|
|
|
Vladimir Nikolayevich Lossky
Born: | | June 8
[O.S. May 26]
1903; | | Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany |
Died: | | 7 February 1958; | | Paris, France |
Vladimir Lossky was an influential Orthodox Christian theologian in exile from Russia. His father, Nikolai Lossky, was professor of philosophy.
Vladimir Lossky emphasized theosis as the main principle of Orthodox Christianity.
The Church is the center of the universe
The Church is the center of the universe, the sphere in which its destinies are determined. All are called to enter into the Church, for if man is a microcosm, the Church is a
macro-anthropos,
as St. Maximus
says.[*]
It increases and is compaunded in history, bringing the elect into its bosom and uniting them to God. The world grows old and falls into decay, while the Church is constantly rejuvenated and renewed by the Holy Spirit who is the source of its life. At a given moment, when the Church has attained to the fullness of growth determined by the will of God, the external world, having used up its vital resources, will perish. As for the Church, it will appear in its eternal glory as the Kingdom of God. It will then stand revealed as the true foundation of the creatures raised up in incorruptibility to be united to God who will
be all in all.
[*]
'Mystatgogy, cap. II-IV',
P.G.,
XCI, 668-672.
God and His creation
The God of the theological textbooks doesn't love anyone.
The God of the theological textbooks loves only Himself,
and in His creation loves only His own perfection.
He doesn't love anyone
…
The Jealous God of the Bible. He whose love is
"strong as death", whose jealousy is
"cruel as the grave"
(Song of Songs 8:6).
The Jealous God of the Bible
is … He whose love for His chosen ones is
"strong as death", and whose jealousy for everything that separates His creation from Him is
"cruel as the grave"
(Song of Songs 8:6).
… He expects from His creation a free and complete turn towards Him, He wants a freely bonded union with Him. … He wanted to create a world that could not reach its ultimate perfection without involving the will of the Creator in the risk of love, reaching the
"madness of the Cross."
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son"
(Jhn 3:16).
See also
-
Wikipedia:
Vladimir Lossky
-
Wikipedia:
Jesus Prayer
-
OrthodoxWiki:
Vladimir Lossky
-
Vladimir Lossky,
Theology and Mysticism in the Tradition of the Eastern
Church.
-
Aristotle Papanikolaou,
Divine Energies or Divine Personhood: Vladimir Lossky and John Zizioulas on conceiving the transcendent and immanent
God.
-
Vladimir Lossky,
Panagia
|