Sorry that you are unwell. I said a good while ago I would keep reading, if irregularly. Takes me back to school in the 50s, debates and an interesting RE teacher, ex naval officer heading for the Church (CofE). He introduced us to local faith clergy, some of them unusual, but I don't think we heard about 1054. I came across Orthodox faith while wandering Greece in the 60s and too briefly the chapels of Crete in the early 70s. Memorably much later the last of my work was in the Balkans and allowed me to get to know a little of the Byzantine heritage including a small monastic church built by the Byzantine commander of the region in 1164. The witness of continuities could be strongly felt.
"Putting it succinctly, I see the church of the first thousand years as being without error, and the ecumenical councils of the undivided church as normative for all Christians, but that there is nothing since 1054 which has the same status."
This is broadly my view too, which is why I became Orthodox. I came to see that the Orthodox were the only ones who had remained orthodox, and not innovated, added to or diluted that inheritance.
I don't believe in 'just war', which I see as another innovation, but the Orthodox did survive communism, and flourish on the other side of it. This seems to have given them a strength to navigate modernity. We'll see how that goes.
I am English too, and I love English traditions in many ways, though I don't want to idolise them, and we need to be careful about that. My interest is in following Christ, and I am not at all clear that this path leads in the same direction as preserving any particular cultural inheritance, however much we might be attached to it. Alas, the CofE is not for me. Whoever came up with the rave in the nave will need to a lot of repenting, if you ask me.
Having said that, I am very interested now in how we can develop an English orthodoxy, and English Orthodoxy. Two weeks ago I was in Walsingham at a conference on just that subject. You'd have liked it, I think. The focus was on British saints. Do you know of St Seraphim's Trust down there? It has a legacy of this: Making Orthodoxy British Again! I think that interesting things are happening.
There is indeed much to be repented of! Not sure I agree with your point about cultural inheritance though, that requires a bit more thought, I'm smelling a distinct whiff of the Modern there
I don't think so, in this case. I'm just reading the gospels, and seeing a persistent teaching from Christ that anything which interferes with our love of him is to be jettisoned, whether it be parents, home or the burial of your father. I can't see anything in there that sounds like 'faith, flag and family.' The latter sounds much more modern to me.
It just seems to me that culture and Christ can often conflict; the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God, I suppose. Sometimes we have to choose. Maybe not always, but certainly sometimes.
Sam.
Sorry that you are unwell. I said a good while ago I would keep reading, if irregularly. Takes me back to school in the 50s, debates and an interesting RE teacher, ex naval officer heading for the Church (CofE). He introduced us to local faith clergy, some of them unusual, but I don't think we heard about 1054. I came across Orthodox faith while wandering Greece in the 60s and too briefly the chapels of Crete in the early 70s. Memorably much later the last of my work was in the Balkans and allowed me to get to know a little of the Byzantine heritage including a small monastic church built by the Byzantine commander of the region in 1164. The witness of continuities could be strongly felt.
Interesting thoughts, Sam.
"Putting it succinctly, I see the church of the first thousand years as being without error, and the ecumenical councils of the undivided church as normative for all Christians, but that there is nothing since 1054 which has the same status."
This is broadly my view too, which is why I became Orthodox. I came to see that the Orthodox were the only ones who had remained orthodox, and not innovated, added to or diluted that inheritance.
I don't believe in 'just war', which I see as another innovation, but the Orthodox did survive communism, and flourish on the other side of it. This seems to have given them a strength to navigate modernity. We'll see how that goes.
I am English too, and I love English traditions in many ways, though I don't want to idolise them, and we need to be careful about that. My interest is in following Christ, and I am not at all clear that this path leads in the same direction as preserving any particular cultural inheritance, however much we might be attached to it. Alas, the CofE is not for me. Whoever came up with the rave in the nave will need to a lot of repenting, if you ask me.
Having said that, I am very interested now in how we can develop an English orthodoxy, and English Orthodoxy. Two weeks ago I was in Walsingham at a conference on just that subject. You'd have liked it, I think. The focus was on British saints. Do you know of St Seraphim's Trust down there? It has a legacy of this: Making Orthodoxy British Again! I think that interesting things are happening.
https://orthodoxstation.substack.com/
There is indeed much to be repented of! Not sure I agree with your point about cultural inheritance though, that requires a bit more thought, I'm smelling a distinct whiff of the Modern there
I don't think so, in this case. I'm just reading the gospels, and seeing a persistent teaching from Christ that anything which interferes with our love of him is to be jettisoned, whether it be parents, home or the burial of your father. I can't see anything in there that sounds like 'faith, flag and family.' The latter sounds much more modern to me.
It just seems to me that culture and Christ can often conflict; the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God, I suppose. Sometimes we have to choose. Maybe not always, but certainly sometimes.
Christ redeems, he does not efface (except sin) - but I shall write something more substantial on this later this week. Lots to ponder