Reviving "Out of Print" books by World Orthodox censorship.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

To share and discuss censored and "out of print" books by the World Orthodox. God willing with the possibility of reviving these censored and lost texts.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Two of the books in question from St. Herman of Alaska Press. The names of the books are; Elder Marcarius of Optina by Fr. Leonid Kavelin and Elder Nektary of Optina by I. M. Kontzevitch. 

[Suaidan]

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2tt0gmvf ... spgtx&dl=0

Full file

[Barbara]

Why is that these particular Optina Elder biographies have been censored ?
What is the perceived dangerous material in them, if you know ?

[Barbara]

I meant to say, why is it that...
Wanted to remind, though, that it's faintly possible that these titles will be among the ones to be republished when St Herman's Press stops producing the Orthodox Word.

I had noticed that Elder Nektary's biography is scarce. But I had not observed that about Elder Macarius' bio.
I'm very curious what the 'subversive' material could have been in these. Elder Nektary was quite different it seems to me from the earlier Optina Elders. But aside from the fact that Elder Nektary read the books by a popular British author of the day [novels of ancient Egypt, etc] - H Rider Haggard - I can't recall much that could require censoring by ANYBODY. Well, maybe one thing.

[Suffering Orthodoxy]

"Once N. Pavlovich asked the Elder, "Is it possible to hope for the unification of the churches?" He replied, "No! Only an Ecumenical Council could do that, but there will be no more councils. There have been seven councils, like the seven sacraments and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For our age, the number of fullness is the number seven. Eight is the number of the future age. Only separate people will be united to our Church."
 Elder Nektary of Optina, page 182.

[Suffering Orthodoxy]

Why is that these particular Optina Elder biographies have been censored ?
What is the perceived dangerous material in them, if you know ?

 

"And in the last days before Christ's coming it will be preserved in the following form: one Orthodox Bishop, one Orthodox priest, and one Orthodox layman. I'm not saying that there won't be any churches at all - maybe there will be - but Orthodoxy itself will be preserved only in such a form." Elder Nektary of Optina, page 179.