Alex Michael Rusanen
04-04-2008, 11:34 AM
While meditating on the nature of prayer I have come across some theological issues that puzzle me to a very great extent. I don't have alot time on me but I try to make my question as comprehensible as possible.
The mysteries, as we understand them, are not limited to any specific number but transcend all earthly limits. Every time we participate in the Holy Mysteries we are performing a synergic act, in the sense that we are doing the will of God; but in the sacramental act we also meet Christ directly, wether we are aware of it or not. It seems to me that these kinds of sacramental actions can be distinguished from non-sacramental synergic acts such as almsgiving, guarding oneself against corrupting images or giving a comforting word. - In these acts we do the will of God but we do not meet Him directly, rather indirectly.
Now we may go on to my question. It seems to me that the act of prayer consits of the attributes that define a sacramental act i.e. we meet Christ directly, it effects us wether we are aware of it or not, it is connected to the physical realm through icons, prostrations and signs of the cross. The only objection I can find is that prayer may, if it is not communal, be an individual act; sacramental acts should, as i've understood it, be communal in some sense.
I think this question is of importance because it can be used as a very strong weapon against protestant theology, especially that of sacramental symbolism. If we could call prayer a sacramental act, protestant theologians would comprehend what the word 'sacrament' implies, and further, not even the wildest protestant theologian would dear to call prayer merely a symbolic act.
Can prayer be considered an sacramental act or merely a synergic one?
In Christ, Alex
The mysteries, as we understand them, are not limited to any specific number but transcend all earthly limits. Every time we participate in the Holy Mysteries we are performing a synergic act, in the sense that we are doing the will of God; but in the sacramental act we also meet Christ directly, wether we are aware of it or not. It seems to me that these kinds of sacramental actions can be distinguished from non-sacramental synergic acts such as almsgiving, guarding oneself against corrupting images or giving a comforting word. - In these acts we do the will of God but we do not meet Him directly, rather indirectly.
Now we may go on to my question. It seems to me that the act of prayer consits of the attributes that define a sacramental act i.e. we meet Christ directly, it effects us wether we are aware of it or not, it is connected to the physical realm through icons, prostrations and signs of the cross. The only objection I can find is that prayer may, if it is not communal, be an individual act; sacramental acts should, as i've understood it, be communal in some sense.
I think this question is of importance because it can be used as a very strong weapon against protestant theology, especially that of sacramental symbolism. If we could call prayer a sacramental act, protestant theologians would comprehend what the word 'sacrament' implies, and further, not even the wildest protestant theologian would dear to call prayer merely a symbolic act.
Can prayer be considered an sacramental act or merely a synergic one?
In Christ, Alex