Peter Moghila, Metropolitan of Kiev (1633-47), Orthodox Confession of Faith

Selections taken from http://esoptron.umd.edu/ugc/OCF.html

Q. 23. What is the state of man's innocence?

R. The state of innocence is twofold, according to St. Basil. ( 16) First of all, there is the detachment in mind and intention from all sins through the lengthy practice of good deeds. Secondly, there is the absence of the experience of evil, either because of age or other reasons. It is in this second way that Adam's state of innocence before sin is taken, in all perfection and original justice as regards the intellect as well as the will. All knowledge is present in the intellect as is all goodness in the will. For since Adam knew God very well (to the degree that he was fittingly allowed), in knowing God he knew everything through him, this being a mark of the divine being. And when the animals were brought forward to be properly named, he assigned each one a name through his knowledge of their natures. His only concern was the knowledge of God and the pondering of his graces. As far as the will was concerned, it followed the principle that it was truly free and that man was free to sin or not to sin, as treated in Sacred Scripture: Do not say that God is the source of my lie, because "you must not do the things which he hates."[60] And later: "God made man from the beginning in the hand of his own counsel, if you wish to keep the commandments and perform the accepted fidelity." And later: "Before man are life and death, good and evil; whatever he chooses will be given to him. God commanded nobody to do wickedly and gave nobody the license to sin."[61] And so in this state of innocence, man was similar to the angels. As soon as he sinned, he became mortal that very instant through deception in the state of sin. For so says Sacred Scripture: "The wages of sin are death."[62] Then he immediately lost the perfection of reason and knowledge, his will becoming more inclined to evil than to good. Thus was the state of innocence changed, through the experience of evil, into the state of sin, and perfect man appeared so worthless that he could now say with the Psalmist: "I am a worm, not a man."[63]

Q. 24. Are all men subject to the same sin of Adam?

R. Just as all men were in the state of innocence with Adam, so when he sinned, all men sinned in him and have remained in that state of sin. They are subject, therefore, not only to sin but also the punishment for sin, which is expressed in God's decree: "On whatever day you shall eat of it, you will die the death."[64] Repeating the same, the holy Apostle says: "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin - death, so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned."[65] For this reason we are conceived in the maternal womb and born even today in this sin, as the Psalmist says: "For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me."[66] This sin is called original for these reasons: first, because before this time man was stained by no sin, although the devil sinned, through whose initiative the sin known as original arose in man. Adam, the perpetrator of the sin, is subject to it as also are we, his posterity. Secondly, it is called original because no man is conceived without it.

Q. 25. If God foresaw Adam's sin, why did he create him?

R. God knew very well not only that Adam would sin, but also the evil of Lucifer himself, even before the latter was created; in fact, he knows the most insignificant thoughts of every creature, what they think and what they do. But since he did not want the sin of man and the evil of the Devil to overcome the Divine goodness, he created, as a sign of his greater goodness, that Angel as good, who later became evil by his own free will. It is the same with man, who sinned by his own initiative. But because with man's sin God foresaw that his divine goodness would shine forth more brightly, when he would send forth his only-born Son to this earthly vale in order to redeem man, taking his flesh from the most pure Virgin through the activity of the Holy Spirit, thereby gathering man-to the confounding of the Devil - into the kingdom of God, in greater honor than that of Paradise, therefore, that sin did not stop God from creating man. (17)

Q. 26. If God foreknew all things before he created the world, then did he predestine all things, both good and evil, to come about as they now do?

R. God foreknew all things before the creation of the world, but he predestined only the good, as St. Damascene says,[67] for it is contrary to the divine goodness to predestine evil. Understand evil, however, as sin, since there is in the world nothing really evil save sin alone, which is the transgression of the divine law and Will.[68] For the rest, they are the ways of God's punishing our sins, such as plagues, famines, war and others, which are evil in relation to us. (18) These latter cause afflictions which we bear with much difficulty. But, they are not evil in relation to God, for they contain in themselves the power of goodness. For, by so punishing us, he calls forth the good. Such evil is called the just punishment of God,[69] as Scripture says: "Shall there be evil in the city, which the Lord has not done?"[70] Likewise, God predestined solely according to his own wisdom and justice those things which do not have reference to our free will. But he predestined those things that do refer to our free will through the agreement of his good pleasure with our will, because he does not take away our free will.[71]

Q. 27. What is free will?

R. Free will is man's unrestricted deciding from reason that arises and leads to the doing of good and evil, since a rational creature should have in its capacity such a nature and guide it freely by its mandating reason. This reason was complete in its perfection during the state of man's innocence, but it became damaged on account of sin. Nevertheless, the will remained no less inclined to evil in some things than to good in other things in the totality of its appetite, whether of the good or evil, on which matter St. Basil the Great[72] speaks thus: "From one's intention and free will anyone can be holy or the opposite. Hear what Paul says: 'In Jesus Christ by the gospel I begot you.'[73] And these words: 'As many as received him, he gave them power to be made sons of God."'[74] The Holy Doctor teaches that even though the human will has been spoiled through original sin, nevertheless, it still remains now in the will of every man to be good and the son of God, or to be evil and the son of the devil. All this remains in the power and the hands of man, with divine grace helping unto the good and averting from the evil, but not forcing that which pertains to the free will of man.

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Q. 64. Are there intermediate souls, between the blessed and the damned?

R. No men of this type are found; nevertheless, many sinners are freed from the prisons of hell, but not though their own penitence or confession, just as Scripture says: "Who shall confess to you in hell?"[156] And elsewhere: "The dead shall not praise you, O Lord, nor any of them that go down to hell."[157] But they are freed through the good works of the living and the Church's prayers for them, most of all through the unbloody sacrifice, which is offered on certain days for all the living and the dead, even as Christ the Lord died for the very same. That such souls are not freed by their own power, St. Theophylactus, in explaining those words of Christ, speaks thus: "'But that you may know that the Son has power on earth to forgive sin.'[158] But see," he says, "that on this earth sins are forgiven. For as long as we are on earth, we will be able to blot out our sins: after we shall have traveled from this earth, we shall no longer be able to wipe away our sins through confession, for the gate is closed."[159] And elsewhere before those words: "Our hands and feet have been tied; that is, his powers alone", he says, "are in operation. For in the present age we can function, but in the future age all the operative powers of the soul are bound, and nothing good can come about through the forgiveness of sinners."[160] And elsewhere: "After this very life there is no time for penance and works."[161] It is evident from these words that the soul after death can neither free itself, nor do penance, nor do any good, by means of which it might be delivered from the prisons of hell, but only through the unbloody sacrifice, the prayers of the Church and almsgiving, which the living are accustomed to perform for them. It is by means of these that the souls receive the greatest aid and are freed from the prisons of hell.

Q. 65. If, indeed, prayers and pious works are customarily performed for the dead, how is one to regard them?

R. The same Theophylactus speaks about this in explaining the words of Christ the Lord: "'Fear him who has power to cast into hell.'[162] Be mindful", he say, "that he did not say: 'Fear him, whom after he has killed, I will send into hell,' but that he has the power to send. For the sinners who die are not cast into hell; but it rests in the power of God such that he may even pardon them. But I say this because of the sacrifices and almsgivings made for the sake of the dead, which works are of no small benefit even for those who have died in grave sins. It is not so certain, therefore, that God sends to hell one who has killed, but rather that he does have the power to send him. And so let us not cease working hard through almsgiving and prayers to win over him, who has indeed the power of sending, so that he may not use this power fully but be able to pardon."[163] And so, it is deduced from the teaching of Sacred Scripture and this Father that we are obliged to pray to God certainly for such deceased, to offer the unbloody sacrifices and give alms, since they cannot do the same for themselves.

Q. 66. How must one consider the purgatorial fire?

R. No Scripture makes mention of the fact that after death there is a temporal punishment that cleanses souls; what is more, the opinion of Origen was condemned by the Church at the second Council of Constantinople because of this. Also, the soul can receive no sacraments after death; and if it were then to make satisfaction for its sins, it would have to perform a part of the sacrament of holy Penance, which would be contrary to the orthodox teaching. Therefore, the Church rightly performs for them the unbloody sacrifice and prayers, but they do not cleanse themselves by suffering something. But, the Church never maintained that which pertains to the fanciful stories of some concerning the souls of their dead, who have not done penance and are punished, as it were, in streams, springs and swamps.

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Q. 82. Which is the ninth article of faith?

R. "In one holy catholic and apostolic Church."

Q. 83. What does the holy Church teach in this article of faith?

R. It teaches four things. First, that the Church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic, in accord with the teaching of the Apostle, when he says: "For I promised you to one man, to present a pure virgin to Christ."[209] And just as Christ is one, so also is his spouse one, as is evident from Chapter 4 of the Ephesians, Verse 5: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God."

Q. 84. What is the second thing taught in this article?

R. This article teaches secondly that the catholic Church receives its name and title from no place, more important than any other, since these Churches are particular, such as those of Ephesus, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome, Alexandria, etc. (55) But, from among these Churches, that one is called the Mother, which first held the presence of Christ, with eternal salvation as well as the forgiveness of sins having been established there; likewise, the preaching of the Gospel throughout the entire world had its beginning from there, as Scripture testifies: "Thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day; and that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."[210] And elsewhere: "You shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth."[211] Similarly, it was this one church whose light shone before all other churches in both teaching and living, and it was therein that the Apostles rendered their accounts, as Scripture bears witness: "And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying: 'Why did you go into men uncircumcised and eat with them?"'[212] Peter answered them: "Who was I, that could withstand God?' Having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying: 'God then has also to the gentiles given repentance unto life."'[213] And later: "And the tidings came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, touching these things, and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch."[214] And elsewhere: "They determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of the other side, should go up to the Apostles and Priests to Jerusalem about this question."[215] Then it seemed good to the Apostles and Priests even of the entire Church to send men chosen from their midst to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas with these words: "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things."[216] The same is even clearer in another passage: "And as they passed through the cities, they delivered unto them the decrees for to keep, that were decreed by the Apostles and the ancients who were at Jerusalem."[217] The Church of Jerusalem, therefore, is the Mother of all churches and the first, (although the rulers later gave primacy to the Old and the New Rome because of the seat of the Empire, according to the third Canon of the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople) because the spreading of the Gospel to all the lands of the earth began there; and because of this, the Church has become catholic, since it was accepted in its teaching of the faith by all the nations.

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Q. 106. Which is the third mystery?

R. It is the Eucharist or the body and blood of Christ the Lord under the form of bread and wine and the real presence. This sacrament excels the others and leads greatly to the salvation of the soul. For in this sacrament all the graces and the goodness of Christ are revealed and offered to the faithful, as will be later apparent.

Q. 107. What should be mentioned about this mystery?

R. First, nobody else can administer this mystery except a legitimate priest himself, even in the direst necessity. Secondly, it must be seen to that there be an altar, or as we call it „ "antimension" (67), in the absence of which the unbloody sacrifice can in no way be enacted. Thirdly, provision must be made that there be the proper matter, that is, the most pure leaven bread of wheat and wine devoid of any other substance, by itself. During the "proskomedia" (68), however, water is poured in so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water."[253] Fourthly, attention must be paid that the priest have, at the time of consecration, the intention that the real substance of the bread and the substance of wine be transubstantiated into the real body and blood of Christ through the operation of the Holy Spirit. He makes this invocation when he confects this mystery by praying and saying: "Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here offered and make this bread the precious body of your Christ, and that which is in this chalice the precious blood of your Christ, changing them by your Holy Spirit." (69) Transubstantiation occurs immediately with these words, and the bread is transubstantiated into the real body of Christ and the wine into the real blood of Christ, with the visible appearances alone remaining; and this happens in accord with the divine disposition for two reasons. First, so that we do not see the body of Christ, but rather believe that it is so, because of the words spoken by Christ the Lord: "This is my body", etc. and "This is my blood . . .", spoken not to our senses, since he promised us happiness for this with the words: "Blessed are they who do not see, but believe."[254] Secondly, because human nature recoils from the eating of live flesh, yet man should be united to Christ the Lord by the communion of the flesh of Christ the Lord and the blood of Christ the Lord; so that man, therefore, would not turn away, the Lord determined to give his flesh and blood to eat and drink to the faithful under the appearance of bread and wine. The saintly Damascene and Gregory of Nyssa discoursed at length on this point.[255] Participation in this mystery should take place under two species, for the religious as well as seculars, since Christ so commended, excluding no one, when he said: "Amen, amen I say to you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you."[256] Likewise: "He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me, and I in him"[257] It was this manner of communicating under two species for both religious and seculars that the Apostles, as they received from Christ the Lord, so handed down, on which point the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and giving thanks, broke and said: 'Take you, and eat; this is my body, which shall be delivered for you; do this for the commemoration of me.' In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: 'This chalice is the new testament in my blood; do this, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me."'[258] Reverence shown to this mystery is that which is due Christ himself, as said earlier, just as St. Peter, in the name of all the apostles, spoke about him: "You are Christ, the Son of the living God."[259] And so we also speak in terms of the worship of latria: "I believe, O Lord, and confess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (70) This mystery is also a sacrifice for the living and the dead, for those who have died in the hope of resurrection, which sacrifice will not cease until the last judgment. But, the advantages of this mystery are these. First, it is the commemoration of the innocent suffering and death of Christ the Lord, in accord with the saying: "For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the death of the Lord, until he comes."[260] The second advantage is that this mystery effects a propitiation for the sins of the living as well as the dead, such that no sacred liturgy is celebrated that the Lord God is not beseeched for our sins. The third advantage is: whoever is present often at this sacrifice and frequently partakes of this mystery, is himself freed of all temptations and threats of the devil; for the enemy of the soul does not dare persecute such men, since he really perceives that Christ is present in them. Preparation for these most sacred mysteries should be made according to the rite of the Orthodox Church, that is: perform holy confession, fast, make peace with all and other such things.

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