Orthodox Rebuttal
Author: Steve Amato
Description: A rebuttal to my critique of the theology of Orthodox Christianity
Keywords: bible study,orthodox, icons, worship

## My response to Gregg's Orthodox Rebuttal

First my response to your rebuttal concerning worship.

May I summarize you rebuttal with the following 2 points:

> 1. There are two kinds of worship which are appropriate.
> The first is latreia which is to be directed at God alone.
> The second is proskynese which is directed towards such things as saints and orthodox icons.

> 2. The Bible isn't clear in making this distinction, but rather it is justified by ascribing to post-Biblical orthodox dogma.

But if the orthodox claim to follow not simply orthodox dogma but the also the Bible then we have some common ground for discussion, don't we? Surely you're not saying that the Orthodox church overrode the Bible in developing its dogma! While we may disagree on those other writings, let us at least examine this area of common ground, shall we?

So does the Bible ever forbid the "proskynese" of saints or other such things? That word is used 60 times in the New Testament, strong's #4352.

Consider for example the following:

THE FORBIDDING OF THE "PROSKYNESE" OF ANGELS:

Revelation 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship <4352> before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
Revelation 22:9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship <4352> God."

There's certainly a clear example where it was forbidden to "proskynese" a symbol of God, namely this angel. But what about the "proskynese" of saints? Consider the following:

THE FORBIDDING OF THE "PROSKYNESE" OF SAINTS:

Acts 10:25,26 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped <4352> him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man."

Thus it is forbidden also to "prosynese" the saints also.

THE FORBIDDING OF THE "PROSKYNESE" OF IDOLS MADE OF MATERIAL THINGS:

As it is also forbidden to "proskynese" idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk, as it says in Revelations 9:20, again not using the word "latreia" but rather "proskynese".

And consider also the 2nd commandment:
Exodus 20:4,5
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything
that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the
water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them."

Yet the Orthodox make images of things in heaven and bow down to them!
Worship the Lord and serve Him ONLY

Steve Amato
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

See Gregg's Additional Rebuttal

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources