st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul
st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul
st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul
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THE GREEK CHURCH IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY. 47<br />
may be, even approved, as in its<br />
theologian tolerated, it<br />
way a shadow <strong>of</strong> that reality <strong>of</strong> which nothing in this<br />
world could be more than a shadow, was allowed to<br />
become for the multitude a palpable object <strong>of</strong> their<br />
devotions. It has been <strong>of</strong>ten alleged as a reason for<br />
the success <strong>of</strong> the Mahometan creed, as a ju<strong>st</strong>ifica<br />
tion <strong>of</strong> it in the providential government <strong>of</strong> the<br />
world, that it did, in fact, recall men from what was<br />
practically a worship <strong>of</strong> saints, and relics, and images,<br />
to the primal confession <strong>of</strong> One only God; that it<br />
bade men, while they were lo<strong>st</strong> in endless discussions<br />
about His nature and will, realise the fact that there<br />
was indeed a God over the world, and that His will<br />
mu<strong>st</strong> be obeyed. When once e<strong>st</strong>ablished, the Ma<br />
hometan faith has indeed shown a far more lifeless<br />
rigidity than ever the Byzantine Church did in its<br />
darke<strong>st</strong> days. But in the fir<strong>st</strong> vigour <strong>of</strong> its youth, the<br />
upholders <strong>of</strong> Islam had certainly this ground <strong>of</strong> van<br />
tage, and knew how to turn it to account. There<br />
is extant a letter <strong>of</strong> Leo the Isaurian 1 to the Caliph<br />
1<br />
The hi<strong>st</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> this letter, to which reference may be made<br />
hereafter, is an intere<strong>st</strong>ing one. I owe my fir<strong>st</strong> acquaintance<br />
with it to an article in "La<br />
Belgique," by Felix Neve. An<br />
Armenian doctor <strong>of</strong> the eight century, named Ghevond,<br />
had left a hi<strong>st</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> his own times, beginning with the sub<br />
mission <strong>of</strong> Armenia to the Arabian yoke in 66 1, and ending<br />
with events <strong>of</strong> 770 or 771. In the course <strong>of</strong> it he embodies a<br />
letter <strong>of</strong> Omar II., written soon after his accession (in 717) to<br />
Leo, himself also newly seated on his throne, as well as the<br />
emperor s reply. Omar s letter is one <strong>of</strong> enquiry about the<br />
Chri<strong>st</strong>ian religion, with a <strong>st</strong>atement <strong>of</strong> his objections to it as<br />
hitherto presented to him. One <strong>of</strong> these runs as follows, in<br />
the French translation (Paris, 1856, p. 42) <strong>of</strong> the archimandrite