Certain Eastern Orthodox "traditionalists" have insisted that Christ's sacrifice of the cross was not for the sins of the world, given that He already forgave sins before the crucifixion. But I know that in the Divine Liturgy of Saint James, we refer to Christ's "atoning blood." Do Eastern Orthodox Christians not believe that Christ's sacrifice was for the remission of sins?
Peace.
If you really want to know the Orthodox Faith and what we believe it would probably be more expedient to read St. John of Damascus' "Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith"
If you read through this and can agree with everything there then perhaps it is time to find an Orthodox priest and begin to talk about how to be received into the Church.
If you read it and can not agree then at least you'll understand why you are not Orthodox.
May God enlighten you+
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Priest Mark Smith
British Columbia
Thank you for the red herring.
Isa 53:5
But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Mat 26:28
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Rom 3:24
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25
Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Hbr 9:15
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hbr 9:16
For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Hbr 9:17
For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Hbr 9:18
Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood.
Hbr 9:19
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Hbr 9:20
Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Hbr 9:21
Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Hbr 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Peace.
If you read through this and can agree with everything there then perhaps it is time to find an Orthodox priest and begin to talk about how to be received into the Church.
Everything? Oddly enough, I've never met an Orthodox Christian who claimed that the Holy Canons supposedly written by Clement of Rome was part of the New Testament Canon, as John of Damascus claimed. Besides, John is way too repetitive, especially in the first 3 books. Sort of like a patristic version of the synoptic gospels! 
I will give John credit on two things though, he does sum up pretty well the traditions up to his time; and he also explores a couple ideas not usually seen elsewhere, such as the idea that only God is truly and totally immaterial, and thus all of creation (even angels) are material to some extent or another. Of course, this also means that the soul would have to be material to some extent, though John didn't pursue that particular belief (for obvious reasons).
The New Testament contains four gospels, that according to Matthew, that according to Mark, that according to Luke, that according to John: the Acts of the Holy Apostles by Luke the Evangelist; seven catholic epistles, viz. one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; fourteen letters of the Apostle Paul; the Revelation of John the Evangelist; the Canons of the holy apostles, by Clement. - Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, 4, 17
An angel, then, is an intelligent essence, in perpetual motion, with free-will, incorporeal, ministering to God, having obtained by grace an immortal nature: and the Creator alone knows the form and limitation of its essence. But all that we can understand is, that it is incorporeal and immaterial. For all that is compared with God Who alone is incomparable, we find to be dense and material. For in reality only the Deity is immaterial and incorporeal. - Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, 2, 3
Pensees wrote:Do Eastern Orthodox Christians believe in atonement or not?
Michael yes we do!
However there are dangerous heretics like Prof Romanides who dont and their pioson has infected even Traditionalist jurisdictions. Infact those who reject the teaching that Christ's podvig on the Cross was a Sacrafice offered to the Holy Trinity are under anathema! See my posting on the Traditional Orthodox Churches part of this forum on why HOCNA isnt Orthodox for more information on this.
If you want to find out what we believe in this area the best place to go is St Symeon the New Theologian's homilies on the First Created Man that were brought out by the St Herman's Brotherhood and translated by Fr Seraphim Rose.
Theophan.
