Praying for the Dead
Surprisingly, I'm hearing from many who left the Orthodox Church that praying for the dead is one of the "turn offs". For the most part, the Protestant Churches do not believe in prayer for the dead, whereas especially in the Orthodox Church this is part of the tradition.
From a personal perspective, not praying for the dead .. well, doesnt make sense. Remembering the loved ones who passed away in prayer and Church - why would Jesus object? The prayers are not *to* the dead, but *for* the dead.
But, most point to the Bible in arguing that this is not "Christian". But, found the folowing at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04653a.htm:
In his Second Epistle to Timothy (1:16-18; 4:19) St. Paul speaks of Onesiphorus in a way that seems obviously to imply that the latter was already dead: "The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus" -- as to a family in need of consolation. Then, after mention of loyal services rendered by him to the imprisoned Apostle at Rome, comes the prayer for Onesiphorus himself, "The Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day" (the day of judgment); finally, in the salutation, "the household of Onesiphorus" is mentioned once more, without mention of the man himself. The question is, what had become of him? Was he dead, as one would naturally infer from what St. Paul writes? Or had he for any other cause become separated permanently from his family, so that prayer for them should take account of present needs while prayers for him looked forward to the day of judgment? Or could it be that he was still at Rome when the Apostle wrote, or gone elsewhere for a prolonged absence from home? The first is by far the easiest and most natural hypothesis; and if it be admitted, we have here an instance of prayer by the Apostle for the soul of a deceased benefactor.
So what does this mean? Honestly, this is what I'm beginning to love about Orthodoxy. From the Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware. As summarized on the Wikipedia entry for Prayer for the Dead, "specifically how the prayers of the Church help the departed is not elucidated; Orthodox simply believe that tradition teaches that prayers should be made for the dead"
From a personal perspective, not praying for the dead .. well, doesnt make sense. Remembering the loved ones who passed away in prayer and Church - why would Jesus object? The prayers are not *to* the dead, but *for* the dead.
But, most point to the Bible in arguing that this is not "Christian". But, found the folowing at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04653a.htm:
In his Second Epistle to Timothy (1:16-18; 4:19) St. Paul speaks of Onesiphorus in a way that seems obviously to imply that the latter was already dead: "The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus" -- as to a family in need of consolation. Then, after mention of loyal services rendered by him to the imprisoned Apostle at Rome, comes the prayer for Onesiphorus himself, "The Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day" (the day of judgment); finally, in the salutation, "the household of Onesiphorus" is mentioned once more, without mention of the man himself. The question is, what had become of him? Was he dead, as one would naturally infer from what St. Paul writes? Or had he for any other cause become separated permanently from his family, so that prayer for them should take account of present needs while prayers for him looked forward to the day of judgment? Or could it be that he was still at Rome when the Apostle wrote, or gone elsewhere for a prolonged absence from home? The first is by far the easiest and most natural hypothesis; and if it be admitted, we have here an instance of prayer by the Apostle for the soul of a deceased benefactor.
So what does this mean? Honestly, this is what I'm beginning to love about Orthodoxy. From the Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware. As summarized on the Wikipedia entry for Prayer for the Dead, "specifically how the prayers of the Church help the departed is not elucidated; Orthodox simply believe that tradition teaches that prayers should be made for the dead"
Comments