An Orthodox Christian Reminds Us All: Christianity is Truth, Not Just a Religion

By Chris Banescu, Esq.
8/27/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Christianity declares that man was created to be immortal and live in communion with God and in harmony with all of creation

Christianity declares that man was created to be immortal and live in communion with God and in harmony with all of creation. Despite our rebellion and temporary separation from the Creator, we retain in our hearts and minds the imprint of the divine and the desire to discover truth, to discern meaning, and to find God. The writings of Fr. Thomas Hopko offer further illumination on why, in the Orthodox view, the Christian Faith is much more than just another "religion." Christianity embodies and proclaims timeless wisdom that reflect and confirm the reality of God's truth and laws which live in our hearts and are made manifest throughout the whole universe.

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LOS ANGELES, CA. (Catholic Online) - Christianity is not just a "religion." The Christian Faith embodies the most important truths of this life and all human existence which God first revealed to Moses and the other Old Testament prophets. The fullness of that truth was then completely made manifest in the birth, life, teachings, miracles, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. "It is the fulfillment of all religions in their search for divine truth and human meaning as inspired by God's law written on human hearts," explains Fr. Thomas Hopko.

Our God is the God of the whole universe and all life. His laws and wisdom govern all creation and all matter, seen and unseen. This is why Saint John the Theologian so powerfully declared a truth that shook the very foundations of the world: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:1-5).

The Scriptures embody the most important principles and lessons needed for us to live in full communion with God and other human beings, and ultimately become faithful stewards of our world. The Christian faith is the complete manual for our minds and spirits which allows us to become truly human, creatures in harmony with our Creator. Through faith and love for God, evidenced in actively working to follow His Word and do His will, we move towards the divinity that Christ has by His nature and ultimately towards eternal life. This is how humanity can discover truth, find real happiness, and live life to the fullest. "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

The writings of Fr. Thomas Hopko offer further illumination on why, in the Orthodox view, the Christian Faith is much more than just another "religion." Christianity embodies and proclaims timeless wisdom that reflect and confirm the reality of God's truth and laws which live in our hearts and are made manifest throughout the whole universe.

"In the Orthodox view, Christian Faith is not a "religion" (except in the conventional everyday use of the word). It is the fulfillment of all religions in their search for divine truth and human meaning as inspired by God's law written on human hearts. In this understanding, God's Gospel in Jesus is the end of all religions as human constructions, however good and inevitable they are in their desire to deal with life's mysteries and to comprehend the ways of God (or the gods) and creatures in a demon-riddled, death-bound world."

"Christian faith and life, as witnessed in apostolic Scripture and the lives and teachings of the saints, belongs to a "new creation" (Gal 6:15 ; 2 Cor 6:17). It does not belong to "this age" whose "form is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31). It is "from above" and leads always to what is "beyond." It is not from human beings, and it transcends human history. It is not contrary to nature and reason, but surpasses their limitations. It discloses the original nature and purposes of things, reveals their ultimate destiny, and illumines human minds and hearts to "the knowledge of the truth" about God and all things in Him. As such, Christian faith and life is God's gift of divine truth, light, wisdom, and power given to creatures as completely and perfectly as is now possible within the conditions of the corrupted cosmos."

"When Christians understand Christ's Gospel to be but one of humankind's many religions, even the first, best, and greatest, the Gospel ceases to be what it is. It becomes but another product of sinful humanity in its fallen form: good, true, and beautiful in many ways, yet incomplete and dangerously deceptive. As such, it is inevitably deformed into an ideological mythology, or mythological ideology, employed to promote and defend the "merely human" and, inevitable, sinful persons and societies that use it for this deplorable purpose. This is so whether this Christian religion is fundamentalist and sectarian, or whether it is relativistic and inclusive, seeing itself as no better or worse, and essentially no different from any other."

Christianity declares that man was created to be immortal and live in communion with God and in harmony with all of creation. Despite our rebellion and temporary separation from the Creator, we retain in our hearts and minds the imprint of the divine and the desire to discover truth, to discern meaning, and to find God. "God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just not good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion [Christianity]. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing," proclaimed C.S. Lewis.

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Chris Banescu is an Orthodox Christian attorney, conservative blogger, and university professor. He regularly blogs at www.orthodoxnet.com/blog and www.chrisbanescu.com.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: orthodxy, orthodoxy, truth, christianity, relativism, Fr Thomas Hopko, Chris Banescu, Esq.

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1 - 5 of 5 Comments

Faith Person
8 months ago
Excellent article,I agree completely. Thank You! I can refer to this article as a focus for prayer as I pray for the whole World.
DLL
8 months ago
Juneau Alaska,Mike,friendly Atheist,former apologist, what is your truth as one who does not believe in God? Exposé yourself! What FACTS Have you,so we who claim truth in Jesus Christ will for sake Him,HEAVEN FORBID,so you can become our god,of fact,scientific evidence and ultimate proof,as YOU claim,continually on this website,that there is no God. Give an exposé that would convince a Pope.
Diane
8 months ago
This is a great article. We are to worship God alone and at all times, especially at Sunday worship. The first 3 Commandments state this. They command our duties(with love) to God. The following 7 state our duties to one another, which flow from the first 3. It's no mistake the Commandments are listed in the order they are given. Christ said, I did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. It is through Him we are enabled to follow the Commandments. He also said, If you love me then do as I say. When St. Paul said, We are no longer subject to the law, he meant the law of sin and manmade laws that violate the 10 Commanments. It is through Christ we are free from them. God bless.
Juneau Alaska
8 months ago
I have witnessed, in the USA anyway, the word religion give way to the term faith as a descriptive noun. People of faith for instance, not people of religion. There was a time when I was an amateur Catholic apologist when I would point out the biblical definition of the word religion found in James: (1:27) to look after orphans and widows and keep oneself from being polluted by the world. I used to use this definition against evangelical fundamentalists and it always made them uncomfortable because there it was, a good, valid, way to identify with the word religion. Be that as it may, 9/11 Muslim attacks have soured many regarding the word religion. The word now is seen as a logical pathway to justify violence. So back to faith. From my perspective, faith is the real problem. When people believe things without evidence (biblical definition of faith) any number of good or evil acts can be perpetrated. I try my best to never make decisions based on faith. Rather, I make decisions based on reasonably expectations based on prior evidence. -Cheers! ~Mike, friendly atheist and not a person of faith.
abey
8 months ago
The followers of Christ were first called as Christians in Antioch. Christianity is to Christ,& not a comparative religion to be called as the first, best or greatest, to The Words of Jesus as "He" the only way to the Father. But for the sake of Comparison take the case of the Greeks whose Religions were centered on the ways of their gods, so corrupted that by the generations came up a wise & brave one who found that their own ways seemed better than the ways of their Dieties, when along came Christ to be accepted, 'cause they dared to look at the truth of them & their gods. As in the case with today's Hinduism in the stories of their 3 heads fighting each other for supremacy even unto reversing of sexes to gay relationship, the state which is being promoted today, the state of man today, a state of sin not to be eternal in God. The basic truth of Christianity by The Father, Son , Holy Spirit are 3 persons in one God in the perfection & for man to become unto that unity is through the perfection of Son with the Godhead(the state to be sought after), even to our unity among ourselves by His unity which has always been(for that which has never been will not be) to the revelation of St. John Ch. 1 "In the Beginning was the word & the word was with God & the word was God--" So in what way can this truth be a comparison in terms of Christianity being a fulfillment of all religions even unto the ways of god's ? to some fallen Angels maurading as gods. Christianity is but the fulfillment of the Covenant, to the Truth which is just one- The Word come unto men off the Father, to people/Beings of God who know Him, the Prophets, Saints, Angels,Cherubs, Seraphim's unto the Principals who do not consider themselves as God, for God cannot be compared so also His ways, for His fulfillment is unto Himself, for all to be Fulfilled in Him.

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