EMPIRICAL DOGMATICS - VOLUME 1

Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church  - Volume 1     

according to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides

Dogma – Ethics - Revelation

Preface to the English Edition

Introduction to the Greek Edition     

Note by the Author   

Biographical and Autobiographical Information on Fr. John Romanides   

Part 1 - Dogma and Ethics 

1. Dogma

a) Definition of Dogma

b) Dogma and Mystery

c) Dogma as an Expression of Experience and a Guide to Experience

d) The Anti-Heretical and Therapeutic Purpose of Dogma

e) Dogma and Ecclesiastical Life

f) The Development of Dogmas

g) Dogmas and Philosophy

h) The Therapeutic Nature of Dogma as a Basis for Dialogue with other Confessions

i) How Dogma is Linked with Ethics and Ascetic Teaching

2. Ethics

a) Philosophical, Religious and Social Ethics

b) Christian Ethics

c) Orthodox Ethics as Ascetic Teaching

Part 2 - The Experience of Revelation     

1. The Value of Experience

2. Experience as the Basis of Orthodox Theology

3. Revelation and Experience

4. Experience and Kinds of Experience

5. Genuine Experience

6. Conveying Experience

Part 3 - The Bearers of Revelation

1. The Glorified

a) Terminology

b) Divine Vision – Theology of the Glorified

2. The Unity of the Prophets, Apostles and Saints

3. Prophets

a) The Prophets of the Old and New Testaments

b) The Prophetic Gift

4. Apostles

a) The Life and Work of the Apostles

b) Apostolic Life, Tradition and Succession

5. Fathers

a) The Work of the Fathers

b) The Divinely Inspired Theology of the Fathers

c) The Patristic Period

6. Saints

a) Who is a Saint?

b) The Empirical Power of Faith

Part 4 - The Living Monuments of Revelation  

1. Ineffable-Uncreated Words and Created Words and Concepts

a) Distinction between Ineffable Words and Created Words and Concepts

b) The Revelation of God through Ineffable Words

c) Conveying Ineffable-Uncreated Words by means of Created Words and Concepts

d) From Created Words to Ineffable Words

2. The ‘Heritage of Faith’

3. Holy Scripture

a) Holy Scripture and Revelation

b) The Divine Inspiration of Holy Scripture

c) Conservative and Liberal

d) The Aim of Holy Scripture

e) The Interpretation of Holy Scripture

4. Old and New Testaments

a) The Value of the Old Testament

b) Links between the Old and New Testaments

c) Difference between the Old and New Testaments

5. Holy Tradition and Traditions

a) The Orthodox Tradition

b) The Essence of the Orthodox Tradition

c) Passing on the Tradition

d) Tradition and Traditions

e) Interpreting Holy Tradition through the Sciences of Astronomy and Medicine     

Epilogue