Text
1 | above
2 Text| to serve the parish, to accept it as its "goal" so that
3 Text| American way of life it has accepted a secularistic basis which
4 Text| spending most of the time acknowledging and publicizing it), the
5 Text| clergy." To give and to administer the Church, both spiritually
6 Text| any deeper analysis must admit that it lacks seriousness
7 Text| and energies are aimed at advancing its own good - material
8 Text| efforts and energies are aimed at advancing its own good -
9 | alone
10 Text| of Orthodoxy is a rather ambiguous substitute for the glory
11 Text| aspects, but any deeper analysis must admit that it lacks
12 Text| understand this, one must briefly analyze the genesis and the development
13 Text| democratic, i.e., basically anti-hierarchical ideal of society, the cult
14 Text| parish treasury than any appeal to religious consciousness),
15 Text| principles, which, when applied to an individual, are condemned
16 Text| Greek village no one ever asked who is the owner of the
17 Text| parish may have many good aspects, but any deeper analysis
18 Text| for the possibility to baptize, marry and bury - not for
19 Text| development: the democratic, i.e., basically anti-hierarchical ideal
20 Text| accepted a secularistic basis which little by little dissolves
21 | because
22 Text| everyone had to care, but which belonged to no one in particular.
23 Text| consciousness), vainglory (the best, the greatest, the most
24 | Beyond
25 Text| the instinct of gain (bingo, or raffles, etc., being
26 Text| whatever the reason for its birth, follows almost inevitably
27 | both
28 Text| understand this, one must briefly analyze the genesis and
29 Text| settled in America was to build churches. The Church was
30 Text| possibility to baptize, marry and bury - not for a "parish," as
31 Text| organization with officers, by-laws, finances, property, meetings,
32 Text| all other "parishioners," called laity, was to receive the
33 Text| a real obsession. ~Then came the second change. The immigrant
34 Text| for which everyone had to care, but which belonged to no
35 Text| ordained, set apart to carry out this work of the Church
36 Text| one has to refer and to cater to human pride (the right
37 Text| parish of the past. It has ceased to be a natural community
38 Text| community with a Church as its center and pole of "ultimate reference"
39 Text| especially the pragmatic character of American religion in
40 Text| are condemned outright by Christianity as immoral: pride, gain,
41 Text| usually by some energetic and Church-minded people, with no other purpose
42 Text| in America was to build churches. The Church was a self-evident,
43 Text| seriousness of that which it claims to serve and to be, i.e.,
44 Text| existence is not at all so clearly "granted," and may be not
45 Text| of the Church were the "clergy." To give and to administer
46 Text| united by and serving a common religious ideal. As it exists
47 Text| enterprise, the spirit of competition, the evaluation of everything
48 Text| applied to an individual, are condemned outright by Christianity
49 Text| spite of all its religious connotations, - and this may come as
50 Text| any appeal to religious consciousness), vainglory (the best, the
51 Text| Church" in the "parish," is considered good when he entirely subordinates
52 Text| The latter was hastily constituted, usually by some energetic
53 Text| worship God together, to contribute "according to the will of
54 Text| America nearly everything contributed to this logic and to that
55 Text| purchased and owned by a corporation. The latter was hastily
56 Text| secularization of the parish and the corresponding loss of religious seriousness.
57 Text| everything in terms of "cost," the emphasis on security
58 Text| supporting a priest, was costly. Hence, a constant preoccupation
59 | could
60 Text| of their life in the old country. It became their first need
61 Text| and interests as the only criterion of all activity, and especially
62 Text| anti-hierarchical ideal of society, the cult of "free," i.e., private,
63 Text| many good aspects, but any deeper analysis must admit that
64 Text| to that development: the democratic, i.e., basically anti-hierarchical
65 Text| exclusively within the Orthodox "diaspora." ~This is to say that what
66 | did
67 Text| teachings of the Church as diligently as possible, to worship
68 Text| basis which little by little dissolves the ultimate seriousness
69 Text| his entire life. All early documents support this view. ~The "
70 Text| knowing what the left one is doing, but spending most of the
71 | done
72 Text| according to the Gospel is due to God alone. The parish
73 Text| for his entire life. All early documents support this view. ~
74 Text| the sacraments, worship, education, and of making the life
75 Text| religion in which activity and efficiency are the main religious values. ~
76 Text| raffles, etc., being more efficient way to fill the parish treasury
77 Text| organization whose whole efforts and energies are aimed at
78 Text| finances, property, meetings, elections, etc., is a very recent
79 Text| in terms of "cost," the emphasis on security and saving,
80 | end
81 Text| raising and how to make ends meet, a preoccupation which
82 Text| constituted, usually by some energetic and Church-minded people,
83 Text| whose whole efforts and energies are aimed at advancing its
84 Text| of "free," i.e., private, enterprise, the spirit of competition,
85 Text| term of reference" for his entire life. All early documents
86 Text| considered good when he entirely subordinates the interests
87 Text| criterion of all activity, and especially the pragmatic character
88 Text| spirit of competition, the evaluation of everything in terms of "
89 | ever
90 | everyone
91 Text| glorified as "Christian." ~To be exact, a parish organization lives
92 Text| and saving, the constant exaltation of the "people" and their
93 Text| exists, in fact, almost exclusively within the Orthodox "diaspora." ~
94 Text| natural form of the Church's existence is not at all so clearly "
95 Text| the greatest, the most expensive . . .). And since all this
96 Text| knows by instinct and from experience that the success it wants
97 Text| the immigrants by purely external factors. In a Russian or
98 Text| immigrants by purely external factors. In a Russian or Greek village
99 Text| precepts of the Christian Faith. ~Here, however, in a completely
100 Text| being more efficient way to fill the parish treasury than
101 Text| the reason for its birth, follows almost inevitably a logic
102 Text| only normative and natural form of the Church's existence
103 Text| completely different legal framework, the land and the Church
104 Text| of society, the cult of "free," i.e., private, enterprise,
105 Text| The Church had no other function but that of literally making
106 Text| constant preoccupation with fund raising and how to make
107 Text| material stability, success, future security, and a kind of
108 Text| must briefly analyze the genesis and the development of the
109 Text| Church were the "clergy." To give and to administer the Church,
110 Text| is thereby justified and glorified as "Christian." ~To be exact,
111 Text| glory that according to the Gospel is due to God alone. The
112 Text| may come as a shock to the great majority of Orthodox. Yet
113 Text| vainglory (the best, the greatest, the most expensive . . .).
114 Text| factors. In a Russian or Greek village no one ever asked
115 Text| religious community, i.e., a group united by and serving a
116 Text| to human pride (the right hand not only knowing what the
117 Text| corporation. The latter was hastily constituted, usually by
118 | he
119 | Hence
120 | his
121 | how
122 Text| to refer and to cater to human pride (the right hand not
123 Text| poor, and to have even a humble church together with supporting
124 | I
125 Text| came the second change. The immigrant parish was poor, and to
126 Text| outright by Christianity as immoral: pride, gain, selfishness,
127 Text| The third and the most important change was the inevitable
128 | indeed
129 Text| which, when applied to an individual, are condemned outright
130 Text| important change was the inevitable result of the other two:
131 Text| its birth, follows almost inevitably a logic of development which
132 Text| development which, however, introduced, almost subconsciously,
133 | itself
134 Text| at first the goal and the justification of the parish. But an organization,
135 Text| Church" - it is thereby justified and glorified as "Christian." ~
136 Text| normative. The "parish" as we know it today is, in spite of
137 Text| the right hand not only knowing what the left one is doing,
138 Text| seriousness, because it knows by instinct and from experience
139 Text| analysis must admit that it lacks seriousness in the sense
140 Text| other "parishioners," called laity, was to receive the teachings
141 Text| different legal framework, the land and the Church on it had
142 | last
143 | later
144 | latter
145 Text| not only knowing what the left one is doing, but spending
146 Text| in a completely different legal framework, the land and
147 Text| Church, and finally, to live as much as possible by the
148 Text| exact, a parish organization lives by standards and principles,
149 Text| self-pride. And it is no longer the parish that serves the
150 Text| parish and the corresponding loss of religious seriousness.
151 Text| activity and efficiency are the main religious values. ~Finally,
152 Text| as a shock to the great majority of Orthodox. Yet it is a
153 | makes
154 | many
155 Text| possibility to baptize, marry and bury - not for a "parish,"
156 Text| Church, both spiritually and materially, was not their "right,"
157 Text| raising and how to make ends meet, a preoccupation which put
158 Text| by-laws, finances, property, meetings, elections, etc., is a very
159 Text| religious seriousness. A modern American parish may have
160 Text| preoccupation which put money and finances at the very
161 | much
162 Text| values." ~And in America nearly everything contributed to
163 Text| their first need in the new one. It was a need for the
164 | now
165 Text| little by little a real obsession. ~Then came the second change.
166 Text| as an organization with officers, by-laws, finances, property,
167 Text| wants and seeks is precisely opposed to religious seriousness.
168 Text| as "parish" it, in fact, opposes this kind of seriousness,
169 Text| Those who were selected, ordained, set apart to carry out
170 Text| Church was a self-evident, organic part of their life in the
171 | others
172 | out
173 Text| individual, are condemned outright by Christianity as immoral:
174 Text| had to be purchased and owned by a corporation. The latter
175 Text| a self-evident, organic part of their life in the old
176 Text| which belonged to no one in particular. The Church had no other
177 Text| different from the parish of the past. It has ceased to be a natural
178 Text| parishioners" as Christian, as permeated with Christ, as possible.
179 Text| etc., is a very recent phenomenon and exists, in fact, almost
180 Text| traditional sense of the word, a place where one could worship
181 Text| Church as its center and pole of "ultimate reference"
182 Text| The immigrant parish was poor, and to have even a humble
183 Text| worship, sacraments, for the possibility to baptize, marry and bury -
184 Text| much as possible by the precepts of the Christian Faith. ~
185 Text| success it wants and seeks is precisely opposed to religious seriousness.
186 Text| literally making Christ present through preaching, the sacraments,
187 Text| organization lives by standards and principles, which, when applied to
188 Text| the cult of "free," i.e., private, enterprise, the spirit
189 Text| or, rather, that in the process of its development within
190 Text| come as a second shock - a product of secularization; or, rather,
191 Text| the time acknowledging and publicizing it), the instinct of gain (
192 Text| the Church on it had to be purchased and owned by a corporation.
193 Text| Church-minded people, with no other purpose than to make the Church
194 Text| meet, a preoccupation which put money and finances at the
195 Text| subconsciously, the first radical change in the old idea of
196 Text| organization. In this it is radically different from the parish
197 Text| instinct of gain (bingo, or raffles, etc., being more efficient
198 Text| preoccupation with fund raising and how to make ends meet,
199 Text| became little by little a real obsession. ~Then came the
200 Text| parishioners," called laity, was to receive the teachings of the Church
201 | recent
202 Text| successful" one has to refer and to cater to human pride (
203 Text| pragmatic character of American religion in which activity and efficiency
204 Text| parish organization has replaced the Church and, by the same
205 Text| priest, the last sign and representative of the "Church" in the "
206 Text| ideal. As it exists today it represents the very victory of secularism
207 Text| change was the inevitable result of the other two: the secularization
208 Text| purely external factors. In a Russian or Greek village no one
209 | same
210 Text| emphasis on security and saving, the constant exaltation
211 Text| organization" was something secondary, forced, so to speak, on
212 Text| has become a completely secular organization. In this it
213 Text| represents the very victory of secularism within American Orthodoxy. ~ ~ ~
214 Text| of life it has accepted a secularistic basis which little by little
215 Text| the success it wants and seeks is precisely opposed to
216 Text| possible. Those who were selected, ordained, set apart to
217 Text| gain, selfishness, and self-affirmation. Even the constant preaching
218 Text| security, and a kind of self-pride. And it is no longer the
219 Text| as immoral: pride, gain, selfishness, and self-affirmation. Even
220 Text| no longer the parish that serves the Church, it is, indeed,
221 Text| i.e., a group united by and serving a common religious ideal.
222 Text| Orthodox immigrants did as they settled in America was to build
223 Text| that a priest, the last sign and representative of the "
224 Text| their being "set apart." ~Similarly the sacred obligation of
225 | since
226 Text| anti-hierarchical ideal of society, the cult of "free," i.e.,
227 | some
228 | something
229 Text| logic of development which sooner or later makes its own "
230 Text| secondary, forced, so to speak, on the immigrants by purely
231 Text| the left one is doing, but spending most of the time acknowledging
232 Text| private, enterprise, the spirit of competition, the evaluation
233 Text| administer the Church, both spiritually and materially, was not
234 Text| we know it today is, in spite of all its religious connotations, -
235 Text| its own good - material stability, success, future security,
236 Text| parish organization lives by standards and principles, which, when
237 Text| however, introduced, almost subconsciously, the first radical change
238 Text| considered good when he entirely subordinates the interests of the Church
239 Text| Orthodoxy is a rather ambiguous substitute for the glory that according
240 Text| religious seriousness. To be "successful" one has to refer and to
241 Text| humble church together with supporting a priest, was costly. Hence,
242 Text| This is to say that what we take for granted as the only
243 Text| laity, was to receive the teachings of the Church as diligently
244 | Then
245 | thereby
246 | they
247 Text| parish in America. ~The first thing Orthodox immigrants did
248 Text| those of the parish. ~The third and the most important change
249 | through
250 Text| but spending most of the time acknowledging and publicizing
251 Text| Church and, by the same token, has become a completely
252 Text| a parish in the old and traditional sense of the word, a place
253 Text| efficient way to fill the parish treasury than any appeal to religious
254 Text| inevitable result of the other two: the secularization of the
255 Text| not for a "parish," as understood today, but rather for a
256 Text| community, i.e., a group united by and serving a common
257 | used
258 Text| was hastily constituted, usually by some energetic and Church-minded
259 Text| religious consciousness), vainglory (the best, the greatest,
260 Text| today it represents the very victory of secularism within American
261 Text| early documents support this view. ~The "organization" was
262 Text| factors. In a Russian or Greek village no one ever asked who is
263 Text| experience that the success it wants and seeks is precisely opposed
264 | whatever
265 | where
266 | whole
267 | whose
268 Text| traditional sense of the word, a place where one could
269 Text| apart to carry out this work of the Church were the "
270 | Yet
|