A Modest Proposal

For the past quarter century, I have been a some time communicant and full time attendant at St. Andrew Russian Catholic Church. For all of that time, I have been informed in the ways of Eastern Christianity, by participation in the services at St. Andrew's as a cantor, choir member, and choir director, as well as study of Eastern Christianity, both self directed and under the direction of my spiritual father, Archimandrite Alexei Smith.

While I make no claims of being “Orthodox in Union with Rome” (a claim, by the bye, which I hold in the same regard as I do such items as “kosher bacon”, or such matters as current “academic freedom”), I will say that St. Andrew Church has been given the highest accolades (in writing) by His Grace, Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) of the OCA, and (in my presence) by Archimandrite Robert Taft, during his extended visit to St. Andrew's last year. I therefore have nothing to prove, at least about my sources of knowledge for matters Eastern and Orthodox.

But for all of that, and for all of the quarter century that I have been at St. Andrew's, I have been aware of the tension between East and West, between Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Each has made extensive and repeated claims that each is the center, if not the fullness, of Christ's Church on earth.

In my heart of hearts, I know that it is time for me to try to find which Church is the center and fullness of Christ's Church on earth.

In doing so, I know that I may well imperil my soul by my choice. The very word, 'choice', in Greek, is haeresis, or heresy. I also know from my own experience that things that I was sure of in my youth, or even a few years ago, I have later found to be mistaken. The possibility exists that because of my all-too-fallible nature, I am all-too-apt to err, no matter what or who I choose.

But I can not stay in the place where I am, not without more examination of matters. As Nicodemus, the wise rat in The Rats of NIMH said, “We can no longer live as rats. We know too much.”

On the other hand, I can not follow the example of all too many traddies, or other post-modern Protestants, who decide on the basis of their own judgment what or whom they are to follow. In that way leads madness. Or Protestantism. Or both.

Instead, I will take the counsel of Confucius, who said, “When carving a hammer, the model is in one's hand.” This I take to mean that when one engages in any labor, one should make use of that which has been given in the past. I know that the great saints of the past, whether of East or of West, have engaged in prayer and fasting, work and study, in order to achieve, through the grace of God, their theosis. I shall therefore attempt to follow their example, and to pursue my studies with work, prayer, and fasting.

I shall also attempt to find that which is common to both Churches, and in which they differ. Most importantly, and in this context, I shall base my studies on Sacred Scripture, Holy Tradition, and the conciliar and papal magisteria, in common with the Roman Catholic Church. But in common with Orthodoxy, I shall be guided by Holy Tradition, which encompasses Sacred Scripture, the Fathers, and the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

Thus, I shall start with the study of Scripture, as guided by the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the Church Fathers, working my way forward in time. But I shall also work backwards, studying what the Roman Church calls the other 'Ecumenical Councils', and the encyclicals and other writings of the Bishops of Rome, from the present to the past. I shall also be studying the textbooks of Holy Trinity Orthodox School, so as better to learn the Orthodox complaints as to the Roman Church.

As an aside, one would have to be blind not to have noticed that in the Western Churches (primarily Roman Catholic, but also Anglican, Reformed, and general Protestant), a crisis, rather like a great storm, has been abrewing for the last century or so. Many, if not all, of these Churches, have been on the verge of shipwreck, if they have not in fact foundered. And likewise, for the past century, the Eastern Churches have suffered persecution on a scale not seen since the beginnings of Christianity. My studies will include an inquiry as regards why these crises from within, and why these persecutions from without, are ongoing.

I foresee that if I continue to pursue these studies, I will arrive at the following outcomes: I will find: 1) that the Roman Church is the Center; 2) that the Orthodox Churches are the Center; 3) that neither Roman nor Orthodox Churches are the Center; or 4) that in some way beyond my present understanding, both Roman and Orthodox Churches somehow participate in the Center of Christ's Church.

If you, O gentle reader, should have any advice as to my future course of studies, I will be happy to read it. And if you should happen to pray for me, and for my studies, I would most appreciate it.

But please, do not try to draw me into the polemics that have been in process for the last millenium or so between Eastern and Western Churches. Feel free to state the ways in which the Roman and Orthodox Churches differ. Also, feel free to show examples of continuity or discontinuity from the time of the Apostles or the Fathers and the present warring Churches.

But don't bother telling me that you are no longer Catholic or Orthodox because of some betrayal you suffered at the hands of some Catholic or Orthodox bishop, priest, or deacon. Yeah, it happens. As a matter of fact, I too have suffered from both allegedly Catholic or Orthodox clergy. But in my not so humble opinion, that's a piss poor reason for abandoning the Church you were born or raised in. It is basically an ad hominem argument, and I will not countenance such. That means YOU, Martin Luther, Rod Dreher or Modestinus.

Of more interest to me is an attempt to demonstrate causes which result in certain effects. After all, Our Lord said of prophets, false or otherwise, “By their fruits shall ye know them.” For example, what were the results of the West's adoption of the Filioque? When and why did the West adopt the doctrines of papal infallibility and authority, and why did the East reject such doctrines? Did the crises in the Roman Church result from the Second Vatican Council, or did they simply happen after that Council?

Finally, I would recommend that those making such demonstrations do so on their own web pages or weblogs, and link to them in my comments page. Thus, my comments section will not be locked up, and you will have more traffic to your webpage, etc.

Watch this space. Change is afoot.