Re: on Eastern Orthodoxy and science

Irenaeus understanding of recapitulation is concerned primarily with
humanity. Humans were created in an immature state ("The man was a young
child, not yet having reached a perfect deliberation" and "It was necessary
for him to reach full-development by growing in this way" - both from On the
Apostolic Preaching (Crestwood NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary, 1997), 47.) The
sin of Adam (& Eve) meant that humanity failed to develop in the way God
intended, toward full maturity and union with God. Christ redoes that
history of humanity with God, succeeding where humanity had failed. Thus
humkanity is reoriented - put back on the right road, or at least moving in
the right direction. I discussed this briefly in my chapter in Keith's book
& have developed it in more detail in the PSCF I've mentioned here before.

The strength of the EO view in connection with evolution is that it does not
have the exaggerated view of original _righteousness_ that has generally
been held in the western church. I.e., they don't picture Adam & Eve
originally as intellectually brilliant, having amazing physical abilities,
freedom from sickness &c. Thus this view is more open to the picture of
early humans that evolution gives us. OTOH the Orthodox view of original
sin is correspondingly weak & IMNHO inadequate.

Irenaeus was not an evolutionist. He pictures Adam & Eve as special
creations. But it's much easier to understand evolution theologically if
we start from his picture than if we start from that of Augustine.

Shalom
George
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
----- Original Message -----
From: <drsyme@cablespeed.com>
To: "Chris Barden" <chris.barden@gmail.com>; "Ted Davis"
<tdavis@messiah.edu>
Cc: "ASA list" <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 10:55 AM
Subject: Re: on Eastern Orthodoxy and science

> Not knowing much about Orthodoxy, I am curious about Irenaeus' doctrine of
> recapitulation. Does Irenaeus see physical creation in such a state
> after Adam, that it is in need of Christ to restore creation? If so, what
> about creation did Adam break that Christ fixed? We (TE's) of course dont
> see death coming into the world with Adam like the YEC's do; is Irenaeus
> position on this similar to YECism, or is Irenaeus just saying that the
> relationship between Man and God needs to be restored?
>
Received on Wed Apr 5 11:57:10 2006