"What is a Spiritual Father?" Priest Daniel Sysoev by mission shop

Priest

Daniel SYSOEV Talks on The First and Second Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians

II WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL FATHER?

Daniel Sysoev Inc.

New Jersey, 2016

Approved for publication by the Publications Board of the Russian Orthodox Church PB Р15-505-0293 Priest Daniel Sysoev. What Is a Spiritual Father? Talks on the First and Second Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. In 12 books. Book 2. — New Jersey, Daniel Sysoev Inc, 2016. — 144 pp. ISBN 978-5-4279-0062-3

This edition is dedicated to the ﬁve-year anniversary of the author's martyric death. What is true spiritual fatherhood? Spiritual care and concern for a person, working to ensure that Christ is born in his heart. How to tell a pastor from a hireling. Advice to those seeking a spiritual father. Protected by copyright law. Reproduction of this book in whole or in part is prohibited. Any violations of this law will be prosecuted.

CONTENTS Faithful Witnesses of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Self-satisfaction and Humility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Traits of a Spiritual Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation . . . . . . . . . . 37 What Sins Does God Not Forgive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Forbidden Lawsuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Man as the Judge of Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Pleasure as a Side Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 What Are Sins Against the Body? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

A good pilot saves the ship, and a good shepherd quickens and cures his ailing sheep. Saint John Climacus

FAITHFUL WITNESSES OF CHRIST

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God (1 Cor. 4:1—5). In this chapter the apostle concludes his rebuke of the Corinthians for dividing into parties. He describes how the apostles ought to be regarded, for the parties were banding under the apostles’ names. There was a party of Peter, a party of Paul, a party of Apollos. How then should the apostles be regarded, according to the apostle Paul? Let men consider us, the apostles, to be ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries, or sacraments, of God. In Greek the word for “mystery” and “sacrament” is one and the same. Here the apostle is saying, “Who are we? We are servants and stewards of Christ.” 5

What is a Spiritual Father?

Imagine a person with a large house, a huge estate—in modern terms, a large business. Naturally, the owner must not be a micromanager. He appoints servants—administrators, executive directors, managers at various levels. He appoints them to run his affairs, acting in his interests. But the director, the servant, and the steward own nothing. The owner appoints them to run the business in his interests. In the same way the apostles and the bishops, their successors, are servants and stewards of the sacraments of God. Why “sacraments”? God’s primary goal is to remake the whole man. And it is this very remaking that mystically takes place by certain mysterious means that we call sacraments. A person becomes filled with the mysterious power of God Himself, called grace. And this grace begins remaking a person under the guidance of priests and bishops. But the priest and the bishop are no more than a servant and a steward. Here an important point arises. Let us digress for a moment from the words of the apostle. Here he is describing the proper occupation of bishops and apostles. Frequently arguments flare up: in what language should 6

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

the services be conducted? Is it permissible to change the order of the divine services? The answer is very simple. The apostle Paul says that the stewards of the sacraments of God are in charge of this. Who is entrusted with the task of overseeing the Church and its sacramental life? The successors of the apostlesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;namely, the bishops. Not the priests, of course, who have no authority to do anything unless permitted by the bishop. It is the bishops who are in charge of how the service order is to be changed, in what language we serve, and how the rites of the sacraments of God are to be performed. The sacrament itself, its form or the means by which it is performed, is given us by God. But how this is put into practice is a matter for the bishops to decide. For example, a bishop, as you know, may write a new liturgy. For this reason in the early Church there were many liturgies. For example, in the 4th and 5th centuries there were as many as 80 liturgies. To this day dozens of ancient liturgies survive. All of them are linked by a common understanding of the common apostolic standard for the sacrament. But the textual content, i.e., how the sacrament is presented, is dependent on the bishop. 7

What is a Spiritual Father?

In the same way, a bishop may change the order of divine services, for example. This is his express privilege, his right. He may lengthen the service, or he may abbreviate it. This is entirely in his hands. For this reason when people begin shouting, “Oh, what a terrible bishop! He shortened the service!” we should recall the words of Gregory the Theologian, who said, “Sheep, pasture not your shepherds.” Thus, there are things that a bishop is simply obligated to do: he uses his own judgment in deciding how best to shepherd the Church of God, managing its economy. He is the steward. Suppose a person is an ordinary employee at a factory, and when the director decides to make certain changes to the manufacturing process, the employee comes and says, “You’re doing everything all wrong!” On the other hand, suppose the bishop is indeed acting wrongly? For this we have the council of bishops, to which he is subject, and which correct him if he is in error. But laymen have never had authority in the Church, since the Lord never gave it to them. It is precisely for this reason that there are those to whom authority is entrusted, and those from whom authority will be required. 8

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

It is extremely important that everything be in its place. The apostle says, Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1). The bishop is a minister of Christ and a steward of the sacraments of God. Standing before God he determines what is right and what is wrong. There are things for which all Christians without exception are answerable. These are dogma and the commandments—the faith and the commandments. Every Christian is obligated to guard the purity of the faith, both his own and that of others. Every Christian is obligated to keep the commandments. No one— neither bishop, nor priest, nor patriarch, nor council—may change the commandments or the faith. But the management of church life is specifically entrusted to the bishops. As Saint John of Damascus wrote in his fourth letter to the Africans, “The Church of God is entrusted to the bishops.” And even the apostle Paul writes explicitly concerning this, as you see. The apostle goes on to say that the most important thing required of stewards—i.e., of 9

What is a Spiritual Father?

the apostles and their successors—is that they be faithful not to the people, but to God. This is a matter of fundamental importance! In actuality every Christian serves God. The bishop likewise serves God in his own capacity. The apostles also serve God in their capacity, as do the priests, and the laity. Each serves God in his own capacity! In serving God the steward must always act in accordance with the commandments of God. Theophan the Recluse says this: “As a rich householder has servants and stewards in his house, administrators of various tasks, so also the Lord Jesus Christ—the Master of all spiritual treasures of the human race—has servants and stewards to whom He has entrusted the distribution of His treasures and the ordering of His work on earth: the salvation of men through planting churches everywhere. Such are we. But as servants and stewards in the house of the master have nothing of their own, but all things belong to their lord, so also we have nothing of our own, but all things belong to Christ. And as servants and stewards can do nothing by their own volition, but must do only what and as their lord has commanded, so also we can do nothing by our own will and 10

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

reasoning, but rather we do everything as the Lord has commandedâ&#x20AC;? [2]. This is what is most important of all. When a bishop writes a liturgy, for example, it must be grounded not in his own inclination, but in the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commandments. This is why the canons are given for the bishops. We laymen, of course, may and must know them, since they concern us as well, but it is the bishops, and not we, who have the authority to change them. This is very important, since many take a twofold stance regarding the church canons. There are two incorrect attitudes. The first incorrect attitude is this: absolute obedience to the canons is an impossible dream. The truth is that the canons establish a certain standard. This is the point of their existence. They are the standard, the measure, the ruler, if you will, against which all things are checked. But there is a second point of view: that the canons are the laws of the Church, independent of the bishops. Here one must remember that even in secular society it is the courts that have the authority to interpret the law. And who is in charge of the ecclesiastical court? The bishops! It is they that have the right to apply a given 11

What is a Spiritual Father?

canon to a given situation. For example, for having an abortion a person is to be barred from Communion for seven years. So state the canons of the Church. However, the bishop has the right to determine whether or not it is beneficial to impose this penalty. Naturally, if a person comes to church for the first time and is promptly barred from Communion for seven years, this will not be beneficial, since that person will simply never come back to church: the person’s soul will be lost. After all, the goal of the bishops’ actions is to be the stewards of the sacraments of God and to save people. As Patriarch Sergius says, one must imitate the Savior’s love for mankind. On the other hand, if a person who is a Christian loses all shame and says, “I don’t care; I’m having an abortion,” it will be a very good thing indeed for that person to be barred from communion for a few years. For the person is brazenly violating the commandments of God. Do you see the difference? The canon remains—i.e., the measure of evil is determined—but it is the bishop who decides how it is applied, depending on the person’s inner state. This is only natural, because a canon is not an axe for cutting down. It is a means of healing and transfiguring a person. 12

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

By way of example, there was an instance in the 12th century. A certain soldier had murdered his wife with an axe. Three months later the bishop restored him to communion. According to the canons, however, the man ought to have been barred from communion for fifteen to twenty years. The church council summoned the bishop and asked why he had done so. The bishop said that he had the authority to apply the canons as he saw fit. To this the council replied that he certainly had the authority, but not to the point of such absurdity. The canons still had to be applied appropriately. The council countermanded the bishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision, and barred the soldier from communion for fifteen years. The bishop himself was suspended for three months, to bring him to his senses. The apostle goes on to say, Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:2). Here he is explaining: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A steward is not required to ingratiate himself with his subordinates, nor to threaten them. He is required to be faithful to his master. This is the most important positive trait in a steward.â&#x20AC;? Imagine an accountant who thinks that his most important task is to be as popular as possible among his subordinates, and 13

What is a Spiritual Father?

that keeping accounts, keeping track of money, is very low on his list of priorities. God will swiftly remove a person like this from his post. The task of a steward before the Master is simply to be faithful! Theophan says, “If we are the builders and stewards of Christ, all our efforts must be directed toward faithfully performing the tasks entrusted to us. In this lies all our merit. The faithful builder neither appropriates nor conceals anything belonging to his lord, but rather distributes it as he has been commanded, and tells everyone that this is not his own wealth, but his lord’s. Likewise, faithfulness in the work of God lies in ‘not appropriating what belongs to the Lord, and not ascribing it to oneself in place of the Lord, but acting as a steward. For the work of the steward is to do well what has been entrusted to him, not calling what is the Lord’s his own, but rather ascribing what is his to the Lord’” [2]. Everyone who possesses a gift for words or owns certain property must understand that these gifts are entrusted to him by the Lord, and they are not his own. Let him not withhold them for or ascribe them to himself, but let him ascribe them to God, Who bestows all things. As 14

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

Chrysostom and Theophan the Recluse explain here, above all else no leader of the Church must ever ascribe divine attributes to himself. This is a very important point, which the Synod recently confirmed by its decision on December 28, 1999, that no priest has the right to ascribe things Divine to himself. He must fight against socalled “junior eldership,” in which people lead others to themselves instead of to God. The chief mark of junior eldership is the same as it was in Corinth: “That priest is bad, ugly, crooked; don’t go to him. Only listen to me. If you listen only to me, you will be saved.” Whoever talks like this is no longer a spiritual steward. He is a thief. He is ascribing Divine grace to himself. Thus, the apostle goes on to say, But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self (1 Cor. 4:3). This is a very important principle: the bishop and the priest must not care in the least what other people think of them. This principle actually sets a person free, making him independent of his flock in the best sense of the word. He is free to not ingratiate himself with his flock, but to act according to the Lord’s commandments. For this reason the apostle Paul 15

What is a Spiritual Father?

says, “I do not care at all what anyone thinks of me. I do not even judge myself. For the power of judgment does not belong to men. The power of judgment naturally belongs to the Lord God, not to me or you.” Theophan interprets these words thus: “This is how we ought to be judged! Specifically by how faithful we are to the Lord Who has entrusted His work to us. And who can judge this but the Lord Himself?” [2]. This faithfulness is naturally of the utmost importance. He is faithful, and He alone can determine to what degree a person has justified His trust by faithfulness to his task. “These are not your criteria for judging us; hence, your judgment is nothing,” says the apostle Paul. “Even if you judged differently and did not rebuke me, but rather praised me to the skies, this too would be of no import whatsoever. I say this confidently as I look upon these judgments. Whether you judge me, or whether others begin to judge me and determine my worth, is a small matter to me. I do not even judge myself or determine my own worth.” This he says not because he despises people, but because human judgment is never accurate by definition. 16

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

Human judgment cannot be accurate, because man is not given this power. This is why the apostle says, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord (1 Cor. 4:3—4). “Therefore I know nothing of my own self; my conscience accuses me of nothing. As for you all, I have done what I could. I have done all that was necessary. I have passed on to you all that was necessary. I have prayed for you as was necessary. But I do not believe that I am justified by this, because the Lord is my judge. It is His opinion that matters to me. Even my own opinion does not matter to me.” Whether you are worthy or unworthy of the Kingdom of God, this the Lord knows. The Lord judges us. Hear the edifying words of Saint Chrysostom concerning this passage: “Together with all other ills, I know not how, there has come upon man’s nature the disease of restless prying and of unseasonable curiosity, which Christ Himself chastised, saying, Judge not, that you be not judged (Mt. 7:1). A kind of thing, which has no pleasure as all other sins have, but only punishment and vengeance. For though we are ourselves full of 17

What is a Spiritual Father?

ten thousand evils, and bearing the beams in our own eyes, we become exact inquisitors of the offenses of our neighbor which are not at all bigger than motes (Mt. 7:3). And so this matter at Corinth was falling out. Religious men and dear to God were ridiculed and cast out for their want of learning; while others, brimful of evils innumerable, were classed highly because of their fluent speech. Then like persons sitting in public to try causes, these were the sort of votes they kept rashly passing: such an one is worthy: such an one is better than such another; this man is inferior to that; that, better than this. And, leaving off to mourn for their own bad ways, they had become judges of others; and in this way again were kindling grievous warfareâ&#x20AC;? [2]. This malady of partisanship was born of others. This is why the apostle says severely, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Cor. 4:5). The apostle is saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wait a bit; wait for the coming of the Lord. Make no judgments 18

Faithful Witnesses of Christ

of anyone. Do not judge concerning anyone until the Lord appears. Then by His light He will bring all secret things to light—secret works that were hidden from men, secret thoughts, whether evil thoughts or good, secret good works, secret evil works. Then each will have praise from God.” Why praise? He says that there you chose who was more worthy and who was less so, who was exalted and who was less so. “Each will receive praise at the proper time, and the Lord will give to each his praise and his due. But some,” Paul adds, “may indeed receive praise, but of the opposite kind”—praise in the ironic sense of the word. The Lord will “praise” you for your contentiousness, apparently most thoroughly. And He will bring to light the secret things of darkness. Much lies concealed behind the curtain of men’s works. Some people are maligned by all, yet within them treasure is hid. The reverse can also happen: some people enjoy acclaim, yet inside them much that is bad lies hidden. For this reason the apostle says, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of 19

What is a Spiritual Father?

darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you (1 Cor. 4:5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14). 20

Self-satisfaction and Humility

SELF-SATISFACTION AND HUMILITY

Here the apostle moves on to an explicit and blistering rebuke of the Corinthians. He says, And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes (1 Cor. 4:6). Who are we really? We are stewards. And God is our judge! Therefore it is not for you to judge us, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another (1 Cor. 4:6). Sometimes people attempt to say that soand-so is a good person because he is a patriot, or because he is a cosmopolitan. What difference does it make? No earthly things whatsoever should be introduced into the Church of God. Here you should not evaluate all these things, so that you might learn not to give your mind to thoughts beyond what is fitting. If you have succeeded in doing something good for the brethren, consider yourselves mere servants through whom God acted. Consider yourselves to be nothing. In no way preempt the judgment of God. 21

What is a Spiritual Father?

Suppose a bodily organ begins rapidly increasing in size. What does this mean? It means there is a tumor—“a tumor filled with noxious liquid,” Chrysostom says [1]. The organ enlarges and begins to swell, if it is filled with foul liquid. This is why the apostle Paul says, “Do not be puffed up against each other. You become puffed up because you are filled with rotting liquid.” What rotting liquid? That of sin—of self-love, condemnation, boasting, condemnation. Yet the Lord forbade this! Do you boast and quarrel among yourselves? This is why you become puffed up! This is why you become arrogant and begin trampling one another. The apostle goes on to denounce them explicitly: For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? He is speaking to the ringleaders. “So you’re different, you have a gift for words. You give excellent speeches. You have certain special gifts of grace. But from whom did you receive them? From God. Now since you have received them freely, on loan, why do you boast as though this were your own property? Why do you ascribe God’s glory to yourselves?” 22

Self-satisfaction and Humility

The apostle then says, Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you (1 Cor. 4:8). Here the apostle is speaking ironically: “You have only received a little, yet you are already as though in the Kingdom of Heaven? You need nothing else. And you need learn nothing else. You already know everything.” There is a certain phenomenon where people study the Word of God for a year or two, then say, “Oh, we already know everything.” Personally, no matter how much I read Scripture I learn something new every time. Yet people say, “We know everything. We certainly won’t learn anything new!” It is of these that the apostle says, “You are already full. You are already rich. You think you’ve already found your way to the Heavenly Kingdom, don’t you? You need nothing more whatsoever.” Saint Theophan explains this in the words of blessed Theodoret: “Christ truly reigns, and His servants are the communicants of His kingdom. But the apostle uses this expression intending by his humility to humble the pride of [the party leaders]. ‘As it were: for your sake 23

What is a Spiritual Father?

the kingdom is given to us; perhaps we too will be vouchsafed this gift. For it is just that the teachers be where the students are, and not lag behind them’” [2]. “We too sincerely wish to reign together with you, in the true Kingdom of Heaven. It would best if this were as it is in reality, and not as you have fantasized. And you think of your party leaders, who hide behind our names. Look and see: who are we really? Do your leaders behave as we do? For God has set forth us the apostles last, as men condemned to die.” What does “last” mean here? The last apostles? Here the apostle is also called the last because he is the harbinger of the end. The apostles are the last apostles because they herald the end of time. As of the Lord’s coming and His victory over death the end of time has finally arrived. Today this time is the time of the world’s end. We constantly live as people condemned to death. “Here you go around boasting, dividing into your various parties,” says the apostle. “But we have no time for that. We are as though sentenced to death.” Imagine you have been sentenced to death. You know that at any moment your throat may be cut. 24

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Do you think you will have time to discuss your party affiliations? You most certainly will not! God ordered that we be as men condemned to death because we have become a theater for the world, for both angels and men. Picture the theater of ancient Greeceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;enormous benches placed in a circle, and in the center, on a platform, stand the accused, doomed to death, the prey of wild beasts. The apostles are in that very place! When they preach, all eyes are on them! Some think them insane, others are enthralled, and others mock them. Theophan the Recluse quotes Saint John Chrysostom: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The apostle is saying, as it were: I proclaim that the present time is not a time of honor and glory, but of persecution and sorrow. I see that we apostles are despised above all others and condemned to endure constant tribulations. Those who sow the seed of the preaching of piety God has revealed to be the last, as though condemned to death and deserving of every kind of deathâ&#x20AC;? [2]. The Lord appointed them as though they deserved this, so as to reward them through their being sentenced to death. For the world their teaching is foolishness, but in actuality 25

What is a Spiritual Father?

the suffering of the apostles is their glory. For this reason the church hymns proclaim that the Church is adorned with the blood of the apostles and the martyrs as with costly purple. Here the apostle Paul is saying, “In appearance the apostles are degraded and dispossessed; they have no homeland, nor anything else at all; frequently they even have no home. But in actuality what the apostles and preachers of the Gospel are doing is of universal significance.” “But the apostles are thus—so degraded and dispossessed—only in appearance. In actuality what they are doing is of universal significance” [2]. Indeed, one who converts people to Christianity changes the fates of the universe. Hence, the uninitiated think that grace is nonsense, while for the angels it is a subject of rapture and joy. Incidentally, evil angels likewise see this and react violently. They do not laugh, but aggressively oppose the spreading of the Holy Gospel, because their kingdom is crumbling. “People who are unenlightened by grace do not see this. The enlightened can see it if they cast off their worldly concepts of the grace or 26

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gracelessness of external states. But the angels indisputably see it. The evil see it because their kingdom is being despoiled, and the good see it because their task is to promote the spread of the kingdom of good, which is their ever-present joy” [2]. Further on the apostle says that we are foolish for Christ’s sake, while you are wise in Christ: We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ (1 Cor. 4:10). We are foolish for the Lord’s sake. Our teaching is complete insanity. A crucified God? How is that possible?! It is nonsense! Fiction! But ye are wise in Christ. This can be understood two ways. On the one hand the apostle may be simply continuing his ironic tone, saying, “You think yourselves so wise that you can fight amongst yourselves, because you are so smart.” On the other hand this may be understood as Theophan understands it: “You are indeed wise in Christ”—the knowledge you have received has come to you through us from Christ. You know where we came from and where we are going. We know who we are, we know how we are saved, we know what awaits us in the future. 27

What is a Spiritual Father?

“You have received our word, you have believed, you have cleaved to the Lord and become wise in Christ, wise with true wisdom, which no-one in the world has besides those who believe. See how everything has become clear for you: you know Who God is, what this world is, how it began and how it will end, what man is and what his purpose is, where evil comes from and how to heal it, and so on. Who in the world knows this so well as you?!” [2]. We have wisdom in Christ, but this wisdom came to us from those whom the world considers mad, i.e., from the apostles. The apostle says, We are weak, but ye are strong (1 Cor. 4:10). We are weak, we are defenseless, we have no political clout, we are not constantly guarded by federal security agents, we are not transported in armored cars; any person could beat us, throw us in prison, or simply kill us. But you are strong, because the power of God has come into you. To this end we labor. We are weak specifically so that the power of God might come to dwell in you—that very power that entered into us, which you truly experience—healing, regenerative, transformative power. 28

Self-satisfaction and Humility

The apostle says, Ye are honourable, but we are despised (1 Cor. 4:10). And he continues: Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our own hands (1 Cor. 4:11—12). The apostle says: Even now as I write to you I am sitting hungry, and often I have nothing to drink, and my clothing is tattered; I am beaten and literally thrown out of people’s houses, and sometimes I have no place to spend the night. And we labor, working with our own two hands to keep ourselves fed. We have taken nothing from you; we provide for our own food. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it (1 Cor. 4:12). So you fight amongst yourselves, do you? Why, people berate us and shower us with abuse, yet we invoke blessings upon them. When we are persecuted we hold fast to patience, and when we are slandered we console: Being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat (1 Cor. 4:12–13). People shower us with abuse and call us foul names, yet we begin to console people. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day (1 Cor. 4:13). 29

What is a Spiritual Father?

TRAITS OF A SPIRITUAL FATHER

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you (1 Cor. 4:14). Why does the apostle do this? Not merely in order to shame them, but to correct them as his beloved children! I love you as my children, the apostle says. I have begotten you in Christ, I have converted you, I have baptized you in the holy font. Hence you are my children, and I wish to correct you, not to offend, insult, or degrade you. For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Today our word instructor means an ordinary school teacher. But originally the word rendered here as instructor did not mean a teacher. Rather, it meant a person who conducts children to school to ensure that they do not run away and skip lessons. This is the task of the instructor, and so a literal translation would be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;child conductorâ&#x20AC;?, one who escorts children. Ordinarily instructors were massive slaves who served as guards, who would grab a child by the scruff of the neck and walk him to the teacher. And the people who will lead you to God may number in the tens of thousands. 30

Traits of a Spiritual Father

But you have not many fathers, the apostle Paul says; there are few who have truly begotten you. For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Incidentally, people frequently ask why priests are called fathers in Christianity. There is an explicit biblical reason for this. The fact is, the bishop or priest is a guardian—one who begets a person in Christ. He looks after the person, seeing to it that he grows in Christ, that he become Christ-like, that the image of God be renewed in him, that Christ be born in his heart, that Divine life be engendered in him. This is true spiritual fatherhood. This is why the apostle Paul says: Such fathers are few; I am a father to you in Christ Jesus. I.e., I have begotten you in Christ, not by myself, not through my own Gospel, but through the Gospel of Christ I have begotten you! Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me as I am of Christ (1 Cor. 4:16). The apostle is saying: If I am your spiritual father, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Imitate me in what? In enduring sorrows, in withstanding trials, as I endure them for Christ’s sake—taking comfort when people slander me, enduring 31

What is a Spiritual Father?

it when I am called names and praying for my abusers. Imitate me in what I do, says the apostle Paul, as I imitate Christ. In this sense it is no accident that the Lord has given us numerous saints, so that by their example we might come to Christ, and so that by imitating them we might imitate Christ the Savior. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church (1 Cor. 4:17). That is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I heard of your disagreements, since I could not come myself I have sent my beloved child Timothy on before me, so that he might remind you what I teach everywhere, in all the churches.â&#x20AC;? At that time the apostle was tied up with affairs in Ephesus, as he had to strengthen the Church of Ephesus. For this reason he sent Timothy on before him, so that he might prepare them and remind them what the apostle Paul had taught them in all the churches. Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 32

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What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? (1 Cor. 4:18–21). Here the apostle is saying, “I have a purpose in not coming to you myself yet. I am waiting. Since I have been gone you have begun rebelling like little children.” You know how it is: when the parents are gone the children begin bouncing off the walls. The same was true of the Corinthians: as soon as the apostle left they went to pieces. “Shame on you!” the apostle is saying. “And since I am not coming to you myself, some are puffed up. They are puffed up by self-love, pretentiousness, and their own passions. I will come to you soon if the Lord wills it, and will know not the words of those who are puffed up, but the power.” Some have become puffed up, thinking that they are speaking eloquently, that they are true orators, and entitled to particular respect. But the apostle says, “If you will excuse me, I will test not your oratorical prowess, but your power.” What power? The power of spiritual gifts! For Christianity is built upon power, not upon words—the power of Christ Who saves us. And what is the greatest supernatural gift of God? Love! Love is the greatest of God’s gifts. “And so I will test your gifts, your power, how much 33

What is a Spiritual Father?

love you possess, how much spiritual power you possess,” says the apostle Paul. For everyone loves to talk, but of what sort is the power of your life? Upon what is it built? Upon love? Or upon mutual accusations, when you live to bicker and sulk? ... will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Cor. 4:19—20). Saint Theophan quotes Chrysostom: “Now why do you not seek after ‘the word’? Not because I am wanting in word but because all our doings are ‘in power.’ As therefore in war success is not for those who talk much but those who effect much; so also in this case, not speakers, but doers have the victory. You, says he, are proud of this fine speaking. Well, if it were a contest and a time of orators, you might reasonably be elated thereat: but if of Apostles preaching truth, and by signs confirming the same, why are you puffed up for a thing superfluous and unreal, and to the present purpose utterly inefficient? For what could a display of words avail towards raising the dead, or expelling evil spirits, or working any other such deed of wonder? But these are what we want 34

Traits of a Spiritual Father

now, and by these our cause stands. Whereupon also he adds, For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Cor. 4:20). By signs, says he, not by fine speaking, we have prevailed: and that our teaching is divine and really announces the Kingdom of Heaven we give the greater proof, namely, our signs which we work by the power of the Spirit. If those who are now puffed up desire to be some great ones, as soon as I have come let them show whether they have any such power. And let me not find them sheltering themselves behind a pomp of words: for that kind of art is nothing to usâ&#x20AC;? [2]. But today speech is also important. How so? For a Christian is not required to speak eloquently. Naturally, we too are great hands at talking about Christianity. And we do it so well! One meets the most excellent Christians, all phenomenal theologians, who can eloquently discuss the finer points of theology. But when Christ comes what will He test? He will test whether we have learned the love of God. We have been given true faith, Orthodox faith. How do we stand in that faith? Have we learned to love our neighbors? Have we learned to be patient with others? Have we learned to bless 35

What is a Spiritual Father?

our enemies? For as Saint Silouan of Athos said, whoever lacks prayer for his enemies cannot experience the love of God. The Kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power! What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? (1 Cor. 4:21). The apostle is saying, “My, how brave you all are! What do you think is better: for me to come to you with a stick, a staff, to deal with you properly? Or to come with love and in a spirit of meekness? I can come with a stick if need be; I can simply punish you. But what do you prefer: that I punish you, or that I come to you with love and in a spirit of meekness? It depends on you,” says the apostle. “It depends on your condition. If there are divisions into parties, if the churches are torn apart, then I will come to you with a stick, and each will get his just deserts. But if you mend your ways I will come to you with love and meekness. I would prefer the latter,” says the apostle Paul, “but it is for you to decide.” Thus ends the apostle’s denunciation of divisions. He now moves on to other problems in the Church of Corinth—namely fornication, which had taken root there. 36

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM AND SEXUAL LIBERATION

In the first four chapters the apostle Paul showed the sinfulness of schisms or division in the Church, the sinfulness of establishing parties in the Church. Then the apostle Paul explained what causes this partisan mindset. It arises because people begin ascribing greater importance to human knowledge, or external wisdom, than to Divine Revelation. The apostle Paul describes how God Himself refuted external wisdom as foolish. Then the apostle shows what place the apostles themselves held in the Church: they built, but their work was only to plant, to water, because in all things it is God that is most importantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;God at the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things in the Church. Then the apostle says for people to examine how they are building their lives, whether they are building on the foundation of Christ. The apostle Paul then proceeds to denounce the Corinthians for a terrible sin that they had permitted to exist in their midst. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have 37

What is a Spiritual Father?

his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you (1 Cor. 5:1–2). The apostle is saying, “Here you have become proud and arrogant, boasting that you are all so intelligent, so smart, so wise, all such experts, yet you have permitted such a frightful sin to arise in your midst. Rumor has it that there is among you debauchery of a kind that even the pagans do not have: a man has taken the wife of his father to wife!” That is, after his father’s death a man had married his stepmother! Saint Theophan quotes blessed Theodoret of Cyrus: “He did not say ‘stepmother,’ because this name suggests a certain dislike, but rather his father’s wife, i.e., one who substitutes for his mother, who had relations with his father after his own mother, and had become to his parent the same as she who bore him.” And Oecumenius quotes Saint Photius as saying that “it is reported commonly is the voice of one astounded by this rumor, repulsed and pained by it, as if to say, ‘Oh, the horror!’” Theodoret understood this expression likewise, for regarding the words it is reported commonly he writes, “The apostle gave them sufficiently to see the excessiveness of the 38

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

impropriety; for, he says, this should not even be heard ofâ&#x20AC;? [2]. Note that the apostle directs his words against the whole church. Why? Because it is one thing if a person has fornicated secretly, and quite another if, as in the present case, a person is demonstratively living with his stepmother as his wife, and the church is treating this as normal. For this reason the apostle says that â&#x20AC;&#x153;your sin comes upon you all.â&#x20AC;? It could be said thus: it is one thing when a person conceals his sin. Then his sin remains upon him. The sin naturally destroys the person himself, but it does not extend to others. But when a person imposes that sin as the norm, e.g., openly living in fornication and not concealing this (this is true not only for fornication, but for anything else, including abortion or drunkenness), and when society likewise considers this the norm, this sin comes upon everyone. The prophet Isaiah also says that they declare their sins as do the Sodomites, boasting and having no shame: and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves (Is. 3:9). Hence the apostle Paul reproaches the entire Church of Corinth for this. 39

What is a Spiritual Father?

“[The apostle] makes the reproach of the accusation as general as possible. For he said not, ‘Why did such an one commit fornication?’ but, ‘It is reported that there is fornication among you;’ that they might not as persons altogether aloof from his charge take it easily; but might be filled with such anxiety as was natural when the whole body was wounded, and the Church had incurred reproach” [2]. The apostle goes on to say, “Observe: you show yourselves to be even worse than the pagans. You, who were so proud of having everything, you are so wise, you have such exalted knowledge, you are so great that you can even disregard the apostles, because you have already received everything—you even permit such outright lawlessness, such an outrage.” Blessed Theodoret says that this incestuous individual was none other than one of the leaders of these parties that were tearing apart the Church of Corinth. Regarding this the apostle writes, And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you (1 Cor. 5:2). Instead of weeping for the person who had committed this iniquity to be taken away 40

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

from them, the Corinthians themselves became puffed up with pride and arrogance. Instead of paying attention to the actual sin in their midst and working to combat it, denouncing it and cutting it off, they became puffed up and proud, quarrelling among themselves. And it was their knowledge of which they were proud! The apostle Paul wrote concerning this earlier in this same epistle. The apostle then proceeds to pass judgment: For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:3â&#x20AC;&#x201D;7). The apostle is saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I am not among you in the body, I am present with you in spirit. I am already here, and I pass my 41

What is a Spiritual Father?

judgment on you. I will simply issue my command to you.” Saint Theophan the Recluse writes thus: “An extraordinary court proceeding! The Lord presides, the apostle orchestrates from Ephesus, and a decision is passed of which one part is to be immediately executed by an invisible power, and the other concluded on the day of the Lord!” [2]. Thus, separation in space is no hindrance to the unity of the body of the Church. A similar event is described in the Old Testament: when the prophet Elisha healed Naaman the Syrian, Naaman wanted to give the prophet Elisha money for his healing, but Elisha refused. Then Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, secretly asked for and received two talents of silver and two sets of clothing, hid them in his house, and attempted to deceive Elisha, saying that he had gone nowhere. But Elisha said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when you took the talents of silver and the clothing? Let Naaman’s leprosy be upon you.” And Gehazi was covered with leprosy. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive 42

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow (2 Kings 5:26â&#x20AC;&#x201D;27). This was the same thing that happened with the apostle Paul: Elisha was in another place, but his heart and his spirit were acting here. Some people often say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How can you believe that the saints can perform miracles from a distance?â&#x20AC;? But we see that the apostle Paul did exactly that. We see that the prophet Elisha did exactly that. And we know many other examples from the lives of the saints. For example, we know that Saint Nicholas appeared to the emperor Constantine and ordered him to free three generals who had been falsely accused. Though he himself was in Myra in Lycia at the time, in spirit he appeared in Constantinople and defended those falsely condemned. There are many such examples even today of saints appearing as they appeared during their lives (i.e., being in one place in the body while acting in another place in spirit). All this is possible because the Holy Spirit fills the whole universe, and through the Holy Spirit the saints can act throughout the world. 43

What is a Spiritual Father?

The apostle Paul did exactly this. By his apostolic power while in Ephesus he issues commands to Corinth, saying, “I have already made my decision.” For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:3—5). What does “to deliver unto Satan” mean? It means that at the next church assembly the will of the apostle is to be related to that person, so that Satan might seize that person’s body, so that he might become possessed, so that his body might be tormented by Satan. This can take the form of physical illness, as in the case of Job, when by God’s permission Satan afflicted him with illness. But this was necessary so that Job might receive crowns, while here it is needed so that the destroyed flesh that had sinned might thereby be saved on the Day of Judgment, so that through it the spirit might be saved. This is what John Chrysostom says concerning this: “For the destruction of the flesh. As was done in the case of the blessed Job, but not 44

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

upon the same ground. For in that case it was for brighter crowns, but here for loosing of sins; that he might scourge him with a grievous sore or some other disease. True it is that elsewhere he says, Of the Lord are we judged when we suffer these things (1 Cor. 11:32). But here, desirous of making them feel it more severely, he delivers up unto Satan. And so this too which God had determined ensued, that the man’s flesh was chastised” [1, Homily 15]. Incidentally, Chrysostom makes an interesting observation. “Observe,” he says, “how great is the power of the apostles. They truly had power over Satan. Not only to drive him out, but also to deliver a person into his power.” That is, they had absolute power over demonic forces. The expression used was to deliver unto Satan. This deliverance was manifested in illness of the body, the exhaustion (literally “the destruction”) of the body, through severe suffering inflicted upon the body by Satan. Furthermore, the person himself understood who was causing this suffering. Naturally, this should also be understood to mean that this person is to be excluded from the church, barred from Communion and the church assembly. This goes without saying. For 45

What is a Spiritual Father?

some say, “Oh, whatever; it’s just a schism.” But in actuality a person who leaves the Church falls into the clutches of the devil, because the devil’s realm is outside the Church. That is why John Chrysostom says, “Do not leave the Church, because only in it will the Lord preserve you. Outside it the wolf will carry you off.” But here the issue is not that the sinner of whom the apostle Paul writes was exiled from the Church, excluded from the church assembly, barred from Communion, but that his body was delivered to Satan. Why? For his salvation! “For because inordinate eating and carnal luxuriousness are the parents of desires, it is the flesh which he chastises.” The apostle continues, That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 5:5); that is the soul. Not as though this were saved alone, but because it was a settled point that if that were saved, without all controversy the body too would partake in its salvation. For as it became mortal because of the soul’s sinning: so if [the soul] do righteousness, [the body] also on the other hand shall enjoy great glory. So that all comes as from one exercising a nurse’s or a physician’s office, not merely scourging nor punishing rashly and at 46

Christian Freedom and Sexual Liberation

random. For the gain is greater than the punishment: one being but for a season, the other everlasting” [2]. Here Chrysostom emphasizes that even this terrible punishment was given for the benefit of the soul, not simply out of retribution. This is why this act is called punishment, not retribution. Retribution leaves no opportunity for repentance, but the terrible punishment that the apostle Paul inflicted led to repentance. The apostle goes on to say, Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Cor. 5:6). The fact that you permitted a person to sin publically, in your presence, leavens (sours) your whole body. This refers to public, overt, brazen commission of sin, giving others cause to do likewise. Saint John Chrysostom says this: “‘For,’ says he, ‘though the offense be his, yet if neglected it has power to waste the rest of the body of the Church also. For when the first transgressor escapes punishment, speedily will others also commit the same faults.’ In these words he indicates moreover that their struggle and their 47

What is a Spiritual Father?

danger is for the whole Church, not for any one person. For which purpose he needs also the similitude of the leaven. For ‘as that,’ says he, ‘though it be but little, transforms unto its own nature the whole lump; so also this man, if he be let go unpunished and this sin turn out unavenged, will corrupt likewise all the rest’” [1]. This is the purpose of church penances. People frequently ask why Bishop Diomede1 was treated so harshly. It was for this very reason: so that the leaven of his teaching might not corrupt the whole Church. When the matter is not one of personal sins, but of sins that affect everyone, that are presented as the norm, the Church acts harshly. This is a very important point. The fact is, on the one hand people often say that the Church should not punish, but on the other hand they ask why the Church does not apply the same harsh canonical standards to all sinners. The principle is very simple: the Church reacts severely to those who commit sin openly, in front of everyone, and do not consider this a sin. It is 1

Bishop Diomede of Chukotka, who in 2008 instigated a schism, unilaterally “anathematizing” Patriarch Alexis II, Metropolitan Kirill, and others for various alleged activities and positions. –Editor. 48

BIBLIOGRAPHY4

Saint John Chrysostom. Homilies on First Corinthians. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 12. Translated by Talbot W. Chambers. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889. 2. Saint Theophan the Recluse. Collected Works, vol. 6 of 31. Moscow, 2008 [Russian]. 3. Saint Gregory Palamas. The Triads in Defense of the Holy Hesychasts. Academic Project, 2011 [Russian]. 4. Saint Cyprian of Carthage. On the Unity of the Church. From Anti-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5. Translated by Robert Ernest Wallis. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886. 5. Saint Basil the Great. Nine Homilies on the Hexaemeron. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895. 1.

Translatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: This bibliography has been revised to reflect the English sources used in producing this translation. Scriptural texts are from the King James Version, with rare exceptions when another version better matched the original Russian, and with the exception of the psalms, taken from The Psalter According to the Seventy, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA. All texts here listed from Christian Literature Publishing Co. are taken from www.NewAdvent.org, revised for that site by Kevin Knight and used with permission, with occasional minor revisions by Dcn. Nathan Wiliams. 138

7. 8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

13.

14.

15.

Saint Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. The Great Asceticon, vol. 2. Moscow, 2008 [Russian]. Saint John Chrysostom. The Sacrament of the Cup of Christ. Moscow, 2009 [Russian]. Saint John of the Ladder. The Ladder, revised second edition. Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, 1991. Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus. Works. Moscow, 2005 [Russian]. Prayer Book, fourth edition revised, second printing, with corrections. Jordanville, NY: St. Job of Pochaev Printing Shop, 1996 Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Explanation of the Gospel of John. Moscow, 2011 [Russian]. Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Catechetical Lectures. Translated by Edwin Hamilton Gifford. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 7. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894. Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain and Macarius of Corinth. A Most Edifying Book on Unceasing Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Akhtyr Monastery, 2004 [Russian]. Saint John Chrysostom. Homilies on Ephesians. Translated by Alexander Gross. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 13. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889. Saint John Cassian. Conferences. Translated by C.S. Gibson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 139

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22. 23.

24.

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Second Series, Vol. 11. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894. Athanasius the Great. Life of Saint Anthony. Translated by H. Ellershaw. From Nicene and PostNicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 4. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1892. Saint Theophylact of Bulgaria. Commentaries on the Acts and Epistles of the Holy Apostles. Moscow, 2014 [Russian]. Saint Symeon the New Theologian. Sermon on the Three Forms of Attention and Prayer. From The Philokalia (Russian edition), vol. 5, pp. 463â&#x20AC;&#x201C;464. Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, 1992. Blessed Augustine. City of God. Translated by Marcus Dods. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 2. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887. Works of our Holy Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, vol. 2, book 1. Kiev, 2012 [Russian]. Works of our Holy Father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, vol. 10, book 2. Kiev, 2012 [Russian]. Saint Theophan the Recluse. Collected Works, vol. 7 of 31. Moscow, 2008 [Russian]. The Order of Confession: priestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prayer of absolution at the sacrament of confession. From The Book of Needs. Moscow, 2013 [Russian]. Saint Theophan the Recluse. Collected Works, vol. 22 of 31. Moscow, 2008 [Russian].

25. Saint Basil the Great. Ascetic Sermons. Moscow, 2001 [Russian]. 26. Saint Vincent of Lerins. Commonitory for the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies, 53. Translated by E.A. Heurtley. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 11. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894. 27. Saint Philaret (Drozdov). Sermons and Talks, vol. 3. Moscow, 2012 [Russian]. 28. Saint Joseph of Volokolamsk. The Enlightener, sermon 12. Joseph of Volokolamsk Monastery, 2006. 29. Saint John Chrysostom. Discourses Against Judaizing Christians. From The Fathers of the Church, vol. 68. CUA Press, Washington D.C., 2010. 30. Saint Theophan the Recluse. Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul. From Compiled Works, in 25 volumes. Moscow: Pravilo Very, 2004â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2010 [Russian].

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What Is a Spiritual Father? Talks on the First and Second Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians In 12 books Book 2 Translator and Editor-in-chief Deacon Nathan Williams Cover Igor Yermolaev Proofreader Deacon Anthony Williams mission-center.com mission-shop.com mission379@gmail.com +1(267)237-3768 Format 70 × 100 1/ 32. Printed sheet size Oﬀset printing. Oﬀset paper. Print run copies. Order № Printed at