What about non-Orthodox Christians?
Saint Silouan the Athonite was once traveling by train with an archimandrite who was a zealot quick to correct others about the True Faith. Coming upon a group of traveling Roman Catholics, Saint Silouan’s traveling companion proceeded to tell them that they must become Orthodox because their faith was without grace.
The saint asked him if it were indeed a fact that the Roman Catholics believed that Christ was true God, and that He was present in the Eucharist. The saint asked was it not true that these Catholics believed in the Trinity, and venerated the Holy Virgin and the relics of the saints. The archimandrite answered yes to all the questions. Saint Silouan responded that of all humanity’s faiths we must know that we have perhaps more, but not to judge those who are not Orthodox. We must rejoice in the knowledge of what they do have. The saint told him that we should not be filled with such pride as to think we have the right to judge, correct or teach others.
This does not mean that we see the Church as divided, or that the Orthodox Church is anything less than the Church Christ founded. What it does mean is that we do not allow ourselves to think we have the right to correct or teach anyone. We must honor other peoples beliefs and not give in to the prideful stand that we have the right to teach or correct them. The truth that is found within Orthodoxy must be shared by living our faith in love, not in judging or correcting others. Truth, where ever it is found, is Orthodox Truth. If other religions embrace some of these truths that are Orthodox, we must rejoice and give thanks for what they do have.
People who love God and are trying to live holy lives pleasing to Him, according to the knowledge they have been given, are to be respected. They may not have the fullness of Apostolic Truth, but if they are believers in God and are trying to live a life pleasing to God, we must give thanks to Christ for what they do have. They have God as their Father, just as do we. They can have the Church as their Mother only if they see in us difference that Orthodoxy has made in our lives. Being arrogant in our evangelism does nothing to express the truth of Orthodoxy and makes us nothing more than a pushy salesman at the door.
That arrogant archimandrite would better have shared the beauty of Orthodoxy had he embraced those Roman Catholics as fellow disciples of Christ. Then they would have seen Christ in him and known that Orthodoxy was a faith centered in love.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Saturday February 7, 2015 / January 25, 2015
Week of the Publican and the Pharisee. Tone one.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
St. Gregory the Theologian, archbishop of Constantinople (389).
Venerable Anatole I (Zertsalov, the “Elder”) of Optina (1894).
New Hieromartyr Vladimir, metropolitan of Kiev, proto-martyr of the communist yoke in Russia (1918).
New Martyr Abbess Margaret (Gunaronulo) of Menzelino (1918).
New Hieromartyr Peter archbishop of Voronezh (1929).
New Hieromartyr Basil bishop of Priluksk. 1930).
New Martyr Abbess Athanasia (Lepeshkin) of Zosima Hermitage (1931).
St. Stephen priest, martyr Boris (1938).
St. Moses, archbishop of Novgorod (1362).
Martyrs Felicitas of Rome and seven sons: Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial (164).
Venerable Publius, ascetic of Syria (380).
Venerable Mares the Singer of Syria (430).
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “Assuage My Sorrow” and “Unexpected Joy.”.
New Martyr Auxentius of Constantinople (1720) (Greek).
Martyr Medula and her companions (Greek).
St. Castinus, bishop of Byzantium (240) (Greek).
Venerable Demetrius Skevophylax (“Keeper of the Sacred Vessels”) of Constantinople (8th c.) (Greek).
Venerable Apollo of the Thebaid, monk (4th c.) (Greek).
St. Bretanion (Vetranion), bishop of Tomis (380) (Romania).
St. Gregory of Golutvin (15th c.).
St. Dwyn, virin of Llandwyn.
Scripture Readings for the Day:
2 Timothy 3:1-9
Perilous Times and Perilous Men
3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
Luke 20:46-21:4
46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Two Mites
21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Very lovely truth!
At the Baptist church my wife and kids attend, the preacher declares that the cracker and grape juice are only symbols; baptism has nothing to do with salvation and recently even declared that you can be baptized as many times as you feel the need to feel clean even though it isn’t salvific. Baptists also believe icons to be idols and demonic therefore Orthodox to be practicing idolatry.
I don’t go there to judge anyone or to argue with them, but last year I was Chrismated Orthodox and “confessed” it to our Baptist small group.
I understand the silent witness aspect of the Orthodox. Evangelism isn’t the same with Orthodox. However, Baptist aren’t anything near Catholics regarding the core teachings of the church.
When dealing with heterodox family and friends how do you apply this to those further from Orthodoxy on the Baptist side of the scale?
If they have to wait until I reach Theosis they may never learn the truth in its completeness. This Orthodox perspective is hard fro me to grasp. I understand that my life has to improve and shine with God’s glory before I can teach sinners the ways of God. Yet this may never happen in the midst of working for a living to pay the bills.
Please address this Baptist side of the fence.
I’m not condemning my Baptist wife or my friends I see, but even without saying anything they feel like I am judging them. Is it possible that the Holy Spirit is convicting them by my presence and its not me condemning them?
Curious to hear your thoughts. In blog land I hope you can read my heart between all the words.
Christ is risen!
🙂
Thank you, Father.
I have been wondering about this.
I have a number of friends and acquaintances who are non-Christian (Jews, Hindus, secularists).
How do I deal with them vis-à-vis respecting them as persons with their beliefs,
and the truths of Orthodoxy, and the “Great Commission”?
My heart, such as it is, goes out to you brother. I encourage you to seek out more specific guidance in this from someone who knows you and your new path in life- perhaps your parish priest?
I grew up Baptist, with a step father who was a Baptist Pastor, so I can say I know something of their beliefs. Perhaps ONE thing to do is to immerse yourself into the teachings and understandings of the faith and help them by compassionately explaining things to them, with the disclaimer that you may not know or understand it all completely (who can? Orthodoxy is a vast ocean). Explain to them, why icons are important (i.e. to serve as guides and inspiration for our struggle), we honor them as if we honor a loved one, or a respected elder who gave everything for others. We ask our friends and family to pray for us- why not ask someone who is closer to God and more alive than us to pray for us? Suggest that all acts in the church is a form of prayer and preparation to meet God- lighting a candle, burning incense- making the sign of the cross- these are all prayers to God. Worship involves the whole being and all the senses, not just listening to sermons and singing some hymns- the more we immerse ourselves, the closer to God we can become by opening ourselves up and gaining peace. It s not devil worship- it is an active participation in mental and physical exercises that may make us more open to God working in us.
Just some thoughts, please discuss this in more detail with others more knowledgeable and capable than I.
I have never gone to a Catholic service or a Lutheran service or any other Christian service where they took to task the Orthodox religion as I have seen and heard done in reverse many time by Orthodox clergy.