☦ Eastern Orthodox Christianity: 'Ultimate Things'

[sprinkleeninow]

Ultimate Things~
Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios says:
"Matter and nature participate in the redemption, as St. Paul clearly tells us in Romans 8, no matter how hard modern exegetical gymnastics may try to prove that by the expression 'all creation' he means only the whole of humankind.

The exclusive-inclusive debate is a false problem. God includes the whole universe in his creation as well as in redemption in Christ. This does not remove all distinction between humanity and the rest of creation. Humanity has a special vocation as the priest of creation, as the mediator through whom God manifests himself to creation and redeems it. But this does not make humanity totally discontinuous with creation, since a priest has to be an integral part of the people he represents. Christ has become a part of creation, and in his created body he lifted up the creation to God, and humankind must participate in this eternal priesthood of Christ."

[More at website.]

Ultimate Things
https://members.tripod.com/~Near_to_God/ATultimate.html