The totality of the Catholic doctrine is manifested in its striving for a general, complete transformation of the world (those aspects of it that contain elements of worldview and morality). The Catholic Church is not limited only to the moral transformation of private human life, it is not limited only to concern for the salvation of the individual human soul. She strives for a general transformation of the world. It seeks to "impregnate" with the Holy Spirit the moral, social, scientific, economic, political life, culture, philosophy, art "- in a word - everything, even, if I may say so, the atmosphere we breathe and the stones of the pavements along which we we walk.

The universality, integrity of Christianity's coverage of the Catholic confession of all aspects of life is expressed in the Catholic hymn: "We want God." When translated into Russian from Polish, it contains the words: we want God at sea and on land, in language and customs, in laws, at school, in children's dreams, today and tomorrow, in happiness: and tears, etc. etc. In short, in the words of Jesus' fellowship slogan: "All for the greater glory of God." This universality, this holistic coverage, this maximalism attracts. He speaks of immeasurable love for God. Be moderate in everything, but do not measure in love for God. This maximalism is for the strong, and it brings up the strong. Strength always attracts.

This totality, striving for universal coverage of all aspects of reality by Christianity is quite logical and consistent, since the whole world belongs to God. This totality and maximalism is identified in our minds with the greatness of the goal of Christianity. Great energy is born only for great goals.

And this maximalism, this totality of the Catholic religion makes it possible to understand why the Catholic movement is so energetic, why it is invincible, why it is the leader of the Christian movement, why there is so much monasticism and the predominance of celibate clergy in it (in the Western rite - only celibate, and in Eastern rites - marital and celibate). Indeed, in order to take upon oneself the feat of celibacy or complete dedication of oneself to God, in order to overcome the temptation of this world, in order to hardly live for earthly pleasures, one must possess a large supply of spiritual energy, which can only be given by the greatness of the goal that the Catholic Church has.

Do we find such maximalism in Orthodoxy or in Lutheranism? These religions do not pretend to be the leaders of philosophy, science, culture, state and economic life. At best, they are only limited to religious influence on private life, education of family morality. They do not have, like the Catholic Church, social, scientific doctrines that oblige members of their Church as a right. They always give in to the powerful in the world. And from the words of Christ: "Give God to God, to Caesar what is Caesar," they often fulfill only the second half of the formula. Where they can win, they make compromises, and where they can reach a compromise, they surrender. That is why indifference to religion, atheism, is so widespread in the countries of the Protestant and Orthodox population.

Can such weakness, can such a belittling of the goal and tasks of Christianity attract people? This is one of the reasons for the loss of the authority of religions in Orthodox and Protestant countries.

§2. The infallibility of the Church in matters of faith and morality.

The world is like the world's ocean. Its waters are in constant motion. And a person who is in his power is bad. Our moral life is like this ocean. Every day life presents us with many problems, questions of a moral nature that require solution. And since life is very difficult, and most people are not sufficiently informed, trained and educated to always act in a timely manner and correctly in various circumstances, then people often make mistakes in their behavior both as individuals and as collectives. They say you have to act according to your conscience and then you won't be mistaken. But the decision of conscience depends on the nature of the information on this issue, as well as on the purity of heart, unfortunately not always pure among Christians. Therefore, it happens that Christians may disagree on the moral assessment of the events in question. And again and again we find ourselves in the grip of relative, in the grip of delusion. Meanwhile, man longs for the absolute, lasting, true, especially in his moral behavior, on which his eternity depends.

And only in the Catholic confession of Christianity there is such confidence in its moral righteousness, in its moral infallibility, which guarantees us a happy eternity.

This guarantee consists in the infallibility of the Holy See in matters of faith and morality, when the Pope defines something "EX SATHEDRA". The essence of this expression: "ex cathedra" according to the definition of the XX Ecumenical Council is as follows: "We, the Pope writes ... with the approval of the sacred council, we teach and define as divinely revealed dogma, the following. The Roman high priest, when he speaks from the pulpit, i.e. That is, he fulfills the duty of a pastor and teacher of all Christians, with his supreme apostolic authority determines the teaching of faith or morals to be observed by the universal Church, possesses, as a result of the divine assistance promised to him in St. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman high priest are not transformed either by themselves or by the consent of the Church "(quoted from the book. L. Karsavin" Catholicism ", P., 1918)

First of all, from the text cited it is clear that all definitions about faith and morals (morality) proclaimed by the pope are not subject to change or transformation. To proclaim an error-free, non-convertible provision, the following conditions are required:

Firstly, it must relate to the faith and morals of the universal Church, have a universal meaning. In the absence of this feature, in the definition proclaimed by the pope, the dogma of infallibility is not applicable.

Secondly, the pope is to act as the teacher and shepherd of the universal Church, and not only as a Roman bishop or a private person. The pope's inerrancy is linked to his position as the visible head of the Church.

Thirdly, the pope defines it by the power of apostolic authority, referring to his apostolic authority.

Fourth, the pope does not proclaim a new teaching, but defines or formulates it as something already existing in the Church for the observance of it by the universal Church.

The Council explains that “the Holy Spirit was not promised to the heirs of Peter, so that they would make the new teaching evident by His (ie, the Holy Spirit) revelation, but so that with His assistance they would sacredly and faithfully expound what was transmitted through the apostles or revelation maintained by faith. "

Thus, in this future ocean of life there is one single point of rest, and hence of salvation. In ancient times they said: "Roma losuta - causa finita". Rome said it's over. The doubts, hesitations, strife, disputes ended. Life is back on track. The world has avoided mistakes, prosperity continues.

§3. Unity of the Catholic Faith.

This unity is based not only on the unity of teaching, which Orthodoxy also has. Unity in teaching does not yet give real, practical unity. This unity is based on the presence of the Catholic faith of its world administrative center in the person of the pope and the dependence of other bishops on him, which is expressed in the dogma of the supremacy of the pope. The unity of this world center creates the unity of actions of believing Catholics, raises Catholic self-awareness to the understanding of its world significance, fosters and maintains in all Catholics a sense of solidarity regardless of nationality, and helps to realize and assert their independence from secular power, often not Christian.

There is a big difference in the authority of church authority, depending on whether the church authority acts only as a national center, as is practiced in Orthodoxy and Protestantism, or, if the church authority acts as a world, ecumenical center. This difference increases even more if there is no consensus between the national religious centers, as in Orthodoxy and in Protestantism. Unity of opinion is usually impossible in a pluralistic system of church authority. But there is strength in unity.

§4. Organization of the Catholic Church.

By being organized, we mean the opposite of spontaneity, namely: premeditation in activity, deliberate setting of tasks for believers, rallying them and leading them to solve these problems.

Perhaps there is hardly such a religion in the world with so many different associations specialized in their activities. Let's list the largest Catholic associations published in the book by N. A. Kovalsky "International Catholic Organizations", M., 1962

International Confederation of Christian Trade Unions; International Working Christian Youth; International Federation of Christian Workers' Movements; International organizations of Christian Democrats (these are political parties of Christians in Europe and America); Apostalate of the laity; Pax Christie (Peace of Christ); World Union of Women's Catholic Organizations (about 36 million people); International Federation of Catholic Men; Pax Romana (Roman World); International Federation of Catholic Youth (boys only). World Federation of Women's Catholic Youth. International Catholic Bureau of the Child. International Catholic Association of Societies for the Protection of Girls. World Union of Catholic Teachers. International Catholic Education Service. International Federation of Catholic Universities. International Center for the Study of Religious Education. International Catholic Federation of Physical Education. International Union of Catholic Press. International Catholic Broadcasting and Television Association. International Catholic Film Service. International Catholic Relief Union. International Catholic Commission on Migration. International Confederation of Catholic Philanthropy. International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Nurses. International Association of Ladies Benefactors (about 1 million people). International Union for Social Research. World Union of Catholic Philosophical Societies.

This outdated list (1962) does not include all international Catholic organizations. From the book of MP Mchedlov "Catholicism", M., 1974, it should be added: "There are about 160,000 Catholic schools all over the world ..., about 800 radio stations ... There are organizations of Catholic action for men, for girls, for women, for youths, for journalists, for teachers, for people with university education, for doctors, nurses and nurses, for athletes, etc. Sections for Catholic action are created in every parish, in every diocese ... In total, there are about 40 different international organizations ".

Such a wide range of Catholic organizations testifies to the totality of the Catholic doctrine, to its coverage of all aspects of human life, to the striving of the Catholic Church for the universal transformation of the world. And these associations don't just exist. They act and their activities are coordinated in one direction.

Such organization not only helps to build the kingdom of God within us. But she educates Christians; and thus indirectly affects their secular activities as citizens of the state, the development of material and spiritual culture.

§five. Monasticism.

A particular type of Catholic organization is monasticism - the guard of the Catholic Church. The monasticism of the Catholic Church is divided into the orders of the contemplative and active apostolic life. The latter are engaged in missionary work. These include most of the monks and nuns. The orders are specialized, i.e. each of them has its own field of activity, its own style, its own characteristics in the organization. Specialization in missionary work allows for the greatest productivity. There are monks who live only in monasteries and monks who live in the world, wearing civilian clothes. Many monks work as scientists at scientific centers, in universities, many as teachers, doctors, nurses and other specialties, exerting a Christian influence on their environment. A Catholic monk is not a recluse who has completely withdrawn from the world (although there are some). He is an active public figure, a catcher of human souls.

Here are some figures characterizing the state of Catholic monasticism. Churches: in total there are about 300 thousand monks and 800 thousand nuns. The largest monastic associations: 35 thousand people. Jesuits, 27 thousand Franciscans, 21 thousand Salesians, 16 thousand Capuchins, 12 thousand Benedictines, 10 thousand Dominicans (figures are taken from M. Mchedlov's book "Catholicism", M., 1974)

§6. Closeness to life, participation in solving social problems, in the development of science, in the dissemination of education.

When studying the history of the Catholic Church, its striving to actively participate in solving various life problems and not only participate, but also strive to carry out its point of view in solving them is striking. Consequently, the Catholic Church is not fenced off from life, but considers it her duty to develop and pursue its point of view in problems related to issues of faith and morality. This is understandable, if the Church is a guide to Christ, then she must enter into all spheres human activity, in which a lot or a little, but contains a religious theme, because their salvation depends on people's attitude to issues of faith and morality.

Proceeding from this position, the Church has its own social doctrine, set forth mainly in the encyclicals: "Rerum novarum", "Quadragissima annum", "Mater et magistra", its political parties, guided by this doctrine. The Church has its representatives in the UN, UNESCO and other international organizations, its own papal Academy of Sciences, its universities - the forge of its cadres for worldly life. Therefore, there are Catholic trade unions of Catholic students, teachers, journalists, etc. There is a cinema league that boycotts immoral and anti-religious films and creates its own Christian film production and other associations.

During the Middle Ages, the Church fought for "God's peace". This was the name of abstinence from internecine strife, preached by the Church from Wednesday evening to Monday morning, as well as on days consecrated by memories of events in the life of Christ. "Peace of God" was made obligatory under Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1305.

The Church fought against serfdom, against the selfish power of feudal lords and kings. So one of the striking examples of such a struggle is the struggle of the Italian Franciscans in the XIII century with the Italian feudal lords. Chapter VII of the charter of the 3rd order of St. Francis forbade her members to wage war, except in defense of Christianity or the fatherland. The movement of the 3rd Order of St. Francis, the so-called tertials, was massive, and the feudal lords lost their military power, their vassals. Also, the chapter of the charter forbade "solemn oaths", except in some cases. On this basis, the tertials refused to swear allegiance to the feudal lords, noble families. Chapter XIII established monetary contributions for the formation of the community fund. By bringing money there, artisans and workers received the right to use capital for the development of business or the purchase of lands of ruined nobles. The proletarians began to stir and the rich clearly felt what unification meant. The people rushed to the order of the tertials. The kingdom of God promised by the mendicant monks was actually coming. Millions of hands were drawn to the anchor of salvation, and in Italy it was possible to count people who did not join the liberation brotherhood ... Italian democracy was engendered by a small book in which St. Francis, under the supervision of a genius politician (Cardinal Gugolin), outlined the rules of a peaceful society of worshipers and fasting "(see: Arved Barin," Francis of Assisi ", St. Petersburg, 1913). The Church fought against the unjust claims of the emperors and other powerful of this world. The facts of excommunication from the Church of Emperor Henry IV, Empress Frederick I Barbarossa, his son Henry VI, emperors Otto IV and Frederick II, King of England Henry VIII, Napoleon, etc. The Church condemned slavery, racism, and other delusions. The Church has always fought against all despotism of the secular authorities in matters of faith and morality and has become the basis for the established European democracy.

"In the field of sciences and enlightenment, there are many facts proving that the Catholic Church is the founder of their development. Let's just name a few. Until the 11th century, the Church alone was engaged in educating the masses. Romanesque and gothic cathedrals, and painting, and sculpture of the XIV-XV centuries. and today cause our admiration. In France alone, before the revolution of 1789, there were 25,000 free church schools and 900 colleges. The church is honored to found the first university in Europe, the Parisian in the 13th century with 40,000 students! Let us recall the numerous libraries in which the Church has collected the treasures of human thought. The works of Homer and Virgil, Plato and Aristotle, Cicero and others have come down to us only thanks to the painstaking work of monastic scribes. With the advent of typography, the Church made extensive use of it to spread human thought. And in our time, only obstacles created by the spirit of some governments prevent the Church from participating even more widely in the spread of enlightenment and scientific knowledge "(see: F. Lelotte," Solving the Problem of Life ", B., 1959)" The most prominent scientists were faithful Catholics. in the field of electricity and radio waves: Ampere, Volta, Galvani, Belém, Marconi, Branly. The same must be said about Pasteur, Laennen, Claude Bernard, C. Nicoll, famous for their medical discoveries ... Mathematicians: Cauchy, Chal, C. de la Vallee-Poussin; entomologist Fabre; the astronomers Secchi and Le Verrier; J. B. Dumas, founder of organic chemistry; prominent geologists: P. Termier de Lapparen; M. Planck - inventor of quantum theory; Mendel (monk), who discovered the law of heredity in biology; archeology: Champollion, de Rouge, Marais, Capar, Sheil, Rossi; the orientalist L. de la Vallee-Poussin; in the field of studying radioactivity Becquerel and others ... Tsekov makes a special contribution to science, providing an opportunity for many priests and monks to devote themselves to scientific work. Let us cite from the past centuries Pope Sylvester II, for the breadth of his scientific views, named by Archimedes of the 10th century; English Franciscan, father of experimental physics Roger Bacon, Polish canon Copernicus, founder of modern astronomy ... Let's name his contemporaries: Abbot Lemaître, professor at the University of Louvain, winner of the Frank Prize in space physics; the abbots of Bray and Bussoni; fathers Poiadebard and Teilhard de Chardin, known for their research on the prehistoric past "(ibid.).

"In the absence of figures relating to the entire Church, we will give data on only one of its sectors: the Jesuits alone run 31 universities and 152 scientific publications. The attitude of the Church towards science is reflected in the Vatican in a proper way ... Here we find an observatory, a wonderful museum and libraries. , as well as various scientific institutions, of which ... the Academy of Sciences of the Holy See ... among 70 members elected from the most prominent scientists of the whole world, this Academy includes not only Catholics, but also Protestants and even non-believers, on the only condition, so that they do not treat the Church with sectarian hostility "(ibid.).

We have cited only some facts from the attitude of the Catholic: the Church to science, education, social issues, etc. For a detailed acquaintance with everything that the Church has done in these areas, one should read the history of the Church and special works devoted to these problems. Let us only note that the Catholic Church more than any other participates in social, economic and humanitarian life, because this is required by her totality, her complete coverage of all aspects of life, her striving for a general reorganization of the world on the basis of the teachings of Christ (see above). She has always been alien to fragmentation, narrow sectarianism, which limits a person only to reading the Bible, only to concern for the salvation of the soul. The Catholic Church does not flee from life, but goes to meet her, only striving to transform her in the spirit of Christian perfection.

§7. Independence from secular authorities

This independence of the Catholic Church is due to the following factors.

Firstly, the nature of Catholic ideology.

a) Religion, which puts spiritual values \u200b\u200babove all others, should logically put the body that creates and distributes these values, that is, the Church, above the body that creates and distributes material values, i.e. state and its supreme secular power. The very formulation of the hierarchy of values \u200b\u200balso contains the hierarchy of power. This is the first substantiation of the religious independence of the Church from the state.

b) The greatness of the goal of the Catholic Church arising from its totality, its coverage of all aspects of human life (see above) raises the authority of the Church in the eyes of others and the sense of its own dignity and significance. The Church, which has such great tasks before itself, cannot allow itself to be humiliated by submission to secular power, the subject of which is only national-particular, earthly, transient values.

This is the second justification for the religious independence of the Catholic Church.

Secondly, the sovereignty of the Apostolic See and its international influence and authority.

a) The Apostolic See is located in the politically independent state of the Vatican, recognized by international tradition and law, which has its diplomatic missions in about 80 states of the world with approximately the same number of diplomatic missions of these states at the Vatican.

b) The Apostolic See has tremendous authority and influence, based on its religious and moral leadership by hundreds of millions of Christian Catholics, on its historical and current merits in the life of all mankind.

This is the third and fourth justification for the religious independence of the Catholic Church.

Thirdly, celibacy of the clergy. The celibacy of the clergy, in accordance with the words of the Apostle Paul: "I want you to be without worries. The unmarried man cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord; and the married man cares about the worldly, how to please his wife" (1 Cor. 7, 32-33). The celibate clergy are more principled, less inclined to surrender and compromise to the detriment of religion when persecuting their faith than married clergy, and therefore more firmly enforces the demands of the Christian faith.

This is the fifth justification for the religious independence of the Catholic Church from the state.

There is no need to prove that the Orthodox Church and Protestantism, with its many ecclesiastical varieties, do not enjoy the independence of the Catholic Church. There is also no need to prove that the independence of the Church in her religious and moral sphere is a necessary condition for the fruitfulness of her activity. And although the content of the ideals is different; Christian confessions are based on the commandments of the love of God and neighbor common to all, but their implementation in life largely depends on the freedom of the Church, which is determined in turn by her independence.

Here, it is enough to recall tsarist Russia, in which the Orthodox Church acted as a servant of the state and even as an appendage to its police car (the decree of Peter I on the violation of the secret of confession by the clergy, in case of an indication from it about the betrayal of the monarchy; consecration of serfdom; refusal of systematic the fight against drunkenness of the people for the sake of preserving vodka income, which is well described by Leskov in his work "Soborians").

Conclusion.

In the section "The main features of the Catholic doctrine that distinguish it from other Christian confessions" only those positive features Catholic confession, which are not in the rest, Christian confessions taken together. If we compare the Catholic confession with each Christian confession separately, then the advantage of Catholicism will be even greater.

The positive features of the Catholic confession, distinguishing it from other Christian confessions, owe their origin mainly to the dogmas of the primacy and infallibility of the Roman bishop, i.e. dads.

a) So the totality-universality of Christianity's coverage of all aspects of human life, containing elements of worldview and morality, follows from the dogma of the pope's infallibility in matters of faith and morality.

It is quite obvious that the Church and her teachers' authority, realizing that she is the only one, infallible in matters of faith and morality, that she alone is the only owner of the truth in these areas, and no one else but her will naturally consider himself obliged to extend his correct understanding to all areas of human life that contain the subject of its infallibility, i.e. elements of worldview and morality.

b) Such features of the Church as its infallibility and its unity directly follow from the dogmas of the supremacy and infallibility of the Pope.

c) The organization of the Church follows from its totality, it is a means to the implementation of tasks for the universal coverage of all aspects of human life by Christianity. Without the goal of universal coverage of all aspects of human life by Christianity, there would be no need for such diverse organizational forms of the Church.

Totality, all-embracing life christian worldview follows, as we said above, from the dogmas with the primacy and infallibility of the pope.

d) Closeness to life, participation in solving social problems, in the development of science, in the spread of enlightenment also follows from the totality of the Catholic doctrine, and therefore from the dogmas with the primacy and infallibility of the pope.

e) The independence of the Church also follows from these dogmas. For the concept of supremacy and infallibility of the one who possesses this superiority and infallibility already implies the need for independence, without which there would be no superiority, nor the realization of the consequences of infallibility.

Thus, we see that all the positive features of the Catholic confession that Christianity needs can be created only by the Catholic doctrine, namely its most important element, the doctrine of the supremacy (primacy) and infallibility of the pope. There can be no other source of their education.

14.07.2015

The founding of the Jesuit Order took place in one thousand five hundred and fortieth year. The Jesuits include the most influential monastic order of the Society of Jesus, which was founded to defend papal interests against heresy and the work of missionaries.

Pope Paul III approved this order, which has the principles of one-man rule with strict centralism, unconditional obedience to elders and iron discipline.

After the Catholic Church received centralization, principles of dogmatic development began to emerge. This was expressed in an unconventional interpretation of the faith. For example, faith in the Orthodox Church was symbolized by the doctrine of the Trinity. It was said that both the Father and the Son possessed the Holy Spirit. Also, the formation of a kind of teaching began, which said what role the church plays in salvation. Salvation is based on faith in good, in good deeds.

Treasury of Catholicism

Catholicism teaches that the church has a treasury, which contains "super-deeds", the good deeds that Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the saints did. Godly Christians. The church has the authority to administer this treasury. Part of it is given to people in need, forgiveness of sins is carried out, the granting of forgiveness to a repentant sinner. From this originated the teachings of indulgence, where sins were forgiven for some merit or for money received by the church. This also refers to the emergence of rules according to which prayers were read to the dead with the right of the popes to reduce the period of stay of the human soul in the territory of purgatory.

Only the Catholic doctrine has the dogma of purgatory. The emergence of this teaching began in the first century. In the Orthodox and Protestant churches there is a rejection of this dogma.

Catholic doctrine has dogmas: the infallibility of the popes; the virginity of the conception of the Virgin Mary. The Western Church began to pay close attention to the Mother of God after the introduction of the dogma of the bodily ascension of the Virgin Mary by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Triple Cross (Pope's Cross)

Catholic processions do not pass without the papal cross. In three intersecting lines, symbols of the Life Tree and power. The Orthodox liturgical tradition is known for its gamma cross (gammadion). He adorns the clothes of an Orthodox priest and carries with him the idea of \u200b\u200bChrist - the cornerstone of the church.

Very little is known for certain about the life and work of Philo. History has information that a year before his own death, the philosopher went to the emperor of the great and powerful Rome, Caligula. ...

The Trinity has different names, depending on which country this holiday is celebrated in. In Russia - Pentecost or Trinity, the Western and Southern Slavs call this holiday rusadla, svenki, greener or stairs. The British ...

This year, a solemn divine service took place at the Assumption Cathedral in Helsinki. It passed in honor of the fact that for already 90 years, orthodox Church in Finland Orthodox. In 1917, Finland ...

Before the advent of Islam, the Arab people professed a variety of religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism. When creating his teachings Muhammad from the most widespread religions ...

Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world, widespread among many peoples speaking different languages, has existed for almost two millennia. It is difficult to find a corner of the earth where Christian missionaries never appear, and millions of people around the globe are adherents of Christianity.

The Christian religion is not unified; it, like other religions, is divided into a number of independent directions, the most significant of which are Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. ... While preserving mainly the orthodox provisions of Christian dogma, these directions differ from each other in a peculiar interpretation of some dogmas, individual features of the cult. Let's consider these areas in more detail.

Orthodoxy.

Currently, there are 15 autocephalous, that is, independent churches in the world: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch (Syria, Lebanon), Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Hellas (Greek), Albanian, Polish, Romanian, Czechoslovak, American. In addition, there are two autonomous Orthodox churches - Finnish (since 1957) and Japanese (since 1970)

All Orthodox churches have a common belief and cult, while maintaining canonical independence. The Patriarch of Constantinople, even if considered “ecumenical,” is understood as “the first among equals,” and he is not given the right to interfere in the activities of other Orthodox churches. The limits of the autonomy of the autonomous churches are determined by agreements with the autocephalous church that granted it autonomy. Administratively, autocephalous churches are divided into exarchates, dioceses, vicariates, deaneries, and parishes. Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church has 4 exarchates, 76 dioceses, 11 vicariates. In addition, a number of autocephalous churches have missions, deaneries, and metochions at other Orthodox churches. The system of organization and management of Orthodox churches.

Orthodoxy, like Protestantism, does not have a single center of government like the Vatican. Autocephalous churches are headed by patriarchs (archbishops, metropolitans) who are elected by local councils for life. There are synods under the patriarchs. Exarchates are governed by exarchs, and dioceses - by diocesan bishops, under which diocesan councils are created in some cases. Dioceses consist of districts and parishes. Since the 8th century, Orthodox churches have not held ecumenical councils (the last council attended by Orthodox churches was the second Council of Nicaea in 783-787). Each of them at local councils approves canonical rules, revises or supplements the lists of saints, determines the forms of attitude towards heresies and schisms. For example, at a local council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971, the anathema against the Old Believers was lifted. All Orthodox churches are characterized by a hierarchical principle of government. All clergy are divided into upper, middle and lower. In addition, the clergy is divided into black (monastic) and white (married).

Features of the Orthodox faith.

The basis of the Orthodox teaching is the Nikeotsargrad Symbol of Faith, approved at the first two Ecumenical Councils of 325 and 381. In 12 terms (paragraphs) of which ideas about God as a creator, about his relation to the world and man are formulated. This includes the concept of the trinity of God, the Incarnation, redemption, resurrection from the dead, baptism, the afterlife, etc.

The Orthodox Church declares the basic provisions of faith (dogmas) to be absolutely true, indisputable, eternal, communicated to man by God and incomprehensible to reason. Only those provisions of the doctrine that are approved by the first seven ecumenical councils are considered true. The rest, adopted later, are declared erroneous, contrary to “Holy Scripture.” The denial of the Protestant churches from most of the sacraments, from dividing believers into laity and clergy, is also considered a delusion.

Contemporary Orthodoxy.

The modernization of religion is caused primarily by the changes that have occurred in the minds of the majority of believers, not only under the influence of scientific discoveries and new theories, but also new socio-political conditions of their life. And, being a reaction to the change in the consciousness of believers, religious modernism has a reverse effect on this consciousness, forming a new system of religious orientation.

A specific feature of modern modernization of Orthodoxy is not only the revision of socio-political and socio-historical concepts, but also the fact that, without going beyond the boundaries of orthodox dogmatic principles, many clergy interpret them in a new way. More and more attention is paid to the issues of the relationship between faith and knowledge, science and religion.

Catholicism.

Catholicism is the most widespread Christian movement with adherents in all areas of the globe. According to the European press, at the beginning of the 1980s, the number of Catholics was about 800 million - about 18% of the world's population. The Catholic Church is strictly centralized, has a single head - the Pope, a single center - the Vatican, a city-state in the center of Rome with an area of \u200b\u200b44 hectares, which has its own coat of arms, flag and other attributes of statehood, up to a small guard. The combination of secular and religious power is the rarest case in the history of modern times. The secular power of the pope in its present form was established by the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between the fascist government of Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, according to which the state of the Vatican was created, its international sovereignty was recognized, and the church received a number of privileges in the country.

The Pope, through the Roman curia, which has a complex administrative structure, directs the entire church and its numerous organizations operating in the overwhelming majority of countries in the world. The main Catholic hierarchs - cardinals and bishops - are appointed by the Pope from representatives of the clergy of different countries. The college of cardinals (conclave) elects for life a pope from among its members, who, according to the Catholic faith, is “the vicar of Jesus Christ, the successor of St. Peter, the supreme head ecumenical church, Western Patriarch, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State ”, crowns the multi-level hierarchy of the authoritarian-monarchical organization of Catholicism. As a sovereign state, the Vatican exchanges diplomatic representatives with other states, including Italy. The modern Catholic Church is a large religious and political organization that exerts a great influence not only on the worldview of its followers - believers, but also on the socio-philosophical and ethical theories that arise in society. The peculiarities of its structure, historical traditions and experience, the presence of an extensive network of mass organizations - a huge church apparatus with numerous monastic orders (the largest of them: Jesuits - 27 thousand, Franciscans and Salesians - help to play an active role in the ideological and political life of modern states) 20 thousand, Christian brothers - 16 thousand, Capuchins - 12 thousand, Benedictines - 10 thousand, Dominicans - 8 thousand). In total, the Catholic Church has over 1.5 million monks and nuns, including about 400 thousand priests. The activity of the Catholic Church is also characterized by the involvement of not only the clergy, but also lay Catholics in the implementation of social and political tasks. Catholicism has large political parties, trade unions, youth and other organizations.

Features of the Catholic doctrine.

Compared to Orthodoxy, Catholicism has a number of features in doctrine and worship. Sharing the common Christian dogma of the divine Trinity, the belief in the truth of the Bible and the system of myths about the creation of the world and man set forth in it, Catholicism recognizes, for example, the “procession” of the holy spirit not only from God the Father, as the Orthodox Church believes, but also from God. son. Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory (except for heaven and hell), admit the infallibility in matters of faith and morality of the Pope, who is the “vicar of Christ on Earth”. Catholics believe that the source of their doctrine is not only “Holy Scripture”, that is, the Bible, but also “tradition”, the church tradition, in which they, unlike Orthodox Christians, include not only the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, but also subsequent councils, as well as judgments of dads. At the same time, only the church enjoys the right to interpret the Bible. The clergy in Catholicism is distinguished by its vow of celibacy and the so-called teaching about the reserve of good deeds - divine grace, which is distributed by priests.

The sacraments and rituals common to Christianity are also sent in a peculiar way in Catholicism. For example, the sacrament of baptism is performed by pouring water or immersion in water, whereas in Orthodoxy, only by immersion in water. The sacrament of chrismation in Catholicism, called confirmation, is performed when a child turns seven to eight years old (in Orthodoxy, soon after birth). The sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated on unleavened bread (among the Orthodox, on leavened bread), while until recently only the clergy could commune with bread and wine, while the laity had to commune only with bread.

A wide, exalted veneration of the Mother of God and the doctrine of her bodily ascension, a magnificent theatrical cult using all types of art, an extremely developed veneration of all kinds of relics, a cult of martyrs, saints and blessed, a strictly centralized hierarchical organization headed by the "infallible" Pope - these are the characteristic features of the Catholic varieties of the Christian religion.

Modernism in Catholicism.

Currently, the leadership of the Catholic Church has also been forced to embark on the path of modernizing their views. Thirty years ago, during a period of clear confrontation between the countries of the socialist and capitalist system, when Orthodoxy for the most part was going through hard times due to the dominance of atheistic views imposed on the majority of the population, Catholicism, actively supporting the ideological struggle against the communists and that is why it flourished in the countries of capitalism, was already forced to revise its positions. Then the main reasons were those social changes taking place in the political system of the countries of the world: the expansion of the socialist camp, the success of the development of socialist countries; they even influenced such a traditionally conservative institution as the Catholic Church, preventing it from being bound by reactionary politics. For example, we can compare the actions of Pope Pius XII (the time of his pontificate 1939-1958) and the following John XXIII (1958-1963), Paul VI (1963-1978) and John Paul II (1978-2005): if the first unconditionally supported the policy Cold War, the subsequent ones repeatedly spoke out in defense of peace, for the prohibition of nuclear weapons, general disarmament.

In the intra-church, strictly religious area, the modernization of Catholicism is carried out in order to adapt to the spirit of today religious doctrine and organization, so that they do not contradict too much the secular mood and views of modern man. Reform activities here are aimed at getting rid of archaisms and absurdities, making church canons and cult rituals more attractive for believers, etc. In particular, the Constitution on the Liturgy, adopted by the XXI Ecumenical Council, prescribes combining worship with local customs, especially in Asian and African countries; in some parts of the mass and during the performance of rituals, use local spoken languages, simplify the Mass so that it is understandable to ordinary believers, pay more attention to sermons, the recitation of which is strongly recommended on weekdays, and is declared mandatory on holidays; allows all believers to receive communion with bread and wine.

Under the influence of modern science, Catholic leaders also advocate for a "modernized" interpretation of the "Holy Scriptures", urging to abandon the literal interpretation of the most controversial biblical ideas. Also, the modern Catholic Church is conducting a kind of campaign to reach agreement with science, dissociating itself from compromising historical facts, such as the persecution of Galileo Galilei by the church, recognizing their erroneousness.

Protestantism

Protestantism - one of the main directions of Christianity, along with Orthodoxy and Catholicism, covers many independent confessions and churches. The peculiarities of the ideology and organization of modern Protestantism are largely determined by the history of its origin and development.

Protestantism arose in the 16th century, during the Reformation. The first act of the bourgeois revolution was not accidentally played out in the form of religious wars. The feelings and consciousness of the masses completely depended on the spiritual food offered by the church, therefore, the historical movement, the content of which was the transition from feudalism to capitalism, had to take on a religious coloration.

One of the first steps of the reformation movement in Germany was Martin Luther's speech against indulgences, he believed that "God cannot and does not want to allow anyone to rule over the soul, except only himself." Man can save the soul only through faith, which is directly given by God, without the help of the church. This teaching of Luther about salvation or justification by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ became one of the central tenets of Protestantism.

The Lutheran Reformation proclaimed the doctrine of a universal priesthood, of the equality of all believers before God. Under the slogan of restoring the traditions of the early Christian church, the demand was put forward for the abolition of the separate class of priests, the elimination of monks, prelates, the Roman curia, that is, the entire expensive hierarchy. Together with catholic hierarchy the authority of papal decrees and epistles, decisions of councils, was also rejected, the only authority in matters of faith was recognized as “sacred scripture”, which every believer had the right to interpret according to his own understanding. Rejecting church hierarchy and a special sacred rite as a way to the salvation of the soul, this teaching considered the worldly activities of a person as serving God, it was in worldly life that a person had to seek salvation; hence the condemnation of monasticism, celibacy of the clergy, etc. followed.

The document expressing the essence of the reform that took place is the Augsburg Confession, which is a statement of the foundations of Lutheranism. In 1530, he was introduced to Emperor Charles V, but was rejected by him, which led to a war between the emperor and the princes who accepted the Luther reformation, which ended in 1555 with the Augburg religious world. The princes were given the right to determine the religion of their subjects independently.

In the first half of the 16th century, the reformation movement began to spread rapidly outside Germany, it established itself in Austria, the Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, separate communities appeared in Poland, Hungary, and France. At the same time, new varieties of the Reformation movement arose in Switzerland - Zwinglianism and Calvinism, more consistent in their bourgeois essence than Lutheranism. Zwinglianism more decisively broke with the ritual side of Catholicism, refusing to recognize a special magical power - grace behind the last two sacraments preserved by Lutheranism - baptism and communion: communion was seen as a simple rite performed in memory of the death of Jesus Christ, in which bread and wine became only symbols his body and blood. The organization also consistently followed the republican principle: each community elected its own priest and was independent. Much more widespread was Calvinism, theologically associated with one of the main principles of the Reformation - justification by faith, not "good works." One of the main tenets of Calvinism is the doctrine of “absolute predestination”: even before the creation of the world, God supposedly predetermined the fate of people, heaven is destined for some, hell for others, and no efforts of people and no “good deeds” can change what was ordained by the Almighty. From the very beginning, Calvinism was characterized by a petty regulation of the personal and public life of believers in a spirit of sanctimonious decency and intolerance of any dissent. In accordance with the dogmatic basis, Calvinism discarded almost all the external attributes of the Catholic cult: icons, candles, vestments, etc. The main place in the divine service was occupied by reading and commenting on the Bible, singing psalms. Elders (elders) and preachers played a leading role in the communities. Congregations - special gatherings of preachers - decided dogmatic questions.

Unlike Germany and Switzerland, where the reformation began as a popular movement, in England it was an initiative of the ruling elites.In 1534, the English parliament proclaimed the independence of the church from the pope and declared it head of King Henry VIII. All English monasteries were closed, their property was confiscated in favor of the royal treasury, while the preservation of Catholic dogmas and rituals was announced. Over time, the influence of Protestantism on the Anglican Church intensified, it adopted the dogmas of justification by faith and the scripture as the only source of faith, rejected the teachings of Catholicism about indulgences, about the veneration of icons and relics. But at the same time, the Catholic dogma about the saving power of the church was recognized, albeit with some restrictions, the liturgy and some other rituals were preserved, the episcopate remained inviolable.

In Scotland, the movement for church reform took place under the banner of Calvinism and was associated with the struggle against the Stuart dynasty, which ended in the late 1960s with the execution of Mary Stuart. The Presbyterian Church, which grew out of Calvinism, proceeded from the recognition of the autocracy of Christ in the community of believers and the equality of its members; in this regard, the episcopacy was liquidated and only the presbytery was preserved.

With the aggravation of social contradictions in England at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries, bourgeois opposition to the absolutist regime developed, among which Calvinism, whose adherents are called Puritans, spreads. The activation of democratic elements led to the emergence of various religious sects of Congregationalists, Baptists, Quakers, etc. In most cases, the formation of these sects in a religious form reflected the disappointment of the lower classes in the results of the bourgeois revolution.

Thus, during the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland and then during the bourgeois revolutions, primarily in England, the main trends that represent Protestantism at the present time were formed. The main varieties of Reformed Christianity were and remain Lutheranism and Calvinism that arose directly during the Reformation. All other Protestant formations vary the basic principles of these currents.

Modern Protestantism.

At the beginning of this century, the most influential in Protestantism was the so-called "liberal theology." The ability to reconcile Christianity with reason and scientific knowledge representatives of this trend saw it as abandoning a literal understanding of biblical miracles and myths. Supporters of "liberal theology" allowed a very free allegorical interpretation of the Bible, considering Christianity as a moral doctrine in its essence. In this interpretation, Christianity has acquired the character of a philosophical teaching rather than a "religion of revelation."

Also associated with Protestant theological modernism was the course of so-called social Christianity or social evangelism, which brought to the fore the idea of \u200b\u200bthe kingdom of God on earth.

Another trend - the school of "new orthodoxy" - abandoned the hopes placed by liberal theology on the progress of society and the establishment of rational and moral relations. The main idea is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe insolubility of the tragic contradictions of human existence. The reasons for the tragedy of human existence are seen in the insoluble contradiction between absolute truth God and the imperfection of man by his nature. Man cannot but strive to understand God, but these attempts are in vain: for the human mind, God will forever remain an incomprehensible mystery, there remains only one way of communion with God - through faith. The irrationalist perception of the world characteristic of the adherents of the “new orthodoxy” is manifested in the rejection of attempts to rationalize the faith itself: they propose to consider biblical myths as a way of transmitting the deepest truths that reveal a person's relationship to God, and not as a story about real events.

The organizational forms of modern Protestantism are very diverse - from the church as a state institution (for example, in Sweden) to the almost complete absence of any unifying organization (for example, among the Quakers); from large confessional (for example, the World Baptist Union) and even interfaith (ecumenical movement) to small isolated sects.

Lutheranism.

The largest Protestant movement is Lutheranism; Lutheran Evangelical churches exist in many countries. In Europe, they are most influential in the Scandinavian countries - Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Baltic States, Finland and Germany. There are many Lutheran churches in North America. In South America, the position of the Lutheran churches is weak, and the largest is the Lutheran Church in Brazil. There are few Lutherans in Asian countries, their influence is stronger in Africa, where Lutheran churches exist in Ethiopia, Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia, etc. The main doctrinal documents are the "Augsburg Confession" and "Apology" written by Luther and another prominent preacher of Protestantism - Melanchthon ... Central to the Lutheran doctrine is the doctrine of justification by faith. The attitude of the church to the world characterizes the teaching of Luther about the two kingdoms. Luther clearly distinguished two areas: religious and social life. The first includes faith, Christian preaching, church activities, the second - worldly activities, civic morality, state and reason.

Calvinism.

Calvinism is currently represented by the so-called Reformed (in a number of European countries) and Presbyterian (in England and the USA) churches, total number believers in which slightly exceeds 40 million people, as well as congregationalism, the number of adherents of which is about 5 million people (mainly in the United States and England). The World Presbyterian Union includes 125 independent Calvinist churches from different countries. Congregationalism was formed during the Reformation in England as a trend in opposition to the Anglican Church. Its distinctive feature is the principle of the independence of communities of believers from the secular authorities and their complete independence, the autonomy of each community - congregation. Congregationalists are active in preaching and missionary work, taking part in the ecumenical movement with a program whose main slogan is the revival of early Christianity, that is, "pure, true Christianity."

Ecumenical movement.

The movement for the worldwide (ecumenical) unification of Christian churches, which emerged at the beginning of the century among a number of Protestant organizations, eventually led to the formation in 1948 at a conference in Amsterdam of the World Council of Churches. At this first conference, 147 churches from 44 countries were represented. The World Council of Churches includes Protestant (Evangelical Lutheran, Reform, Presbyterian, Mennonites, Baptists, Quakers, Methodists, Congregationalists, etc.), as well as the Old Catholic and some Orthodox churches, in particular the Russian Orthodox Church. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches.

The supreme body of the ecumenical movement is the General Assembly, which usually meets every five years. She elects the Presidium of the World Council of Churches, as well as a central committee, these bodies direct all work within the framework of the ecumenical movement between the assemblies. The governing bodies of the World Council of Churches meet annually. The General Secretariat is located in Geneva.

In purely religious matters, the ecumenical movement currently adheres to the point of view that all existing Christian churches are parts of a single "Church of Christ" and must through negotiations overcome the historically arisen differences in doctrine and structure. Official documents confirm that the movement does not seek to create an organization that stands above the churches, that the World Council is not a "superchurch." Membership in the World Council means that churches agreeing on some issues may disagree on others.

The ecumenical movement is not limited to purely religious issues, it also tries to find an answer to the main questions of concern to modern man. The desire of its representatives in these conditions to develop a general Christian program, equally suitable for believers of various Christian trends, gives the declarations and slogans of the movement a more abstract look. In general, the ecumenical movement carries progressive ideas, speaks out in many non-religious issues from the point of view of a universal human position, stands for the peaceful community and cooperation of different countries, for the relaxation of international tension, for universal values.

1. Introduction.
2. Orthodoxy.
   1. Features of the Orthodox faith
   2. Modern Orthodoxy
3. Catholicism.
   1. Features of the Catholic doctrine
   2. Modernism in Catholicism
4. Protestantism.
   1. The emergence and spread of Protestantism
   2. Protestantism in the modern world
   3. Modern Lutheranism
   4. Modern Calvinism
5. Ecumenical movement

The basic concepts of salvation in Christianity are conventionally divided into two types, which are sometimes called "Organic" and "legal" theories of salvation ... IN orthodox tradition, as well as works before the split of the churches into western and eastern, the first option prevails, in Catholicism and Protestantism - the second.

The concept of salvation in Orthodoxy

In the Orthodox tradition, sin is understood not so much as guilt, but as a disease (wound). “Sin makes us more unhappy than guilty,” - St. John Cassian (c. 360 - c. 435). Salvation from this point of view consists in changing / healing the human nature, which is "perishable, mortal, passionate." (The constitutional changes in human nature are supposed to have occurred as a result of the severing of the direct connection between man and God (the biblical plot of the Fall).) A very short formulation of the "organic" theory of salvation is as follows. Christ, the God-Man, is God the Word who is incarnate, i.e. takes upon himself human nature (sick, mortal, etc.) and through suffering, through death, restores this nature in himself (through death and resurrection). This restoration in oneself has the most important consequences for all subsequent life, because a possibility is revealed that was not in humanity before that time, namely the possibility of the spiritual birth of every person who receives Christ as a savior. Unlike the first birth ("natural"), the second is associated with the consciousness and will of a person and is associated with itselfthe definition of a person. (Usually in this context, Christian authors cite, among others, the words from the Revelation of John the Theologian: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock," says the Lord, "if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." 3, 20).) Moreover, this self-determination is considered not only in the framework of "this" life, but also in the eschatological perspective (i.e. in the perspective Last Judgment and the person's last choice of his fate). Those. although a person does not become rid of moral evil or physical, from disease, death (this is obvious, we are still both mortal and imperfect in other respects), but the possibility of complete, decisive and final liberation by the resurrection of Christ to man, according to this approach, was offered. Since the last choice in the eschatological perspective is the choice between “to be with God or without God,” this implies the special meaning that is attached precisely to the recognition of Christ as the Savior and the choice to “be with Christ” in this life (and not just, say, doing good deeds). From this point of view, salvation is not so much what happened as what can happen. As one Orthodox author (Archpriest D. Smirnov) said, no one is forcibly pulled into the Kingdom of God. For the salvation of a person, therefore, what is required in Orthodoxy is synergy - cooperation / joint effort of man and God in the matter of salvation (God cannot save man without his participation).

Salvation concept in Catholicism

In the 13th century. in Catholicism, a number of new concepts appear that define the official doctrine of salvation of Catholicism up to the present day.

Consider the content of the main ideas. Important for the formation of this doctrine was the norm of medieval (and ancient) law, according to which the degree of guilt for an offense is determined not only by the content of the offense, but also by that against who it was done. So, the same illegal act committed, say, against a peasant and against a king has, from this point of view, presupposes a completely different degree of guilt. In addition, any guilt always implies a certain measure of punishment according to the principle: the heavier the guilt, the more severe the punishment (with possible aggravating or mitigating circumstances). Further, the fall of man is conceived as an illegal action committed against God, the Absolute, which means that such an offense entails infinite guilt. This means that none of the people (neither personally, nor collectively all of humanity) is able to bear punishment, commensurate perfect crime. This means that the lot of people is to remain forever damned (in the biblical language, "curse" means "separation", "cutting off"). But it is necessary to restore the connection with God.

The Fall thus placed a barrier between God and man legal nature, i.e. the comprehension of this separation of man from God is thought of in terms of law: guilt, guilty, punishment; in order to remove guilt, it is necessary to undergo some punishment, i.e. need to redeem, bring satisfaction (satisfaction) justice God, the latter is the key expression of Catholic soteriology.

So, since people are not able to bring the necessary measure of satisfaction to the justice of God for forgiveness (for the measure in this case is infinite), God Himself makes such a sacrifice on behalf of people for the sake of restoring justice. “Himself brings” means that God, having become a man, (more precisely, the second hypostasis is embodied) himself suffers (on the cross). Such the sacrifice is proportional to the crime committed, and thus original sin is forgiven mankind.

If Christ brings satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of Adam, then each person must bring personal satisfaction to the justice of God for his personal sins (that is, to endure something, to do something in the order of atonement for this specific committed sin). If a person makes such atonement for sins, he gains merit... (Again, a specifically Catholic view.) Atonement for all sins is a condition of salvation.

And what will happen if a person performs godly deeds that are not necessary for his salvation? The answer to this question is the most important catholic doctrine of over-duty... From the point of view of Catholic theology in the teaching of I. Christ, one should distinguish commandments (praecepta) and tips evangelical (consilia): the former are prescribed to all as duties, the latter are offered as a means of achieving higher, optional perfection. (For example, the adoption of monasticism is not necessary for salvation, but is a means to the attainment of the highest perfection.) Whoever does the advice, he, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, does deeds overdue, which are not necessary for the performers themselves. Such a person acquires super-deserved merit. Any person, if he zealously lives in a Christian way and does as many good deeds as possible, acquires an increasing amount of merit. Christ has infinitely many of them. The Virgin Mary is also practically infinite ("almost" infinite). The saints have many of them. But even “mere mortals” may have super-deserved merits.

Over-owed deeds form a kind of treasury (thesaurus, literally a box), a treasury of good deeds. All super-due good deeds act in favor of the church members by virtue of a mysterious union that connects them with the Church of the Celestials and Christ himself, as the Head of the Church. The Pope, as the viceroy of Christ, has the right to redistribute the merits and impute the merits of some (from the treasury of good deeds) to others. This redistribution is carried out in the order of leniency towards the sinner. This condescension, or forgiveness, is called indulgentio in Latin. This teaching arose in the XIII century. and is developed in detail in the writings of Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Duns Scotus and Bellarmine. Closely related to the doctrine of super-deserving merits is the Catholic doctrine of indulgences.

The concept of salvation in Protestantism

Protestantism posed a natural question to the Catholic doctrine of salvation: did Christ have enough merit only to free mankind only from original sin? Of course, there are more of them. Protestantism claims: Christ brought by his sacrifice complete satisfaction to God the Father for the sins of the world and every believer is freed not only from the original sin, but also from all personal sins. (Difference from Catholicism: in Catholicism, satisfaction is brought only for (paid only) original sin.) It is released as follows: the believer justified... The "Formula of Consent" says "The Son of God paid for all our sins." Hence the well-known Protestant formula "to the believer sin not imputed into sin. " (emphasis mine - O.N.) (Again, the legal conceptual field: sin is, exists/ may be, but the trial is not opened.) For salvation, it is enough to believe in Christ as Savior. The aforementioned "Formula of Consent" says: "We need to reject the opinion that good deeds are necessary for salvation." Of course, good deeds in Protestantism remain necessary, but not for salvation, but for showing gratitude towards God for my salvation.

Thus, acquittal is understood as a legal verdict. The salvation process is not going in me, ah need me. From the Protestant point of view, it is not man who changes (as a result of Christ's atoning sacrifice), but God, as a result of it, changes His attitude towards man. In man, the only change is that earlier he was subject to punishment and was in fear, but after pronunciations he is "a joyful, jubilant child of God." Even a person's faith itself is not the result of his activity. In Luther's “Brief Catechism” it is said about this: “I believe that I cannot, by my own mind or by my own strength, believe in Jesus Christ, My Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and preserved me in the true faith ”. here salvation is not an act human changesand this is an act god changes. Man is not changed in salvation, but God.

Apart from the plots of love affairs, which abound in stories about pagan deities (and Zeus, as you probably remember, liked to “run after women”, Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu, had, according to the Puranas, 16,100 wives, etc. etc.)

He can be merciful and merciful, as Islam claims, and this means that Allah does not punish repentant in full measure. Those. extenuating circumstances are possible, but the punishment that justice appeals to and demands is mandatory.

Wed "Definition" of Basil the Great (c. 330-379): "Theology is the selection of the least inappropriate words."

Hypostasis (Greek) (Latin tracing paper: substantia) - lit. sub-rate [ hypo-stasis], ie what lies behind; in Aristotle - any individual existence (specific, this a person, a specific animal, a stone, etc.), something that cannot be a property for anything, but that perceives various properties (it is the basis, a "stand" for various properties); in Christian theology, this term later came to mean a specific personal existence, personality (which, like Aristotle's hypostasis, assumes various properties, but is not itself a property, cannot be defined and in this sense is apophatic).

Moreover, these persons / individuals are so different that one of them - and only one - has united with human nature.

Wed with polytheism. There the gods have the same essence (not one), they are similar in essence.

In the Christian tradition, various analogies have been drawn to explain the trinity (in order to nevertheless give this idea of \u200b\u200btrinity a certain intuition). I will cite one: comparison with man (because, according to the Bible, only man is created in the image and likeness of God). Man has a mind. There is a word generated by it, there is a spirit emanating from the mind. The mind is the source of both the word and the spirit (The word spirit in this case appeals to the broadest possible meaning (cf. the spirit of the times, the spirit of the book, etc.).). Mind without thought cannot exist, and thought is without mind. The human mind cannot be without thought; word - expressed, expressed thought; mind by its nature always gives rise to thought.

Wed also Hindu texts, which say that Vishnu, incarnating, becomes like an actor who changes his costume and puts on the next mask (\u003d passes to another incarnation).

However, Christian thought also appreciated the Incarnation as something that "according to order" is completely unbecoming to God, but what God goes to out of love for people and (in the literal sense) superhuman humility ( kenosis).

Although, strictly speaking, Gnosticism is not a purely Greek phenomenon

For the same reason, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe (bodily) resurrection of the dead as the final definition of human existence (in the unity of talus and soul) was wild for the Hellenic consciousness.

Wed See also "The Word became flesh, and therefore became defenseless." (A.S.Dobrokhotov) http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/1117011.html

Wed "Sin" in Greek "amartia" - literally means "miss, shot missed the target", and in Russian, the same root with "flaw", ie a mistake, a mistake, striving for one thing, it turned out another.

Wed “God does not violate human freedom. And therefore the doors of hell, if you like, can be locked only from the inside - by its inhabitants themselves. There remain only those who themselves did not want or do not want to leave it. The idea that the reason for being in hell, not excluding the devil himself, is their free "I do not want", was expressed by a number of Church Fathers: Clement of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, Venerable Maximus the Confessor, St. John Damascene, Rev. Isaac the Syrian, St. Nicholas Kavasila and others. " (A.I.Osipov "The Posthumous Life of the Soul", Moscow 2005)

By the way, the only one the dogmatically accepted definition of the Kingdom of God in Christianity (not only in Orthodoxy) - there a person is with God, "before the face of God." Thus, the goal of salvation is to be with God, not bliss. If we define the ultimate goal as achieving bliss, then God becomes a function of bliss (i.e., since I strive for bliss, I needed God along the way). In the context of the teaching about the sacrifice of Christ, the incarnation, etc., such a goal-setting is unacceptable (or, in other words, will not lead to bliss).

In Russian, the word “satisfaction” in a religious context is likely to carry a moral and ethical aspect; Latin satisfactio rather corresponds to the concept reimbursement, compensation for damage; satisfactio is a legal term that does not apply to ethics. The concept of satisfaction / satisfaction (namely a concept, not a teaching) was introduced in the 12th century. Anselm of Canterbury (1033 - 1109) (canonized in the 15th century, in the 18th century he was given the title Teacher of the Church; this title informs that this saint is revered not only for a pious way of life, but also that his works are recognized as adequately expressing the Catholic Church doctrine).

The character of the atonement is established by the priest. (This can be, for example, visiting hospitals for some time (for the sake of some good deeds, of course), donations, reading prayers, etc.)

Wed 3 parts in the Catholic sacrament of repentance: the repentance of a person, the remission of sins by a priest and the bringing satisfaction of the justice of God. The latter is not found either in Orthodoxy or in Protestantism.

If a Catholic has not atoned for all sins, but at the same time has not committed mortals, then redemption occurs after death in the so-called. purgatory... The (dogmatic) doctrine of purgatory is also specifically Catholic.

Actually, the beginning of the activities of M. Luther (1483-1546), who stood at the origins of the Reformation movement, is associated with his opposition practices indulgences. During the time of Luther, this practice reached unheard-of proportions and acquired features that boggle the imagination (for example, some disseminators of indulgences set a clear rate for one or another sin: simple murder; murder of parents (more expensive); sacrilege, etc.). In addition, indulgences could be purchased not only at the expense of deeds, but also future sins.

Wed salvation terminology: in Orthodoxy - healing; in Catholicism, atonement; in Protestantism, justification.

Formula of Consent (lat. Formula Concordiae) is one of the most dogmatically important books of Protestantism (published in German in 1576 and translated into Latin in 1584). It was supposed to serve as an end to the strife between the two currents in Protestantism, which arose after the death of Luther.

A sharp question here: if a person believes in everything that is needed and does nothing good, then how? Protestantism's answer is emphatic: salvation is achieved only by faith.

Pronunciation - the justification of the sinner that occurs in baptism

Reasons for the Reformation. The language of the church — Latin — was incomprehensible to most believers; Many could not read the Bible; The peasants and townspeople were outraged by the levies of the church; The bourgeoisie was irritated by the rich decoration of the church; Landless knights, feudal lords, looked with envy at the rich church lands; Kings and princes were irritated by the intervention of the Pope in the affairs of the state.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther published his "95 theses", they did not boil down to the following: -not to forgive sins without repentance (repentance), -forgiveness is given by God, and not for money, -it is better to do a good deed than to buy off, -the main wealth of the church - Holy Bible. Martin Luther

Jean Calvin. 17th century engraving In the 40s. XV century the second stage of the Reformation began. It was headed by John Calvin, who put forward the idea of \u200b\u200b"divine predestination". People are initially divided into those who will be saved and those who have not died. But this is not known in advance. Therefore, you need to behave as befits divine chosen ones.

Features of the Church Catholic Lutheran Calvinist Anglican What are the distinctive features of the doctrine of the salvation of the soul? What is the role of the church, the priests? Which power is more important: spiritual or secular? The language in which worship is conducted Attitude towards the wealth of the church.

Features of the Church Catholic Lutheran Calvinist Anglican What are the distinctive features of the doctrine of the salvation of the soul? Salvation of the soul only through the church, following its commandments Salvation by faith, there are no intermediaries between man and God " Divine predestination »To who will be saved The foundations of the Catholic doctrine are preserved What is the role of the church, priests? Which power is more important: spiritual or secular? The language in which worship is conducted Attitude towards the wealth of the church.

Features of the Church Catholic Lutheran Calvinist Anglican What is the role of the church, the priests? Only priests can interpret the Bible and forgive sins Priests only explain the Bible. They are elected by the community of believers. Chosen preachers follow morality The role of priests is preserved Which power is more important: spiritual or secular? The language in which worship is conducted Attitude towards the wealth of the church.

Features of the Church Catholic Lutheran Calvinist Anglican Which government is more important: spiritual or secular? Secular rulers are subordinate to the Pope. The head of the church is the King. There is a community of believers. The head of the church is the King. The language in which worship is conducted. Relation to the wealth of the church.