Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

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37On the Holy Orders 73 74Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesauthorities are required for a person to preach or performEcclesial functions. As for the Universal Syrian OrthodoxChurch, in whose diptych the name of His Holiness Ignatius,the Patriarch of Antioch is mentioned as the Supreme Headand for whom prayers are said, the pontifical authority isvested with the incumbent of the See of St. Peter in Antioch.This provision is as per the Canon Law. No individual orChurch or group of Churches or sect has the right to amendthis provision unilaterally. If any one contravenes thisprovision, that is uncanonical and will not have any legalvalidity as far as the Universal Church is concerned.7. No one is justified in abstaining himself or herself from thesacraments celebrated by a priest of unsavoury reputation or tocast doubts regarding the efficacy of such actions. Unlessexcommunicated or anathematised by his superiors or the synod,no clergyman can be prevented from discharging his priestlyduties.Ref. (a) Mt. 23: 2, 3. “The Teachers of the Law and Phariseesare the authorised interpreters of Moses’ Law. So,you must obey and follow everything they tell youto do; do not, however, imitate their actions,because, they don’t practise what they preach.(G.N.B.)CommentThe lay faithful are instructed here, not to keep away fromattending the celebration of the Eucharist by a priest of illrepute. Similarly it is pointed out that there is no ground orbasis for suspecting the efficacy of the Eucharistic celebrationby such a priest. The reason is that unless a priest isdisqualified by Ecclesial authority, there is nothing, thatprevents him from discharging his priestly duties.8. As the priests are duly anointed and the sacraments areadministered in the name of Jesus Christ and as the fruits of thesacraments are independent of the character of the priest, thosewho participate with a pure heart and faith in the celebration ofthe sacraments by any priest, shall reap the proper results ofthe sacraments. But divine judgement shall be incurred by thepriests who minister the sacraments without proper preparationand faith.Ref: (a) Lev. 21:12. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary,nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crownof the anointing oil of his God is upon him. (K.J.V.)(b) Mt. 17: 22, 23. When judgement day comes manywill say to me, “Lord, Lord! In your name, we spokeGod’s message, by your name we drew out manydemons and performed many miracles.” Then I willsay to them, “I never knew you. Get away from meyou wicked people!” (G.N.B.)CommentAgain, it is stated, that the spiritual results of the Eucharisticcelebration by a duly ordained priest are independent of hismoral character. In other words, his personal character orlifestyle has no bearing on his Eucharistic celebration or ofany other sacraments or the performance of priestlyfunctions. The remark of St. Chrysostom or Ivanios, thegolden tongued, can be recalled here to provide an answerto the question why so. He wrote ‘The priests’ function issimply to open his mouth and it is God who accomplisheswhat is done.’ St. Augustine in a classic statement opinedthat a sacrament will be valid whether Peter celebrated orJudas offered it, provided each of them had the sanctionfrom Jesus. The underlying theory of the belief and practiceof the S.O.C. regarding the efficacy of a sacramentcelebrated by a priest can be understood by the doctrineknown ‘Ex opere operato’. It means that no sacrament isrendered invalid on the ground that the priest whoadministers it is unfit.9. But those clerics found offenders shall be excommunicated, andforbidden from administering any rite. The faithful are precludedfrom participating in the sacraments performed by such priestswho do so without any qualm, after they are excommunicated.
38On the Holy Orders 75Ref: (a) Mt. 18:17. If the follower refuses to listen to them,report the matter to the Church. Anyone who refusesto listen to the Church must be treated like anunbeliever or a tax collector. (L.B.)(b) vide 1Cor. 5:11. (L.B.)CommentBut as a measure of practical caution, the lay faithful arewarned not to participate in the sacrament celebrated by anexcommunicated priest. The reason is the following. If a priest,who is excommunicated, performs his ecclesial duties, heincurs the judgment of the Ecclesia. In other words, thesacraments performed by the excommunicated are not valid.Theme No: 11On the Holy MatrimonyIntroductionMatrimony or marriage is the holy sacrament of the indissolublespiritual union of man and woman and through which, they andtheir progeny receive grace and blessings from God.CommentMatrimony is the sacrament by which humans co-operatewith God in His act of creation. That is why it is said, that it isthrough this sacrament that the progeny gets the grace fromGod. The decree of Jesus, ‘whom God hath joined, man shallnot render asunder’ is sufficient proof about the solemnity,unity and indissolubility of marriage. Jesus overruled theJewish practice of approving divorce. This can be understoodfrom his utterance, that once the marriage is solemnized thespouses become one. St Paul elucidated the sacramentalaspect of marriage. He, in the fifth chapter of his Epistle toEphesians, emphasises this aspect.1. Marriage is good.Ref: Heb. 13:4. Marriage is honourable in all and the bedundefiled; but whorermongers and adulterers, Godwill judge. (K.J.V.)CommentThis contention is so because it is in accordance with Natureand her laws. Psychologists are of opinion that marriagegives opportunity to give vent to the sexual desires, whichare deep rooted in humans. Further they say, that marriagekeeps up the mental poise to a considerable extent. Yetanother advantage of marriage is that it fosters the family,which is the forum for faith-building especially in children.
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 and 24: 22On the Holy Sacraments 43 44Quint
Page 25 and 26: 24On the Holy Baptism 47 48Quintess
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: 36On the Holy Orders 71 72Quintesse
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 77 and 78: 76On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 79 and 80: 78On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 83 and 84: 82AppendixNames of the Heritics who
Page 85 and 86: 84Heresies 167 168Quintessence of R

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