Tuesday, October 15, 2002

In the Western view, the conferring of "grace" is an act of God, granted to individual human beings either because the merit it (Pelagius) or because God in His inscrutable wisdom has so ordained (Augustine). In the Eastern view, however, "grace" is a permanent state, implied in the act of creation itself and potentially available to any human being merely by virtue of having been created. In this view, the way the believer approaches God is through the consciousness of his own spiritual personality and by studying the example of Christ in order to cope better with the dangers that await him on his journey through life. (Figes) 2:48:20 PM    comment  []