Vseproshchenie

[Jack Kollmann]

Dear Sharon,

         Can you say more about what you're looking for?  The two responses
that come to my mind are:
         (1)  In a general sense, forgiveness is an integral element in
Orthodox theology, in that man, mortal yet made in God's image, may
approach divine likeness by working to suppress the corrupt side of his
nature (due to original sin, a tendency towards corruption -- but not guilt
-- inherited from Adam and Eve) and to pursue incorruption by following
God's teachings. We all inherit something of the divine likeness (theosis,
apotheosis, deification of man) and the opportunity to become godlike (or
nearly so) by leading a vigilant Christian life.  Thus we are all
"forgive-able."
         (2)  This general tenet of Orthodoxy is made specific and manifest
in the celebration of  Forgiveness Sunday -- also called Cheese Fast
Sunday, the seventh Sunday before Easter and the day before the Great Fast
begins -- and the following day, the Monday that marks the first day of the
Great Fast.  The prayers and Scriptural readings for vespers on Forgiveness
Sunday, and for matins the next morning, focus on (a) the expulsion of Adam
and Eve from Eden, and how we have inherited corruptibility from Adam, and
(b) stress that forgiveness by God for our sins begins with forgiving one
another.  There is actually a ceremony of forgiveness commonly performed
after vespers in which each believer asks forgiveness of the priest, the
priest asks forgiveness from his parishioners, and the believers turn to
one another to ask and to receive forgiveness.  All this is done in
preparation for Great Lent and for the promise (to those who are forgiven
for their sins) of salvation inherent in Christ's resurrection celebrated
on Easter Sunday.
         I hasten to say that I am not an Orthodox theologian, so you
should take the above remarks as coming from a lay student of
Orthodoxy.  Sources abound on #1 above; re: #2, for starters, see, e.g.,
Hugh Wybrew, "Orthodox Lent, Holy Week and Easter:  Liturgical Texts with
Commentary," Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997, pp. 35-39.
         If the above comments don't answer your question, please
elaborate, and I and others can try to respond.

Best wishes,
Jack Kollmann
Stanford University


At 10:59 AM 10/24/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Can anyone direct me to a discussion of vseproshchenie
>in Eastern Orthodoxy?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Sharon Knox
>sccampbe at uchicago.edu
>
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