On Healing the Schisms of the Church
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| The Three-Faced Holy Trinity and the Latin "Trinity Shield", Taken from a 17th Century German Woodcut |
By Bp. Joseph Boyd (Ancient Church of the West)
INTRODUCTION
We live in a world of increasing division and strife, encompassing both our secular and ecclesial lives. Within the Orthodox Church, we have proclamations and anathemas flying back and forth, as Bishops mistake their role of servant and steward for that of princes and emperors. Humility is forgotten as conflicts increase. Weaker brethren, easily puffed up and made pawn to temporal power, fancy themselves to be protectors of the Church, and make acolytes and converts who are more the sons of the ancient Pharisees than children of God. In the midst of such conflict, we must remember what the Scripture says. The Devil brings division, and the very word for "demon" in the Scripture means "divider." Wars and strife are a product of our fallen lust. "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (James 1:20 KJV) When we see activities in the Church like we have recently, we know that "where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James 3:14)
James 4:1-10 KJV - "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
SERMON
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| A Helpful Diagram Contrasting the Fruits of Love and Lust by Bill Donaghy, Which Applies Equally to Churches and Church Conflict as Well as It Does to Individuals |
The above graphic creatively shows a Christian view of interpersonal relationships that should also be true of the relationships between local Churches. The mentality of love is shown in communion with God and Man through mutual submission, righteousness, and truthful openness in our individual walks is also the standard for organizational interaction. The mentality of lust is also one of schism, self-appreciation, desire for power and control, and, ultimately, to appreciate and aggrandize self, rather than loving others and expressing God-given humility. Our goal should be to be like the person on the right of the graph, who is always becoming more and more like Christ, rather than plunging into the darkness of the person illustrated on the left, losing purpose, relationships, and life. The one is on the path of theosis, shining more and more to the perfect day. The other is on the path of "demonosis," blocking out more and more of the light, breaking all relationships and making all nature dysfunctional, and progressing until life on earth and eternity is a living hell.
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| Christians are "Partakers of the Divine Nature" (2 Peter 1:4), meaning that we become through God's grace what the Holy Trinity is through Their uncreated and eternal nature. We are reconciled with the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18), made joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and given New Life in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-14). "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." |
In the Apostle's Creed, we Western Rite Orthodox often affirm that "We believe in the Communion of Saints," which is not an astonishing claim to anyone who knows and reads the Bible. The Communion that we experience is a result of our shared life in the Holy Spirit, who imparts on us created beings the shared and uncreated life of the Holy Trinity. In this shared life, we have communion with Christ, and through Him, we are reconciled and made one with God the Father. In this trinitarian aspect of our eternal life with God, we are also made one with all the Saints, and we share communion with all other right-believing and Orthodox Christians on earth. In this way, when we take communion and share in Christ's Body and Blood, we are partaking with all the other Christians throughout time and space.
As we center ourselves on Christ's command that we be one, even as He is one with His Father (John 17:22), we must for grace and humility to seek out those that we have hurt or offended, humble ourselves, and reconcile, "submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21) Only in profound and sincere repentance will we be able to repair the damage done to the Church through our fallen and lustful infighting. It is time that we seriously cry out for grace and wisdom from God, that we may be granted repentance and unity again from above!
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| A Diagram Often Used to Illustrate Harmony in Marriage Can Also Be Used to Illustrate How Communion is Built in the Church, As People Come Together With a Stronger Focus on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in Their Lives |
COLLECT
ALMIGHTY GOD, Whose blessed Son before His passion prayed for His disciples that they might be one, as Thou and He art one; and having established Thy Holy Orthodox Church upon the foundation of these same Apostles and Prophets, with Thy Son alone as the Chief Cornerstone: Grant that Thy Church, might be bound together in love and obedience to Thee, being fully united in the Holy Ghost, that the world might believe in Him Whom Thou hast sent, Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; Who livest and reignest with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
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| Rublev's Famous "Hospitality of Abraham" Icon, Showing Us the Holy Spirit's Invitation to the Table of God's Mercy, Sharing the Life of the Holy Trinity, Bringing Us Perfect Peace, Eternal Joy, and Unending Glory! |
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