Wednesday, 11 June 2014

On The Unity of Theory and Practice

A beautiful and important quote reminding us not to separate or isolate practice and theology:

“He who seeks the inner kingdom of God and a living communion with Him, will naturally seek to remain continually in the thought of God. Turning his mind towards Him with all his might, his one desire will be to read only of Him, to speak only of Him. But these occupations alone will not lead to what is sought, unless accompanied by other, more practical activities. A certain type of mystic talks only of these occupations: the reason is that such teachers are people of theory and not of practice. 
This practice of reading and speaking of God will, used on its own, create a facile habit for such things: it is easier to philosophize than to pray or pay attention to oneself. But since it is a work of the mind, which falls so easily into pride, it predisposes a man to self-esteem. It may altogether cool the desire for practical effort, and consequently hinder sound progress by a flattering successfulness in this mental activity. 
For this reason sound-minded teachers warn their pupils of the danger, and advise them not to concern themselves too much with such reading and talk to the detriment of other things.”
+ St Theophan the Recluse, 


The words of St Theophan also reminded me of a quote by Fr Thomas:

"A devastating aspect of the modern (and post-modern) world is the tendency to separate and isolate, to disintegrate and fracture. The spiritual and material are divided from each other, as are the metaphysical and existential, and the theoretical and practical. Faith and knowledge are opposed. Theology and piety are divorced. Freedom is put in opposition to authority as the individual person— or parish, province, tribe, or region— is placed against, rather than within, the larger community of family, church, society, nation, and world. Prophet is opposed to priest, charismatic to institutional, individual to corporate, private to public. An essential task of Orthodox theological education is to expose this literally "diabolical" approach to reality, and to teach and demonstrate in action the proper relationship between unity and diversity in all areas of human life and activity."
+ Fr Thomas Hopko, "Speaking the Truth in Love: Education, Mission, and Witness in Contemporary Orthodoxy." (New York: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2004) 33.


St Theophan's words also stands in delicate and paradoxical tension with something Fr Ted once blogged about:

"Truth, dogma and doctrine, are not just intellectual facts or a framework for understanding things.  They are intimately connected with the Christian way of life – they are expressed in our love for God and for one another.  They are helping us to enter into communion with the God who is love." 
+ Fr Theodore (Ted) Bobosh, 


I think and feel it is important to notice that all three quotes don't object to learning or theological study. All three are definitely rejecting anti-intellectualism, but all three also point towards lived theology and the union of good Orthodox theology practiced and prayed in the life of the Church and for the life of the world. It's a fine balance, but maybe that's the beauty of the Orthodox Church...the Body where the Mind meets the Heart.

"It’s interesting that the second most important book in the Life of Orthodox, besides the Bible, is a book called the Philokalia, which literally means “the love of Beauty”. 
In its perfection, the Orthodox faith is simply Love. 
The Holy Trinity’s love dwelling in the Body of Christ...the Church. That’s the beauty."
+ P.R., Orthodox Priest in Toronto


Perhaps the prayer and hope is that all the pursuits in the Christian Life, whether we choose to group our encounters as theology or practice/praxis...all these together serve to help one live out their baptism, to live in the Divine life of Christ....live in the mystery of Theosis. To become what we pray and partake of....Love Incarnate.
"...what truly matters is to be joined...to be one with God."

Sound Orthodox Theology gives life. The Church that Prays aright is a "Theological" Church. Life and Theosis are begotten of kenotic love...

"This is the dividing line between religion, whether Christian or non-Christian, and the encounter with Him Who Is. Whether we start out with reams of rules or pages of pictures, neither is complete until we discover that neither was the Truth until both were taken in His hands, transformed by His touch, and given back to us breathing the fragrance of His myrrh-bathed wounds. 
Sadly, the Bible’s reputed defenders worship what cannot be worshipped, as they decry us who worship only the Divine Nature, God in Three Persons, for whose love our hearts lean in veneration of all that pertains to Him, even each other, following the only divine commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. A greater love has no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends. 
That is the faith that sings."

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. "
+ St Paul (Epistle to the Ephesians 4:1-5)


May we live this Life we have received, which we have been clothed with and abide in...this call to partake more perfectly in the unending Day of The Kingdom...this response of love to Love...
"In its perfection, the Orthodox faith is simply Love."
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