In light of some of the recent discussion here about the OCA priest who openly advocated for accepting same-sex "marriage," and some responses posted by other priests, I thought I'd toss out some questions. I guess it's an assume-the-worst exercise, a what-would-you-do-if question. Since the same-sex issue is what's dominating discussion all over America these days, I'll stick with it, but really it could be a stand-in for "Sin X." All my scenarios revolve around you learning that your clergy, maybe your parish as a whole, have become anywhere from complacent, to accepting, to advocating for Sin X under the guise of compassion, or needing to be relevant. It could be adultery, it could be cohabitating sex. Or, (as others would surely point out), it could be complete apathy toward the poor, needy and suffering in your own community.
1. You learn that your priest has made peace with Sin X...maybe he now personally no longer opposes Sin X, or has decided that these people are better off being tolerated in Sin X rather than being driven away from church altogether. He allows them to continue attending services, but not communing, because they are still in unrepentant sin according to the teachings of the Church. At this stage, the priest has his own opinion, but is not willing to defy the teachings of the Church. (As in, he'd commune them if he could, but he won't take that step...still acts in submission to the Church).
2. Same as 1, only now, he's taken the step of communing them outside of the Liturgy. Maybe he brings it to them at home, or some other arrangement. You don't know whether this is bishop-approved or not, you just know it happens. Still, it has no direct impact upon your life, personally or liturgically. It's in the shadows, so to speak.
3. Same as 3, only now, the shadows have disappeared. The person/couple openly living in Sin X are now coming to the chalice. Neither they nor the priest makes any big deal of it. Nobody preaches about it. Nobody tries to change anyone's mind. Maybe Joe Parishoner would never even know it was happening without hearing about it from someone else. It's hiding in plain sight, so to speak.
4. Same as 4, only now everyone knows about it, and people/the priest are beginning to advocate for it. "Ya know, maybe it's really not such a big deal, maybe times they are a-changing, maybe we can't be effective witnesses to the world if we're viewed as unloving..." It starts being preached in sermons, the priest blogs about why it's time that Orthodoxy start changing its tune.
Assume your bishop responds by not wishing to make waves, and therefore does nothing at all...so...
Now to make it even more challenging, what would you do in these circumstances?
A) There's another church nearby in a different jurisdiction that does not accept this sin...but it's an "ethnic enclave" where you can't understand what's said and know you'll really never fit into their ethnic community.
B) There's NO other Orthodox church nearby. You're stuck.
Do you stay home and read the Fathers and try to be Orthodox? Do you find the closest thing you can and attend Sunday mornings, just not communing? what's more Orthodox? A Roman Catholic parish that sticks to its traditional teachings, or an Orthodox parish that communes unrepentant Sin X'ers?
Hopefully I'm making sense. Any one of us *could* find him or herself in any of the above situations.
1. You learn that your priest has made peace with Sin X...maybe he now personally no longer opposes Sin X, or has decided that these people are better off being tolerated in Sin X rather than being driven away from church altogether. He allows them to continue attending services, but not communing, because they are still in unrepentant sin according to the teachings of the Church. At this stage, the priest has his own opinion, but is not willing to defy the teachings of the Church. (As in, he'd commune them if he could, but he won't take that step...still acts in submission to the Church).
2. Same as 1, only now, he's taken the step of communing them outside of the Liturgy. Maybe he brings it to them at home, or some other arrangement. You don't know whether this is bishop-approved or not, you just know it happens. Still, it has no direct impact upon your life, personally or liturgically. It's in the shadows, so to speak.
3. Same as 3, only now, the shadows have disappeared. The person/couple openly living in Sin X are now coming to the chalice. Neither they nor the priest makes any big deal of it. Nobody preaches about it. Nobody tries to change anyone's mind. Maybe Joe Parishoner would never even know it was happening without hearing about it from someone else. It's hiding in plain sight, so to speak.
4. Same as 4, only now everyone knows about it, and people/the priest are beginning to advocate for it. "Ya know, maybe it's really not such a big deal, maybe times they are a-changing, maybe we can't be effective witnesses to the world if we're viewed as unloving..." It starts being preached in sermons, the priest blogs about why it's time that Orthodoxy start changing its tune.
Assume your bishop responds by not wishing to make waves, and therefore does nothing at all...so...
Now to make it even more challenging, what would you do in these circumstances?
A) There's another church nearby in a different jurisdiction that does not accept this sin...but it's an "ethnic enclave" where you can't understand what's said and know you'll really never fit into their ethnic community.
B) There's NO other Orthodox church nearby. You're stuck.
Do you stay home and read the Fathers and try to be Orthodox? Do you find the closest thing you can and attend Sunday mornings, just not communing? what's more Orthodox? A Roman Catholic parish that sticks to its traditional teachings, or an Orthodox parish that communes unrepentant Sin X'ers?
Hopefully I'm making sense. Any one of us *could* find him or herself in any of the above situations.
