Dear Father in Christ, Neketas,
\nIn truth Christ is Risen! Bless us Father!<\/p>\n
Thank you for your welcome letters and the frank comments. Yes, I think you are right. Up to now we\u2019ve emphasized the Metropolia\u2019s Russian-ties because it should be at least reminded of its canonical and brotherly obligations. But it\u2019s quite obvious that the Metropolia has totally \u201cforgotten\u201d these and is not even in the least embarrassed by them. But now that it considers itself the Orthodox Church in America, it\u2019s time to open fire on the most general front: to show what kind of \u201cOrthodoxy\u201d it represents. This issue we have an excellent article criticizing Fr. Schmemann\u2019s \u201cliturgical theology,\u201d by probably the leading Russian theologian today, Fr. Michael Pomazansky \u2014 now 80 years old and living in Jordanville. Frankly, up until recently I had more or less accepted Fr. Schmemann by his reputation, as an \u201cOrthodox\u201d scholar, somewhat open to criticism but probably not too dreadful after all. But after this article, with liberal quotations from his book, he appears as nothing less than an open Protestant. We hope before long to have an article on Archbp. John Shahovskoy also \u2014 do you know, by the way, if anything of his has appeared in English besides the Pastori I heard that Leaves of the Tree is being translated. If Fr. Schmemann is their \u201ctheologian,\u201d he is their \u201cspiritual\u201d man \u2014 and what a twisted, self-deceived and deceiving \u201cspirituality\u201d he expounds! As far as Orthodoxy is concerned, we have all the weapons on our side, and all they can do is refer to their long-despised \u201ccanons\u201d and make vague charges of \u201csectarianism,\u201d etc. But the conscience of the more sensitive ones left there is not easy. We\u2019re corresponding with Fr. David Black, who shows all the deficiencies of a St. Vladimir\u2019s education \u2014 and be\u2019s becoming hard-pressed to defend his Metropolia. He admits its spiritual impoverishment and the Synod\u2019s spiritual wealth (but his idol, Fr. Florovsky, told him we are like Catharists, who were also \u201cspiritual\u201d \u2014 good heavens, what an upside-down notion of \u201cspirituality\u201d!); he admits the Soviet bishops may have compromised their episcopacy \u2014 but no council has condemned them, and some of Peter\u2019s and Catherine\u2019s bishops were also no good! He even prays that the Metropolia bishops haven\u2019t \u201csold out Orthodoxy.\u201d We mince few words with him, but he keeps writing back, so there is at least a seed planted there.<\/p>\n
I hope you aren\u2019t accusing yourself of getting Fr. Seraphim into trouble. He wants us not to reprint his letter, and sounds so apologetic now (after being suspended on Passion Monday) that we fear he might even give in to them, under the guise of obedience and humility, and renounce everything he said. But even if he didn\u2019t want such publicity, I think it\u2019s providential \u2014 a call of attack against their \u201cstrong\u201d points, which are properly put in the same category as Athenagoras and Iakovos. I think Fr. Schmemann and others would like to present the Metropolia now as the \u201cmiddle way\u201d between the extremes of Iakovos (even Fr. David admits he\u2019s not Orthodox) and Metr. Philaret on left and right. But under attack they can\u2019t sustain this position, and for practical reasons anyway they will have to come to terms with the Greek Archdiocese. The weapons are all on our side, and it\u2019s time we let loose with them \u2014 now is truly our \u201ctime of decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the way, can you give any more information of the 3 new parishes from the Metropolia \u2014 did the whole Smoky Lake parish come, etc? We hear from a friend in Vancouver that their parish will vote soon, and if the Metropolia wins a significant number will leave and come to us.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve more or less concluded an arrangement to get a linotype, and we\u2019re now building a floor for it. Pray for us. This will widen our possibilities considerably.<\/p>\n
Vladiko Nektary just visited us for an hour or so on his way to S.F. and brought us a little Paschal joy.<\/p>\n
With love in Christ our Lord,
\nEugene<\/p>\n
P.s. Are you going to print Fr. George Grabbe\u2019s reply to Fr. Meyendorff?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Father in Christ, Neketas, In truth Christ is Risen! Bless us Father! Thank you for your welcome letters and the frank comments. Yes, I think you are right. Up to now we\u2019ve emphasized the Metropolia\u2019s Russian-ties because it should be at least reminded of its canonical and brotherly obligations. But it\u2019s quite obvious that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1169\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxaustralia.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}