Page 79 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology

nothing more or less than presenting our bo- as it is nourished by the Eucharist. This is the
dies to Christ as living sacrifices for reasonable liturgical foundation of both personal identity
service (see, Romans 12:1-2). The ascetical life and the therapeutic work of the Church. But
has its own intrinsic rhythm of personal renun- this is only to speak of the first moments of our
ciation and development, all in the service of healing. While necessary, our liturgical restora-
turning our lives over to Christ. tion is not enough; for it to be truly personal
The theologian J. Zizoulas (1985, pp. 49-65) can our restoration requires ascetical struggle. To
help us here. He draws a distinction between be sure, “One would not need asceticism if the
what he calls the hypostasis of biological exi- liturgy … was merely church services.” Howe-
stence and the hypostasis of ecclesial existence. ver, “if liturgy is heaven on earth” and brings
While the former is the product of biological about a true and lasting communion between
mechanisms, and is not unrelated to love, it the human person and God, “then asceticism
is nevertheless disfigured by death. Or in the is demanded” (Fagerberg, p. 10) as the practi-
sobering words of the Orthodox funeral service: cal means by which Christ clears “the silt … in
the depths of the soul, freeing the springs of li-
Come, brethren, let us look in the tomb at the ving waters” received in baptism. And just as in
ashes and dust, from which we were fashioned. baptism, “It is the Word who acts, but we have
Where are we now going? What have we beco- to co-operate with, not so much by exertion of
me? What is a poor person, what a rich? What will-power as by loving attention” (Clément,
a master, what a free? Are they not all ashes? 1982, p. 130).
The beauty of the face has rotted and death has Ascetical struggle is faithful to the dynamic na-
withered all the flower of youth. ture of human life not simply as it is now but as
it was meant to be. Adam’s sin “was not a depar-
As for the hypostasis of ecclesial existence, this ture from an originally static and perfect nature;
is life as a free creature who, in response to di- it was an interruption—the cessation of a pri-
vine grace (i.e., the sacraments—above all the celess process.” Though wounded, the human
Eucharist), enters into an intimate relationship person “did not lose . . . free will.” Instead Adam
with God. Having first asked God to drive out “chose to exercise his will outside and even
from the person about to be baptized “every evil against that of his Creator, which necessarily
and unclean spirit hiding and lurking in his/her weakened his own will and restricted its scope.”
heart”, the priest asks that God make the person The First Man “did not ‘fall’ into a state where
his nature became sinful. He chose to remain
…a rational sheep of the flock of your Christ, and indulge in his own undeified nature, refu-
an honoured member of your Church, a ves- sing the grace (and concomitant deification)
sel made holy, a child of light and an heir of that God offered.” The result of this depravation
your Kingdom. So that, having lived in ac- of “interior grace” is “slavery” I find myself in
cordance with your commandments, preser-
ving the seal undamaged and keeping his/ a state of existential and ontological loneliness,
her garment undefiled, he/she may attain to unable to “bridge the separation, or rather reo-
the blessedness of the Saints in your King- pen the bridge” between myself and God (Au-
dom (Orthodox service of Baptism). xentios, 1982, pp. 8-9). Or, as the Apostle Paul
reminds me, I am a “slave to sin” (see Romans
With this primordial relationship restored, the 6, NKJV).
other, secondary relationships with self, others Our fallen condition is the poisoned fruit
and creation, are likewise healed. of Adam’s refusal to accept a life of ascetical
struggle. In the words of a hymn from the last
Asceticism: The Path of Our Return to Love Sunday before Lent:
Our true identity (the person we are called by
God to be) arises first out of the baptismal font Through eating Adam was cast out of Para-
and is subsequently affirmed in the sacrament dise. And so, as he sat in front of it, he wept,
lamenting with a pitiful voice and saying,
of chrismation (confirmation in the West) even ‘Woe is me, what have I suffered, wretch that

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