symbol or devil

8/11/2019 Symbol or Devil

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Symbol / Devil

One of the most distinguishin

characteristics of the Orthodox Church is th

nuanced (some might say eastern or Greek

understanding of symbol as somethin

transcendant going far beyond me

externals or the recesses of ones brain. Th

concept of symbol for most people in th

west today is (in the words of the late

Alexander Schmemann): a simpleillustration whose purpose can btermed pedagogic or educational. In other words, a symbol mere

points to or teaches about an idea or concept, but offers no real

substantial (transcendant) connection to anything beyond itself.

Orthodoxy, however, a symbol is a gateway or window to somethin

beyond itself; it is something that truly, experientially connec

someone, a specific person or persons, with the very thing signified.

Im sure most of us have heard the phrase windows to heave

applied to icons. And while many who live in the west today would b

uncomfortable with this implication, I believe that it is, if anything, to

soft, and definitely understated. It doesnt really emphasize enoughju

how vital the connection is between the symbol (or icon, Gree

eikon/eikon) and that which is symbolized. When I think of lookin

through a window, it doesnt bring to mind a real connection

experience of whats on the other side it is simply a matter

looking, or looking-at: observing without necessarily interacting


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responding. However, with icons (and other such symbols) th

connection-to and experience-of that which is depicted is re

transcendent and even transformative.

Whats most intriguing (especially when examined in Greek)

that the opposite of symbol [symbolos/symbolos] in Greek is thword for division or separation diabolos (diabolos): That

rightdevil. Separation/dis-unity nd devil resynonymous both

On

can see this in a number of ways in sacred scripture, as well. F

example, the consequence (wages) of sin is death, which is ju

another way of saying separation or division from God, Who is Lif

When Christ promised the apostles that the Church would never b

prevailed against, He intimated that the enemy at the gates was th

gates of Hades that is, the gates of death or the gates

schism/division.

So why is all of this important? This understanding of

symbol touches on a number of things related to Orthodox

spirituality and theology, as a matter of fact. One might even

say it touches on everything, as it shapes the way an

Orthodox Christian should view and experience the world

around them.Every Orthodox prayer service begins with the prayer to the Ho

Spirit: O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who a

everywhere present and fillest all things.If we worship a God Who

(in some sense) everywhereand filling all things,we have a worl

view that is cognizant (or at least should be) of the immanenc


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transcendence and presence of God in His energies. The Logos(ofte

translated Word or Reason in English) is inter-penetrating an

within all of creation (thelogos spermatikos, as the Stoics and St Just

the Philosopher-Martyr posited) in some way, and therefore God

revelation is everywhere, if one only knows how to find it. And how th

relates to the Church, then, should be apparent in a number of ways.

First, the purpose of the Church can be simply stated as the pla

where the Logos and/or energies of God are revealed in the here an

now (that is, prior to the fulfillment of the restoration of heaven an

earth, which has already begun in the resurrection of Christ). The wo

for this experience is actuallyapocalypse[apocalypse the removal

the veil or revelation of eternity in this present age (if you don

immediately think of the temple and therefore the Garden of Eden an

the layout of an Orthodox Church here, you need to read the scriptur

more). Grace (the energies of God) is not something that the Churc

dispenses to people as a created thing (as in the Latin west), b

rather is something that the Church (and Her Mysteries) revealsto us

and through creation itself. The Eucharist is not some sort of different

super-natural bread, wine and water, but rather TRUEbread, TRUEwine an

TRUEwater. The same can be said for Baptism or holy chrism. These are n

other forms of creation, but creation revealed as it truly is

in eternitThe Church is, therefore, more of a lamp-post and a beacon, or a guide

The Way of true humanity (and a true and pure experience of th

present world as the world of eternity in Christ) rather than a

administration, a hierarchy or a place where created Grace

dispensed like expensive candy. The Church shows us he Way(as th


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first Christians put it) to restoration with God, rather than acting

some sort of cold and fabricated middle man between mankind an

Gods goodness.

Secondly, if God is everywhere present and fillest all things

then our attitude towards creation should be radically different fromthose who see only appearances, substances and molecules. Whi

things like sustainability and the idea of protecting the environmen

are often used as tools for corporate or government subsidies an

profit (or to simply keep the granola people off their doorstep), fo

the Orthodox Christian it should go beyond slogans and vacuou

ideas. We treat creation (animals, plants, people) with care an

reverence not because we earn merit badges or get good publicity, b

because all of creation is inter-penetrated with the very energies

God. To treat an animal kindly is not that far removed from showin

reverence for an icon or another person. No, Im not saying people a

animals, but we are (along with them) certainly of the same LogoWe shouldnt find it altogether impossible to believe that the Euchari

can bring us into contact with the very flesh and blood of God but

we do, it will be even stranger to realize that a rabbit or a tree could als

just as easilycommunicate the Grace of God to us (if we appropriate

see them rightly). It just might not be as clear to the uninitiated

hard of heart.

Finally, and drawing from that last point, we should see all

creation as windows to heavennotjusticons or relics.There can b

no doubt that icons, the Cross, relics of Saints and other simil

symbols provide a greater, truer and more obvious connection wi


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eternity than is normally experienced by fallen humanity. Howeve

they could almost be posited as crutches that are useful primari

because of the already/not yet tension we live in at these prese

moments (along with our obvious struggles with both death and th

passions).In this sense, then, the Church is the truest, realestimage o

reminder of eternity that is justbeyond our present reach (althoug

we

find ways to take one or two steps intothat reality from time to tim

such as through the Liturgy and the celebration of the Eucharist). Ouparishes, altars, Icon corners, holy water and relics become hub

where the Divine and eternal is sort of leaking into the present ag

In fact, the hermits and ascetics among us (who are further along th

path to eternity than most of us) are such places in-and-

themselves. This is, no doubt, why animals (and plants) react to thedifferently (as part of the same creation) than they do to othe

persons. Whether were talking about St Seraphim of Sarov and h

bear companion or the green thumb of monks, it is all one and th

same reaction to and revelation of the ultimate restoration of a

things.

As Fr Thomas Hopko points out in his lectures on the Apocalyps

Christ does not say that He comes to make allnewthings but

make all things newthat is, to renew creation with the restoratio

and re-connection (the meaning of the phrase religion) of bo


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heaven and earth. We experience a foretaste of that in the Churc

(and in Her Saints, Mysteries, etc.), but the fullness is yet to come.

Symbols are not, as a result, a mere reminder or indication of

something, but rather true and vital connections with the world

of the age to comea world that is somehow already presentand surrounding us, inter-penetrating all of the created order,

with (as the Optina Elder Nektary liked to say) doors and

windows opening both ways. To fail to see the world in this

light and to refuse to believe in this manner is to be like the devil.

symbol or devil

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