This was a random recommendation.
I'm scared to click on GOARCH teaching doctrine. Is it patristic?
I'm not going to watch it, because I don't think a GOARCH video is going to be thoroughly patristic anyway, nor have much to teach me, nor even fall in line with that one huge book from St. Anthony's Monastery (for whatever that is worth).
a sinner, but not a heretic
(I am 'ascender' on YouTube superchats)
I'm surprised GOARCH teaches any variant thereof tollhouses... I thought all the Greeks denied them (at least most of the Greek True Orthodox do anyway)
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
It is weird, because many in GOARCH would deny their existence, yet the most comprehensive defense was written by Saint Anthony’s, and almost everyone quoted by a Greek (Elder Ephraim, Saint Paisios, Saint Porphyrios, etc) believed in them. Yet unsurprising, as you will have hierarchs commemorate a feast of an ecumenical council, a triumph over heresy, then immediately give a sermon, or perform an action, denying a part of the Faith.
Outside of blatant disregard, part of it is probably poor education of priests, and laity. I know that the more educated, and patristic, priests in GOARCH will go to Greece instead of HCHC, or supplement their seminary with extended, regular, time on Athos. This tells me that they sense something is amiss…like people who love to pay lip service to monasteries, but ignore (or could care less to know) that they teach toll houses, reception by baptism as the norm, etc.
These ecumenists are just like Maris Frasier, but they weight more than 45lbs and aren’t allergic to Argentina sourced cinnamon
I posted it in heterodox sub for a good reason.
The priest is saying it is practically a metaphor. Interestingly, people in comments are asking if he’s read the St Anthony Monastary Tome on the the ATHs
† † †
In the late 1970s a theological debate about the post-mortem experience of the soul took place between representatives of St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Holy Transfiguration Monastery and Holy Trinity Monastery. Deacon Lev Puhalo opposed Fr. Seraphim (Rose) in this polemic. The ROCOR Synod asked Fr. Lev to stop discussing the matter publicly to prevent confusion among the flock. Fr. Lev disobeyed and the Synod of the ROCOR defrocked Deacon Lev in 1981. He did not recognize this decision, left the ROCOR and, finally, was received into the Orthodox Church in America as a retired archbishop.
The Departure of the Soul, has around 100 pages making the case that Mr. Puhalo altered icons, purposely mistranslated ancient texts, and pulled passages out of context in order to “prove” the fathers of the church did not support toll houses.
counsels from the Holy Mountain, it is stated: “Although some modern theologians doubt the existence of the toll-houses, toll-houses are mentioned either explicitly or implicitly by countless saints, including St. Paul, St. Makarios of Egypt, St. Basil the Great, St. Ephraim the Syrian, Abba Isaiah, St. Hesychius the Presbyter, St. Diadochos of Photiki, St. Theognostos, St. Athanasios the Great, St. John Chrisystom, St. John of the Ladder, St. John of Damascus, St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, St. Theophan the Recluse, St. John of Kronstadt, and St. John Maximovitch.”
“No matter how absurd the idea of the toll-houses may seem to our ‘wise men,’ they will not escape passing through them.”
— St. Theophan the Recluse
St. Gregory the Theologian, †389
Divine fear has overcome me,
a mass of horrors:
dismal Tartarus, scorching flames, whips,
demons, the tax collectors of our souls.
All a myth to the wicked.
St. Hesychios the Priest, † 5th century
Just as a man blind from birth does not see the sun’s light, so one who fails to pursue watchfulness does not see the rich radiance of divine grace. He cannot free himself from evil thoughts, words, and actions, and because of these thoughts and actions he will not be able freely to pass the lords of hell when he dies.
[On Watchfulness and Holiness, Philokalia Vol. 1]
St. Macarius the Great writes: “When you hear that there are rivers of dragons, and mouths of lions, and the dark powers under the heavens, and fire that burns and crackles in the members, you think nothing of it, not knowing that unless you receive the earnest of the Holy Spirit (II Cor. 1:22), they hold your soul as it departs from the body, and do not suffer you to rise to heaven”
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (Luke 12:32)