Text
1 Text| etc., all categories whose ability adequately to express Christian
2 Text| passing intellectual and academic "fad" - like the "death
3 Text| Church is both gift and acceptance. And that she may be this,
4 Text| the Church's life and the "acquisition" by men of the Holy Spirit.
5 Text| irreversible and irreparable act which, if it becomes reality,
6 Text| categories whose ability adequately to express Christian faith
7 | after
8 | again
9 | against
10 Text| a specifically Western "agenda." This is not "pride" or "
11 Text| structure to clergy. To the alleged "inferiority" of women within
12 | alone
13 | also
14 Text| about it, and are sincerely amazed and even saddened by the
15 Text| and shaky. What is truly amazing is that, while absolutely
16 | among
17 Text| one of the human vocations analogous, even if superior, to all
18 Text| can answer. For it can be answered only by theology in the
19 | anything
20 Text| Christian faith and to be applied as such within the Church
21 Text| necessitate the elucidation of our approach, not to women and to priesthood
22 Text| contribution" or dismiss as archaic, narrow-minded and irrelevant.
23 Text| not listen once more to an argument ex traditione.... ~But to
24 Text| This is not "pride" or "arrogance." On the contrary, the Christian
25 Text| who offerest and Thou who art offered, it is Thou who
26 Text| Dear Friend: ~When you asked me to outline the Orthodox
27 Text| immediately and without even asking what the "others" may think
28 Text| any rate is a phenomenon barely at its beginning (not to
29 Text| purely Western phenomenon, based on Western presuppositions
30 Text| Holy Spirit. And if the bearer, the icon, and the fulfiller
31 Text| real power, her glory and beauty, her transcendent truth
32 | became
33 | become
34 | becomes
35 | been
36 | before
37 | begin
38 | beginning
39 Text| produced a couple of ephemeral best-sellers simply disappears, but with
40 Text| complex and enjoys nothing better than self-criticism and
41 Text| openness to God's will, blindness to the world, etc. Obviously
42 | both
43 Text| are revealed to us as a Bride, as a Woman clothed in the
44 Text| to you this amazement by briefly enumerating its main "components"
45 Text| understood" by means of our broken and fallen world which knows
46 Text| experiences itself only in its brokenness and fragmentation, in its
47 Text| priorities, our Western brothers either hail as Orthodoxy'
48 Text| beyond any doubt: the truly built-in indifference of the Christian
49 Text| us totally extrinsic, a casus irrealis for which we find
50 Text| truly universal, truly "catholic" experience. Western Christians
51 Text| of God," "secular city," "celebration of life," etc. - which,
52 Text| twelve, if the Church for centuries did not include them into
53 Text| decades of our troubled century! How many corresponding "
54 Text| justification for a radical change in the very structure of
55 Text| more honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more
56 Text| self-sufficiency, by a naive, almost childish conviction that every "trend"
57 Text| creation, between God and His chosen people, between God and
58 Text| death of God," "secular city," "celebration of life,"
59 Text| movement," notwithstanding its claims to the contrary, has always
60 Text| entirely dominated by the old "clerical" view of the Church and
61 Text| shaped by a surrender to "clericalism." It is indeed almost entirely
62 Text| us as a Bride, as a Woman clothed in the sun; why in the very
63 Text| the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim." ~
64 Text| almost obsessed with a guilt complex and enjoys nothing better
65 Text| briefly enumerating its main "components" as I see and understand
66 Text| ecumenical spirit, sympathy and comprehension. ~Personally I have often
67 Text| ineffable mystery of her life by concepts and ideas a priory alien
68 Text| escape us. ~This is why in concluding this letter I can only confess,
69 Text| enthusiastically judge and condemn themselves Ñ but on their
70 Text| concluding this letter I can only confess, without explaining and
71 Text| explaining and justifying this confession by any "proofs," that the
72 Text| long time but which now is confirmed beyond any doubt: the truly
73 Text| is the result of too many confusions and reductions. If its root
74 Text| will sound like another "conservative" and "traditional" defense
75 Text| essential reality which alone constitutes he content of our faith
76 Text| deification of man and the consummation of all things in Christ.
77 Text| the world themselves, when contemplated in their ultimate truth
78 Text| word in the Church, as the contemplation and vision of the Truth
79 Text| which alone constitutes he content of our faith and shapes
80 Text| reducing it to a theological context and perspective alien to
81 Text| Orthodoxy's "main ecumenical contribution" or dismiss as archaic,
82 Text| all I can do is to try to convey to you this amazement by
83 Text| a naive, almost childish conviction that every "trend" in Western
84 Text| secular society must therefore correspond their "liberation," i.e.,
85 Text| troubled century! How many corresponding "theologies"! The difference
86 Text| secular power structure corresponds their "inferiority," i.e.,
87 Text| after it has produced a couple of ephemeral best-sellers
88 Text| woman.... ~Why? This of course is the only important, the
89 Text| Personally I have often enough criticized the historical limitations
90 Text| that they understand past "cultures," the advocates of women'
91 Text| depending on their mood and current priorities, our Western
92 Text| historical, and cultural? ~ÐAlexander Schmemann ~ ~ ~
93 Text| time however is that one deals in this particular debate
94 Text| an issue of policy to be dealt with by vote! In this strange
95 Text| Dear Friend: ~When you asked
96 Text| academic "fad" - like the "death of God," "secular city," "
97 Text| witnessed during the last decades of our troubled century!
98 Text| perspective. Thus when they decide Ñ on the basis of their
99 Text| seems to be provincial, deeply marked and even determined
100 Text| conservative" and "traditional" defense of the status quo, of precisely
101 Text| ecclesiological stand which, depending on their mood and current
102 Text| the sun; why in the very depth of her love and knowledge,
103 Text| their ultimate truth and destiny, are revealed to us as a
104 Text| culture," its pattern of development is shaped by a surrender
105 Text| fragmentation, in its tensions and dichotomies, and which as such is incapable
106 Text| corresponding "theologies"! The difference this time however is that
107 Text| prepared. ~Such then is my difficulty. I cannot discuss the problem
108 Text| understand them. ~The first dimension of our amazement can be
109 Text| ephemeral best-sellers simply disappears, but with the threat of
110 Text| reduced to the level of a "disciplinary matter," and finally identified
111 Text| ordination as it is present and discussed today is the result of too
112 Text| the Church, and for the discussion of which we are therefore
113 Text| ecumenical contribution" or dismiss as archaic, narrow-minded
114 Text| men and women, without any distinction - are "kings and priests,"
115 Text| who receivest and Thou who distributest .... "And thus the "institutional"
116 Text| time I am convinced final, division among Christians, will signify,
117 Text| as fully as possible the dogmatical, canonical, and spiritual
118 Text| is indeed almost entirely dominated by the old "clerical" view
119 Text| view of the Church and the double "reduction" inherent in
120 Text| is confirmed beyond any doubt: the truly built-in indifference
121 | during
122 Text| from the clergy, within the ecclesiastical power structure. To their "
123 Text| as is also our general ecclesiological stand which, depending on
124 | either
125 Text| so would necessitate the elucidation of our approach, not to
126 Text| right" to it, but it is emphatically not one of the human vocations
127 Text| with a guilt complex and enjoys nothing better than self-criticism
128 Text| Western Christians almost enthusiastically judge and condemn themselves
129 Text| clericalism." It is indeed almost entirely dominated by the old "clerical"
130 Text| women's priesthood, and to enumerate as fully as possible the
131 Text| this amazement by briefly enumerating its main "components" as
132 Text| has produced a couple of ephemeral best-sellers simply disappears,
133 Text| of "rights," "justice," "equality," etc., all categories whose
134 Text| transcendent truth simply escape us. ~This is why in concluding
135 Text| priory alien to her very essence, we literally mutilate her,
136 Text| between God and His Church is "essentially" revealed to us as a nuptial
137 Text| that it may need to be evaluated and judged in the light
138 | every
139 | everywhere
140 Text| once more to an argument ex traditione.... ~But to what
141 Text| with one Woman whom she exalts as "more honorable than
142 Text| history," and even no "exegesis" can answer. For it can
143 Text| here the theological and exegetical implications of this view
144 Text| ontology" of its own. It exists only to make Christ Himself
145 Text| fallen world which knows and experiences itself only in its brokenness
146 Text| is nothing but search and experimentation), as a sufficient justification
147 Text| can only confess, without explaining and justifying this confession
148 Text| whose ability adequately to express Christian faith and to be
149 Text| incidentally, seems to me extremely weak and shaky. What is
150 Text| question; it is for us totally extrinsic, a casus irrealis for which
151 Text| Orthodox Church has never faced this question; it is for
152 Text| intellectual and academic "fad" - like the "death of God," "
153 Text| Triune Life, to Creation, Fall and Redemption, to the Church
154 Text| means of our broken and fallen world which knows and experiences
155 Text| truly "neither male nor female." More than that, in this
156 Text| this time I am convinced final, division among Christians,
157 Text| disciplinary matter," and finally identified as an issue of
158 Text| casus irrealis for which we find no basis, no terms of reference
159 Text| another" sacrifice. It is forever and only Christ's priesthood
160 Text| foundation, indeed the very "form" of the Church. This priesthood
161 Text| Useless because all such "formal" reasons - scriptural, traditional,
162 Text| irrelevant. Harmful because, true formally, this answer would still
163 Text| experience, problems, thought forms and priorities may not be
164 Text| unique priesthood the very foundation, indeed the very "form"
165 Text| only in its brokenness and fragmentation, in its tensions and dichotomies,
166 Text| own, possibly limited and fragmented, specifically Western "cultural
167 Text| Dear Friend: ~When you asked me to outline
168 Text| bearer, the icon, and the fulfiller of that unique priesthood
169 Text| nuptial mystery, as the fulfillment of a mystical marriage;
170 Text| priesthood, and to enumerate as fully as possible the dogmatical,
171 Text| of the Church? How else, furthermore, are we to explain that
172 Text| ordination, as is also our general ecclesiological stand which,
173 Text| and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim." ~Is
174 Text| and her real power, her glory and beauty, her transcendent
175 Text| is almost obsessed with a guilt complex and enjoys nothing
176 Text| Western brothers either hail as Orthodoxy's "main ecumenical
177 Text| and to us incomprehensible hastiness with which the question
178 Text| which many Christians today, having heard it too many times,
179 Text| Christians today, having heard it too many times, reject
180 Text| culture," no "sociology," no "history," and even no "exegesis"
181 Text| acquisition" by men of the Holy Spirit. And if the bearer,
182 Text| whom she exalts as "more honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond
183 Text| terms, within their own hopelessly "Western" perspective. Thus
184 Text| too many times, reject as hypocrisy, lack of openness to God'
185 Text| And if the bearer, the icon, and the fulfiller of that
186 Text| her life by concepts and ideas a priory alien to her very
187 Text| disciplinary matter," and finally identified as an issue of policy to
188 Text| and communion, the Church identifies herself with one Woman whom
189 Text| inferiority" we can invent or imagine. In the essential reality
190 Text| women, they plan to do it immediately and without even asking
191 Text| theological and exegetical implications of this view as well as
192 Text| This of course is the only important, the only relevant question,
193 Text| which would have made it impossible and unthinkable then. It
194 Text| is plagued with a total inability to transcend itself, to
195 Text| dichotomies, and which as such is incapable of the ultimate vision?
196 Text| historical basis which, incidentally, seems to me extremely weak
197 Text| doubt: the truly built-in indifference of the Christian West to
198 Text| and the double "reduction" inherent in it: the reduction on
199 Text| that they must "repair" injustices made to women, they plan
200 Text| distributest .... "And thus the "institutional" priesthood in the Church
201 Text| debate not with a passing intellectual and academic "fad" - like
202 Text| whatever "inferiority" we can invent or imagine. In the essential
203 Text| totally extrinsic, a casus irrealis for which we find no basis,
204 Text| archaic, narrow-minded and irrelevant. Harmful because, true formally,
205 Text| but with the threat of an irreversible and irreparable act which,
206 Text| love and knowledge, of her joy and communion, the Church
207 Text| almost enthusiastically judge and condemn themselves Ñ
208 Text| need to be evaluated and judged in the light of a truly
209 Text| perspective of "rights," "justice," "equality," etc., all
210 Text| experimentation), as a sufficient justification for a radical change in
211 Text| trend" in Western culture justifies a radical rethinking of
212 Text| without explaining and justifying this confession by any "
213 Text| Church, in the reality of the Kingdom of God which is perfect
214 Text| without any distinction - are "kings and priests," for it is
215 Text| broken and fallen world which knows and experiences itself only
216 | last
217 Text| is why in concluding this letter I can only confess, without
218 Text| then quickly reduced to the level of a "disciplinary matter,"
219 Text| basis of their own, possibly limited and fragmented, specifically
220 Text| to her very essence, we literally mutilate her, and her real
221 Text| there is truly "neither male nor female." More than that,
222 Text| to be provincial, deeply marked and even determined by Western
223 Text| fulfillment of a mystical marriage; why, in other terms, creation
224 Text| level of a "disciplinary matter," and finally identified
225 Text| primordial and essential meaning of that word in the Church,
226 Text| limitations of the Orthodox mentality not to have the right to
227 | might
228 Text| perspective alien to the Orthodox mind. For the Orthodox Church
229 Text| exclusion of women from the ministry by cultural "conditioning."
230 Text| which, depending on their mood and current priorities,
231 Text| very essence, we literally mutilate her, and her real power,
232 Text| radical and irreparable mutilation of the entire faith, the
233 Text| as the fulfillment of a mystical marriage; why, in other
234 Text| and self-sufficiency, by a naive, almost childish conviction
235 Text| or dismiss as archaic, narrow-minded and irrelevant. Harmful
236 Text| priesthood of the human nature and vocation that the Christ
237 Text| itself because to do so would necessitate the elucidation of our approach,
238 Text| be universal, that it may need to be evaluated and judged
239 Text| the whole Scripture - and needless to say, the end of all "
240 | neither
241 | never
242 Text| reality, will produce a new, and this time I am convinced
243 Text| by any "proofs," that the non-ordination of women to the priesthood
244 | none
245 | nor
246 Text| so-called "ecumenical movement," notwithstanding its claims to the contrary,
247 Text| essentially" revealed to us as a nuptial mystery, as the fulfillment
248 Text| Christian West is almost obsessed with a guilt complex and
249 Text| blindness to the world, etc. Obviously enough, those who reject
250 Text| Offertory, "it is Thou who offerest and Thou who art offered,
251 Text| priest, and the sacrifice he offers is not "another" sacrifice.
252 Text| the words of our Prayer of Offertory, "it is Thou who offerest
253 | often
254 Text| entirely dominated by the old "clerical" view of the Church
255 | once
256 Text| priesthood in the Church has no "ontology" of its own. It exists only
257 Text| reject as hypocrisy, lack of openness to God's will, blindness
258 Text| hand of the Church to a Òpower structure"; the reduction
259 Text| spiritual reasons for that opposition. At a second thought, however,
260 Text| brothers either hail as Orthodoxy's "main ecumenical contribution"
261 | ours
262 Text| Friend: ~When you asked me to outline the Orthodox reaction to
263 | over
264 Text| saddened by the lack, on the part of these "others," of ecumenical
265 Text| reality of which we are made partakers here and now, we all - men
266 Text| is that one deals in this particular debate not with a passing
267 Text| convinced that they understand past "cultures," the advocates
268 Text| surrender to "culture," its pattern of development is shaped
269 Text| between God and His chosen people, between God and His Church
270 Text| sympathy and comprehension. ~Personally I have often enough criticized
271 Text| self-condemnation. It is plagued with a total inability to
272 Text| injustices made to women, they plan to do it immediately and
273 Text| the world, the starting point and the very possibility
274 Text| identified as an issue of policy to be dealt with by vote!
275 Text| vitiate the real Orthodox position by reducing it to a theological
276 Text| starting point and the very possibility of a truly divine victory
277 Text| to enumerate as fully as possible the dogmatical, canonical,
278 Text| the basis of their own, possibly limited and fragmented,
279 Text| for in the words of our Prayer of Offertory, "it is Thou
280 Text| are therefore simply not prepared. ~Such then is my difficulty.
281 Text| phenomenon, based on Western presuppositions and determined by a specifically
282 Text| Western "agenda." This is not "pride" or "arrogance." On the
283 Text| restored to us. ~It is of this priestly life, it is of this ultimate
284 Text| distinction - are "kings and priests," for it is essential priesthood
285 Text| only by theology in the primordial and essential meaning of
286 Text| by concepts and ideas a priory alien to her very essence,
287 Text| difficulty. I cannot discuss the problem itself because to do so
288 Text| beyond the sphere of its own problematics, of its own experience.
289 Text| that its own experience, problems, thought forms and priorities
290 Text| it becomes reality, will produce a new, and this time I am
291 Text| etc. - which, after it has produced a couple of ephemeral best-sellers
292 Text| this confession by any "proofs," that the non-ordination
293 Text| readiness to accept what may prove to be a passing phenomenon,
294 Text| s ordination seems to be provincial, deeply marked and even
295 Text| It is only here, in this purified and restored vision, that
296 Text| unthinkable then. It is not my purpose to discuss here the theological
297 Text| Church is, to say the least, questionable? ~The sad truth is that
298 Text| accepted as an issue, then quickly reduced to the level of
299 Text| traditional" defense of the status quo, of precisely that which
300 Text| phenomenon, and what at any rate is a phenomenon barely at
301 Text| else can one explain their readiness to accept what may prove
302 Text| offered, it is Thou who receivest and Thou who distributest .... "
303 Text| Life, to Creation, Fall and Redemption, to the Church and the mystery
304 Text| real Orthodox position by reducing it to a theological context
305 Text| too many confusions and reductions. If its root is surrender
306 Text| find no basis, no terms of reference in our Tradition, in the
307 Text| of the entire faith, the rejection of the whole Scripture -
308 Text| ineffable mystery of the relationship between God and His creation,
309 Text| only important, the only relevant question, the one that no "
310 Text| Short of all this, it would remain incomprehensible, I am sure,
311 Text| situation" Ñ that they must "repair" injustices made to women,
312 Text| own experience. I can only repeat here what I have said before:
313 Text| and discussed today is the result of too many confusions and
314 Text| culture justifies a radical rethinking of the entire Christian
315 Text| debate on women's ordination reveals something which we suspected
316 Text| within the perspective of "rights," "justice," "equality,"
317 Text| confusions and reductions. If its root is surrender to "culture,"
318 Text| least, questionable? ~The sad truth is that the very idea
319 Text| sincerely amazed and even saddened by the lack, on the part
320 Text| repeat here what I have said before: even the so-called "
321 Text| and cultural? ~ÐAlexander Schmemann ~ ~ ~
322 Text| the rejection of the whole Scripture - and needless to say, the
323 Text| at present is nothing but search and experimentation), as
324 Text| for that opposition. At a second thought, however, I became
325 Text| its main "components" as I see and understand them. ~The
326 | seem
327 Text| even determined by Western self-centeredness and self-sufficiency, by
328 Text| than self-criticism and self-condemnation. It is plagued with a total
329 Text| enjoys nothing better than self-criticism and self-condemnation. It
330 Text| Western self-centeredness and self-sufficiency, by a naive, almost childish
331 Text| compare more glorious than the Seraphim." ~Is it this mystery that
332 Text| to me extremely weak and shaky. What is truly amazing is
333 Text| pattern of development is shaped by a surrender to "clericalism."
334 Text| content of our faith and shapes the entire life of the Church,
335 Text| division among Christians, will signify, at least for the Orthodox,
336 Text| transcend itself, to accept the simple idea that its own experience,
337 Text| think about it, and are sincerely amazed and even saddened
338 Text| the right to say in all sincerity that to me the debate on
339 Text| have said before: even the so-called "ecumenical movement," notwithstanding
340 Text| liberation" in the secular society must therefore correspond
341 Text| one that no "culture," no "sociology," no "history," and even
342 | something
343 Text| measure or limitations, the Son of God offered Himself in
344 Text| all this, my answer will sound like another "conservative"
345 Text| His unique Sacrifice the source of the Church's life and
346 Text| at its beginning (not to speak of the womenÕs liberation
347 Text| West to anything beyond the sphere of its own problematics,
348 Text| dogmatical, canonical, and spiritual reasons for that opposition.
349 Text| general ecclesiological stand which, depending on their
350 Text| understanding of the world, the starting point and the very possibility
351 Text| difficult indeed simply to state that the Orthodox Church
352 Text| traditional" defense of the status quo, of precisely that which
353 Text| and experimentation), as a sufficient justification for a radical
354 Text| as a Woman clothed in the sun; why in the very depth of
355 Text| vocations analogous, even if superior, to all others. The priest
356 Text| remain incomprehensible, I am sure, why the ordination of women
357 Text| reveals something which we suspected for a long time but which
358 Text| of ecumenical spirit, sympathy and comprehension. ~Personally
359 Text| to priesthood for us is tantamount to a radical and irreparable
360 Text| and fragmentation, in its tensions and dichotomies, and which
361 Text| of our amazement can be termed "ecumenical." The debate
362 Text| How many corresponding "theologies"! The difference this time
363 Text| can be answered only by theology in the primordial and essential
364 | there
365 Text| the consummation of all things in Christ. Short of all
366 Text| asking what the "others" may think about it, and are sincerely
367 | those
368 Text| disappears, but with the threat of an irreversible and irreparable
369 Text| having heard it too many times, reject as hypocrisy, lack
370 Text| self-condemnation. It is plagued with a total inability to transcend itself,
371 Text| once more to an argument ex traditione.... ~But to what will they
372 Text| with a total inability to transcend itself, to accept the simple
373 Text| her glory and beauty, her transcendent truth simply escape us. ~
374 Text| childish conviction that every "trend" in Western culture justifies
375 Text| Tradition. How many such "trends" we have witnessed during
376 Text| above all to God in His Triune Life, to Creation, Fall
377 Text| the last decades of our troubled century! How many corresponding "
378 Text| irrelevant. Harmful because, true formally, this answer would
379 Text| not include women into the twelve, if the Church for centuries
380 Text| knowledge, perfect love and ultimately the "deification" of man,
381 Text| ordination seem to be so totally unaware of their own cultural "conditioning,"
382 Text| itself, as communion with the uncreated Divine Light. It is only
383 Text| for us the "means" of our understanding of the world, the starting
384 Text| mystery that has to be "understood" by means of our broken
385 Text| have made it impossible and unthinkable then. It is not my purpose
386 Text| possibility of a truly divine victory over all that in this world
387 Text| this answer would still vitiate the real Orthodox position
388 Text| of the human nature and vocation that the Christ has restored
389 Text| emphatically not one of the human vocations analogous, even if superior,
390 Text| policy to be dealt with by vote! In this strange situation
391 | was
392 Text| incidentally, seems to me extremely weak and shaky. What is truly
393 | whatever
394 | while
395 | whole
396 | whom
397 | whose
398 Text| many such "trends" we have witnessed during the last decades
399 Text| beginning (not to speak of the womenÕs liberation movement which
400 Text| essential meaning of that word in the Church, as the contemplation
401 Text| s sacrifice, for in the words of our Prayer of Offertory, "
|