A Lecture by Fr. Seraphim Rose

[GOCPriestMark]

As Father Seraphim pointed out in an article: "Metropolitan Cyril of Kazan and other leading hierarches of the Catacomb Church have regarded it as blasphemy to deny that the sacraments of the Moscow Patriarchate are grace-filled."

“In August, 1936, the Bolsheviks spread the (false) information that Metropolitan Peter had died. Immediately Metropolitan Sergius quite illegally assumed to himself Peter’s title of Metropolitan of Krutitsa. From this time, a distinct hardening in Metropolitan Cyril’s position is noticeable. Thus in March, 1937, he wrote:
‘With regard to your perplexities concerning Sergianism, I can say that the very same questions in almost the same form were addressed to me from Kazan ten years ago, and then I replied affirmatively to them, because I considered everything that Metropolitan Sergius had done as a mistake which he himself was conscious of and wished to correct. Moreover, among our ordinary flock there were many people who had not investigated what had happened, and it was impossible to demand from them a decisive and active condemnation of the events. Since then much water has flowed under the bridge. The expectations that Metropolitan Sergius would correct himself have not been justified, but there has been enough time for the formerly ignorant members of the Church, enough incitement and enough opportunity to investigate what has happened; and very many have both investigated and understood that Metropolitan Sergius is departing from that Orthodox Church which the Holy Patriarch Tikhon entrusted to us to guard, and consequently there can be no part or lot with him for the Orthodox. The recent events have finally made clear the renovationist nature of Sergianism. We cannot know whether those believers who remain in Sergianism will be saved, because the work of eternal Salvation is a work of the mercy and grace of God. But for those who see and feel the unrighteousness of Sergianism (those are your questions) it would be unforgivable craftiness to close one’s eyes to this unrighteousness and seek there for the satisfaction of one’s spiritual needs when one’s conscience doubts in the possibility of receiving such satisfaction. Everything which is not of faith is sin.... I am in fraternal communion with Metropolitan Joseph, and I gratefully esteem the fact that it was precisely with his blessing, that there was undertaken from the Petrograd diocese the first protest expressed against Metropolitan Sergius from the Petrograd diocese…,’” (The New Martyrs of Russia, Monastery Press, 2000).

[Incognito1583]

Did Fr. Damascene ever meet Fr. Seraphim? How long did he know him? Doesn't his information come from Fr. Herman who had reason for justifing his shifting allegiance?

Father Damascene met Father Seraphim for the first time when the former was a student at the university of San Jose. Father Seraphim was instumental in bringing Father Damascene into the Orthodox Church. While still a layman, Father Damascene visted the monastery and Father Seraphim on several occassions.

The information I cited comes from Father Seraphim's own words from a talk he gave in 1979 ("Orthodox Christians Facing the 1980's"). The statements are also found in [FSR], "In Defense of Father Dimitry Dudko," Orthodox Word, no.92 (1980).

[Varsanufios]

So father Seraphim was died licke member of the churc Churc.But some aditudes was wrong.And statment of Joasia are not corect.

[joasia]

Varsanufios,

Just to be clear. My statement is about Fr. Seraphim being against ecumenism. He wrote many things about it and also about other religions. As far as his view about Grace in the Church, I think it’s best to read his writings yourself to understand how he expressed himself and to understand why. Perhaps there are translations, in Serbian.

I just wanted to share the video. I personally, like how he wrote.

Joanna

[Pravoslavnik]

The most reliable source for the views and positions of blessed Father Seraphim Rose is probably Hieromonk Ambrose Young, formerly Archpriest Alexey Young, who is Father Seraphim's closest living disciple. I would not presume to speak for Hieromonk Ambrose, but I have been told that many problems developed at St. Herman's Monastery before and after the death of Father Seraphim in 1982. Hence, with all due respect, the decisions and views of Father Damscene Christian, and of Abbot Herman (Podmoshensky) do not necessarily reflect those of Father Seraphim Rose. Father Seraphim, as Father Mark has indicated on this thread, published the surviving epistles of Metropolitan Cyril of Kazan, in Russia's Catacomb Saints, by I.M. Adreyev at Platina. I suspect that Father Seraphim accepted the views of St. Cyril regarding the issue of grace within the Sergianist MP "church" --to wit, the question could only be resolved by a free council of the true Church.

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     Hieromonk Ambrose may have a definitive answer on this subject, but I believe it would be erroneous to argue that blessed Father Seraphim Rose ever accepted the Sergianist MP hierarchy as a legitimate church authority.  Afterall, remember that Father Seraphim lived and reposed within the ROCOR in the time of St. John of San Francisco--his own spiritual Father--and blessed Metropolitan Philaret.  The ROCOR, at that time, had specifically ruled against the legitimacy of the MP Patriarchs, including Alexey II (Ridiger.)  Let us be careful about colluding in the current revisionist history of the MP-ROCOR personnel.

[Incognito1583]

I have given sources from Father Seraphim's own mouth and pen. If one is going to assert foul play, the burden of proof is on the one making the assertion. Mormons, for example say the Bible is the Word of God "in so far as it is correctly translated." This means that whenever the Bible disagrees with Mormons, at that point it is incorrectly translated. It was asserted elsewhere that Migne was a papist, so his quotes from Saint Maximos cannot be trusted. This could be true, but where's the proof? These are serious charges that a person must sustain in terms of the burden of proof. I see this mentality a lot among cultists and people hostile to Christianity who have an agenda despite the evidence.

Father Ambrose, is not the best source for Father Seraphim. Nobody knows more about Father Seraphim then the monastery in which he lived. I understand people have issues with Father Herman. But no one spent more time with Father Seraphim then Father Herman. Again, if one is going to assert Father Herman somehow lied or had a secret agenda, the burden of proof is on them.

From OrthodoxWiki:

"One major issue of contention between Fr. Seraphim and Holy Transfiguration Monastery was the presence of grace within the allegedly Soviet-compromised hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate. Fr. Seraphim refuted the extremist views of this monastery and consistently affirmed that Moscow, though ailing, still had grace. "

I don't know how reliable OrthodoxWiki is.

[Incognito1583]

Please also keep in mind that Father Alexey [Ambrose] is now in communion with the MP as far as I know. I am quite certain that his views regarding the MP were influenced by Father Seraphim -- that it has grace.