Speaking In Tongues ...

LISTING #6.  RELEVANT TO YOU - CLOSE?
      continuation from 5

"St. Cyril of Alexandria (375-444) seems to follow a middle road on Paul's speaking in tongues since he notes, that, no one hears (I Cor. 14:2); he does not seem as sure as Chrysostom that this means no one understands[3]."
      No one hears the tongue of the heart of another (when it in reality is present) unless he interpret or report it to an interpreter for the edification of others. The gift of languages and the announcing that takes place from them is different than automatic inner prayer or unknown tongues.

"The gift of languages was supposed to have accompanied the gift of unceasing prayer which, according to Chrysostom, St. Paul refers to in I Cor. 14:14-16[2]."
      It is a common mistake that has persisted since the fourth century that the gift of language speaking and unceasing prayer to God were and are the same thing.

"By the time of St. John Chrysostom (344-407), the tradition had prevailed in Antioch that speaking in tongues is the gift the apostles had of speaking the languages of the people they were evangelizing[5]."
      Two hundred years earlier speaking in tongues was accurately identified in the church of Alexandria. The Philokalia records eleven hundred years on the subject of hidden prayer of the heart which is the speaking in tongues of 1 Corinthians.

"Origen (circa 185-255) identifies speaking in tongues of I Corinthians with unceasing prayer of the Holy Spirit in the heart and sees this tradition operative in the Old Testament since this is what makes prophets, and the Cappadocian Fathers show no signs of disagreement with him on this[2]."
      When a Christian returns from that first Face-to-face encounter with Triunity and picks up where he left off in scripture and unceasing prayer things are remarkably different with regard to both (so i have read in testimony). Warning: just because you may feel the Holy Spirit moving in your heart, do not presume yourself to be a prophet or apostle (neither invent a new ministry novelty); take time to consider the serious warnings to self-sent prophets in scripture.

"The Fathers theologize by means of the conformity of their reasoning to 3) their own glorification if such be their case or to that of others, but not by speculation, 2) scripture within the tradition of their own Fathers, 1) their unceasing prayer[3]."
      Ninety percent of the true, positive, and glorious Faith remains hidden in those who have it. What we encounter in research is a record of the reaction of resistance of the true against false faith; which is trying to corrupt the pure Faith by masquerading as the original faith - wolves in sheep's clothing. Usually from a very subtle interpretation, which does not fool those who have the gift of discernment. The spirit of antichrist uses a system of human reasoning and speculation - a philosophy of theology if you please - to displace or replace the true Faith in the minds and hearts of the foolish. 'Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, ever praying and watchful over your own heart'.
    
"The formulation of dogma in the Creed and in definitions of Local and Ecumenical Councils of the indevided Church has in every single case been a reaction to heresy and never a part of an alleged process of transforming speculation or that famous, but non-existent theologoumenon (of individual opinion and not doctrine) into dogma[2]."
      Christian creeds, doctrines, and even scriptures are not to be worshiped themselves. Jesus said things like 'what saith the scriptures' - 'ye are in error by your traditions' or 'ye neither know them nor the power of God'. And again, 'search the scriptures, they testify of me'. And a later warning is given, 'the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life'.

"One does understand doctrine, but only when one knows its purpose and does not confuse it with God Himself[4]."
      Doctrine, which itself is a perfectly fine word, is a pointer to the Goal. During time spent between the Face-to-face encounters (i will be known again as i have already been known) that one has with our indescribable Deity, doctrine is delegated to its proper use and place in the vast scheme of things.

"The purpose of doctrine is not to be understood, but to be abolished in glorification, which is above understanding, since God is a mystery and remains a mystery even to those who see Him in Christ[2]."
      Faith was never a 'leap into an unreasoned trust that proves itself true later' but rather is arrived at by an examination of the facts with the aid and observation of one who can demonstrates it on a high level. The body of documentation among Christians in exposing false faith was soon mistaken in its nature and compared and mixed with the long standing human philosophy of the Greeks.

"Augustine (of Hippo) confused the two (doctrine and the mystery of God) and thought that by accepting the one he could by faith understand the other[3]."
      In true Christianity the 'mystery' is not some hocus pocus or something that cannot be experienced as far as the nature of things as possible permits, but rather the experiencing of that which is indescribable and discovered as impenetrable.

"One must make a clear distinction between doctrine and the mystery of God[2]."
      Knowing doctrine and God in mystery are two very different things yet a thread of relationship or comparison can be made.



.... CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS LISTING ...
[1]. Search for any partial string between any set of quotation marks to follow my sources.
[2]. ALL MY SOURCES ARE ON LINE.
[3]. All My Sources Are On Line.
[4]. All My Sources Are On Line.
[1-5]. John S. Romanides, Romanity.org