Dancing Alone

[leeand00]

Hi, ah...

My priest told me to read this book called "Dancing Alone" by
Frank Schaeffer, my priest loves it, but my Dad said that Frank is just sort of an angry rebellious child, because his father was some sorta Prostestant Minister, and not just any like a big one. I've also read some reviews of this book, and it said that the book wasn't really in the Spirit of Orthodoxy. I also noticed that Dancing Alone was no longer listed on Franks website as one of his books. Could this be the reason for this? I'm not so sure it's in the spirit of Orthodoxy or not, because after reading parts of the book, I've grown very angry and created a poster for my Church with the text "DIVERSITY: Christ only started one Church, 24,000 denominations can't be right." The college posted the poster once, because the sensor was out on vacation. I tried to post it again, but now I have to go in and talk to the lady. But after talking to my priest I relized I was wrong, and now I just have one question....Should I continue to read the book or is this Schaeffer guy just some kinda extremeist?

Thanks,

 

[MariaRegina]

Hi, ah...

My priest told me to read this book called "Dancing Alone" by
Frank Schaeffer, my priest loves it, but my Dad said that Frank is just sort of an angry rebellious child, because his father was some sorta Prostestant Minister, and not just any like a big one. I've also read some reviews of this book, and it said that the book wasn't really in the Spirit of Orthodoxy. I also noticed that Dancing Alone was no longer listed on Franks website as one of his books. Could this be the reason for this? I'm not so sure it's in the spirit of Orthodoxy or not, because after reading parts of the book, I've grown very angry and created a poster for my Church with the text "DIVERSITY: Christ only started one Church, 24,000 denominations can't be right." The college posted the poster once, because the sensor was out on vacation. I tried to post it again, but now I have to go in and talk to the lady. But after talking to my priest I relized I was wrong, and now I just have one question....Should I continue to read the book or is this Schaeffer guy just some kinda extremeist?

Thanks,

Dear Leeand00:

I know several Orthodox Priests who do not recommend Dancing Alone by Frank Schaeffer. My husband started reading the book but put it down after realizing how anti-Catholic it is. Frank published it just after he converted to Orthodoxy and I think it was one of his first books.

One of my Orthodox retreat masters told me, "If a book bothers you, put it down and seek guidance from your Spiritual Father." Sometimes when a book disturbs you, it could be the Holy Spirit or your guardian angel warning you. I prefer to read the lives of the saints and their writings that are approved by the Church -- you can't go wrong there usually. Even here, we still have to be careful. St. Seraphim of Sarov loved God's creatures so much, that he would take the shirt off his back to feed the mosquitos. Now that is a practice that is dangerous today because of the West Nile Virus. It wouldn't be recommended just because a saint did it. This is why we need the advice of a good Spiritual Father and we need to be very honest with him.

Hope this helps.

Lovingly in Christ our God,
Elizabeth

 

[Reader Nilus]

The very title of the book should warn one, as Orthodox I am never alone.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Peter]

Something to keep in mind is the person we once WERE should not be confused with the person we now ARE. This is true of Frank as well. I think we could all relate to how Frank must have been feeling following his conversion. I know I've gone through similar feelings, and still deal with them from time to time. Unfortunately for Frank, he did his venting in a public place, and must now bear the burdens of this.

Peace.

Peter

 

[MariaRegina]

Something to keep in mind is the person we once WERE should not be confused with the person we now ARE. This is true of Frank as well. I think we could all relate to how Frank must have been feeling following his conversion. I know I've gone through similar feelings, and still deal with them from time to time. Unfortunately for Frank, he did his venting in a public place, and must now bear the burdens of this.

Peace.

Peter

Correct.

Several priests said that one should never write of their conversion experience until at least five years have passed in order to allow time for spiritual healing and to view things in the proper contexts. This is why it might be dangerous for new converts to air their viewpoints on this forum or in the print media, and why some have problems here.

It takes time to really know oneself -- this is a slow process which is helped along by the Mystery of Holy Confession. Repentance is a life-time experience.

As an Orthodox catechumen, upon the high recommendation of another new convert, I sent Frank's conversion tapes to my parents. They were horrified by his negativity and turned off by his anti-protestantism. They said it bordered on being disrespectful to one's parents. I hadn't listened to those tapes as they were sent directly from the publisher. Now, I don't want to listen to those tapes! My priest firmly corrected me for this and advised me to always personally check out material before giving it as a gift or loaning it to someone.

The same with movies, before taking our children to see any movies, we should always preview those films alone without the children. This may be burdensome, but is really necessary as some films are not previewed sufficiently by the press and may have scenes which may disturb your child and not another child. Every person is unique.

Some books may be beneficial to one person but harmful to another. Frank has helped some Protestants in their conversion experience but upset others. My parents are no longer interested in Orthodoxy, since they loved Frank's parents.

Lovingly in Christ our God,
Elizabeth

 

[leeand00]

Ah ok, well see I wouldn't understand those feelings seeing as I was born Orthodox. I live with a big group of Protestants, and although they always try to push thier contemporary "worship" on me as well as giving up things like fasting, I've never really had feelings that were that negative toward them. I also didn't know that he had written this so soon after his conversion, and heck for that matter I didn't know that it mattered. I'm still young and trying to get my spiritual bearings. On the other hand I dumped my ex-girlfriend because she was Protestant and wouldn't convert so yeah I guess I'm just as bad.

 

[nicodemus]

On the other hand I dumped my ex-girlfriend because she was Protestant and wouldn't convert so yeah I guess I'm just as bad.

There's nothing wrong with only wanting to date someone that is Orthodox, I just hope your breakup with her was less harsh than it sounded here and that you explained to her the reason was a spiritual one and not a judgemental one. My wife & I were both checking out the Church while we were dating. We had both decided on our own that if the other didn't convert too, that we were going to end it. It was never something we discussed, but only found about after we both decided to join. Being with someone you share values with is important and there's nothing wrong with that, like I said, I hope for her sake and for the wintness of the Church that you were a little more gentle than "I'm dumping you because you aren't Orthodox!"

 

[Crazy Liz]

I'm not Orthodox, but I've read the book. I thought it was a better-than-average first novel, but not the world's great literature. If you're open to reading novels as simply telling a story from one person's POV at a particular point in life, it's not bad. I wouldn't want to derive an ideology from it. It's just a fictional story with some autobiographical elements. I wouldn't condemn it, but also wouldn't consider it so important (like some other great literature - two of my favorites being Orthodox authors Dostoevsky and Kazantzakis) that it should be read even if it disturbs you.

OTOH, if you're familiar with the work of his father, Francis Schaeffer, you might be interested in how his thought and work came to affect the thought of his own child in his early adulthood. For that purpose, I think the novel is much better than his ideological writings.

 

[Alfred M]

I have read several of Schaeffer's Orthodox books along with a couple of his novels. As pointed out above, the texts really do vent a great deal and as I first read "Dancing Alone" and "Letters to Father Aristotle" I would find myself joyfully thinking, "Yeah, thats right Frank... let 'em have with both barrels!" But as I "grew" a little more, I realized that shouting out someone else's shortcomings just might not be the best way to live within the Orthodoxy I had embraced.

I would just like to reinforce what the others have already mentioned...be careful what you read, pray for all, and keep your heart speaking in a quiet tone. This will be what leads others to Orthodoxy. Seek to be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect...and that takes a journey.

In the love of our Saviour,

Alfred

 

[Crazy Liz]

Oops!

I've read Dancing Alone, and also Schaeffer's first novel, Portofino. I had them mixed up when I posted the first time. I guess that shows just how forgettable Dancing Alone really was. :o

Read his novels, rather than his polemics.

 

[MariaRegina]

Oops!

I've read Dancing Alone, and also Schaeffer's first novel, Portofino. I had them mixed up when I posted the first time. I guess that shows just how forgettable Dancing Alone really was. :o

Read his novels, rather than his polemics.

What are his novels like, from your perspective? Are they good?

 

[Alfred M]

Chanter,

Thought I would throw in my opinion if you do not mind. I have read "Portofino" and his other novel "Saving Grandma". Both are really funny...but they are written in a style that most protestants would take offense to. The "put downs" to protestant theologies of salvation, evangelism, and missionary works are not very subtle in my opinion. I don't know that I would recommend them due to their "attitude". I just do not think Orthodoxy will progress much by making fun of others.

In the love of our Saviour,
Alfred

 

[MariaRegina]

Chanter,

Thought I would throw in my opinion if you do not mind. I have read "Portofino" and his other novel "Saving Grandma". Both are really funny...but they are written in a style that most protestants would take offense to. The "put downs" to protestant theologies of salvation, evangelism, and missionary works are not very subtle in my opinion. I don't know that I would recommend them due to their "attitude". I just do not think Orthodoxy will progress much by making fun of others.

In the love of our Saviour,
Alfred

Thank you, Aflred. I agree that we should not provoke others.

I've never read Frank's novels, but I wondered about them. However, I believe that it is better to read the lives of the saints and homilies instead.

Yours in Christ,
Elizabeth

 

[oworm]

Dear Leeand00: St. Seraphim of Sarov loved God's creatures so much, that he would take the shirt off his back to feed the mosquitos.

Hmm I must remember that the next time im on safari in Kenya and come across a pride of Lions




Sorry..............couldnt resist

 

[Oblio]

Or a unmown field in Missouri full of chiggers

 

[MariaRegina]

Or a unmown field in Missouri full of chiggers

I've been there -- my legs were so full of welts that I couldn't sleep! My aunt painted fingernail polish on the welts to stop the itch.

 

[leeand00]

Ok, I just figured I'd double check on all of that before I put the book down completely. But I think I will now. Thanks!

 

[MariaRegina]

Whatch gonna read now?

 

[Maximus]

Or a unmown field in Missouri full of chiggers

I was eaten alive by them in North Texas once. Not an experience I care to repeat.

 

[Maximus]

I read Frank Schaeffer's Dancing Alone and liked it very much. I loaned it to a friend, however, and he has not returned it. I don't recall anti-Catholicism in it at all. It is pretty down on Protestantism, but certainly not any more than is warranted.