The "Scandal" of True Orthodox Division

[Maria]

Note: I am not a member of the clergy. I pose this series of questions only to facilitate a discussion.

We have some people at E Cafe who are inquirers, and who are coming from Catholicism, Protestantism, and World Orthodoxy. Others are confused, have left True Orthodoxy, but are trying to find their way back. They are confused because they witness members of True Orthodoxy attacking one another.

Here at E Cafe, we can minimize the scandal this division causes by discussing Intra-TOC polemics in this private forum, but at other websites and user groups, horrible blows are delivered for all to see.

When the Matthewites confront the Kallinikites or each other, it makes Catholics, Protestants, and World Orthodox who are looking into True Orthodoxy shutter and avoid us. They say, "Where is the love?" not knowing what love really means. They ask, "Why cannot the True Orthodox be united?" not knowing that there are serious issues at play. In addition, they have other questions such as these:

1. Where is sacramental grace to be found?

The typical response in World Orthodoxy is that they know not where sacramental grace is to be found as they are not to judge. However, a Matthewite would respond that sacramental grace is only to be found in the Holy Mysteries of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which would be any of the parishes of the Synod in which they belong.

1. Why can't we pray together?

We cannot pray with those who are outside of our Church Synod as canons forbid us from doing so. However, we can pray privately for all our friends and relatives, and even for our enemies that they may be saved.

If a person who is not a member of the Church enters one of the True Orthodox parishes as a visitor, they can attend a service, they can pray the Lord's Prayer with us, they can even sing a hymn with the congregation if they know that hymn, but they cannot join the chanter's stand, join the choir, attempt to sing a hymn alone, read the Epistle, or receive the antidoron or one of the Holy Sacraments (Mysteries).

Some specific examples follow:

a. Matthewites are among the strictest of the True Orthodox because they are instructed to avoid visiting any other church in which they are not a member, nor to take part in any of their services as that would be considered praying with heretics. For example, Matthewites can only visit their own parishes. In case of a baptism, marriage, or funeral of a relative or friend who is outside the Church, they can attend that service, but they cannot take part by serving as a choir member, chanter, godparent, flower girl, ring bearer, bridesmade, pall bearer, etc.

b. Can a Cyprianite clergyman visit a Matthewite Church during Vespers, Divine Liturgy, or a consecration and sit unvested in the church? Would that be considered praying with the Matthewites? To the Matthewites, such an action would be breaking a canon and causing a scandal. To a Cyprianite, such as Met. Cyprian of the GOC-K (under Kallinikos), attending a consecration of a bishop would be considered "brotherly love."

c. Another example occurred while I was a member of the GOC-K. Due to the hardship of attending Pascha services in Northern California as I live in the Los Angeles area, two of their clergymen told me that I could visit the nearby HOCNA parish in Pomona due to the distance of attending Pascha services in Northern California, attend their Pascha service, and even attempt to receive communion there if they would give it to me. Furthermore and unbelievably, these two clergmen told me not to tell them if I had received communion with the HOCNA parish. This was back in 2012, when HOCNA was boldly proclaiming the Awake Sleepers heresy and had already boldly proclaimed that Name-Glorification was not a heresy. Needless to say, I did not attend that HOCNA parish at Pascha or at any time later on. How can a devout Orthodox Christian pray with bold-faced heretics? Would not that act of worship be violating Church Canons?

[Isaakos]

Regarding point b,

If a known Cyprianite "bishop" as a "bishop" made it into the Sanctuary or God forbid the ALTAR of a GOC Church upon invitation, he has gone too far. They are considered laity, being schismatics, and are to be treated as such. This is what the canons say:

"...those who seceded from the Church had not the grace of the Holy Spirit upon them; for the impartation thereof ceased with the interruption of the service. For although the ones who were the first to depart had been ordained by the Fathers and with the imposition of their hands they had obtained the gracious gift of the Spirit, yet after breaking away they became laymen, and had no authority either to baptize or to ordain anyone, nor could they impart the grace of the Spirit to others, after they themselves had forfeited it."

http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books ... oc78634056

And what is the canonical attitude toward the schismatics and heretics?

From the canons of St. Timothy of Alexandria:

"9. Question: Whether a Clergyman ought to pray when Arians or other heretics are present, or it does not matter, at a time when he himself is making the prayer, that is to say, the offering?

Answer: In the divine anaphora, or offering, the Deacon addresses before the embrace the congregation, saying: "Those of ye who are not in communion, Take a walk." There ought not, therefore, to be any persons present such as those mentioned, unless they promise to repent and to leave the heresy.

Interpretation.

This Father had been asked whether a priest ought to perform the offering of the bloodless sacrifice when Arians and heretics in general are present, and he replied that at the time of the divine rite the deacon calls out that all persons who are catechumens should step outside of the temple, by saying to them: "All ye who are catechumens step out" (for that is what is meant by the words "Those of ye who are not in communion, Take a walk."). So if no catechumen are allowed to stand in the church at the time when the divine liturgy is being celebrated, much less are heretics, unless they promise to repent and to leave the heresy. Nevertheless, even then again they ought not to be allowed to stay within the temple proper, but ought to be compelled to stand outside with the catechumens. But if they will not make any such promise, they ought not to be allowed to stand even with the catechumens, but, on the contrary, they ought to be chased away, according to Balsamon."

Canon 32 of the Local Synod of Laodicea: "That it is not permitted to accept the blessings of heretics, which are foolishness rather than blessings”

Canon B’ of the Antioch Synod: "All those entering the Church and listening to the divine Scriptures, but not participating in the prayer together with the people, or displaying aversion to the Holy Communion of the Eucharist as an act of disorderliness, let them be cast out of the Church, until they have confessed and have shown works of repentance and are able to beseech forgiveness, thereafter not intending to be in communion with the excommunicated, nor congregate in houses with those who do not pray together in Church, nor with those who do not congregate. Should any of the bishops, or presbyters, or deacons, or someone of the Canon be seen in communion with the excommunicated, let them also be excommunicated, as ones who have confused the Canon of the Church.”

Canon 37 of the Local Synod of Laodicea:. "One must not accept the festive tokens sent by Jews or heretics, nor celebrate together with them."

It is entirely false to practice hospitality in regard to schismatics and heretics in terms of letting them attend Church services. If ANY bishop is seen to be in communion with excommunicates, he is to be excommunicated. To give the notion of peace amongst Orthodoxy and heresy is to betray Orthodoxy. THIS is the legitimate, canonical, authentic, historical Orthodox position.

So IF an hypothetical Cyprianite bishop enters into a GOC Church, here is the proper response:

1. He stands in the Narthex with the laity.
2. If it is a Divine liturgy, he goes outside with the catechumens.
3. He is to take no part in any prayer at any time.
4. IF he was invited by the celebrating bishops/priests and treated as a bishop, these bishops and priests are betraying the canons of the Church and are not showing hospitality or charity, but are capitulating the right order of the Church under the pretext of charity and are giving occasion for a schism to arise.
5. He can be greeted kindly as any other laymen and spoken to charitably, and this will suffice as Christian charity.

[Jean-Serge]

When someone enters in a true orthodox church for any reason, like curiosity etc, and attends a service, it does not create a communion with him automatically.

[Archimandrit Nilos]

What will you say with this peculiar statement "by curiosity" ? Who is going by curiosity to a church of the Matthewites ?

[Jean-Serge]

Any curious person that might have been walking by the street, saw a church, decided to have a look... Are you going to ask him a baptism certificate at the entrance ?

[Maria]

Any curious person that might have been walking by the street, saw a church, decided to have a look... Are you going to ask him a baptism certificate at the entrance ?

And that has happened. Sometimes homeless people will wander in seeking refuge from the cold or a bite to eat. And sometimes, they will convert.

[Jean-Serge]

I do wonder if those advocating for acribia also advocate for it in their own cases...