www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Fr Alexander Schmemann and rubrics

As I read the post in "Church News" and Archimandrite Taft speaking at St Vladimir's Seminary on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Fr. Alexander Schmemann's "falling asleep in our Lord" I felt urged to post one of his thoughts.

On this forum it has been discussed often about finding the right balance between preserving the true faith and reaching the people's souls in a new evangelization. I quote below Fr Schmemann from The Journals of Father Alexander Schmemann 1973-1983, St Vladimir Seminary Press, 2002, p94:

...but I mainly feel like a stranger in the midst of the typically Russian "cozy" atmosphere of the church; Russian piety, complete self-assurance, the absence of any anxiety, any doubt, any questioning. They serve well, sing well--but they would serve and sing anything well, as long as it was "traditional"! One word missing--and all would collapse. Russians accept as slaves, or deny as slaves---blindly and stubbornly. After the service, the priest announced a "memorial Matins," then "memorial Vespers," then of course a panikhida--memorial service. What is the difference between these services? If one asked, one would be suspected of shaking the foundations of Orthodoxy. Everything has to be massive, blind, "according to rubrics"--that's the reassuring meaning of religion. One stands in a kind of solitude, feeling that if one would open up the meaning of the words of the services, people would be terrified.

I ask that you not regard these comments as condemning, but as reflective thoughts of Fr Schmemann. He, of course, was the son of Russian refugees and he loved his people. But throughout his personal journal comments he reflected with sadness the difference between "religion" and truly worshipping God.

His "Journal" is good spiritual reading which makes one reflect on the joy and peace of Faith and inspires one to humbly come closer to our Creator and Savior.

As has been reflected on this forum, the "flaws" of our "religion" are among us. Recognizing them is the first step toward correcting them; the next challenge is for us to bring our personal worship and our congregation's to a higher level, not as measured by this earthly level, but to a super-natural level.

Humbly,
Fr Deacon Paul

I have found his thoughts such as those quite judgmental. I don't care for his writings myself.

That's a good quote and stimulating for further thought. And the point you make is the gist: "As has been reflected on this forum, the "flaws" of our "religion" are among us. Recognizing them is the first step toward correcting them; the next challenge is for us to bring our personal worship and our congregation's to a higher level, not as measured by this earthly level, but to a super-natural level."

I also think that this particular excerpt can be thought provoking.

I can also see where one can read it and perceive it as negative, but it is the kind of thought journey which many ethnic cradle Orthodox born in the U.S. have had to work through in order to grow to really know, love and follow the Lord as a committed Christian through the Orthodox faith on new soil.

In a way, the Orthodox born person that travels through this type of journey in American Orthodoxy becomes something of a convert himself in discovering and uncovering the truths and meanings behind what the older generations of the old countries knew and had imbued within their souls because of total cultural immersion.

Alice

Provoking thought about how our Faith can be relevant in our daily life is a vital step toward Christ's command to evangelize "to the ends of the earth." Actually even evangelizing (through example) to the "end of our neighborhood" is ofttimes an improvement.

I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with a docile lamb-like obedience to established ritual and teaching; in fact it should be commended; that being said, we are in a volatile culture and if we can't respond with good apologetics and relevance then we will continue to see a shrinkage and a further "graying" of our congregations.

Contrary to many expressed opinions our heirarchy is aware of this dilemma but the solutions are difficult and mistakes are bound to occur. This is good reason to be careful that our criticism doesn't become destructive but tries to be constructive.

Father Schmemann was blessed with a masterful way of expressing this.

Fr Deacon Paul

I concur with both of you. That quote was of a man thinking out loud, processing his experience of reality versus the ideals of religion, and discovering where correction was needed in that kind of situation.

-- John

Spot on Alice!!!

Christ is in our midst!! He is and always will be!!

May I add that Father's quote can be applicable to any of us, no matter where we find ourselves planted.

I've felt this way when people have told me that one doesn't have to go beyond what is "required." The "you don't have to do that" attitude is something I've long battled in many places in my pilgrimage. And when I've said that the Christian journey is a love affair and love doesn't measure "requirements" all I get is some sort of blank stare--like I've spoken some alien language that no one understands.

It seems to me that once one's Christian journey becomes "safe" or "comfortable" or "risk free" it has become less than what we are called to be by Baptism. "Go and sell all that you own and come follow Me" isn't a prescription for being comfortable or safe or risk free. I cringe when people tell me they don't need to fast or go to confession more than once a year or set aside some time to read Scripture or pray because there's no requirement. It reminds me of the comment once made about "insurance policy Christians": pay the minimum "premium" and then one can negotiate with God because one has "paid one's dues." That comment, BTW, was made as a warning, not an affirmation.

In Christ,

BOB

Dear Theophan,

Sounds like the Pascal Gamble!

Fr. Serge

Ok, Father, I'll bite. What is the Pascal Gamble?


Requesting your blessing,

Fr Deacon Paul

That it's worth the gamble to live morally, betting on the existence of God. Also known as Pascal's Wager.

What I think comes through in Fr. Schmemann's writings, and in particular the journal, is his generalizations and often his dismissive attitude to others with different viewpoints and opinions. Things that he doesn't consider important, we now do regard as important. I think he has to be viewed in the period he wrote. He certainly has valid points to make, and one book in particular I enjoyed very much.

He seems to elicit different responses in people. Some regard him as one of the greatest Orthodox theologians of the 20th century, while I have heard others say he is possibly the most over-rated. Others clearly disagree with him sharply. It can be no doubt that part of his legacy was a protracted and pointed fued with the church abroad, and I am much more sympathetic with the latter in that instance.

It would not surprise me if Fr. Schmemann was popular among the reformers in the BCC.

Based on the excerpt below from 12/8/2008 OCA News I got the feeling that Father Schmemann is well respected--enough to be commemorated.


Fr. Taft's talk, "The Liturgical Enterprise Twenty-five Years after Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983): The Man and His Heritage"--the centerpiece of the colloquium and this year's Father Alexander Schmemann Annual Memorial Lecture--will be presented Friday, January 30, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building on the seminary campus. This lecture is free of charge and open to the public.

"I'm very excited about the upcoming 'Schmemann Lecture' and accompanying event," said The Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, Assistant Professor in Canon Law and Byzantine Studies at SVS and organizer of the symposium.

Other than that, I am not very well versed on OCA politics, other than my assumption that it's pretty much the same for every Church...variances on how to address problems of the day.

Christ is among us!
Fr Deacon Paul

Clearly. He is even depicted hagiographically at New Skete.

Is there an icon of him? (Available for purchase?)

Very astute observation. Thank you.



I usually disagree with him sharply.


Undoubtedly!