Particular Judgement

[BasilCan]

I was challenged the other day by a Baptist friend about the Orthodox Teaching on the Particular Judgment at death and I couldn't find any. There is much said about the toll house theory (which is still not a teaching of the church) An old priest friend of mine said there is no teaching on what happens at our death (that is why we pray for souls) The only official teaching is that which is in the creed "He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead" and " I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."

Hmmm. does that mean we are in limbo until the Lord's coming???

 

[Stinky]

It means we just dont know- but can live in love on this end accepting what's just on that end. Know that we will get exactly what we deserve in the time and place God deems right. In faith and hope we cling to God's grace and trust in His goodness.

 

[BasilCan]

Thank Stinky, but I was hoping for a more specific answer from the church in a statement, council or encyclica.

 

[Stinky]

It means we just dont know- but can live in love on this end accepting what's just on that end. Know that we will get exactly what we deserve in the time and place God deems right. In faith and hope we cling to God's grace and trust in His goodness.

Correction: We hope that we DO NOT get what we DESERVE, but rather are brought into God's healing Light and Love through His Grace.

 

[Stinky]

Thank Stinky, but I was hoping for a more specific answer from the church in a statement, council or encyclica.

I know. But it can seem like a distraction to be worried about the rules on the other side when God has provided enough for our instructions on this end. Love God. Love neighbor. I know that my Redeemer lives! Beyond that it becomes a slippery path to be looking beyond the veil.

 

[Stinky]

The Departure of the Soul According to the Teaching of the Orthodox Church

Ancient Faith Store offers an array of quality Orthodox Christian books, icons, jewelry, music, and gifts. Visit our store and discover the richness and beauty of Orthodox Christianity.

store.ancientfaith.com

by St Anthony Greek Orthodox Monastery

This book is the first comprehensive presentation of the teachings of over 120 Orthodox saints and dozens of holy hierarchs, clergy, and theologians on the subject of the soul’s exodus to the next life. With over 750 pages of source material featuring many rare images and dozens of texts translated into English for the first time, The Departure of the Soul is unique as both a reference edition on the subject and a fascinating and spiritually profitable book for anyone seeking insight into one of the greatest mysteries of all. The book also reveals over 100 falsifications, misrepresentations, and errors contained in the publications of authors who oppose the teaching of the Church, thus definitively ending the 40-year controversy in the Church.

 

[Ainnir]

There’s also this, for what it’s worth:

Particular judgment - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Some early Church Fathers, apparently including Justin, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria, believed that, in general, the saved did not enter heaven until Judgment Day, and during the interval between death and the resurrection they dwell happily in a delightful abode, awaiting their final glorification. Exceptions were admitted for the martyrs and some other classes of saints, who were admitted at once to the supreme joys of heaven.

I think this is an area where you won't find a canon or council because it's not a dogmatic issue. The Orthodox are very comfortable with "we don't know." I'm curious what led to the question; why does particular judgment matter, when we'll all be judged after the Resurrection?

 

[recent convert]

Here is what a priest told me about the particular judgment. It was originally in relation to the unorthodox concept of “soul sleep” I was forwarding someone information on but most of the response ties in to this discussion.

Souls do not "sleep" until the Last Judgment. They experience a partial judgment in the sense that they experience a foretaste of heaven, which is being in the presence of God, or what is often called "hell" which is being separated from God. They are not asleep but are in a state of awareness. Several "proofs" of this are the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in which both were departed but fully aware of their own situations as well as the situation of the other. Lazarus was in the presence of God--Abraham's bosom--while the Rich Man was tormented because he was separated from God and didn't want his family members to suffer the same fate. A second "proof" is shown in the Icon of Holy Saturday known as the Descent into Hades or in the Western tradition the Descent into Limbo. It shows what we believe, that is while Christ's body lay lifeless in the tomb, His soul was nevertheless aware and active conquering Death and raising up Adam and Eve and those waiting in Hades for the coming of the Messiah.
We must also remember that when we are departed, we are no longer in "earthly" time but "Heavenly" or "God's" time. As a result, a thousand years are like one second in our earthly time. So those who have departed have not been waiting or will not be waiting for hundreds of thousands of years in "earthly" time for Christ to come again. It will be like a matter of seconds.
There is nothing "demonic" or "delusional" about the departed "visiting" the living. We have numerous accounts of Saints doing just that. I have witnessed accounts of many cases of this where departed loved ones "appeared" to living relatives, sometimes to comfort them and at other times to let them know that their earthly life was about to end and their eternal life was about to begin and they would soon be reunited. Many have been comforted and others comforted and prepared for death by those "visions". This is not far fetched because, as I said earlier, their souls remain alive and active and we do believe that we will be reunited with our departed loved ones when this earthly life ends and we will join them to await Christ's second coming.

I hope that this makes sense and helps to answer the questions you listed.

 

[Stinky]

Toll-houses – No Other Foundation

It is, I suppose, a sign of how strange and ubiquitous the internet is that I often receive questions from new inquirers into Orthodoxy about toll-houses. Note: not the divinity of Jesus, or the Eucharist, or baptism, or the love and grace of God, or the nature of the Church. Not even about...

blogs.ancientfaith.com