www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall The Way of the Pilgrim

Me and Alex have been talking back and forth via email about an idea that would lead to a significant rebirth of Byzantine Spirituality in the US.

What if we mailed a copy of Way of the Pilgrim to every Protestant Minister in the US? When we sent this out we could include contact information for the nearest Byzantine Parish.

What do ya'll think?

Does anyone know of how we could organize such an effort?

Does anyone know the cheapest place to purchase copies of Way of the Pilgrim?

Joe Zollars

Dear Joe,

In addition, I was wondering what others here thought of the Way of the Pilgrim as a vehicle to connect others to Eastern spirituality?

Is it a good way, in your view?

Reading this book certainly did change my life. As a religion teacher, I've given it to my students who then came back to say it changed their life too.

Comments?

Alex

Why? Why don't you focus on the lost sheep rather than try to convert the converted?

Alex, you are constantly telling us that missionary work in Russia is wrong because we are converting Orthodox (although we are really preaching to those who have ears and want to listen). I would consider sending "The Way of a Pilgrim" to Protestant ministers unsolicited proselytism.

"The Way of a Pilgrim" is a good book, but if there is one thing I learned from my first year in University, it's to go to the primary sources. Protestant ministers will know to "pray without ceasing" from Paul's Epistle to the Thessalonians. It's people that don't even know the name of Jesus that need to be helped.

Personnaly, I think the "Art of Prayer" is a better book anyway.

Daniil

Well -- it certainly has made a deep impression on me . I found it really compulsive reading .

To me it could be read on more than one level - firstly just as an interesting account and then the other level starts to come through and you really begin to start to get an appreciation of Eastern Spirituality - me - well I think it's something I will be working on for quite a while - I'm hooked. The follow up is organised - 'The Ladder of Divine Ascent'

Thank you all for starting me on this particular journey

Angela

Dear Daniil,

Yes, you are right. (You sound like you're angry with me - are you?)

In any event, that was Joe's take on it, not mine.

I just wanted your view on the Way and you kindly gave it.

Thank you!

Alex

Good gracious me Daniil -- I thought you had got lost somewhere - welcome back.

I take what you say but I can't homestly agree wholeheartedly with it - I mean- I have heard about Prayer of the Heart and 'pray without ceaasing' but I did not actually know how to do this. This is where "Way of the Pilgrim' came in for me. Th results have staggered me.

The thoughts about funding such a project are frightening - but proselytism no I don't think it really is that though I will agree it is unsolicited - but so is a lot of post that comes through the door - but not all is discarded.

Angela - the Latin who keeps saying "let the education continue"

No, I am not angry.

:p :p

Daniil

Well, I wasn't until the computer told me I could only post 8 images and then told me "flood control" was activated.

Dear Daniil,

What do you think of Joe's idea about a society for converts?

From a Byzantine perspective?

Now that I know you're not angry with me!

Alex

Daniil,

I know you sort of asked this question of Alex but I would like to take a stab at answering.

You go on to say;


There is a difference between our separated bretheren, the Orthodox, and protestants.

The Catholic Church recognizes the Orthodox Church as sister churches, I do not believe that they view the protestant churches in the same light.

Where as the Orthodox have the fullness of the fatih, as we do, the protestants do not.


David

Dear Danill:

David is correct. I loved my years as a Protestant, I loved the truth that I recieved as a Protestant, and I love Protestants. But now it is time for me to have the whole enchilada. The fullness of Truth is located ONLY within the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. I would not even consider sending this to Orthodox Christisans. They are in my opinion in no need of converting. However, Protestants need to convert. They need to learn how to pray. Most Protestants do not know how to pray and therefore have to reinvent the wheel each time.

Joe Zollars

"However, Protestants need to convert. They need to learn how to pray. Most Protestants do not know how to pray and therefore have to reinvent the wheel each time."

Joe, this is a very offensive comment, unworthy of someone who calls himself a Catholic or a Christian. I know many Protestants of all varieties who are as holy as the Pope, Mother Theresa or many of the saints. Just as I know many Catholics who need to convert and learn how to pray. Please don't tar them all with the same brush. Learn to use a bit more charity in your remarks about our Christian brothers and sisters.

As for the idea of sending literature to large numbers of Protestant ministers...I agree that is prostelatizm on a huge scale and not to be encouraged. The best evangelization is to preach with your life. If you can't live a life that shows how God has changed YOU, then even a letter hand delivered by the Archangel Gabriel himself ain't gonna make a bit of difference! (Remember the story the rich man who died and asked Abraham to send Lazarus to moisten his lips with a drop of water and to send someone to warn his brothers to reform?)

Reform your life, live it joyfully and with love, leaving EVERYTHING else into the very capable Hands of God...that is the ONLY way to reform the Church and bring other's to Christ.

Don

Dear Don,

I must agree with you!

How are you doing today?

Alex

Besides,

Didn't the Pope recently say that it is no longer appropriate for Christians to try to convert the Jews? If that's the case, then how can we convert other Christians?

John

A subcommittee of the USCCB said this, not the Pope. The particular document in question will never be approved because it contradicts Divine Revelation.

As for what I meant earlier, I meant that most Protestants think the entirety of Catholic prayer is summed up in what they call "whorshipping Mary."

There are many holy protestants, but there holiness is derived from the single vessal of the fullness of truth, the Catholic Church.

Nothing can change the fact that protestants are heretics. Since this site is obviously supporting liberalism and the horrors of AmChurch, I will no longer be participating in this website. I hope you all repent of your heresy before you die. ACtually this site has been in open support of heresy for some time. Thus the existance of www.byzantines.org [byzantines.org] and the other sites that have grown from this site. There comes a point when one should simply stop wasting time with heretics. I finally see what you have been saying Serge!

Joe Zollars

[ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Johanam ]

Dear Joe,

Just take it easy!

We are here to build bridges.

And didn't you mean the "M-Church" or the Melkites?

Also, I don't think the Catholic Church uses the term "heresy" or "heretic" with respect to Protestantism.

And that isn't an innovation. That goes back to St Augustine who said that those born in "heresy cannot be charged with the heresy of their forefathers."

I'm sorry about all this . . .

Alex