Blessed Seraphim Rose...blessed or not

[Tessa]

Being on the mailing list of Holy Cross Moastery in WV, I recieved a catalogue of their products and books for Nativity 2003. In it were several books from Fr. Seraphim Rose, many of wich are very appealing to me.

But unfortunately while reading alot of material from the web my mind has become muddled with confusion. I am asking for a ROCOR or True Church (old cal) Greece, or Serbian for that matter, opinion/critique of Fr. Rose, his validitity, and his work.

Everything I have read in realtion to people that directly new him, is good. I mean he seemed like a sinner who really became a cross bearer. And I love "Oh, Perverse Generation" and ESPECIALLY "it's later than you think".

On the other hand, I have heard tremendously bad things, he was a homosexual, a gnostic (re the toll houses), and not even a baptised Orthodox Christian. Now much of this COULD be slander that often is insighted to discredit someone, and God forgive me for possibly being blasphemous, but can someone give me the scoop, or at least guide me on as whether or not to read his works.

Please no hate monger remarks either, that he was a Papist-basher or the like. Just seeking the truth.

In Christ,
Tessa

[Moronikos]

1. Before his conversion to Orthodoxy, he was a homosexual. After his conversion, he was celibate. See the biography by his niece, or read between the lines of "Not Of This World".

2. He did write about the "toll houses", but then so did many saints.

3. He was received by chrismation into ROCOR/ROCA. If you have a problem with that, blame St. John of Shanghai/San Francisco--if you dare.

Those are the facts. How you interpret them is your business.

[Seraphim Reeves]

What Moronikos says here is correct.

On the issue of his Baptism - Fr.Seraphim was received by "economy", a leniency which had been long standing in Russian practice, and changed recently because this practice was being misconstrued in a way serving the heretical ecclessiology of the ecumenists (namely, that those who are received in this fashion are not given the waters of baptism again, for their previous "baptism" was valid and efficacious towards the remission of sins and integration into the Church of Christ - that is heresy, but that is ecumenism for you.)

IMHO, Fr.Seraphim was by no means "perfect" or a "Father" - and he would never, ever have claimed either for himself. However, the quality of most of the attacks (though it should be said there are some valid criticisms of certain of his views) against him is so poor, and so purile as to make them unworthy of being entertained. It's hard to say what the origin of the various "axes to grind" against Fr.Seraphim is. I think it's origins are primarily two...

• it comes from liberal/modernistic quarters, who find his life of true asceticism and desire for Orthodox purity to be a not so subtle affront (by example) to their comprimises and human respect. His very existance, let alone his critical words about much of "Orthodox officialdom" during his life time as an Orthodox Christian, is a sharp rebuke to everything they've chosen to stand for...and they don't take such kindly.

• adherants to the ideas of the deposed deacon Lev Puhalo. For whatever reason, Lev has made it a large part of his life's work to publish anti-Fr.Seraphim works two decades after this Priest reposed.

That's my two-cents on the subject.

Seraphim

[George]

Personally I have found much that is beneficial in his works although I have been told that a good part of his monastic practice was based on his reading of books rather than from actual experience. Be that as it may, it seems to me that he has done much for the profit of many people's souls. It is a while since I read 'The Soul After Death', but I don't recall him saying that the tollhouses is a dogma of the Church, anyway the toll-houses are also described in the life of a Saint (I can't remember her name) who reposed, and was restored to life again, and she told people what her soul experienced. As for whether he was homosexual, I haven't read his neice's book so can't comment, though I am reading the new book by Hieromonk Damascene about Fr Seraphim's life which is a very interesting read. If he was before his Baptism (or chrysmating as the case may be), and repented of it, then so what? With Baptism he has been washed clean. If he continued with that afterwards it would be a different matter. Maybe that is why he went to the wilderness, so as to leave the world and weep for his sins and overcome them with true repentance. (OK, so this is all supposition now, so I had better stop )

[Gregory2]

I have a high respect for Father Seraphim -- whether he will be an American Orthodox saint remains to be seen, I guess. I have a lot of respect for him in that he is a product of American commercialism/secularism, entirely not Orthodox by heritage, and saw a shining light in Orthodoxy, and literally gave up all his belongings to follow Christ. That takes courage and dedication.

I don't think we should look for "perfection" in him, or in any other Orthodox Christian -- no man is perfect except Jesus! I read, in one of his books I think, that the "papal infallibility" doctrine is the direct result of the search for "perfection" among church leaders. Then, we end up worshipping these "perfect" leaders. Worship alone is of Jesus, the only sinless one.

[Tessa]

Thank you all for your advice and especially to StGregoryTheologian about not looking to perfection. Very well put. I will buy the book

In Christ
Tessa

[Andreas]

Greetings in Christ,

I'm a recent convert to Orthodoxy, and I have been reading a lot from and about Fr. Seraphim (Rose). I have taken quit a liking to him and his work. But I'm very interested in finding out what some of my fellow Orthodox brethren feel about him?

In Christ,
Andreas