Monday, June 27, 2005

St Cyril of Alexandria

So today's saint, Cyril of Alexandria, fought the Nestorians for the sake of the Mother of God. He fought with more intellect than kindness, so the academics say.

So there's a question for us:at what price orthodoxy? When do we uphold the Truth, and when do we prioritize kindness? Of course, Love is an evangelical virtue, and Truth is a transcendental attribute of Being--so it's an odd juxtaposition. But the question faces us daily--in conversation and in controversy.

But the issue St Cyril faced--is Jesus God or Man, or both, and how?--shaped the way the Faith is put into words. And we hold fast to it . . ."God from God" . . . ."and was made Man" . . . as the formula for the Faith that was shaped at Ephesus. And that Faith shapes us.

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