Comments on: Getting Past Religion

By: Icons and Truth « Eirēnikós

Icons and Truth « Eirēnikós — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 01:13:40 +0000

[...] to this is the idea of what religion is and what it is not. In the words of Father Stephen ’s Paul Evdokimov The face of Christ is the human face of God. The Holy Spirit rests on him and reveals to us [...]

By: Getting Past Religion (via Glory to God for All Things) « Leitourgeia kai Qurbana: Contra den Zeitgeist

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:25:48 +0000

[...] My wife inherited a habit. It was her father's not uncommon practice to sing his way through the day, especially the morning. A devout man, his songs were his favorite hymns. My wife's habit is similar, only as an Orthodox Christian, her repertoir has grown to include the traditional hymns of Orthodoxy. It is not an entirely conscious practice (I think) - though her heart is clearly engaged in what she is doing. It is a spontaneous outpouring of … Read More [...]

By: fatherstephen

fatherstephen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:23:01 +0000

John, et al,
I do not mean to speak harshly or lightly, or to disparage a great saint. There is indeed much in our culture that must be avoided. But there remain some things that are harmless and normal. It is difficult because with regard to music our culture has moved away from musics normal role and made it very sexual, etc. which is true of so much in our culture. Since we are built on “impulse buying” and consumerism – things best powered by the passions – it’s little wonder that the puppeteers of our economic system would resort most often to the sexual passions to meet their goals (money). But in a traditional Orthodox society, people sing for many things. They sing when they work, when they cook, when they clean, when they do almost anything. It’s quite human and healthy. We also sing when we worship. Orthodoxy seeks to save the whole person and return them to right relationship with God. The whole person will sing. I have great respect for St. Theophan, precisely because he tends to be balanced. I am sure his advice to the young woman, was to turn her attention away from worldly things and towards God. But it was also likely that her life was already too occupied with the idleness of luxury. I suspect he would have said something very different to the peasant working in the field.

By: easton

easton — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:30:17 +0000

father stephen, there has been a recent study concerning the music of today, comparing it to the 60′s(not that long ago). it found that we have gone from love, love, love, to profanity and immorality–and our young people don’t realize it because they have grown up in it…

By: fatherstephen

fatherstephen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:51:33 +0000

John,
St. Theophan may have had specific reasons for his instruction to his spiritual daughter. He may have been wrong. It might be wrong to generalize from a specific case. But there is nothing within the proper teaching of the Church that would suggest that people not sing songs of the times (or non-religious songs). There are songs that should not be sung because of their content (immorality, etc.). But it would be an extreme position to tell someone that it is not good to sing songs of the “times.” Saints say many things, usually with great wisdom. But sometimes saints are wrong. Canonization is not the same thing as declaring someone to have been infallible. Russia has always abounded with folk songs, as has Greece and all Orthodox countries. These traditions have never been condemned by the Church.

By: unworthyjohn

unworthyjohn — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:34:59 +0000

Forgive me Father. St Theopan the recluse in writting to hos spiritual daughter said something to the fact that she should not sing songs of the “times” but rather the songs of the church. And St Tikhon in his amazement of America wrote: In this country (America) you don”t even have to sing of the Czar. Sing the songs of the church openly.

By: fatherstephen

fatherstephen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:30:42 +0000

Visibilium,
I think that in general, most religions within our culture simply reflect our culture, including its banality. It is a great struggle in the modern world to exist on a level that rises about banality. I sometimes think that those who are suffering mental illness, addictions, etc., are far less banal than most people around them, simply because they have to be. Someone who has to monitor their blood sugar (to use a different example) may live much closer to the “edge” of life, and therefore live more fully. Obviously this is no universal experience or example. But the comfort-level of our culture is able to sustain banality on a level unknown before our times.

By: Visibilium

Visibilium — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:22:56 +0000

Maybe the marginalization of religion stems from religion’s marginalization of music and beauty (and icons). Determining what is beautiful implicitly entails excluding ugliness. Who wants to make such a judgment anymore?

Let me put it another way. Do you think that our culture’s religions are any less banal than other aspects of the culture?

By: Barbara GOlder

Barbara GOlder — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:35:28 +0000

One reason why this Roman Catholic has a great collection of Orthodox chants (and other music) on her iPad to get her through the day. One day, in the middle of work, a particular fiddle piece came on and I was immediately seized with an image of waltzing effortlessly with a talented partner–my best metaphor for how the religious life is supposed to work. Suffused by music, dancing in rhythm with the tune with Christ leading….

By: The Pilgrim

The Pilgrim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:03:55 +0000

Father Bless!
Thank you Father for articulating for me something that I have felt but have heretofore not put into words.
I am a landscape photographer, and you have helped me to see why my best work has been done on my most peaceful days, and why I love capturing the early morning light of the new day, when the world looks new.
I love your blog and your insights, and I have enjoyed worshipping with your congregation.