill oflcr both kinds of- intcrprcr.rrron
whcrr disctrssingthe slmc elcnrcnt in rhc narrative.ls Sr. (ircgorl of Nvssr tlocs
whcn speakingof rhe girmcnrs of skin (seehis Or Virginity I 2 lor thc literel intcr-
preretion,;rn<1 hisOreat ()td snI fbr thc figurltivc).
3r Sr.
.lohn [)irnrascenc,llxaLt ExpositiortJ.l : F(], vol. .17.p. 2(r7.
3r Sr..fohn (lhrysosrom, I lomilicson Ocnsis 18.3. 1:(1.vol. 8J. p. 5.
3 r l b i d . l l l . 5 r p. 6 .
4r
 'f H f. olLl Hot)()x \(()Rl)
Fronrthc lhurnlnl bodv it is casyto sccmuch ofthe l)ivine provt-
dcnce,not only bcc,ruse l'lc nraclcit lt flrst bcttcrrhln it is ar pres-
cnt, nor bccausccvcnnow Hc lus rcfashioncd (p,e"rcarceiaatv\ ft f<tr
,r usc'filpurpose,but also beclusc'He will rlisc ir irgrin to muctr
grcatergloryt'
In rhe same honrily, rvhcn tliscussingthc workings of thc human cyc,
Sr. Ohrysostornwritcs that tcars:lre a postlapsarianfinction.n" Frorl
whlt has becn said errlier, rhis nriry bc seenro havc parlllels in other
orgxns as wcll, fbr acconling ro the Holy Fathcrsothcr bodily firnc-
tions rhat arc now considered"natural" tlrc ernissionof secd, the
voiding of wastc-wcrc not cxcrciscclby nran bcfirrerhe frrll.
Sexutl Procrcatiott
In thc prcvailingvi ew ofthc Holy Fathers, rmons thc bodily nceds
tlrlt nr:rnlcquircd at rhc f.ill wls thc necclto procrciltcsexually.'-'l'hLrs,
Sr. Athanasiusthc (ircat writcs in his interpretetionof [)salnr50:5
("For,hehold,I wasconccivedin inicluities,
anclin sinsdid my mothcr
desire rnc"):
'l hc originll inrcntionof(iod rvasfbr usto gcncrltenot br,rrrarri.rlic
lntl corruption.Rrrtthc transgrcssion o1-thcconrnrlnrln.'ntinrro-
" ' S t..Joh n(lh rvsoston r.O n lt r ' . \ m r r c s I l. . i; P( i 49: l25r c l . N l ) N | , t s t S e r i c s r, r r l .
9. p. 4l(r. Scc Ncll.rs,/)r'l/r'r',rtlaa ir (.lhritr.1'.74.
r" I bicl. Il:3; I'(l 4 9:ll2 rc t . Nl) NI r ls r Sc r ic s . v ol. ' ) . p. 4l4. S e c N c l l u s . p . 7 4
s- Accor<lingro Sts.Athlnusius thc ( irelt ((.irlrlrrrrrary on lt l\aln:
ll)selnr50:51,
src lrcfou). ( ircgorl of Nvssrr(Ol tlt' ill,rl iug ol Llar l7), John ( ihrvsostoml( )u \/ir-
qi iq l4-15J,ltl:rxinrrrs rhc ( irnfi'ssLtr\ilnltignun 4l) rnrl John [)itmasccnc(l.rzrr
lit:positior4.24), if nrirrrh.rd not fillcn, (locl rvoul<lhirvt cnrplovetl :r nreenso1 in-
crc:rsingthc htrnranraccothcr than scxrtalrcpro.luction. lir oLtr kn,rwlcdgc,rhc onlv
Holv Flthcr rvho hcld e contrery vieu' wes BlcsscdAtrgrrstincof llip;ro. BlcssedAu-
gusrinc did rfllrm rvirh all the orhcr l:arhcrsrhlt Aclanrlncl F-r'c<liclnot hlvc.exuel
rcl,rrionsbcfirrc tlrc 1:rll;hou'clcr, rccordinq to hirn rhis rvls cithcr lrccatncthcr did
nor hrvc rinrc or bccuuscrhcv rvcrewuiting lirr u spccificconrnrrnd lionr (iorl (7/z'
Lirnl l,|utiru ol (i'ntiii\\ (.:it.tol (ixl 14.26).
cRliAl lit ) I N lNCoRRt . Jl'l'loN
cltrccdmarri:rgeot'tlccottnt of rhc lawless,tcrof Ad,trt. rhar is, the re-
jecrion of thc larvgivcn hinr bv Clod. 'I'hcrcfirrerll of rhoscborn of
Adlnr arc "conccivedin iniqLrirics,"having fullcn utrclerthc conclcnr-
narion oI rhc forcfirthcr."n
l.ikewisc, St. John (ihrysostonr writes concerlling (lcncsis 4:l:
"Now Adirnr kne*'I;.vc his wife." Considcr ruhcn this hrppc'nccl.Af'-
tc'r the disobcdicncc,afier thcir lossin thc (iarden, rhc'nit was that
thc prlcticc of intcrcottrschld its bcginning. Yort see,bcfirrc tlrcir
disobctlicnccthev firllorvccl.r lilc likc thar of the rtngcls'rttcl tltcrc
w:rsno nrcntion of itttcrcottrsc.How cotllclthcrc bc' u'hctr thcy wcrc
nor strbjcctt,r thc nccdsof rhc bodvl"''
on tltis tcaching:
Fllscwlrerethe slnrc Saitrt clittror:trc-s
\Vhy did trrarri:rgcnot:tppcar bcfirrc thc disobcdicnccl Why rvas
rhcrc no inrcrcourscin l)itnttlisc? \Whv not the prirrs of childbirth bc-
firrc rhc curse?Bccauscat thar timc thcsc rhings rvcrc supcrfluous.
'l hc ttt'ccssiry:troscllttct ltc,tttsc of our wcakncss,as cliclcitics, lrts
antl skills (ai 4yv<t rl. rhc rvcarinliol-clorhcs,rncl rll our othcr ntr-
ntcrousnecds.""
T'lr ConditiottoJ'ManiSoulaJierDcath
ln irdtlitionto changinghis spirirurland phvsical condirion;rtrd
handinghim overro physicrllclcathlnd clecal"ntln\ flll into corrup-
riorralsodetcrrninctlthc starcof his soulaficrcleath,ntakingit trneblc
sf St. Athan;rsius thc (lrc:rt. (.rtrttutnhtry t)D tl'( l) lms (l'salnr 50:5)l l'(i
)7:24IJC'D Ihis tcrrching ol st i\therrasittsrves letcr rcltcltctl vcrb'rtinr bv St
M r x i n r r r st l r c ( l o n l csso l i tr h i s ( ]r n tr o r r n n l I) o u b tsl S ( ( l ( i S( i l 0 :l - 1 8 l 9 l l 9 8 l l ) .
8')Sr.J<rlrn(lhrvsostt>nr,llouilio on Gaurt l8 l) FO vol lt2. p. lt).
'"' Sr. folrn (lhrvs<rstonr.Ou l'iryint1' 15.2: l'(l 4lt:5441)-545A: cl. On VirginitT
Atuiusr lltnrrri4e, p. 73.
4.i
 'I'H1..()RTH()[X)X V/()llt)
ro p:rrnke oferenralunion wirh (;od. Adam haclbecnbarredfronr para-
tlisc during his crrrhly lifL, ancl hc remainedbarrctlfiorn both l)aradisc
anclhcavcrr;rfrcr dcath.Afier physicaldcarh,the soulsofAdam, Evc,
rrnriull rhcir posrcrirywcrrr down inro hldes, whcre rhey continuecltcr
c xisrin :r sr:rtcof spirirtrlldetth. In thc.wordsofSt. Grcgoryl)alanr:ts:
l'.vcneficrdc:rrhour souls,lravingbccndcscrtcdby (iod, fi'll ro his
lrhc dcvil'.sl
lot and he draggcdthcnrdorvnro hades,anclshurthcnr
up in sccminelvincscapablc prisons."'
'l
lrc Change in Humttn Nature
'With rnan'.s
changc from incorrupribilitv ro corrupribiliry ar rhc
firll, ir may be said thar n "mutlrion" occurred in his nature. As Sc.
Maxirlus thr Confessorwrites:
ln Adlnr, with hisown actof fieelychoosingcvil,rhcconrnronglorv
of hunrannarurc,incorruprion, wasrobbcd-sirrcc(ioc1judgcdthar
ir wirsnor righr fbr humaniry,havingabusedficc choicc,to havcan
irrrnrortalnilrure.... I'lre dcvianceof frec choice inrroduccd
plssibilirv,"r
cornrgrtibility,
and nrorralirvin Adanr'.s
ruture....F{ence
"r St. (ircgory I)rlunr:rs,Horrily 16.25: it Houilits, vol. l. p. l9(r.
"j In rhis con(cxr, Sr. lr4rximus is spcakingof "passibiliry'(169o9) in thc rcnsc of
sullcring pein or rrndcrgoing changc-parriculurlv. dcgencrltivc clr.rngc.
--rucn
passibiliry,bcing ticd ro corruprion, canrc into lrcing onll,at rhc firll. (Sccalso p. 40
etrov<,rvhcrcSt. Mirxinrussuysrlrar,et rhc flll, rhc humrn bodv acquircd 'rlrc caprc-
ity to srrflc'rlrit rinTerv), undcrgo corruprion, lnd bc whollv clissolvcrl.")In othcr
pleccs,St. Mlxinrus spcrks of 'plssibilirv" in a dillcrenr scrrsc,ls thc sr:rtcofbcing
ectcd upon and bcing sutrjccrro nrovcrrcnr. I)essibiliryin this senscis u,ithour cor-
tu1'rtionancl cxisrcd in crcltion cvcn befbrc rhc firll. Spaking ofsuch p:rssibilirv,
rvlrich bclongs to "wharcvercomcs in(o lrcing end is crc:rtctl, St. Maxinrus wrrrcs:
'''l hc plssibilirv spokcn of in this connccrion docs not refcr
ro changcor corruprion
of onc.r porvcr;prssibiliryhcrc indicetrs thut which exisrsbr. n:rttrrcin bcings.lirr cv,
crvthing that contcsin(r cxisrcnccis srrtrjecrto rnoventcnt,sit]cc ir is not sclf-nroved
or sclf'-Pou,crctl.lt rhen r':rriorr.rltreings conrc inro bcing, surcly rhcy are ulso
( lRt-Al ut) lN lN(l()RRLIP'f
IoN
rhe nrut;rrioncrfhunrlrrrn:lturcovcr to plssibilirl',corruption,ind
sin."
ofAdanis.lcliberrtrc
clcirrhis the condcnrnatiorl
ln quoting St. Maximus on the changein Ilran'.rtrrtturc,we shotrld
point out that the word "trature"rakeson diflercnt meaninqsin his
wrirings (as in tlrc writingsofothcr Farhcrs),depenclingon the corl-
tcxt. In sonre placcsSt. Maxin.tus,when speakingof m:rn, usesthe
word "ll.rture" in the srricr scnse-that is (to quote St. John [)arna-
scenc),as "thlr r:nchatrgeable lnd inrtnLttirblcprinciPleand ciuse lnd
virtLrcwhich has been implanted by thc Crcator in crch spcciesfor its
'l'hus, in ollc plicc St. Muimus silys that Ilttt'tt:tttttlturc
acrivity.""'
does nor changcas a result of sin (including, Prcsunlably,the sin thirt
occurrcd at thc [rll), sincc by clcfinitit)nit cannot chengc;rathcr' thc
rrrocleor cotrdirion (TQiTo) of rt:lturechangcs:
()trr Inlture] is nranil'estly'nrcrelvhrtmatrlrrd in trotuayintpcccable,
bccausc of itsdc'viltriotrto tlrissidcor thlt. 'l'hisis trot ro sayth:rtrlrc
natLrrc (drjo'rv) bLrttlrat the tnovcntctrr
is ,tlrcrccl hls clcviatcd; or. to
slrcirkrrrorctruthfulll, rh.rtthc nlrttrch,rschlngcdits nlotle.'''
ln othcr places,however,St. Maximus speaksof hurn,rn natttrc in ,t
[rroacle quotecl
r sensc,rs including its mode or conditiot.l.In rhe ;rirss;rge
carlicr,fi)r exrnrple, he spelks of"thc nrtttirtion Qt'eranoi'qatg)of ltv
nriln naturc at rhc firll. F.arlicrin the slme work, hc slys thirr "throrrgh
or]c l.D!l|r,who turtrcclvoluntarily fiollt the gclod,httnrlttr nlttlre wits
chang,cdfronr ittcorrttption to corruPtiotr," ancl that, bccausc(llrrist
movcrl.... lirr (iod is thc bcginning urrd the entl. I;ronr Hint conrc both ottr ntoving
in rvhirtcvcrrvlv fronr ir [re*irrninglaltd ottr nloving in it ccn.tin rvlv rorvrtrdllirn es
.rn cnd' (.4nltigrr r u i ; in ( )t tt ( )otnit r\11trar7,pp. 5{) 5 l )
')rSt. lVlaxinrus, ,4rl Tlnlosiun 42; in On tfu (.)osnit trl.rn.,t'.PP I20-ll
55
"' St. John l)rnr.tsccne,I'hiloso2/tialOl'apttrr.10:I;O, vol. 37 p.
2o; I'(; 9l:2.161)i Anint ( hristitn lVtirttt ttrt )l
"3 St. N{,txinrLr'.opttuh
(Ncw \irrk: Ncrvrnen l)rcss.1955), pp. 5(r-57.
45
 'I'll[ ()KI tl()t)()X \(/()RI)
"did rrot sLrbvertthc ficc choicc"given ro rran, "Gocl judgcd rhar rt was
right fbr man ... oncc lgain to rccovcran inrnrorral naturc" (nd,l.rr
a1avarov a,rolaBeiv riv $dotv).""" It is only in rhc broed scnseof
"human naturc,"asincluding its nrodcor condirion, rhirrone can spcak
of hunran nature "changing"or "mutaring" ro corruption ar rhe fall.
'fhe
Comrnondlity of'Human N ure as lt Rahtes to tbc li l
Althouglr rhe Orrhodox (lhurch clocsnot ircceprthe idc'athat wc
are all born into this world sharing rhc guilt ofthc sin ofAdanr and
Eve,"-accordingto thc conrmon l)atrisricteachingwe arc all born sub-
icct to rhe tonscquenL'cs
of thltt sin. As wc haveseen,theseincludc a cor-
ruption of human nitLrre,which inclincsnran towartlsin; an irbscncc
of the indwellinggraceof God (i.e., spiritualdeerh);tlre suflering,
clcath,and c<lrruprionofthe body; the boclilv neccssities rh:rrwe know
todav;and :r conrinualrcc ofspirirualdcerhaficr physiceldcath. l'hese
consequences were passeddowrr fiom the flrst man to his dcscenoanrs
bccaLrsc hunran nature is one: wc are all of the tlmily of Adam. As St.
(ircgory Pallmascxplains,
'l'lrc sameanccstral
crrrscrrndcontlcnrnltionpotred out on all of us
fronr our singlcfbrcfirthcr,
as if ir haclspmngfiom thc r.ootol rhe
humirnraccand wasrhcconlnlonlot of our nlturc.')N
V. Tsr Errecrs oF THE Fell ox rHE CosMos
'l'he Dependenceol the
Cosmoson Mtn
Man'sfell had profbund rcpercussionson rhc cntirc cosmosaswell,
bringing about what PrtristicscholarFr. Andrew l.outh calls"a cosnrrc
"" St. Mrximtrs, ,4ul l /nltssinn 42..in On dte Oosni. llfisury, pp. 120-21 .
')- Scc, fbr cxenrple,thc rcrching ol Sr. (lvril ofAlcxandril on p. .15alxrvc,wlrcrc ir
is srid thrt, rrt thc f:rll,"ull wrrc ntadcsinncrs.n()r :rsco-rrxnsgrcsrors
wirh Acllnr (firr
thcy did not ycr cxist then), but bcclusc thcv rvercof his nlurc.'
"n St. (ircgorv l).rlanr:rs, //azrlf 5.l;in Houiliu, vol. t, p. 52.
46
(]RtlAI'tiDIN IN(]ORI{[JI'I'ION
clislster."''"'i/hcn nran fell, rhc rcst of the visilrlccrcation fell into cor-
nrption along lvith him: tleathlnd dccly wcre introducedirrto thc crc-
ation.'l-lrus,not only did m;rn fail to firlfill his originaldesignationof
rrising rhc crcationto (lod, but he lowcrcclit from incorruptionro.t
stateof corruPtion.
It will bc remcmbcrcd that, whcn God sentencedmankind to
suffcrin!i and death afier thc fill, among His decrceswas thc
sr:lrcnrent: "(lurseil is thc carth" (Gcn. 3:17).""' l'his accor.rr.tt in the
book of (lencsis fbrmed the historical-narrativeback€lroundfirr thc
rrbove-ne ntionetl reachin€lsin the Visdom of Solomon and thc
Pauline Epistles. Following from thesc words of Scripturc, entl
espcciallyflom Sr. I)aul'stcaching in llonrlrrs fl:l!)-23 on crcrtiotr's
"bondage to corruption,' the Patristic corpus holds that, while
Adanr'.scontinuccl incorruprion was dcpcntlcnt on himself-rhat is,
on Iris kecping thc comnrrttrdurcnt of (lotl-thc continuccl
incornrprion of tltc rest of creation w,rs not depcndcnt orr itself, btlr
orr Adanr'sincorruprion.'lb ptrt it another wax Acllm wrrsdepenclenr
on (;od, but thc irrationalcrcarionwas depettderrton Iuiln (or orl
God through man) Iror irs abiding in itrcorruption. It wes fbr this
relson thxt, when man becarnecorruptible, rhe rcst of the costtros
fbllowed hirn.
ln Ronr:rnstJ:20,rhc Holy Apostle l):rul rvrites:"For thc crcariott
was nrldc subjectro futiliq,, nor willingly, lrut bv reasotrof Hirr Vho
hath subjectedit in hope." St. -lohn Chrl'sostorl,itr his cotrlntcrrtirv
on this verse,cxplains:
Whar is thc nrelninqof "rht ctcutionrvls nt,tdestrltjccrro firrilirri:
'l hrr ir bccanrecolrtrptiblc.Ilor rvharclttrsc,
rrnclon whltt itccottttr?
On irccountof rou, () nran.lilr sitrcc1'ottr<xrka botlv Irrtlrtll ltnd
rlr ( )ouftssor,
"' l-orrrh.,&,l,rrirarrr :t.64.
r"" ln thc Scptrragint rvith thc rvolds 'in rhv hbctrr"lin tlrc
tcxt, this is firllorvccl
l\lesorctic. rvith lirr tlrv s,rkc.
ir is firllorvccl
47
 ]'t IE ()t{n I()t)ox \(/oltt)
subicct to suffering,so also thc eilrrh rcccivcda crrrsc,lnd l)rouglrr
forth thorns and thistlcs.""
St. Gregory of Sinai says the same:
It is said thlr whcn the world wirs flrsr crcarcdir vvasnor subject ro
flux and corruption. According to Scriprurc it w:rs only larcr cor-
ruprcd ancl "madc subjecrro flrility"-rhar is, ro man-nor by its
own choicebur hv rhc will of Him ro whorn it is subject,thc expcc-
tation being rhat Adam, who had fillen into corruption, rvoultl bc
rcstorcdro his original stare.rr''
As St. Synreon the Nerv T'heologian tcachcs, (lod did nor cursc
Paraclisc,
trut only the restof rhe incornrpte:rrth:
[Cod] wills to holtl it fitaradisc]out lo us as r tvpc of the inclissolu-
blc lifi ro come, an icon o[the erernal King<lonrofHcavcn. If rhis
wcrc nor thc casc, then rhc (iarclcn, roo, woulcl have hld ro be
curscd, sincc it was the sccneof rhe transgression.Hou,cvcr,(lod
does not do this, but insteaclcursesthe wholc restofthc carrh rvhich,
rs rvc hlvc srrid,rv:rsirrcorruptiblc jusr Iikc Plrlclisc, ancl procluccd
fruit of irs own accord.r(r'r
St. John Chrl,sostom explains that this was a fitting and just consc-
que nce of nr:rn'.ssir.l.sirlce the visitrlc crcirtion had lrcen mirdc fbr tl.re
sakc 0f nrin:
l"l St.
John (lhrvsostonr.Hontilieson I?onari l4; I'(i 60:5-30Arcf. NI)Nlr lsr Sc-
ri cs.vol. I l, p . 4 44 .
lrlr St. (ilcgorv of Sinti, On Cinn'tu/ttrtttts l)ortrirtts I l: in Philotaln. vol. 4,
'trd
p . I 14.
r"' St. Symcott thc Ncrv l hcoloqirn , lltbial Distnrsts 1.2: it On t/'t Al.ytinl Li.fi.
vcrl. L p. 2ll, ct. l:irst'Cn'an'd Alan. p. t)l .
:+d
CRF,A
f ED IN INCC)RI{LIPTION
Hc' lthe Apostlcl)aullcliscourses
concerrrirrg
creation'.s
bondagclt<r
corruprion-cf. Rorn.8:2I l, andshowsfbr whoscsakesr.rcha rhing
lrls occurrcd-:rndhe placesthc blamcon us.Whlr thcnl In suffcr-
ing rhescthinlison accounrofanorhcr,hascreationbccnmaltrcared?
Bv no means,for ir hascomeinto bcingfor my sake.So rhen,how
couldtharwhich hascomeinto beingfbr my sakcbe urrjustlytrcrtccl
in sufferingthoscthingsfor my corrcction?r{)r
Let us recallSt. Symeon! teaching,quoted abovc,thirt it was fitting
tlrat the crearionsupply incorruptman with incorruptibleFoodin rhe
bcginning. ElsewhereSt. Symeonaffirms that, after the fall, it was fit-
ting rhat creirtionbc n.radecornrptible along wirh man, so rhar ir could
furnish rlan, for whosesakeit had been made,with corruptiblc fbod:
I(lodl subjcctcdcrcationto him lrranl, rnclput it undcr:rcurscso
that, havingbccn crcrtcdfbr thc sakcof nranwlro had fallcnrnto
corruption,ir shouldirsclfbccomecorruptlncl providchinr lrrrru-
allvrvirhcorrrrpred
firotl.r"'
At rhc same time, however,it is prcciselybr:causcthe visiblc crc-
arion wirs rnade fbr thc sakeof man that it will aglin bccorlc inc.rr-
ruptible-for when the body oF man is restored to a stilte of
incorruption rr the (lenerrl Rcsurrection,thc rest of the visible cre-
arion will be restoredto that stateaswcll. St. Symcon writes:
[(iod] willcdrlrarcreirrion
scrvcnranfbr rvhomit rvrsrnadc.andlikc
hirn becomecornrptible,so thrrrrvhen:rgainnranis rcnervcrl
rnd be-
comcsspirirrrll, incorrupriblc,and imrnortal,ther crcirtion,roo,
r''' S(. lohn Olrrlsosronr. Ilonilicson llott,ttx l4r l'(i 60:5.]0ll(l;ct. NI'Nlr lsr Sc-
ri es.vol . I l . p. 444.
r(l- St. Svnreontlrc Ncw I'hcokrgiant, Ilthical I)iwursts | .i: h Or tlr l\lysthtl Lili,
vol. l, p. .illr cl. lht l:int-(.rr,ttrdivlan,pp. 102-j.
49
 ' l I IL O l { l l l Ol )()X V ()l tt)
now subjcctcd() rhc rcbcl br'('ocl'.scorrrnrandancl nradc his sl:rvc,
will bc nr:rdencw, rrndtrccorrc irrcorruptitrlclncl rvhollv spiritLrrrl""'
To summarize this Patristic teaching: Sincc creation was nrirde fbr
thc sake ofman, it wls ncccsslry thlt it bc createclincorruptitrlc along
w it h ma n , t hat it f lll int o c o rru p ri o n a l o n p iw i th rttA rt,nnd rhl t i n thc
furure it bc restorcd to incorruptiorr along witlr nran. lt is by reason of
its future restoration that St. l'aul, in sayinq that "thc crcation was sub-
ject to firtility," aclded the worcls "in hope" (l{om. Il:20). St. John
Chrysosronr, in his conrmentary on these words of tlrc APostle, ex-
plains tirrther why there was no injustice in thc fact that crcation wrts
subjccrcd ro colruptiolr on accor.lJ'ltof man. Addrcssing rnankind, hc
silvs:
Bcclusc ofvou, it Irhc crcation] suffcrctlcvils rrrd bcc:rntccorrupt-
ible, but no injusricc has bccn donc, firr bccauscof vou ir will [rc-
comc incorrupribleagrrin.'l his is whlt "in hope" rneans."'
Thcre is hopc lor the crearior.r,Sr. Paul goes oll ro s:ly in his lipisrle
to the Romans. "because the crcation itself llso slrall be delivered fronr
t hc b o n d a ge of c or r upt io n i n to th e g l o ri o u s l i b c rty o f the chi l cl rcn of
(lod" (Ronr. 8:21). St. (ihrysostom interprc'ts this versc as fbllows:
'Whar tlocs "rhe creation itsclf rlso" rneln? Not onlv
1,ou,lrut llso
that which is infi-rior to voLr,evcn thar rvhich partrkcsofncithcr rca-
son nor scnsepcrception-cvcn this u,ill shrrc all good thingr irr
conrmon wirh vou. For "it shall be delivcrcd," hc [St. I)aul] says.
"fronr the bondrge ofcorruption," rvhich is to sar',ir will no longcr
bc corrupriblc,bur will corrcspondto rhc trcluty givcn to vour bodv,
Iror just ls whcn rhc bodv bccanrccorrupriblc, thc clcrrion itselfllso
"'(' Ibid. f.-lr Ot t/u trl.yttital
Lifi, vol. l. p. 29rcl. I:irsr-()atrutXlar, p.94.
r(l-St. Ilonilio or l?owu l4: I'(i ( :510(l; cf. NI)Nl: lst Sc-
John (lhrvsostonr,
rics,vo l . l l , p. , i41r .
( ll{t : Al t it ) I N I N( l( ) l{Rl. r Pl- l( ) N
Itccanrccorruprible, so likcu'iscrvhen thc lrodv rvill bccomc itrcor-
ruptiblc, rhe crcation itselfwill agrin corrcspondrnd firllorvsLrit."n
A gai n cmph: r siz- ing r hat r he r cst of cr ext ion f bllows m an, Sr .
Ohrysostonr e xplains why Chr ist ians shoult l f ind consolat ion in St .
l'arrl\ teaching that rhe creation was ntadc corruprible firr thc sakc of
ml n, " i n hopc" of f ut ur e incor r upt iot r :
[)o you sechorv nurrrlclds rhr rvay in lll things, lnd how cvcrything
h,rscorrc lbour fbr his s:rke?l)o vou pcrccivchorv hc ISt. I'aul] cn-
couragcsrhosc strtrggling,itnd llvs tr,trcGod'-sunspclklblc lovc fbr
rn.rrrkindlWhy do r'<lttgr-icvc,hc silvs,ovcr rrillsJ VlLr arc sufficritrg
on ,rccorrntofl'our'5g1t s1g1111111is sttf[eringon lccount of t'ou. Nor
docs he cnc<lur:rgconly, lrut he dcntortstmtcswhilt hc savsro bc wot-
rhv of firirh. For ifcrc:rrion, rvhich clnrc into lting cnrirclv fi>rv,-rLt,
lraslrope, ntuch ntorc ought vou to hirvch()pc, rhrottgh rvhonr crc-
irtion rvill conrc to eniov lll thosegooclrhings.r""
St. John Chrysostorns con.rmentrry on this plssagc in ll.ontlns has
scrvccl ls a basis firr subscqrrent Parrisric commentarics, such :rs thosc
oIS t.,l ol .rn l )a nr ascenc in t hc cight h ccnt ur y, Blessecll hcophr 'llct of
Ohri tl i n thc clcvcr t t h cet r t ur v, ancl Sr . 'l'heophen t hc llccluse in r hc
nincreenth ccntllry.rr" St. Ohrysostont was not, howcvcr, itt rrtltl ttcitrg it
new inrerprctation of this plssagc, bur onlv cxprcssing whar lracl bcen
rr| rIt)i (l .iIr(; (,0: 5l0l) ;cl. Nl, Nlj. p. 445.
rrf'l l )i d. I)(' 60: 5. 101)5llAr ci. Nl'NL p. 445.
llo St. (.ontp/ttt \ll,rk (io
John l)irrnrrsccnc,(.otltttrtttrr.l,ott l?ottt,ttri:it idcn,
( i r c c k ) . v o l . ') ( . l h cssr r l o n i kil,( ) 9 1 ) , fp . l l ( ,- 1 .i . Bl csscdIh co p h vl ,r cto l ( ) h r i tl .r n d
llrrlg.rri.r, (.irralrlzr,rry on tlr [1,isrfu to rltt llonuns: l'('' l]'1:445(l 4494. St.
'l hcophrrn rlrc Rcelrrsc.(.)tnutut'tr.y,ott ln' llpiitlt ol tln'A2oth lhtl to th( ttunnls
(in llussiln) (i\4oscrxv,tll'){)), pp. 50.3 15, St. lohn [)lnritsccnc's.tncl Blcsstd
on this pass:tgcrvctc condcnscd vclsions of St. -John
Ihcophvllct.s conrnrcrrtrrrics
corrlnlcnr.lr\'.St. llrcoPh,rrrtrscd St. (lhrvsostom as ltis ntltin sorttcc,
(lhrysostonr'.s
brrt qLrorcd.rlsolionr the rvritin{rsof othcr |;trlrclr.
5r
 't HH ()t{f H()t)ox \x/oRI)
the comrnon teirclringoi rhe Church. 'Iwo centuries befbrc Sr.
Chrysostorn,fbr ex:rnrple,St. Ircnaeusof l.yonsset forth the sanrern-
rcrprrctatior.r.Commcnting on l{onrans8:19-2.1,Sr. Irenaeuswrotc
rhar wherr "the commencementof incorruprion" occursar the (lcneral
Rcsurrection,"the creariorrirself" will be "restorcdto its prin:evalcon-
dition"-thus indicatingboth rhe original irnd the future incorruprion
of tlre cosnros. "'
St. lrerr:rcus's
contcnrporary,Sr. I'hcophilus of Antioch, elaborarccl
on this theme. ln rhe passage of his teechingnrcntionedcarlicr,he ex-
plained why ir was fitting that animals were changcclat the flll ro-
€ir:rherwith nran,and how thcy will one day be restoredto a corrdition
without hunringanclpredarion
'l hc aninralsarc nalned q,ilcl
bcasrs(1'rtpi,t),frolrnthcir bcing
hunted($t1pe{eo0o,r), not as if rlrevhad bccnmadccvil or venom-
ous fiom thc firsr-fbr nothing w:rs rnadccvil bv God, bur all
rhingsg<xrd, vc;r,vcrygood((len. l:Jl )-bur rhcsin in which man
was concerncdbrought cvil upon rhcnr. For rvhen nliln rnlns-
grcssed, thcv alsotrlnsgrcssed wirh him. For as,if thc mlsrcrof the
househinrselfacrsrighrh,,thc dorncstics llso of nccessiryconducr
themselvcs wcll, bur if rhc m{srcr sins,rhe servarrts alsosin wirh
hirrr,so in like nrannerir canrcro pass,rhrr in rhecascof man'ssrn,
hc bcing nrasrcr,lll rhrr wrs subjccrro him sinncd wirh hinr.
Vhen, rhcrcfbrc,nran rgain shall havc nr.rdehis w:ry back to his
trirturll condition,arrclrro longerdocscvil, rhoscalsoshallbc' rc-
storctlro rhciroriqirrlllic'ntlcncss.rrl
Again, a cenrury befbre St. John Chrysosrorn,Sr. Mcthodius of
()lvnrpus nncl Patar:rconrnrcntedon Ror:rlns 8:l8-21 , sayingthar rhc
rLl Sr. lrcnirctrsof l.v<tns.AgtitrsrHottit's
5..11.1,5.1(r..1;
Scellso p. 27 aLrovc,whcre Sr. lrcnlrerrs:rgrrin sevsth:rt, in rhc l{csurrcction.rrcerron
rv i l l bc rcrr,rrccl r,, ir.orig il.r l r on( lir ir ' r 1.
rrrSt. l hc,rlrhilrrso l Nttioch. 'lit Auolytrr l.l7: AN I.. vol. J, p. l{)L
ct t A it ) I N I NC( ) RRLJP
I t()N
crcxtion fell irrto corruptior.r ltrr the sakc of marr, and thlt it will be rc-
storeclto i ncorr Lr pr ionalong wit h him :
For rhc crclrion was nrtdc subjccr ro firrilirv, lSt. Paull says,and hc
that it will bc sct frcc from sLrchscrvirudc,as lrc intcrrdsto
cx1'rccts
cal l rhi s w o r ld by t hc nar t r cof cr car ior r .For ir is nor whlt is Lr nscen
Irhe ,rngclicrvorld] but u,hrt is sccn rhlt is srrbjcctto corruption.
-l-hccrcltiorr. thcn. :rficr bcirrgircsrorcdto a bcttcr and nrorc sccnrly
stntc,renrains,r cjoicingand exulr ingovcr t hc chilclr cnof ( iod lt t hc
rcsrrllcction;filr whosc slkc it now grolns and tr:rvlils.rvrritingitsc-lf
rlso firr otrr rctlcmption frrrm thc corruprion of thc [tod1,,thlt, rvlrcn
u' c hl vc ri scr ranclshakcr rolf t lr c r r r or t alit yo[ t hc llcsh . . . , and havc
becn sct frcc lionr sin. it also shlll trc frced fronr corruption rrnd bc
rr
subjcctno longcr ro firtilitl, but to riglrrcousncss (cl. 2 l)ct.3: l
-l). '
In our own rirncs, rhis cornnron Pittlistic rcaching hits lrccn ex-
pounded by a nr ot ler n- day Holy Fat her , Ar chir llnclr it c Jusr in
Popovich of Chclijc, Scrbia. All of crcrtion fcll into corruption irlong
w i th man, Fr. Just in says, not sinr ply bccausc t hc clcst iny of all cr ca-
turcs is linked to nrirn'.s,but trecirLrsetheil desriny is dcputdutt on
man.s:
'l-he larc of visiblc naturc has, fi'onr rhc l.rcginningof irs existctrcc,
l rccn undcr t hc power of r hc ir r f lucr r ceof nr an. . . . ( ) r ganicr llv and
nrysriclllv conrrecrctln,ith nrrrnrrsrvith rr (lod-likc crcrrturcof (ird,
narure in thc csscrrcc
of irs lifi'dcpcnds upon mln antl alwlvs nroves
rvith rrrarr.\Whcn nrrn chosctlrc plth ofsin
stricrly c<>nrrrrcnsurltcly
and tlcath rrshis path throLrghhistor1,,rrllofnatrrtc,.ts rhc resultof its
irrcsistiblcinncr dcPcnclcncyon rnun, fbllorvcdlficr hinr (cf. Ilonr.
8:l') 2.1). I'he flll of rn,rn rv:rsrt thc sanrctinlc rhc firll of naturc,
ANtr vrl. I, pp. 5(rl. 5(r7. antl thc crrr scol nr an bccanr ct hc cur scof nir r Lr r c( ( icn. . l: 17- 18) .
l l r S t . N l c r h o t l ir r so f ( ) l vn r p u s :r n clP:lt;rrt, I)isttttrtt ott t/n l?tsuntttion: ANI:. tol.
6, p. 16rr.
5l
 ( ]III]Af t'I) IN IN(]ORRUP'I'ION
t'H F_()ll1'H()fx)x !(oRt)

And fiom rhar tinrc nrln lnd nlture, like two inseparablenvins. Adam was pl:rccdas lord tnd king of all rhe crcturcs.... Ancl so,

blindcd bv onc rnd thc sarnc darkncss,dcadenedby onc ancl rhe when hc was trtkcn captivc-,rhe creltion which rnirrisrercdr<l irncl

samc death, burdencd by onc ancl thc slrnc curse,go h,rnclin hlntl servcdhirn was taken captivc rogcrhcrwirh hinr. For throLrghhinr

throrrgh hisrory,through thc rbvsnrrl wildcrncssofsin and cvil.'lir- dcath came ro rcign over evcrv sotrl.''t'

gerher rhcv srrrnrblq,rogerhcr rhcv flll, and rogerher rhcv arise,

St. John Danrasccne aflirms thc samc:
ccasclcsslv
striving tou,ard thc clistantconclusion of thcir sorrowfirl
h i sto ry . '' ' 'l'hc crcltion
of ,rll things is duc ro (lotl, bur corruprion clnrr: in ul'-
rcruards dtre to our wickedncsslntl ls l grtrnishnrcnrantl u hclp.
VI. "Bv MnN Cnrue Denrs" "[i>r (]od cliclnot nrakc tlerth, ncithcr tlocs Hc rrkc dclighr in rtrc
dcsrructi onof living r hings" ( \ f lis. l: l. l) . [ ] ur de: r t h is r lr c r vor k
Dcdtlt Is Notf'om ()od rirther ofnran, thar is, irs origin is in Aclanr'.s
rransgression,
in likc
As our srudy rhus far hasshown, the Orthodox Ohurch, through mi l nncr i l slll or hcr pt r nishnr cnt s. ll-
rhe Holy Scripturcsand rhcir intcrprctarionby the Holy Fathcrs,con-
Providingfurther insighrsinro the c:rusality ofdearh, St. Maxinrus
fi'ssesrhat dearh and corruptioll exist not because(lod m:rdc thern irl
explainsthat, at the flll, sin wls "nailcd" or "irrraclted"ro rl)c ro()r of
tlre bcginning, but becrusclrlan brought thenr into thc world through
hurnannature,thus bringing nor only rnan bur alsothc cnrirevisiblc
his sin. Besitlesthe vcrscsin the eighrhchaprerof Rornansthat wc havc
crcationinto:r stateofdeath tnd cornlpriotr:
alrcady cxanrined,other passages in rhe Pruline Epistlescxpressthis
C)rthodoxtloctrinc. ln I Corinthians, rhe Holy Aposrlewrircs that "by \WhatI arn sayint is rh:rrirr rhc l>cginning
sin seducc.lAdrrnrand
nrlr) camedcath" (l Cor. 15:21).Again, in I{omans,chaprcrfivc, he
pcrsuadcd him ro rransgrcss Cod'.sconrnrlndnrcnr.rvhcrcbl,sin gave
rvritesthat "by one rlan sin enteredinto the world, and deathby sin"
riscro plcasurc
and, by mcrnsof rhisplcasurc, naileclirsclfin Adanr
(Ronr. 5: l2), antl firthcr that "by one man'soFfensedearh reignedbv
ro rhe verydeprhsof our nature,thus conclcmning orrr wholehu-
onc" ([{onr.5:17).
(iomnrenring on rhe latter versc.,
rn:rnnaturero dcathancl,via hrrrn:rnirv,prcssingthc nlttrrc of (:rll)
St. John Chrysostonrwrircs:
crearcdbcingstowardnrortll cxtinction.rrN

Whlt lrnrcd tlcrrrhllirrinstrhecosnr<ls?

l'heflct rhlr one nrln rasred ElsewhereSt. Maximus sctsforth rhe samercachingon how dcarh rncl
of rhe trcconlr,.ll' corruptioncntcredthe cosntos:

St. M:rclrius the (lrc:rr likewiscteachcsthlt rr('St. lvlrrcariusthc (ircer ol L:,e,-pt,

r r'' r\rchinrerrclritc.lusrin
I)opovich.l fu Ortlnlox I'hilosq,hyol I tr/t: I lt I)o,!utt'
ir ol tfu Ortl,ofux(.lrrn* (in Scrbirn).vol. .l (llelgr:rdc, l97ll). p. 79.1.
lri St.
fohrr(lhrysostont. ltonilits or Ronntnsl0.l'(l 60:.{7(rl)rcf. Nl)Nlr lsr Sc-
r ic r,vo l . l l . p. 4( ) . 1.
ltouilits ll.5l l,(i 34:54Ull; cf. idcm, /./i7
Spiritual l'tonilits o.f Sr.Llntriu tbr (inu (|.<tntl<tn: Sl)(lK, l92l; rcprint, Willits.
(l:rlif.: [i-rstcrn()rthorlox l]<xrks,1974), p. lll.
rl: St.
J,rhn l)enr:rsccnc,IlxactLtpositior 2.28 p.259.
rl" St. N{rximus thc (ionfi.ssor,Al lluhuixttt (rl: in Ol th Cosnit Mysttry,
;t.
|]7.

54 5t
 'l H l'l ()R I tl()t)()x voRt) (]I{I]AI'I.:I)IN IN(;ORRLJP'I'ION

'l'hc truc word rrysticallv cxplainsthat tllan-who n'ls allorrccl,bv

ls Death "Natuml"?
rhe grlce of rhe (iod Vho ma<lchinr, ro bc nrastcrover thc wholc -I-hcScriprural/l'atristictcachingwc
hrvc recounredon rhc origin
visible world-by wa1'of misuseturncd thc mt>riorrsof thc innatc
of tlelth and cornlprion in thc cosmos,ancl on thc clcvil! placr-'in ir,
ficultics of his noctic esscttccrowartl rhar rvhich is ,rgainstnarurc;
fbrnrs thc basisof e poeric p:rssaectry another nrodcrn [loly Frrthcr
and ,rsa result,accordingto rhc iust itttlgnrcntoi (iod, rnln lrrought
fiorn Scrbir, Sr. Nikolei Vclirrirovich of Zhicha. [n a work called
rupon hinrsclfand rhis rvhole univcrsc thc chitnge lntl corruPtron "Dcarh Is Unnatural,"Sr. Nikolei wrircs:
p re se | lt lyr uling ov c r b o rh h i n t a n c li r." '

'I'fu Dn,il's I?ole L)eathis rrorn:rrulrrllrarhcrit is rrrrrranrrll.

And dcarhis lot frorn narurcirrtherir is lgainstnatur".'ll
St.Maximusalsosperrks rolcin brinsingsin'lncl thtts
of thcdevil"s All of naturein horrorcricsout: "l do rrorknow dcarh!I clonor
death,into thc crcrttion: rvishdcarh!I anrafilid ofdeathlI srrivcugainsr clcarh!"
I)crrrhis.rnurrinvitcd ,,rr.rngcrin rrrrrtrrc.
Through mrn, Isin] inrpelsrll crcrttcdthinss torvardclcrrh. All this
All ofnaturcblisrlcs at rhisrrninvirccl srrrnger:rnd is afiaidofit.
wa s co nt r iv edbv t hc d c v i l , tl rl t s p a rv tro f s i n .rn d fi thcr ofi ni .l Lrrty
Forit is likea thicfin sonrebocly grrden,who docsnor jrrsrsrcul
elsc'.s
who through pridc cxpellcclhimsclf fronr Divinc glorv, rncl rhrough
and car rhe ll uir, bur u'ho llso rrrmPlcs,sPoils,blcirkslnd uprtxrts
irr orclcrto dc-
cnr.y of us and of Cod cxpcllcdArlant lionr l'rrra<]isc'
rvhlt w:rsplantcd.An<lthc nroreit ravages thc nrorcit bccorncs s.rtis-
stroy thc works of (locl lncl dissolvewhrt h,rd bccn brought tnto
ficd.
e xi stc nc c . llo
['-ven whcrronc lrunclrcd philosophics dcclarcrlrar"dcathis nrrr-
It is in light of this cxplanation that we irrc to ttndcrstlnd the words of urrl!' :rllof nlturetrcnrblcs in indignarion rnclshouts:'Nol I h;rvc
Scripture quoted earlier, "T'hrough thc enry of rhc cicvil tlcarh camc no usefirr dclrh! Ir is ln uninvitcdsrrangcrl"
into the world" (\Uis. 2:24), as well xs thc fbllowing verse from thc Antl thc voiccof narrrrcis nor so;rhistry.
Canon ofthe Feast of'l'hcophany, cotttPosed by St. John Danllscene, Thc protestof narulc :rgainstdcarh outwcighsall cxcuscs
which speaks ofthe dcvil "inrplanring" death in the creatioll: thoughtLrpro jusrifydcrth.
And ifr hcrc is sonrcrhing rhatnltulc srrugglcs to exprcss irr rts
Hc who oncc assunrcclthc appcartnceol'a malignlnt scrpcnr ,rtrcl rrnrorrclrcd harnrony,doing so wirlrotrtcxccptionirr a rrnisorrol'
inrpllntccl dcath itr thc crcation,is norv castinto darkncssbv (lhri.t ' voiccs, thcnit is rt prorcsra{:ainsr
dcilrh.Ir is irsun;rninrotrs, llarrrir,
corning in rhc f.lcsh.rlr arrclhcavcn-shaking clegvto dclth.
Ifin fict dearhis unnlnrrirl,ifit is nor nirnrrallncl is lgrirrsrnu-
rrrrc,then.l quc'srion rriscs:why is it soantlwlrencc<locs dcathenrcr
r |r St. Mrxinrrrs.l:l'ittk lt\l'(; ('i:tttit !.iturgv'1t.185.
')l:449U;cl von llalthsrr' nlttrrcJ
Sr'crls<rthc tluotarionofSt. N4:trinrus on p. 9 abole.
jr')St. Maxinrrrsthc (irnfi'ssor,Ar/ lhalattinn 6l; l)(l 90:6.]3t}li(t \ttrious7i'ttt
lll As in the passagcs
4.41, Pbilohalia,vol. 2, p. 248; ci. On tfu (isuit- M.ytt4', p 1.17. of I-r. lusrin l)opovich qrroredrlrovc, ir:rrrrrc' (rrprrpo](ir
t:t fltc l:cstallVtn,rioa(l-ontlon:l:ubcrlnrl liitbcr.l')6')),P. 169. Scrbilrrr)hcrc rcfcrs ro thc crclteclorclcror nattrrarcnvrfonnrcnr.

56 57
 ' l t l F . ()l { l tl o l )()x \(/()l tt)
Not u singlc kingdonr oflight tntl lifi'rcceprsclcrth as irs nativt'
It must h:rvesncrkcd inro thc rvorldsof lifc sccrctlv-crawling on rrs
bellv and srayingorrr ofsighr so thar it qorrltl trot bc sPottcdrnd ex-
poscd-fronr sotnc botrontlcss,rlrvs.rvlrcrccvcn ir was too cold atrcl
loncly.
\When dcath rvaslrehind thc firngsofa strnkc,it rvrrstlcld ttnt<r
irsclf.'lt And no onc itl rhe lvorld thctl ktrcrv rtboltt goorl rrnd
cvil-only bliss cxiste<l;rnd trotrotlvhcar.l of krro*lcclgcrnd igtro-
rlncc-rhcre wrts only u'istlomj :rtrcl ttobo,-ly ktrcrv of lifc 'rncl
tlcath-rhcrc ,vls onlv rhc stltc of blissfulll'wisc cxistcnce '
But bc'clttscof ln occirsitln'lvhich is rnorc thln tllc
t{r'erldfirl
nlost hotriblc trightttrlrc. the Irroltrlr t,f tltc ',ttakeopctrcclatrd thc
fangsfirll of vcnonr lppcarg{ ,rLttc,f it-ancl rleathcntcrcclflrst-crc-
rtredrrltttre.llr
F-lsewherc, in his Homilirs, St. Nikolai Vclinrirovich of'fersanothcr
profbund rcflection otl thc s:lme thcnrc' inclicaring rhrotrgh obscrveble
examples that delth is indeed lrll intrudcr in this world:
'l herc is l ntvstcriotrsfceling thlr rlkes lrolclofall who stlnd rrorttrd
a cleadbody, a fi'cling th,rt is rrrc'lycxprcsscd,rttti this is shrtnrc Not
t,nly tlo rncn fi'lr dclth' thcv irrc ashanrctlof ir.'lhis shenrc ts a
proof'-atr cvcn sttonller onc than fi'lrr-th,rt tlerrtlr is rhe cotrsc-
clucnccof trrln'.ssitt. As a sick nlrtt'tis llslr:tmcdto show thc doctor lris
hirldcn wouncl. so lll rvhtl h:tvc l cotrscicttccare lshitnlcd ro show
l l JA rcf . ' rertccto thcdclil,uhoinSt . J olr n( ihlt ' s os r onis r v or d s 's P o k c t h l o r r l l h r h c
( lr5 Sr. Nikolli Vclinrirovich. lloniliu, v<tl J (llirrringhem. Ilnslen'.1:l.itz-arrce
scrpcf)t' in tenr;rtirrgl'ive(St. lolltl (lhrvsosror:n,On t/t ltttion ol tlx' lN/orll6 ): it
Ijr. Scraphinr l{osc, (,rarroi Orc,rtiotttud lhrl.v hldn' p l92: scc rlso St John
(lhrvsrrstrrrn.llotnilitt on (hmis 16.4; Ii(1. vol. 7/r, P "l0())'
r-r, lli.h(,[) Nikolai Velinriroviclr StlcctrdVrirings ln l{ursirn) (lvlinsk: Sr. tili|r'
bcth Morrlstcrv l'rcss,.2(X)4)PP 4l0-12. Scrbian orisin'l vcrsion: llishop Nikolei
Velinrirrrvich, lboxgbrs ,fiou (iootl antl l:)'il (Novi S:td: i\lexanclcr l)risolubov'
I 9 99).
5tt
(iltllAl trl) |N IN(:()l{l{tJl'll()N
'l ofdcath gocst<lProveotlr illrnlorrlllori-
thcir morralitl'. hisshanre
gins,rn.lour intmortaldestinl'.Aninrlls hiclcthcnrsclvcsarvavwltcn
rhtv:rtc clving,asthoughrhcyfcclashlrrrccl of thcir ntorralitt'.How
&rcir,rhcn,is thisshrmcon rhe part of rhespiriruallyeclttcnrcd! 't'
\Whcn St. Nikolai saysthat death is "rtnnatural,"hc is speaking
fiom thc perspectivcof (lodk original plirn-His econontv-fbr His
crcation. I)elrh was not Part of God's original, "very gootl" crcatiotr;
thereforc,whcn it cntercd thc world, it wrts"tttrnatttral."l'his is trot to
s{y, howcvcr.that tbc creatiottwas Prescrvedin incorruption rtritly.rc'
cordir.rqto its own nirttlre' indcpendcnt of (lod's gracc. As we hxvc
(iocl,
sccn,rhe ori€linalincorruprion of rnrtnw;rsentirelytlcpcndenron
(iod
u,hilc the incorrupriotr of thc rest of cre:rtiotlwirs clependcnton
through man.
With rcgardto whether nlan wts originally inrnlortll bv "natrtrc"
or by "grace,"vrrious Holv liirrhcrscxpressthenrsclves tliflcrcntlr'' As
we havesaidrvhendiscttssirtg wlrcthcr or trot Ad:lm's lrature "chrrngecl"
rrr rhe firll, rhe []lthers sonretirtlcscnrPloythc tcrm "tlaturc ilt .t rttict
-flltls, just ls Aclanl'snature
scnsc,and somctilllcs in I broad sellsc.
rnrv be said to havc changeclor to havc rctrrairlcdtlnchangcd'accorcl-
ing ro tlre sense€livcr'r to ttrc word "naturc," so also matr'.s original inl-
mortirliry may be stid to have cxistctl by'hature" or by "grace,"
clcpendingon how "nrttrtrc"is vicwccl.
I-trr cx:ulplc, in On t/n' Iuatruttiott' St. Atlrrrritsitrsthc (llcat said
thar Aclatnwas crerltcdntortxl bv naturc but Prcservedirr incorrtrptiolt
[.,vsracc,"" wlrilc Sr. (]rcgorv of Nvssa' in On Viryittity' srid that tlln
l'ress.l99tl). p. 20.1.
ll(' (iocl hrn nredc nrln. end rvillctl thlt hc thoulcl abiclcin itlcorltrptionl bttt nrcn,
having dcspiscditnd rcicctcclthc eontcnrpl:rtionof (iod, alrd cleviscdarrtl conrrivctl
cvil lor thcnrsclvcs... rcceivccithc contlcnrnltion ofde.rrh rvith rvhich tho'hl'l bccn
thrcirtcncdrlnd tnrnt thcncclitrth no longer rcnrltilrctl:tsthcY rvctenradc " lltrr nr:rn
is bv rrittrtrcnrortal, irt,tsnrrtchlts hc is nllt<lcotrt ol-rl'h;tris notl btrt bv rclrsonof his
59
 't Hti ()l{t H()t)ox \(/oRt)
wrrsnot originally liable ro death accorclingto his nature.'t- Here agrrir.r
we sec rwo Fathersviewing thc same realiry fronr different sides.St.
Athanesius,in sayingthat man in thc beginningwas mortal by naturc,
was looking ar "nature" in an absolutescnse,accordingto which Cod
aloneis imnrortirl by naturebec:ruseHe aloneis uncreated,withour be-
ginning, lnd dependenton nothing for His unending life (cf. I -l-im.
6:16-17:'the [.ord of lords, Vho alonc hath immortality').r:*St.
(ircgory, in sayingthet man was not origin:rlly mortal by nattrre,was
likcrrcssto I Iinr Vho is (.rnd if hc still prescrvcdthis likencssbv kccping llinr in his
knorvle<1g,e) he sould st:rv his n:rtural corruption, and rcnrain incorrupl ... being
i n c orrupt, hc rvo trlcllivclrcn c c lir r r has ( 1od. . . . I : or ( ioc l has no ( o n l v r n l r c l er r s o t r t o f
nothingl but llc qlvc Lrsflcclv, by thc grlcc'ofrhc V/<rrd,l lifi- irr corrcspondcncc
rvith (lotl. But nrcn, hrrving rejccted rhings ctcrnrl, lnd, trv counscl of rhc tlcvil,
t L r rncdt o thc thin gs ofcorn r pt i, r r r , bc c lnr e t hc c aus cof t hc i r o w n c o r r u p t i r ) n i n
dc:rrh,bcing, as I slid bcfirrc,lrv nlttrrc corruptiblc, but clcsrincd,bl thc gracc bl-
Iouing lrorn pertlkirrg ofrhc W<rrd.ro hevc cscepcdrhcir narural srete,hrd rhcy re-
nrainctl good. l;or bcclusc of rh.- Word drvclling with rhcm, cvcrr thcir narural
corrtrption di.l not comc nclr rhcnr, as Visdom llso slys: (iod nradc nrrn lirr
incorrrrptirrn"'(St. Ath:rnesirrs, On tlte lutdrnation 4 5; Nt'Nlt 2nd Serics,r'ol. 4, p.
J8). A conrp.rralrlc tcrchine is lound in Sr. lrcnacusof l.vons. Auint l-bcits j.10.l:
A N I: . vol. l, p. 4 50 .
ll- "'l his reasoningend intclligent crearure,rnan,:rt trncc thc rvork entl rhe likcncss
ofrhe l)ivirrc and Inrpcrish,rblcMind (firr so irr (icncsis ir is wrirtt'n ofhinr thrt (iod
nte.lc rtt,trtin [1is inrugc'),this crc:rrLrrc, I sly, tlicl not in thc courscof his firsr pro-
fravcthc lirrlrilirvt<rplssion und clclth (rd radtrrx6v rt xui cnix,r\cov)
,.lrrcti<rrr trcc<trLl-
ing to his nrturc or inhcrcnt in his csscncc"(St. (ircgorv of Nvsstt,Or Viryiuiq 1):
P ( l 46: 1698: cf. NPNIr 2 nd Sc r ic s ,v ol. 5, p. 357) .
ljN St. Ath:rnasiustlrrght thet. sincc incorrupr flrst-crcetcrlnran was brought into
under go "c or r lr pr io n i r r r o n o r h i n g 'i f ( i o c l
b c i ns orrr of n oth int, h c rvo r r lt lDar r r r . r llv
.l
did nor prcsenc his lifi' (O, tht lnc,tntatiort4). his thcolog,vof crcrrcd lrcing-of'
crel(urcs "nururllly" hlving en cnd becauscthcl havc a bcginnirrg-is takcn u1t lty
orher |]urhcrsin othcr conrcxrs.Sr._lohn[)anrasccne,fbr cxumple,writcs rhlt lngcls
,rrcinrnrortll, not bv niture, brrt bv grace:fbr, naturell,v.
c,rcryrhingthar lr:rse bcgirr-
ninr has rn cn<l lEvtt lixposttiorrl..lr I;C. vol. .37,p. 20(r). According to this sense
ol tfrc lvord iraturc," rhcn, cvcn angclsmav bc said to trc'inortel bv naturc ancl inr-
nrortll bl gracc.' As Sr. Muximr.rsu,rites:"(lrcerurcs rll cxirt through p:rrtiiip.lrion
:rrd gfir.c... . ( )nly thc [)ivine csscncchls no oppositc.sincc it is ercrnellntl infinirc
6o
(llil:Alt':l) lN lN( l()lLRUP'l
lON
viewing "nature" in :r relarivescnse,accordingrc which humanity was,
nnditiondlly and depcndtntly,grantcd rhc gifi of inrnrortalirvbv (lod.
In thc wrirings of St. Mrximus, wc flnd this qucstion viewed fiont
both sides.In some placcsSr. Mlxirnus writes that Adam "wls not de-
privedofthe irnrrrorrality and thar ar rhc fall Ailam
that is by grace,"rr)
losr "rhe incorruptibilirywhich hatl beengivcn bv grace."'"'As we havc
scen, however.in anothcr placc St. Maxinrus wrote that Christ has
In.lde it pos\il)lctor nrrtn 'i'rt.c rg,tin (o recovcriln imttr(trtitltrft
turc,"rrrthus specilyingthat man hlcl an "imnrortalnature"in the be-
sinning.
-lhken togcther,St. M:rximrrs'steachin€ts lend themselves to rhe fbr-
mulxtion that nran'.s body was originally posscssed,b.ygace, of an in-
morraf, incorrupt ndtut?. Such an urrderstandin€! is possiblewithin
Orthodox theokrgy,which scesno rigicldichoromy berwcengraceand
nature.As Vladinrir [.osskvpointsor.lt:"C;raccis implied in the act of
crcxtion irscll... Nature rncl lirace do not exist siclebv siclc, rathcr
thcre is a nrutual in tcrpenetration ofonc:lnothcr, the one cxistsfor tltc
other."lrl
lnd bcsrouscrcrnit't'orrother rhirrgs.'l l:c trcint ofcreltccl tlrings,on rltc othcr hltncl.
h.rs non-bcing es it:, oppositc. Vhcther ol not it cxists ctcrn,rllv dcpcntls otr rhc
(l'irtrr llundn'd li'xtson
lrorvcrof llinr Who:rlonc cxisrs in thc sLtbstantivcscnsc"
Lorc 3.27 l'l,ikkalit, vol. 2. p. 117).lhtts. itr ()rrhoclox theologl, no crcatcclthins
cotrld rdrt, lcr llonc posrcssinrnrorr:rlio,rvitlrotrtCorls grtcc.
lr'' Sr. Nllximus tlrc (irnfcssor. Anbigtun 45. Scc rhc lrrll plss.rgcon pp. 2 l-22
t\tt ltlcn, Or tlr Lonl\ I'rdycr, in l'hilokalia, vol. J. p. .l{)J.
l J r S c c p . 4 6 1 1 t ,r t".
I rr Losskr'.lll.tttical I hology, pp. l2l , I 26. -l hc intcrpcnctrrtiorr ol {rtct end nrr-
rurc is.rlso cxltrcssc.lin thc l)ltristic (crchine on thc httnrttr ral/, rvhich,,ts we hluc
scc'nin rhc pussugc ofSt. (ircgorl'Pitlirnt.tsrluotcd elt,,vc(pp. -17-Jll), rcrnlinccl irrr-
nrorrll ocn eficr nrln'r lill- I hus. St. lohn l)rtnrlsccnc,irficr listing ertritrtrtcsot tltc
hrrnr,rns,rLrl.rnd inclLrdinginrmorr:rlitvlnro,rg thcnr. s'ritcs: "All thcsc rlrulitics,rc-
cording ro natLtrcIrhc sottll hes rcccivcrlfronr thc gracc o1 rhc (]rc:rror.front which
sr,recir has rcceivcdboth its ltine (-o cir,ar)enJ its bcing bl nlttrrc srrch ls it is
6r
 l H fl ()Rl'H()tx)x woRI)
In sccingthc inner harmony of St. Maximus'sthought on man's
originll irlnrortalirv, we can lretter irppreciater]re harrnonl, berwccn
thc theololryof St. Athanasiusrnd rhar ofSr. (iregory of Nyssa.St.
(iregorv,asrvc hnvccluoteclhim carlicr,wrotc thrr rnan w.lscreirted"in
l)ivine grace":r" ancl elsewherche dcscribcd rnan'scondirion bcfore
thc fill esa "pristinestareof grace."' ' ' 'l'hus, while savingthar nrAnwils
rr,rt crcatcclliablc to death according to his nanrre, he also afllrnred
that this irrcornrpr condirion was a srarc of gracc. [-ikervise,St.
Athlnasius, in savingthlrt nriln was creirtedmortirl bv nlturc, also af'-
flrrned thur ll'riln wrls prcscrveclin incorruprion bv gracc.Vhile em-
ploving thc tcrnr "rlatrlrc in difflrenr ways with rcglrd ro rnan, borh
F:rtherstaught the sanreessentialpoints: (l) rhat nran wirsprcservcclin
incorruptior.runtil tlrc f.ill, (2) that tliis condirion was a srareof gr,rcc,
ancl(.)) that if rnan had not sinncdhc would not hlve died.
W.y God A/\ou,e/ t/te l-)ttrann oJ'Dmth and Sulliring
Although thc Holy liathcrsdcclarealong wirh St. Paulthat dceth is
rln "cncnry which is to bc "destroyed"(l Cor. I 5:26), they alsoaffirrn
that the introtluctior')of dcath w,,rsallowed providentially by (iot{.
[)elth, ls rvc havcsaicl,wirsnot pilrr of God\ original econonryfbr His
crcrtion; horvcvcr,afier the f'ullGocl uscd it fbr the bcnefir of nrln. As
\6i*t r.tii:ot;tivar) lL^-rct ll^-2ttiiriou 2.l2: P(i 94:922rli-()25A;cf. NPNlr lnd sc,
ri c s, vol. (). p .31 ). llcrc St. lohr r r r llir nr st hnr inr nr or r alir vis u t l u : r l i r v r v i r h r v h i c h
(lod h:tscnrlorvetlthc a,rlrrrzof thc sorrl bv nrclns of llis gr'.rr'r,, as it is bv gr:rcc
iust
rlrlt Hc h.rsgrlntcd tlrc soul its vcrv existcncc.It is in this lighr rhet rvc lrc ro undcr-
srend. lirr cx:rnrple,thc strterrrcntof Sr. ( ircgorv l)lllnrls that 'Bv nlturc rhc soul is
inrttrortal ( Iit rl'., llost lltrnttut Nun llrrlz 8r in l'/'ilob,lia, vol. ,1. p. 295). Il rhc
srxrl c:rn be c:rllcrlinrrrlrrrirl lrl n,rttrrc,it is in rhc scnserhlr thc nlrurc of the sorrl
posscsscs inrnronitlirvas u gifi liom (iotl. lrr thc conciscPhr.lrcof Sr. Cvril of lcrrrsrr-
fcnr. thc sotrl is inrnrortll bccauscol (iod Who qives it imnrolrrlirv (()talnriul
I a nro 4.18 NI)Nli 2n Llsc r ic s v, ol. 7, p. 2. 1) .
rl rS ccp. IIrbo vc.
I ri St. ( iregorvrrf Nys:,:t,( )t tltt Sotl arl tlu' l sunutiott: Nl)N Ir 2nd series.vol. 5,
p . 4 (, 1.
(jl
( ]IIF,Af I:,f) IN IN(]ORRL]I'I'ION
St. John Chrvsostorn obscrves, in man! lallen state dc:rrh servcs firr thc
ctrtti ng off of sin:
l',venthough dclth enteredas a rcsulrofsin, ncvcrthclesssuclr is rhe
sLrpcrioritvof (iocl, His loving-kindnessand rhc exccssof His care
rhat H c emp lovsevcn r his t o r hc advant agc'of ourr lcc, . . . ls it not
rhc final blow ro cvil? I nrcan,if someoncis wickccl,their pracriccof
cvil is f'cllcdon rh.'ir dcath: 'For hc rhar is dcad is frccrl fionr sin"
(llonr. (r:7), tlrat is, no longer corrrirruessinninel if t
Pcrsonrvhrr is
good passeson, all rhcir works of virruc lie in safctvrlnd in :l sccurc
trcasurv [)ocs ir nor, on t]re orhcr hand, rcll me, render rhc living
more ten)pcrate:rnd circumspecr?... You scc, if despitc dclrh bcinq
what it is there is so much mplcirv, so rnuch avarice,rhc srrongcr
prcying on the wcakcr like flsh, whcn would lvaricc cvcr conlc ro ln
cnd if thcre wcrc rro dcathl I nrcan, if rhcy ilrc lwrrc rhar rho, will
not cnjoy whar thcv stcll. bur willv-nilly they rvill passit ovcr to orh-
crs, and rhcv so gricvc and llnrent ar this, *'hcn wotrl<1rhc fhnrcs of'
cvil dcsire evcr bc cxringuishcd if rhcv kcpr thcir ill-gotrcn grrrns
w i thorrr f' cl r ?r r 1
Likc St. John (lhrysostonr, Sr. (ircfiory rhc -l'heologian sccs (locl's
love fbr mankind in the facr thar He allowcd dcltlr ro cnrer thc world:
Yct hcrc too hc IAdaml nrakesI glin, n.rn.rcl.r,tlcirth, and rhe curting
off of sin, irr ordcr thlt cvil nrrrvnor bc inrnrortal. l'hus his punish-
nrcnt is chlngetl into a rncrcv;firr it is in mcrc1,,I unr pcrsuadcd,rhrrt
()od i nfl i cts r '( '
l. r r r r r ishnr cnt .
Just as Cod trscd clearh fbr thc bencflt of nrln in his flllcn st:rte,s<r
al so di d H c usc r hc or lr er physical consct lucnccsof r hc f hll: suf ler ing,
l F S t..fol rn(l l rrvr ost onr(,, it nn, t t r r . 1,ot t h l\ , lnn ( l) s: r lnrll0
llt ll) . v, , 1.
(B rxrkl i nt,Mrss. :llolv( ir oss( ) nhodoxI 'r css,l( ) 9t t ) pp. , l7 . ill.
lr" St. (ircgorvthc'l-hcolosiirr. Ourion l8; Nl'Nt:. lnd Scrics,vol.7, p. .34t|.
6l
 'f HF-()l{t'H()lx)x \?()Rl) (lRtrAflj-l) lN IN(I )l{RLJI'l'l()N

bodilv nceds,labor, discasc,etc. Likc <leathirsclf, thescothcr colrse- rn cnd in irself.'l'his roo is expressedin rhc Gcncsisnarrarivc:'And ...
qucnccsscrvcto hunrblc ntan ,rnd lrring hinr to lcpcntancc. tbc woman saw that the tree was good for fixld, end plcasanrro thc
At rhc fall, nrirn succumbedro thc tcnrptation of pritle, cxprcssccl eyes,and a trce beautifirlro conremplare"((len. 3:(r).''"
'l'hus,
in the serpenr'swords, "Yc shall lre as gotls, knowing good and evil" the remprariollthar brought about nran'sfill was rwotbld. In
(Cicn. 3:5). All the physicelconscqucnces of rhe fall scrvc to rcmincl thc words of St. Mark the Ascetic,"All vice in thc worltl is causcdby
rnan that hc is not Clod btrt r creatcdbcing who is dependcnton (l<lcl. self'-cstecnrIpride] and sensualplcrsure."'''' l]ecauscof this, (lotl crn-
St. John Chrysostom,in rccountitrgthc scntenccirlposed ott Adanr at ploved the physicalconsequcnces of rhc firll as a wofbld remcdy: not
r he fall (Gcn. .l:17-19),exPlairrs
rhis:rsfbllows; only to quell man'.spride, but also ro tlampcn his dcsirc fbr creared
rhings and his pursuit of scr.rsual pleasurefbr its ou,n sakc. As St.
-l Maximusexgrlains:
Bcholclrhc rcmindcrsof rhe curse! hornsit will bring firrth, l-lc
IGod] s.rys, lnd thistlcs,so rs ro plivclisc ro grclt |rbor and discorn-
Ileing,in His providencc, conccrncdlirr our s:rlvlriorr,(iod thcle-
rh.rtyou prssthc wholctitncwirh pain,so rhet
fbrt, and I lvill !-nsrrrc
fbrcaflixcdpainalongsidc rhissensurlpleusurcasa kind ofpunitrvc
this cxpcricnce mav provca brakcon vour gcttingicleas aboveyour
firculry,
whcrcbythe lawofdelth wls wiselyinrplantccl in our eorpo-
stltion, :tntlyolt nravinsrcldhavca thoughtof vour owtr trrakc-up
rcalnarurero curbthc fbolishmind in irsdcsireto inclirrcunnrru-
and ncvcraglin bc dcceived in tlrcsemltters....My intcntiotrtn
r:rllyrowardscnsitrlc rhings.
bringingvou into rheworld... rvasrhatyoushouldlivcin a sratcol'
Hcnccfbrth,bccluscirreriorralplelsrrrccrrrerc<lhunrrrnnrrttrrc,
enjoyrrrenr lnd prospcritl',and not lrc subjccrro thc nceclsof rhe
pain entcrcdour naturcopposircthis plcasurein rrccord:rrrcc rvirh
bodybtrt bc f-rccfrom all suchrrrclhaucthc gooclfbrruncro cxpcri-
rcason,lnd, rhroughthc nranvsuflcringsin which and frrrrnrvhich
cncccomplctclrcctlont.Sincc,hollevcr,sttchirrrlulgcncc wasof no
<{cltrhoccurs,pain uprootsrrnnrrturalplcasrrrc,but .lt cs nor conr-
bcncfltto vou, lccordinglyI curscrhe groundso rhat ir rvill not irt
plctclvdcsrrovit.'''"
firrtrlcyicld its harvcstrs befirrcwirhout tilling:rnt1ploughing;in-
stcad,I invcstyou rvithgrcathbor, roil anddifliculrl,,andwith unre-
Physiceldcath, of course,puts :rn end ro physicalprrin and labors.
rrirting painand clcsPlir. tnd I rm cnsuringrh,ttclcrvrhingvou do
Hcrc irgaitrwc seeCod's mcrcy,for in allowing the crrtranccof physical
is achievecl only by swcltt.orhatundcrprcssurc from rheseyou tnly
dearh so as to prevent sin (iom bcing irnrnorral,(locl also prevented
havccontinualpluiclancc in kecpingto linrirslncl rccognizing your
t bodily pain and labor fronr neccssarilvlasting forevcr. As Blessec
own nrakc-u1'r.l 'fheodorct
of Cyrus wrires:

Adam ancl flvc indcedsuccumbcdto pridc in partakingolthe fbr-

biddcn fruit, but that was not the only sourceof thcir fall. As will ltc
lrs fhi\ 'r thc Scptuegintrcndcrirrg.In thc M:rsorctictcrt, rhc lasrphrascrclds
recalled,in thc primordial transgrcssionthey:rlso tLtrnedtheir tlcsire
''rtrrJrt trecro lrcdc.irctlro nr.rkcorrcwirc.
,rwayfronr God and toward crc'ltedthings,seekingpleilsurein thcrrl as lr') St. M.rrk thc Ascetic,()u t SpiritualLan': liut, llunlru! Iixrs99t in lht
vol. I (london: l:abcrand |:rbcr.lt)79),p. ll7.
I'ltiloQalir,
I t St. l"(rSr.M;rxinrusrhc (irntr.ssor,,4r1
TLalnsitu6l;ir (.'osnicLlytqy, pp. lll-.12.
lohn (lhrvsostonr,Hotttilitson (iorsis 17.40-41 l](i, vol. 74. pp. 24.1-/t/t.

64
 ' l t ll: ()R f t l ()l )()X W()l { l ) (-RtlAl'lll)IN IN(l()Rl{LJPl
l()N

l)clrh dissolvesthis living thing lnd on the ()ne lr:rndcc:lscsthc lc-
ott rhe <ltlrcrh,tnd' ir srtvcsnran fiorl firtlrcl rlrr-
rion of rvickccltress;
grrish, libcr.rtcshinr fionr swcilt, drivcs au'av pain rnd sorrow, end
brings the bodyi sulli'ringsto an encl. 1'hc'Judgcnrixcd rhc punish-
rn e n t w i rlr s uc lrphilanr h ro p v !'"
Furthernrore, in His foreknowlcdgc of nrarl'-sevetlttlll salvltiotr
throrrgh C)hrist, Gocl allowed rnan's [:,odv to clic so that it cotrltl be
reflshioncd et rhc (lencral llcsLtrrecrion. In thc words ofSt.
(ircgorv of
Nyssa:
llv l)ivine proviclcnccdcarlr h:rslrecn introducct] as I d ispt'nsrtt i'rrr
inro the n,rturc.,f rnln, so that, sin h:rvingflowcd awlv rtt rhc ditto-
lurion of rhc union ofsoul and bodv, nrln' through rhc rcsurrccti()n'
miehr bc reitshioncd, sortnt'l' plssionlcss,st,ritrlcss,ind renl()vcd
fiom :rny rouch of cvil.' ''
St. Ilasil thc (lreat also points to this iclca, drrwitrg iln :rnalogv
betwccn a hr.rman bodv that has becn rctrdcre.l imntttnc to dcxth and il
pot that lras bcen fl rcd in a kiln, i c., has acquirecl irs fltral stltc:
not allou,inga lerk;-cl,rvpor to lrc pl,tccdin firc [andhrrdcncd]trn-
til rht wcukncss prcscrrr ir) it hrtsbeencorlpletclvnrcnclctlthrotrgh
iorring.r
rcfltslt '1
Man'.sdeath,thcn, opcnetl tlre rvrv to his ref:rshioninginto a better
srare. 'l-lrc lctual rcfashioning of nran, however' woulcl occur not
tlrroulil.rthc tlcatlr of sinfirl mcn bttt through the clcarhand resurrcc-
rion of thc sinlcss(iocl-mittr,.lcstrs (lhrist. Dcath' the trltinrarephysical
corrsequence of mrrn'.sfirll, would tllus becotnea mcirnsbv which (iod
would redeemrnankind tiorr ell the effcctsof thc firll, spiritually rrnd
bodilv.As wc readi11Holv Scripture:"He iChristl is thc tnediarorof
thc Ncw (lovcnanr, that [r1'rtrcatrsof tlc,rth,firr thc reclcnlptionof the
rrirnsgressiorls that wcrc under tlrc flrst covenant,rhcy which irreclrllc(l
rrrighrreccivcrhc protniscof cterttalitrhcritancc"(Heb. 9: I 5).
VIl. TsE Rsoer'rprton ANo DEIFICATIoN
oF MAN AND THE Cost'tos
"'l),rnpling Dou'n Dratlt b.1'I)utl.i'

Llow lrc \vc to r.lndcrst:lrrcl rhis nrvstery of rlat.t'.sredctlPtiotr

(iod did not crcatc dclth, but wc broupihrit upotr ottrsclvesby:r
' li throtrgliOhrist'.s dcath and rcsrrrrection?-lb bcgin our exilnlinirtionof
wi ckcd i nt c nr ior r . be s u rc ... H c d i d n o t P re v c n to ttr di ssol uttorr'
rhis rlucstion,lct us tctunr to tl)c teaching of St. (ircgory l)alrtlnasotr
so that our welkncssmigiht not rcnllin inrnlortal. lt is like s<lnrconc (ircgory
nlan'sflll. As rvill bc recallcd,St. taught tlrat' rhrough Aden.ri
(r; in lstvrin onc spiriruxlclc,rrh,both sPirirutl .lnd phvsicll clcathwerc passc.l,rtr to
rfrBfcssccl 'f lrcodorct of (lvrtrr, (Jrr the lt/un,ttt,ttirtu rtl tl't ln
Oyrus (l.ontlon.tnd Ncw Vrrk: l{otrtlcdgc' )(X)(r) p rrll nrcn.'l'he slmc Saitrt, hou'cvcr,:rflirnrcd tliirt ir is lrv tne,rtrsof
l':isztori-Krr1rin.llut oru ol
t4 0 . clceth-(lhrisis cleath-that thc Powcr of death is destroycd.H.- ex-
r,i St. (ircsrrrv ol Ntsst. (,)ut'luriul ()rrrirrrr.15: NI)Nli 2ncl Scrics.vol. 5. p. 503' plains ther, as spiritual ,rntl physiceldearh cntcrctl the world throLrgh
(lf. Sr. M;rxirltrs thc (irnfcssor, who writes that thet sotll lntl body arc nlrrtrrallv Arlanr'sonc spiritual tlctrlt, so borh kincls of dc'arh xrc ovcrconle
unitcd in nren "ttntil such tintc rtsplerrscs thc ()nc rvho lnuntl thcnr togcthcr to scpl' nt rcstlrrcctlon:
through Ohrist'sot'tcltLlsi l rlc.nhantl His stlbscqtle
rarc tlrcnt li.e., in clclrh], itt vicrv of I greltcr lrnd nrorc nlvs(ic:rl:lfrilnlacnlctrl
(icntr'rl Rcs-
in rhc tinrc of tlrc cxpccrcrltrrtivcrsalconstlll)tnl(i()lrlic,
loixo',t,p,ia;)
(lonfi'ssor' 1'tSt. lfrrsilrl.,cCrctr, lhntil.y l:).t2laiDinsllur (itd l: Nor tlt ()usc ol |:iil7tin()n
' 1; l'(i 9l:('ti5ll;
trrrcctionl \ il!1'trttgrtgt in St. thc
M:rxinrLts '\clutcl V/tit'
/rr.ElNov Vrrk: l'aulist l)rcss,l9li5l' p. 11.)7). tlu lluu,ttt (.loulitrott,1t. '-i.

6i
 THF_ORTHOI)()X\(ORt)
'I
hroughthc evilone'.s envyirnclthe goodl.ord'.siustconscnt,dcath
canrcinro rhc rvorld.Bccauscof thc dcvillsovcrwhclrningcvil,dcath
bccanrcrwoft>ld,fbr he broLrghrrbour not iustphysicrlbut rlsocrer-
naldcarh....
Of necessiry bodilv dcrrh fbllowcdlAdam'slspirituirldcath,so
rhc cvil onc causcclour doublcclcarhbv his singlt'dc,rth.... -fhe
good l-ord hcalcdthis rwofbl.l cle,rtho[ ours through His singlc
boclilydelrh,:rnclthrorrghrhcone resrrrrcctionof His bodv Hc gavc
us a rwotblclresurrcction. Bv mcansof His bodily tlearhHc de-
strovedhirn Ithc cvil onc] who had thc powerovcr our soulsirncl
bodicsin death,lnd rescuccl us frorn histyrannvoverboth.r'"
Out of His inflnitc krve Forrrs,(lhrist died on our behalf thar we
could be given ctcrnal lifc, borh ofsoul and ofbody. In the words ofSt.
Paul: "(lod denronstrlresHis own love toward us, in th:rt, while we
were yet sinners,Christ diecl fbr us" (Rom. 5:8); and, "But rvc seeJe-
sus, Wlro w:rsnrldc a littlc lower than the an€iclsfor the suffiring of
cleath,crowned with glory and honor; that Hc by thc gracc of God
should rastcdcarh fbr every man" (Hcb. 2:9).
Spcakingof thc awesonrcmysteryof His redemptionof the world,
Christ rold His tlisciples:"'l'he Son of Man camc . . . to givc His lilc as
il rrnsonrft,r nrarry'(M:rrr. 20:28). '''l'his imageof Clrrisr giving up
His lifc es ir ransonr was larer takcn up by the Apostlc Paul (e.g.,
"Christ Jcsus,Vho g:rveHirnselFa ransom for all"-l Tim. 2:5-6)
anclby the Orthodox Holy F-athers.
ln thc following passagc,
Sr.John
1", Sr. (iresorv l',illtns, lTonily l(r.1. l5; in Honilit, vol.l. pp. lti0, 191r.
l'i (lhrisr's tli*ine fbrckno*lcclgc thet His .le,rth worrl,l servc fbr mitn'.ssitlvltion
finclscxprcssionclsovhcrcin thc Gospcls.Spc:rkingof H is Llcathon the (lross,(lhrist
s;ritl, But I hlvc l blprisnr to bc b:rptizctlwitlr; ancllrorv I lnr strlircncd tili rt bc ec-
co r n plishct ll"(l.L rkcll:50 )r"A s M os c s lilt c dr r pr hc s c r pc nr int h c *i l d c r n c s s , c v c n s c r
rnust thc Son of Jt{anlrc lificd up, thrt *4tosctcr bclicvcth in Hinr shouki not lxrish,
l x r t helccternel lifc" (Joh n.l:l1r I 5) ; and, on t hc dav bc t br c H i s c r u c i f i x i o n . " N o r v
is lvly soul trouLrlcd;end rvhat shall I sayi Flthcr. slvc Mc lionr this hotrr'? llut tirr
rh i s c ausccanrc I rrnro this h or r i ( J ohn | 2: 27) .
68
cllllAl liD lN I N( )()Rll'ul'l'l( )N
Danrasccne nrakes use of this image, adding to it thc inrage of Christ's
body as bait arrachcd ro rhc hook of Diviniry:
S i nccorrr I-ol d JcsLr(slhr isr waswit hot t r sin ( "For He com r nir t cdno
sin, Hc Who took lrv:ry thc'sin of thc rt'orld, n.rr lu,tstllcrc irlrv dc-
cci t frrundi n His nr out h" [ cf . ls. 5- ] : 9,John l: 29] ) . Hc was not sub-
jcct to clelrh, sinccclclrh clnrc inro the world rhrotrghsin (cf. I{onr.
5: I 2). tlc clics,thercf.rtc,bccltrscHc rtxrk on Ilinrsclf dcilth otl our
behalf, and He mrl<es Himsclf rn oflering ro the Fathcr firr our
sakes.For we had sirrned agrinst Hinr, atrcl ir w,ts nrcct th:rt He
slroul<lrcccivert ransom firr tts.rnd rhrr we shotrlclthLrsbc dclivercd
fronr thc condcnrttlriotr. (iotl tbrtrid thlt rhc blood of rhc Lord
.htxrld hrvc bccn oflcrcd to thc tyr:rnt Ii.c., rhc clcvil] Vhcrcfbre
tlcrrh approrches,and swallowingLrprhc troclyas a bair is transflxcd
on rhc hook of l)ivinity, and aftcr trsting of r sinlcssancllifc-givrng
botlr', pcrishcs,and brings tr;r again all whom of olcl he ha.l swrl-
lowcd Lrp. For just its darkncssclislppcarsotr thc introdrtcrion ol-
light, so is dcarh rcptrlsedbcfbre rhc assattlrof lifi, and brings lifi ro
al l , btrr dc,rrht o t hc dcst ( ) yer r '( '
In the preciscly satne vein, St. (!regory Palanraswrites:
'l'hc l.ord patiently endurcd krr our srtkcr dcath l-lc wrs nor obligcd
to undcrgo, to rcclecntus, who rvcreobligcd ro strffcr cleath,fi,rnr
scrvirudcto rhc dcvil ancldc,rth.by which l trrc,rtrdcarlrborh of rhc
sorrl ,tnd of the lrodv, tcrnpor:ltv ,ttrtl crernirl.Sincc ]1c g.lvr.'[1is
Ulood, which wls sinlcssan<ltltcrcfirrcgtriltlcss,ls l ransom firr us
of ottr sins, Hc rc.lccmc.ltts
rvho rvcrcliablc to pLtnishrnctrtbcc.rr.rsc
fiom or.rrguilt. Hc forglvc our sins, torc up tlre rccorclof thcm rrn
thc (l ross rn d dclivcr ct l us f r ot l t hc dcvil's t yr anny ( cf . O ol.
2:14_15).-I'hcdcvil wascaughrbv thc b:tir. It wls:ts ifhc opcned his
l'u Sr. () p. 71.
f,)hn l)anresccnc.l:t,ttt li7otitiou ).27: Nl'NI; 2rrrl Scrics.vol.
6,t
 'l H l.l()Rl IIOD()X \V()Rt) ct{ltA l l|l) IN tNc()t{RLtpt't()N

Inourhirn(llrlstcnctlto pour out lttr hirnselfotrrransonl,thc Mls- I'hc Cornmonalitl of'Hunnn Naturc as lt Relatesto Rricnption
tcr'sRlood,rvhichwasrrot onlv gttilrless btrr firll of [)ivinc powcr. 'l'hc
conseqrrenccs ol'Chrisrls reclerrrptive
work corrlclpxss ro rll
'I-hcn
insrclclof bcing enlichcrlbv ir hc rvrs stronglvbound tnd t'ttcnbcc:lrsc-:rs we havc trotcd concerning thc conscqucnccsof rlte
in rhe(]rossof Ohrist.r'-
nrlclcln exrrrrl',lc flrsr Adanr'.s
sin-hurnan naturc is one. 1-heAposrlcPaLrlrvritcs:"lI bv
one nran'.s offcnsc tlcath reigncd by onc Irhat is, Adanr], rluch morc
St. John Ohrysoston')furthcr highlights this teachingwith atr irtt- thcy which rcccive;rbuncl:rnce ofgraceand of rhe gift ofrighrcousncss
rrgcof lr is owr.r: shall rcign in life by one, Jcsus (ihrist" (Ronr. 5:17). Sr. John
(lhrysostonrcolrnrcnrs on rhis vcrseand orr rhosebefirrcantl irficr ir,
of ,r court ofiusricc,the clcvilshor.rlcl
Ir is as if, at r scssion bc ltl-
cxplaining why St. Paul rcpcrlrsrhc word "onc" nrlny rinrcsin his cx-
tlrcsseclasfollows:"Granredrhlt yott destroyed all mcn lrcclttscvort positionof redcmprion:
lound thcm guilrvof sin;btrt why did vou dcstroy Chrisr?Is ir not
vcry cvidcnrthar you did so trnjtrstll'? Well thcn, throughHim thc How did dc.rthreignl'Alicr thc sinrilitudcof Arhrn'.s
rransgrcssitrn,
wholcworldrvillbc vindicrtcd."'''* who is I rypc(;rjrog)of Hinr Who wrs ro cornc"(l{onr.5: l4). Now
rhisis why Adanrisrrtypeo[(ihrisr.rr""How.r tvpc?"it will besaitl.
From theseand other Parristicexpositionsbasedin ScriptLrre,rhc In rhlr, irstheforrncrbccancro thoscwhowcrcsprungfronrlrinr1ar-
()rrhodox doctrine of mirn'sredemption throrgh (lhrist's tleath and
rhorrghtheyhad not e:rrcnofrhc rrec)rhccauscofrhar dclrh rvhich
rcsurrccrionmight be briefly stated as follows: Dearh is the conse- rhus:rlsodicl(lhrisr bcconrcro rhosc
lrr'lriseatingrvusirrrrotluccti,
quenceof sin. Vhen Christ died on the Cross, Hc took upon Him- spnrngIr.orrr Hirrr(cvcnrhoLrgh thevhadrrorwrouglrrrightcousness)
self this conscclucnce, However,since He was wholly withour sin He
undcscrvingof tlcath, atrd since He rvas[)ivine He was utrableto
rv:.rs
| ''- l l t c f r c t r h r t S r . I) :r r r l ,.r r r d
a l tcr h i n r Sr . Jo h n C h r vso sto n r sl
. w Ach r n u s i r 'i vy.r c'
bc hcld in rhe bonds of dcarh and hades.Thus, the spirittraland (ligrrrc)ol (ihrisr does not ol courscinrpll'rh;rr rhcv did nor llso scc hinr es I rcitl pcr-
physical clcarh thet had cnrcrcd the world rhrough thc prirnorclial lhc ()lrhodox Cihurch has rlrv:r1'slic.rvcclccrrail ()kl listrtnrcnr ligtrlcs rrntl
'on.
rransllrcssionwcrc abolisheclthrough Christ'.sdeath ancl rcstlrrectton, cvcnts:ts'\vpcs" of rhc Nc*, li.stenrcnrdisPcrrsurion rvhilc.rlsorrBllnrincthcir hisror-
,rrrtl all rnernkinclwas qiven thc grossibilityof bcing delivereclfiont ic.rl rclliry. 'l hus. in lnothcr pl.rcc.Sr. l)lul rvrotc conccrnirg ccrtlrin evenrsin rhc
()Ll It'st.rnrr:nr:Norv:rll rhcsc things hlppcncd ro thcnr
tnctTt. ls rvPcs,und rlrcv $,ere
rvrittcn for our adnronirion" (l (ir. l0:ll). In sitvingtlur rhcsco,cnts ltapprnul t
trlrcs.tnci thcn rvcre rvrirtcn dorvn (rarhcr then lrcing nrcrclv u,rirrcn cklvrr .rs
l' y'/oltily 16..\ltn Honilis, vol. l,pp 200-201. trlts ), St. I)lrrl is :rflirnring th:rt tvPologv cxisrsllrsr of .rll in hisroricalcvcnrs.enci
St. (ircg,'ry l)'rlanr:rs.
LN St. (lhr\'s()s(rnr, (.lntlnMr.1' ot rltt (iqel ol St. ./oltn (r7r li(l. vol 4 | thcn also in thc rvrirrcn rvord.
folrn 'I
() ' 1 5 9 ), p. 132 .(lt. I I'ct. -l:1 8: I ior ( lhr is t , t ls o hat h onc c s r r f l i r c t l f i r r s i n s .t l r c l t r s t hc Flolv l:arhcrss:nv \ypcs" of()hrist not only in Adenr but :rlsoin Abcl, Iseac.

lbr rhc Lrnirrst.thirt IIc nright t,ring us to (iod. trcing pttt ro dcrth in rlre flesh. btrt
.lLrickcncdbv rhc Spirir,' us u'ell :rsthc firlbrvitrg vcrscfiorr thc scrvicefirr the tcrlst
of thc lixllritt iott ofrhc ( lross:"'l hc cLrrscof e iLrstcontlentnltiorr is loosccllrv thc tln-
jrrsrpunishnrcnt inflictcd on the.ltrstli.e., (lhrist] (sricheronon 'l.ortl I lrever:ric<|"'
in Il,, [:tst,t/ tlluniorr, p. l-34).
loscplr,Nloscs,Joslrrn rhc son ofNun. [):rvid lntl othcrs,ur rhc s:rnrctinrc rcglrclirrg
thcrn us rcul pcoplc rnd rhc ()ld-li:srenrent accoun(sol-rhcnr us lrisroric,rl.ln his
(,onmrutary on thc l\, ns, Sr. lohn Chrysosron)wrorc on rhc nccd
to rrphoLl rhc
hisroricelnrcirningol Scriprurc rvlrcrra rvpologicalnrcaning is elso givcn ((.azllor,
ttrt, o tlt l\dlt,ti ll'sllnr 91, vol. l, p. t1t5).

io
 -l Hh ()l{l H()tX)X \(iOltl)
rhe Providcrtlfrhat rilihtcotlsncss thich throLrghHis Cross l{c gra-
ciotrslybcstowcclotr rts:tll. Ilor this rclsotr,lt cvcly ttlrn hc kccpsto
"As
thc "one," lnd is continr'rallvbringing it bcfirrc tts' whcn hc'says,
" l frhrough
by o treman s it rc nt c r c din to th c w o rl c l "(l { o n r' 5 : | 2 )l a n d'
rhc offcnscofonc nrlny lrc clcad"(5: l5); and, "Not ls it rvls bv onr
rhat sinnccl,so is thc gifi" (5: l6); ancl'"'l'hc iuclgnrcntwasbv onc to
condcrlnation" (5: l8)l and lg:rin"'lf bv onc (or, thc onc) nran'sof-
fcnscclcrth rcigncrlby onc" (5r l7); rnd " l'hcrcfbrctrsby rhc olli'rrse
(or'
ofonc" (5:18). And again,"As bv onc nrrn'sdisobcclicnccIlrtrv
thc rnany)werc n:tdc sitrtrcrs"(5: l9). And so hc docsnot lct go ofthc
"one," so that wlrcn the.lcrv savsto yott, "llow came it rhat by rhe
well-doing of this onc I'crson. (lhrist, thc world wrs saved?"yot'
rnighr be rble to sayto hinr, "How carrc it that bv thc disobedicnccof
rhis onc pcrsotr,Adlm, rhe world was c,rndcmncd?"rt"
St. Cyril of Alexandriaspcaksspecificellyon how the consequcnccs
of Adarris firll'
of Chrisi's death on the (lross, likc the conse<luences
wereable to passto all nren duc to thc uniw oFhtllnan naturc:
'Wewerccruciflcdwirh Christ at rhc nlonlcntwhcrl His flcshwas
crucificd,bccauscit sontehowincludeduriversalhuman naturctn
itself,just asuniversalhunratrnaturccontracred thc sickncss of the
thc cttrsclsl
cursein Adlnr at thc sametimc thar he incLrrred
'l'ha Ordar of Redetnptio (l): Spiritual Resutrettion
ln Chrisis itrcarnltion, death and resurrection'a// the conse-
'fhcse consc<lttcnces,however,are not
quencesof the fall arc overcome.
to rhc ordcr
nu"r.unt. all at once,but in a ccrtain ordcr, correspondingi
rt(' Sr. cf NPNl-' lst Sc-
JolrrrOlrrysosront,Honilies on l?onor lll l'() 60:475t|(l;
r ics, vo l . l l , p . 402.
Isr Sr.Cyril of Afcxrn,Jria,)otrtrrtcttt,tt7ott Ronutu; l'O 74:796 6 Auiet Cltristiot
Oottntcntaty ott Sctipnrt, vctl.6 ([)orvncrs(irovc' lll : lntcrVtrsitv
Ncu,'lestrrunt'
I)rcss, l 9 9 tl ),p. 159
CRE.ATED
IN INCORRUPTION
in which man first experiencedrhem. Sr. Symeon rhe New Theologian
teachesrhar, just as Adam experiencedfirst spiritual death and later
physicaldearh,so likewiseChrist first overcamespiritual death in His
own Personwhen He "resurrecredup, broughr ro life. and deified" the
human soul ar His incarnation,and then He later overcameohvsical
tt
death in His Personat His resurrection.' St. Sy-.on go., on r"y
rhat the sameorder of redernption-firsr of the soul and then of - rhe
body-was observedin rhosewho had died beforeChrist; for, immedi-
ately afrer Christ'sdearh and while His body lay in the tomb, His soul
"descendedinto hades,freedthe soulsofthe saintsheld captiverherein
cverlastingbonds, raisedthem up, and esrablishedrhem in a placeof
restancl of light without evcning-bur nor yet rheir bodies,for those
Hc allowed ro remain in the graveuntil the GeneralResurrecrion."r5r
Finally, St. Symeon teaches,rhis order of redemption is also ob-
scrvedin the life of eachChristian. Man is firsr spiriiuallv resurrecred
in thc (lhurch through rhe Holy Mysteriesrhar ha,rebeen made possr-
blc throLrghChrist's redemptivework, and only later does he experi-
cncc the physicalresurrecrionthat Christ hasalso made possible.
"The beginningof our renewal."wriresSr. Gregory Palamas,is rhe
Mysrery of Holy Baptism, wherein we are cleansedof sin rhrough
(lhrisis sacrificeon rhe Cross.St. Gregorywrites:
Christ roreup the handwritingofour rransgressions
nn rhe Cross
and madeguilrlessall rhosewho wereburied wirh Him through
Baptism.rt'
r'r St.Symconrhe New TheologianEtbicql
, DiroursesI .ll SC l2l:100; cf, Oz r/,,a
tr(ystitalLife, vol. l, p. .1-);FinrCreatedMan, p.98.
ltr lbid.; SC 122:200;c(. On thc Mysucal
Lfe. vol. t. p. 33:,FirsrCreatedMan, p.
99. fhi s teachi ng
i s fou ndin r hecpisr les
of Sr s.Per er andPr ul ( l Pet . . l: 18- 19, 4: 6;
Ephcsians 4:8-10). St. John Damascene afllrmsrhar rhe SaviorbeeanHis descerrr
inro hell "assoonasIHe] said,'lr is finished'(Johnl9:.10)..rnddarkrrc..hadcovered
rhe carrlr"(St.John Danascene,Hotnil on Hol Santrday26; pG 96:625D-(t28A).
rraSt.GrcgorvPal:rmas, Honily l(t.35:in Honilies,vol. L p. 204.
 'l lIll olll tl()D()X WOlll) (lllhAl-lrt)IN lN(l()lLRljPll()N

(lhrisr' thtrspartakingof thc of sin in Holy Baptisrnrhrough Christs rcdcmprivesacrificc,gr.rccis

In Blprisrl, we clicand rre btrriedwitlt
'l'hus' tlle Apostlc no Ionger fbrcign ro his nltLrre,lrrd hc beconrcsa fit receptaclcof thc
,"ui,.rgpot"", of His dearh which freestts frotn sin'
into
l'aul *iitcs: "Know ye nor' that as mltlv of us as were baptiz-cd Holy Spirit. l'htrs,in rhc Mystcryof Baprisnr,togcrherwith rhe M1's-
'l'hcrefbre we rrc buried with tcry of Chrisnratiorrrhat follows upon it, man receivesthc graccofrhc
(lhrist were baptire.l into His tlc'ath?
with Hinr'
H inr by beptism into death... . OLrr old man is crucifled Holy Spirit as he had ir bcfbre rhe prinrorclialf'all.In rhe words of Sr.
(llom (r:'1-4' 6)' As St' John ,fohn Chrysostom:
tl,rt rh" body ofsin nright bc clesrroyecl"
(lhrysostornexplains:
'l hisis rhcmclningof"rhcSpirir
givcthlifir'(2 Clor..1:(r)....
In Bap-
('hrist' [3irp-
is thc (lross.rtt\Whattlrc(lrossrtntlburialis to
Brtptistrr tism the sirrsurcburicd,rhc fbrmcrrhingsarc blorredout, and nran
dicd
tisnrh". t ccn lo tls, cvcrtif not in thc sitnlcrcsPcctsFor Hc is nradcrlivc. thecntircgraccwrirterrupon his heartls ir wcrca rab,
ro sin lcr.( irrrsitlcr '
Hinrselfantlwasbr'rriecl in the tlcsh'but we htrvcdoncboth ''" rhcnhovvhighis rhcrlignirvof rlrcSpirir.ri

with
The Mystery of Baptisnr,howevcr, does not only nteln dying 'l St. Syrlcon rhe Ncw'l'hcologiancxpllins how lhprisnr, togethcr
nc'w lifc hc rvirh (lhrisrrration,is both a dearh antl a rcsrrrrectionfbr nrln, borh
Christ; it ,1r., nt""'ts rising with Him arrd being givcn
by l]aptisnr
Apostle Patrl afflrms: "-l'hercfbrcwE:rrc lruried with him tlr.rnringnrrrnlorgivcnessolrsinsrrnd irnparting ro hirl thc gmcc ofthe
thc glory
into.lcath, that like asChrist was raisedup fionr the dcad by lkrlv Spirir rhrr hc hed losrat the fall:
of the Father,evenso we alsoshoulc{witlk irr newtrcssof life" ' ' Norv ii
wirh Hini'
we be deatl with Christ, we bclicve that wc shall also livc lhc SonrrndVord of(lod, havingbeconrcincarnate, offcrcclHim-
(Ronr. (r:4, 8). And egain:"Buricd with Him in baptism' " ye ltrc rclf in rhc flcshasa srcrificeto rhc l)iviniry ofthc F:rrhcr, andof rhc
(lod' Who hetlr
,iren *ith Hirn through faith in rhc oPcration of \on l"{inrsclf,anclof thc tJol1,Spirir,in ordcrrhrr rlrc'fir.strrirnsgrcs-
silts rnd thc
raisedHim fiont tlre dead.An<t you, being dead in yotrr sion of Adrnr nrighr be bcncvolcntlyfbrgivcnfbr rhc s:rkcof this
tuncircttnrcisiotr of your flesh,hatlr lle nlrrdealive topicthcrwith Him' grc:rranclti':rrfulwork,thrrris, firr thc sakeof-thissacriflccof(lhrisr,
of
heving tbrgiveny.ru tr"rp*.r.s, havingwipcd out thc handwriting anclin order rhar by irs pou,crrlrcrcnrighrbc perforrrrccl another
"ll rook it
."quii,rt"i,, that ..a,,againstus, which wascollrrary to Lrs'and ncw birrh lncl rc-crc:rrion of nranin Holv Ilaprisnr,in rvhichrvcalso
otri of the way, nailing it to His Cross"(Col' 2: I 2 I 4)' rrc clcirnscclbv wlrer nringlcdwirh rhc Ilolv Spirir.Fronrthur rirrre
-l-his soirituel rcsurrectiollin Christ is rhc urliting of tlrrrn'ssottl pcoplcrle baprizcdin warer,:lrc imrrrcrsccl in ir and rlkcn our f'rorrr
oncc again *ith thc grlcc of the Holy Spirit' BccaLrse matt is clcalrsctl it rhrcctinres.in rhc inragcofrhc'thrcc-day burirrlofrhc l.ortl,anrl
rficr thcytlie in ir to thiswholecvil rvor.lc1,
in rhc rhird bringingout
fronr it rhcyurclllerdv rrlivc,ls if rcsurrccrcd fiom rhc,.lcad, rhrrrrs.
li5 l',lscwhcreSt. John Ohryscrsrortt obscrvcsthat irot onlv is l]rrPtismcrllccl drc
wirlr rhcirsoulslrc brouglrtro lifi' .rndrrgainrccciverhcgrtccol-thcfrory
(lross, trut thc (lross is callcclllrrptisnl 'With rhc lraptisntrh:rt I ern lxprizecl
(M.rrk l0:l')), sricl (lhlistr rrrrditgrin: llrrt I lrrtvc lrirptrsnt ttr be Spirit as Adam hati ir bcfbrc thc trlnsgrcssion.I hcn rhcy arc
shellvc bc brgrrizc.l' 'r
(Lttlc | ):ilJ)" (Connato'.y'ou tfu Ootlr'l ol St'
t'rrprirc.l *itl,'rvlrich yc knorv not i5- St.J,,hn (lhrvsostonr,Houilir'sot Saorul (.oriultiaus6):
l4 p tl9)' NI)Nli, Isrscrrcs,vol.
l,titt 25.2;cf. NI'NI lst Scries'vol.
r i , ' S r. John (lh rysr* ron , Ilont iliet on llt t lr , lir l0; Nl' NI j. ls lS c r i c s r r r l l I 'p 4 {) 5 ' 12.p. .107.

71 75
 l'Hu ()RI tl()l)()x \7()l{t)
anointcdwith Holy Mvrrh' andby rlcansof ir areanointcdwith ic-
.n
sus(lhrist,atrdarcfragrantin a w,rvllrovenittlre
St. Symcon then writes of how those who are baptized and
chrismatedinto Christ'sChr.rrchare united to God through the Holy
H,ucharist:
Havingbcconrcin rhisrvavworthvof bcingassociarcs of (iod' rhcv
t:rstcHis Iileshand drink His Blood.and bv nreans of rhesanctiflccl
brcad,tnclrvinebecomcof ttnc Bodv rnd Blood with (lod rVho w:rs
inclrnlte ancloffercclHinrsclf,rs,rsacrifice.r-"
In a similar vein, St. Nicholas (labasilassPeaksof how we partakeo[
Christ's redemptivesacrifice()n the Clrosswhen reccivingHoly Oom-
munion;
Since,thcrcfore,thc ()nlv BcgottcnSotr hrs lefi nothing trnclonc
which pertainsro thc Father's gkrry,Hc:rlonc"hasbrokendown the
middlcwallof division"(Eph 2:14)anclclcarsman from his indict-
Bodvrhcn is rheonlv medicineagainstsin and H is
rrcnt... . (lhrist'.s
'l-hisis thc Bodyrhat was
Blood the only rans,rnrfronr oflcnscs...
slain upon thc Clross...,ln its "wittressbeforcPontitrsl)ilate"it
'!r,rde a good confessiort"(cf. I 'I'im. (r:l-)): ir paid thc pcnaltvof
dcarhfor this conf'cssion, and rhat upon the (lross. l'he Blood
springingout of thc wouudsdarkcnedthc sun and shookthe carth;
ir hallowcdthc air rncl wrshcdthe rvholeworld clcanof rhs filth of
sin.""'
'l l.rerefore,
concludcsSt. Nicholas,
(ll{liAlhl) lN IN(:()l{RtJP.l
l()N
'l'hc hbors
anclrelrsof rhoscwho repenrofsins afrcrrhe blprisnral
rvrrshing
rncl plcadfor gracestandin nccdof rhc lllood of rhe Ncw
(lovcnrrntand of the Body rvhichrvasslain,sinccrhcv
lrhc labors
and tcrrslareof no availwirhourrhcnrIthc t]odt,:rndl]loodj.r,'r
ElsewhereSt. Nicholasaffirnrsr[]at, in thc Holy F.ucharist, wc alsopar-
take of Christ'.sresurrcction,since "we rcceiverhc Riscn Onc Himsclf
... the very BencfactorHirnsell',thc vcrv Ienrple whcrcorr is fbrrnclec
rhc wholc conrpassof gr,rccs."""
Spirirualrcstrrrcctiorr in (lhrisr-thc trniting of rlan'.ssoul rvirh
[)ivinc grlcc-rcopcns rhc wr;'ro dcificarionwlrich had bccn closcd
t() rniln ilt rhc fill.'l'hrorrgh(,urrltcir livcs,()rrhot|rx (lhrisriansarc r<>
grow toward l nrorc firll tlciflcirrion,a nrolc pcrfccr parriciprrion in
(irxlls lifi'.'l'his grarriciparion in (lod is ncvcr ro cnd, bur passcsirrro
cvcrl;rstingspiritual life in the Kingclonrof Heaven.
As rvill be remembered,mankind had beencur ofFfronr both parl-
disc urrrl lrcavcn at the flll. Now, through Christ, both havc becn
opcncd again to man. Vhen parrcd lrorn thc body rrr dcirth, rhc souls
ol thosc rcclccnredby Chrisr rrot only p:rssro l)aradise,which St.
John
l).rrrrirsccnc dcscribcsas "luxrrrilnt wirh evcr-bloomingplants,fillcd
rvirh fr:rgrance,floocleclwirh lighi';'''' bur thcy alsoprrssro hcaven,thc
pl.rccin which rhe angclicpowcrsdwell,r"'andwhich is irlsoclcscribcd
.rsa place fllled wirh light. -fhLrs,as Sr. Orcgory of Nyssaproclaims,
through (ihrist's rcclenrptive work
l)lr:rclisc,
evenheavcnitsclf,is:rccessiblc ro nran;lnd rhc crcarron,
both of thc world and lbove rhc r.r,orlcl,rvhichlon{lirgolvls scr :rr
vlrirncc wirh itsclf,is flr roge'rhcr
in fiienclship;and rvc nrcn arc

lssSt.Svmconthc Ncw -l-he r"r lbid.; I,C 150:5ttlA;in lfu Lifi in (:l,i\t
oloqiin. Firsr-(lruratMan, pp.4647' |1)74), p. ll.1; ct. Nell:rs. I)rrft.,lta,r
iu Chritt, p. | 26.
'5" Ib i d ..p . 47. l (" S t.
7/z' t'ili in ()hriit: I'(i I 50:5lt9(l-59lAr in idcrrt //''r'
l('('St. NicholrsCrrbrrsitrs, [)rrnrrr sccnc,
Jrrfrrr I : *t t t l: ir posit ior 2. 1l; lr ( ] , vol. . ] 7. p. 2. ] 0.
r'" lbid. 2..1:p. 2{)ti.
I.ili in Christ\C,rcsrvttxrd, Sr. VlltlinrirsScntinrrrv
N.Y.: l)rcss.1974) p 120'

76
 'l tll: OlLfHOI)()X \(/()RL)
madero ioin in rhc rngels'song,offiring thc $orshiPof thcir Prarse
to (iod. "''
'I
heseblcssedrealmswerc opcttetlto mirn ri€ihtefter Christ'.sdcath
lntl cven belore His bodily rcsurrccrion;fbr, ls we havc scctr' it wits
rhen rhat Christ deliveredthc rightcousfroni hltlcs:rtrd ririsedthern to
"a placcof restand of light."""' As Sr. NicholasCrrbasilas explains,Hc
licccl thenr from spirittraldeath by mc:rnsof His bodily dcath:
\Whcnit rv:tsnccessary thllt thc clltrivcsof haclcslre sct frcc' ]lc
[(ihrisr] did n()t cntrustthis rvork ro angclsor :trchangels' bttr He
ll inrselfdcsccndcd inro thrt prison.Sinceit rvrsfirtirrgtlratrhccap-
tivcs shoulclnor rcccivcfrccdonrgrrruitotlslv'hut bv bcing ran-
sonrcd,I Ic sctthcnrfrcelry slrcddirlg[{is blootl.r"-
l-hus, as St. John Danr:rscenc clcclarcs: "By nothing elseexccptthe
(iross of our l.orclJesus (lhrist has . . . hadcsbcen plLrndered. . . landl
'I'he slmc teachingis proclainretlin
tlrc gatesof Paradiseopcned.""'t
rhc Divine serviccsof the ()rthodox Church, ,rs for example in the
'l-hird Strntlayof Cireat
Kontakion for the Srrntlayof thc Cross (the
Lent), conrposcclby Sr. -l'lreoclore the Srudite:
No longcrdocsrhe flarringsworcl(cf.(len .]:24)gtrardthc gareof
by thc wood of thc
Fldcn,lor it hrrsbecnnrirlculotrsly<lttcnchc.l
(lross. lhc sringiofdcarh rnd thc vicrorvofhadeshavebcenabol-
ishcd,fbr'l'hou didst cornc,nlv Savior'cryirtgro thoscitr hadcs,
r""
"L)nrcragaininto ['arrclisc."
r('i St. (ircs<rrvol Nvss.r.;l S,'n,ru litr rlu' l trrstol t/'t Liglu l'(l 4(r:(r00Allrcf.
N PN l.2 n d Sc r ic sv,ol. 5, p. 52 4
rr'('Sccp. 73 abovc.
r('-Sr. Nichohs( leb:tsi|rs. l/,t Lili in (.llrisr11974),pp l42-43.
r{'sSr. olrrr[):rn.rsecnc, I')xrtrlitTasitiou4 l lr I(] 94rl ll8l) I l29Al ct. Nl)N[:
.f
lnd Scri cs, vo l. 9, p. 80.
tt"t('.1.I lr ltntcn lj.iodion \L',;ntlo::liirbcrerrclli:rfrcr.Il)ilt), pp. 342 4-i.
7it
cr{ltA ._DIN INCORTIUp
f l()N
()nc of rhc first ro bc r:riscdro I)aradiscwas a persor)who war
clc:rrlv rrnworrhy, but who ncvcrrhclcssbelievcclin (lhrist and was
thcrcby redecnrcdrhrough His death.'l-hiswasrhe repcnrantrhicfcru-
cificclalong with Christ, ro whom (lhrisr s.rid,"'lbday shalt thoLrbe
with Me in l)aradisc"(l.uke 23:43). Also rrnong rhosc who rvcrc
brought ro Paradiscand hcavenwere Adam and Eve,who, in thc ()r-
thodox icon of the "harrowingof hell," lrc dcpictcdbeing pullcd out
of rhe dark regionsby Ohrisr.
'l'hc
Order oJ'Redtnption (l/): P/rysiatl Resurrtttiott
Vhat we have describcd is only rhc flrsr kind of resurrcc-
tion-spirirual resurrccrion-rhar has becn nrrde possibleby Ohrisr.
Thc scconclkind-physical resurrecrion-will occur ar thc Scconcl
Coming rhrough the savingpowcr of Christs resurrecrion.
l'his rccords with the order of rcdcmptiorr ourlincd by Sr.
Syrneonabove.As St. Symconpoinrsour, while Christiansarr rpiri-
tu:rlly reborn and unitecl with (iod in rhe (lhurch, thcv still cxpcri-
cnce phvsical death and corruprion. In rlre clsc of sorne sirrlrrs,
Irowevcr,God grantsa certain rclirtiveincorrul.rtionto thcir bodicsaf'-
rcr tleath:
l-ike iron burning in the firc parrakcsof rhc hrter'sbrillilncc anrt
losesirsdark coloring,rhcn,whcn t:rkcrrrwly fronr rhc fbrgc,rurns
cold and dark irgain,so in f:rc do rhe bodicsof rhc sainrs,by rhc
graccunitedro rheirsouls.parrakcof thc Divinc flrc, rnd arcslnc-
rificcl,ud burn irrclnclcsccnr,ln.l becolncthernsclves rranslLrccrrr,
artdarc rcstorcclrrsnrorccxccllcnr,nrorcprcciousby fhr,rhln orhcr
boclic's.Whcn, though,thc soul dc;rrrrsrntl is scpararcd fionr rhe
body of thc sainr,Ihis bocly]is inrnrc<li:rtely
givenovcr ro corrul)-
rion and bcginsshorrlvro dissolvc.IJursrill, sLrchbotliesnrav re-
m:rin for nrany ycars,ncirher wholly incorrurprrror lgain <;uirc
corruprccl, but kccpingyer rhr' indicarionscrrchof corruprionlntl
79
 'l'H[ ()l{l t]()lX)X \f()Rl)
rvhcnrhcy
fbr rhc flnel rcsllrrcctiotl
bcing prescrvccl
irrcorrutption,
shrrllbc nrrdc;,erfictlvnc*'and incorruptilrlc' "
St. Svrrrconrhcn askswhv this is: thlt is, whv, when thc saintshave
alrcrtly bccn gr:rntcclspiritual rcstlrrectionb1'()od, nrust thev wair rtr
bc grnnrcclfhvrical rcsurrcction?ln artsweringthis qucstion' Sr'
Svmcon harkcnsblck to thc originll creation'wlrcn the itrcorruptcos-
,,ru:;*,,r; nraclcfirr incorrLtptman to c vell in Having alreadyesrab-
lished that trtan'sconditiotl tlltlst corrcsPonclwith rhat of his
St. Synteonot,scruestbar tll:lll crll.lllotbe rcstoredto pcr-
crrvirontt'rct'tt,
fcct physical incorrugrtiontlntil the rcst of crcltion is raised to that
st:rteaswcll:
boclicsshotrldbc rcstorcdand nladcin-
lr wusttot litting rhirrnrcn'.s
corruptiblebctirrctlrc renewirl ol-alltlrccrcatiorr'lnstcad'iLtstasthe
cleltcdworl,lwirsflrstbrortglrtinto cxisrcncc ls incorrrtpr'anclrhen
latcr,nran,so ag:tinit is crcationwhich nrttsrfirst lrc rranstbrnted
I conreinto being after rhe Cicncrll Resurrection:"l rcckon rhat thc suf'-
frotl corrrtptioninto incorntpltiotr.r
It is in thc (lencral Rcsurrcctionthat all thc fiuits ofClhrist'sinelr'-
nirtion,tlcltlr attclrcsurrcctiotrlre to lrc firlly revcllccl'At that tinre' bc-
"firstfruits of thosc
clrrsc (lhrist :troscfrom rlrc deacl,becoming thc
wh<lh:rvefhllenasleep"( I Cor. l5:20)' thc ttnnatttrll scprlrationof tlre
soul fiom the body at delth, which bcpiln at the Rrll,will be overcomc
fbr all mankin<1,and man will expericnceeverlastitrgphysicallifc in
"-l-he dc;rd
bodics that havc beetr nratle once aeaitr incorruptible''-t
1-rlSt. Svnrconrhc Ncw l hcolosielt,llthiotl l)irotrrttt l ll S(l l12:2{)2 4: cl oa
tl,,.lvlytintl Lili'. vol. l. p. 34r l:irsr'OrcttcdMtt, pp' 99 lt)0
t-r 1i1r14 j5r cl l:irst'(.nuel lvfun' 1t' \llll'
; 7)11tfu MyttiLr l,ifi, vol. l. p.
r-rVhilc elt pcopiervill bc rriscclin incorruPtiblcrncl inrrntrrtrlbodies not 'rll
'l lrrrscwho rcccive(ihrists gili t'I sirlvltiorrwill bc
will cnjoycucrlasring blesscdncss.
,".,,r.".,.'r.1unto ctsrnit lilc. as(ihrist savs;rvhilcthoscrvho rcicctir will be restrr-
(ct John 5:29). St Nichohs (lebesiLls clttcicletts this as
r!'ctcdunt() tl,rnrn.trion
150
crtF.Af Lt) tN INC()RRUp.()N
shall be raisedincorruptible,"writes rhe Apostle Prrul,"lnd wc shall be
changed" (l (lor. l5:52). Moreovcr,as we havediscLrsscd errrlier,the
entire visible crearion will be re-crcared:rnd bccomc incorruptible
along with nran,sincc it existsfbr rlan'.sslke.
'l lr
Rutoratiott of'Incoruption
Adam, it will bc rcmenrbered,was supposedro rlise thc first-crc-
atcd world closer ro (iod rhrough his own spiritual lscerrr to (locl.
Adam failcd in rhis purpose.Not onlv did he flil to raiseup rhc crc-
ation to (lod, lrut through his sin hc llso broughrthe incornrprcrc-
ation down into corruption. l'hercfbrc, the Second Adarn-Jcsus
(--hrisr-canrc to rcsrorcwhar rhc flrsr Aclanrhacl losr: LIc canrcro rc-
store m:ln to rhc communion with (lod and ro thc incorruprionirr
which he lived befbre rhe firll, and ro resrorerhe enrire cosrnosro irs
fbrmer stateof incorruption.
ln the passage fiom Rornnnsrhat we hirvccliscusscd carlier,Sr. Paul
writes of the future :rgeof rhe rencwed,incorrupr crcation which will
fcrings of the presenttime are nor worthy ro be compared with the
glory which shall be rcvealeclin us. For thc carnesrcxpccrarionof rhe
cre:rtioncagerlywaiterh for thc manilestarionof rhc sonsof God li.c.,
thoseredeemedby Christl. For rhe creationwas nradesubjccrro firtil-
ity, not willingly, but becauscof Hirn [God] Vho subjecredit lto futil-
ity] in hope Ii.c., in hope of rhe (iener:rlRcsurrccrion]. Bccauscrlrc
lblkrws: " lhc lLcsurrcctionis thc rcsromtionof lhunr.rrrl nrrrrrc. SLtchthin{s (lod
givcs frccly, fbr jusr as llc fbrnrs us wirhcxrt Lrsrvilling ir. so llc lirlnrs us uncrv
though rvc hirvc conrribLrrcdnorhing to ir. On rhc othcr h,rnd, the Kirrtldonr ilcl
t h c v i s i o n o f ( i r x l u n d L r n i o n r vi th ( l h r i sr .r r c j o vs r vh i ch d cp cn d o n r vi l l i n g n css.
'[-hcy
erc thus possiblcorrlv |<rr rlrosc who hlvc been willing ro rcccivc therr trll
hevc krvcd thcnr ancl longccl lirr rhcnr. For such it is lining rh:rt rhcy should cnjov
thc plcscncc of thc thinss fbr rvhich rhcv longcd; lirr rhc unrvilling it is rrrrpossr,
blc.... Ooc nccd not thcrclirlc nrllvcl rhlr w,lrile,rllwill livc in inrnrorr;rlirv.rt rs nor
i r l l w h o w i l l l i v c i n b l csse cl tr css" ( St. N i .h ,,l .r ' ( .r h .r r i l :r s.//,, 1 tl t i tt r l n i st 2 : l '{,)
| 5 {) : 5 4 I ( l l ) , 5 4 4 4 cl . l /u l .i /i 'i n ( ) /ti st l l ,) ,-4 ]1 p. p . l tI l l l ) .
dI
 l-Hl--ol{f l l()lx)x \col{l)
crcarion itsclfelso shall bc tlclivcred fronr the bondagcof corrLtprion
inro thc gloriotrslibcrty ofthc childrcnof(locl. For wc know rhlt thc
wholc crcrtiott grorrrrethantl trav:rilcthin paitl togcrherutltil now And
not on11,tlre crcltiotr, bttt ottrsclvesalso' which havc rhc tirsrfitritsof
the Spirit, cvetr wc ottrsclvesgroatl wirhitr oursclvcs'waiting fbr rhc
acloption,that is, rhc redetrptiotrof our body" (Ronr.8: l8-23).
Archinranclrite Justinl)opovich,scrtinllfbrrh thc cotnmonPatristic
inrcrprerarion ofthcsc wordsofrhc ApostlcPaLtl'lsscrtsrhat the libcr-
ation of crcatiotrfiont corrttptiott will nrark thc lrcginningof rhe ncw
hcavcnlnd new crrth spokcn of lry tlrc AposrlesI'cter anclJohn (cf' 2
l'et. .J:I .ll Apoc. 2l: I ):
Bv his prinrorrlialsin,Illltr clrricrl all of ttrtttttcrllottgaficr hinr' :rnd
surrcn.lcrcd it to sl,tvervto sin atrdtlclrh' rttldrhc rvholcDivincly
fashioned crcrriotrurrcclsitrglv sig,hs and rllotlrnsovcrthis'awliring
its libcrationfiont sittrrrd clcath,rvhiclrrhc l,orclJestrs rvill gratrton
thc l,rstday,tr:rtrsfornring ir by I-lisI)ivine-humln ccottonty ofsalva-
tiotr irrto :r trcw heavctrlttcl I ttcu' clrth' "wlrcrcindwcllethrigh-
rcousncss" (l I'er..l:I.l). l'hc (lhrist-vearnitrg scerof tnYstcrics, tlrc
Apostlcof thc rtpocelvptic end of thc u'orld rntl of the rrlnsfigtrr:t-
rion ofcrerrrion, St.Johnrhe-l hcologilrr'u'rtstrradcrvorthyof it spc-
cialrcvclation of (iocl ro scerhefitrr'rre newhcavcttatrdnewcilrth
"And I slu" he savs,,r ncw helvenand ,l ncw c,rrth:fbr the flttt
hcl"cn rtrd thc flrst certh *crc lr,rsscd lrvay" (Apoc.2l:ll cf ls'
(r5:17,(r(r:2f).r-1
I;r. Jusrin firrthcr bearsrvitnesstlrat rhe clclivcranceof the visiblc
crcxtion will n\..rk irs rcstollttiol,to tl)c incorrttption arlcl be;rurythar
belongcd to it before thc fall, ancl that this will occur by reasonof
God's restorirtionof tnan ro his primordial statc:
l-r Archirrrrr.llitc.ltrstin Popovich. Ort/tolor lltilosqth.y of lruh: I)ogn'ttitt, vol' )'
pp.7()5-96.
tr2
cll. liAl t it ) t N t N( r ) RRul, l l( ) N
S i nccon rhc [.a sr[ ) a1'sinand t lcar hwill bc abolishcdbv t hc com ing
of(,hrist thc Lord, ull of nutulc will ;rlsobc ficed from slavcryto srn
and derthr ir will be transfirrnrcdantl rvill lreqin ro shinc with its pri-
rnorclial Ior origin,rl], plcesing,sirrlcss.rrn.l irlnrortrl bcauty,.l'hc
resurrcctionofthc dcad will be thc cnd ofdcuth not only firr peoplc,
lrur firl lll visiblc nrttrre, which had bccn srrbjcctcdro dcarh anclcor-
ruption (luc rc thc sin-loving will of irs haughtv lortl. rrrrrn(cf. llom.
ti :20). S i n, cvi l, sickncss,deat h- all t hcscar c r hc f ir id, alien sccli-
rrcnts of nran,witlr u h ich hc soilcd and clisfigurcdthc sinlcssflcc ol'
nirnrrc. llrt thc l,ortl .lcsus,by thc light of His conring, will wlsh
arvay rll rhis fionr rhe bcaurifirl fircc of (locl-crcltcrl anrl [)ivinclv
wovcn naturc, rrnclir will atlin bcgin ro shinc in irs sinlcssgooclncss
arrd ineflirblebcrLrry(cf. (icn. l:.ll). Lly His resror:rrionofnran ro
thc plirnordirl stltc, thc Lor(l rvill rlso rcstorcnlturc'to its prinror-
.l
di al , si nl cssstar c ( llonr . U: 21) . hcn not only r vill O hr isr - vcar nr ng
lreo;rle bc "restorcd to rhcir rrrcicrrt betuty" (l:lt,/ogitatiaof the
l huni hhi dt), [ r ut r r lso all of nar ur c- by r hc acr ion of ( io. l's
gracc-will throw arvly and cast ofl fronr itsclf all sins, :rll cvil, lll
consequences
o f sin and cvil. r r r r rwit
l h t hcm t lelr h it self . r ''
'I
lrc Pcnnanent Ddficatiott oJ Mtn and tltr (hsnos
[Jut it was not or)lv to rcstore wlrat the first Atlanr hrtl rrrincd thlr
thc Sccond Adarn, our Lorcl Jesus(lhrisr, canre upon rhis eirth. (lhrisr
also carne to acconplish what thc firsr Adanr had firiletl to acconrplish.
Man, it will lre rcnrcnrbcrccl, hltl tlccn crcrrrcd fi)r dciflcarion. As St.
S yrncon the N ew I heologian r vr ir es, if Adanr ancl l: vc had not f ) llcr r ,
"thc sotrl of'cach woulcl h:rvc bcconrc brightcr," lnd rnln "rvoLrld havc
bccn lctl up itr duc timc t() rl nrorc perfi'ct glory ancl transfbrnrirtiorr,
draw i ng ncarer ro ( ] od ancl t o t hc r ays which spr ing f r onr His [ ) ivin-
i ry" ' -' A . w e hrvc sccn, t hr oush His r cdenr pt ivc r vor k ( lhr ist has al-
rcadv grantcd to mun thc possibility to expcricncc such e clciflcarion of
r- Ibitl.,pp. 7{)2-9.}.
'
[i Srcp. 24 ellrvc.
d1
 '| llti ()l{Iltof)()x \(()ltt)
soul in and through His (lhurch-a tlcification that is ro grow antl bc-
con'rcnlore perf-ectin thc lifi' ro contc. Itt the (iencrll Rcsttrrcetiotr'
however,Hc will do more than this: ln reuniting matr'ssoul with his
trody, Hc will granr an evcrlastingclciflcationro nrln's body together
u,ith his soul,and llong rvith man He will grant unendingdeification
to the entire cosmos,
ln thc words of .scripttrreand thcir interprctatiottby the Farhers,
'l'he
u,e can flncl indicirtionsof how this will cornc to pass: Pernlancnt
deificationof nran'sbody anclthe cosnroswill occtlr tosctherwith tlleir
beccrmingnot onlv incornrpr bLttalsosPirihnl.
'l'hc
Apostlc Parrlrvrites:"So also is the rcsttrrcctiotrof rhe dead. lt
is sown irr corruptioniit is raiscdin incorrupti<1tr.... lr is sown a natLt-
ral bodyl ir is raisccla spiriturrllrodv.'l'hereis a natural body, irnd therc
is a spiritLral[rocl1'....Now rhis I say,lrrethrcn, that flesh and bloocl
cilnnot inherit thc kingdom of (iotl; neirhercloth corruption inhcrit
incorruption. llchold, I sltow you a lrvstcry; Ve shall nor all sleep,bLrr
rveshallall be changed.ln ir moment,in rhc rwinklingof an cye,:rr thc
lasttrLtmP;for the trumper shallsouncl,and the deedshall be raisedin-
corrupriblc,and we shall bc clranged.For rhis corrupriblentust pttt otr
ir .rcorruprion,lncl this mortll mllst ptrt on imnrort:tlity"(l Cor. l5:42'
44,50-53\.
F.xplicatingthis Par-rlinereaching,Fr. Justin Popovich notes tlut
rhe boclics of all pcople-borh rhoscthlt havedied and those that are
still alive at the Sccond (loming of Christ-rvill be changed in the
srnle way. "'l'hus," l.res:rys,
lll pcoplcwill be nrrdec<1url, all rvill rcquirespirittrallrodics'sirtcc
n,rtLrralbodieswill be trattsfbrnrccl into spiriturrlones.Atrtl this
transfornrltion, thischangcofbocly, rvill occur"in I nromenr,in thc
ru'inklingof an cyc,,tt thc llst trurnp." Hora'?[]v thc prorver of thc
rcsrrrrcctcd l.ord (lhrist, lor He b1'His rlmighrv [)ivinc powcrrvill
lceclotrr ot tleathrll thc botlicsof thc tlerrtl,":rndthc dcrclsh:lllbc
rrrisctlincolluptiblc":thlr uhich lrascliccl,rhrt is,rhc [tocl1',will rise
tr4
( ll{LA l lil) lN lN( l( ) lt RLlPll( ) N
incornrpr. Ihlt rvhich cornprisesrhc csscnceof rhc boc|' rvill risc
incorlupt-that which rlakcs nrv lxrcly nrinc, vorrr bodl yours. lris
boclv his, clch onc'.slrodv Iris own. AIthou{rh rhescrvill bc "spirirLrirl
boclics,"thcv will ncvcrrhclcssbc rhc srrrrcborlics rh:rr diccl lncl irrc
norv rcsurrccrccl.l'hc slrrre thing rvill occtrl wirh thosc rvhorrr thc
(iv^ncrall{csrrrrcctiorr
rvill find living on crrrh-thcv will rerrain rhc
sunrclTodics,brrr rhcv u,ill rurn from trcinq phvsicalro bcinr: sf iri-
tLralA. l l rhi srvill lr . r ppcnir r sr r cha r t av r hlt I 'cr eru ill r cnr ainl) cr crir r
his bodv, I)rrul-l'rrrl in his bocL,,and Mrlk l\'lrrk, likovisc in his
'"
botlr'.|
I l ow l re w c to undcr sr and t he ir r collupt ant l spir ir ual bodv of m an
bevond thc (l cncr al Rcsr r r r cct ion, plr t icullr lv ir r lighr of our discus-
sion of nran'.sincorrupt bor'lv bcfirrc rhc Rrll?t:;rrlicr wc tluored Sr.
Sytnconin sayingthat "Aclanrwas cre:rtc<l rvith un incornrptiblc bocl1,,
rhouglrone whic h was nratcrialantl on thc wlrolc not yct spirirual,"
and thrt, if Aclam had not firllen, his "pcrcepriblcancl matcrirl bodv"
woukl hrvc bccome"alteredrncl changedinro an inrrnrreriallntl spiri-
'Ve
tu:rlone, into somcthingbeyondsenseperception."r alsotluotcd
St. MlxinrLrsas sayingrhat first-crerrcdlnan wils, rhrough living I lifi'
ofvirtrrc likc that ofthe angels,to "bccomels subtlcas spirir"antl "no
longcr ticd to earth by any botlily weiqht."''" Herc Srs..svnrconrrnd
Mrximus arespeakingof rclrrtivcdcgrccsof corporcllitv for ls we hlvc
scenthe bodiesofAdam and live in their originll, inct.lrnrprsrnrc,cvcrr
rvhilc not havingyet becn altcrcd ro bccomespiritual,tlirl nor htvc rhc
qrossernratcrillity or "crxrrscrflcsh" thlt otrr bodics now havc. Sr.
Grcgorv of Sinai observesthat otrr spirirLralbodies afier rhc (icncr:rl
[{csr.rrrcction will in fact corrcsprondwirh tl.rc incorrrrl:rrbocliesof
Aclitnrand Evc befirrcrhc fall:
r-r'Archinrerrclritc
frrstinl'opovich.()thotloxI'hiloso2lt_y
ol lt rh: l)osDtlrtiti,vol..l,
pp. 797 9tl.
r-- Sccpp. 10,2.'1:rbovc.
t r Scc .lJ itbovc.
P.
lls
 (:RttAI't_t)IN INcOI{Rt.lp. ( )N
l'H Fl()RI'H()l)()X \(/()Rl)
'l hc bodyin its incorrupriblc statcwill bc carthv.bur ir will lrewith- clisciples'
belicf.FIcrrc, rrorbecausc His rcsurrcctcd body by irs na,
trlnsmutcdfiom an ture necdedfbod,but by econom\,, to shorvrhat His riscnboclyw:rs
out hunrorsrrndnrlrcrialdcnsitr'.indcscribably
unspirituirlbody inro:t spirirr.rllbodv (cl I Cor. l5:44), so th:rt rt thc samcwhich suflc'rcd on the (-ross.for this is rhe nrrurc of the
lroth carthy ano l,ord'sbodv now: ro cnrcrwhcrcd<xrrs:rrcshut and ro passcflirrr-
will bc in its gotllikereflncnrcntand subtlcncss
lcsslyfiom onc krcationro anorlrerBccausc rhcclisciplcs
srillclidnot
hcavenlv. lts statewhcn ir rvillbc rcsLtrrccrccl bc sirrrilarto thlr in
will
belicveand hlcl not ycr bccnconvincecl evenbv rouchingHis hlnds
which it wasorigin:rllycrcrrccl(cl llorrr.8:29; Phil. 3:21) rhrotrgh
and [i'ct, l-lc of'hrsyer lnorhcr proof, rhlt of c:rring.But what Hc
firllparriciprtion in His Divinity.r'''
c.rtsis consumcdbl,sonte[)ivinc powcr,fbr all rhirtis crrrenin I nlr-
ural nranner;r:rsscs frorn rhe morrrhto rhcdrain.llur rvharthc [_ord
Man's body in rhe bcginning, then, nright Lrcsaid to be "similrr" to
earshcrc is not lccordingto narurc,irswc havcsaitl,but by ccort
h is body in the (leneralllesurrcction,in that trorhsharethe qualityof
omy.'n'
incorrrrption.Neverthcless, it is only in thc (ieneralResurrection rtrat
h uman bodics will be pcrfcctlv and inrrnurablvsgririttraliz-ed antl
-l'hc Since Christ arosc in a spirirual body, Hc will raisc nrarrkind in
diviniz-ed. prorlise of this future contlirion is scen itr the resur-
such a body ar rhe lasrday: a bodv both incorrupr lnd spirirual. ltLrr-
rectcdbody of Chrisr.
thernrore,sincethe restof crcarioncxisrsfbr nran, He will nor onry rc-
Vhen Chrisr rosefrom the dead,His body was likc thc spiritual
store it ro incorruprion bur will :rlso makc it spiriruai rogcrhcr with
body that Adam was supposed rc attain bv asccnditrgto (lod in Para-
l l l :l l t.
dise. As we know from Scrigrtrrrc,in His resurrcctcd,spiritual body
(lhrist left the ronrb wlrile :r stone still scaled thc door (cf. Matt. St. Syrnconwrites of this with illuminaring precisior.r. Having af-
while the doors remained fi nred rhat all creationwill bc rraclc incorrupr along wirh nrln in rhc
28:2),'*" He entcredrhe room of the :rpostles
(lcncrrrl Resurrectionjusr as ir was nrldc incorrupt wirlr hirn in rlrc bc-
shur (cf. John 20: I 9), and Hc appeareclrnd vanishedat will (cf. l-trkc
gitrning,rtr St. Symeon goeson ro say rhar borh nran and rhe resr of
24:3 I ). Evcn so, in orcler ro show His disciplesthat Hc was not nrerely
crearionwill alsobe ntadespirirual:
a spirit bur lratl risen in the samc body that hatl becn crucified, He
'fhomas to touch his wttutrclsand ate in the
prermittedthe Apostle 'Ibgethcrwirh
'l-heophylacrof Irhc crcation]and ar thc samcrilllc, rhc corruptc<l
presenceof His disciples(cL l-uke 24:4.1).Illessed
bodicsof nrcnrvill be rcncwcd,suchthar,hinrsclfhavinglreconrc ar
Ohrid writcs of this mvstcryas fbllorvs:
onccspirituallrrd irrrrrrorral,
ntanntayhaveirn incorrupt,and spiri-
'l'his is horvwe ntustuttdcrstltrcl rual,and evcrlasring placein which ro clwcll.l-isrenro rhe Aposrtc
rhc bodyof rhc l,ord afierthc res-
Pctcrfor rhcrruth ofthis: "'l'hc dayofrhc l.ordwill conrelikc a rhicf
to all coarscness.
urrcction:ir is spiritual,rcflnccl,a strarrger lt nccds
in rhc nighr,,rnclrhcn rhe hcavcns shallburn rnd bc dissolved, trnd
nothing,rrorcvcn tirod,alrhoughthc [,ord did clr to cotrflrnrthc
rhc clcnrcnrsshrll nrelrirwry wirh firc" (2 I'er..l: I0). l his docsnot
r-') Sr. (ircgorv ol Sirt,ti.()tt (.'otnnawlnent! lt / I)odrird 4(ii cf. I'/tilokal ,vol.4,
lBl Blcsscd.l hcoplryl.rcr of ()hrid
and L\ulttrit, l ltt |l:/,rturtiou of rht l loly (itsptl
p. 221.
13"As St. M.rtther" rccor.ls,.tlicr' (lhrist rcsLrrrcctccl aoorlitg to St. 1-rfi'(HoLrst'Springs.Mo.: Chrysosronrtrrcss,1997), p.
irnd lcfi rhc tonrb, :rn rtngcl rsl Scc pp.49-50. lJOatrove.
-i24.
''rollcd lreck rhc storrclronr thc.lo,rr.,tn.l sltt Ltponit.''

86 67
 ' l H l .:()l { l l l ()tx )x !(/()R t)
mciln thirt thcv slull be rlcsrroyed,bttr rrrher rc-fitrqedatr.l trans-
c o n c l i ti o tr....
n ru tcd i nt o l gr c lt er : r ndc v c rl a s ti trg
Bur rrorvit is time fbr us to cxinrinc horv crcatiottshall be re-
ncwcd arrd rcsrorcclto its original belury....
Jtrst rrs our bo<lies,rtlthouqlt thcv dissolvc fbr l rintc, tlo trot
p:lss.lwrryfirrcvcr,but u'ill bc rcnervcdagain at thc rcsurrcction,so'
ro o . ru i l l hc , r v c nand c , rth a n d a l l th a r i s rv i th i n th c nt thl t i s, al l
of crcrrrion-lrc ntatlc ,rtcrv lnd libcratcd liorn the bondlgc of cor-
. l' hc
ru p ri o n . s ' i l l s h a l cw i rh trs i n that i ncl tr-
c lc m c nt st h c n rs c l v c u
dcscerrccfrom ,rbovc,and in tlrc s,rnrcu'ay thrtr wc shall lre tricd bv
firc, so. nccordittg to thc Apostlc. shrrll rll crcation bc rcncrvccl
rlrrorrghfire... .
I lolvcvel rcncu'ccl,crcation will rlot lcttr!rl to rvhat it rvascle-
ltccl in rhc bcginning. By no nrc:rns.Rathcr,iust irsit is sorvnl'har-
ural body," accorclingto thc saving (l Cor. l5:44), so it is rlisc(l I
bocly,nor likc rhc flrsr mani befbr.'rhc rrrtnsgrcssion-i.c.,ntaterial,
pcrccpriblc,lncl nturrblc, nccding nr.,rcovcrph1'sicalfbod-btrt in-
src:rclr body rvhollv spiritual and intnrtttrblc; strchI body as that of
our Masrer :rnd (iod aftcr His rcsurrcction,tlrc body of thc Second
Aclanr,Vho is our "firstborn liorrr the dcad" ((]ol. l: I u). As His
so shall tltc wirotc
body rvrtsn f,rrdiffcrcnt thing than thc old Achn.rls,
crcirtion,in the slnrc rvltyand rtt Cod\ conrnrltrd, not bccomc wh:rt
ir rvas befirrc, nratcrill :rncl pcrccptiblc, bttr bc transfbrmcclin rhc
rc-birth into an imnrarerial,spiritual tlwclling phcc, be1<,nclany
Perccprionof thc scnscs.'"'
Vlren St. Symcon says rhar ottr trodies and the rcst of crcation will
bc "irnnratcrial (d,Orov)"in the (ieneral Rcsurrectiotr, he is lgain spcak-
ing of irnrnateriality in a relative sensc. I-hc rettewed crcation will in-
dccd bc "imnratcrill" in conrparison rvith its prescnt statc and cvcn
wirh its conclition bcfore thc fall. [-lorvcvcr, ir will trot bc cntilely
r$r St. Svnrcon thc Nov 'l hcologi:tn. [ihitrl l)ivourst
)l ). cl'. Ou tlu ill.ystitdl Lili. vol. | , pp. l5-.1('. .llJ .19.
liti
(lRhdlltl) IN IN(t()RRLIP
I l()N
intntatcrial,sinceaccordingro Sr. Synrconarrclorher Holy Fathcrsonry
(lod in Himsclf is wholly inrmlrerialrncl Lrncircurlscribccl:
in rct:rrron
to Hinr, evcn angelsand human souls a degrec of marerialitv
l)ossess
rtrrdarecircunrscritrcdby rinreantl sprce.'n'Asrvelrlve scen,rhe rcsur-
rected,spirirualbody of Chrisr, ro rvhich St. Synrconlikcns rlan's lrody
and the whole cosmosafter rhe (lencr:rl Resurrccrion,was nor cnrircly
withour coloc,re;rliw.
"
r"' In rliscussingrhc renewcd
crcation,St. Svmcon rlkcs p:rinsro sev rh;rt it u,ijl ror
lrc cntirclv irlnr;rrcrill rnd uncircunrscribctl: Norv, then, trv ro inlrqinc rvirh nrc l
worltl rvhich is sPirirLrirl :rrrdriscsbcvontl orrr scnscPcrecption.llrrr. rvhlr is bo,r,rrtl
s c n s i b l cp c r c e p r i o ni r nd sp i r i tu r l i s r l u i te i n r o r n p r ch cn si b l cl i r r r r s,e n d i n vi r i b l c.... l r
is in this scnsc.thcrcfirre-,rh:rt wc c:rn cliscoursc.rlrotrr
rhc.rngcls. i.c., rh.rr rhcv erc
elso. in efltcr, sonrr:horrcnrbodicd lnd circunrscritxblc,irt lcust rvhcn contlirrc(t lo
thc atrsoltrrclvimnrarcrial :rnd trodilessnarure of [)iviniry.... lhc s:rnrcrc.rsonir,g
lr.lcls fbr thc soul as *cll. (irmparcd ro (ioJ \X'h,, i, b1 ,r.rtur. lr.rlilc1.. .q1111 1., 11,"
l r g c l s , t h c : o u l i s r r s i r w cr c b o d i l y r n d ci r cu n r scr i l td .... l i r r r n o r r :r lp cr .r cp r i .n ,
h.rvc'cr, ir is.rfrogcrhcr['rlilcss untl irrc.rrprchcrsitrlc \lltl,it,l I)ixttu^r,: Li: Ott
tlt,llystital /.ifi. vol. I, pp.39-40).
St. ST,nrcoo\nrcnrion (secbclorv)ol florvcrsun<lhcevcrrlytroclicsin rhc rcnovcd
creerion proviclcslirrtlrcr clariliclrrionrhlr hc r. n,,r .lcr,:rrh1ng.1 rc.rlnrrvirhrrrrrenv
rlcgrccofnrltcriality. 'l-hc Origcnist iclcl rher rhe crc;rriorrlficr thc (icrrcr.rll{crurrc.-
rion *ill lre wholly inrnrrtcrialrvasin llct condenrncdar rhe I:ifih t:_currrcnic.rl
(irun,
eil: l1 uny.ne shall srrl rhar rhc L:rsr.lutlgnrerrr
siqnilicsrhc c.nrllcrc desr.ucrion.f
thc l'xrclyu'd rhat thc cncl of :rll rhings rvill bc a rr.n nr:rrcri.rlnurur.. ,rn.l rher in rhc
futurc agc thcrc rvill bc norhing nrltcri;rl,llrr onlv nrrkctlspirit: lcr hinr bc enarhcnra.
(Elevenrhrrriclc of rhc anlrhcnraslglinst ()rigcn).
()rr thc rchtivc rnarcrirlirv of-angcls rnd hunran souls.
scc llso Sr. lJusil thc
\'rcar. Or tlr Holy Sprrir 2.1,and St. John l)anrascenc , I-.xactl.^tpositionl.l3, 2..1.
rst Sincc Sr. Svnrcon slvs
rhc rcncwcd crc.rrionrvill bc lrcyorrtlilnv pcrc(ption of'
thc scnses,'ir fblbu's rhlr (lhrist.s rcsur.rectcd bocl,-rvasund is..n,rturellv ireyond
sensc-perccprion elso. Ir wus bv [)ivinc dispcnsirrionrhrrr(]hrist nradc llis lroclvpcr_
ccptiblc ro rhc scnsesof rhc apostlcsalicr Flis rcsurrecriorr.As l.]lcssccjlhcophr;lact
poinrs orrt in cliscrrssing Ohrist'.sirppcurirnccro Srs.t.ukc rntl Clcr4xs on rhc r.<r:rd ro
lirrrmeus(l-ukc 14:lJ J2): " l-hcv rvcrc rror rllorvcd ro rccognizt Hint lrv thc tcr,
rLrrcsof thc bodv in rvhich tlre Savior rhcn appclrcd ro rhcnr. lirr,:rs,\,1lrk rlvs, He
ruppcrlcdrrnto rsrr of rhcnr 'in anorhcr fbrni fl\{lrk l(r:ll).:rnd wirh diflcrcnr
n9
 'l t l[ ()lLl H()tx)x \(()l{t)
l.ater in the samccliscottrsc,St. Svmeon,hlving urrtlotrbtetllvbc-
hcld sonrethingof thc firtLrrc:rgein prophctic[)ivinc vision.sPcrkslll
more dcrail abottt thc renewedcreatiottas a spiritLralclwcllingplaccof'
nt l l n:
As I hirvc s:ticlscvcrll rinres,lll creltitltr' too. otlce nlldc ncw, will
bcconrc rvholly spiriturl, ln<l togcthcl u'irh l',trrdiscrvill trc tr,tns-
firrrrrcclinro rrn intmltcti:tl. trnclrtng,itre,ctertt,rl,,rtttl nt>crictlwell-
ing pllcc. I hc hcrtvctrson thc onc h:rnd rvill bc itrcotrrpl t rttrlv
briqhtcr, in r nr:rnncrindcccl<lLrircncrv,cliflircnt ltrcl tnorc r:rdi.trtt
rhan thc visiblc hc:tvcns,rvhilc thc crrrh on rhe other hrrnclwill rakc
on il ncw ancl incx;rressiblcltc:tutv, ;ltt tttrfltditrg vcrclttre.ortra-
nrcnted bv rrtclirrntflorvets,vlriecl atrtl spirittral.It will bc.rn c,rrrh
in which, as thc srcrcd tvord hls ir, rightcoustrcsswill hlvc its
rvi l l shi rrc
d w cl l i n g pllc c ( 2 l' c t . . l :1 .]). Ih c s u n o 1 -ri q l rtc o ttsncss
scvcnfirltlrrrorcbrightly, ancl thc nroon will gleanrrwicc as briSihtes
'l'hc strrs rvill bc likc
rhc sLrnwhiclr illurlines it now (cf. Is. -10:2(r).
,tf itr thc
our sulr-if-, intlced, rhcscirrc thc sitnrcstrltsils ilrc s1-lt,kcn
sutrlirlc thoughrs of thc rvisc. All things thcre rrc bcvond spccch'
rrlnscc'nclrh<,ught,sirve only thlt rhcy :rrc spiritLraland divinc,
unitcd ro tht' intclligible wolltl, ancl corrrpriscltrothcr, noctic l'errt-
cliscancl hcavcnlyJcrusirlcnl,nraclclikc lncl ttnirc.l to the hcavcnlv
lclttrrcs. l'lc no lottgcr cottfirrnrcdrhc actionsof Ilis [r,xlv to nlttlrll Iitrvs.bLrt in-
src,rdacrcd in thc bodv in :t spiritull nr,tntrcrthrtt u'ls bcvotrd nartrrc. I'his is rvhv
thcir eycs rvcrc prcventeclf'ronr rccogttizingHinr' Whv did Ilc appcrrrto tlrcnr in
lnother fbrnt, ancl u'hv ucrc thcir eves prevcntccllront rccognizing llinri. . Ih,rt
rhcv nriglrr bclicvc.rll thc nrorc sttrclv rh:rt llis lroclv i. rto longcl e ltoclv thrtt is
clearly risitrlc lo rvcrv()nc. [:-ventlrottgh His rcsurrcctedlrodv is rhc senrc'boclv
rvhich srrflercd.llc norv lp1'rcrtrsonlv to those to rvhorn IIc rvills to rcvcll Hinr-
self.... lic rvasscctrby th,rscro ruhonr Hc rvishctlro bc visible' ( llte l:xpkndtiot ol'
rfu Holl ()rpd rcordi s to St. /.rr,4r, pp. .118- 19). ln srmc witt'. following l lis es-
crnsiorr in(o hcevcn,(lhrist hes nriraculouslv:rppcarccl to pcoplc in llis rcsurrcctcd
l-ndy lt variottstinrc. throuthottt (llrristian historr'.
9o
(llt[Al llt) lN lN( ]OltR.tlP'l-l(
)N
rvorlcl,rhc inviolablcinhcririrnceof thc sorrsof (,od (cf. Ronr.
fi:2| ).'""
Vhcn St. Synreonslvs that all things in thc cosnros,including
nran,will become"spiritualand divinc," he is rcferringto nothing less
than their deiflcation. Deiflecl in botlr sorrl and body, nrrn will frccly
cxpericncc(lod's uncrcirredencrliy (gracc)through his boclily scnscs.
ln the worclsof St. (iregorv Prrlamas,
In thc veryblcsscd cxisrencc of thc lgc' to conrc,in "thc sonsot thc
rcsurrcction(l,uke20:-l(r),who, :rccordinq ro rhc (iospclof(,hrist,
will havcrcccivecl an angelicrligniry,it will bc thc bodt,rvhichis rrsil
hiddcn.Virh rlrcvictoryof the rrorrr. thc bodvrvill bccorrrc sosubtlc
rhat it rvill no longcrappcrlrr() bc nrltcrial,and ir rvill rro longcr
linrir thc irctivityof rlrc riorrr.In thiswar,,thcy rvill cniovthc [)ivinc
Liglrrirrrhcirh,'clilrscnscs.r'
Frorl this Patristictestimonywc seclrow, through Christ, m,rn ancl
the rcst of creation will not only lrc resrorctl ro rhcir originrrl
irrcorrupriorr;rlreywill alsobecomewhar dtey would barc btntttil the
firsr Adam had fulfilled his calling from (lod. Ir will bc rcmcmbrrcd
thirt, according ro St. Maximus, nran'.soriginal designationrvas not
only to beconredeificd himselFburalsoto bring thc rvholecrc:rtecluni-
vcrsc into a stateof deification,so thirt "thc wholc [woultl bc] wholly
in tcrpcnetratetl by Ciod."'tt IlLrrrhcrcxpoLrndingSr. Maxinrus'steaclr-
ing, Vladirlir l-osskywrires: "Sincc this task which u.:rsgivcn to rnen
was not fulfillcd by Adam, it is in thc work of (ihrist, rhc Sccond
1"" St. Svrnec,nthc Nov 'l-hcologi:rn
, lltl,iotl I)isotrr'tt I.i: S(i l2l:l Ill l0lef.Orr
rln,hl.ysriutLifi. vol. I. p.4li l:irtr'Ortaud ll,tn. p. 104.
r3 St. (ircgorl I'rl;rnr.rs.//,r lrials |..\..76 tt ll'e lii'uti: Book (hr (('.hiettgo:
I ) r : r x i sl n s t i t u t c l ) r c s s 2
, {X) 2 ) ,p . 1 2 i t.
r3f St. N{.rximus thc (irnfi'ssor, tlnLigurn /tl: in I ourh, rll,rrllrrrr rfu (.lotliit,tt,
1t.
r58.
9r
 .l
llu ()Rt H()l)()x \(oRl) (]{liAl tit) tN tN(l()ll.lttiP
II()N

Aclarn,that wc c:ln scc what it w,asmeant to bc."'n"'I'hus, as St. lcsus(lhrist was withoLrtsin . .. He was rror srrbjcctto tlcath, sirtcc
Maxinruswrircsin cliscoursing on (lhrisr'swords."My Fatheris work- dcarlr canreinro rhe world througtrsin." Ycr "rlrc L.ord,"rvrires.St.
ing c ven now, and I irrl working" (.fohn 5:17), it is in the work of Circgoryl)alarnas,'iraricnrly cntlurcclfirr our sakeit dclrh He wirstrot
Christ that we bchold "rhe gracecflcctivc ro dci! the univcrse."'"" olrligcrlto Lrnderg<,,to rctleemLrs,rvho werc obligctl to sulfcr dc,rrh."'"'
All ther has becn clescribccllrcrc-rhc immutable glory of the fir- Hcrc rvc scc clcerly how thc plt.ysial, uustl n u'tio l)erwcctl
ture age-has becn nradepossiblebv rhc incarnation,death and resur- Aclam'sact of sin anclthc prcsenccof dcerh rn the world lbrnrs the'trasis
rectionof Christ. 'l'hrough rhe roralityof C)lrrist'.s
work of redenrption, fbr trnclcrstanding the phvsical,c:rusalconrrccrionbcrwccn(lhrist\ Lrn-
nran is spirituallyunitedwirh (lod and tleificd:m:rncrrr arrairrro [)ara- cleserved cleath,rnclthc ovcrconringof thc cotrscclttctrccs of sin irt tltc
dise and helvcn aficr dcath; antl, ar rhe Clcncr:llResurrcction,nrln'.s world. As Fr. SeraphinrI{oscpoirrrctlout,
bocly and the cntire crearionare to bc rcnewctl as an incorrupriblc,
spiritualand divineclwellingplirce. (lhrist'sdeatbon rhc (-rossrvls a rcll, phvsicalcvcnt,trot.ttt inr.tge
or rrttrtllcgory;and lt rhc sunretitrc it h:rsspilittralconsc(lucrlccs,
Vlll. Tue Onrnooox DocrnrNp op PnnLepsnnrex c,lnclition.lt givcsrrssalvltion:not
brirrgingilb()rlrll chlrngein rrrln'.r
fiqLrrirtivcsllvation,bur lctull snlvrttiorr. lrt tltc slttrc w;tt, A<|rnt
INconnuprroN es It Relerrs ro OnrHooox
r,rsredofa trecand thcrcbyIfcll irrtocorruptionl.l his,r(x),w.rs:r
Sorenrolocv exo EscunroLocy
physical cvcntwith spilitualconsrqucnccs. .h.trrgintrtrltt.sconrli-
Fronr thc fbrcgoingcliscussionit cirn bc sccn how rhc Orthoclox tion."'
tcachingon the orieinalincorru;rtionof rhe world hasdirect bcaring
on Orrhodox sotcriology.'l'he Script u ral/I)irtristic doctrine rhar dclth 'I
he Orthotlox teachingon prelnpsariurt incorrrtptiottis rrlsolbLrn-
entcred the world asa consequcnceof nran'.s sin fbrnrsa fbundation fbr dationrl fbr LrnclcrstanclingSt. I'irrrl'.s
ofi-rcpcutctltcaching-u lriclt rve
the doctrinethat thc sinlcssSaviorinnoccrrtlytook upon Himself that havcsccrrelucid:rtetl trv St.John (llrrvsostonr'"'-of sin antl clcarhen-
consequcncc-rhlt is, bv clying on rhc (lross-irr order ro "pr.rrirway tering the world through .?/,rrman ancl rhcn bcine ovcrcotrtclry Orrr
sin by the sacrificcof Hinrself," ro "bear rhc sinsof nrirnv" (Hcb. 9:2(r, N4an.Sr. John C)hrvsostorrr s:riclthat rhe rrutlr thut orrr rcclcnrpri,rr
28), to redecmmrnkind fionr all rhe conscqucnccs of sin. cr>uldconre fionr only Onc Man is evidcrtccclby,thc firct thitt tlte cott-
As wc havc sccn, whcn Aclanr fi'll his corrupred nature, now clis- scquences of sin canrc fionr orrly one nriln. lrr ficr, St. (lhrtsostont
easedwith sin, madchim sLrbjccr to physicaldcath.All his dcsccndanrs sratesthat, rn the fifth chapter of Ronrans,St. l)irtrlrepcatccllvjrrxtrt-
inheritcd thar corrupted nature, antl thrrs all rvcrc obliged ro dic. posetl thc "onc" Aclam with the "Onc" (lhrist prcciselvin ortlcr t<r
Christ llone, beine tottrlly sinlcss,rvls nor obliged to suffcr clcatlr;ancl tlcnronsrrrtcrhc rcaliryoI thc world'.srcclcnrptionby Oh risr- ltarricu-
tlrerefbre,in His volr,tntlrydclth ,rnclin His rcsurrectionwhich inexo- lrrlv ro thoscJc',vsw,hobclicvctlin thc (lcnesis nilrrrltivebttt not (vct)
rably succcedcdir, Hc clestloycdclclth borh spirirual:rnclboclily.Lcr us as firr rhc Holy l;atlrers,
in Christ. For St. I)aLrl fiith in rhc rcalSccotrtl
recallrhe words of St. John Ihnrasccnequoted elrlicr: "Sirrccor.rr[.orcl
r " L S c c r h c l i r l l q u o ti r ti o n s,r np p . ( r 9
r r b o vc.
rs'r l.osskv, lvlystiul I htology, l lO. "0
r"r ljr. Sclrrphirrrl{osc, (,i,zrri, (.'ttrtion atl htrly Alau. p. )1 6.
1t.
r"lrSr. J\1:rxinrrrs the (irnlcssor.,,l/ lhaldssiun 2.,in On t/n,(.otttit t\1.).rl{r't1 r"' Scc
p. I(X). 1 '1 , . 7 l - l , r b <r r c.

,) 2 ti
 'l H It otLf Hotx)x \(/oltt) (llLllAl Il) IN lN(i()ltlltjl'l l()N

Adam as the Reclccmcrfionr rr.rincannot bc divorceclfionr belief in the As thc tloctrinc rh.rr man and tlrc rvorlclwerc incorrupr befbrc rhc
rcal f.irsrAdam as rhe causeofthat rtrin.'"' fill is directlv connccrcd ro ()rtlrodox sorcriolog,v, so ?lso is rr con-
Certainll', the Orrhodox reachingon rhe original incnrruption of Irectcclto cschirology.It provides;r b:rsisfbr rtrldcrsr:rnding rhc worcls
rlzl (specifically)is most gcrmanc ro rhc ()rrhodox clocrrineof rc- of thc Apostlc l'aul in rhc way rhirr thc Holv l;arhcrsundersrooclthcrl;
tlcmption, sirrceir was a m:rn (Aclanr)who broughr sin ancldcrrh inro "For sinccby mln clme dcath, bv rnln c:rnrealsothc rcstrrrcctionfionr
rhe world, and it rvasa Man (rhe (iod-rn:rn lcsus(ihrist) Vho ovcr- the clcad.[]or irs in Atlam all dic, evcn so in (lhrisr shall all bc medc
came thenr. At tlrc sametinre, however,this Scriprural/l)atristictcirch- rrlivc.... Ihe lnst enerny thar shall bc tlcsrroycdis death" (l (]or.
ing cannot be separatedfionr rhar of rhe incorruption of the resrof rhe 15:)l-22,2(r). Ir underpinsrhc docrrir.rc rhat (lhrisr carncin orclcrro
cosnrosbetorc thc fall, sincc as rve have secn the visiblc crcarion was gilc fuck to nran rvhat Aclam hird krst ar thc firll, phvsicallvas rvell as
rnadc firr thc slkc of nran, is clcpcndcnron nran. and rlust bc in rhc spirittralll,,irnd rhar, throueh Chrisr'.sclclrh lncl rcsurrccrion,thcrc rvill
samcconditionas man.'fhe incorrrrpr.lnJporcnriilllyinrnrcrralbodv be rt rcstoration,pertecrion,and spiriru:rlizarion of thc irrcorrupr
ofman lrcfbrerhc fill, as c]escribcdin clcrailin rhc l)atristicwrirings. flrsr-creirtecl wrtrld. FrorrrSr. Ircnacusin thc sccondccnnrrv,wlro said
could not havc existedin surroundingsfillcd with death and corrr,rp- rhurcrcntionwill be "rcstoredto irs prirncvrrl c(,n(lirion"Jr rl)c (;cncral
ti<rn;arrd lrenceit is to bc cxpecrctlrhar rhc tzrrrrrlrr patrunt, in accor- llcsurrccrion, to Fr. .fustin I)opovich in rhe twcnrierh ccnrury, wno
clenccwith Holy Scripturc, holds thar rhe cosmos wrrs originalll, wrotc thrr n:rrurewill rhen "bcgin ro shincwirlt irs prirlor<lialsirrlcss
incorlupt aswell. irnnrortal belurr,,rhe sanrcas ir haclbcfbrc the firll," wc havc secrrrhc
connectiotrrlrlr thc Futhershavedrarvrrlrcrwccnthc originalund rhc
r"' []tsiclcstfrc pitssitgcs
elrc,r.lvquotc.l (lbnr. 5: lJ '19, I ( lor I 5:21-22). rhcrc:rrc
flnal statcsof rhc crcarion.In the wordsofSt. (,rcgory of Nyssa,rhc
,tther phccs in the I'rLrlinecPistlcsu'hcrc rhe r\posrlc rvrircsof t\clunruncl [ivc, rc, pronliscof thc flnll srarcis preclicrrtctlorr lrclicfin tlrcoriginirlorrc,arrrl
counting thc Biblicel clcscriptionsofthcir crcetion rnd fill: I'hc llrsr nran Atl:rm vicc ycrrit:
r v a s r rrtlc a living so rrl'(l (ir r l5: 45; c f . ( ic n. l: 7) ; ihc s c r p c n t b e g u i l c d l . l v c
through his srrbtlcty" (l (br. ll:.ll cl. (icn. .l:l-(r)r "Adunr w;rs lirrnrcd first. then
Norvthc [(icncnl] Rcsurrctionprorliscsus norhingclsethrrnrhc
live: errrlAdlnr rvlrsrrot tlcccivcd,lrut thc wonr:rn bcing clcccivcdrv;rsirr rhc trerrs,
-l rcsrorarion of thc fullcnto thcir.lncictrrst.rtc:filr rhe grilccu,c look
srcssion"( | inr. 2:13- l.1rcf. (len. 2:21 .l:(r).i\g.rin, rcfi'rringto thc c rcrt ion ol li,c
fionr Ad.rnr. St. I':rul urites: l!1ln is not fronr rvomirn. lxrr rvorrlrr fionr nlrnl nor fbr is:rccnrin rcrurl l() rhe firsrlifc, bringirrgbrck aqrrinro I).rr.tljsc
rtls the nren crcutcrltbr thc lr'onritn,bur rhc rvonr:rnfbr thc nran' ( I Cor I l:11-,);cf. hinr .,r,howls clsr ()ur fionr it. lf rhcn thc lifc ol thoscrcstorctlis
( i c n . 2 :lll J.l) . In kee pin gwir h r hc plr in nr er ningof r hc s c closellrcl.rrecl
f r r s s : r g cosf S r . I ) r u l , r h c ro rlrrr of rhc lngcls,ir is clcrrrth:rrrhc lifc bcfbrcthc
Pltristic conrnrcntericsoo thcnr lrsstrneir bclicf in rn ecrrrll. hisroricirlAcr:rrnantr tlxrsgrcssion rv:rsI kind ol-lngcliclifr',lnd hcncc.rlso or.rrr(trrfn ()
t. r ' e .S cc, lirr crln rplc, Sr. Jo hn ClTr ls os r or n.cson) nr ent ilr yon I I i n r o r h y 2 : 1 . ) l 4
(NI)NIt lst Scrics.vol. l.l, pp.4.l5-.16), rvhcrcthc Suint rrflirnrsthe cxistcnccof li,c
thc arrcicrrt
corrclirion oforrrlifeis conrparccl ro theangcls.r''i
as l singulitr;rcrson,disrirrguishingbcrwcen hcr,rnd thc lcrrr:rlcscr gcncralh,.
'l h:rt Adlnr lnrl lrvc rvercle:rl (lhrisr Hinrsclf, Vho srid Highlilhting rhis intcrrclltionshigr bcru,ccnrlre originll lntl flnal
;rcrsonsu,:rslf]irnrcd bv
thrt rlrc "blootl of Atrcl," rhcir scconclson. rvirsshcd fnrnr thc firundarion ofrhe stltes of nnrr rrntl chccclsnros,l:r. .serephinrpoirlrcclout that
r v o rl d (l. ukc l1:il, 5 {):cf. (icn . 4: 8) . ( ihr is t r ls o s pok col r hc c r c e r i , 'no l n ( t x n r r n d
lrvc,tluoring lionr rhc book ol (icncsis: Ilut lrom the ttgirrning of rhc crcition (;o(l l " 5t. ( lltgrrrr o1 Nls.,.r,Orr r/'t ,lhlitttt
ol ,llat l-.lr Nl)\l: Jntl Scrics,vol. 5, p.
'nritderltcnr nralernd finrllc (N1.rrkl0:(l ci. (icn. l:-27). 107
 ' l t ll]. ()l { l } I()l )()x \(()R t)
thc rwo corrcspotrrllncl rtnlv tliflcr ' . in thar thc fltttrc stltc ol thc
u'olld rvill bc lirlll'spirirual, correspc,ndingto thc "spiriturl lrodv" of
rhc men who rvill drvell in it,:tnd no longcr rvill it be possiblefbr rts
incorrr.rptibilirvto bc lost l)o wc Orthodox (lhristiltrs lrclievcthat
uc will auually bc imrrrorr:rlrtnd incorruptiblc in rhat ncxr life-if
(locl will onlv number us rlnronli thc s:tved-or otrlv mctlphoriclllv
rrnd rllceoricrlly so?If rve lrclievcrntl think rs thc Holy Fathcrsclo,
thcn our fitrurc incorlupritrility rvill bc rca1,rls wils thNt of thc crc-
ntion :rtrrlof Aclantbcfbrc his tl isobeclicnce.r""
l-hus we scc how orlr bclic.J'as()r todox Chrisri:rns is all of one
piece. C)ur bclicf'rhat dcirth cartre into thc rvorlcl through hurr'rrt sin
( R om . 5 : I 2 ) is link c t l wit h o u r b e l i c f th a r (l h ri s t th c G od-man has rc-
d ecnre d th e wor ld by nr e a rrso f H i s d e a th (H e b . 9 :I5) l n thc sanrc
way, our belief that man xnd the cosmos wcre incorrrtpt in the bcgin-
ning is tiecl to our bclicf'thirt thcv will bc incorrttpt in the futtrre age'
IX. CoNcr-usroN
A Surunar.y ol'tltt Ortlndox 7i'athing
In setting fbrth the Scriptural/Petristic tcachingon thc origirrrrl
steteof crcatiortlrnd orl thc entrallceof cle:lth:rtrdcorruprion' we hlve
shown thlt the condition of tuarr ilncl the crc:rtion in thc bcgirrning
was ridic:rlly clifferentfionr whrrt we know todrry.\Thcther or not ot'lc
"llc-
vicws rhe originll incorruption of matl ancl the cosnlosirs beir)!!
'hr-
cording ro nature" (depcnding on how otrc etnploys thc word
turc"), it nrust be said rhat this illcorruption wirs givctr rlnd Prcserved
bv Divinc grace.Man's corltitttlrlncein irrcorrttptiondepentlcdon the
riglrt usc of his Frccwill in f'ollowing the conlnlarldment of Ciod'
where:rsthe continuanccin ilrcorrttption of the rcst of thc costlos clc-
grcndcdon Irran.\?hcn nun lrcll,sin infectctl htrmiln Itrlturc,corruPt-
l')(, Iir. Sclrphinr ll.6sc, (,r,rrrrr.r,On,ttiot anzt |larll, Altt,1t.5r)).
t16
ct{t:AI l.:l)tN IN(toRttL]l,
t I()N
ing it. BccirLrsc of rhis colrupriorr of nran'-s
r)ilrurc,graccwithclrcwfionr
hirl. Mln rhercbysufleredspiritualtlclrh (rhe separirrion of rhc sor:l
fiom (lod), arrtlthis in trrrn nraclcIrirrrsubjcctro phvsicaldcath (thc
separationof'rhc soul fiorl rhc bod1,)ancl to phvsicalcorrrrprion(dc-
cay) afier tlelrh. ln rhis way, man inrroducctl cleirtlrand corrup-
tion-nor nrcrclyas a porcntialirybut as an lctLraliry-into his own
existcnceas wcll as irrto rhar of thc cntirc cosnros,which clepcndcdon
him.
'Wc have
firrrhcr cliscrrssedhorv (lhrist rhc (lod-rlan, rvhilc bcing
Hinrsclfr.r,holly sinlcss,rook upol) Hintselfrhc ultintrrtcphl,sicalcon-
scquenceof sin-dcarh-thcrcby ovcrcoming all thc conscquencesof
sin. l-hrough Christ'.sclcarhand resrrrrcctiorr, nrarr is llrsr resrlrrccted
spiriruallythrough thc lifi of grecc in thc (lhLrrch;antl larcr,rr thc
(lcncrrrl R.cstrrrcction, he will lrc rcsurrccrcdphvsicallyas well, bcing
rcstorcdto thc incorrupr srarchc cnjoyed:rr his crcation.Sincetlre rcsr
of crearionwas nradc firr man, ir t<lowill bc restorcrlro incorlupriorr.
N4orcover, ilt thc (;elterill Rcsurrectiorrboth nr:rn irnd thc cosmosrvill
bc spiritullizctland dciflctl,rhusreachingthe sratcthar,,vas ultirlarcly
in rcntletlfirr thcnr.
'l
lrc I'trsoual l?clauanuand Applittrtion of'l-/tis 'tb,rltittg
Hlving cxlnrineclrhescdoctrincsin sonrcclcprh.lcr us rrolvcorr-
sitlerhow thcy carrinfbrm our rrrirLl.lelnd pcrccprionofotrrsclvcs, of
oLrrlcllow htrnrarrbeings,lntl of orrr nltural environrncrrt.
WirhoLrtthc ()rthodox (ihristirrrrtrndcrstrndingof thc oriqin of
tlcurh and corruprion,rlroscwho bclicvein (lod nrav be inclineclto
blrunc Hinr firr thc nrany firrnrsof srrfflringrhur arisc irr rhis fillen
rvorlcl,asrvcll ls fbr thc cleathsoflovccl oncs.()n rhe orhcr hand. thosc
who do nor belicvcin (locl nrav point rr rhc trrokenuspccrsof crcrrrion
:rs "proofi" thar rhcrc is. in fict, no (-'rcilror.[irr rrs ()rthotlox (]hris-
rians,horvcvcr,thc rnrc lc:rsorrfirr thc corrtrprionof-crcrttionhas bcen
cxplaincdkrng n{o in thc lliblc lrrcl in rhc urirings of rhc Frrrhcrs. Wc
rccogrrizcrhar suffcrinq,illness,dclth, and tlccrrr, ftxtcrhcrwirh rlll
 .l
lll.l ()Rl tlotx)x \y()l{l) (llltri\ll:l) lN lN( l()ll.lttrl'I l( )N

rhc orher manifcstationsof corrttption-we rc llot Pirrt of Gocl'sorigi-
rrrl "vcry gttttd" creatiotr.l-hcy arc Prcsentbecausental broughr thenl
into thc world throughhis sin.
An awarencssof rvhlt wirs irr rhc beginning lnd whlt occurretlat
rhc firll, tlicn, c:ln servc to uphold oLrr f:rith in thc flcc of lroth the
hlrclshipsof life ancl the artacksof unbelicvcrs.Far fioln blanring God
or doubting His cxistcr.tcc whetr confrontcclwith sufferingand dcarh,
we crn scc thcscre:rlitiesassigtts<lf(iod's nlercl'.As wc havc scenfronr
rhc l)arristicwririrrgs,although (lod did llot crcittc rttrtltnttclthc cos-
rnos corruptiblc, whcn tnan sinnetl Hc allowrd delr-hand corrttltti,rtt
to entcr thc world itr order to servcfirr rnan\ bencfit. L)eath prcvcnts
sin from lreing inrnrortal,whilc rhc suflcrinqsincurrcd in mln's cor-
ruptible srrrc scrvc to lrluttt his pridc atrd irrational lovc of sctrsLlal
pleirsurc,and ro point hirn back to thc trrtc Sourceof his lifc, which is
(lod and not thc worlcl.Thtrs, rhe conscqucrrccs of sitr are irt tilc sarnc
sin. -fhrough hard cxpcricncccott-
rimc therapeuticcorrcctivcs:rgainst
plcd with firith, we can lcarn t() lccePt thcsccorrcctivcswith rhankfirl
lrearts,rcalizingthev arc giveu to us for oLtrhcalingand salvatiotr.
Furthcrnrorc,rrndcrsrancling thc firll effectsof thc irll can hclp in-
srill in LrsgrcirtcrrcPcntltlce firr our sitrslncl grcltcr ct)tnpassiolltor
rhc crcation.Although wc tlo Irot bcar thc guilr of the fall of oLtr flrsr
ancestors, still wc plrtici patein rhe sitrsof the farnilyof Aclam'hlving
bccn born into tliis world wirh a corrupted nattrrethat inclinesus to-
wrrd sin. l'hus, whctr wc scc brokcnncssin our fcllow human bcings
or in thc materialcrcation, we should rccogtrizethat we ottrsclvcslre
enmcslrcdin thrt rvhich,in the bcginning,broughrirtrotttthis uuivcr-
sal srarcof corruption.l-his reelizationc;rn, in turrl, inculcarcirl tts
corloxssion for Clod'screatiotlil.l its brokcnttcss.
in contc,npl,rting thc incorrLtptcosmosthat wls ill the bcginrring.
aswell as its restoredencl pcrfictctl sratebeyonclthc (lcncral Resurrcc-
tion, we cln also bcct>mc,rwrreof (iod's plan fbr His crcation' His
cconom),.In tlris way wc crln lirow in spirituril knorvledgcof crcatecl
It;rrbor:t rnorc vibritttr hope itr tltc firtLtrcrcrtcwrtlolt thc cosnros,wherr
(iod's phn fbr it rvill hrtvc bccn firlflllcrl. As u,c havc heirrcltirnr the
tcachingsof St. Brrsanuphitrs of()ptirrrr,rvccrrnsrill find "dclighrs.rnd
throLrghbcholclingtlrc "flrrurncrrts"
corrsolirtiorrs" tlr:rtrenrainof (lotl's
origin:rlhanclirvork.'"Horvctcr.it is orrlr'lrv being cogrrizentof thc
originll :rnd flnal starcsof crcrtion thili wc ciln irpprcciatcrhc bcnurY
that (iotl clcarc.lin thc lrcginning,rtrtrttrtrrcrl bv hrrrnn sin, anclthc
corrcspondingyct cvcn grcirtcrlrcrtutythar is ro conrc.Such an ,rpplc-
ciation can hclp Lrsto lpprchentl spiritLrallv what St. Mexinrrrshrrs
cllled "traccs"of (iod's rlljcstv in tltc scttsitrlc
cle,rtion,"",rntlthroLrglr
thcm be lccl to a.lccpcr knorvlcclgcof-orrr (llcrtor.
Iiinalh.anclntost inrportantlr',undcrstuntiing rvhrrtu,usin thc bc-
ginning antl rvhar occurlcd at rhc firll cirrrflll Lrsrvith rr nrorc fcrvcnr
grrtrittrdcrorv,rrtlottr l-ortl .fcsLrs(lhrist, \7ho lroth rcsrorcsrvlrrrtrhe
flrst rrrrrnlosr rrrrclbrirrgsinto bcirrgrvhrrtrlrc fllsr rnrrnwils rlrcllntto
rtttrtin.As rvc hrtvescett,it is onlr,tryrccognizinS thar dcrth crltcredthc
rvorldbccurrse ofsin rhrttrvcc:trtfirllyrPPrcciatc rvlrt'rhc sinlcss(lhrisr
diu/ for thc salvationof tlrc rvorlcl;u,hy Hc rrndcscrvcrllyrook LrPon
Hinrsclfrhc final physicrrl conscqucncc of sirrirr orclcrto ovtrcornc:rll
thc conscrlrrclrccs of sirt, "trantpling tlorvrrtlcrth trv tlcltli'"" rrnrlgiv-
irrglil'c'tothc rvorlcl.lrt knorvirtga,ly llc did this,rvccrtrtgivc rrroref)t'
tine glorv to llinr firr ltrrvirtg,rvith llis dcarh orr thc (lross,'irlfi'rctl
onc sucrificcfirr sirrsfirro,cr"(Hcb. l0: ll), and firr bccorrins,in His
rcsrrrrcctiorr,the "firsrfiuits"ofourrisinqfi'ornthcdcrrd(l(lor. l5:10,
) l\
'lb
inr-tlrrouglt Vlrorn rrrarrurrcltlrc visibl(crciltiorrl,crc nrrrdc
incorrLrprin rhc bcginning,rrrtl ,rre to bc inrnrtrru[rlvrctLrrrrcrl to
incorrrrprion,nretlc spirittrtl. rrrrdtlcificd-is dtrc glorv firrcvcr.For
"llcholcl,"Flc savs."l rrrlkc lll thinss ncrr'"(Apoc.2l:5).
L" Sr'cp. ll irbovc.

things accordingto Gocl'.sitrtetrtiotrsfbr them' lnd lt the sil,rrLrimc "r Stt p. l') irbovc.
r"" lirrrr thc l':rsclreltloplrion.

9u