- Oct 5, 2020
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Two questions, two parts on St Ignatius Brianchaninov's words.
1. He who reads the books of a heretic immediately communes with an evil, dark spirit of falsehood. This should not seem strange or incredible to you—this is the unanimous opinion of the Holy Fathers…
2. Let each personally choose for himself the reading from the Fathers which corresponds to his way of life...It is absolutely necessary that the reading correspond to one's way of life. IE, Hermits for hermits, monks for monks, those in the world, etc.
1. Books by Heretics
With the words of St Ignatius, how strict are you with yourself? I've removed myself from my old books on the blatant garbage (Jungian, transhumanist neurocognitive man-as-god, bi-bicameral mind lunacy) but I have a leaning to right-side zealotry. Please forgive me when I've offended the forum readers here.
In general, I avoid non-Orthodox readings on dogma, so how strict should one interpret here? I think that one may not even know there is an error when its by non-Orthodox on Christianity yes?
Many belove CS Lewis, but as a child Screwtape Letters led me to interest in demons, and then Anne Rice and Memnoch the Devil (Apollinarianism basically) - which let me denounce Christianity as a whole for 20 years and fall into the great wide net of relativism. I don't care to really dig into GK Chesterton (although I bought Orthodoxy), because all of his theology and writings led him to Catholicism.
The other side of this is false piety however. How did you deal with your zeal period, or, what is your balancing act here?
St Ignatius Brianchaninov On Avoiding Those Books with False Teachings
(Edit, removed the second question for which Church and Holy Fathers to read for those in the world - starting a different thread).
1. He who reads the books of a heretic immediately communes with an evil, dark spirit of falsehood. This should not seem strange or incredible to you—this is the unanimous opinion of the Holy Fathers…
2. Let each personally choose for himself the reading from the Fathers which corresponds to his way of life...It is absolutely necessary that the reading correspond to one's way of life. IE, Hermits for hermits, monks for monks, those in the world, etc.
1. Books by Heretics
With the words of St Ignatius, how strict are you with yourself? I've removed myself from my old books on the blatant garbage (Jungian, transhumanist neurocognitive man-as-god, bi-bicameral mind lunacy) but I have a leaning to right-side zealotry. Please forgive me when I've offended the forum readers here.
In general, I avoid non-Orthodox readings on dogma, so how strict should one interpret here? I think that one may not even know there is an error when its by non-Orthodox on Christianity yes?
Many belove CS Lewis, but as a child Screwtape Letters led me to interest in demons, and then Anne Rice and Memnoch the Devil (Apollinarianism basically) - which let me denounce Christianity as a whole for 20 years and fall into the great wide net of relativism. I don't care to really dig into GK Chesterton (although I bought Orthodoxy), because all of his theology and writings led him to Catholicism.
The other side of this is false piety however. How did you deal with your zeal period, or, what is your balancing act here?
St Ignatius Brianchaninov On Avoiding Those Books with False Teachings
Once again I address you, faithful son of the Eastern Church, with a sincere, good word. This word is not my own—it belongs to the Holy Fathers. All my counsels come from them.
Keep your mind and heart from false teaching. Do not even speak about Christianity with people who have been infected with false thoughts; do not read books on Christianity that were written by heretics.
The Holy Spirit accompanies all Truth. He is the Spirit of Truth. The devil accompanies and acts together with every lie. He is false, and the father of lies.
He who reads the books of a heretic immediately communes with an evil, dark spirit of falsehood. This should not seem strange or incredible to you—this is the unanimous opinion of the Holy Fathers…
Only those religious books that are written by the Holy Fathers of the universal Orthodox Church are acceptable to read. The Orthodox Church requires this of her children.
If you think otherwise, or find this command of the Church less authoritative than your own opinions or the opinions of others who agree with you, then you are no longer a child of the Church, but a critic of the Church.
Do you call me a one-sided, unenlightened rigorist? Leave me my one-sidedness and all my other deficiencies. I would rather be a deficient, unenlightened child of the Orthodox Church than an apparently perfect man who would dare to instruct the Church, who would allow himself to disobey the Church, to separate from it. My words will be pleasant to the true children of the Orthodox Church.
(Edit, removed the second question for which Church and Holy Fathers to read for those in the world - starting a different thread).
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