Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2346Quintessence of Religious DoctrinesTheme No: 6On the Holy BaptismIntroductionBaptism is the initiatory one among all other sacraments. Withoutreceiving this sacrament no other sacrament can be accepted.Through this sacrament one,1. Receives the sonship of God.Ref: (a) Gal. 3:27, 29. You were once baptised into unionwith Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speakwith the life of Christ himself. If you belong to Christyou are the descendants of Abraham and willreceive what God has promised. (G.N.B.)(b) Jn. 3:5. “I am telling you the truth”, replied Jesus.“No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he isborn of the water and the Spirit.” (G.N.B.)CommentWith regard the effects of baptism the preaching of St. Paulis to be considered. The inference to be drawn from hisepistles to Galatians 3:27 and Romans 13:14 is that onegets sonship or becomes integrated into the Corpus Christieor the body of Christ through baptism. If Mother Eve gavebirth to mortal children, the baptismal womb gives birth tospiritual and immortal children. Differently put, baptismawards an identity in Christ to every baptised. In other words,every baptised is deemed to be an individual son or daughterand counted as somebody in the body of Christ. This is thesignificance of giving a Christian a name through baptism.Awarding a title or name to someone or something amountsto owning. The O.T. account of Adam giving names to thebeasts and the birds signifies man’s right over them. Toexplicate, in baptism there are two movements. The onemay be called a vertical and the other horizontal. The formerimplies the descent of the Holy Spirit on the baptized; thelatter signifies the integration of the baptized to the membersof the Ecclesia.2. Gets forgiveness of sins.Ref: (a) Acts. 2:38. Peter said to them “Each of you mustturn away from his sins and be baptised in the nameof Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgivenand you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit.(G.N.B.)(b) Acts. 22:16. And now, why wait any longer? Get upand be baptised and have your sins washed awayby praying to him. (G.N.B.)CommentBaptism turns away an individual from the sinful ways to thoseof grace. To Theophilus of Antioch, baptism representedremission of sins and regeneration in Christ. The dynamicsis as follows. Separation from God is the basis of what istermed sin. The consequent agonizing attitude is annulledby baptism through gaining entry into the ecclesial existenceand the following communion with Christ. For St. Paulimmersion in the baptismal ceremony symbolizes the deathof sin.3. And becomes eligible for the membership into the assembly ofthe Sons of God.Ref: 1Cor. 12:13. In the same way, all of us, whether Jewsor Gentiles, whether slaves or free have beenbaptised into the one body by the same Spirit andwe have all been given the one Spiritual drink.(G.N.B)CommentThrough baptism one is not only integrated into the body ofChrist but also gains entry into the Ecclesia or the Church.That is why the Church considers baptism as a celebrationfor the entire Ecclesia rather than as a private affair. Afterall, when sins are perpetrated or remissions obtained, theycreate a corresponding effect on the Ecclesia besides the
24On the Holy Baptism 47 48Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesones experienced by the individual concerned. It is because,Christian life is not only individualistic but it is corporate also.4. Baptism and other sacraments, however, shall be received onlywith devotion and faith.Ref: Acts. 8:36, 37. As they were going along the road,they came to a place where there was some water.The official said, “Look, here is some water. Whycan’t I he baptised?...” Philip replied, “you can, ifyou believe with all your heart”. The officialanswered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son ofGod.” (L.B.)CommentThis provision is the basis for the office of the Catachumenatethat was prevailing in the early Church. From the ‘ApostolicTradition’ of Hippolytus we gather that the Church authoritiesprescribed a period of preparation to gain entry into theChristian way. During this period of preparation thecandidates were instructed in the theory and practice of theChristian faith.5. For, it is only through faith that the sonship of God and God’sgrace are obtained.Ref: 1Gal. 3:26. It is through faith that all of you are God’ssons, in union with Christ Jesus (G.N.B.)CommentBoth sonship and the grace of God cannot be obtained bymere external acts of deeds or words. Faith, pure and simpleis the inevitable condition for getting sonship and all othergraces. Here, it must be remembered that faith itself is a giftgiven by God to the pure in heart. Therefore everyone shoulddevelop it through spiritual practices and yearnings.6. Objects like, holy myron, chrism, water etc used and ritualslike the public profession of faith, laying on of hands, blowing ofbreath, consignation of cross on the forehead, which all areemployed and availed of in the administration of baptism arethe representative symbols of the graces that we receive fromGod. Likewise they are reminders of what we ought to believeand act upon, of which all actions did Christ perform and ofwhat the Holy Spirit does covertly. As bathing washes off theentire bodily dirt, so does baptism received with true faith anddevotion wipe off all the iniquities of the soul. Therefore thissacrament has come to be christened baptism, meaning spiritualbathing.Ref. (a) Rom. 6: 3, 4. For surely you know that when we werebaptised into union with Christ Jesus, we werebaptised into union with his death. By our baptism,then we were buried with him and shared his death,in order that, just as Christ was raised from death bythe glorious power of the Father, so also we mighthave a new life. (G.N.B.)(b) 1Pet. 3:21. Those flood waters were like baptism thatnow saves you. But baptism is more than justwashing your body. It means turning to God with aclean conscience because Jesus Christ was raisedfrom death. (L.B.)(c) Jn. 20:22. Then he breathed on them and said,“Receive the Holy Spirit” (G.N.B.)(d) Acts. 8:17. Then Peter and John placed their handson them and they received the Holy Spirit. (G.N.B.)CommentThe theology of symbols and signs used in the celebrationof baptism is explained. The S.O.C. employs symbols andsigns as the visible representative objects of the invisiblegrace. This practice has come out of the wisdom born out ofdeep reflection. The Syrian Fathers realized that the humanmind can with ease comprehend the elusive incomprehensiblerealities and truths with some pointers. This is the use ofsymbols and signs. A danger, however, is inherent in thispractice. It is the proneness to venerate symbols as if theyare the realities.
Page 2 and 3: 1Quintessence of Religious Doctrine
Page 5 and 6: published in 1964. Since then we ha
Page 7 and 8: 6ThadathilMuttambalamKottayam - 686
Page 9 and 10: 8Translator’s NoteAs I sat down t
Page 11 and 12: 10Abbreviations19 20Quintessence of
Page 13 and 14: 1224Quintessence of Religious Doctr
Page 15 and 16: 14On the Blessed Trinity 27 28Quint
Page 17 and 18: 16On the Son 3132Quintessence of Re
Page 19 and 20: 18On the Son3536Quintessence of Rel
Page 21 and 22: 20On the Holy Spirit 39to be the di
Page 23: 22On the Holy Sacraments 43 44Quint
Page 27 and 28: 26On the Holy Baptism 51can fulfil
Page 29 and 30: CommentThe results of receiving the
Page 31 and 32: 30On the Holy Eucharist 59 60Quinte
Page 33 and 34: 32On the Holy Confession 63 64Quint
Page 35 and 36: 34On the Holy Confession 67Ref.: (a
Page 37 and 38: 36On the Holy Orders 71 72Quintesse
Page 39 and 40: 38On the Holy Orders 75Ref: (a) Mt.
Page 41 and 42: 40On the Holy Matrimony 79CommentIt
Page 43 and 44: 42On Burial 833. Bishops, Priests,
Page 45 and 46: 44On Prayer 87CommentThe prayers ar
Page 47 and 48: 46On Fasts 917. The Church has ther
Page 49 and 50: 48On the Feast of the Saints 95The
Page 51 and 52: 50On the Mother of God 99of the arc
Page 53 and 54: 52On the Prayer to the Saints 103 1
Page 55 and 56: 54On the Prayer to the Saints 107Co
Page 57 and 58: 56On the Prayer for the Departed 11
Page 59 and 60: 58On the Prayer for the Departed 11
Page 61 and 62: 60120Quintessence of Religious Doct
Page 63 and 64: 62On Signing oneself with the mark
Page 65 and 66: 64On Chastity 127way; others, becau
Page 67 and 68: 66On Human Soul 131CommentThe S.O.C
Page 69 and 70: 68On Sin 135 136Quintessence of Rel
Page 71 and 72: 70On Repentance 139140Quintessence
Page 73 and 74: 72144Quintessence of Religious Doct
Page 75 and 76:
74148Quintessence of Religious Doct
Page 77 and 78:
76On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 79 and 80:
78On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 81 and 82:
80160Quintessence of Religious Doct
Page 83 and 84:
82AppendixNames of the Heritics who
Page 85 and 86:
84Heresies 167 168Quintessence of R
show all

Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?