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So changing my lifestyle from a clergyman to a layman has not been altogether easy. I do miss serving in the Altar. I miss serving others in a unique and special way. However, I can still serve others as a Christian and I can still love and pray for others. What this experience has taught me, however, is that the life of a layman is difficult.
Since I attended seminary at such a young age, it has shaped the way I think about things. For this, I am grateful. At the same time, the way I was taught, I am coming to discover, is often not quite right. Not only are the answers different in Orthodoxy, but the questions are different, too.
The life of a layman is in many ways more difficult than the life of a monastic or a priest. Let me explain. As a priest or monastic, one's entire life is caught up with the church and serving her. While there are moments of conflicting desires (seeing one's family and performing one's duty as a priest), usually the Church always wins out. As a priest or monastic, the priority is always God. This is a wonderful gift, but it is also a yoke. But it is one that is light to bear and one that gives far more than it demands of us.
As a layman, though, one's life is divided and torn among family, work, church, and numerous other things that demand our time. To try and do all that we would like to do, or all that we want to do is nearly impossible. It is hard enough to juggle family, work, not to mention one's faith--especially in a diverse family who does not always see eye-to-eye on religious matters.
This experience has given me a whole new appreciation for those in the Church who give of their time to attend Liturgies, Vespers, and the many other services that are offered. To be "on the other side of the altar" both literally and figuratively, has been something that I will not forget. I hope one day it will make me a better pastor. God willing...
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sacraments and the Church
It seems to me that we in America need to re-learn how we think about God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. Some basic questions to start down this road might be: How do we know God? or, how have we come to know Him? What authority do we rely on to give us this information? Is it a book? Who wrote the book? How do we understand this book? At the end of the day, if we are merely students of this book, we need teachers who can help us understand what it means and how to live a life based on the reality which it professes. And if this book is true, we need a community to help us live out that life--for we cannot do it on our own. To say that we can is to simply fool ourselves.
As Christians, we believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Why? Do we believe this because we have been taught this, or because we know the Truth that it declares?
Protestants (and sometimes Roman Catholics) are often shocked and offended when they are told that the Mysteries of the Church (i.e. Sacraments: Holy Communion, Confession, Ordination, etc.) are only open to Orthodox Christians. I was recently told that they (the Orthodox) "hold the sacraments ransom as though God has ordained them as the guardians of holiness despite the lack of any Scriptural support to their claims."
So, I want to address this assertion, and ask a few questions that may help shed a little light on the Orthodox position.
Firstly, let's start with a little history.
Imagine we are in the early Church. Let's say anytime between the 300's and 800's (after Christianity became legal to practice in the Roman Empire). Would a non-Christian be able to simply walk into a church building and even after professing Christ and being amongst the believers, would he be allowed to participate in the Mysteries without being received by Baptism, Chrismation, and then Communion? No. Not only would they have to show their faith to the community, but they would also have to be taught about the Christian faith and then receive the rites of initiation. In fact, as a non-Christian, they would only be able to participate about halfway through the service (all through the first part of the service which is known as the Liturgy of the Faithful or the Liturgy of the Word). The second half of the service, when the Mysteries of the Eucharist were given, the catechumens (the learners) would be escorted out of the temple and instructed on the Christian faith while the Faithful would receive Holy Communion during the Liturgy of the Faithful or Liturgy of the Eucharist. So in the early Church one would first show their faith by coming and worshiping as they were able. Second, they would have to be willing to learn from the community.
Let's take another example, though slightly different. What if a person during this time period came from another Christian group that followed the teachings of a bishop or priest who taught something different than what the community as a whole had received? In fact, the teachings of that bishop or priest had been so different from the rest of Christendom that the Church had to pronounce that that man had separated himself from the community because of his teachings. Would that individual who followed that bishop or priest be allowed into the community and able to receive the Mysteries? No. The individual would first have to spend time with the community and then recant any and all variant beliefs acquired through the variant clergy teachings.
Today is no different. People who enter the Orthodox church are required to undergo instruction in the Christian Faith as the community has received it since the beginning. Is all the teaching of the Church in the Bible? No. However, the most important parts are. Does that mean that the other parts are dispensable? No. Far from it. Just as we cannot have the Bible apart from the Church (for the Church wrote the Bible and the Church chose which books were to be in it), so we cannot have the Bible apart from the Church's understanding and teaching of it. We cannot dissect the Bible from the Church, nor the Church from the Bible. It is an organic and living whole. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians in his second letter to "keep the traditions which you have been taught, either by word or epistle."
How do we know God? How have we come to know Him? What authority do we rely on to give us this information? Is it a book? Who wrote the book? How do we understand this book?
I know God personally through Jesus Christ, whom I have seen made manifest in His followers by the action of the Holy Spirit. These people not only profess to love, they live it. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, and clearly there are branches on the One True Vine that are dead. However, God is the Judge, not me.
What I do know is that the Orthodox Church has written the Bible, chosen which books were holy and to be included in its canon, and has commented on the correct interpretation of these writings. This authority to teach, to preach, to admonish, to absolve, to bind, and to loose was given to the Apostles (cf. Pentecost, John 20:21-23, Matthew 18:18, Mark 13:34, Luke 9:1, 2 Corinthians 10:8, Titus 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, etc.).
We need to ask different questions... not just seek answers that suit our taste.
As Christians, we believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Why? Do we believe this because we have been taught this, or because we know the Truth that it declares?
Protestants (and sometimes Roman Catholics) are often shocked and offended when they are told that the Mysteries of the Church (i.e. Sacraments: Holy Communion, Confession, Ordination, etc.) are only open to Orthodox Christians. I was recently told that they (the Orthodox) "hold the sacraments ransom as though God has ordained them as the guardians of holiness despite the lack of any Scriptural support to their claims."
So, I want to address this assertion, and ask a few questions that may help shed a little light on the Orthodox position.
Firstly, let's start with a little history.
Imagine we are in the early Church. Let's say anytime between the 300's and 800's (after Christianity became legal to practice in the Roman Empire). Would a non-Christian be able to simply walk into a church building and even after professing Christ and being amongst the believers, would he be allowed to participate in the Mysteries without being received by Baptism, Chrismation, and then Communion? No. Not only would they have to show their faith to the community, but they would also have to be taught about the Christian faith and then receive the rites of initiation. In fact, as a non-Christian, they would only be able to participate about halfway through the service (all through the first part of the service which is known as the Liturgy of the Faithful or the Liturgy of the Word). The second half of the service, when the Mysteries of the Eucharist were given, the catechumens (the learners) would be escorted out of the temple and instructed on the Christian faith while the Faithful would receive Holy Communion during the Liturgy of the Faithful or Liturgy of the Eucharist. So in the early Church one would first show their faith by coming and worshiping as they were able. Second, they would have to be willing to learn from the community.
Let's take another example, though slightly different. What if a person during this time period came from another Christian group that followed the teachings of a bishop or priest who taught something different than what the community as a whole had received? In fact, the teachings of that bishop or priest had been so different from the rest of Christendom that the Church had to pronounce that that man had separated himself from the community because of his teachings. Would that individual who followed that bishop or priest be allowed into the community and able to receive the Mysteries? No. The individual would first have to spend time with the community and then recant any and all variant beliefs acquired through the variant clergy teachings.
Today is no different. People who enter the Orthodox church are required to undergo instruction in the Christian Faith as the community has received it since the beginning. Is all the teaching of the Church in the Bible? No. However, the most important parts are. Does that mean that the other parts are dispensable? No. Far from it. Just as we cannot have the Bible apart from the Church (for the Church wrote the Bible and the Church chose which books were to be in it), so we cannot have the Bible apart from the Church's understanding and teaching of it. We cannot dissect the Bible from the Church, nor the Church from the Bible. It is an organic and living whole. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians in his second letter to "keep the traditions which you have been taught, either by word or epistle."
How do we know God? How have we come to know Him? What authority do we rely on to give us this information? Is it a book? Who wrote the book? How do we understand this book?
I know God personally through Jesus Christ, whom I have seen made manifest in His followers by the action of the Holy Spirit. These people not only profess to love, they live it. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, and clearly there are branches on the One True Vine that are dead. However, God is the Judge, not me.
What I do know is that the Orthodox Church has written the Bible, chosen which books were holy and to be included in its canon, and has commented on the correct interpretation of these writings. This authority to teach, to preach, to admonish, to absolve, to bind, and to loose was given to the Apostles (cf. Pentecost, John 20:21-23, Matthew 18:18, Mark 13:34, Luke 9:1, 2 Corinthians 10:8, Titus 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, etc.).
We need to ask different questions... not just seek answers that suit our taste.
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