Clann Donald
10th February 2004, 07:26 PM
This is a question concerning the possibility of an acceptable theological opinion...
It seems that many Christians believe that before the New Covenant was established, all gentiles thoughout the earth were bound to observe the full Law of Moses given to Israel and were guilty of sin for not obeying that Law in its fullest extent as it was applied to the people of Israel.
Is this dogma for Orthodoxy? Is the matter undefined? Or is the matter defined but with the another approach, let me explain...
Orthodox Judaism has long taught that all the earth is to live by the Law of Moses - HOWEVER - they also teach that the Law of Moses has different commandments for different people groups. The gentiles, unlike Israel, were only bound by the Law of the Covenant of Noah - a Law for the gentiles explained to Israel at Mt Sinai, and that the "priesthood" of the nation of Israel involved "evangelizing" the nations by brining them to repent and live by God's Divine Law for them.
Enter my question: Is it an acceptable theological opinion for an Orthodox Christian to believe something along these lines? For example, could an Orthodox Christian believe that gentiles were never guilty of "sin" by eating pork? However, gentiles have always been guilty of sin by doing something, like for example, murder.
Thanks!
It seems that many Christians believe that before the New Covenant was established, all gentiles thoughout the earth were bound to observe the full Law of Moses given to Israel and were guilty of sin for not obeying that Law in its fullest extent as it was applied to the people of Israel.
Is this dogma for Orthodoxy? Is the matter undefined? Or is the matter defined but with the another approach, let me explain...
Orthodox Judaism has long taught that all the earth is to live by the Law of Moses - HOWEVER - they also teach that the Law of Moses has different commandments for different people groups. The gentiles, unlike Israel, were only bound by the Law of the Covenant of Noah - a Law for the gentiles explained to Israel at Mt Sinai, and that the "priesthood" of the nation of Israel involved "evangelizing" the nations by brining them to repent and live by God's Divine Law for them.
Enter my question: Is it an acceptable theological opinion for an Orthodox Christian to believe something along these lines? For example, could an Orthodox Christian believe that gentiles were never guilty of "sin" by eating pork? However, gentiles have always been guilty of sin by doing something, like for example, murder.
Thanks!