\ t--,I
P t-'"
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re#ffi Volume2 HoFyGadi Issue2 New"Tesi
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FnortnTHE
PnoPHETS
'At
that time Michael, the great
prince, the protector ofyour people, shall arise. There shall be a time of
Therefore the Lord waits to be graciousto you; thereforehe will rise up to show mercy to you. For the lord is a God of justice;blessedare all thosewho wait for him. TiuJy, O people of Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem,you shall \ /eep no more. He will surely be graciousto you at the soundofyour cry;when he hears it, he will answervou. Though the Lnrd may give you the bread of adversiryand the water of affliction, yetyourTeacherwill not hidehimself anymore,but your eyesshallseeyour tacher. And when you turn ro r}re right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,"This is the way; walkin ir." Isaiah30: I8-21
To fix one's thought on wisdom is
anguish, such as has never occurred
perfect understanding, and one who
since
is vigilanr on her account will soon be
existence. But at that time your
nations
first
came
lnro
free from care, becauseshe goes about
But for you who revere my name the
people shall be delivered, evcryone
seeking those worthy of her, and she
sun of righteousness shall rise, with
who is found wrinen in the book
graciously appears to them in their
healing in ia wings. You shall go out
Many of those who sleep in the dust
paths and meets them in every
leaping like calves from the stall. And
of the eafih shall awake, some to
thought. The beginning ofwisdom is
you shall tread down the wicked, for
everlasting life, and some to shame
desire
for
they will be ashesunder the soles of
and everlasting contempt. Those
concern
for
your feet, on the day when I act, sals
who are wise sha.ll shine like the
the
most
instruction,
sincere and
insruction is love ofher, and love of
the lnrd
of hoss. Remember the
brighmess of *re slcy, and those who
her is the keeping of her larvs, and
teaching of my servant Moses, the
lead many to righteousness,like the
giving heed to her laws is assuranceof
statutes and
I
stars forever and ever- But you,
immortality, and immortalig, brings
commanded him at Horeb for all
Daniel, keep the words secretand the
one near to God; so the desire for
Israel.Lo, I wili send you the prophet
book sealed until the dme of the
Elijah before the great and terrible
end."
wisdom leads to a kingdom. TheVisdam of Sobmon 6: 15-20
ordinances
that
day of the lord comes. He will rurn the hearts ofparents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the iand with a curse. Makchi 4: 2-6
Daniel 12: l-4
PR A X I S
*
Dear Fr. Marangos, I greet you, the stafl the editors, contributors, and the readersof Praxiswith the love ofJesus Christ our Lord. Your role as instructors and learnersin the field of religious education is a position ofspecial blessingsand special challenges.For religious education does not have a secondaryor peripheral place in the life of our Church; rather, making disciplesand reaching the comnaandtnents of Christis central to our calling and mision as the Body of Christ in this presentworld (Matthew 28:20). Saint Paul expressedpoignantly the heart of the Christian catechistwhen he cried out to his disciples, My little chilzlrcn, with whom I am again in nauail until Christ beforuned in you! (Calatians 4:19).Like a mother straining to carry her unborn child to rerm, so does the apostle strive for the proper growth and maturation of his spiritual children, until the day when they are 6-rlly conformed to the image of the Son of God and to the measureof the stdture 0f thefullness of Christ (Romans B:29, Ephesians4:13). The work of religious education, then, has this Christomotphic purpose, which is dre goal of forming men, women, and children as true images of Christ in righteousnessand holiness (Ephesians 4:23). Catechesls is r.ror sirnply the transmission of facts, ideas, and dogmas: in the apostolic sense is a kbor that has the goal of incamating the personal catechesis arributes ofJesus Christ in those who would be His disciples. Religious education, in other words, is not simply a marrer of theori4 of contemplation, but especiallyof praxis, of action and exertion. It is most appropriate that this journal bearsthis name, for thus in a single word and from the very ourser of the publication, we expressa fundamental value of Orthodox spiritualiry and catechesis. But the narne Praxis indicates something else that is of fi.rndamental imponance to the Orthodox witness and life. This is our understanding of salvation x a dynamic process,an evolving effort that necessarilyinvolves constant evaluation and thoughtfi;l adjustment to changing circumstances,inasmuch astheseareinherent elementsof rhe n otion of praxis.Tnrc faith, living faith, is realizedin keeping the commandments of Christ with a love that wisely accommodatesitself to the needs of the other (1 Corinrhians 9:19-23). For this reason t}re Apostle Paul praisesthe Thessalonian Christians for their work offaith and ltzborof loue(l Thessa.lonians1:3), acknowledging the dynamism of their life in Christ. An imponant qualiry of a dynamic, working fai*r is the abiliry to relatein a meaningfi,rlway to the context in which one lives.Today especially,in the era of the Interner and at the dawn of the Information Age, the realm of print media takesa specialplace in rie forefront of our formative work of communicating the Gospel ofJesus Christ to those v,ithin and without fie Church. Praxis, in rhis case,becomes more rhan simply a fitting title for a magazne devoted to religious instruction. This journal instantiates its very name by standing as a
PruxisIs a quarterlyjournal. Subscriptionrate $15 per year.Checks,pal.ableto the Department of Religious Education,shouldbe senrto: Prxis Circulation 50 Goddard Avenue Brookline|,{#'02445 (617)850-1218
model of orthopraxy for the Church of the third millennium-the kind of onhoprary that presentsthe \Word of truth in a u.ay that is fresh, accessible, and appealing to contemporaly society. Through the high quality and professionalism of Praxis, the medium itself becomes a messageof the relevance,significance,and universaliq' of the contents.
S U B MIS S ION
GU ID E LIN ES
Articles should be 1,000 to 2,000 words in length and directly
discuss education
in the theology
and
Tiadition of the Orthodox Church. Articles accompanied by photographs or electronic files of photographs, lesson
Thken togethe! these few thoughts on the importance of this journal of Onhodox religious education lead me to remember a passagefrom the Gospel that expresseswell the intimate connecrion berween catechesis and prark.This is the sayingof our Lord in His Sermon on fie Mount: Whoeuer then reLxesone of the bast of thesecommandtnentsand teachesmen so,shall be called least in the kingdnm ofheauen; but he who doesthem and teachesthem shdll be calledgreat in rhe kingdom of heauen(Matthew 5: 19). The challenge of everyOrthodox Christian preache! teacher,and author is to proclaim the truth through one'swhole life and not simply with words. The blessingof everyfaithful religious educator is the encomium of the lnrd Himself, to be
ai d'. and r el ev anr gr aphi c enhr nc em eni ' ar e p re f e rre d . Please provide
a photocopv
of
te*ts
from
rvhich
quorations are taken and a brief biographical sketch. Material previously published or under consideration for publication elseu'here will not be considered rvithout prior consent of the Editor. \(/e reserue the right to edit for rLsage and sq4e and all
accepted manuscripts
are subject
to
editorial
modification. futicles
should be submitted
in ryped, double+paced
hard copy or as all electronic file on a 3.5" diskette.
cdled great in the Kingdom of Heaaen.
Microsoft
\(ord for 'Windorvs or for Macintosh prelerred u'ord-processing format.
May the Lord bless richly the publication of Pra.risand all who take pan therein, so that as image-bearers of Him, we may a/l attain to the unity of thefaith and of the knowledge of tbe Son of God, to mature manltood, n the me*ure ofthe starureofthefullnas of Christ(Ephesians4:13).
Address submissions to:
Vith love in Christ,
ExecuriveEditor:
Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos
Editor:
Sharon Pelphrey
ConsultingEditors
Rev. Anthony
is the
C R E ,D i TS
/*rt^+'-)'-"4-
Coniaris
Rev. George Nicozisin Dr. Vicki Pappas Frank Schaeffer
T DEMETzuOS
Design and Lavout
Stefan Poulos
Archbishopof America
Cover Photo:
Cary Kyriacou
Printing:
Qualiry House of Craphics, NewYork
ALI Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NE\f INTERNAIIONAI VERSION @1973,1978bY the InternationalBible SocieryUsedby permission.
rssN1530,0595 Copyright @2000,Departmentof ReligiousEducarion of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America-
P RA X I S
Let t er s
The qualiry and subjects in this new endeavor
Praxis magazine is very educarional wirh a variery
(Praxis) wrll rejuvenate much interest about our
of interesting articles. The aft design and layout
Faith - not only For the younger folk, bur also for
is very professional and the rich colors of the
the "old timers" who may have gotten "rusry"! Nick J. Mamalakis Savannah, Georgia
inside cover icons make it seem like you are holding them in your hands. \Vishing you much success,
Praxisis great!It is full of spiritual insights and resources.I am going to keep it on my deskas a resource.Thanks! Nancy Savaides New York, New York
Mrs. Anna Lampros Oak Brook, Illinois I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful Praxis magazine. I read ir from cover to cover and plan to use several ofthe articles, and particularly the St. Nektarious puzzle, as teaching tools for my Junior High Church School class at Holy Tiiniry Greek Orthodox Church. Our Church community sends you its warmesr regards. I look forward to your next issue and believe thar this magazine servesan important purpose of helping to educate our Church School teachers so rhar we can educate rhe future generarions of Orthodox.
Congratularionsto Father Frank Marangosand to all who are involved in the production of the new periodicalPraxis.Every anicleis informative and worth saving for fi:ture reference.I look forwardto readingthe furureissues. Angeline Eliakopoulos Chicago,Illinois
Helen Sfikas Rogers Nashville, Tennessee
I enjoyedthe first issueof Praxis.Congratulations to Father Marangos, his staff and the writers. Enclosedis a checkfor a yeart subscription.
I want to thank you for the copy of Praxis magazine which
I found very interesring and
enlightening. Keep up the good work! Nicholas Gage North Grafton, Massachusetts
Harry\?l Colias Munster,Indiana
I am very gratefulfor the spiritual enlightenment in thePraxispublication.May you conrinueupon rhe pilgrimage of knowledge. Congratulations arrdGod bless. AspasiaBokas Gulf Breeze,Florida
H IE R A R CHS
Letters Tss Hrene*cHs
THe-WoRLo
6
Praxis as Incarnation and Kenosis MenopolitanAnthonyof theDardanelbs
31,
'Women in the Churches of Kenya Reu.AthanasiosA kunrla
B
A Spiritual Tug of'War Reu.Dr. FrankMarangos
32
OrthodoxChristianDe-Parenting Abandonment or Separation? fuu. George Nicozisin
I1
Verbal Icon of Christ Reu.Dr. Theodore Stylianopoubs
34
Monsters in the Pocket Reu.Dr. BrendanPelphrqt
15
19
Revelation The Most Misunderstood Book in the Bible Prestytera Eugenia Constantin ou
TH: CarscnuMENs 35
TheW'ord was made Flesh and Dwelt Among Us Rea.Dr MichaelMassouh
38
Follow Me IreneCassis
40
50 Yearsin the Priesthood Reu.JohnLimberakis
42
A Rule of Prayer for Reading the Bible Fr Dionysisof SimonasPenas
The Twelve Called and Sent Reu.Dr EmmanualMantzouris
THe Prous 24
Ll')
If I am a Disciple, Then-il/hat Does JesusExpect of Me? fuu.AnthonyConiaris ril/hat is the Make-up of an Orthodox Christian Reu.William Gaines
27
Too Much to Learn? Too Litde Time? A Solution for Busy Orthodox Prex'yteraSharonPelphrq,
29
Teaching Orthodox Christianity in Kenya fua. Athanasios Akundtt
P RA X I S
PnnxISAS IXCARNATIoN ANDKENOSIS METROPOLITAN ANTHONY OFTHEDARDANELTES HISEMINENCE PRESIDING HIERARCH OFSANFRANCISCO OFTHEDIOCESE
T n reflecting upon rhe theological themes of the New Gstament f
FOR YOUARE A MERCIFUL COD AND LOVE
in relation to the title of rrcur beautilirl new journal h'axis, it strikes me that there is in truth no greater or more profound example of rhe meaning of Praxis than the Incarnation of the Son of God. The Incarnation is the central expressionof the love of God for humanirv. a
love that is expressednot merely through intellectual discourse of philosophical categolies,br-rtpersonally,in the flesh and blood ofJesus Christ. Thus, as clergy and religious educators seeking an ethos of religior-s education and formation consonant with our faith, rve must begin with the recognirion that the task of religious education is lessa matter of imparting abstract and impersonal 'truths" than it is an endear..orto enflesh in our own lives an authenticallv persona.lmanner of being founded upon love. Saint John writes in the prologue to his Gospel:
HUMANKIND
In the beginning u,as the lVord, and the tMord was with God, and the \Yord was God...And the Word becamefzsh and made his dwellingamongw (John 1:1, l7). These ferv extraordinary words representthe fi,rlfillment of the deepest and most authentic longing of humaniry that God should enter fie human situation, that He should "bend the heavensand come down," that He should become Emmanuel, "God with us." As Saint Gregory the Theologian writes, "Ve neededa God made flesh and put to death for us" (from Second Oration on Easter). And inasmuch as the Incarnation correspondsto this profoundly human need, it also offels us an indispensabieparadigm of what it means to "do theolog,y''trulv. Tiue theology cannot remain merely at the level of the 'word," of abstract propositions requiring merely mental acquiescence.Tiue theology must be enfleshed, incarnate in time and space. It must praxis on behalf of all humaniq' arld, indeed, of the entire im Our theologr, therefore,if it is to be praris-centered(pmktik), must be "incarnationai" and must constantly reflect this movement from 'word"
H IE R A RCHS
to "flesh," from the abstract to the concrere, from the intangible to the human rouch. As Nikos Kazantzakis writes, "\Tithin me, even
But the quesdon may then be asked, "How does this movement from word to flesh, from
and human sweat. The Word, in order to
theoria ro praxis occur?" The answer is found in the crucial theological concepr of kenosis. The Greek word kntosii' (from the verb for "to pour out; empry') is used primarily to
touch me, must become flesh. Only then do I understand when I can smell, see,and touch' (frorn Repon to Greco).
describethe free seliemprying of Christ in His incarnation and passion. In the Epistle of Saint Paul to fie Philippians, we read:
The Scripture and the Fathers likewise insist that our theology must become a living realiry incarnate in praxis. Saint Iakovos (]ames) writes:
Your anindc should be the same as tltat of Christ Jenu: Wo being in the uay narure Gocl did not corxider eEtaliry with God somethtng to be g'aEed But made hinself nothing tahing the uery
, . .faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dcad (2:17).
lwtutre of a seruant being nadz in buman liheness And being found in appearance as a rnan he humbled
This passagereminds us that our faith must be translatedinto action and especiallyaction on behalfofthe poor and needy.
himself And became obedient to death eaen death on A c,'oss(2:5-8),
the most metaphysical probiem takes on a rvarm physical body rvhich smells of sea,soil,
Supltose a brother or a sister is uithout clothes and dnilyfood. If one ofltou says to him, "Go, I uish you uell; heep warm and well fed," but dnes nothing about his plrltsical needs, what good is it?
(2:15-16). Similarly the famous monk Evagrios srates: ". ..the way of prayer is wofold: it comprises pracrice of rhe virtues lpraxis) and contemplation ftheoria)" (from On Proyu). Unlike those rn'ho would drive a rvedge beween the "active" ald "contemplative" expressionsof spiritualiry Evagriosinsists that the way of prayer u.hich is the way of true theology, for as Evagrios further comments, "the one who praysis a true theologian," is one and undivided, consisting oftheory incarnate in praxb. Finally, Saint Maximos the Confessor writes: "He who embodies spiritual knowledge in his practice of the vinues and animates this practice with spirirual knowledge has found *re perfect method of accomplishing the divine work... For spirirual knowledge nor pur into pracrice doesnot difler in anywayfiom illusion, iacking such pracdce to give it real substance" (from
FourthCennryofVarious Tixrj.
The Son of God "empties himself" to the utmost degree,taking the form of a slaveand suffering unto death; yet, paradoxically, this henosisof the \Word, which is described in terms of servirude and obedience,constitures the supreme levelation of freedom, inasmuch asit is the supreme expressionof love. There is no necessiryof compulsion in the kenosisof the Son only the free obedience oflove: "You ascendedthe Cross of your free will. . . " (from Royal Ti"oparia of Orthroi. As Metropolitan John of Pergamon has written, "The only exerciseof freedom in an ontological manner is love" (from Being as Communion). The kenosisof Christ thus revealsa deep truth of the spiritual life in the Kingdom of God: the only true freedom is the kenotic obedience of love. "..,uhoeuer wanE to be frst must be your sltzuejtut as the Son ofMan did not come to be serued, but to serue, and to gh.,e his W o ransom for many" ^ (Matthew 20:26-28). How, then, are we to unite our theologr with praxis?This process must begin within the context of the sacramentallife of the Church. Through our baptism, chrismation, and participation in the Eucharisdc Body and Blood, we become members of the Body of
Christ, and thus sharers in rhe Incarnation. \(/e are thereby entrusted with a stewardship vis-)-vis the creation of making the love of God a visible and tangible realiry in a world that desperateiyhungers and thirsts for such realiry.We are called to emulate the kenosisof the Son of God. Let the samemind be in you that was in Cl-rristJesuspouring ourselvesout in humiliry ard becoming the servantsof all humaniry and of the entire cosmos. Only through this free servirude of love can we attain to our true digniry and recover the authentically personal manner of being which accordswith the image of the Tiiune God in which lve are created.
Teaching resources: Saint Gregory the Theologiant SecondOration on Easter,S 28. Nikos Kazanzakis, Report to Greco,tlanslated by Peter Bien, published in New York by Simon and Schuster. Prologue to Abba Evagrios' On Prayer: One Hundrcd and Fifty-Thrce Zxrs, which can be found in The Philnkalia Volume 1, edited by G.E.H. Palmer,Phillip Sherrard,and Kallistos lVare (Bishop Kallistos of Diokletia), and published in Boston by Faber and Faber. Saint Ma-ximosthe Confessor,Fourt/t Century of Various Zrrs, S88, also in The Philokalia above,Volume 2. Metropolitan John of Pergamon, which can be found as John Ztzioulas, Being as Communion, published in Crestwood, New York, by St. \4adimir's Seminary Pless.
P RA X I S
A
S PIR T T I JA L "I A M CONVI NCE D
T HA T NE I T H E R DE A T H, No R
A NGE LS , NOR P RI NCI P A L I T I E S , NO R T HI NG S
L IF E , N o R
P RE S EN T , N O R
THINGS TO CO ME , NO R P O WE RS , NO R HE I G HT , NO R D E P T H , NOR A NY OTHE R CRE A T E D T HI NG , WI L L B E A B L E T O S E P A R A T E
us FRoMTHELovEoF GoD, wHrcH rs rN CHnrsr Irsus OU R LOR D " Ror r ,r ,r8:38Ns 39.
-n I
LETUS THEFAITHFUL PRAY FORTHE CATECHUMENS
he plot is a fimiliar one. Two governments are struggling to maintain control over an individual. Both ciaim to be t}re righffirl and proper guardian of the individualt life. Both claim to be concernedwith the individual's 'well being." At the center, or rather, in the middle of this contemporary tug of war is a six-year-old Cuban
old boy named Elian Gonzalez.EIian was rescuedfrom the waters offFlorida on Thanlsgiving Day when his family's afiempt to immigrate iliegally went tragically awry. His mother and stepfather were presumed drowned. Severa.lmonths ago the US Immigration and Naturalization Servicesaid it would recognizeonly Elians bioiogical father in Cuba as acting in the childt best interest and agreedto send him back. However, biner protestsfrom hyper-political Cuban exilesin Miami kept Elian temporarily in the United Sates. How was the political tug of rvar over this young Cuban child be determined? Unfomunately, many supported bribing Elian with rips to Disney'World and trinkets that would demonstratehow much better his life would be in the United States.Happy Meals and ToysR-Us aside, one wonders why the debate is contestedwifi materialist argumentation rather than the idealsthat once lured countlessgeneradonsto theseshores. Sacred history is replete wi& the accounts of individuals, families, and nations that iike Elian Gonzalez were once the focus of a spiritual tug of war! '*/hether our progenitors, the chosen people of Israel and early Christian communities, or conremporary nations, Satant determined hands have never left his side of the knurled rope. Since this is so, the Church has alwayshad a r,estedinterest in maintaining a securegrip on its end of the vine in the spiritual tug of war between the world and the Kingdom. The international debate that is focused over a Cuban boy provides a wonderfirl oppomrnity for clergy, parents and religious educators to examine the plight of our own nadont youth. Like Elian, our own children are the Iatest trophies in the contest beween the powers of light and darknessthe Kngdom and the world. Is it possible,while still on the shoresof this great country fiat spiritual dictators whose philosophies are contrary to that of the gospelin fact enslaveour children? Does the frequency of our vacationsto Disney \7orld or the number of Pokemon cardswe have placed at our childrent disposalmeasuretrue freedom? Is the real contest bewveen Clinton and Castro, or Cuba and America? Is this what we mean when we consider our childrerx "best interests,"or should we be mature enough to focus on the pernicious lure of another qpe of citizenship that seeksto snatch our children'sminds and souls away from God's lordship? The plight of Elian affords us the opportuniry to re-examinethe liturgical texts of the 7hiodion,the guidebook of our sevenry-dayLenten journey to Pascha.It may come as a surprise to some to learn that the Triodion should not be confined to seasonalbookshelves.Apart from the spiritual wisdom and council that the Iiturgical prayer-books of *re Onhodox Church provide, they should be used as guides to our understanding of Holy Scriprure. Great Lent is not mereiy a seasonfor nostalgic retrospecdon, nor is it a time for casual sentimentaliry. Great Lent is an occasion for introspection, for repairing frays in the spiritual rope on which
HIERARCHS
TI.JG our souls depend. The 7liodion is a valuable resourcefor assessingour spiritual condition. It is both an icon of Christian life and a mirror that allows us to measureour spiritual posture againstthat portlait. Having reflectedon the plight of Elian Gonzales,I can not help but hear the faint yet age-old cry of Moses which provides the framework of the holy Ti"iotlion:"kt my people go" (Exodus 5: 1, ffll \,X4ratshould here be understood is that these were God's words placed in the once reluctant mouth of His servant. Moses understood that the "best interests" of Godt children would not be won through a rhetorical competition among nations, economies, or ethnic groups such as the Hebrews and Egl,ptians. If this were the case,the austeriry of the desert would always yield to the lavishnessof the city. Like Moses we too should come to understand that spiritual exodus does not necessarily imply a change of economic status or national location. fiue Passover ("Pascha') is the celebration of God's victory in the tug of war in our souls.It is the triumph of the Kingdom of God over this world. If our paparazzi-like journalistic furor for Eliank well-being includes such criteria then, and only then, is it an honorable obsessionl
T n, r O pP REs s o RF' sr R S TT A C T T c Pharaoh offered four objections to the total deliveranceand complete separationof God's people from the land of Eg,pt. He did not wish to heed God's liberationist demands. The first of these is found in fie eighth chapter of Exodus. "Go sacrifice to your God," commanded Pharaoh, "here in the ltmd'(Exodus 8:25, emphasis added). In this proposal, Pharaoh wanted to dilute the sanctiry of Hebrew worship by withholding one of the most important elements: separation from anything profane. Godt instructions clearly included the command to withdraw from Eg'pt. If Pharaoh'sdemand had been accepted,Hebrew worship would have taken common ground with the uncircumcised Eg,ptians and placed the One Tiue God on the same 1evelas the gods of Eg'pt. Saint Paul underscoresthe necessarycharacteristicof worldly separationin worship. \7e are to "come out from them and be separate"
AR R E V . D R . F R A N K M AR AN GOS
understand the true nature of the world, we must strive to be concerned with the things of God. In a real sense,the deeper our fellowship with God the keener will be our senseof what is -orldly. The messageof the Thiodionis clear: God's people cannot worship God and simultaneously "residein Eg1pt." The hymns and prayersexhort us to examine our spiritual positions. Like Moses we are to assertthat a "three-day journey into the desert" is preliminary to worship (Exodus 8:26-27). Nothing less can satisfy. The distance of the three-day separation is not physical as much as it is a spiritual posture of true worship arld citizenship in Codt Kingdom. This is why during the Holy Liturgr the choir exhortsworshippers to "lay asideall worldly care that we may receive the King of all." Separation validates worship as an act of rejecting the things that are not "of the Father."
THr SrcoNDTACrrc Pharaoh'ssecond objection largely repeatsthe temptation of his firsr "I will let you go to offer sacrificeto the LORD your God in the desert," he offers, "but you must not go very far" (Exodus 8:28). If Pharaoh could not keep the Hebrews in Goshen, their district in Egypt, he woLrldstill keep rhem near. According to Saint Peter, it is always much more dangerous to come to Christ and then return to our previous relationship with the world. He warns: "If they have escapedthe corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior JesusChrist and are again entangled in it and overcome,they areworse offat the end than theywere at the beginning" (2Peter 2:20-21). Satanwill alwaysattempt to createa border mentaiity in the minds of thosewho seekexodusfrom fie world and return to our true Homeland.'We would, therefore,be well sewed to put a three-day spiritual journey benveenus and those things, attitudes, and actions that are "not of the Father."
when we worship (2 Corinthians 6:14-L8, quoting Isaiah52:11).
TH'E THIRD TACTIC
The word for churchtn Greek denotesthis imponant theological drrust: Christials are the chosen ones, those that have been "called out," the 'teparate ones." Consequendy, the effort to induce the Jews living in Eg'ptian bondage to worship "in tire land" revealsa liar deeperprinciple
Pharaohs third objection has much to say to contemporary Christian parents: "...let you go with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. Nol Have only the men go; and worship the LORD since thatt what you have been asking foi' (Exodus 10:i 1). Pharaoht object was a clever one. If children remained in the land, their Hebrew parents could not possibly be said to have Ieft Eg,pt at all. In this vein, Saint Paul warns parents not to abdicate their responsibility to protect their offspring. Parents are to cultivate spiritual experiencesfor their children
than we might at first imagine. There is a difference between a humant religion and God's. Separation from the world is an indispensable qualiry of true worship. But what exactly is "the world"? Jesushimself indicatesthat the world is anl'thing that "is not of God." Ifwe desireto
P RA X I S
diligendy. "Fathers,do not exasperateyour children; instead,bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians6:4)l Unfortunately, the acdrude of many Orthodox is to separateparenrs from their children during worship services.By providing reiigious education during worship we are inadvertently diluting the liturgical experiencesof our youth. \While educational opportunities are indeed a crucial aspectof spiritual maturiry, they should never rake the place of corporate or private prayerl In like fashion, the desire for financial security and worldly successshould never be given the chanceto eclipse the spiritual development of our children. If we continue ro suess worldly successover spiritual maturiry we would be falling prey to Pharaoh'sthird objection. The result of such a dangerous posture has already been felt by numerous parenc who, while they remain in the Church, have now iost their srown children to the world.
THr FounrHTncrrc Pharaoh's final objection has to do with the theme of Christian stewardship,which should always be understood as closely associated with the Onhodox theology of the roya.lpriesthood of believers(Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9). "Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flock and herds behind" (Exodus 10:24). k we have seen,if he couid not keep them in or near Egpt, Pharaoh would try to keep part of them in the land. Since the first three obstaclesdid not work, Pharaoh decided ro send the Hebrews forth without the appropriate sacrificeto offer true worship to God. In response,Moses firmly insists: "not a hoof is to be left behind" (Exodus
10:26). V4rat answer should we offer to such a test?It is interesting that while Greek Onhodox Christians are noted asmost educatedand the secondmost affluent ethnic group in this country we are simultaneously at the bottom of the list of financial contributors to Christian churches. Is it possible that we leaveour herds at home when we depart for worship? Royal Priesthood consists of a proper stewardship of ail that God provides to those who reside within His Kingdom. A tloughtfirJ examinadon of our stewardshipshould make us realizethe degreeof our priesthood, which in rurn is always connected to the qualiry of our worship. Leaving aside a justified distaste for the political tug of war over this appealing, wide-eyed six-year-old, fie Gonzalez case should give us pauseto reflect on the spiritual citizenship of our own children. Are our families truiy living as citizens of Godt
10
Kingdom? Or have we
negotiated and over-rationalized our spiritual position, compromising with contemporary Pharaohswho would have us remain close,if not in their secularworld-views? Have we truly experiencedexodus or havewe left our herds and children in the land of bondage?In the end, each successivegeneration must strive to maintain a three-day journey from the things that are "not of the Father."This is spiritual tug of war! Rn Dn Franb Marangos is Director of the Depattmmt of Religiotrs Edutation of the Greeh Otthodox Archdiocese of ,bnerica He can be reat h ed at ffi anb @omaccess. com
H IE R A R CHS
Th e New
Te s t o m e n t
lc VTRBAL OFCFIRIST R E V . D R . T H E O D O R ES T Y L IAN OPOU TOS 6
THATHE WILLUNITE THEMTO HISHOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH
icons are powertul symbols lbr )"...d Orthodox Christians. Icons sanctify our churches, our homes, our ca.rs.They remind us of the communion of saints. They are "windows to heaven" through which we glimpse the mystery of the living God and His kingdom. The Bibie, made up of the Old and New Testaments, is a similar, powerfll symbol in the Onhodox tradition. To take the Bible in hand, so the Church Fathersteach, is to walk on holy ground. To read the Scriptures is to open the gatesofheaven. The very presenceof the Bible in a home where it is read and honored as a sign of God's presence keeps demons away, the saints say. The New Testament in particular has been ca.lledthe verbal icon of Christ. It is not an icon painted with coiors but one crafted with words. In the caseof icons with colors, there are many stylized representations of Christ because His physical characteristics are unknown to us. In the case of the New Testament, we are privileged to have true knowledge about who Christ actually was in His human and divine nature, what He said and did, the great events of His life, and how H" .h"11....,1 "..1 i-.o.r".1 Hi. contemporaries. the aposrles. rhe first Christians and the early Church. In the New Testament, as in a verbal icon, we behold the firllnessofgrace and truth ofthe crucified and risen Christ, who is the supreme revelation of God. According to the Church Fathers, it is for this reason that the New Testament is the
primary source of saving truth and the most authoritative standard of life and thought for Christians and the Church itself
Rra L rrvA ND RE Co R D V4rere does the terminology "New Tesramenr" come From? Ir goes back ro Jeremiahthe Prophet, who six centuriesbefore Christ foresawthat God one day would make a "new covenant" inscribed not on tablets of stone but on the hearts of His people fleremiah 31:31-34).It was this new covenant that Jesusenactedat the Last Supper with His disciples when He solemnly broke the bread and sharedthe cup saying: "This cup is the new couenant in my blood, u,,hich is ltoured out for you" (Luhe 22:20). The new covenant, establishedand sealedby the death and resurrection of Christ, aswell as by the gift of the Spirit on Pentecost,is the new spiritual bond of love and fideliry in Christ that God freely and graciously offers to all people universally. In other words, prior to the writing and collection of the sacred books which we call the "New Testament" or "New Covenant," there standsthe glorious event and fact of the new covenant in Christ as a spiritual realiry a dpamic and transforming power at work in human hear-tsand the world. It is important to
PRAXIS
know that this all-embracing spiritual realiry always existed in the Church from the first moments of its life. \7e call it. with Saint Paul. "new creation' or "new life in Christ." \7e proclaim it as "the Gospel of Christ," with all its blessingsand demands. \(/e experienceit as 'the
fie OldTatament, inherited from fieJewish tradition; however,becausethe New Testament boola contained the teachringsof Christ and the aposdes,
powerof God'skingdom,"activein thelifeof theChurchandworking
Bytheendof thesecond centuryasweknowfromthewritingsof Saint
forgivenessand healing.
Eirenaios,Gmu.llian, and other sources,the great majoriry of the New Testament books were regardedas "Bible" equal to the OId Testament.
All these elements are aspectsof the same new covenant, the reality of God's revelation in Christ. which is the foundation of all that we are and believe, all fiat we think and do, all that we trust and hope. And the mystery of Christ is lived and celebrated not only through the witness of the New Gstament books, but also through the worship of t1re Church, the writings of the Church Fathers,the spirirualiq. of fie saints, the common life and witness of al1 true discipleswho love the Lord and love each other. Nerertheless,there can be no doubt that the NewTestament bool<s have a unique place in the tradition of the Church becausethey form the written "icon' of the new covenant and
fiq. gained increasrngimporance and authority in the Church.
it was approximately at this time as well that the designations "OId Testament" and "New Testament" were applied to the sacredbooks of the wo covenants,now collected into two distinct pans but making up one Bible. It should also be mentioned that inclusion of a small number of New Gstament boola, namely, Hebrews, James,2 Peter,2 and 3 John, and Revelation was debated for nearly Nvo more centuries before setding the "canori' (the authoritative collection) of the twenty-sevenNewGstament books.
Gospelswhich teli us about the Personof Christ, His proclamation of the Kingdom of God, parables,ethical teachings,miracles,aswell asthe great events of his life culminating in His death, resuffecrionJ and
These considerations give ample evidence of the imponance of the Church and the power of tradition behind the writing, circulation, collection, and canonization of the twenty-seven books that we know as the New Testament. The Church had to choose from over one hundred available books. The second century saw the production of dozens of apocryphal gospels, many apocry?hal epistles and books of Revelation, as well as innumerable other bootr<sby orthodox authors, fringe writers, and outright heretics ciaiming revealed trudr and by implication divine inspiration. For example around 140 AD, the well-known heretic
ascension.The Book of Acts recounts the birth of the Church and the spreadof the Gospel from Judea to Syria, then Aia Minor, Greece,and finally Rome, the center of the Empire. The Epistles provide precious information about the eaf Christian congregationsin various places
Marcion, who had establishedcongregadonsin Rome and elsewhere, createdhis own Bible by rejecting the Old Testamenttotally and setting up the Gospel of Lul<e and ten of the Pauiine Episdes (omining 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Hebrews) as the exclusiveBible of his churches.
provide knowledge ofthose deepesttruths ofGod that concern the salvation of the world. lilrey make up rhe supreme record of the original revelation in Christ and the Spirit to which the Church turns again and again for guidance and edification. Most important are the
such as Altioch, Ephesos,Thessalonike, Corinth, and Rome; they tell us how the early Christians lived, what problems they faced, what patterns of life and worship they practiced. The Book of Revelation fimingly completes the sacred library of the New Testament with a magnificent, if disturbing, vision of the final victory of God over evil, the return of Christ in glory and the consummation of the eternal Kingdom in which God will reign with His people: There uill be no more night. They uill not need the light ofa lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God uill giue them light And thq will reign for euer and eun (Reuelntion 22:5).
Tu o r r r oN AN D ScRtP TURE The NewTestament boola were wrinen beween roughly 50 and 100 AD for use in the llG of t}re Church. For about a hundrod years, thq. were circulated and collecced in mosdy unknown wa)6 among Christian congegations. During this time fie only explicit "Bibld' of Christiarx was
12
The developing Church, which had to facesevereand complex struggles to maintain uniry selectedits New Gstament on the basis of three major factors. The first was authorship of a book by an apostle or an associateof an apostle as known from the book itself or from the ongoing tradition. The secondwas long and known usageof a book in the worship and teaching tradition of panicular local churches. The third was whether or not a book's teaching harmonized with fie doctrinal discernment and consensus of the Church at large. The formation of the Nerv Testament Canon itself, along with *iat of the Old Testament aswell as other decisivefeaturesof tle ancient Church, especially the episcopacy and baptismal creeds, were the basic markers defining the boundaries of the growing Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The integral bond between Tiadition and Scripture is imponant in another way as well. Clearly, the Bible as the record of revelation is one part yet of course a supremely valuabie pan of the overali tradition of
H I E R A R C HS
the Church with which it is interwoven. tW/hatis important is not only the collection of rie Scriptures as records of revelation, but also *reir continuous use in the worship, preaching, teaching, theology, practice,
direct continuity with fie spiritual heritage ofJudaism, it also left many things behind, such as the centraliry of the Law of Moses, the Temple worship, and the Jewish dietary regulations, and went on to develop
and mission of the Church. The prominent role of the Gospel Book and scriptural readings in Orthodox worship is evident to all. [.essrvrdely recognized are the biblical verses and phraseology that saturate the hymns and prayers of the Church. The writings and theology of the
new horizons and patterns of life basedon Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
great Church Fathersfocus on the Scriptures.The Nicene Creed itself, which we recite at every Divine Liturgy and which was the necessary product of immense theological controversies in the early Christian centuries, represents but an authoritative summary of the central teachingsof tlre Bible. \X/hat is decisiveabout the Bible asthe record ofrevelation is that by the graceof the Holy Spirit it is alive and transforming as it is read, studied, and applied in the ongoing life of the Church. Just as the power of the text of the Divine Liturgy is releasedwhen we assemblein worship to offer the Lirurgy, so also dre text of Holy Scripture comesalive by God's grace when we read the Bible prayerfirlly, study it seriously, listen to it receptively and apply its saving messâ&#x201A;Źe faid'rfi.r11y.\,X4-rerethe Bible is honored and heeded as the written word of God, it becomes a living word of God, that is, personal and transforming revelation in the present.From this perspectiveof relying on the Holy Spirit and reliving the treasuresof Scripture and Tladition to make them an ongoing, creative,and living tradition day to day, the possibilitiesfor the renewal and mission of rhe Church are immense.
R rn o r N oAN DS T U D yT N TH GEN rw T e srnM ENT The question of the interpretation of the Bible has been an acute one from ancient times. Already within the New Testamentitself we discern controversies over the interpretation of the Old Testament. Christt position with respect to the Jewish heritage was that of renewal and fi.rlfillment, not negarion and rejection: "Do not thinh that I haue come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I haue not come to abolish them but tofulfill" (Matthew < .t 7 ) Saint Paul envisioned his apostleshipas the "nev/' covenant: He has made us competent as ministers of a neu couenant-not of letter but of the Spiit; for the letter hilb, but the Spirit giues life (2 Corinthians 3:6). The early Church, as distinct from the Jewish communiry of faith, basedits appropriation ofthe Jewish heritage on the double criteria of Cluist and the freedom of the Spirit. \X/hile the early Church claimed
The great Church Fatherssuch asAthanasios, Basil, the two Gregories, and Cyril of Alexandria were scholars who used many interpretive medods available in their times (grammatical, allegorical, qpological, moral, and theological). They acknowledged the primacy of faith but alsovalued the use ofreason as the gift ofGod and the highest attribute of the image of God in man. Although they were devoted to the text of the Bible, they were by no means slavishliteralists.'il4rile they took the Bible seriously as the inspired word of God, the Church Fathers also understood that Godt word was conveyed firough human words. Just as the mystery of the incarnation necessarilyunited the divine and human natures of Christ, permitting acknowledgment of his human frailties while excluding sin, so also the mystery of the Bible involved divine and human aspects, allowing recognition of the skills and limitations of the various biblical writers. For the Church Fathers,the keys to scriptural interpretation were to seek the skopos,or contertual saving message,of the biblical books; to use faith and reason in appropriate balance; to seek the spiritual essencebehind the letter of Scripture; to let the Holy Spirit reveal the deeper mysteriesof God in Scripture; and to contribute the hawest of interpretation for the edification of the Church. Those who have studied the Church Fathers have seen for themselvestheir commitment to Christ and the Bible, their creative freedom and diversity in interpretation, their reliance on the doctrinal senseof the Church in disputed ma$ers of importance, as well as their pastoral concern for and serviceto the Church. Today there are many Christian traditions and many schoois of interpretation in scholarlycircles.Orthodox readersand interpreterscan do no better than to follow the phronema ("vision," or "mindset") of the Church Fathers.Committed to Christ, we live and work within the life of the Church. As faithfiil and thinking persons, we acknowledge the diversiry of biblical interpretations over the centuries and the right of other Christians to use the Scriptures according to their long-standing traditions.'We recognizethat the Bible itself unites more than divides all Christians who take it seriously,granted of course that there are also crucial points of difference. Informed about and secure in our own Orthodox faith and life, and always mindfirl of the doctrine of the Church, we are not afraid either to engage in scholarly studies or participate in ecumenical Bible studies in good faith for tie sake of Christ and Church-precisely becausewe are bearers and witnesses of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. At all times and in all circumstances speaking the truth in love, we seek to fi-rlfill Christt will and to contribute to the soiritual benefit of all.
PR A X I S
til4rere we
confront questions and problems beyond our comprehension, we ask for advice and seek answers from our theologians and leaders.V4rere we encounter startling proposalsabout Christ and the Scriptures in academic journals or the media, we assess them by simple questions; Do they honor the Christ we know and worship? Do fiey promote the Gospel of Christ? Do they edifr the Church and enhanceits mission in the world? If yes, all well and good. If not, we pray for all, and continue our journey in t1respirit and the love of Christ. "May the sun upon rising find you with the Bible in your hands," one of the ancient monastics used to say. Saint John Chrysostom urged Christiars not only to read, but also to engravethe words of Scripture on their hearts, especiallythe New Gstamenr. The greater danger is not misinterpretation, but ignorance of the New Testament. The chief purpose of reading the Old and the New Testaments is not to aftempt new or deep interpretations, but to become knowledgeableChristians and to be informed about the Biblet contents-its personages, stories, teachings, and spiritual message. V4ratever our relationship and witness to others, our first responsibiliry is to keep the light of Christ burning within ourselves. Just as in rhe Eucharist we consume the sacramentalbread which is Christ, so also through the daily reading of Scripture we can pafiake of the heavenly bread of His words. Christ said: 'Ifyou loae me,lou tuill obey wltat I command...If anyone loues me, he uill obq m.! naching fuIy Father will loue him, and ue will come to him andmahe our home uith him" (ohn 14:15,23). How can we know and obey Christ's teachings or say that we love Him unlesswe read and study the Gospels?
Saint John Chrysostom speala of the courseof life as a journey acrossa stormy sea.Winds blow, waves swell, and the ship is buffeted from all sides.It is impossible to escapethe wavesand spray.The real struggle is within ourselves becauseof the weaknessesof our minds, the instabiliry of our emotions, the confusion of our souls. But God has given us the words of Scripture as provisions for a safejourney. \7hen we read the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, upon finding a soul which loves God, stamps it with the divine uurhs and fills it with grace. Inner wounds are healed, the fiercenessof souls is tamed, even the devil desists from approaching the Christian who drinks from the fountain of truth. For his pan, God has prepared a spiritual banquet. -{4rat is required of the Christian is earnest resolve, an ordered life, and prayerfirl afienrion ro the reading of Scripture. A soul which loves God and longs to be freed from inward sin will delight in t}le words of Scripture which are more precious fian gold, than much pure gold; thqt are stueeterthm hone)/, than honq,fom the comb (Psahn19:10). A pure heart, being cleansedof evil passionssuch as pride and greed, anger and bitterness, lust, and vanity opens its sailsto the breezeof the Holy Spirit. If we so order our ships, Saint Chrysostom counsels, we shall sail with a fair wind; we shall draw to ourselvesthe Son of God asthe true Pilot. \7e may be sure that
11
He will not allow our craft to be enguifed.InsteadHe will rebukethe winds and the seaand will leadus safelyto His heavenlyport. at Reu. Dr TheodnreStylianopouhsis Professorof New TestameTtt Helbnic College/ Holy CrossSchoolof Theology.
H i E R A R CH S
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THE MoST MTSUNDERSTOOD B o o K rN T H EB rsr E PRESVYTERA E U G E N I A C O N S T A N TIN OU , M ,TH ,
In tiis millennial year, we have seen an increased number of texts, movies, and Internet sites influenced by the New Testament book Revelation, also known asThe Apocallpse. Some predict various forms of doom while others predict the secondcoming of Christ is imminent. Some treat Revelation as virtually a guide to the end of the world, believing that prophecy lies buried within its mysrerious images. According to this view; if Revelation is properly "decoded," divine secretswill be revealed,including the precise date when Christ will return and the identity of the antichrist.
Union, the European Common Market, Red China, nuclear war, social securiry numbers, mini-skirts, and rock-and-roll. More recent interpretations have discoveredRonald Reagan,Bill Clinton, computer chips, supermarket scanners,and alien beings. This misguided approach, interpreting wery image from within a narrow framework of contemporary events,has seena resurgencewith the turn of the millennium. To those not well-informed about the Bible, some of theseinterpretations seemplausible, even convincing. After all, Bible quotations support them. \filhat is an Orthodox Christian to
Countless persons throughout history professed that they had deciphered Revelation and claimed to know when the world would come to a fiery cataclysmic end. Entire groups such as Jehovahs Vitnesses and SeventhDay Adventists have periodically predicted exact days for the Lordt return, despite being wrong time and again. Countless books have promised to provide the key to unlock Revelatiorissecrets,offering beguiling assurances that properly informed
make of such claims?
readerscould avoid the deception of the antichrist. Such erroneous interpretations, misplaced expectations, and failed predictions over 1900 years have done nothing to dampen inrerest in the book of Revelation. What accounts for this continuing fascination?
inappropriate to treat interpretation as a private matter. As Orthodox Christians we cannot show respectfor the Bible simply by covering it with gold, carryrng it in procession,and reverencingit with bows and kisses. Ve show our greatest respect by reading the Bible and i n terprering it responsiblyand i ntelJigenrly.
Most likely the answer is the vivid imagery which characterizes the book the beast, the lamb, the woman clothed with the sun, 666, the four horsemen, and so on. Ironically, these captivating symbols also
The idea that every image in Revelation is a piece in a puzzle u.hich when properly constructed paints a scenariofor the end of the world is fit only for Holll'wood movies and paperback novels. It does great
obscure the bookt meaning becausethey require a high degree of
injustice to the intention of the biblical author and worse sdll, deprives
interpretation and so render Revelation i,.Lrlnerableto unrestrained imagination. \fith no proper interpretive limits, people have felt free to make what they would of the text. A a result, the book of Rwelation is
us of the true messageof the book and its value for our spiritual lives. To find this message,we begin by learning about the author and his
In our tradition, proper biblical interpretation alwaysoccurswithin the framework of HolyTiadition. The readershould be mind,fill neither to insert personalideasnor manipulate a text to suppori personalopinions. Unquestionably, drawing the meaning out of Revelation is probably more difficult than for any other book of the Bible. All the more, it is
purpose.
by far the most misunderstood and abusedbook in the Bible.
TH r E x o rs N E A R It seems that God-fearing folk in every era have believed that the end was near, convinced that their culture and their generationwas the most corrupt and the most evil in history. In earlier centuries,interpreterssaw in the images of Revelation every conceivable historical event and personage from the rise of Islam through Charlemagne, Napoleon, Martin Luther, the ProtestantReformation, the Pope,and Hider. In the 1970s, pop-culture Christianiry claimed to find the rise of the Soviet
WHo Wn o r r RT vT L AT Io N? Revelation was wriften by a man who identifies himself to his readers as John, your brother, who shareswirh you in Jesusthe tribulation and the kingdom and thepdtient endurance(Rev. 1:9). He continues by sayrnghe is on the island of Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony ofJesus (1:9). This verseis usually understood to mean that John was in prison for preaching about Christ. He also tells us that he is writing this book to sevenchurches in Asia Minor and he lists those ancient cities (1:11), which are located in present-dayTi-rrkey Because
t5
P RA X I S
the author identified himself as 'John," Revelation has been attributed to Saint John the Theologian and Evangelist, one of the twelve aposdes and the author of the foumh gospel. The Gospel ofJohn and Revelation share feaures, and some Fathers unquestionably attributed Revelation to the EvangelistJohn. On the other ha,nd,recognizedthat the sryleand qualiry of Greek found in the Gospel of John and Revelation are quite different many Church Fathers and other writers doubted from the earliest centuries that the the Aposde John authored both. The author of Revelation identifies himself simply as John but does not even hinr that he is one of the Twelve. It is well known through ancient tradition that t-here was another John known as 'John *re Elder," who was a Ieader in Asia Minor around the end of the first cenfilry. and the work may be his.
RlvrLATroNANDTHE OnrHooox CHRrsrrAN '\fith
this in mind, we return to the question, how should Onhodox ChristiansunderstandReveladon? A much aswe might hope for a key to understandingthe end of the world, we must acceptthe fact that such a view showsgreat disrespectto the book, the author, and his messâ&#x201A;Źe.More imponandy, it contradictsthe clearteachingsof Christ.
Jesusdeclaredunmistakablyand repeatedlythat the exacttime of rhe end is not somethingfor us to know: "But asfor that dayand hour, nobodybnowsit, neithertheangek ofheaaen,nor tlte Son,no onebut theFatheron[t" (Matt 24:36)
Regardless of which John actually wrote Revelation, rhe book clearly belongs to the Johannine "school," that is, New Tesrament writings either from the pen of the Aposde John himself or from his followers who wrote in his name.
After t}redisciplesaskedwhen He would restorethe kingdom to Israei, the l.ord replied:
The authorship and inspiration of Revelation was greatly disputed in the early Church, especially in the East. Relatively few Greek Fathers quoted fiom Revelation and several hundred years passed before any Greek Father wrote a commentary on it. Many Fathers of the Church did not believe it should be included in the Bible ar all, and many
He warnedus not to believethosewho claim to know when He is reurning:
ancient New Testament manuscripts do not contain the book. Effects of this controversy remain with us in the simple fact rhat we never hear Revelation read in a worship service of the Orthodox Church, the only NewTestament book entirely excluded. By the dme Reveladon gained universal acceptance,the lectionary cycle ofliturgical readingshad been formed for many centuries. John describes an ecstadc and rwelatory experience which he had one Sundaywhile on Patmos when Chist cameto him, one lihe a Son ofMan (Rev. 1:13), with a messagefor the Christians of Asia Minor. This probably occured around the year 95, during the reign of the Emperor and Caesar Domidan. Persecution of Chrisdans had expanded from the ciry of Rome to other areas,especiallyAsia Minor. Throughout the empire, Roman subjects were expected ro perform an act of Ioyalry, something like a pledge of allegiance,by burning incense before the emperor's starue and proclairning that "Caesar is lord." Christians considered this act blasphemous and idolauous and refi.red to do it. Refirsal was tantarnounr to rreason, and so Christianity was corxidered a dangerous, * ill.g"l religion which had to be stamped out. Many Christians were imprisoned, tomrred, and pur to death. \X4rhin this context, Revelation was written.
t6
"h is notfor yu n bnow tbe times or datesthat the Father has decidedb hb ournaathoity" (Am 1:7).
"If then tbeysaytoyou 'Looh,be is in the desm,'dn not go there. 'Loohhe is in somehiding place,' do not belieaeit Becausethe comtng of the Son of Man tuill be lihe lightmrng in the east fnbingfar to the uest" (Matt. 24:2627). He says: "If the howehoHarhad bnount what time of night the burgbr would comehe would hauestayedauahe and not allmted anyone m breahthrough tbe utall ofhis house.Therefore,lou too mast sand readybecaase tbe Son of Man is cotningat an hour you do not ex?ect"(Matt 24:4344). The Lord usedthe imagesof a burglarandlighteningto emphasize that He will return suddenly and witlout warning when no one expecm Him. The clearmessage is, be vigilant and preparedfor His second coming or for our own deaths.Like the five wise virgins (Mamhew 25:l-13), we enter the Kingdom of God only by vigilance and preparation.Ratherrhan scouringbiblical texa for imaginedmessages, we must obeythe Lord'swords,which areclearand easilyunderstood.
HIERARCHS
RrvrLATroN rs ApocnlYPTIC Lrrr RATURE If so, why did John write Revelation with such strange symbols and images?Revelation addressesfirst-century Christians in Asia Minor. It seemsfoleign, mysterious, and bizarre to us only becausewe are not living in that culture. Johnt readerswould have felt comfortable with his symbols and would have had no difficulty undelstanding his message, just as20th century Americans understand what is symbolized by a baid eagle, a cake with candles on it, a diamond ring, or talk of a "bull market" on Wall Street.\7e do not consider thesesymbols of our culture mysterious or unintelligible, but a reader living 2,000 years from now might find them just as mysterious aswe find Rer.eiatron. In fact, Revelationt fantastic imagery is in many respecrstypical of a qpe of Iiterature very popular with first-century Jews and Christians known as 'apom1yptic." Apocalyptic writing describesan experienceof, or glimpse into, the heavenly realm where certain mysteriesare said to be revealed.The experienceis often mediated or explainedby a heavenly guide. Apocalyptic literature also depicts a world sharply divided beween good and evil. Though evil causesgrear harm, in the end God ll'ill vindicate the good and punish the evil, Finally, apocallptic literature expressedthe expectation is this world was soon to passaway and a ne* world abour ro come into existence. John was taken up into heaven where he witnessed certain spectacles, but how could he later expressthe inexpressible?How could anyone depict heavenly realms with earthly language?John chose the style of apocaliptic literature to relate his experience and the messagehe received.Other parts of the Bible are also apocalJptic in characrer,and we can seethat John took some inspiration from bootr<s such as Dadel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.
I s Rrv rLA T t o NP n o p H E C Y ? But if Revelation was written for a first-century audience, can it be "propheE'? The word prophecy suggesrssomeoneforetelling the future; but prophecv should not be confused with a fortune telling or soothsaying,both of which are strictly condemned in the Bible. Rather, a prophet was a person who truly understood his times. Biblical prophets usuallywarned the Israelitesthat if they did nor repenr of their evil and corrupt ways God would allow some calamiry to befall them, such as being conquered by a foreign power and taken into exile. The prophet saw how God's people had gone astray and he was
commissioned by God to call them to account for their shoncomings and to warn them about the consequencesif they did not repent and return to God. We see this aspect of prophecy most clearly in Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, which contains the lemers to the seven churches. Each individual church was praised for its attributes and criticized for its failings. With promises of heavenly rewards,they were urged to repent, reform, and be faithful to God. Certainly Revelationis not limited to its original audience and time. It speaksof the future and the end of this world when the devil and all evil will be destrovedand a new world will be inaugurated.
W u n r r s r HE M E S S A G E O F RE V E L A T I O N? 'What is the messageof Reveladon?Although we think of Reveladon as a book of terrible catastrophesand destruction, its basic messageis one of encouragementand hope. Revelation'smost important messageis the same for us today as always. First, let us recall that the messagecarne from Christ, who appearedto John as the Son of Man (Revelation 1). Christians were suffering for refusing to proclaim Caesarwas Lord and to burn incense before his statue.The messagewas to remain faithfiJ not simply to maintain an intellectua.lbeliel but to stand firmly for the faith even in the face of great suffering, imprisonment, and death. Do we face the same choice today? Yes, every day. How often are we tempted to sacrificeour principles and go along with something which is immoral becausewe dont want to "offend" others or simply because it is just easierto go along?How often do we seeinjustice occur and say nothing becausewe do not want to get involved? How often do we bow before the secularidols of this society and burn incense at the a-ltarof nnn,,l er rrrl t,,rc) r"r**
W u a . r M E S S A GDo E E S RE V E L AT Io N HO L D F O RCH RI S T I A NS T O DAY? Revelation has many messages,but let us identify three key ones. 1. Resist idolatry in whatwer form.'We are nor to place anyone or anything before God and our Orthodox Christian faith. \7e are nor ro submit to corrupt cultural values and norms even under severesocial, economic, religious or political pressure.To stand for Christiar truth
PR A X I S
and principles in present-dayAmerica is to risk ostracism,being labeled narrow-minded, and wen some forms persecudon, Personswho stand for truth and righteousnessoften make others feel uncomfortable, but Christ calls on us in Revelation to remain faififin. 2. Remain faithfln to the end and receive a reward. Christ repeatedly statesin the Scripturesthat we must expect to suffer for Him. The lives of the saintsand apostlesare fi.rll of suffering; surely we cannor expecrro escapeit. If we never suffer for our beliefs, can we possibly be living a Christiar life? At this point we may addressa popular idea known as the "rapture." Some Christians, especially evangelical Protestants, claim that the faithfrrl will be "raptured," or snatched up into heavenjust prior to rhe final tribulations of the end time, and rhus escapethe worst sufGring. This notion first took hold in Protestant circles in the mid-nineteenth cenury. It is basedon biblical texts which are combined and taken out of context. The Fathersof the Church say notiing about such a raprure, and there is no hint of any such thing in Revelation. On the conffary, Revelation statesthe opposite. Faithfrrl Christians will suffer, although God may shonen rie time of tribulation for their sakes.Those who remain faithfirl in trials and difficulties and who patiently endure sufferings for Christ will enjoy the rich blessingsof God and inherit eternal life. 3. Good will triumph over evil. Regardlessof trials, regardlessof how dark or hopelessa situation appears,regardlessofhow frightening "the beast" that we face is, good will triumph over evil. Even tiough John linked his famous "666" to a specific "Beast," the world has alwayshad people, both famous and obscure, who allowed themselvesto be the instruments of evil. Revelation calls upon modern Christians to recognizeevil in our midst, ro name it, to reject ir and all it stands for, even if the price we must pay is high. God's people will be vindicated in the end and the blessings of the magnificent Kingdom, which the faithfi.rl will receive will far outweigh the sufferings they endured. Even ifevil seemsall-powerfi.rl and opposing it appearsto be hopeless,evil will not ultimately prevail. Revelation promises the utter destruction of the devil and all evil forever and the creation of a magnificent New Jerusalem, where God, the Lamb, and his followers wi-ll dwell forever.
RTvELATToN SprRrcs ro Us Toony Revelation continues to speak. People of every era have read signs of their own times into Revelation.In everygeneration some have believed the end had come becausethe world could not possibly become more evil. -Wars,famine, natural disasters, evi.l rulers have always existed and will continue to do so. Perhapswe do live in the end time, evenwithout that consciousness,a disastercan remind us that this life is a fragile and transitory gift. It can nurture commitment to faith and healing of our separation fiom God and each other. In Revelation the sufferings
t8
unieashedupon the world are intended to bring people to realization of sin and to lead them to repentance. God does not allow plagues, sufferings, and disastersfor no reason,but becauseHe loves the world and as Saint Paul says, ...uants all men to be sauedand to come to a bnowhdge of the
2:4). truth (l Timotlry If we are to understand and derive any spiritual benefit from fie book of Revelation we must first respect the text. \7e mmt place it in its original context and understand what it meant to its original audience. Only then can we learn what meaning it has for us today. We are not to twist it, squeezeit, and manipulate it to expressour personalviews and phobias. Revelation is not a book of hlpe but of hope. It is not simply a book about the end, but about the past and the present as well. It is not a book in which we are to searchfor signs of evil around us, but to search our souls to suscainthe courage of our convictions. It is not a book in which we can find a way to escapesuffering but an assrfance ofthe love ofGod for us even in the faceofsuffering. Revelation teaches us that if we meet ail trials with patience and endurance, fighting the good fighr until the end, we can be confident of our victory in God and the reward of eternal life. Maranatha. Come, lord Jesus. Prestytera Eugenilt Constantinou has a Master of Theologyfrom Holy Cross Greeh Orthodox School of Theology and a Mastn of Theohgjr (Eecializing in Neu Testament)from lIan,ard Diuiniry School She is a PhD candidate canattll compbting her docmral dissertation on the subject of the Booh of Rnektion and ix inte,pretation in tbe ancient Cburch of the East. She is maried to Fn Cosus Constantino% pastor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Someruille, Massachusetx.
H I E R A R CH S
The
T*cl"c ealIl.C
and Sent REV . D R , EMMA N U E L
MA N TZOU R IS
IP D t Sc T P L ES H
Ho No n tNG T Ht T wtr ve
Well before boola, there existed the one-on-one "school of learning" berween a disciple and a master. Working closely with a mastet a student learned his technique, his way of thought, his anirude, and his love for learning. Students developed trust for their mastersand sought to honor them. This was *re reladonship between Plato and Socrates, among PJ.thagorasand his disciples, and in otier ancient schools of philosophy. It still exists today in schools of medicine, among woodworkers, electricians, singers, chanters, musicians, plumbers, iconographers,spiritual fathers,priests,various artists,Japanesesenseiin
Each of the welve apostlesis remembered on the day of his reposewith hymns in honor of his memory and of t}re important role he played in the establishment of the Church of Christ. Not only is the Church founded on the blood of Christ, but the majoriry of the aposdeswere marryred as well. They are remembered collectively the day after the celebration of Saints Peter and Paul, on June 30th every year. The Church fastsin preparation for the celebration of the Apostles Peterand Paul, beginning on the day after the Sunday ofAll Saints (Sunday after
monasteries,and throughout the world. To this day apprenticeship or discipleship remains the most profound and intimate way of mastering a subject. This model is also very apparent in the Scriptures. For example, Saint John t}re Foren.rnnerhad disciples. One was Andrew (John 1:35, 4041). The first disciple Jesuscalled, Andrew was already accustomed to Saint Johnt words and asceticways when he called his brother Simon Qohn l:41-42), whom Jesuslater renamed Cephas, or Peter.The day after callingAndrew and Simon, Jesuswent to Galilee, where He calied Philip, who was from their hometown, Bethsaida. Philip then called Natharael. We can seethat some of the discipieswere called directly by Jesus,who were inspired to call others by the Lordt presence and teachings. The point is clear: the Lord called all His disciples, some directly, others indirecdy. In the Scriprures,we hear nvo words in referenceto those who followed Jesus:the first is disciple and the other is aposde. After teaching the disciplesdre "discipline" of leading a true Christian life of self-sacrifice, Jesus"sent" them out as aposdesto preach the gospel,to baptize, and to sanctify all the world with His presence.tW4rilea disciple is one who is drawn to a master and learns, an aposde is one who reflects the characteristicsof his master and is "sent out" to continue the work.
Pentecost)until the celebration of the Divine Liturgr on June 29th' Each aposdehad a specialgift. Some had the gift of healing' Some were profound preachers.All endured resentmentfrom religious and political authorities, resulting in exile, toftures, and maryrdom. They left their families, work, and expected niches in life in order to foilow Christ' They traveled throughout the world without the luxury of cars,planes, trains, or even a formalized postal system. They wrote pastoral letters and books concerning the person ofJesusand the wonderfirl things that He taught them and showed them concerning God. The Church today condnues the work of the apostles, teaching, preaching, confessing, celebradng, healing, praying, baptizing, forgiving, ordaining, anointing, fasting, and maintaining the faith handed to them and to us.Just like theJwelve and the SevenryApostles, we too are disciplesand apostlesof the Lord. Our lives and our links in the timeless chain of Christianiry are as important and valuable. As we live out our lives in theseend times, we would do well to reflect on the cost of true discipleship, and remind ourselveseach day fiat the gift of faith was bought u.ith the blood of Christ and the apostles.The story of our lives fills the "empry pages"until the return of our Savior.
PRAXIS
(|ohn l:44). He
SaintAndrewwas from
wasthe son ofJonasand the brother of (|ohr 1:40). He was first a discipleof first-ca]leddisciple.One of fiohn 1:35-40),and then becameJesus' the greatestmiracleshappenedwhen Andrew brought a boy who had to Jesns(John6:5-ll).
By trade, Simon was a
from Galilee, a son of
Jonas(Mark 1:16).The lord namedhim 0"h" 1:42). Ve know that he was married, becauseTesushealed his &om a fever(Luke 3:38). Saint Peter'sfaith in the lord was so strong that peoplewaited to be healedby his (Acts 5:15), and _ who carnewerehealed(A.cts5:16),
Afier the'4scension of our Lord,Andrewpreachedin uariousknd;. He diedin thecity ofPatras,wherehe wa m.rcifedon a rosl And.rewdid notfrel uortlry to bem,rifed on a ross that resembbdtheLord's.He ashedto bem,rcifudon a crossin theshapeof an X Thisis alsothefrst btter ofChrist in Greeh.
The Lord made Pew a badzr among the apostles(Chechthis in Manhew 16:13-20; Marh 5:37, 9:2, 16:7; Luke 21, 23:31-34, 24:j4; John 13:24, 18:15;Aasl-12; or, I Cointhians l5:5). Ofall thediscipbswho werecalltd by theLord n folbw Him, Peterwru the oneu.,howasalwaltsgettinginn troublz.In the Soiptures,he is ofien refenedto asSimonPeterP*er folbwedJenuzeabuslyIt wasduring the time of our Lordi Passionthat ,hreetimesPeterdzniedknowing
James, the
son of
Him. He ktn weptbitter rearcforhis betrayalAfrrJesui resunection, He appeared to thedisciples. He ashedPeterthreetimesif hebaedHim. Petn respondcd to theLord threetimessayingYes,IIoveyou, anl Lord, You know that I love you; three times,i" ,r?b, the Lord commissioned Peterto carefor His sheep. Ajin the drscentof theHoly Spiit, Pan preathedin Judza Antioch, and pam of ,4sia.Peterwas martyredin Romemtcifed upsidzdown because he did not considzr himselfworthy to die in the samemAnneras the Lord. Paer is also remembered throughtwo epistbsthat became part ofthe biblicalcanon.
20
Zebedee, was the brother of Sarnt (Mark 3:17).The Lord refersto them asthe because of their profound preaching and
their theology.King with
had Jamesimprisoned and slain (Acts the sword I2:l-2). His death is foretold by (Manhew 20:20-23).Later,this kingwas sminen
by (Aas12:21-23).
because he did not giveglory to God
H I E R A R . C .H
The holy apostleJohn is rememberedas the only disciplewho stood at with Jesus(John 19:2517), where Jesus entrusted his him.
John
was
also
the
ao
first
disciple
to
see
(John20:5). afterthe Resurrection
John is recordcdas hauing gone to '4sia Minor to preach the Gospel.He liued roughly ninety-fue years and is the only disciplr tuho was not martyred. He is sumamed the "Theologian" becattseof the diuine nature of his Gospel.An ta7l" oft" accompanieshisf.gure in the saned icons of th efour euangelists, reminding w of the uisionsof EzekieI 1: 10 ancl of Reueltzion 4:7.
According to John l:44-50, Nathanael was brought to Jesrx by , but in a vision Jesushad already seenNathanael under a -. Tesusthe
Nathanael was so amazed that he called oflsrael.
Saint Barthobmew wm fom
Galilee, and he is numbered with the
nueluediscipbs. Scripruressa! nothing more. .4s concent his apostolic minisny, somesd! that hepreached in Arabia, Persia, and inin Intlia, bringtng the Gospelof Maxhew which wa: found there in the second centuly. Otlter accountss4t that Bdfthobmew went to Annenia. This
of Galilee, the
is consistentwith the Atmenian nadition. Some biblical scholarssay
samecity asPeterandAndrew.He knew tle writings of the law and
that Banhohmew and. IVathanael are the tame person, becausetlte
the booksof prophecywell.This explainswhyhe saidto Nathanael,
nangelists wlto mention Barthokmew do not mention lVathanael; in
The holy apostlePhilip was from
gohn 1:45).Philip is rememberedfor his catechizing and for
the eunuchwho was
reading the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:26-39).
Philipi calling took him to nmnl parts of -4sia Minor, whne he preached aboutJesus and theKingdomof God.EuentuallyPhilip ended his kfe in gbry ro God in the city of Hierapolisof Phrygta He was mdrtyredthereby beingcrucifed.upside-down.
tutn, the Euange/bt John mentiotu Natharael but doesnot mention Barthobmew.
S
PRAXIS
In Matfiew 9:9-13,we readthat the aposdeMamhewwassinins at when Jesus ca-lled him.
a
Later, Jesusate with
at his house.
When people objected, Jesus told them:
Saint Matthew is al.sor{ened to as Leui. His homeland was Galilee, and he was the son of AJphaeus.He was a publican ('lax colbcnr') Thomas, was also called
(fohn 11:1Q,which
called by our Lord to be among the twelue chosendisciplts. In icons of
means "cwin." He was from Galilee bv birth and cailed to be one of dre Jwelve. He is best remembered because he
Saint Matthew as one of thefour euangelists,he b ofien seatedwriting
Jesus' resurrection, so Jesuslet him _ side (John 20:27).
one of thefour imagesmentioned by Ezekiel and in Reuelation.
his hands and his
in a book. The likenes of a man is pomayed next to him, resembling
Someauthorssa! that Thomaspreachedto the Parthians,Persians, Medzs,Hyrcanians,Bactrians,and neighboringnatiu . Thereis euen a gospelattributedto Thomas,bat it is uerydfficult to understand. For this reason,it did not become onewith the biblical canon.Whib some authzrssql that Thomasdied a peaceftldzath,otherssaythat he wa marryrerlat Meliapur His tomb waslenounbySaintJohnChrysosnm to bein theciryof Edessa in Sltria.In thefourth centwy,somesa)/thdt Thomas'relics ueretrans/atedto India. The holy apostleJames,son ofAlphaeu.s xaasone of the Truelue,and he preached Chri.st to mrtn1 natiolts as an qtewimes m His nachings, Person, and miracbs. At the end
hh W, he was mtcified. He is "f mentionedfour times in Sniptare, but nothing e/:e zsnld about him
there. According to one *adition, this James was a son of Joseph (the benothed) anl
thnefore, is refened to as the "brother of the Lord." He
is also called 'the Less,"in ordzr to distinguish him fom James the son ofZebedee.
H I E R A R ,C H S,,,
Saint Matthewt iist endswith JudasIscariot,who betrayedJesus,* but in Acts, Saint Luke recounrsthe selectionofthe twelfth apostle:
ofJudas Iscariot(Matthew 27:2-
After the
5), the disciplesdecidedthat they should number nvelveagainas the Lord had chosen (Acs 115-26. Matthias was chosen by Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot) asls the lord one question:
The
man not
chosen was named
-Oohn | 4:22). Jesusans\4'ers :
(r4:23). By tradition, theho$ apo*lt Thaddanswasoriginallyfom thecity of Edtssathoughhe uas a Jew.He becamea discipbin Jerusabm.Afier the ,4scension,Thaddaew went bark n Edrssa.He preachedin Mesopotamiaand later endzdhis hf,
o maEr Someauthorscall
^ him'bne of the Twelue,"whilestill othersreferto him as'bne of the
Seuenry."Saint Matthew (10:3) refersto him as Lebbaera,whose suTnAme wasThaddaew.Cntain churchhistoriansrefn to Thaddaeus ashauingbeensentby Thomasto Edessa.
Afn the-Ascension of our Lord, thedisciples gatheredin onepltzceand and chosetwofaithful menfom amongthe othns:Joseph(Barsabas), Matthias (l^nn). Thediscipbscastbts to seewho would.taketheplttce ofJudas.Matthias waschosen, and theScripnre wasfulflled that sa1ts, 'bnothershalltahehisplace."Matthiaspreachedthegospelof Christin theareaknownasEthiopiaand complttedhis life therein mzrtyrdom. *JudasIscariot hauingbeenoneof the Tweluewho JudasIscariotis rememberedfor euerywltere. He heard all of His teachings,tuitnessed followedJesus all His miracles,partook of the Last Supper with Him, but his heart was darkened.Juda"sbetraltedJesusfor thirty piecesof siluer, an actfzretzld in theprophecies. Mlst importantly,JudasIscariot benayedJesusby not embracing the hope to uthich lte u.,asan eyewitness. In icons,he is usualf depictedprofle and without halo. In thehymnolog of the Church,JudasIscariotis remembered. asan examplewe Arenot to folhw.
TheholyapostlcSimonwasoneofrbe tweluediscipbscalbd byJena.In the Gogel ofMatthew, he is calledSimanthe Canaanite,uthib in the GoEelof Luhe,he is calbd SimontheZabt.
23
P RA X I S
AD IS IIP ISLOEl \E Wl " IEARNS. |O ANAPOSTLF ISONI \lVHO IS5INT. AD IS i IPRtIE i IIVAiMISSAGE. S ANAPOSTLE TRANSM AMIIS ESSAGE. THERE WERE MANY DISTIPLIS. IHERE \lVERI T\{lILVE APOSILES. 1l1lITNISSES. THERE ARIFE\i1/ I|-iERF ARF MANY LIARNERS. !VE MUST KNOW BEFORE WitANTELt. VVE NIED TOTELt VVHAT WIKNOVi. L IA R NIS IN TG HB EA SFIS OR LIVING. AIHANGED LIGHT I5THE FRUII OFLIARNINO. JESUS NIEDS DIStIPIIS BIFORE i|ECAl!HAVE APOSiLES. JESUS WANIS TOMA|(E APOSTLES OUIOFHI5OISIIPLIS. B IS H O AP NS DR IEA P SR TAE SP OSTLES. BUT SOARF tAY PFOPLI. 'Jttst as the Fatlta" sent Me, so I am going to send lou" joh"
20:21)"
IFIAMADISCIPLE, THENV/HAT DOES
oFME? JESUSEXPECT R E V . AN TH ON Y
C ON IAR IS
He expectsme not merelyto learn asmuch asI can about Him, but alsoro come to know him personallyasmy Lord and God. Once I am catechizedin the disciplinesof fie faith, then, having beenordainedinto the royal priesthoodof believersthrough fie sacramentof chrismation,Jesussendsme out asan apostleto continue His work: to preachthe gospel,to feedthe hungry to visit the sick, and to sanctift the world with His presence.
TH E
PI O US
IF I AM A DISCIPLE, THENWHAT? Then I will follow and serve Him as His aposde. Our Christian faith begins with the verb folbw, and ends with the verb ga. "Go therefore and make disciples of ali nations, baprizing them in the name ofthe Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observeall that I have commanded you' (Mamhew 28:19-20).
IFI AM A DISCIPLE, THENWHAT? Than I will stay close to the Lord, V4ro is my Shepherd. He will "restore my soul," providing refreshment for my whole being. He will "lead me in the paths of righteousness,"providing guidance for me as He leads me through the va.lleyof the shadow of death so that ultimately I can say with the Psalmist, "Surely goodnessand mercy shall follow me all t}re days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
THENWHAT? IF I AM A DISCIPLE, Then following my shepherdwill not be a chore or a burden. It will be the way to abundant living. "I am the door; if anyone enters by me, be will be saved,and will go in and out and find pasture" flohn
10:9).
THENWHAT? IF I AM A DISCIPLE, Then I will listen to my shepherd'svoice and follow Him asHe leads me to the green pasturesof His presence.He will give me eternal life. I will never perish. And no one will be able to snatch me out of His hand.
IFI AM A DISCIPLE, THENWHAT? Then I will heed the ca.llof Jesusas He calls me to be His apostle in the world: "Foliow Me. I need you to be my servant,my witness among t}re people with whom you live and work. I need you to bring pardon where there is injury to help rurn doubt into faith, to bring joy into lives consumed by sadness,to reflect my light into the darknessof futilirv,
FOLLOW ME.I WILLNOTSENDYOUOUTALONE.I WILLBEWITHYOU TO LEADYOU, GUIDEYOU, EMPOWER YOU,SUSTAIN YOU. Someone said once, " Follow me that is the whole of the Christiarrt dury and, lVhereI am thereako shall my seruant bet7 t is the whole of the Christiant reward." Is there a more exalted duty? Can tlere be a greater reward?
P RA X I S
WHAT rs rHE MTAKE-I.JP
'FANORTH8R9I*, R E V , WIILIAM
O GOD, OURGOD THECREATOR AND MAKIR
GA IN E S
It is human nature to categorize and evaluate others, and this nature also applies to us as Orthodox. Unfomunatell' too often and too easilywe arent satisfiedto be known simply as "Orthodox Christian." W'e apply words Iike good, real, indffirent, lubewarm, or badrc this title, perhaps becausewe understand there are entirely too many nominal Onhodox Christians. Surely,howeveq most of us consider ourselvesprecry good Orthodox. This raisesthe question, what is a "good" Orthodox Christian? \'X/hatare the qualifring criteria? Some suggest that a good Orthodox Christian doesnt do those things the Church prohibits. This is the negative test of the Orthodox Christian life. It is good, but not enough. Others consider a good Orfiodox Christian one who is faithfi.rl to the teachings of the Church, who tries to live up to its formal requirements by anending services,receiving communion, and contributing money. Still others contend that the supreme test of Orthodory is activiry-teaching in church school, working with youth, assistingthe priest in pastoral work, belonging to various ar-xiliaries,singing in the choir, or pitching in to help with the many choresaround the building. A few people feel that a good Orthodox Christian should not be confined himself only to our tradition, but should get out into the communig. and participate in resolving its problems, Anyone providing leadership for a wonhy cause,they contend, is a good Onhodox becausethat person is using the Onhodox baclground for the good of the greatestnumber of people.
OFALL THI NG S
The list can go on. You can readily see yourself or others in these categories.Taken together, they do characterize a good Orthodox Christian; horn'ever,no one of them is the supreme test, \7e may refrain from drinking and swearing, may be faithfirl to the formal requirements of Orthodory, may be active in the Church and community, and yet not be good Orthodox Christians. To be good Onhodox Christians, we must live faith above and beyond these practices.A good Orthodox Christian needsto understand the sourceof Christian living. As children of God, we have been brought into a vital union with the resurrectedChrist, and that relationship changesus. A good Or*rodox Christian is a "new creature" in JesusChrist. According to the Scripture and the Fathers,to be a real Orthodox Christian meansto let that which was potentially in our initial experiencebecome a living and dynamic realiry.\7e must let the resurrectedChrist live within and expressHimself through us. tVe are good Orthodox Christiars to the degree that we are Christlike. The supreme test of an Orthodox Christian life is positive rather than negative,vital radrer fian formal. It is a relationship so deep and meaningfirl that all of life is influenced by it. Yes,obey the commandments and moral laws. Believe in the teachingsof the Holy Church. Live up to the requirements of the Church. \(ork for the church and communiry. Attend servicesregularly. Support your church financially and morally. But let the motivation for all theseexpressionsof the Orthodox Christian life be your love and gratitude to God for the blessingsthat have come through the resurrectedChrist. A good Onhodox Christian life flows fiom within outward, and its sourceis your own vital relationship to the living Christ and all His saints. Reu. Gaines is President of the Retired Greeb Onhodox Cbrgy ofAmerba,
TH E
PI O US
? TooMucH ToLrARN a
TtMt? Too LITTLE A SOLUTION
FOR BUSY ORTHODOX P R E S V Y TE R A S H A R ON
The Bible and the Holy Fatbns for Orthodax: Daily Sripture Readings and Commanuqt for Orthodox Clrristians. Compiled and edited by Johanna M-tl.y. Menlo Park, California: Monastery Boolis, 1990.
ore reosons Why reodScripture? Cerbinlyimporfoni
P E tP H R E Y , M.A
YOUWILL THATALL
os numerousos reoders;however,the simplest onswercomesfromChrist,Himself. Almosfoll of His wordscomefromoncientJewishscriptures. To look morelikeHim,we hoveto do os He did. Undersfood in thiswoy, embrocingScripiure mokesus more Christlike. Still,isn'tif true thot the Bible hos been hyped, interpreted, reinierpreted, ond misused monytimesso muchso thoiit seemsio cousemoreconfusion thonif solves? lstheresomething o littledongerous oboutit?
BE S HOU L D SAVED.
PRAXIS
This is also true. So Readine God's word should be intimidating lor us, or more accurately,utterly awesome.In fact, rhe Church continuously participaresin a profound discipline of study, reflection, wonde! patience,and humiliry before rhe words of God in Scripture.However,the moderncriticaiintellectis slipperyandtrained 'We cant to questionthis receivedreverence. casuallysidestepsignificantissues: Is the Bible fallible or infallible?Is it history or mph? poetry or an instruction manual?Did God write it or not?\N/ouldntI haveto be a fanatic or a saintor a Greekprofessor to readit?\Xtry doesthe Biblehavesuchunpredictable effecrs? The Churchs answersfill libraries,largely becausethe concernsare not new. Debates have ragedaround them for rwo thousand years. Unfortunately, the vasrnessof this discussion only worsens our modern dilemma.How canbusyOrthodoxChristians reallyhope to figure it all out?'W6eredo we begin?
In turn, the commentaries on each text are simply this: windows into the minds of sainrs. No
higher recommendation can be attempted. Though individually brief as a collection the passagesrevea.lan ever-flowing tide of Orthodox theological thought, consistent in terms of rationaliry, faith, and t;::.0",
28
but for the majoriq' The Bible and the Holy Fathersfor Othodox provides a much-needed resourcefor daily study of Scripture within t}re Orthodox tradition.
higfrly diverse in terms of pulse and
Consider, for example, these poignant words from Saint John of Damascus, reflecting on the paradoxes of existence: "God made man...a sort of miniature world within the larger one, another adoring angel...earrhly and heavenly, passing and immortal, visible and spiritual, halfway berween greatnessand lowliness..." (Saturday in the Third week of Great [,ent). In contrast, the same paradox moves Saint John Climacus to britde irony: "He who has lost sensibiliry is ..,a self-contradictory windbag, a blind man who teachesodrers to see...He praisesprayer but mns from it like the plague. He blessesobedience,but he is the first to disobey.He praisesdetachment, but is not ashamed to be spirefrrl and to fight for a rag...All the time he is his own accuser,and he
In this context,TheBiblr and theHolyFathers editedandcompiledbyJohanna for Orthodnx, Manley, comes to the rescue.Inside one convenientcover, the text offers readersa solution that has been used throushout does not want to come to his sensesI will not Orthodoxhistory. say cannot" (Thursday of the sameweek). Unlike a Bible,this volumepresents Scripure in an orderappointedby the Church passages for prayerand meditationeachday for a year. In this sense,it is a lectionary.Over time, rwo sortsof lectionariesdevelopedin the Greek Orthodox church. The Bibl"eand the Holy Fathersfor Orthodox Christians principally followsthe Synaxaionand thereforeis based on the liturgical cyclein which the Church continuallyrepresents Christ'slife from Pascha through Holy Week. Three appendicesadd elementsof rhe Menobgiorcwhich contains readingsfor various saints' and Church festivals on the Byzantine civil calendar, beginningSepternber 1.
Onhodox who have time and leisure rl.ill prefer to read these selectionsand orhers not representedfrom original, unabridged sources,
In general, however, the straightforward, clear explanations of Saint John Chrysostom dominate, providing overall continuity and thoroughness to this introduction to patristic thought. Nevenheless, the books Index of Ho[y Fatlers and Authors notes more than sixry commentators representing Orthodox thought from Saint Justin the Marryr (+165 AD) through our own time. tWhat the commentaries lack in completeness by being excerpted,they more than make up for in ease of use and access.Beyond that, referencesar-rd study helps provide a solid staning point for funher inquiry. Serious
As a caudon, The Biblt and the Holy Fathersis not a substitute for a Bible. Bible study within the Church is vitaily important for understanding the theology, history personalities,and complexities of Scripture as a whole. This text is, however, an outstanding devotional aid and highly recommended for any Christian, especially read prayerfully in conjunction with Church worship, sacrarnents,and hymnody. The Biblr and the Holy Fathersfor Orthodnx Chistians is availabie through Holy Cross Booktore, 50 Goddard Ave., Brookline, MA, 02445 (phone 8001245-0599); or from St. Madimir's Seminary Press,Crestwood, New
York,10707. Prestytera Sharon Pelphrqt teachesEnglish as a SecondLanguageand is Editor ofPraxis.
TH E
.A-Z'--2
C-a.z(<>-{- r6z"'-rd^*,-4
R E V . A TH A N A S IOS
In Kenya, the teaching ministry of the Church begins with ia hymns, prayers,and the sung responsesof the Diving Liturgy. During tie first class of the Sunday-schoolyear, the catechistgathersthe questionsof the people in order to plan future lessons.Becausebooks and instructional literature a.rerare, the catechisthas the challengingjob ofsearching for the answersto these questions by studying the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, and whatever theological books are available. In this process, however, the catechist also has the assuranceof understanding exacdy what the class knows, what they want to know and how they are integrating faith with their daily lives. The questionspeople ask are chiefly about practical aspecaofliturgy. They generally look for an explanation from the Scriptures about how the physical aspect of worship affects our spiritual lives. They come to the churches with a respect for the Bible and the understanding that disobedienceto God leadsto a deep senseof inner alienation. Therefore, ethical questions are also extremely important. \fomen who teach teenagegirls normally emphasizethe lives of the holy women of the Bible such as the Theotokos, Mary Magdalene, or Mary and Martha. The instruction emphasizesthat the problems our women face today are not unique. Ve encourage the women to lead holy lives so that they can have the samegood outcome. \7e also buiid on existing ethical valuesto explain Onhodox teaching about the Garden of Eden and the fall into sin and about the Ten Commandments. Saint Mary of Eg,pt is a panicularly important example for our young women becauseshe is an African saint, though Saint Helen and others are also impomant. Baptismal namesand the lives of the saintsbehind them are of great interest to the young. Beginning with the African context, the catechistsc:rn move out into instruction about the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and Holy Tiadition. For this reason,we emphasizehow the Ordrodox Church compares to local ways of life and understanding. Ritual cleansing with water is familiar to the people, so we can move from their understanding to a deeper discussionabout baptism and repentance.
PI O US
;^^-
AKUNDA
AND COME TOTHE KNOWLEDGE OFTHE TRUTH
P RA X I S
singers.Tiophies are awarded to choirs, and participanrs recelve gifts, such as reading boola and exerciseboola for school.Those who win in soloisrcompetitions
abiliq' of the students.This is anorher important way in which the qualiry of our teachingis assuredand learningis monitored within the Church.
often receive gifis of clofiing, and their churches may also receivea commemorarive gift
In Kenya,our resources arenot so variedasin America.The qualityof our teachingdepends on the commirment of the people, the catechists,and the hierarchy,and we arevery gratefi:1to God that in His wisdom,He has grantedus theseresourcesrichly.
such as a chair to honor the winnert accomplishment. In tiris way, we passon the Holy tadition of the Church through singing. \7e welcome
In this way people become aware of what the African tradition is and how it compares with the Orthodox rradition. However, the catechist will generally not explain things too deeply in order not to be confusing. More subtle and complex theology begins to be taught when young people become interested in entering holy orders or a universiry. In order to make things very simple, people first Iearn the songs of the Church. Choral training beginswith a Sunday school choir for chiidren aged five through about thirteen. AJthough children as young as rhree are allowed and even encouraged to mix in with older children, they do not pafticipare in rhe singing competitions that are common among our churches. In these competitions, the national Sunday School Committee in agreement with the Youth Committee publishes the songs rhat will be pan of the competition. The local choir instructor can usethe published materialsto train the variorls local choirs. Competitions inciude not only Sundal.school choirs, but alsoyouth choirs for high school srudents, Mothers' Union choirs, and Fathers'choirs. fuchbishop Seraphim of Kenya anends the compâ&#x201A;Źtitions and greatly encourages rhe
30
people from orher denominarionsro paniciparein the musical competitions. As with our own Orthodox Aithful, their questions about the Church and its Holy Tiaditions arisenaturally out of curiosiry abour a song'shistory and meaning.'W'e do not rry ro convert those of ofier faiths who join our singing, but for any who have questions, we try not to disappoint them in our answers. Singing, therefore, has a central place in Onhodox education and catechesisin Africa. It is the environmenr in which love for the Church and understanding of the Holy tadition most naturaily fl ourishes. Beyond that, during the summer holidays, students from the Makarios Seminary are commissioned to teach Orthodox faith and liturgical music in various places. Both becauseof the scarciryof reading material and the difficulty of theological rexts wriren in English or Greek, seminarians are heavily relied on as teachers. Only priests, seminarians, and a very few lay people have theological texts and are able to understand their meaning. As a result, oral transmissionof Onhodox teaching to our members makes ir easierro explain the role of HoiyTiadition and how it came into existence. In cenrral Kenya, catechists always gather on Saturdays in the Archdiocese. There they discussrhe Sunday lesson and the saints and study with His Eminence Archbishop Seraphim and lay theologians. A teachert lesson plan is assessedaccording to age and
DeaconAthanasios Akunda isa *udent ar Holy Cross School of Theologt in Brookline, Massachusetts.
TH E
\ 7O RLD
M,^*<,;-H H*fl' f/{,uyu REV ATHANASIoS AKUNDA
/ /
F rhe Old Testament model in follo*i,re which no *o-* was called to service, the expected women to keep a Jewish communiry low profile. -ffhen Christ appeared, He relaxed this law arld for the first time we see women participating in the service of God; howevet Christ did not choose any women among the Twelve. Although He had women disciples,there were no women apostles.The Onhodox Church has preservedthis apostolic tradition continuously. Although women a-re encouraged to participate, at present it does
prepared chicken for men, they were not a.llowed to eat any themselves.A woman who couid not look after her husband and children properly or managea home was not respected
growth of women and adolescents.There is furthermore a guidance and counseling body that addressesmarital issues.
and could not marry. These duties proved to be too much for women at times, but they had to endure. Divorce was allowed only in cases of adultery or barrenness.
We have a Banyore saying that means, when you seea marr shining, you know he is married (No/ook omusaatst nangjinang'inaanglt lman)re ali nomukhasi).Though men areworking very hard to see the Church in Kenya grow, a.ll around them arewomen. His Beatitude, Pope and the Patriarch of Alexandria, Petros M together with His Eminence Seraphim, Archbishop of Kenya, firlly support women in
deaconess.
Though a woman belonged to a man by marriage, the whole community protected her, and physical abuse of a woman was a punishable crime. If a man was guilry of tonuring his wife, he was subject to a fine, or
However, when we look critically into the
Ohhuyioola in the form of livestock given to his wife's parents.This was a very seriousissue.
not elevate them to the rank of oriest or
salvation of humankind, we see that women have played a vital role. Eramples from the Bible are Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother ofJesus Christ, who is preeminent ainong many holywomen. tff4ren Jesuswas arrested, women remained faithfirl and stayed much closer to Him than some of the aposdes.As a result, they became r}re first co witnessHis resurrection. The fact that women do not offer sacrificein the Holy of Holies does not prove them weak or unable to serveasadministrators.That each person has a role to play is witnessed to both in the Old and New Testarnents.This is why in the Orthodox Church of Kenya women have such an important role in our teaching ministry. In traditional African sociery the role of sacrificing was alloned to men. They acted as the intercessors between people and gods. 'Women were not allowed into the traditional sanctuary called Obwali in the Lunyore language of Kenya. Their dury was to maintain homes and care for their children ard husbands.For example, my grandmother once told me that during her youth she had never tasted chicken. Even though women
If a woman bled asthe result of mistreatment, ritual cleansing was required before the tvvo could be reunited. Women were regarded as very valuable since through them those who had departed the communiry in death were reincarnated in the children named after them. We know well that through the Aposde Mark Africa was among the first continents to receiveChristianiry in the first century. Later missionaries,who began to arrive in 1884, the year colonization began, made protecting women a primary task, teaching them of human rights that extended beyond the kitchen. Today,women make up about half of the Onhodox Church in Kenya, but they provide ninery-nine percen( oF the participation. We have strong youth and Sunday school programs becauseof mothers. Though woman cannot enter t}re altar, they preach, read the epistles,psalms, and general readings within the liturry, organize Sunday schools, and serveas presidents of some loca.l parish councils. Philanthropic societies are involved iri"producing and selling traditional arts and crafts to suppoft fie Church and to help women who are poor. The various women's gfoups ensurethe mora.land spiritual
their efforts to uplift the Church.
P RA X I S
asour childrenaretoday. Someoneonceasked,"\TasJesus evera teenâ&#x201A;Źer?"Probabiynot in thesamesense interested in them asa market. age wasnt softed out, and researched by advenisers group studied, Jesus' Nevenheless, there is a placein the Gospelof Luke wherewe aretold aboutJesus'earlychildhood.Jesus had goneto Jerusalemwith His parentsfor the GreatFeastof Passover. His parentsbecamequite arxious when fiey couldnt find Him, and theylet Him know itl Then the episodeconcludeswith this description of the rest of His childhood:And Jesus grewin wisdnmand statureand in fauor with Godand men (Luke ) ' 5) )
\7e seeseveral basic elements here in Jesus'relationship wirh His parenrs. They loved Him, taught Him, woried about Him, and admonished Him when it was necessary.In shon, they provided for His education, His physical and religious well being, and His moral upbringing. Today educadonal psychologistswould call that "Parenting."'We are familiar with parenting, but what is de-parenting? Remember the adjustment to married life and dre relatively easy mobilicy in those early years?Then the first child came along and your mobiliry was suddenly disrupted. Spur-of-the-moment decisions became impossible. Now you neededto consider the day, the hout the schedu-le,the diaper bag, the car sear,and a host of other incidentals.Then came the bike, brownies, scouts,and New Math. Even so, the roles and reladonships between parens and children became fairly well defined and manageable. But then just as you thought you masteredparenthood, anotler phenomenon came along on rhe scene. You heard about it, read about it, and even tried to anticipate it. Your children had reached tiose teenage years! You began to face the biggat adjustment of all: you had to begin the process of leaing-go.
DELIVER THEMFROM THEANCIENT DE L US ION AND FROM T H EWIL E S OF THE ADVERSARY
Sociologistsand psychologistscall this processofletting-go de-parenting, Sometime we do it gracefully and sometime not so gracefirlly, becausewhile de-parenting is intended to result in joy and spiritual pride, it doesnt come without a certain arnounr of pain, anguish, disappointment and even hun! Before, the children were totally dependent upon us. Now we want to help them prepare to be independent of us. At least this what we think we want to do. In fact, rhe letting-go process-de-parenting-seemsmore like abandonment than separation! loss ofparentai control can be a threatening and frightening experience. The thought that our children may no longer want our advice really shakes us up. Our Gars are further compounded by the continual bombardment of media stories and sratistics about teenage and young adult suicide, alcoholism, drug dependenry, runaways, and all kinds of crime. First of all we must come to grips with the fact that de-parenting is not abandonment. De-parenting is inevitable. The process of separation and the movement towards independence begin the very moment we are born. The Bible tells us God created us separatelyand gaveeach of us an individual soul. God places us in a family setting where we are to receive the same basic elements Jesusreceived in His childhood: To be nourished, taught, cared for, admonished when necessary,andto grow in wisdom and sunre andfauor uith God andmen. Parenting and de-parenting go hand-in-hand. Proverbs says:Tiain a child in the way he shouldgo, and. when he is old he will not tumfiom it (22:6). \,Vhen we baptized our children, the priest read a seriesof prayers oudining our responsibilities as parents and godparena. These can best be summed-up in one verse from Sr Pault episde to the Philippians: ...press on tzward theglal n win thepize for which God has called [usJ heauenuarcl in Christ Jesus(3: I 4). \X/Lratkind of a God do we inuoduce to our children? The Roman guards dressedJesuswith a cloak of mockery and a crown of thorns to make Him look like a king. How do we dress our God? Is He a Giant Policeman who is out to catch us doing something wrong? Is He a Great Tianquilizer who comes ro biock our all our problems for a few hours? Is He the Celestial Bookkeeperwho gleefi.rllykeepstrack of all our vices and mistakes? Is He the Cosmic Bellboy we ring for when we are in deep uouble, then dismiss Him until the next emergency? Is God the AngryJudge who just cant wait to vent His wrari on sinners?
IHE
\7 'OR L D
CRTHODOX CHRISTIAN
F-PnrcNING R E V, GEORGE NICO ZI SI N
Our children musr seethe meaning of our lives in a world that has been put together by a lor.ing, caring. savir.rg.concerned God, \Who is limitless in His pursuit for our rvelfare,benefit, and happiness.'Ve do a great injustice to our children if we provide for everything elsein their lives and leave them in religious and spiritual poverry! Orthodox Christian de-parenting is helping them prepare for the real rvorld. Our kids live in a scientific and technologicalrvorld, and it is sometimes difficult for them to understand that God breathed the rvorld into existence, that He is the God of the soul, that He is the God of microbiology and the universe.Todal's teenagersand voung adults hare nvo sidesto rheir lives: the secular-truth side and *re spiritual-truth side. The former is replete rvith the sciences,math, physics, literature, and history. To the secular-truth sidethey are exposedat leastsix hours a day, five days aweek, for at leasttwelve years.to the lamer,the spiritual-truth side, which consistsof Bible, Sunday school, liturgical worship, family pralzsr,.16 personal prayer life, during the same twelve-vearperiod, ar best, is probably no more than twenw percenr of that time frame. Orthodox Christian parenting and de-parenting challenge us to see ro it that our voungstersreceivethe best possibleseculareducational skills available to them. At the same time, we must provide rhe best of spiritual nourishment available.\7e must help them understand that they can be good careerpeople and at the samerime be good Orthodox Christians, capableof making morally- and ethically-sound decisionsin the secularworld. There is a great spiritual hunger in our young people today. In the Old Testament book Deuteronomy, we are told how we must respond to this spiritual hunger call. Heat; O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Loue the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your str"ength. Thesecommandma* that I giue you today are to be upon your ltearts. Imprcss them on lour childrcn. Thlh about than what you sit at home and whan you walh along the roaL u.,henlou lie dpum and when yu get up (6:4-7).
'We
must teach our children to iove the Lord their God with a.ll their might, hearts,being, and souls.V/e must teach this to them diligendv in our homes even. opportunin'rve have them rvith r.sl'We must teach our children horv to make the Bible become their inspirational guide. 'W'emust show them how to develop prayer lives thror.rghour examples. The reachingsof the Church must become a roadmap, and liturgical, experientid *,orship must become a channel through rve communicate with our preciousLord and God. Teenagersand voung adults are not shocked nor upset when we do not have all the ansrers to their probing questions; horvever, thev do become insecureu,hen the sensern'eare covering our fearswith a veneer of closed-minded dogmatism and call that "faith." We mr-st convey to
them our convictions and faith in a living, loving, eternally-resurrected JesusChrist, \X7howill be there for us and with us. \7e must passon our faith to our children, who then, in turn, must transfer their childhood faith into adulthood faith. Kids must internalize their own faith-value structure before they can extelnalize it into everydaylife situations. Onhodox Christian de-parenring is not intended to be abandonment from God, Church, or familrr Onhodox Christian de-parenting is a slow gradual, loving, caring, and concerned separation from total dependenceto a fullness of manhood ald womanhood. The processof separation in Orthodox Christian de-parenting allows for the interdependenceof mutual family support q'stems rvithout smothering and crorvding. Orthodox Christian de-parenting allorvsthe investment of time, the sharing of love, virtues, and religious values to germinate and bear fruit. Vhen Christ, rhe Bible, rvorship, faith, theolog', and prayer life come alive in the home, when dedicated,enlightened and inspired Orthodox Christian parentssharetheir time-tested faith rhrough prayer,devotion, and fellowship with the children God has placed in their care and trust, this is Onhodox Christian de-parenting at its bestl Fr. George lVicozisin, now retired, was formerly Dit'ector of Religious Education for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
33
P RA X I S
lN MoNsTERS
THEPocKET R E V . D R . B R E N D A N P E L P HR EY
* It's a secretmeeting for dealers.Huddled together, perspiration beading on their foreheads,voices rising to a high pitch, young men in dark glassesand sporrs coarswave wads of dollar bill. f.i-L ;- .l-^ ^:-
-
ILLUMINATING
"I'll give you $5. Itt not worth more rhan that." "No way. I couid sell it for $65 next month."
THEIRSOULS AND BODIES
"Flip a coin, Billy. Heads, you're dead." "Lookout! 'We'rebeing watched." Mafia? Drugs? No, the sceneis a church hall. The youngest buyer is five years old, the oldest no more than eleven. Their "business" is collecting and trading Pokdmon cards, the horcest toy qazE this year and, some say, this century. The conversationis basedon a real event. On that occasion,the children introduced me to their favorite collector card in the Pokdmon seriesand gravely informed me that its actual wonh was $75. Pokdmon cards,manufactured by computer-gamegiant Nintendo, area current fad among elementary-school children, mosdy boys. Introduced only last year, the name stands for POcKEt MONsters. These cards and others like them are sold for $3 to $6 for a pack of twelve. So-called "street value," however, is far higher. School teachersreport seeingyoung children with $80 or more in their hands for a purchase.\fhile no one can predict exacdywhere they will go, there is no question that for now theselittle monsters arewhat children wa,nt. First a television show, then a computer game and now a collector-card seriesand a hit movie, Pokdmon promises to make millions more this season. \X/hat is the attraction of Pokdmon and other cards like them? Children say that they are more fun than baseball cards because"basebali cards dont do anything" while Pokdmon cards are essendally a game of skill and chance,Each Pokdmon card depicts a "monster" with instructions about the monstert potential to wreak havoc. Some charactersa"revenomous, some sport weapons, some work magic spells.Many are capable of "morphing' into other shapesand sizesand abilities. By flipping a coin, owners fight batdes,obtain armor, or raise the stakes: double-or-nothing, tails you're poisoned, heads I have an invisible shield. F-speciallypowerfir.l monsters are valued most. "Trainer" cards help children son through a myriad of complex rules for battles. Originally marketed in America by Vizards of the Coast, Pokdmon are only the newest and most successfi.rl of many different kinds of fantasy collector-cards.Children describethem as a kind of primer for fie undertwelve set. "After that," saysa young collector, "kids dont care about them." I ask why. "Becausetheyie all into magic cardsby *ren."
34
THE
Magic cards?A question for parents is whether the fascination with monster cards really is
the characters are violent. when Fascination rvith computer fantasy games
harmless. In a recent Mwsweek anicle, the writer poses the question whether Pokdmon are evil. "Probably not," he concludes.
has been linked directly to violence, including the killings at Columbine High last year. Christians must remember that
Nevenheiess, he notes, schools across the country have banned them and some Christian preachers have linked daem to the dwil. How could such charming characters causeproblems?
the Scripturesforbid our involvement with the occult in any form (see2 Corinthians
First there is definitely an occult connecrion. Collectors know that pocket monsters are the children's version of more expensive adult cards with a deliberately occult and often sexual theme. Marketed by the same companiesand sold in the samelocal storesas Pokdmon, fantasy cards for adults spofi names of characters,along with magic spells (known as Magick in the trade) derived from real witchcraft and Asian religions, including occult Hinduism, called Thntra. Tantra combines sorcery with demonpossessionand sexualrituals. It is also among the most popular , of new religions on college .,i campusesin America today.
g ] -L-
^f ^ -^ -lr:,L-modern fantasy and tr. mag ick ho bb ies is r he fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons, introduced in the
1970s and still going strong in
'lry
newer versions. In D&D, players "become" demons and wizards. More advanced D&D is Live-Action Role Play (IARP) in which players fight mock batdes using sorcery and spells. \X4rile most IARP participants use harmless toy weaponsr more serious groups sport homemade armor, use real swords, and cast real spells. Some spells call for tlle sacrifice of animals-all in play, of 661115s-ard in many parts of the country police have learned to identif' sites where
fantasy role play has spilled over inro genuinelybloodyrituals. One risk for children is preoccupationwith fantasygamesso that young playersidentif. with fantasy characrerstoo strongly. The boundary berween fantasy and realiry disappears,and the child or young adult undergoesa personalirychange "into" the fantasycharacter.This is especiallydangerous
sr oR, Li
D
\)foodpecker doesnt swearor engagein sexual innuendo, but Bevis and Butthead do, not to mendon the charactersin South Park. And in all their years together, Mickey Mouse never poisoned Minnie. Perhapsthat is why, in the eyes of young collectors used to morphing monsters, Mickey is boring.
6:14-15). Finally, there are issuesof manipulation and Another consideration is that monsrer collector cards dont depict realJife sports heroes,but grotesquefantaw figures, none of which provides a positive role-model. "Are there any good Pokdmon characters?" I ask my young friend. "Sure," he says, flipping through his extensivecollection of cards housed nearly in plastic pocketholders. "The good ones are reachers."But when I ask what they teach, the answer turns out to be...more and better destruction. Spitting venom and throwing deadly magic bombs, these cute creatures can prepare children psycho)ogicallyro accepr (and act out) real-life violence
such
as the
W",subway poisoning by the Japanesecu-lt Aum il Shinrilq'o. Perhaps for :i this reason, one shop r' owner in Cranston, Rhode Island, says that she will nor sell rhesecards, and another owner, who used to allow monsrer-card "batdes" in his store, has now banned all such actiyiql
w
money. Clever marketing of limited-edition cardshas createda frantic desirefor cardboard monsters. Compulsive gambling is now a grade-school phenomenon. Young boys are taking on the characteristicsof big-time drugdealers, flashing large amounts of money which they hide from their parents. It also seemsreasonableto expect that eventually the financial bubble will burst, leaving pint-sized investors high and dry Will they be able psychologicallyto handle their losses? Orthodox parents may wanr to be informed about the effects of fantasy-card collecting before allowing their children to move too far i n t o r h e s p o r t . " l 'l l L r a d e yo u Or l a n d o Hernandez for Bernie \filliams" seems healthier. Better still, how about Bible and saint stories, real sports, traditiona-l games,or - - - ^ .;,.-
^ .^ :- - +.)
Fr. BrendanPelphrq wasAdjunct Professor in comparatiuereligion and Onhodnx spiinul nadition at Hellenic Collegeand studiesnew religiotumouements.
"Haven't
children always resorted to violent games?" a mother aslcs. It can certainly be argued that the classic American child's game Cowboys and Indians is violent and racist. Even fad heroes of the placid 1950s like Dar.y Crocket and Peter Pan were, in the end, armed and dangerous.If Pokdmon figures can be said to incite violence, then virtualiy all childrent cartoons may not be fit viewing for kids. But that is just the point. Roy Rogers never shot a good guy, and he only wounded crootr<s.Hopalong Cassidy took time out to lecture kids about positive family values. But an obvious trend in todays television and toy heroes is to increase the sheer level of in-your-face rudeness and anarchy. \foody
35
PR A X I S
..THE
VORD \TAS MADE
FTESH
JesusChrist is the key to our understanding of God. According to Saint Irenaeus,he made the invisible God visible, but -i7ho is He? This was and is the central question for Christians.
AND
AI.{D
Even during His sojourn on earth Christ Himself asked His disciples: "Who doyou sE that I am?" Peter'sresponse:"Youare the Christ, the Son
NUNABERING THE M WITH THY
of the liuing God," evoked from Jesusa saying we all remember: 'And I tell yow that you are Peter,and on this rock I will buiU. nry church, and the gatesof Hades will not ouercomeit."
D\TEIT
But, for the purpose of understanding how Christ came to dwell among us, Christ's responseto Peter and the ofier disciples in the sentence before is critical: 'B|essedare !0u, Simon son of Jonah, for thls was nzt reuea/edto you by man, but by my Father in heauen."This means that God, the Father, communicated to Peter.In other words, some things
AIv{ONG
are not understood from human efforts alone.
RATIONAL FLOCK
US'' REV, DR, M ICHAEL MA S S OU H
The Incarnation is an example.If Christ is the Son of God, how did He get to ear-th?The Gospels,the apostles'leners, and fie Fathersdescribe a twofold process:through the line of David according to the flesh; and from the Father according to the Divine Naure. In both cases,Mary was central to the drama: she was fie person from whom Christ took flesh; she was the one to whom Gabriel announced: "The Holy Spiit will comeupon you, and thepower of the Most High will ouershad.ow you. So the holy oneto be born will becalledtheSon of God" (Luke2:35).Mary
was the locus of the Incarnation, but it was God Who acted. The Incarnation and \4rgin Birth did not come unexpectedly This event was prophesied much earlier by Isaiah: Thereforethe Lord himself will giue you a si.gn:Tbe uirgin will be wirh child and will giue binh to a son,and will call him Immanuel Qsaiah7:14); a1[ 2g;n'. For to usa child is born, to us A son is giuen, and the gouernment wil/ be on his shouldtrs. And he will be calledWondr{ul Counsekr MtShry God, EuerlastingFather Prince ofPeace(Isaiah9:6). Later SaintJohn added: In the beginningwas
TH E
rhe Word, and the Word was uith God, and the Word was God (John I : I ). In rhis assertionSaint John expressedclearly that JesusChrist was with God from eternity and that at the proper time: The Word becameflah and madt hb d.welling among ut. We haue seenhis gbry, the glory of the One and Only ruho camefom the Father, full of grace and truth (John
CATECHUMENS
Are we to hold belief in the Virgin Birth hostage to medical science? Must we wait for a human procedure and terminologr before we take the Virgin Birth and the Incarnation seriously?Dont we accepr the Virgin Birth as a given, revealedby God to those blessedby the Father like Peterto understand that Jesusis the Christ?
1:11). The \7ord was made flesh by action of the Holy Spirit. For Onhodox Christians, this explanation is enough: We know that Christ dwelt arnong us. \7e know that He was born of a virgin. \(e know He was incarnatein order to revealthe invisible Father and ro assurneour narure in order to redeem us from death. We know he was born throush the Holy Spirit. Nonbelievels and skeptics,however,want ro go further ald to know in what way fie Holy Spirit accomplishedthis feat; they want to know the mind of God. Perhaps,without realizing it they are articulating the hubris of wanting to be God. They also want to know how a virgin could conceive?Perhapsthe Incarnation was the first recordedcaseofin vitro fertilization, a processthat only becamepossiblefor human beings in the 20th century. Perhaps the "overshadowing of the Holy Spirit" involved removing an egg from the Virgin, implanting it with a male sperm createdby God, and placing it in the Virgint womb. Perhapsl But, this is contemporary teminology expressinga currenr procedure. It might answer skepdcs who argue that a male must possessesboth an x and a f human chromosome. Since the y' chromosome can only come from a human male, theseskepticswonder how Jesuscould be ma1e,arguing that the Virgin could supply only the 'x'chromosome.
In sciencethere are a number of concepts that took years to articulate and that still do not have an ontological ("objective") explanation, yet we live and operate with them. Take electricity, for example. Scientists can provide equations about the electromagnetic theory that let r-rs produce, predict, and control electriciry but, scientistscannot saywhat electriciry is. The same is true wifi graviry We have mathematical formulae that relate gravitational forces to massesand distances,but we do not really know what graviry is. How do gravitational forces "knov/' that an object is out there to attract?and, how does one object attract another over a distalce?Yet, we do not hold electricity or graviry hostage waiting for a full ontological explanation. \,XAy should we hold faith hostage because we do not understand the Virgin Binh arld the Incarnation? It is one thing to quesdon the Mrgin Birth; it is another to make its explanation the basison which we decide whether to be believers.It is one thing to continue to try to expiain graviry and electriciq'; it is another to refixe to use electriciry until we have a fu1l explanation of what it is. Ak yourself why we make our acceptanceof religious truths more difficult than our acceptanceofscientific truths. Is it becausewe value religion more than science?or, do we prefer the apparent ceftainry of a mathematical / rmu/ae to the axioms, the "revealedtruths," on which they are based?Do we prefer to live in the Light of Christ evident in the
In fact, however, the in uino fertiization explanation is not satisfying to a skeptic, and to a believer it is beside the point. The real point of the matter is that we do not know: "For my thoughtsare nlt )lzur thoughts, neither arelour u)qls my ways," declaresthe Lord. 'fu the heauensare higher than the earth, soare m1 ways higher than your uays and my thoughtsthan your thoughts. ." (Is 55: 8-9).
gospel, lives of the saints, and the Church, or to stay hidden in the darkness of this world? The choice is ours. It has always been ours. Christ dwelt among us to show us the Light and fie'Way. God waits for our response. The Reu.Dr. Michael Massouh has taught Scienceand Religion at Helbnic College/ Holy Crossand is a regular contributor ra Praxis.
PRAXIS
FcllowMe
IRENE CASSIS
CALLED BY THY HOLYNAME
" Come, folbn mr," Jesussaid ro some fishermen of Galilee, " and I will makeyou fshers of men" (see Matther.r'4:19). His aposdes, the Twelve, were rather ordinary men who lacked eloquence, worldly wisdom, and the abiliry to persuade people to accept the Good News. JesusHimself trained these men whom He had handpicked. They were with Him for three years. They were eyewitnessesto miracles and healings,yet in spite of all His teachings,at Jesus'crucifixion they still did not realizethat He was the Son of God. The apostlesdid not understard that Jesusis God until after the Resurrection. They were frightened forthemselvesand firll of doubt. They mourned and wept (seeMark 16:10). Their faith was so fragile that when Mary Magdalene ran to tell thesemen that Jesuswas alive, they did not believeher untii He appeared to them. Becauseof their lack of faith, Jesusallowed them to touch Him. ..Look at my han* anrl my feet. h is I myself Tbuch me and see.A ghost doesnot haueJlrsh and bonesasyou seeI haue"(Luke 24:39) .Before Jesuswas carried up to heaven (the Ascension), He instructed his apostles to go to Jerusalem where they would receive power from the Holy Spirit (seeActs 1:8); and so they returned to Jerusalem still frightened and went to the Upper Room where they had been staying: ...Thry all joinetl together consmntly in prayer, along with the women and Mary tbe Mother ofJesus,and with his brorhers(Acts 1:14). Finally, fifty days after the Resurrection at Pentecost, the Jewish feast celebrating the first fruits of the harvest and the giving of the Ten Commaldments to Moses on Mounr Sinai, the Holy Spirit came upon each of the apostles as tongues of fire, and they were changed forever! The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus' followers to continue His work on ear-thand spreadthe gospel throughout the known world. After Penrecost, "They ceasedto be mere followers of Christ and became the Church, the very Body of Christ" (The Faith, Clark Carlton, page 154). Today, through baptism, we become members of the Church, the Body of Christ. \X4'renwe are chrismated, the same Holy Spirit, \fho empowered the aposdesat the Feastof Pentecost, empowers us-"with no iess lea1iry and power," according to Bishop Kallistos. Chrismation is an
extension of Pentecost. Through chrismation, God arms us each with spiritual gifts for service within the Church. Christ lives in the Church through His Holy Spirit, and we fllfill our calling by participating in the Divine Liturgy and the sacraments. "The Church is the entrance into the life of Christ, the communion with eternal life" (Alexander Schmemann). In fact when we gather in Church, Christ is present: ...Again, I tell you that if nuo of you on earth agree about anything you aslefot it uill be doneforyou by my Father in beauen. For tuhere fi.uo or three come together in my name, tltere am I uith them" (Matthew
18:19-20). As catechists, in order to be able to feed our students with spiritual food, we must first be fed. As role models, it is important that we are visible in our churches,through worship serwicesas well as by participating in sacramentailife. it is only through active panicipation in the life of the Church that we can pass on a living faith. Remember the old saying: Faifi is caught, not taught. Just as the Holy Spirit empowered Jesus'aposdes to go out boldly and courageously,preaching the Good News, so we, His disciples today, through perseverance,prayer, reading Scriptures and lives of the saints, and consciouslyliving the Christian life day by day, will also be empowered by the sameHoly Spirit as'ureconrinueour minisrriesin the Church. "The whole aim of the Christian life is to be a Spirit-bearer,to live in the Spirit of God, to breathe the Spirit of God" (Bishop Kallistos). Like the aposdes,catechistsare ordinary people with some of the same fears, doubts, and ambivalenceabout our abilities (or lack of ability) to pass on our precious Faith to our students. \fe're afraid we dont know enough, but a really good teacher is one who is always a student. We doubt ourselves, and yet Christ chose twelve ordinary people like you and me to build up His Church. \7e are ambivalent becauseon the one hand we want to be part of this exciting ministry ofhelping young people grow closerto Christ and
TH E
His Church; but on the other hand we know how much time and energyrhis qpe of commitmenrrequire'.
to teach,althoughrvemay spenddme in In accepingthe challenge prayer and preparadon in order to reach our students, we must remember that we will rarely witness the end results of our labors. He does ask us to be Christ, howevet does not ask us to be successfi.rl; faithful. \[e are a.llcalled to servethe Church in different ways becausethe Holy Spirit gives each of us special gifts for the purpose of building up the Church. "Every true gift and ministry in the Church manifeststhe Holy Tiiniry., ." (The Orthodox Study Bible, note on 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, page 395). In Saint Paul'sepisdeto the Ephesiars(4:11), one special ministry listed along with apostles,prophets, evangelists,and pastorsis teachers.I purposely highlight and encourage Sunday school teachers with thesewords: "Your call to teaching is not accidental.You have been molded by God through the experiencesin your life until you received His call, inviting you to share in the proclamation of His Divine 'Word. . .the Logos (Sowing SeeAfor Chist, Elaine Michaels and Mary Hallick, page iii). Jesusis often referred to as the "masterTeacher."He regardedteaching as one of the most important functions of His work for God. He commissioned His disciplesin this way: "Thereforego and make disciples ofall nations, baptizing them in the name ofthe Father and ofthe Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teachingthem to obq, eaerythingI hauecommandtd you. And surelyI am with you always to the uery end of the age" (Mamhew 28:19-20). As Sunday school teachers,as disciples of Christ, we must also do tle same.\7e have only to follow His example aswe teach and minister to the needs of the Sunday school students and their families. The challenge of teaching in the Sunday school is that we are making disciplesrooted in our Greek Orthodox Christian Faith; and aswe teach our children their faith, we have an opportunity to grow in faith together. Lett iook at some resourcesthat Sunday school teachersmay use to strengthen their faith. 1. Amend the Divine Liturgy on Sundaysand speciaifeastdaysfaidr-firlly ard consistently.God speak to each of us through the prayers,hymns, and Bible readings. To gain a bemer understanding of the Divine Liturg', an instructiona.l video entided "Divine Liturg' Video," produced on the campus of Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology, may be purchased from the Department of Reiigious Education of the Archdiocese(800-566-1088). 2. A an Onhodox Christian and Sunday school teacher,the porver that your prayer life has on your ministry cannot be overemphasized.\7e carr do nothing on our own. We must abide in Christ in order to bear good fruit. He told us: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bearfait b itulf it must remain in the uine. Neither can you bear fait unbssyou remain in me" (John 15:4). A wonderfirl pocket or purse iitde prayer book with personal and family devotions in contemporary ianguage tttled My Personal Pral,er Book by Fr. Ted Srylianopoulos is availablefrom the DRE (800-566-1088). 3. The Orthodnx Study Bible is certainly a "must read" for everyone,
C A TE C H U ME NS
especiallythe Sunday school teacher.Dont forget to read the footnotes, afticles on the faith, and the Morning and Evening Prayers.If your church offers Bible study, take advantageof this opponuniry. Amending a Bible classof another denomination may be more convenient to you' but itt not the sameasattending an Orthodox Bible+tudy group' (The othodox Stwb Bibb, Department of Religious Education, 800-56610 8 8 ) . 4. Incorporate major feastand fast days into your personallife and into your Sunday-schoollessons.In his book God andYou: Personto Person, Fr. Anthony Coniaris explains,"The liturgical year not only reenactsthe great saving eventsin the life ofJesus,but also piacesus in each event in a very personal way." An excellentaddition to your library is a Teacher's Guide and Pupil's Manual, Celrbration: Feastsand Hof Day (OCEC, 2or-768-7966). 5. Educate yourself about what it means to be an Orthodox Christian, as opposed to Roman Catholic or Protestant. I would like to recommend three books, all by Clark Carlton: The Fairh: (Jnd.erstandingOrthodnx Christianity; The Way: \Yhat Euery Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church and, The Tiuth: What Euery Roman Catholic Should Know About the Orthodox Cburcb (Resina Orthodox Press,800-636-2470). 6. Reading about the champions of our Faith, the saints, is something elsewe Sunday school teachersmust pursue.After all, they are members of our Church family: Fr. George Poulos' bool<s, Orthodax Saints, Volumes 1-4, givesynopsesof the saints'lives and the celebration dates (Department of Religious Education). 7. Saint Nektarios:A Saint for Our Timesby Sotos Chondropoulos is a Holy Cross Orthodox Presspublication and one of my favorite books about a saint, which inspired and gaveme a better understanding of the life and strugglesof this holy man (Holy Cross Press,800-245-0599). 8. Many of our churchesoffer classesfor inquirers who are interestedin becoming Orthodox Christians. Cradle-Onhodox are also enroliing in these classes.Learning with a group provides fellowship and a wonderfi-rl opportunity to find out more about what it means to be Orthodox. Participating in such classeswill be wonh your time. These are just a few ways to become more knowledgeable about our faith, build up our libraries, and become more effectiveSunday school teachers. I will always remember Fr. Nicholas Tiiantafilou's words when he addressed Sunday school teachers at fie annual archdiocesan religious education conferencesthat i amended.He said, "tff{hen you walk into the classroomand you have been praylng, reading Scripture, participating in the sacraments,the children will want to flock to your classroombecauseyou will be luminous. The spiritual journey you are on will be evident in your presence." Gaching is very important. t}7eknow it is not going to be easy,but with the help of the Holy Spirit, those of us who choose to serve Christ as Sunday school teacherscan become extraordinary personsofthe Spiritfilled Olthodox way of life in ansn'eringhis call: Foliow me.
Irene Cassisis Director of Rellgious Education at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Howston, Texas.
39
P RA X I S
YENRSIN THE
PTESTHooD REV. J O H N L I M B E R A K I S
THATWITH US THEYMAY GLORTFY THINE
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28-19-2O). Believeit or not, my desireto be a priest began as a small child. I recall one Saturday night
night, while I remained at the seminary.V{hat a shock for me. I had never been away from
kneeling before our lconismaut saying prayers before going to church the nexr morning. I recall my mother asking me in Greek, 'John,
home until that moment. The next morning, George Samaras, an upperclassman from Woburn who later become a bishop (now
what are you going to be when you grow up?" 'Without the slightesthesitation, I responded,
deceased) assigned me to work with the chicken coop. I was supposedto provide corn, feed, ald fresh water the first thing every morning. I lasted at that job only a few days
1\ DfleSI
HONORABLE AND MAJESTIC NAME
Even as a child, I had no other desire. I remember serving as an altar boy at The Dormition Church in the late 1930s and early 40s. I actualiy believed that our parish priest \ /aspaft and parcel of the deiry. He was from Alatsata of Asia Minor, the birthplace of my parents. As I watched him celebrate lirurgy ra'ith such great exuberance, I often noticed vapor exhaling from his mouth, and I believed it was the Holy Spirit. Such is innocence of a child. Remembering this, I recount words of Christ which I often preached {iom the pulpit to persuadeparents to bring their children to church: Let the children cometo me, and do not hinder them; for the hingdnm of heauenbebngs to suchas these...(Matthew 19.14). Having graduatedfrom high school at the ripe old age of sixteen, accompanied by parents, I left for Pomfret, Connecticut, -yto 'We enroll at Holy Cross School of Theology. came face to face with its first dean, Bishop Cawadas, who welcomed us, and I will never forget it. My parents returned to Boston that
before a rooster amacked me wi*r its beals strikingwithin inches of myface as I entered. Frightened stiff, I dropped both buckets and ran direcdy to the dean's office to plead for a new assignment. This was the first time in my life I had mer living, srrurting, cocldedoodling chickens, let alone a fierce rooster. Before enrolling at Holy Cross, I had often envisionedwhat life would be at the seminary - 66 in my robes,missal in hand, praying or actending classes.Not so. The'\forld'$Var II draft was at its peak, The US was engaged in the European Theatre to the hilt, and we had deciared war against Japan. In 1945 I head that some of my classmatesin high school had been in the baale of Iwo Jima. All seminary students across the nation, whatever their denominations, had a military deferment ([VD) because the United States needed priesa, ministers, and rabbis. In those days of food shortages, the seminary was obliged to maintain Victory Gardens and keep livestock. Students had to volunteer to be the farmers;
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C A TE C H U ME NS
otherwise we would not have survived as a seminary durine those critical years.
delivered one, solinry message:that our Greek Orthodox Church is indeeda major faith rhroughoutAmerica.
Sudents rose at six every morning, an hour before chapel. Before selices began, the dean stood at the entrance observing that each seminarian arrived. Upperclassmen were assigned alphabetically to
Those were pioneering days.Today, everything is in place. A quesrion that should be pondered by those who followed and now enjoy our presentstatus is, who preparedthe way?There is alwaysa history worth
chant the various hymns in Greek. -Ve were expected to practice. If a hymn was not satisfactorily executed, the dean interrupted from the bishops throne to ask us to repear ir until we got it straight. This
knowing and an origin, to every story.
happened frequently \Tithout
our realizing it, this was a learning
experience, innate, deeply seated, consistent with the old adage. Repeition is the morher of leamin/ Vith
hardly any exceptions, our enrering the priesthood had to be preceded by marriage; however, life at the seminary was primarily cloistered.We did have one aliernoon a week for shopping, haircuts, buying toothpaste, and so on. Sometimes we treated ourselves to banana splits. BecauseI was the baby of the classand not yet married, after graduation the dean invited me ro become his executivesecrerary and to run the seminary office.
Most correspondence was in Greek and dealt wirh officials in the ecclesiasticaland secular worlds. This is where I learned the nomenclature of our Orthodox way of life and where I observed the intricacies of administration. tWtrat I learned fiar year and a half matched the five yearsin semrnary, As future priests, all one hundred or so seminarians were trained to exercisewhat is called in Greek phibtima to maintain our digniry at all costs,never to negotiate for personal gain, alwaysro pursue our priestly duties whatever dme of day, never ro look at the clock or the sizeof the task, always to be available.\7e were trained to be shepherdsof the sheepof Christ, to preach His word, and to do His work in sociery.We were trained to do eveqrthing in Godt name, whatever the circumstance. \W4ratawaited us in the open field of life was a mystery: the struggles, the disappointments, rhe frustrations, the sadness,the failures,the pain, on the one hand; the exuberance, the fi-rlfillment and gratification, the triumphs by the graceof God, on the other-all of which is wrinen in Heaven. \X/hat mattered was the Lord's mandate: Therefore go and mahe disciples of all nations, baptizing them in tlte name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spiit (Mattheut 28:19). And do you know, we did it! Ve went our to our parishes and representedour sacredheritage among believersand non-believers.\7e were unabashedin public places,before statelegislatorsand federal.We had a messagethat concerned not only our people, but also the general public, and this is how we began our ministries. Not only did we rejuvenate our parishes,but in some cases,inspired and armed by the Holy Spirit, we led the way for relocation by iaunching buiiding programs and raising millions of dollars.We addressedthe Rhode Island House of Representatives;fien a few monrhs iarer, were invited to 'W'e present our c$e before the legislators of t}re State of Maine.
Today I servea parish with all its diverse activities asthey apply to several generationsof our people, whether Greek- or English-speaking.There is hospital ministry and prison dury both of which I have faithfi.rlly pursued drroughout five decades.Every week ] visit state institurions, private hospitals, nursing homes, wherever they provide health-care services. Often, patients are surprised by these visits, but deeply gratified. I have entered the hospital room of a member of the Greek Parliament, another of a fellow priest from Greece. Once I took an interest in a prisoner convicted of murdering a police officer. I visited him every few days at the statepenitentiary on my way to church. Gradually, we became good friends, and in time, he requestedthe sacraments.Penancecame first, and then he confided in me that he was "framed" and serving a life sentence. His widowed mother had died, and his brorhers had given up so that he had not one solitary visitor. Only another Greek Onhodox priest was there by his side. In time, I called the famous attorney F. Lee Bailey to seek help. tVould you believethis prisoner was paroled by the governor to pursue a careerin electronics,which he learned from a mechanical-engineering journal fiat the priest had subscribedto for him? \flell, believe id It is true. God works in miraculous wars when we beliwe in the possibility and go along with Him. I ve seen this trust a myriad of times, and it works. Priests who have a productive ministry see themselvesprimarily as instruments of the Holy Spirit as they celebratethe sacraments,preach the word, and serveasdisciples,evangelists,and aposdesof Christ in this day and age, If necessity requires, we act as the conscience of our
^^-^-^-^.:^--
lurrBrc6dLrurrs.
After so many years, a priest can experience deep gratification if by and large he has done the job well, keeping priorities in order, undertaking initiatives for the greaterglory of God whether the circumstanceshave been pleasant or unpleasant, and transmitting our sacred spiritual heritage and our unique cultural tradition. The Lord's own words are appropriate for this kind of ministry: "Well done, good and fairhful seruant! ,.,Come and shareyour masteri happiness!"Manhew 25:21). Amen. Now, may the challengesto be met tomorrow be met in God's time. Father Limberakit /t Bostonian by binh, is the pastor of the Church of St. Sophia/SS.Fairh, Hope andAgape inffirsonuille, at the gdtewa! to Vallgt Forge in Pennsyluania.
4I
PRAXIS
A RULEoF
PwER
Fon RreorNGTHEBrnrt FR . D ION YS IS
THE NAME
OF SIMON AS
PE TR A S
So often we hear the words in the Gospel, the words of our Lord, calling us to prayer.This call to prayer is something we do alone in the privary of our homes, and it includes regular prayer within the context of fie communiry. Most of us have grown accr.istomedto the prayer life of the communiry and the divine services celebratedthroughout the year in the Church but personal prayer is equally important. To facilitate a rule of prayer for those of us who may be searchingfor something simple and not too time-consuming, I suggestthe following prescription:
OFTHE FATHER AND OF THE S ON AND OF THE HOLYSPIRIT
FrnsrTHrNc rN THr MoRNrNc 15,r ,r r Nur r s Three prostrations. These can be firll body prostrations to the floor if you are physically able, ot simply to touch the floor in front of your toes. Do this slowly, picturing the Lord in front of you. Make the sign of the crossbefore each prostration. Sit in a hard chair with your prayer rope. The hard chair helps keep t}re mind attentive,whereasa soft chair is made for comfort and sieep.Keeping the mind attentive, recite theJesusprayer slowly: "Lord JesusChrist, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." It is best not to createany pictures rn ,vour mind. Recite the prayer for each knot on the prayer rope until you make the complete circle. From the Scriptures:read two chaptersfrom the Old Testament, and one chapter from the New Testament. Again, while sitting in the hard chair, keeping the mind anentive. (By the end of wo years,,vouwill have read the entire Bible.) Still seatedin the hard chair, compiete one more prayer rope, reciting the Jesusprayer.Three prostrations (as before). Then, continue with your normal morning routine.
lN r Hr Evr NtNc 15 tvrtN urts \7hen you havecompletedyour dayswork, and afteryou havepreparedyourselffully for bed,repeatthe same ruleof prayerasyou did in the morning.Usingthis rule,thel,ord becomes our first thoughtsin the morning, and our lastthoughtsat night.
* This rulc ofprayeris undistractedtime with God, to strengthen your spiit and inoeaseyourfaith. Do not be concerned with the dnorbell,the teltphone,the tebuisionor radio.Nothing on tlte stoaeor in the ouen.Absolute silence.If you arebabingprosfora,you canusethis rule while the breadsare ri:ing and baking.
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