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TheEastern Orthodox Church presents aview of sin distinct from views found inCatholicism and inProtestantism, that sin is viewed primarily as a terminal spiritual sickness, rather than a state of guilt, a self-perpetuating illness which distorts the whole human being and energies, corrupts theImage of God inherent in those who bear the human nature, diminishes the divine likeness within them, disorients theirunderstanding of the world as it truly is, and distracts a person from fulfilling his natural potential to becomedeified in communion with God.
TheBiblical Greek term for sin, ἁμαρτία (hamartia), means "miss": it implies that one's aim is out and that one has not reached the goal, one's fullest potential. As inWestern Christianity, inEastern Orthodoxy the goal is union withGod. Orthodoxy also understands sin as a disease of thesoul, a condition where the soul is lacking in God'sgrace. Union with God, as made possible throughChrist, is the ultimate medicine. Orthodoxy regards themysteries of the Church, also known assacraments in the West, as vehicles leading towards union with God.
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not hold that sex is inherently sinful, but rather condemns seeing sex as something which can be divorced from the loving act between a married couple. As St. Cesarios said, "copulation and birth of children in accordance with the law is free from any sin and condemnation."[1]
One of theFathers of the Church,John Chrysostom, in elaborating on the words ofPaul the Apostle states that "because man is prone to strong lustful feelings, and because all men are not strong enough to be celibate, the Church allows the temporary union of marriage as an alternative to sin". This is a commentary on1 Corinthians 7, which states "To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am. But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion."
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The Orthodox Church has been consistent in condemning acts of homosexuality, despite varying views on homosexual activity and responses from various Church leaders and the State. According to traditionalist interpretations, the Church Fathers consistently condemned homosexual activity, as did the Byzantine state.[2][3]
Official statements by the Orthodox hierarchy continue to be consistent in terms of the traditional position that homosexual behaviour is sinful and thus damaging to the human person, and that homosexual temptation is a subject forascetic struggle. While some Orthodox theologians and jurisdictions have championed the traditional view, they have also engaged in scientific conversation and in dialogue with the increasing number of societies that view homosexuality far differently than the views held in earlier periods of history.[4]After aligning with the view that the Christian Scriptures address homosexual activity and call it sin, theOrthodox Church in America offered the following advice at its 10th All-American Council in 1992:
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, the highest representative body of Orthodox people in America, reaffirmed in a statement in September 2013 that "the Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, two millennia of Church Tradition, and Canon Law, holds that the sacrament of marriage consists in the union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage reflects the sacred unity that exists between Christ and His Bride, the Church".[6] "Acting upon any sexual attraction outside of sacramental marriage, whether the attraction is heterosexual or homosexual, alienates us from God".[6] Moreover, the Assembly reminded that "persons with homosexual orientation are to be cared for with the same mercy and love that is bestowed on all of humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ".[6]
