My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
AUTHENTIC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY AND
MODERN WESTERN WORD "SPIRITUALITY" THAT HAS
BEEN SEVERELY DISTORTED AND CORRUPTED.
According to Eastern Orthodox theology, the modern word "spirituality" has been severely distorted, corrupted, and misunderstood because it has been divorced from its historical, ecclesial, and Trinitarian foundations.
In the modern secular world, "spirituality" is often defined as an individualized pursuit of inner peace, self-fulfillment, and abstract connection with the immaterial. The Holy Orthodox Church fundamentally REJECTS THIS DEFINITION AS A DANGEROUS DISTORTION.
1. THE SEPARATION OF
SPIRITUALITY FROM RELIGION
a. The Modern Distortion: Spirituality is seen as A PRIVATE, PICK-AND CHOOSE
ENTERPRISE DETACHED FROM DOGMA, AUTHORITY, AND TRADITIONAL
RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. It has also been hijacked by opportunists to
deceive those who are naive and unable to discern between the true and
authentic spirituality.
b. The Orthodox Christian Reality: The Holy Fathers of the Church NEVER
SEPARATED SPIRITUALITY FROM CHRIST’S CHURCH. TRUE SPIRITUALITY
IS NOT A SELF-GUIDED JOURNEY BUT "LIFE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT," WHICH
ONLY BE FULLY LIVED IN COMMUNION WITH CHRIST THROUGH His Body,
THE CHURCH, AND THE MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS).
2. EMOTIONALISM VS. TRUE
COMMUNION.
a. The Modern Distortion: Modern spirituality often equates spiritual
experiences with emotional highs, psychological comfort, or
sentimental feelings of the divine and fake outward expressions of
euphoria.
b. The Orthodox Christian Reality: The Holy Orthodox Church views this
sentimental approach as highly susceptible to PRELEST (SPIRITUAL
DELUSION OR SELF-DECEPTION). AUTHENTIC SPIRITUALITY IS
INDEED THERAPEUTIC AND EXPERIENTIAL, FOCUSSED ON THE PAINFUL
BUT JOYFUL HEALING OF THE HUMAN NOUS (THE EYE OF THE SOUL)
THROUGH HUMILITY, FASTING, REPENTANCE, AND ASCETIC STRUGGLE.
3. The Secularization of the
Spirit.
a. The Modern Distortion: Popular culture treats the spiritual and the
physical/material as completely separate realms , often viewing the
material world as secondary or inherently unspiritual.
b. The Orthodox Christian Reality: Dividing the body from the spirit is
considered non-Orthodox because it DENIES THE REALITY OF THE
INCARNATION (GOD BECOMING PHYSICAL FLESH). In Orthodoxy,
EVERY ASPECT OF HUMAN LIFE MUST BE SPIRITUAL–INCLUDING
HOW WE TREAT OUR PHYSICAL BODIES, HOW WE EAT, AND HOW
CARE FOR CREATION.
4. Self-Fulfillment vs. Theosis (Deification)
a. The Modern Distortion: SECULAR "SPIRITUALITY"
FOCUSES ON THE "EGO" (SELF)–building self-esteem,
self-actualization, and projecting one’s own desires onto
a vague concept of God.
b. The Orthodox Christian Reality: Father Thomas Hopko noted
that human-made spirituality often turns into idolatry because
it relies on a god created in our own image. Orthodox
Christian spirituality requires THE DEATH OF THE FALLEN EGO
SO AS THE PERSON CAN ACHIEVE THEOSIS (DEIFICATION)–
BECOMING BY GRACE WHAT GOD IS BY NATURE, AND ENTERING
INTO DIRECT, UNCREATED COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY TRINITY.
In our Holy Orthodox Tradition, TRUE SPIRITUALITY IS NOT A VAGUE, PRIVATE FEELING, AN INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE, OR A MIX-AND-MATCH APPROACH TO MYSTICAL PRACTICES . INSTEAD, IT IS A CONCRETE TRANSFORMATIVE WAY OF LIFE AIMED AT RESTORING COMMUNION WITH GOD. It requires active spiritual labor–such as PRAYER, FASTING, ALMSGIVING (PHILANTHROPY) AND FIGHTING AGAINST PASSIONS–ACTIVE INNER STILLNESS (HESYCHIA) AND HUMILITY.
Furthermore, Spiritual growth requires THE SYNERGY OR SYNERGIA (COOPERATION) OF HUMAN FREE WILL WORKING TOGETHER WITH GOD’S UNEARNED GRACE. AUTHENTIC SPIRITUALITY DEMANDS RIGOROUS SELF-EXAMINATION AND GENUINE HUMILITY. Believers must guard against self-deception where pride, vanity, or imagined mystical experiences are mistaken for holiness.
Devout and committed Christians must be very careful not to be misled or be deceived by the many charlettenes that have infiltrated the various government institutions, schools, hospitals, the military, colleges and universities, etc. whose agenda is to undermine Christianity throughout the modern world and society. The evil one will continue to deceive humanity and to separate mankind from the Creator and God. Therefore, every believer must be vigilant and alert always not to fall prey to the evil one’s machinations.
Another name for distortions, deceptions and false doctrines is THE WORD HERESY. Heresy is following own choice or opinion. instead of Divine Truth preserved by the Holy Orthodox Church, so as to cause DIVISION AMONG CHRISTIANS. HERESY is a system of thought which CONTRADICTS TRUE DOCTRINE AND FAITH. IT IS FALSE TEACHING, WHICH ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS MUST REJECT.
The Holy Apostle Peter states, "But there were also FALSE PROPHETS AMONG THE PEOPLE, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly BRING IN DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgement has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber" (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Saint Peter the Apostle is truly very concerned with False teachers who are unholy and communicate HERESY. They are arrogant, sensual, and greedy, and they deny accountability in their lives, isolating themselves from Apostolic Doctrines concerning Christ, they hold their own "private interpretations," misconstruing deliberately doctrines about the Second Coming and the ultimate authority of Christ over us. Being DECEIVERS they teach as though they possess true Apostolicity. God’s past judgments indicate what awaits the heretics. He will divide the holy from the unholy in the life to come. We already have the examples of the "angels who sinned" imprisoned in the lowest part of hell while awaiting the Final Judgment.
[Resources: The Orthodox Study Bible]
_____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in Christ’s Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
