The Orthodox Way by Bishop Kallistos

[MariaRegina]

Dear Photini and JefftheFinn:

If one is truly Orthodox, a person believes that our faith was received once and for all times by our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ through the Holy Apostles for all peoples. This is what "catholic" means. It also means that the doctrines of the faith cannot develop.

While there is far more evidence in the Scriptures and the Holy Fathers for a state called purgatory, there is even less biblical and patristic evidence for tollhouses.

We know that there is the Holy Tradition of praying for the dead in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We pray for God's mercy.

Why don't we leave the mystery of death to Christ? Trust in Him, pray ceaselessly, fast from sin and from worldly pleasures and passions, and practice continual repentance and purification in this life by striving to live a holy life, so that we may be saved.

Christ is Risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And upon those in the tombs
Bestowing life.

 

[MariaRegina]

From another site:

I wish to add a few thoughts to Dr. Heckscher's discussion of the
toll-houses.

Oh, dear! First of all, I remember that certain persons were fanning
the flames surrounding this doctrine back in the early '80's when we
were part of ROCOR. I have a sense of deja vu. But I read both sides
of the issue then, and I'm speaking thoughtfully, albeit ex tempore.

1)First of all, we need to bear in mind the teaching of St. Vincent of
Lerins: "Now in the Catholic--i.e. Orthodox--Church itself we take the
greatest care to hold THAT WHICH HAD BEEN BELIEVED ALWAYS, EVERYWHERE,
AND BY ALL."

Hence, the mere antiquity of a belief is no guarantee of its
Orthodoxy. Arianism, Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Monothelitism, and
Iconoclasm, as well as Gnosticism and Manicheanism, are all ancient
beliefs, and the Roman Catholics have believed in Purgatory lo, these
many years.

We also need to consider St. Vincent's criteria of universality and
consent. Has a belief in the toll-houses been held by all Orthodox
Christians everywhere? It would seem not. As far as I know, the
Greek Churches, and no doubt others, do not subscribe to this
teaching. However, the doctrine in question seems to have been
endorsed by many in the Russian Orthodox Church. (And I don't mean to
bash Russians. All the local Churches have their own bees in their
bonnets.) Furthermore, we might inquire if all Orthodox Christians
consent to this belief. Well, obviously not!

2) In order to articulate an Orthodox consesus on this issue, we need
to consider its theological implications. True, some of these
narratives might be edifying because they inspire us to "walk
circumspectly" and curb our wicked actions. However, our faith
teaches that the unspiritual person heeds the law of God because he's
afraid to "go to hell." And let's face it--this is the reason most of
us behave ourselves, if we do. However, Orthodoxy teaches that the
truly spiritual person, despite his human weakness, practices the
virtues and avoids sinful conduct out of love for God.

Furthermore, we need to ask ourselves what these stories say about
God. If we have died "in sin" and he turns us over to the demons to
be tormented, then he is granting these wicked beings power over His
creation. Well then, perhaps He's not all-powerful in the first
place. Nor is He all-merciful; where is the God who "desires not the
death of a sinner?" And what of the Good Thief and all those martyrs
who underwent the "baptism of blood"? Dear me, if they forgot to
confess some sin in the midst of their podvigs, are they to be handed
over to torment? I think we can say that such a doctrine of God is a
foul mishmash of semi-Manichean, semi-Nestorian(perhaps) 100% blasphemy!

Certainly such doctines also nullify the power of the Resurrection, as
the Orthodox believe in it.

So dear brothers and sisters, please forgive me if I've offended you.
I've just attemped to offer some constructive thoughts on this issue.

In Christ,

Margaret Jerinic

Precisely, Christ has trampled down death by death and therefore, we are no longer under Satan's dominion. We are Christ's.

 

[Reader Nilus]

The toll houses are in the hymnography, they are in the testimony of the saints, and to me toll houses await us at repose.

we are no longer under Satan's dominion

Why do we root out the passions? It is those passions that reside in all of us, and that when we repose the temptations of these passions will present themselves once again, with no restraint. The toll house is not being under Satan's dominion but rather are we the Lord's. As the saints have made clear and the hymnography makes clear by the prayers of the saints and the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, the Theotokos we are guided safely through them, also if we live a life of repentence and prayer and almsgiving we will not be tempted by them either.
As I was taught if you want to know what Orthodox believe study and pray the services of the Church, and that includes the General Menaion which most people do not hear unless they go to daily matins.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Photini]

As I was taught if you want to know what Orthodox believe study and pray the services of the Church, and that includes the General Menaion which most people do not hear unless they go to daily matins

I was also told this...along with reading the lives of the Saints.