The Ladder of Divine Ascent and Moral Improvement

ladder-devils

The Fourth Sunday of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church, is dedicated to St. John Climacus, the author of the ancient work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. It is a classic work describing “steps” within the life of the struggling ascetic. There is an icon associated with this work, picturing monastics climbing the rungs of a ladder to heaven, battling demons who are trying to pull them off. However, ladders are dangerous things to put in the hands of a modern Christian.

Modernity likes ladders. We like the idea of upward mobility, of continuing improvement, of moral progress. We speak of “career ladders” and the “ladder of success.”  It is the myth of personal power. Modernity is a cultural phenomenon created by the theology of the Reformation and the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Freed from the constraints of inherited tradition (such as the Catholic Church) and the royal state (hurrah for democracy), modernity is a story told to individuals that they can now become whatever they want. Freedom and personal industry are the twin rails supporting the rungs of progress. As a philosophy, this idea and its associated notions are the bedrock of free-market capitalism.  As theology, it is the foundation for self-help Christianity and the positive, motivational preaching of contemporary religion. “Be all that you can be, and Jesus can help!”

Nurtured in this culture, contemporary Orthodox believers are not immune to its allure, particularly if the images appear in the guise of desert monasticism and Byzantine/Russian-style striving. More than once I have heard the sad confession, “I don’t feel like I’m a very good Orthodox Christian.” Implied in this statement is that Orthodox Christians should, somehow, be better than other Christians. Some foolish people even call us the “marines” of the spiritual life.

Of course, all of this, particularly when applied to writings such as St. John’s Ladder, is pure distortion and delusion. Its most subtle and seductive version is that of moral progress. I wrote a series of articles last year denouncing the concept of moral progress, identifying it as largely a modern notion and not consistent with the mind of the fathers. Here, I reaffirm that without equivocation.

We simply are not saved by getting better. It is a false image and a false goal. Of course, critics will charge that I’m being defeatist and suggesting a path devoid of moral effort. I am doing nothing of the sort. Everyone should, at all times, struggle against sin. But measuring, even watching for improvement can be not only self-defeating but sinful in itself. The Ladder points to a very different path:

“You cannot escape shame except by shame,” St. John says (4.62).

We do not gradually improve and thereby leave our shame behind us. The way down is the way up. The ladder of divine ascent is actually a ladder of divine descent. The path to union with God is only found in making the descent with Him. “Lo, if I descend into hell, Thou art there” (Ps 139:8). St. Gregory the Theologian says, “If He descends into hell, go with Him” (Oration 45).

The path of modernity carries no humility. It breeds pride, and frequently contempt. Failure is its nemesis. We blame ourselves for laziness and sloth, certain that a little more effort will make the difference. Like a child given a bad grade, we plead that we’ll try harder. Confession is seen as the Second Chance, the opportunity to pull up our grades. “Loser!” is the taunt of the modern world (a word spawned in the pit of hell).

But St. John points us towards our shame. He does not describe a path of moral improvement. His path follows the Cross, which is the descent into Hades. My failure, not sought for its own sake (we do not sin in order to gain grace), is always and immediately the gate of Hades and the gate of Paradise. When I acknowledge my failure and refuse to hide from its shame, we can call out for Christ to comfort us. “I did not turn my face from the shame and the spitting” (Is. 50:6). He will meet us in our shame, and takes it upon Himself. My failure becomes the failure of God (2 Cor. 5:21). It does not separate me from Christ, but, ironically, unites me to Him in the paradox that is at the very heart of our salvation. God became what we are, that we might become what He is. God does not meet us in the middle. He meets us at the bottom and asks us to meet Him there as well.

It is within that place that true humility is born. Judgment ceases. If I accept my shame in union with Christ, how can I judge another? Indeed, it is largely my efforts to avoid my shame that makes me judge my brother. We can only avoid judging if we “see our own transgressions” (as we are taught in the Prayer of St. Ephrem).

Modernity loves excellence. The moral improvement pitches of the motivational preachers love the drive for excellence. Our bosses and the owners demand that we strive for excellence. God is not our boss, nor does He place us in His debt (“freely you have received”). The constant nagging voice demanding improvement and excellence is not the voice of God. It is often nothing more than the neurotic echo of modernity sounding in our brains. It drives us with the threat of shame. However, Christ has trampled down shame by shame and invites us to do the same thing. “You cannot escape shame except by shame.”

Become a Christian who follows Christ. We do not seek to please Him with our excellence. We seek to imitate Him by going where He has gone.

 

 

About Fr. Stephen Freeman

Fr. Stephen is a retired Archpriest of the Orthodox Church in America, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anne Orthodox Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is also author of Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe, and Face to Face: Knowing God Beyond Our Shame, as well as the Glory to God podcast series on Ancient Faith Radio.


Comments

131 responses to “The Ladder of Divine Ascent and Moral Improvement”

  1. Nicholas Stephen Griswold Avatar
    Nicholas Stephen Griswold

    My apologies Hugh, my fingers mis-typed your name and my aged brain was too slow to catch it. Forgive me, a sinner.

  2. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Thanks, Nicholas. Tracked it down here, too: https://theoriavideos.com/2016/04/14/fr-patrick-henry-reardon-on/

  3. Nicholas Stephen Griswold Avatar
    Nicholas Stephen Griswold

    Hugh,
    The video serves as an ad for the book, which I have. The book will help you understand Fr Stephen’s points on the atonement, nit that Father cannot express himself well, but that Fr Patrick Henry Reardon has more room to expand the points in a book.

  4. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Justin,

    As this is Father Stephen’s blog, I will not w/o his permission here dissect and correct your post, except to say that you are in error about what Reformed theology teaches, and have quite unfairly misrepresented our position.

    If you or anyone cares to learn what Reformed theology actually believes, please send me an email.

    Just as you understandably don’t appreciate others’ mistaken assumptions or accusations about Orthodoxy, know that we’re no less thrilled when the same are shown to our side.

    Thank you.

    Hugh McCann
    hughmc5 AT hotmail.com

  5. Onesimus Avatar

    Hugh,

    I posted last night…but its stuck in moderation and Fr. is otherwise engaged.

    I’ve posted my reply on my blog.

    http://americanmetanoia.blogspot.com/2016/04/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it.html

    In it I’m hoping to get us to a place where we can answer your question about “just how should we understand atonement.”

    Blessings,

    ~O

  6. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    Justin, great comments. I’ve long believed that the account of the prodigal son is a complete refutation of reformed theology. If reformed theology was true, the account of the prodigal would play out like this: Son returns home, father says to son “Look, I’d like to take you back, but I’m a just guy and my justice won’t allow me to take you back. Someone has to pay for all of this!”

    Thanks be to God, the story doesn’t play out like that. Instead, we see a loving father who violates many customs of his time, buy taking on the shame involved in freely welcoming his son back, by running out to meet his son.

    Furthermore, in the parable of the unmerciful servant, in Matt 18:26-27 we read…”At this the servant fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged “and I will pay back everything.” The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt, and let him go.”

    Once again, we see the master choosing to have pity and cancelling the debt. He doesn’t say, “Look, I’d like to cancel your debt, but my hands are tied by my sense of justice.”

    To say, as the reformed folks do, that God can’t just decide to forgive, is to say that there is a higher law than God.

  7. Lou. Avatar
    Lou.

    Father Stephen:

    First, amazing how much interest this post has raised. Usually only the articles on angels or on “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John” garner such attention. 😊

    Second, my own life was greatly influenced by the experience of teaching youth baseball to little kids. Most players KNOW what to do, and many can tell you just how to hit an 80+ fastball. (News flash: it never works). A good coach or teacher puts up with the pride and empties or re-directs the mind to perform a sequence that has some chance to actually WORK. The best way usually is to let the player imitate someone else.

    In spiritual terms, I know just what I ought to do (pure delusion) but just need some help getting It done. Kind of like the addict, who “knows” how to get sober but never quite does it. A 12-step program is NOT what they have in mind.

    The solution of the Western Church is found in the title by Thomas a Kempis — The Imitation of Christ. Or, from Scripture, “it does not yet appear what we shall be. But we see Jesus . . .”

  8. kLutz Avatar
    kLutz

    Hugh, a personal glimpse, if you will.
    I have no sources for this (others, do you?), but it is my understanding that the ‘wrath’ of God, in its/His purest form, is the unquenchable Fire, which we all must pass through. The question could be then, do I pass through on my own? or in the Body of Christ?

  9. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Dear kLutz,

    From the NT it appears that only the ungodly (those not trusting in Christ alone) will suffer the eternal, fiery wrath of Almighty God.

    Christ bore the wrath of God for his people’s sins.

    Our “fire” appears to be only the testing of our works: 1 Cor. 3:
    10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

  10. Fr. Stephen Freeman Avatar

    Hugh,
    Where does it say that Christ bore the wrath of God? These ideas that seem to be key in your thought have no Scripture for them. You assert them, then find passages that you interpret that way, but that can only mean that if your assumption is true. And you have no Scripture for the assumption. The assumption is not true. The Father did not pour His wrath on the Son.

  11. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Father, What else could Jesus be doing, dying as the perfect God-man on the cross? He became sin for us. He took the shame and the pain our sins deserved.

    You know there is no verse that says exactly what you’re asking…

    But He who knew no sin took the cross, its shame, its pain for us, for we who deserved the wrath of God (1 Thes. 1:10). He took what we deserved that we would be delivered and be given his righteousness.

    Those outside of Christ face God’s wrath. Christ took our penalty for us that we would be delivered.

    We who knew no righteousness are made the righteousness of God in him.

  12. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Jesus was accursed on our behalf (surely that indicates God’s wrath/ great displeasure):

    Galatians 3:13 ~ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

  13. Janine Avatar
    Janine

    Hugh et al,

    Redemption goes to the practice of holding captives for ransom (which we can still see today in the Middle East). Jesus “paid the price” — He went voluntarily to His death on the Cross. But this was a death demanded, as Fr. Stephen says, by “death” — by evil, the strong man who holds people captive, the prince of this world. The stronger man is Christ, who went to the death demanded by the “worldly prince” in order to conquer death. That is, not on the devil’s terms, but God’s terms. Total humility rather than worldly power. He paid a price but it wasn’t God’s price, He redeemed us and set us free from the one who afflicts, oppresses, even “occupies” so many hapless people in the Gospels with unclean spirits who are then cast out by Christ. Christ sacrificed His human life, but that doesn’t mean it was God demanding payment. In Judgment, He becomes the greatest witness (“martyr”) of all against the one “who was a murderer from the beginning” — because He is the one who is truly innocent.

    Athanasius of Alexandria writes in his introduction to “On the Incarnation of the Word of God,” that “impossibilities through Him become possibilities; things unseemly become seemly; things human become divine.” The great paradox is that the price demanded by the devil, death on the Cross, was the very means for the total and complete defeat of death.

  14. Onesimus Avatar
    Onesimus

    Hugh,

    Your interpretations of every Scripture are necessarily viewed through a learned framework.

    Right now the framework you have for Reformed theology is a complete matrix. In your mind. You know how it fits together. You can build it in your sleep. It’s automatic. It’s comfortable. You read scripture through it, because when you were taught Scripture, it was built and presented this way to you, and taught to associate the framework with the words.

    The issue you’re having and going to continue to have for awhile is that because of the depth of Orthodox Life here, there will both be blank spots and you will fill in your ideas. Even if we offer an alternate meaning, your mind will then shift to your framework, and say….well then what about this and that over there. But in this way we become scattered like a shotgun blast and lose focus. We are all over the map.

    We need to take down a target at a time.

    We have to get to the underlying assumptions of Orthodoxy vs Reformed theology for you to hope to see any alternate reading with an eye towards understanding. Otherwise we simply throw out Scripture like grenades loaded with meaning each of us embrace.

    If you really want to understand…not accept…but understand Orthodoxy…you’ve got to get to the assumptions behind frameworks. otherwise, this process is going to be like hitting your head against a wall.

  15. Fr. Stephen Freeman Avatar

    Jesus dies. Jesus bears shame. Jesus willingly “becomes sin” for us. He is “cursed.” He does all of these things by emptying Himself and becoming Human. Simply becoming what we are already makes all of those things true. The Cross completes that, uniting Him even to our death.

    But you keep imagining that the Father is doing these things to Him, and that’s not in the story nor is there any Scripture for it. The curse He endures is ultimately death itself (the first “curse”). St. Athanasius is quite clear that the death in the Garden is not God killing us. It is the natural consequence of our breaking communion with God. When God says, “In the day you eat of it you will surely die.” He is not saying, “Because I will kill you.”

    The punishment theory of the Atonement misportrays the Father. Indeed, it borders on blasphemy.

  16. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    Hugh,

    Something to consider…

    If the punishment we deserve is not only the curse of suffering and death, but ETERNAL damnation…and if Christ took upon Himself this curse and the totality of the punishment we deserve (as you have been taught to understand it), how is it that He is not now suffering eternally in Hell for our sakes that we might be free rather than seated in His glorified humanity at the right hand of the Father? How can this be if the payment, of necessity, had to be commensurate with the crime?

    Believe me when I say that I don’t ask this in a mocking way. I do understand completely where you are coming from. It is difficult to communicate when we do not share the same assumptions, as you are discovering in your honest attempt to understand. Perhaps this question may provide a means of questioning the assumptions you have been taught.

    Reading and learning are good, but apart from immersion in several years of Orthodox Christian Liturgy, it can, I fully admit, be difficult to understand. Immersion in the prayer of the Church is not only amazingly rich in theology but the way in which Christians are normatively formed – as were you were formed in the context of your tradition.

    In Orthodox Christian hymnography the focus is always on Christ’s victory – not over sin per se, but over death. Because with death destroyed, having become in Christ a Pascha (passage/Passover) into life, we are no longer forced to be slaves of sin. Death, which in its essence is alienation from the life of God, was transformed by Christ into an act of obedience and self-offering in love – and is thus transformed into communion with God which is what constitutes eternal life. This is why in Orthodox liturgy His death is referred to as life-giving.

    We are hard-pressed to find hymns or prayers in Orthodox liturgical services that speak of “payment” for sin.. What we do find repeatedly and in all kinds of poetic language is how Christ willingly chose death for our sakes and how He destroyed death by descending into it Himself, thereby uniting even death itself to the Godhead, having assumed it along with all human nature (and all creation) into God who is life. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

    Someone will say, “But there are SOME Orthodox hymns that allude to payment for sin…and what about all the Scriptures that speak of the justice of God?” There are indeed some hymns and Scriptures that employ the imagery of ‘payment’ and ‘justice.’ However, those previously immersed in non-Orthodox traditions tend to hear these words through the prism of the juridical concept of the Atonement while Orthodox Christians, including the Epistle writers themselves, have always understood such words in an entirely different light. The concept of justice in the Christian East (and in the Scriptures in general, including the Old Testament) relates to righteousness, love, goodness, compassion, and fairness. When God is said to be ‘just’ in giving His Son over to death for our sakes, it means that He conquered death and the devil and redeemed us out of His goodness, love, and compassion. God’s justice is understood in the way Saint Luke describes the Betrothed when he discovered that Mary was with child, “…and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” When the Scriptures speak of a “just man” it doesn’t carry the notion that he is a good judge or that he is careful to see to it that the wicked are punished appropriately. The Biblical, Christian concept of justice is entirely different than the justice that exacts retribution. Moreover, God’s works in saving us were accomplished ‘in fairness’ with absolute respect and love for all His creatures, even including the devil. Thus He condescended to our level of existence, emptying Himself of the prerogatives of deity, and conquered sin, death, and the devil not by the raw exercise of power, but through humility and weakness (“for the weakness of God is stronger than men”) and, as it were, ‘on equal terms’ with His adversary, redeeming us back to Himself by beating the devil at his own game, so to speak, and on his own terms. This truly (i.e., Orthodox) Christian understanding of justice sheds an entirely different light on God’s justice in the Atonement than that which is commonly believed in many circles, and it reveals the meaning of the many Scriptural passages (including the many you reference) that are often otherwise read through a juridical lens. For example:

    “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him (it was befitting of His character of goodness, compassion, and divine humility) for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one (of one nature, sharers in humanity): for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren…”

    and:

    “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

  17. Dean Avatar
    Dean

    Father Stephen, I didn’t come to Orthodoxy from Reformed theology but from an Anabaptist background. What caused a paradigm shift in me, after lots of reading, prayer, soul searching, was attending my first liturgy. I had never before experienced anything like it. The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart that I was home. And here I’ve stayed for over 20 years. Hugh, have you ever attended an Orthodox liturgy? If not, as Philip said to Nathaniel, “Come and see.” I’ve found liberty and peace I’d never thought possible. Truly, the Lord is good. As is often sung during the eucharist, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Father Stephen recently said that when people ask him if he knows God, he sometimes replies, “Know Him? I consume Him every Sunday.” When you are united with Christ through His most holy body and precious blood, you simply are not focused on His wrath but on His great love and mercy. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” The Father I know is He in the parable of the prodigal son, and not, as Janis reminded us, the angry God of Jonathan Edwards.

  18. Dean Avatar
    Dean

    Hugh, on a lighter note…why the pic of George C. Scott, as gen. Patton? 🙂

  19. Esmee La Fleur Avatar

    Really interesting food for thought. We take so much about the way we view things today for granted, thinking they are natural and forgetting that they are really just social and cultural constructs. Thank you.

  20. Byron Avatar
    Byron

    Hugh, on a lighter note…why the pic of George C. Scott, as gen. Patton?

    I believe that is George C. Scott from Dr. Stangelove, not Patton. While I can think of many humorous reasons to use it as a photo (I’m not even sure how we would upload a photo here), I suppose Hugh has his own. 🙂

  21. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Dear All,

    As this is not a debate forum,
    and it’s Fr Stephen’s blog,
    and I am getting gang-tackled here,
    I again suggest that
    anyone wanting to pursue
    the subject of Reformed (Calvinistic) theology,
    to learn more,
    or argue about such things,
    please contact me via email.

    Thank you!

  22. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    Hugh (and Fr Stephen), forgive me.

    You wrote: “as this is not a debate forum…”. It seems to me that you’re the one that’s tried to turn it into such. Fr Stephen is obviously a kind and gracious person. This blog has been a huge encouragement for those of us who are being drawn to the O Church (as well as those who are already O). In the years I’ve been reading here, it’s never been a place for open debate, for those who have no real interest in O, but just wish to debate it. It’s Father Stephen’s blog, so obviously he can do as he wishes. I for one though hope it doesn’t turn into a place where there is always debate with various Protestants who have no real interest in O. There are already enough blogs/sites that do just that.

    Again, forgive me.

  23. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Hi Alan,

    You rightly said, You wrote: “as this is not a debate forum…”. It seems to me that you’re the one that’s tried to turn it into such.

    Indeed I did. Admittedly. I too can be too zealous!

    Fr Stephen is obviously a kind and gracious person.

    Indeed he is; to say nothing of wise!

    This blog has been a huge encouragement for those of us who are being drawn to the O Church (as well as those who are already O).

    As it is to this doubtfully “pre-Orthodox Calvinist.” 😉

    In the years I’ve been reading here, it’s never been a place for open debate….

    We’re agreed it’s not designed to be (apart from Fr Stephen’s direction).

    I apologize to all for perhaps being too out-spoken. But I cannot apologize if and where I have spoken truthfully.

    ~ Hugh ~

    { Am wondering if the other posts will materialize…. }

  24. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Maybe it’s best that nothing I post gets through anymore!

    🙂

    Blessings to all as you approach your Holy Week & Pascha!

  25. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Oops. My bad. Just saw “Newer Comments.” Duh.

    See, Prots really Are quite dim!

    (At least, THIS one is!)

  26. Byron Avatar
    Byron

    LoL! I got completely lost when another thread changed pages to the “New Comments” a while back. I was even asking Father if some of the comments had been deleted. If you are dim, then I’m completely in the dark…. 😀

  27. Hugh McCann Avatar
    Hugh McCann

    Thanks for your gracious and thoughtful reply, Onesimus.

    But no, not online apart from Father Stephen’s green light.

    This blog is not a debate forum ~ https://glory2godforallthings.com/some-groundrules-for-this-blog/

    Email me if you wish.

    hughmc5 AT hotmail.com

  28. SW Avatar
    SW

    I enjoyed this thought-provoking thread about the atonement and appreciate the graciousness of both Fr. Stephen and Hugh. The links to Fr. Reardon’s new book have been very helpful. Focusing on specific scriptures is refreshing. Thank you to all.

  29. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    Father, forgive me for commenting on a post from over a year ago. I’m going back and re-reading all of your posts on modernity and I’m desperately trying to grasp the idea of “bearing a little shame.” Perhaps it’s not that difficult and I’m just not that sharp.
    In these comments, on April 11, Drewster made an analogy to physically exercising / working out, yet not getting on the scale to “measure progress.” He asked you if his example rang true and you said yes, it did.
    In his comments, Drewster wrote: “I don’t judge; I simply work out. There are no goals I’m trying to achieve. ”
    My question for you Father is this: in his analogy (which you seemed to like), when he says “I simply work out”, what is the spiritual equivalent to “I simply work out”? Is it prayer, fasting and almsgiving, attending the services, avoiding sin….and then at the end of day, crying out to God for His mercy because (as you said), I’m an unprofitable servant? If not, then what is it?
    I’m sorry Father. I really want to grasp this idea, but I’m having a hard time. Thank you for your time.

  30. Fr. Stephen Freeman Avatar

    Alan,
    I think so, generally. What we want to see is God, not our own improvement. When we start watching ourselves walk on water we sink. Moral improvement is, more than anything, simply the wrong question. The experience of the saints seems to be that the more holy they become, the more clearly they see how distant they are from God. It always make me dubious about claims of getting better – that is not the confession of the saints. The myth of progress has no real place in the Christian spiritual vocabulary. The “way up is the way down” according to the Elder Sophrony of Essex.

  31. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    Thank you very much Father! That’s very helpful!

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