Eastern Christianity
Study Guide

History and Thought of Eastern Christianity (Spr ‘05)

Study Guide, Final Exam

The test will consist of two from the following four essay questions (which two will be at my discretion). Please purchase a blue book.

1. Discuss Lossky's view of the two aspects of the church. First, address the question of how the church is an image of the Trinity. In what way does the church reflect the Trinity? How does this relate to catholicity? (Grad students be sure to draw on Lossky's discussion of Catholicity in Image and Likeness). Second, discuss the christological dimension of the church. How is the church the body of Christ? What does it mean to be the body of Christ? How does this relate to human nature? Third, discuss the pneumatological dimension of the church. How is the church the fullness of the Spirit? Why is the pneumatological dimension critical? How does it allow the church to consist of an organism having two natures? How does pneumatology help ecclesiology from replicating christological heresies? In the third part of the question, feel free to draw from the chapter on the economy of the Spirit. Finally, offer points of agreement or disagreement you may have with Lossky.

2. Discuss the way of union. Begin your answer by revisiting the question of the relationship between the OT and the NT in order to more clearly identify the nature of deification. As part of your answer, discuss Staniloae’s broad sense and narrow sense of deification. Second, based on your class notes, offer a discussion of the synergism that resides at the center of the East’s understanding of the way to deification. Note why one cannot read the western merit/grace debate onto the East’s view of synergism. Third, discuss how the spiritual life begins, clearly identifying the relationship between baptismal grace and conversion. Fourth, give a more detailed description of the psychology of deification. Where does the East get its psychology from? What is the problem the East has to reconcile? How does Lossky resolve the problem? How does Staniloae resolve the problem? What is the common ground between Lossky and Staniloae? Finally, offer your own perspective on the East’s view of the way of union. Is it a satisfactory account? Why or why not?

3. Discuss the meaning of the divine light. Begin by articulating Lossky’s account of how the way of union is the way of gnosis. What is the connection between freedom, consciousness and perfection? How does this relate to the three "stages" of the spiritual life? Second, discuss the nature of the divine light as an experience that transcends the intellect and the senses. How does it begin from the ecstatic experience in pure prayer and then move into a constant state? How is it an experience of eschatological realities? How does it become the principle of human understanding?