The Importance of the Holy Scripture within the Canonical Tradition of the Orthodox Church

Abstract

This paper examines the views of Orthodox canonists on the relationship between the Holy Scripture and Canon Law in current academic research. It explores two general positions within Orthodox Canon Law: one that considers the Holy Scripture as a fundamental source of Canon Law, and another that postulates a conflict between the principles of love and grace found in Scripture and the legal aspects of Canon Law. The first position categorizes the Holy Scripture as divine written law, while the Holy Tradition is seen as divine unwritten law. The sources of law are further classified into fundamental, historical, and practical sources. The division of Canon Law also includes distinctions such as divine or natural Church Law, common law versus law, and old law versus new law. The text references various canonists and their works to support these classifications. It highlights the understanding of contemporary Orthodox canonists who continue to recognize the Holy Scripture as a source of divine written law, emphasizing the importance of formulating human laws by divine justice. In general, it is emphasized that all the canons of the Church included in the fundamental collection, being regarded as an essential part of the Patristic tradition and the synodal manifestation of the Church, can be understood as manifestations of the ecclesial experience across time and space, guided by the divine grace of the Holy Spirit, and as a continuation of biblical rules and norms.