Eastern Orthodoxy: Salvation By Earned Works, Icons, Tradition, Deification

The special guest in this particular episode is Douglas Jones, managing editor of the theological publication CREDENDA AGENDA which is in essential agreement with the confessional statements of classical Protestantism. The subject under discussion is EASTERN ORTHODOXY which, after all is said & done, is simply a man-made religion that promises eternal salvation to those who do religious works of righteousness to earn it. For many Protestants, Eastern Orthodoxy is still something foreign & obscure. To try to gain just a flavor of it, consider the following brief overview of its main claims, in order of its oft-stated priorities:

1. The Church - Eastern Orthodoxy sees itself as the Church, one, holy, catholic, & apostolic, which alone has faithfully maintained Christ's truth through unbroken continuity with the apostles.
2. Apostolic Tradition - That tradition to which the Church is called as guardian, is made up of the Bible, true Councils, the Church Fathers, liturgy, canon law, & icons.
3. The Triune God - Eastern Orthodoxy views the trinity as the essence of their faith, "the catholic truth above all other."
4. Creation & the Fall - Though God created man with free will & rationality, Adam stood in a state of undeveloped simplicity. When he fell, he fell "not from a great height of knowledge & perfection...hence he is not to be judged too harshly for his error." The deteriorating effects of Adam's sin (death, disease) extended to his descendants, but his guilt did not.
5. Salvation & Sacrament - Once Adam initiated the deterioration of human nature, God desired to reverse the process by means of Christ's incarnation.