Do what your priest tells you?

[JasonV]

Someone joked on another thread that this is the typical TAW response to many things. Where does this teaching come from, to just ask your priest/confessor/spiritual father?

 

[Anhelyna]

It's common sense surely.

My priest is my teacher , my confessor , my supporter in my struggles, my Spiritual Father, in many respects he knows me better than I myself do.

You are a priest - do you not advise your flock as to how they should live , practice their faith etc ?

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Often a question may be regarding a personal situation, such as fasting with medical condition. Your priest or spiritual father will be able to customize a response to your situation. I am diabetic and I can no longer follow a strict Lenten fast for more than a day or two as it simply becomes too carb heavy. So we customized a fast that works for my health.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Hebrews 13 has the Scriptural reasons for it. but it's also all over the place in monastic literature (most recently that I read in the biography of Elder Joseph the hesychast).

 

[JasonV]

I guess what I'm concerned about is following the advice of a priest who may not be the best person to consult. What if your priest is teaching something heretical? Would you still follow his advice?

Just thinking out loud if you will.

 

[ArmyMatt]

no, if your priest advocates heresy you should not follow him.

 

[All4Christ]

I guess what I'm concerned about is following the advice of a priest who may not be the best person to consult. What if your priest is teaching something heretical? Would you still follow his advice?

Just thinking out loud if you will.

Scripture states that we should submit to the leadership of the Church (Hebrews 13); it also has the caveat that we should submit to God above all else. If a priest teaches something heretical, then I think it falls into the latter category.

 

[JasonV]

Yes I agree with what you are all saying here. It has just occurred to me that there have been, are, and will always be priests who do not have the love of God in them, and to constantly say "ask your priest" could in fact be detrimental in some cases.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yes I agree with what you are all saying here. It has just occurred to me that there have been, are, and will always be priests who do not have the love of God in them, and to constantly say "ask your priest" could in fact be detrimental in some cases.

of course. Arius was somebody's priest.

 

[The Faceless]

Yes I agree with what you are all saying here. It has just occurred to me that there have been, are, and will always be priests who do not have the love of God in them, and to constantly say "ask your priest" could in fact be detrimental in some cases.

You shouldn't attend a church led by a heretic whom you don't trust to begin with.

 

[E.C.]

It seems like the unofficial first step to asking one's priest is to find a good priest to trust and follow first.