“Orthodoxy”. But if you are able to discard it, then you must go further and on each page discuss, argue with the author. Everything that you consider heretical, or seems so at first glance (or you have never heard – it’s normal, we all grow, there’s no need to fear, just need the right reaction to something new for me), you must provide an Orthodox response to the dubious questions raised on the pages of this booklet. The easiest thing – to remove the question from the agenda, – which we often do, – not find an answer, just pretend that there is no problem, and plunge into the illusory world of omniscience and complete satisfaction. Saint Gregory the Theologian says:
“It’s easy to impose a ban (including on oneself – V.A.) to reason about a certain issue, anyone who wants can do it. From a devout and sensible person it is required that they replace the forbidden with their own reasoning.” You will say: “Who prints books to burn them?” Of course, no one! But we said those words to deepen your thinking, knowing that you are a thinking person, otherwise, you would have put this booklet down after reading the first few pages… Do not fall into extremes, because not all literature under the name
“… Orthodoxy…” is heretical, so you need to be careful, to discard everything – not to discard the Truth, discarding books that indicate it. Therefore, the most reliable rule regarding everything doubtful: “Do not accept nor discard”, until you are sure whether it is heresy, whether it is truth, whether this phenomenon is from God or from… (here we will expand the thought to all cases of life: miracles (that is, something strange for you), various inner experiences, appearances of angels… – need to be very careful: do not accept nor discard, doubt, and seek answers through God-thinking, prayer, fasting, advice from the more experienced, asceticism, feats according to strength with discernment – V.A.).
Then, naturally, the question arises: “Where is the criterion of truth?”. The criterion is one – by experiencing God, by experiencing Him, partaking of this reality, about which the Law and the Prophets speak. And we acquire this experience of God not through a mystical individualized path (mysticism, occultism, various meditative practices…), but through Church life (hypostatic, catholic) in the Sacraments, and most importantly – the Sacrament of Sacraments – Eucharist (this topic, its elucidation is dedicated to the following chapters – V.A.). You say, it’s a closed loop with no way out: I don’t know how to read and I can’t reason, no base, no experience. What to do? Because one must partake “not unto judgment nor unto condemnation”…
Yes! “The Kingdom of God is taken by force, and those who exert effort obtain it.” And also: elsewhere in the Scriptures the Lord, responding to the question of whether really few are saved, said: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for, I tell you, many will seek to enter and will not be able.” There is a way out when you understand that salvation is not games of “elders-spiritual fathers – spiritual children-disciples”, that it is a great personal responsibility (“every man shall give account for himself!”): therefore, gathering, mobilizing all the power of discernment, armed with truthfulness, find yourself a parish (see in the second part: Parish – V.A.) and in it together (only together with other parishioners!), in humility and with a discerning mind, partake of Christ in the Liturgical, Eucharistic life of the Church.
Maybe someone will object and say that I’ve overcomplicated things, “thickened the plot”, that everything is much simpler – faith covers all shortcomings and misunderstandings, that is, a Christian’s faith can supplement, cover the shortcomings of the priest, spiritual father (firstly, in such a context it is more correct to speak not of “faith” but of “trust” – V.A.). “Untrue: faith in truth saves, faith in lies and devilish deception destroys, according to the teaching of Apostle Paul (“Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” – V.A.)”. So do not think that we can afford not to think. Do not deceive ourselves: if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit! The Holy Fathers advise: “It is necessary without delay to part from the elder, spiritual father (dictator, steward…) the joint life with whom, or relations with whom turn out to be harmful to the soul; by the command of the Savior: “let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a ditch”. And: “Be not ye the servants of men” – says the apostle.
We live in a time when “there is none righteous”, “the reverend has dwindled”, and on the path to the Kingdom of God the only guide is the Bible and the Writings of the Holy Fathers with the advice of more experienced brothers and sisters, advice that is mandatorily checked against Holy Scripture! We cannot not read! Therefore, we need to learn to read the Holy Tradition of the Church, to have the key to understanding all that is written, and to be able to use it (see below: Eucharist and other chapters, especially Holy Scripture – V.A.). The disciples of Saints Anthony the Great, Macarius the Great, Sisoes the Great could read nothing, for in their presence was the living criterion of Orthodoxy and one could dwell in absolute obedience without harm to the soul. And to us, who live in “the last times”, the Fathers have bequeathed to be guided in spiritual life by the writings of the Holy Fathers and the advice of the more experienced in spiritual life (someone will say: “but not your scribbles to read”). You are right, and I would never dare write something of my own, I only want to share with you the thoughts of my spiritual father. They are very dear to me; and my poor comments, with which I try to clarify, emphasize the idea, clarify the content, can be skipped and not read – they are in brackets and marked “V.A.”. Therefore, my “scribbles” can be ignored, but without the more experienced brothers and sisters – we simply cannot do: Holy Scripture must be read proficiently. See below: Holy Scripture – V.A.).