Father Alexander Schmemann

[KATHXOYMENOC]

si si. i just did my independent study on why reception of the Eucharist became infrequent and i quoted Fr. Schmemann's The Eucharist several times. I have not yet read the whole thing but from what I've read I like most of it. Some of his points I found to be weaker than others but I think he has valid points, but at the same time the general feeling I get is -- well this went wrong and this and this and this and here they added this and lost this -- and then at the end of each section he says "oh, but the meaning wasnt aaaall lost." I've been surprised when ppl have suggested this book to inquirers bc its basically an exposition on why the Orthodox Church has lost the original meaning of the Eucharist -- and i believe one inquirer even had a thread about that.

That was I, and that and some other things have been some of the reasons I have not yet become Orthodox.

 

[jckstraw72]

My goodness, it all comes down to pride and sin. We have reduced truth to relativity in this time and people now feel free to blast whoever says one little thing they don't agree with, without looking at the culture and society it was written for.

St John Maximovitch of Shanghai and SF - he has been blasted in books for some kind of money issue under his jurisdiction.

Blessed Fr Seraphim Rose - oy, he has been called a gnostic and a heretic and who knows what all.

Look at the Bishop Markides speaks of in his second Athos book - this holy man endured slanderous accusations of sexual impropiety which he would not even respond to. (His accusers ended up being exposed and excommunicated).

There were many saints that were blasted by other "religious" persons for having ideas that did not suit them, and they either flamed their ideas or made up slanderous things about them attempting to discredit them.

That's the way of the world.
That's the way of fallen man.
That's the way of pride.
That's the way of sin.

yeah this stuff seems to happen to holy men a lot. Chrysostom was exiled several times wasnt he?

 

[jckstraw72]

and just to clarify -- i was just posting what ppl's problem with him is as far as i understand, i wasnt necessarily agreeing -- as i said i do enjoy his The Eucharist

 

[NyssaTheHobbit]

yeah this stuff seems to happen to holy men a lot. Chrysostom was exiled several times wasnt he?

Yes, and St. Gregory of Nyssa had a lot of detractors as well. He even got called into court on false charges.

 

[Harrythepizzaguy]

I had the good fortune and honor of meeting Father Alexander in Alaska at a small Orthodox Indian village. I do remember reading once where he said that ritual must not become ritual for ritual sake. However, I think the problem is not the ritual per se in a case like this since even simple ritual can become ritual for ritual sake. It just goes to show that Orthodoxy takes discipline-- and I'm the worst hypocrite-- we can't coast along for a free ride...or we can find ourselves in the desert. Bible verses for Bible verses sake is just as much of a trap as ritual for ritual sake....
"if ye say, we see, then we are blind..." (paraphrase)

 

[MariaRegina]

I'll say just one thing - read Fr Alexander's last journal entry. THAT, my friends, is how I want to die.
I'd say there was something right in that.

Could you copy that one part here for us to see?

 

[KATHXOYMENOC]

I'm going to post a separate thread on GREAT LENT by Schmemann.

 

[rusmeister]

Could you copy that one part here for us to see?

It's a bit much for me to type or scan those 2 pages, (and I'm not sure if 'fair use' would allow me to do so), but the last line says enough:

What happiness it has all been!

This from a man who'd been laying and dying of cancer for some 8 months.

 

[DavidBryan]

Could you copy that one part here for us to see?

It falls under Fair Use--so says my librarian wife--so here it is:

Wenesday, June 1, 1983

For eight months I have not written in this journal. Not because I had nothing to say; on the contrary, never, I believe, did I have so many thoughts and questions and impressions; but because I was constantly afraid of the height where my sickness had lifted me. afraid of falling from it. In the first months, before Pascha, I wrote and worked. I suddenly wanted so much that my English books would appear in Russian, although, alas, they are not written in a Russian tonality, and a translation hardly conveys what I think needs to be said.

Active presence of L. Had she not been with me, I believe that I would not have had these essentially peaceful and deep eight months.

Andrei came three times.

Serge came three times.

Masha and Father John came again and again...

What happiness it has all been!

Also dear to me is his final homily:

Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy.

Thank You, O Lord, for having accepted this Eucharist, which we offered to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and which filled our hearts with the joy, peace and righteousness of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, O Lord, for having revealed Yourself unto us and given us the foretaste of Your Kingdom.

Thank You, O Lord, for having united us to one another in serving You and Your Holy Church.

Thank You, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all difficulties, tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in sharing the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, O Lord, for the sufferings You bestowed upon us, for they are purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the "one thing needed;" Your eternal Kingdom.

Thank You, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to Worship You.

Thank You, O Lord, for this school, where the name of God is proclaimed.

Thank You, O Lord, for our families: husbands, wives and, especially, children who teach us how to celebrate Your holy Name in joy, movement and holy noise.

Thank You, O Lord, for everyone and everything.

Great are You, O Lord, and marvelous are Your deeds, and no word is sufficient to celebrate Your miracles.

Lord, it is good to be here! Amen.