Neither shalt thou reduce

Sunday... Time to think over commandments or (for intellectuals) to suggest some new commandment. For example, can we suppose that Eastern Christianity is based on induction and Western one -- in deduction? Civilization of Pseudo-Areopagit, this Plato in Christian clothes, against the civilization of Mr. Holms.

Deduction and induction are not the only one or even most widespread ways of thinking. Reduction is much more common. Homo Sapiens tend do identify the phenomena with its reasons and sources. For example, I am reading now Hugh Wybrew, The Orthodox Liturgy, SPCK, 1989, now translated into Russian. Author is an Anglican pastor with large sympathies to Eastern Orthodoxy. He addresses his co-believers and explains that icons appeared as continuation of the ancient Roman tradition of making portraits of ancestors and of imperial officials.

The first (ancestors) is important, because icons became especially widespread after prohibition of the veneration of ancestors in the beginning of V c. The second reason (cult of emperor) was even more important, because it explains the lack of interest to individuality in icons. The level of sanctity is more important that human features. Symbolism etc.

I don't think this explains anything in the modern Eastern Christian veneration of icons. At least in Russia faithful are convicted than icons are real and realistic portraits of the saints in the heavenly transfiguration. This is naive, but this naivety is the fact more real than psychology of the third or fifth centuries. So don't let present be reduced to historical roots.Thou shalt not reduce.

The same commandment is useful for those Eastern Orthodox (or Roman Catholics) who still think that any Protestant can be reduced to the Lutheranian struggle with indulgences and other small pleasures of Church life.

Oh, yes, and news from Russia: I am glad to say that many Russians (myself included) are very glad to see Mr. Pavel Borodin imprisoned in New York for stealing 25.000.000.00$ from Russian Treasury. For people in the desert it is very pleasant to know that there is water somewhere. For people in unlawful state - that there is justice at least abroad. Gloating delight, but it is still a pleasure, and not very small.