ADHERING AND PRESERVING HOLY TRADITION

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! ΑΛΗΘΩΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!

ADHERING AND PRESERVING HOLY TRADITION

The Holy Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Thessalonians 2:15 writes, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle."

For the first thousand years of Christian history, the entire Church, save for the heretics, embraced and defended the New Testament Apostolic faith. There was no consequential division. This one faith, preserved through all trials, attacks and tests, this Apostolic Doctrine was called "the Orthodox faith."

Doctrinal purity was tenaciously maintained, but true Christianity is far more than adherence to a set of correct beliefs alone. The life of the Church is centrally expressed in her worship and adoration of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself told the woman at the well, "the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23).

The worship of the Church at the close of its first one thousand years had substantially the same shape from place to place. The doctrine was the same. The whole Church confessed one creed, the same in every place, and had weathered many attacks. The government of the Church was recognizably one everywhere, and this One Church was the Orthodox Church.

In Orthodoxy today, as in years gone by, the basics of Christian doctrine, worship, and government are never up for alteration. One cannot be an Orthodox priest, for example, and reject the Divinity of Christ, His virgin birth, Resurrection, Ascension into heaven, and Second Coming. The Church simply has NOT left its course in thousands of years. It is One, Holy, Katholic, and Apostolic. It is the New Testament Church.

No matter how the world changes, the Truth remains the same. The Holy Orthodox Church remains on guard of the Truth, not allowing any alteration. The Orthodox is the authentic Church of Christ, Who is her Head and Founder. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to our Lord Jesus Christ and His Twelve Holy Apostles. Being in the Church does not guarantee all those in it will take advantage of the fullness of the faith, but that bullness is there for those who do. The doctrines taught by Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ and His holy Disciples are to be safeguarded by "the church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15) and NOT open for renegotiation.

Between the years 325 A.D and 787 A.D. SEVEN ECUMENICAL COUNCILS WERE CONVENED, meeting in the cities of Nicea, Ephesus, Chalcedon, and Cosntantinople. All these Synods or Councils dealt first and foremost with some specific challenge to the Apostolic teaching, about Jesus Christ. The Third Ecumenical Council (431 A.D.), for instance, condemned hte Nestorians–those who would divide Christ into two persons, one human and the other divine. The Nestorians were concentrated in Persia and eastward, and when some of the Nestorian bishops would not accept the decisions of the Council, the Church experienced the first territorial schism.

The Church, of course, was not simply another organization in Roman society. Our Lord Jesus Christ had given the promise of the Holy Spirit to "guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). With the fulfillment of that promise beginning with Pentecost, the Church bore more than mere institutional status. She is not an organization with mystery, but A MYSTERY WITH ORGANIZATION. The Holy Apostle Paul called the Church "A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT" (Ephesians 2:22). The Church is a dynamic organism, THE LIVING BODY OF JESUS CHRIST. She makes an indelible impact in the world, and those who live in her life and faith are personally transformed.

Knowing and understanding the history of the Church is necessary so that all Orthodox Christians of the true faith will continue to protect, preserve and defend the authentic faith in Christ. Historically countless of the faithful, clergy and hierarchy sacrificed their lives for our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Currently there is a surge of heterodox Christians who have discovered the Orthodox Church and with some enthusiasm seek to enter the Church but it is most important that the local Orthodox churches and clergy approach this opportunity with caution and care. Conversion from one faith to another is very difficult and challenging. Those interested must enter it after they are catechized well and making certain that their motives are true and not impulsive and an emotional response.

The reality now is that our parishes and priests in the U.S.A. are not only unprepared but in some cases overwhelmed by this unique experience. Some of our priests have a strong and well organized Catechetical program and treat this matter prudently but others need guidance from our bishops and metropolitans on how to prepare for this influx of future new members to our Church. Catechism in some cases ranges from one year to two or even three years. There are parishes with an average size church and find it extremely difficult to accommodate so many people and already have plans to enlarge the church building so that everyone will be able to worship together. This solution, however, is not an easy one because it requires a significant amount of money to accomplish it and which many of the average size communities do not have. The other serious problem is that there are not enough priests to deal with this phenomenon.

It is, however, crucial that the newly converted members of the Church accept totally the teachings, dogmas, canons and Sacred Tradition of our Church and not act selectively on what they like, agree with and believe. This is a Protestant practice throughout their history.

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Glorious and Divine Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George