What are the Passions?
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the Orthodox Christian understanding of 'passions', contrasting the common usage of the term with its spiritual connotation. It explains that passions are vices enslaving us, contrary to our natural state and God's design. The natural state of the soul is 'impassible', unaffected by passions, which are seen as distortions of identity. The script references Church fathers like St. Isaac the Syrian and St. Dorotheos of Gaza to illustrate that virtues are inherent, while passions are shadows of absence, arising from the misuse of free will and the pursuit of base pleasures.
Takeaways
- 🔍 The term 'passion' in the Orthodox Church traditionally refers to vices or negative desires that enslave individuals, contrary to the common modern understanding of passion as a positive drive or zeal.
- 🙏 Passions are considered to be against one's nature and not part of God's creation, unlike virtues which are seen as natural and inherent to the soul.
- 🌐 The Orthodox perspective holds that passions are foreign to human nature and do not contribute to the soul's well-being, unlike virtues which are seen as beneficial and in line with God's image.
- 🎭 The world often misinterprets passions as natural inclinations, such as sexual desires, whereas the Orthodox view sees these as distortions of true human nature.
- 📚 St. Isaac the Syrian and other Church Fathers describe the soul as naturally impassible, meaning it is not affected by passions, which are seen as unnatural additions.
- 🧭 Spiritual leaders affirm that passions are not inherent to the soul but can lead it astray, causing confusion and a misidentification with these negative states.
- 🌟 The natural state of the soul is purity and virtue, which is in line with God's creation, while passions are seen as a contranatural state, disrupting the soul's proper order.
- 📖 The concept of 'below nature' or 'contrary to nature' is used to describe the state of the soul when it is under the influence of passions, as opposed to being in its natural, virtuous state.
- 💡 The absence of virtues and the pursuit of pleasure are identified as the root causes for the birth of passions, which are then established in the soul.
- 🌑 Passions are likened to shadows or darkness, having no substance of their own but existing through the deprivation of virtues, which are akin to light.
- 🛑 The Orthodox Christian path involves being restored to the image of God through baptism and living according to virtues, as opposed to succumbing to the passions.
Q & A
What is the common misunderstanding about the term 'passion' in everyday language?
-The term 'passion' is often used to describe a strong interest or zeal for something, but in the context of the Orthodox Church, it usually refers to the suffering of Christ, or more generally, to vices that enslave individuals.
How does the Orthodox Church view passions in contrast to virtues?
-In the Orthodox Church, passions are seen as vices that enslave us and are contrary to our nature, while virtues are natural to the soul and in line with God's creation.
What does the script suggest about the origin of passions?
-Passions are not part of man's nature and were not created by God. They are considered foreign and contrary to the image of God in which man was created.
According to the script, what is the natural state of the soul?
-The natural state of the soul is to be impassible, meaning unaffected by passions, which aligns with God's creation of man in His image.
What does St. Isaac the Syrian say about the passions in relation to the soul?
-St. Isaac the Syrian suggests that when the soul allows itself to be affected by passions, it is acting outside its nature.
Why do some people identify with their passions, and what does the script say about this?
-Some people identify with their passions due to confusion or a lack of understanding. The script warns that this is a distortion of their true nature and identity as beings created in God's image.
What does the script imply about the relationship between the soul and passions when the soul is under their control?
-When the soul is under the control of passions, it is in a contranatural state, acting contrary to its true nature and being directed by what is exterior to it.
What analogy does the script use to explain the concept of passions in relation to the natural state of the soul?
-The script uses the analogy of health and illness to explain passions. Just as illness is a departure from the natural health of the body, passions are a departure from the natural purity of the soul.
How does the script define evil in the context of God's creation?
-Evil is defined as the absence of good and is not a creation of God. It exists as a result of turning away from God and His creation, similar to how darkness is the absence of light.
What does St. Doros of Gaza say about the relationship between virtues, passions, and the soul?
-St. Doros of Gaza states that virtues are naturally within the soul as part of God's creation, while passions are not natural and resemble shadows that exist only through the deprivation of light (virtues).
What is the ultimate goal for an Orthodox Christian in terms of living according to God's image and likeness?
-The ultimate goal for an Orthodox Christian is to be restored to the image of God through baptism and to live according to the virtues, which are natural to the soul and part of God's likeness.
Outlines
😇 Orthodox View on Passions and Virtues
This paragraph delves into the Orthodox Christian understanding of 'passions', distinguishing them from the common usage of the term. It emphasizes that passions, in this context, refer to vices that enslave individuals, contrasting with virtues which are natural and God-given. The speaker clarifies that passions are not part of human nature, nor were they created by God, and are essentially the opposite of virtues. The paragraph also discusses the concept of the soul being 'impassible', meaning unaffected by passions, aligning with God's creation of man in His image. Quotes from St. Isaac the Syrian and other Church fathers are used to illustrate the unnatural state of passions and the soul's true nature when free from them.
🌗 The Illusion of Passions and the Reality of Virtues
The second paragraph continues the discussion on passions, likening them to shadows that lack substance and only exist through the absence of virtues, much like darkness is the absence of light. It explores the idea that evil and passions do not have an independent existence, but come into being through misuse of the will or turning away from God's light. The speaker references St. Dorotheos of Gaza, who explains that passions are a result of banishing virtues and seeking pleasure for its own sake. The paragraph reinforces the Orthodox Christian belief in the restoration of the divine image within humans through baptism and living according to virtues, which are natural to the soul. It concludes by emphasizing the unnatural and harmful nature of passions and the necessity of aligning one's life with the virtues to achieve spiritual health.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Passion
💡Zealous
💡Virtues
💡Enslavement
💡Nature
💡Impassible
💡Orthodox Church
💡St Isaac the Syrian
💡Contranatural
💡Purity
💡Evil
Highlights
The term 'passion' in the Orthodox Church is often associated with suffering, especially 'The Passion of the Lord', which refers to the suffering of Christ on the cross.
Passions are described as vices that enslave individuals and are contrary to virtues, which are in line with human nature.
Passions are not part of human nature as created by God and do not contribute to the fulfillment of the likeness of God.
The world often misinterprets passions as natural urges, such as sexual addictions, whereas from an Orthodox perspective, they are not natural.
St. Isaac the Syrian and other Church fathers are quoted to explain that passions are unnatural and do not belong to the soul.
The soul is naturally impassible, meaning it is not affected by passions when in its created state.
When the soul allows itself to be led by passions, it is acting contrary to its nature.
People often confuse their identity with their passions, which is a distortion of their true nature as created beings.
The soul is directed by what is exterior to it when under the control of passions, indicating a contranatural state.
Virtue is naturally present in the soul, and purity is its natural state, whereas passions are contrary to this purity.
Evil and passions do not exist in and of themselves; they are the absence of what is natural to the soul.
St. Dorotheos of Gaza's quote emphasizes that evil comes into existence through misuse of the will or disposition.
Being an Orthodox Christian involves being restored to the image of God in baptism and living according to virtues.
Passions resemble shadows, having no substance of their own but existing through the deprivation of virtues.
The birth of passions is brought about by distancing oneself from virtues through the love of pleasure.
The lecture provides a deep understanding of passions, emphasizing their unnatural and enslaving nature in contrast to virtues.
The Orthodox perspective on passions is a call to recognize and overcome them to align with the natural state of the soul.
Transcripts
but first and foremost you know we have
to realize the term passion like passion
some people say in the world is well I'm
very passionate about something what do
they mean that's not what we mean when
we say passions obviously something they
want to say that they're very uh maybe
zealous or desires some or attracted to
something or just they're they're very
uh very drawn to something or they're
charged to do something they're trying
to use that term in a positive light
almost always in the Orthodox church
with the exception of The Passion of the
Lord which is not a very different in
terms of suffering it means talk the
suffering of of Christ on the cross
passions are meant to describe um The
Vices there another way we can the
the is some something very close to the
passions uh but it's it's not it's the
opposite of the virtues so it's those
things which which enslave us
essentially right we're enslaved or
we're we're we suffer uh enslavement to
these things and uh they were they're
not created by God they're not according
to our nature that's very very important
so the world thinks that these things
are natural like my urge to fornicate or
to follow you know to have to fulfill
my uh sexual addiction that's that's
just in me right I'm just following I'm
just I'm just following these things I'm
just doing what's what's kind of natural
to me but that's absolutely not the case
uh in from an orthodox perspective um so
they do not form part of man's nature
okay and they they were not included in
the image of
God uh and they were um they are not of
course the Fulfillment of the likeness
of God just the
opposite so um they're absolutely
foreign and and in no way they they
Prosper U the souls to the Soul's nature
they not something profitable now let me
read you what St Isaac the Syrian says
and some other Church fathers to kind of
Orient ourselves about what the passions
are the passions come to be added on for
the soul is naturally
impassible so our nature when we're
according to what God has created to be
we're
impassible means we have no passions
we're not affected by these things we
believe that God has made Man In His
Image impassible so when the soul allows
itself to enter into passionate
movements it is as all agree outside its
nature this is what the spiritual
forbearers of the church have affirmed
the passions entered the soul as a
result and it is not right to say that
they belong to the
soul even though the soul might be led
by the Passions this is what happens
when people confused they think that
they identify with the passions this is
what we have the extreme cases today
where people are identifying with a
passion saying I am this right I am fill
in the
blank it's absolutely the it's just not
it's it's such a distortion of who they
are who they've been created to be
they're identifying with that which is
outside themselves which is not
according to their
nature um so they do not it is they do
not belong to the soul even though the
soul might be led by the passions it is
clear then that the soul is directed by
what is exterior to it and not what
belongs to it when it's under the
control of the
passions so it's a contranatural state
so we have according to Nature we have
above nature we have below or against
contrary to Nature contrary to Nature uh
Kine in Greek parine is the the par
means it's under or contrary to Ander is
above
nature uh so
um another quote from a church father
saying basil very important on on this
topic he
says when the soul is in its natural
state it directs its life
upwards when it's outside his nature it
is below and on the earth what is on
high is found to be impassible when the
nature is out of its proper order then
the passions are in it he says elsewhere
it is clear that the exists in nature
before the illnesses trans uh illness is
eruption right so he's using this now
from the health of the body he's giving
us an image to understand the spiritual
sickness and health if it is really so
and this is this is the very truth
virtue is naturally in the soul and what
follows the result of it is outside of
its nature since everyone recognizes the
Purity that Purity is what is natural to
the soul so Purity is the natural state
of the Soul one must affirm that the
passions do not n by Nature
exist uh for since the illness is second
it comes after health and we've talked
about we talked about this when we talk
about evil evil does not exist people
say what are you talking about evil
doesn't exist yeah it doesn't have an
existence why because God everything
that exists was created by God God
brought everything into existence so God
did not bring about evil obviously which
is contrary to his will and and against
his love so in this in a similar way you
can think about
in fact let me just read the quote
because it's really good um from Doros
of
Gaza and it helps us really to
understand I think well how close it is
to just passions and the evil that exist
in the world is brought about by the bad
usage of the of the will or of the of
the disposition that's how evil comes
into existence just like with the evil
one it was his his um tur away from the
light gazing on his own light the
Lucifer the the first one to fall and
and worshiping that and not the origin
uh and turning in on himself away from
the source of all things that created
essentially this brought him to fall
away and then we have his existence in
opposition to to God his Rebellion
against God St Doros of Goda says we
have banished the virtues and introduced
the passions in their place we possess
naturally the virtues that God has given
us in creating man God placed them in
him according to his word he said let us
make man in our image after our likeness
the after our likeness is according to
Virtue so I don't know if you've heard
this expression uh Daniel but the the
idea of the orth in the Orthodox Church
what is it what does it mean to be an
Orthodox Christian what does it mean to
be in the church well it's to be
restored to the the image in baptism the
image of God is restored within us it's
been cleansed it's been restored and
then we're on the path to
likeness so to live according to the
likeness is to live according to our the
virtues which are natural to the soul so
to be restored to the image and likeness
is to do is to live according to the uh
we would say in Greek prodest in other
words like the instruction book so to
speak like what God has has always
desired for us and what everything that
we live contrary to that is a is is in
the realm of evil or in the passions St
de goes on God then has given us the
virtues with
nature but the passions are not natural
they have neither being nor substance
they resemble Shadows that do not exist
in themselves so this reminds us of what
is what is evil what is it's like
Darkness what is Darkness the absence of
light right so this's the same thing
with the passion
let me read that again pastures are not
natural they have neither being nor
substance they resemble Shadows that do
not exist in themselves but exist only
through the deprivation of light so
passions are the absence of
Virtues they are the they're not in and
of themselves there they nothing
positive about them at all it's just a
lack of of what's natural to our soul by
dist himself from the virtues through
love of pleasure the has brought about
the birth of the passions and then
established them in the
soul so distance from distance itself
from the virtues through love of
pleasure love of pleasure in other words
pleasure for its own sake in other words
the the lower the the base Pleasures the
base uh desires of the Fallen man the
soul has brought about the birth of the
passions and then established itself
them in itself so uh we can go on
there's you know pages and pages of
these quotes from the fathers we could
do a whole you know lecture series on it
but hopefully that helps a little bit
because if we're going to talk about the
passions we need to know exactly what
we're talking about that's that's I
think that's should be
[Music]
helpful God
is
the
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