Christian devotional literature

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Devotional literature
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Christian devotional literature (also called devotionals or Christian living literature) is religious writing that

martyrdom on Christian life through the ages (Gregory, 2001).[3]

The sources of devotional literature vary across society.

priests and saints such as Agios Paisios (Άγιος Παΐσιος), St. Ephraim and Anthony the Great follow the Western interpretation of holistic commentary, with a focus on aspects of faith such as virtue as both secondary and primary sources; while scholars and philosophers such as Samara Levy (2001) and Christopher Kaczor (2021) break the religio-socio barrier by integrating Eastern, Arabic
and international culture and ideologies.

History and origins

Old Testament

Judea, Galilee and neighboring areas at the time of Hosea, Micah, Isaiah and Samuel's prophetic ministries

The oldest forms of devotional literature were manifested as

better source needed
]

The Eastern influence of prophecy becomes apparent through Isaiah and Samuel's literature, deriving from the Judean and Israelian province, supported by Hosea and Micah's ministry in the North Kingdom of Israel and Southwest Judah respectively.[5]

Literacy in Ancient Israel indicates the influence of the

Israeli literacy rates and allowed large populations to contribute to the amassing prophecies by improving the quantity and quality of public inscription, therefore improving the accessibility of scripture.[6] This is exhibited in findings such as the Arad Ostraca, the Haifa grotto (2nd century AD),[7] and the Broken Seal of Prophet Isaiah (7th century AD), and ultimately contributed to the rapid growth of the Christian doctrine in the Western world.[8]

New Testament

The turning point occurred within the

four canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) of the New Testament, where Jesus' ministry drove the theme of Apostolic influence over the Eastern civilisations, subverting the previous doctrine of justice with newfound humility.[9] Contemporary excerpts from Agios Paisios (1994) related the New Testament as "God's will to increase the scope of the Christian, to not stop at justice but look for humility", as a parallel to God's desire to reach non-Christians. For example, Matthew 8:5–13 highlights Jesus's contentment with the Gentiles, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel," as a nod to progression in the spiritual, as well as the progression of the literature.[10]

Further literature was developed under the doctrine of the

Ancient Assyria that were a result of anti-religious dictatorship and Christian persecution.[12]

Denominational differences

Eastern Orthodox literature

The

Seventh Ecumenical Council marked the period of religio-political hostility between the Roman and Byzantine roots of Christianity, embarking many theological and literature-based differences between the two Churches, most prominent being the sacramental use of unleavened bread, as well as the origins and procession of the Holy Spirit (monoprocessionism, filioque) in the Holy Trinity.[13]

Second Council of Nicaea of 787 AD.

Monoprocessionism of the Holy Spirit and the Creed

Eastern Orthodox Christians believe in the

inspiration of the Holy Spirit as a direct proceeding from the Father as is made clear with literature such as the accounts of the Gospels.[14] This ideology is exhibited in John 15:26
, Jesus says of the Holy Spirit: "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me" (Lossky, 1976).

This idea of forbearance is recurrently idealised both throughout Eastern Liturgical and sacramental worship to "enrich the value of the intercessions of the Father" according to the Eastern Theological Teachings (Lossky, 1976).

During the divine liturgy, the line "Father of light, from whom every good gift comes, send your Spirit into our lives..." as well as the Nicene Creed, "begotten of the Father, through Him all things were made..." addresses the centrality of the Father as the Forebear; whilst Western theologians understand the value of the Godhead, "Spirit uncreateth" (Athanasian Creed, 5th century AD) but portray the Trinity as begetters of one-another, "Light from Light, true God from true God".[15]

Eastern Orthodoxy refers to the Nicene Creed (from the

an act of "heresy of the literature" if used with the Greek word ἐκπορεύομαι (meaning 'out of', 'originating from') as to highlight the relevance of the filioque in Catholic Literature
(Cameron et al., 2016).

Iconography

Byzantine Iconography of Christ enthroned with the blessing gesture (1664 AD).

canonization of Saints and those depicted in Eastern iconography include the foundational figures of this Church, such as the disciples Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, and prophets such as Elijah and Moses as to reflect the image of God as an aid for spiritual reverence and reflection.[18] Didron (1885) and Weitzmann (1960) comment on the importance of Byzantine art, noting its direct Christian inspiration and motives that characterized Western industrial, and religious use of icons in the Middle Ages. In further history, this increased value of these works due to their scarcity and veneration, benefiting the communal growth and exposure of Christianity throughout Europe, contributing further to a "Christian Boom".[19]

Colossians 1:15, "He is the image of the invisible God" supports the ideology of spiritual inheritance, whereby Christians of the Orthodox Church are born into the spirit, and through reverence, such as with iconography, model the actions of higher spiritual figures to preserve their own spiritual integrity.[20] This is to contrast from paganism, where Ephesians 5:5 states, "he who is covetous (an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ," as to account for the immoral act of "carving your own god," which would displace the teachings of the Trinity, and the Godhead seen in Eastern ministries, therefore rejecting Orthodox teachings.[21]

Roman Catholic literature

The

spiritual hierarchies as well as the acceptance of papal infallibility.[23]

Filioque, the Holy Spirit and the Catholic Creed

Bennet (2018) admits the Catholic Church's "dissociation from the original text of the

Anglican) Churches; which highlights the literature as "ultimately an individual confession of belief," but, may undermine the "expression of collective beliefs of the Church".[24]

The Pope in Catholicism

Roman Catholic Pope Clement XIII sitting with the blessing gesture (1758–1769).

The admission of a

James 3:2, "If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man," rejecting the infallibility of all humans, extending to those in the Catholic patriarchy.[27]

This highlights the preservation of a spiritual order, which, in Catholicism involves

infallible.[29]

Similarly, the role of the Pope is also to produce literature.

achieving sainthood and spiritual closeness with Christ.[33]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 9780810869820
    . Retrieved 28 December 2011. After the Bible, Christian devotional literature has provided the most popular and instructive kind of reading and guidance for believers. Most broadly considered, Christian devotional literature may be thought to encompass any inscribed verbal artifact employed to stimulate the production, sustenance, and direction of the unique interior Christian self, whether solely in relation to the divine or including also service to fellow believers, neighbor, and/or world.
  2. ISBN 978-1-59158-847-4
    .
  3. ISBN 978-0-674-26406-9
    .
  4. ^ Pinnock, C. H. (2022). Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit InterVarsity Press
  5. S2CID 234794506
    .
  6. S2CID 234794506
    .
  7. ^ Haifa grotto
  8. ISSN 1018-2101
    .
  9. ISBN 978-0-19-152045-7
    .
  10. ISSN 1469-8145
    .
  11. ISBN 978-0-8146-5376-0
    .
  12. ISBN 978-0-8146-5616-7
    .
  13. ISBN 978-0-8108-8493-9
    .
  14. ^ Lossky, Vladimir (1976). The Procession of the Holy Spirit in Orthodox Trinitarian Doctrine. New York: SVS Press: Crestwood, NY. pp. 71–96.
  15. ^ Kim, Kristeen (2007). "The Holy Spirit in the world: a global conversation" (PDF).
  16. ISBN 978-3-11-043138-4
    .
  17. ISBN 978-0-470-76639-2
    .
  18. ISBN 978-0-89236-845-7
    .
  19. JSTOR 1291144
    .
  20. ISBN 978-0-227-90249-3
    .
  21. ISBN 978-0-470-76639-2
    .
  22. JSTOR 23575213
    .
  23. ISBN 978-1-5011-4694-7
    .
  24. ISBN 978-0-56766-558-4
    , retrieved 2022-05-03
  25. ISBN 978-1-61893-605-9
    .
  26. ISBN 978-0-664-22281-9
    .
  27. JSTOR 43246996
    .
  28. ISBN 978-0-8232-8278-4
    .
  29. ISBN 978-1-4039-6962-0
    .
  30. ISBN 978-0-06-621331-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  31. ^ The Name of God is Mercy
  32. ^ Walking with Jesus
  33. ISBN 978-1-62969-463-4
    .
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