Mystery of Faith : An Introduction to the

Hilarion Alfeyev, Bishop of Podolsk, is head of the Moscow Patriarchate representation at the European Union in Brussels.

Foreword by Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia

ix

Author's Note

xi

Introduction: What is Dogma?

xiii

1 THE SEARCH FOR FAITH

1

(13)

The call

1

(2)

Many paths

3

(3)

Philosophy in search of a supreme good

6

(3)

The Old Testament: divine revelation

9

(5)

2 GOD

14

(17)

The word 'God'

14

(2)

The divine names

16

(5)

The attributes of God

21

(3)

Cataphatic and apophatic theology

24

(7)

3 THE TRINITY

31

(11)

The mystery of the Trinity

31

(2)

Trinitarian terminology

33

(3)

Unity of love

36

(6)

4 CREATION

42

(16)

God the Creator

42

(2)

The angels

44

(2)

The origin of evil

46

(3)

The universe

49

(9)

5 THE HUMAN PERSON

58

(21)

The creation of humanity

58

(1)

Image and likeness

59

(2)

Soul and body

61

(3)

Humanity before the Fall

64

(3)

The Fall

67

(3)

'Original sin'

70

(2)

Anticipating the Messiah

72

(7)

6 CHRIST

79

(17)

The new Adam

79

(2)

The Christ of the gospels: God and man

81

(2)

The Christ of faith: two natures

83

(4)

Redemption

87

(9)

7 THE CHURCH

96

(34)

The Kingdom of Christ

96

(2)

Heaven on earth

98

(2)

The attributes of the Church

100

(3)

Church hierarchy

103

(4)

The place of women in the Church

107

(2)

The Mother of God and the saints

109

(3)

The holy icons

112

(4)

The Cross

116

(2)

Church time

118

(2)

The Church and churches: divisions and reconciliation

120

(10)

8 THE SACRAMENTS

130

(37)

Life in the sacraments

130

(2)

Baptism

132

(3)

Chrismation

135

(2)

The Eucharist

137

(7)

The sacrament of repentance

144

(2)

Anointing with oil

146

(3)

Marriage

149

(5)

Priesthood

154

(3)

Monasticism

157

(10)

9 PRAYER

167

(17)

Divine worship

167

(3)

Silence

170

(3)

Watchfulness

173

(1)

'Inward meditation'

174

(5)

Prayer and theology

179

(5)

10 DEIFICATION

184

(15)

The vision of God

184

(5)

The transfiguration of the person

189

(10)

11 THE LIFE OF THE AGE TO COME

199

(32)

The end of history

199

(3)

Death and resurrection

202

(3)

Prayer for the departed

205

(3)

The Last Judgement

208

(4)

'What is hell?'

212

(4)

'That God may be all in all'

216

(8)

A new heaven and a new earth'

224

(7)

Notes

231

(18)

Appendix

249

(8)

Bibliography

257

(4)

Index

261

(4)

The Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius

265

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Mystery of Faith : An Introduction to the Teaching and the Spirituality of the Orthodox Church

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials