Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Religious Events
The Great Fast, Orthodoxy, And Orthopraxis

The Great Fast, Orthodoxy, And Orthopraxis

Last updated on: February 26, 2023 at 3:47 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

The Great Fast, Orthodoxy, And Orthopraxis 2023-02-26T03:47:55-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

British Museum: Icon Of The Sunday Of The Triumph Of Orthodoxy / Wikimedia Commons

Orthodoxy without orthopraxis is not true orthodoxy. We are expected to live out our faith. This doesn’t mean we should merely stop doing all those things which we are told we are not to do, all the “thou shalt nots,” but also, and especially, we should embrace the positive content of our faith and what it encourages us to do. For, if we believe, then we will live out our lives doing the good which it tells us about. Hopefully by doing such good, not only will our lives be enriched, we will become better persons.

This is especially emphasized in the Byzantine calendar for the Great Fast. The first Sunday of the Great Fast is the Sunday of Orthodoxy – a Sunday which is not only about teaching the right things, but the way those right things are to be put in practice. This is highlighted by the way the Sunday commemorates the political and theological “triumph” of iconophiles, those who embrace the rightful use of icons and other images, over the iconoclasts, those who tried to put a stop to the use of icons and who actually destroyed countless ancient icons when they held power in Byzantium.

Icons represent a way in which the incarnation changed everything. God, who, by nature, cannot be imagined, and so cannot be depicted by images or statues, comes to us in a form which can be depicted. God became human, and indeed, a particular one, Jesus Christ. Jesus has a form which we can see and so an image which we can reproduce. God has given us a way to depict that which otherwise could not be depictable. Everything has changed, and so we, too should change and embrace that change through our actions. This is what the proper use and engagement of icons represents. Previously, humanity was told not to create images of heavenly things in order to remind us of the transcendent, incomprehensible nature of God; but now that God has become incarnate, now that God is also immanent with creation, we can use them because God has made a way for us to use them. And, indeed, when we use them, should understand that the nature of God has not changed, but the nature of our way of engaging God has. Our use of icons, using them as a means to engage the divine nature, and all that is connected with it, represents the way orthodoxy leads to practice, and if we truly believe in the orthodoxy teachings of the faith, we will act upon them. And, so, though the Sunday commemorates orthodoxy by remembering the way icons were defended and brought back into general use, it should remind us that orthodoxy in general should motivate us and help us do what is good, which is why it works well as a theme at the start of the Great Fast.

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Heb 11:24-5 RSV). Moses’s faith led him to be in solidarity with his people. He could have stayed with the rich and powerful. He could have been one of them. He already was treated as such. He would have had a life of pleasure, though it would have come at a cost, as he would have known his blood-relations, his family, suffered at the expense of his pleasure. And so he denied himself in order to help his family, his kin, and all his people; he raised them up as he lowed himself. It was what he needed to do in order to be with them so he could free them from the slavery they were under. Those who have a similar faith will act likewise; they will look to those who are outcasts in society, those who are unjustly mistreated and abused, and will do what they can to help them. They will not be able to be happy as they are so long as others suffer grave injustices. Like Moses, they will deny themselves so as to help those in need; they will confront the system, and the structures of sin, which keep the abuses in place, demanding that everything be changed. And they know, if they are to put their heart into it, that means they will often find themselves denying themselves various transitory pleasures so that they will be free to work for the greater good. “He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward” (Heb. 11:26 RSV). We, likewise, should then do similar; we should deny ourselves, as the Great Fast suggests, so we can then deny the systemic structures of sin which keep too many down; if it means we suffer, we will do so, not because we think suffering is good, but because we look to our goal, one which includes an end to all needless suffering.

We, then, should understand what orthodoxy teaches us concerning our praxis. We should be interested in the well-being of others. We not only have Moses serve as an example, we have a great number of saints with him, and of course, we have our prime example, Jesus himself. For Jesus kenotically emptied himself of his divine glory to take on human nature and become one of us; he denied himself so that the world and all that is within it could be lifted up out of the net of sin. He made sure those who were adversely affected by sin could be healed and make greater.

This, then, is what is expected of us. We are to “pick up our cross” and follow Christ. We are to give of our ourselves as Moses gave of himself. We are to do so, however, in union with Christ, working with him and his own mission, that is, bringing salvation to the world, salvation which is not meant to be merely spiritual and have no real-world effects, but salvation which comes into the world and frees people from all the structures of sin which keep people down. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2 RSV). Jesus denied himself so he could put himself in solidarity with all those who suffered under the “mystical Pharoah. ,” He did this so that he could take a hold of them in his love and lift them up with him when he was raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father. We are to do similar. We should give of ourselves, in full faith, in full love, to others, joining in solidarity with them, but especially with the outcasts, the abused, those who are poor and in need of help, helping them as we can, so that after all the shame we endure for their sake, we find we have also done it for the sake of God who not only will honor them, but will honor us with them.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Religious Events

Religious Art

Previous Post

February 23, 2023

Prison Reform

Next Post

February 28, 2023 A Pursuit Of Pure Doctrine Without A Praxis Of Love Can Lead To Annihilation

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz