The Issue of Authority in Eastern Orthodox Tradition: A Protestant View

Authors

  • Victor SHLENKIN Since then after he came back to Russia Victor had a teaching ministry in some Institutions in St. Petersburg and Moscow., Russian Federation

Keywords:

Concept of “Tradition” in Orthodox theology, Eastern Orthodox Tradition, theological discourse concerning Tradition in the church life of Orthodox Christians

Abstract

The concept of “Tradition” in Orthodox theology evokes curious and ambiguous associations in the minds of evangelical Christians. Sometimes Protestants conceive of Tradition as something parallel to the Bible, as a sort of collection of ancient texts and rules. Quite probably that is the assumption of popular Orthodox theology as well. However, in our research we wish to reveal Tradition as it is regarded by academic authors who represent the classical Orthodox witness.
What is the nature of Tradition? Does it have a textual basis? Who has the right to express and explain it, applying Tradition to the settling of many issues of church life? How practical is their reasoning? These are a few of the questions raised in the article. By examining the works of recognized Orthodox theologians and presenting to them critical questions connected with the actual embodiment of theological discourse concerning Tradition in the church life of Orthodox Christians, we hope to understand more deeply the basis of our own traditional Protestant faith, which is rooted completely in the study of Holy Scripture.

Author Biography

Victor SHLENKIN, Since then after he came back to Russia Victor had a teaching ministry in some Institutions in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Victor Shlenkin was born in Leningrad in 1978. In 1997 he was enrolled in St Petersburg Christian University. After he graduated from SPbCU he served as a youth pastor in an International Baptist Church and later in 2002 he entered Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven (Belgium). Since then after he came back to Russia Victor had a teaching ministry in some Institutions in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Nowadays he works as a salesman in a travel agency. His field of interests: philosophy and patristics.

References

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THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS #9 (2008)

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How to Cite

SHLENKIN, Victor. 2008. “The Issue of Authority in Eastern Orthodox Tradition: A Protestant View”. Theological Reflections: Eastern European Journal of Theology, no. 9 (December):181-95. http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/89440.

Issue

No. 9 (2008): Theological Reflections: Euro-Asian Journal of Theology

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2020 Victor SHLENKIN

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