Orthodoxy

The following paper was written in 1970's, since when matters have become far worse. It provides a useful check-list for Anglicans, including those who see no necessity to join another communion. FROM ANGLICANISM TO ORTHODOXY

Why one man found it necessary to leave the ministry of the Episcopal Church

by the Reverend Father SPIRIDON SCHNEIDER

Introduction

When asked, "Why did you leave the priesthood of the Episcopal Church?", or, "Are you happy in what you are now doing?", or again, "Do you think you made a wise decision?", I find it impossible to give the brief answer that is usually expected. For a brief answer neither tells the whole story, nor even provides a partial window looking in on the full scope of those things taken into consideration. This is not a good situation because the lack of understanding and information is usually completed and filled in by either the imagination of the inquirer or by hearsay. In order to rectify this situation, I have decided to share the substance of my reasoning in written form.
In order to understand and relate to the remarks that follow, three things are required:
1. belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
2. belief that the Holy Scriptures are the revealed Word of God, true and binding for all time.
3. the conviction that personal salvation involves some attempt at being obedient to the Word of God in faith and works.
While these requirements for understanding are not unusual among Christians, I cite them as being necessary; for, if they are not embraced by the reader at the outset, he will neither understand nor identify with my criticisms and the decisions that were made in the light of them.

1 .
Acts 4:8-12 Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel. if we this day be examined for the good deed done to the feeble man, by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him doth this man stand before you whole. This was the stone which was set at nought by you builders, which is become head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
        I knew that the pastor of my church spent late hours in his study waiting for the next opportunity to counsel a confused college student, or waiting for the next phone call, or perhaps reading some literature on in depth psychology. I had just spent the evening reading the Gospel according to St. Matthew and had been labouring over the accounts of the resurrection. I was particularly perplexed, because there seemed to be so much here that I did not understand. Moreover, I had not long before read a very strong-minded author who had affirmed in very powerful and spiritual ways the reality of Christ as a servant of God, teacher, healer and prophet, and yet had denied the bodily resurrection. He asserted that the tomb had been robbed and that the disciples had done a great disservice to Christianity by perpetuating the unfortunate myth of the Resurrection.
At any rate, I was, at this point in my development, unsure about how one should understand the Resurrection and what it meant for us in our own lives. Hoping to find my pastor in his study. I walked to the church for a discussion. Within a few minutes, we were at the heart of the matter and I put the question to him rather directly: "What do you think happened in the night at the tomb of Jesus?" Much to my disbelief, shock and amazement my Pastor replied, "I think the tomb was robbed."
        My first reaction was to cover this up and deny that he had confessed his unbelief. Certainly, I was not about to let his particular views cast a shadow of doubt in my mind about the sanctity of the church at large. However, some years later during my senior year at the Episcopal Theological school, the dean of the seminary preached at the Easter liturgy. In that sermon, the dean asserted loudly and clearly that it was not at all apparent to him that there was such a thing as eternal life; what was clear to him is that Christianity gives meaning to our lives in the here and now. The dean did not deny eternal life, nor did he deny the Resurrection; he simply and clearly expressed his utter and sheer doubt in such a belief. Even more amazing is the fact that of two or three hundred persons present at that liturgy not a soul reacted as though he had heard a strange doctrine. After the liturgy, I asked several people what they thought of the sermon, and they answered, "It was fine, great." No one that I talked to had even thought to question the expression of doubt in a doctrine which lies at the core of Christian faith - as part of a sermon - by the dean of a seminary - during the Easter liturgy!
        My dear friends, we must be honest with one another and say that unbelief among Episcopal Church leaders is not limited to one or two pastors, but is part of the very fabric of this church's life, so dramatically illustrated by the chaotic changes that are now taking place. This unbelief is being fostered and taught at the seminaries which are responsible for nurturing those pastors who will shepherd the souls of the people. To doubt the doctrine of eternal life is to doubt the Resurrection, and that is tantamount to denying Christ. Of this St. Paul says:
1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, neither is Christ risen. And if Christ be not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found to be false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ. Whom he hath not raised up, if it so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, neither is Christ risen. And if Christ be not risen, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Therefore they also that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

2.
Isaiah 49:1 From my mother's womb he hath called my name.
Luke 1:30-31 And the angel said unto her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not kill.
96th Canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council As for women who furnish drugs for the purpose of procuring abortion, and those who take foetus~killing poisons, they are made subject to the penalty prescribed for murderers.
        In the midst of the many struggles which I was having concerning church life and the nature of truth within the context of the Episcopal Church, there arose the issue of abortion. That is to say, is it right or is it wrong for men and women to decide against human life after a child has been conceived? What is the Christian view on this matter?
        As I pondered this issue, two things rose to the fore: First, the prophets often spoke about having been called by or known of God from the womb. Second, the Gospel narrative reports that from the very moment of his conception, Jesus Christ was the son of God. This fact and event provides Christians with an irrefutable statement concerning the status of human life from the moment of conception. In the light of this, I could not help thinking of the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."
        For reasons which are no longer clear, the question of abortion arose in discussion with the pastor of the church where I first became active. The conversation concerned young unmarried women who had accidentally become pregnant. The view of my pastor was that adoption was the best alternative for all persons involved in unwanted pregnancy. However, abortion was an additional option, and he would assist young women who wanted to pursue this course in dealing with the problem.
During my second seminary year, the issue of abortion arose time and time again. I learned that my field work supervisor was involved in an organisation of clergymen which had been established in order to assist unwed mothers in finding safe abortions. At one point, I solicited the opinions of many of my teachers and peers and discovered that almost every one believed that abortion was an alternative in the context of the Christian pastoral ministry.
        During that same year, I was asked to preach at a parish in southern New Hampshire. While sitting with the pastor in his office, discussing the ins and outs of parish ministry, the phone rang and I soon discovered that the conversation concerned a certain young woman who had an unwanted pregnancy and needed some help in dealing with this problem. At the end of the conversation the pastor explained the content of the telephone conversation to me and expressed his despair at realizing that he had only $65.00 left in his abortion fund - yes, his abortion fund! While abortion is completely in violation of Holy Scripture and is a major pastoral problem in the Episcopal Church, the bishops charged with the responsibility to teach the faith and maintain discipline in the church have refused to condemn the act.

3.
1 Corinthians 14:33-44 For God is not the God of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but to be under obedience, as also saith the Law.
1 Timothy 2:8-12 1 will, therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner, also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame and sobriety, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but with good works (which becometh women who profess godliness). Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to exert authority over the man, but to be in silence.
There is no question that the issues surrounding the ordination of women played a large part in my decision to leave the Episcopal Church and become Orthodox. It was quite clear in seminary that this issue was about to take the front stage in the Episcopal Church's deliberations. The House of Bishops in the Episcopal Church had already voted in favour of the ordination of women by a very high majority. Also, four bishops ordained eleven women to the priesthood in Philadelphia and the House of Bishops refused to take any action against either the ordaining bishops or the ordinands.
In terms of my own pilgrimage, this event was a great blessing. At long last I was able to see without a shadow of a doubt that the Episcopal Church could no longer maintain even the pretence of apostolic authority. Women's ordination is simply impossible in the Apostolic Tradition. Scripture, Tradition, the creative order of male/ female relationships, the structure of the family and the Church arising out of the God-given order of things, simply do not allow such an ordination to take place. And yet, the Episcopal Church, led by the House of Bishops, has simply and unequivocally overthrown the weight of revelation in scripture and Apostolic Tradition in favour of a humanistic and secular understanding of justice defined not in terms of obedience to the will of God, but rather defined in terms of simple equality, meaning by this, identity of role and function for men and women.

4.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
During my stay in the seminary, the issue of homosexuality began to loom large on the horizon. The senior pastor of a prominent Episcopal church in the Boston area had preached and published a sermon asserting that homosexuality was a viable form of relationship among men and women within the context of the Christian discipline. The message of the sermon was that the church must change its archaic teaching and stand up for the homosexual's right to preference, free from censure and persecution. He ended his sermon asserting that all homosexual couples were welcome in his parish and that he would faithfully minister to them without imposing the oppressive norms and standards of society.
At the same time a group of young homosexual seminarians who were part of the seminary life began to surface or "come out, establishing their sexual identity with deans, teachers, fellow students and their bishops. The fact of the matter is that these moves met with no substantive opposition in the community; the attitude was that homosexuality had always been part of seminary and religious life and that we might as well be open and honest about this fact. Simply, in the Episcopal Church, homosexuality is slowly being certified as a valid and God-given form of relationship within the context of the Christian community. Again, this is completely opposed to the revealed Word of God and to Tradition. And now, it is a known and public fact that Episcopal Bishop Paul Moore of New York ordained a publicly-professed lesbian woman to the order of the Episcopal priesthood. In a recent issue of Time magazine, this woman, when interviewed, said "that her relationship with her lesbian lover 'is what feeds the strength and compassion I bring to the ministry"' (Time, Jan. 24, 1977). Such actions and statements make a mockery of the Holy Scriptures to which the Episcopal Church pays lip service in professing them to be the source and foundation of Christian faith. When one thinks about this event in light of the history of church discipline, the most outrageous thing is not the ordination itself (for it is conceivable that a particular bishop might have lost his intellectual, spiritual and emotional stability), but the fact that the House of Bishops, charged by God to maintain the faith and discipline of the Church, has failed to act by deposing both the ordaining bishop and the ordinand. On purely logical grounds alone, the House of Bishops' lack of action constitutes consent. And, consent to this action is heresy and blasphemy.

5.
Timothy 8:2-5 A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, hospitable, a teacher, not given to wine, nor a brawler, not greedy for shameful gain, but kind, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, one who ruleth his own house, having his children in obedience with all dignity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?)
While some people might prefer to ignore the issue, it is, in fact, not possible to allow the divorce of the suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Church in Massachusetts to go unnoticed. Indeed, a bishop is responsible for proclaiming the Word of God by both life and doctrine. Certainly all Christian people are called to this role, but the bishop is the image of Christ as pastor and shepherd, standing in the midst of his people, leading them by his life and teaching in faithfulness and truth.

6. John 6:53-56 Verily, verily, I say unto you: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 Wherefore, whosoever eateth this bread and drinketh the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and thus let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body. During the early fall of 1974, while I was still functioning as an Episcopal priest, I received a letter from the Bishop of Massachusetts which he had sent out on behalf of his office, and the offices of two or three other Episcopal bishops. In this letter, Episcopal clergy were urged to move toward intercommunion with the United Church of Christ (Congregational Church). The letter recommended that: 1. Episcopal clergy and Congregational ministers concelebrate the Holy Eucharist, standing together at the same altar and jointly reading communion prayers. 2. Episcopal clergy instruct their parishioners to receive communion in the United Church of Christ whenever and wherever Episcopal services were not available. 3. Episcopal priests might, upon request, celebrate communion at the altar of the Congregational Church in the absence of a Congregational minister. 4. And finally, if there is an Episcopal Church without a priest, then, with the permission of the bishop, a Congregational minister would be allowed to celebrate the eucharist in that Episcopal Church, as an Episcopal priest, for Episcopalians. The reason my interest in these events was aroused was simply because the United Church of Christ does not believe that the Holy Communion service has anything to do with the Body and Blood of Christ. That church's official doctrine involves a memorial service, which commemorates the Last Supper without participation in that event. Moreover, the United Church of Christ does not have an ordained or apostolic ministry, nor does it make any pretence at having one. Simply, it rejects apostolic ministry as an unnecessary part of the sacramental ministry. In other words, it rejects precisely those things which all of the Church, including Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, have always thought were necessary for the existence of a sacramental ministry. How then, I wondered, could the Episcopal Church, if it really is an historic and apostolic church, enter into intercommunion with the United Church of Christ? 7 . Matthew 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and nights, afterward he hungered. Matthew 6:16-18 And when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say unto you: They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto Thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Mark 9:28-29 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately: Why could we not cast him out? And He said unto them: This kind can come forth by nothing, save by prayer and fasting. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, fasting is seen to be an expected and necessary part of the pious life. Jesus taught fasting by his own personal example; He taught fasting in the Sermon on the Mount, and allusions to fasting occur throughout the Book of Acts and the Epistles. In the light of this witness, we cannot help but notice that the Episcopal Church does not instruct its members in the benefits of fasting. During my first year of seminary, when I was struggling with a powerful vice, an Orthodox monk suggested that I might try fasting through the Lenten period. He then instructed me as to how this fast is kept. Moved by his suggestion, I embarked upon the labour of fasting, and after forty days I came to a profound understanding of the nature of my difficulties, and the vice which had enslaved me ceased to have power over my better instincts. This experience left no doubt in my mind that fasting had played a large part in the victory that was won by God. On the other hand, I cannot help but notice that throughout all of my experience as an Episcopalian, 1 was never instructed in the benefits of fasting. In fact, there were times when efforts in prayer and fasting were actually scoffed at by peers and teachers, and, on one occasion, by a bishop of the Episcopal Church. All of this is somewhat perplexing when one realizes that Jesus Christ taught, both by example of his own life and by his doctrine, that fasting is expected of the faithful. Moreover, the Church from its very beginning taught fasting as a regular and necessary discipline; only in recent years has there been any deviation on this matter. In discussing fasting with the superior of the Episcopal Monastery of the Society of St John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he agreed with me that there was a great deal to he gained from this exercise; he went on to share with me that the monastic community fasted two days each year! Such is the case over and over again: Our Lord teaches one thing and the Episcopal, Protestant and Catholic churches teach another. 8. 2 Samuel 12:13 And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: And the Lord hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his own ungodliness shall not prosper but he that blameth himself shall be loved. John 20:22-23 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. James 5:13-16 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him chant. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The man that first directed me to the Episcopal Church not only recommended that I seek confirmation and involvement in the church's life, but also that I make my confession to a priest of the Episcopal Church. His suggestion was made because I had confessed to him the waywardness of my adolescence and the weight that I felt because of the many mistakes I had made in clear violation of God's law and will for us. When, in anticipation of the healing of which I knew I was in need, I approached the pastor of my church concerning the sacrament of confession, he explained how counselling had taken the place of confession, which, he declared, was a more primitive way of dealing with the unrest and disorders of the soul. He also assured me that he was trained in Jungian psychology and that he could help me clarify my doubts. The fact of the matter is that I had come to this man for confession. My heart and mind both knew that I did not need analysis as much as I needed a direct act of God, an act of intervention, an act of cleansing. In short, I needed not to analyze my sins, but to be set free from them. What, then, does a man in need do when he knows that God has promised him freedom from and healing of his sins, and the church in which he finds himself is not a minister of that promise? 9. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 There shall not be found in thee one who purgeth his son or his daughter with fire, one who useth divination, who dealeth with omens and augury, a sorcerer employing incantation, one who hath in him a divining spirit, an observer of signs, questioning the dead. For everyone that doth these things is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Throughout the thousands of years of our Judaeo-Christian heritage, divination, seances, mediums and astrology have been strictly forbidden. This prohibition does not indicate a prejudice against these practices, but rather a deep insight into them. Simply, through God's revelation of himself in the Holy Scriptures and through the ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ, all things which are truly beneficial to man are manifestly accessible. In fact, the experience of the Church reveals that those "spiritual practices" which lie outside the Church are not simply neutral, but of a very negative value. That is to say, they harm the soul and work against the grace of God given to us for our salvation. While an assistant pastor in an Episcopal church in Massachusetts, I had the occasion to meet a person who was a medium, and who professed and preached the virtues of this activity quite openly. The amazing thing about this is that she, with full knowledge of the senior pastor of this parish, was a regular communicant during weekday services of this parish. The senior pastor, when asked why he allowed this person to receive Holy Communion, replied: "After all, she is a baptized Roman Catholic." In fact, as time went on I became aware of several persons who had consulted mediums for "readings". I met still more who were innocently reading astrological charts and had a superficial interest in the occult. And yet, at no time did the pastor of the church instruct his people concerning the dangers of such practices. In all of these cases, the persons involved had become innocent victims of insufficient instruction and guidance on the part of their church. 10. Matthew 12:30-32 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. Wherefore, I say unto you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world, nor in the world to come. During an alumni seminar at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a discussion arose concerning the issue of women's ordination. A professor of pastoral theology at the Episcopal Theological School was presiding during discussion. He availed himself of the opportunity to argue the case for the ordination of women on the grounds of Scripture and human justice. When he finished his monologue, an Episcopal clergyman asked this man how he reconciled his views with the many passages in the Pauline epistles which stated that women were not to have leadership roles in the Church. This man quickly replied, "We all know that the greater portion of the Pauline epistles were dictated by the devil." This was a public statement before an assembly of clergy and bishops; yet, not one word of censure was uttered. Conclusions Matthew 7:13-23 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me: Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy name? and by Thy name cast out demons? and by Thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. In the preceding, I have tried to recount, as faithfully as I am able, some of the issues and personal experiences which forced me to rethink the whole problem of the Episcopal Church. From the earliest days of my life in the Episcopal Church, I had assumed that there were certain criteria defining the Church and its life. I believed that these criteria must, as far as possible, shine forth as beacons and guideposts for the governing of our lives. From the Episcopal Church herself, I learned that the Church must be visible, that this Church must be apostolic by heritage and teaching, by faith and doctrine, and by practice. The issues surrounding the Episcopal Church's teaching concerning intercommunion with the Congregational Church and other non-church Protestant sects, and the matter of women's ordination, placed in a context of unchecked and unrestrained moral and theological anarchy prevalent at the highest level of the Episcopal Church's life, convinced me, in terms of those theological criteria which I had learned from the Episcopal Church itself and which were thought to be necessary for defining the reality and existence of the Church as such, that the Episcopal Church simply and straightforwardly could not be considered the Church of Jesus Christ which we confess in our Creed, saying: "I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I confess one baptism for the remission of sins etc." Titus 1:7-9 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not self-willed, nor prone to anger, not given to wine, not a brawler, not greedy for shameful gain; but a friend to strangers, a lover of good, sober, just, holy, continent, holding fast the faithful word according to the teaching, so that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to reprove the gainsayers. From the very beginning of the Church's life, the bishop held the highest office and was charged explicitly with the responsibility of maintaining the faith as taught, that is, to maintain the Tradition of the Church in faith and practice. Also, from the very earliest times, the bishops acted in council under the absolute guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, articulating and defining the faith and practice of the Church. From the point of view of the Orthodox Church, the Episcopal (Anglican) Church was separated from the One True Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church at the time of the Great Schism (1054). However, for the sake of this paper we are arguing its separation from apostolic Christianity in the light of its own self-understanding as an Episcopal Church, i.e. organized around a council of bishops whose responsibility it is to remain faithful to Holy Scripture and certain essential traditions. Throughout the years the Episcopal Church has claimed unity with the earliest Apostolic Church by asserting that it maintains the episcopate, the orders of ministry in priests and deacons, the sacramental ministry and the "essential" teachings of the Apostolic Church. Moreover the episcopate of the Anglican and Episcopal Church organized itself and functioned as though it were a see of the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and claimed to be precisely that. It based its claim upon the fact that it maintained the "essentials of Orthodoxy or Catholicity" by its life and faith, doctrine and practice. In other words the Episcopal Church asserted that it maintained a certain essential level of uniformity with the ancient and Apostolic Church. The most important aspect of this unity is the episcopate, as well as the claim that the Episcopal Church maintains and exercises a sacramental ministry. On the other hand, as a Protestant and reformed church, the Episcopal Church sees the Holy Scriptures as the absolute ground for all faith, doctrine and practice, rightfully considering them to be the unchanging Word of God. What this means, then, is that the Episcopal Church's claim requires it to act consistently with its own self-understanding. In other words, to be what it claims to be, it must at least maintain its own standards. Simply, the episcopate must function like an episcopate, teaching and preaching the Word of God which, according to Scripture and Tradition, is the episcopate's obligation and duty. Moreover, the Church must maintain the ordained ministry, requiring always that its ministrations be conducted by bishops, priests and deacons. Finally, it must maintain the sacramental ministry, something the Episcopal Church has always claimed as a prerequisite for apostolic authority. These requirements are not being imposed by an outsider seeking to criticize and judge the Episcopal Church; rather, these requirements are the very things which constitute the Episcopal Church's self-understanding, i.e., they are self-imposed requirements. And yet, as demonstrated in the pages above, it is very clear that the episcopate does not function as an episcopate. This is true because beliefs absolutely contrary to the Word of God concerning abortion, homosexuality, the ordained ministry, the availability of the sacraments, divorce, women's ordination, occultism and denial of the Resurrection and eternal life are espoused and embraced by clergy, laity, seminary teachers and deans alike. While these beliefs constitute serious deviations from the criteria for soundness of faith which the Episcopal Church has imposed upon itself, the episcopate, which Scripture teaches is the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20), refuses to speak on these issues at every juncture, preferring to turn a deaf ear to the Word of God. By these actions we can readily see that it has also given up its claim to apostolic ministry, judged solely by the criteria which it imposed upon itself at its inception and throughout the years of its existence. This truth is most clearly seen in the fact that the episcopate of the Episcopal Church has ceased to function as an episcopate, as this is understood by Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition. What this means, then, is that the Episcopal Church is not what it claims to be, i.e. it is not the Church of Jesus Christ, the true Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that has come down to us through the ages. This judgment is made on the grounds that the Episcopal Church does not embody the same faith, doctrine and practice embodied by the one true Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The impact of this conclusion can only be understood in light of Christ's own teachings. For, there is no life outside the Church which is Christ's body established upon and defined by the truth of his teaching. This is a scriptural fact. John 15:9-11 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He pruneth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Already ye are clean through the word which 1 have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, he it is that bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever you wish, and it shall be done for you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye shall be my disciples. As the Father bath loved me so have I loved you; abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. What then are the consequences of this most unfortunate state of affairs? Let us refer to St John who speaks on the point in most clear and certain terms. 2 John 9-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, bath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he bath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither greet him. For he that greeteth him partaketh of his evil deeds. The implications of this passage from the second letter of St John are very clear. He who is without the doctrine and traditions of Christ is without God. And he who is without God is necessarily without grace, and without grace there is no salvation. This is a difficult saying, but nevertheless true for all time. This same message is repeated over and over again throughout the Holy Scriptures. Out of the many, the following selected passages demonstrate clearly the need for purity of faith and doctrine. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing. Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me. Romans 16:17 . . . mark them that cause divisions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 1 Corinthians 11:14 For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the Faith. Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel. Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be anathema. Ephesians 4:14 That we be no longer infants, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness according to the artifice of deception . . . 2 Thessalonians 3:6 . . . that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 1 Timothy 4:1 . . . some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to spirits of deception and doctrines of demons. 1 Timothy 5:15 For some have already turned aside after Satan. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, they shall heap up unto themselves teachers, according to their own desires. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall turn aside unto fables. Titus 1:13 . . . rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the Faith. Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried away with diverse and strange doctrines . . . 2 Peter 2:1 . . . there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in pernicious heresies . . . And many shall follow their pernicious ways. 1 Corinthians 11:2 . . . keep the traditions as I delivered them to you. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 . . . withdraw yourselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from us. When I first encountered the teaching that there can be no grace and thereby no salvation without purity of faith and doctrine. I was, very frankly, offended. After all, I thought, I am a Christian; I worship God; I go to church and receive the sacraments; I have been baptized into the Church. Moreover, look at the good things that are being done by the Church. Look at all the good people who truly love God. How could they be without grace? And yet, no sooner had I finished protesting and arguing in this manner than my conscience would remember the list of atrocities and offences perpetrated against God and His Holy Scriptures by the Episcopal Church, its bishops and clergy, and I would again despair. On the one hand, I thought I saw good things being done; and yet, on the other hand, I saw blatant heresy and untruth. In trying to resolve this conflict within myself, I again searched my experience in the light of the Holy Scriptures. Two things became apparent. First, there are many good, wellmeaning people who love God among the ranks of Episcopalians. Many are zealous, hard-working and self-sacrificing, and they are the source of much that is good. Second, in matters of faith, doctrine and the practice of our saving religion, these same good people have been led very far from the teachings of Holy Scripture. When we look carefully at the implications of this fact in the light of Holy Scripture, the conclusions we must draw are frightening. Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me: Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord. Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name? and by thy name cast out demons? and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Does this passage need explanation? Neither the proclamation of the name of Jesus alone, nor the accomplishment of mighty good works in his name will save a man. What saves a man is doing the will of the Father who is in heaven. And, we do his will by living in obedience to the Word of God, as this is expressed and given forth through the Holy Scriptures. John 8:31-32 The Lord said unto the Jews that believed in him: If ye abide in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. or J ohn 15:7-8 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye wish, and it shall be done for you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye shall be my disciples. Or again, John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. While, on the one hand, we are instructed by Holy Scripture concerning the ways of God that lead to salvation, we are also instructed to be most careful and discerning. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew 7:20 Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. Many people read this passage and from it argue that all people who do good works are children of God, i.e. you can know them by their fruits. This conclusion, however, completely misses the point of the passage. For, when this passage is looked at spiritually, enlightened by the grace of God, we see that the good works of this world are the sheep's clothing which conceal the inward and ravenous wolf. Luke 12:28-31 If, then, God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, 0 ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of anxious mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; God your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God. and all these things shall be added unto you. When we look for spiritual fruits, we must look at the purity of faith, doctrine and piety of the person concerned, knowing that these things alone reveal the inner condition of the man, whether he is a child of God or a ravenous wolf. For only the grace of God saves our souls, and this is received by faith lived out in the life of piety, according to God's Word. Good works in themselves avail nothing. What then does one do when faced with spiritual and moral anarchy, as this exists within the context of the Episcopal Church? Again, Holy Scripture is very helpful on this point. Romans 16:17-18 1 beseech you, brethren, mark them that cause divisions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and through good words and flatteries deceive the hearts of the guileless. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from us. Galatians 1:9 As we said before, and I say now again: If anyone preach any other Gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be anathema. 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Be ye not unevenly yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with lawlessness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? What does Holy Scripture teach concerning this question? It teaches that we are to avoid false teachers, teachers who have departed from the traditions of the Church in favour of their own opinions. To the modern ear, this is a hard saying only because, in these times of immense confusion, we have lost the ability to discern right from wrong. And even more dangerous than this, we have ceased to see that our salvation is dependent upon choosing what is right before God, even under pain of torture and death, as the holy martyrs of antiquity so courageously taught. The Church of Jesus Christ from its inception was absolutely one, bound together by a common faith founded upon the teachings of the Holy Scriptures as these were understood by the first apostles and their successors, the early bishops and Fathers of the Church. In order to promote and establish the unity of mind required of the Church in matters of faith and discipline by Jesus Christ Himself, the bishops together with clergy and laity met in council, and, inspired by the Holy Spirit, established a uniform discipline for the governing of Church life which, by the grace of God, has always stood in perfect accord with the Holy Scriptures. The record of the holy deliberations are called the canons of the Church, and in the Orthodox Catholic world it is believed that they are binding for all time. The fact that these canons understand and are in perfect accord with Holy Scripture renders this belief irrefutable. When a church becomes lost in the sea of unbelief and spiritual anarchy, it would seem reasonable that it should consult the wisdom of the early Fathers to see if, perhaps, their solutions to similar problems might lend light to the matter. I n summarizing the position of the early Fathers, a certain Orthodox Christian, Alexander Kalomiros, in his book, Against False Union, says: The Orthodox (right believing) people must become conscious of the fact that they owe no obedience to a bishop, no matter how high a title he holds, when that bishop ceases being Orthodox and openly follows heretics with pretence of union 'on equal terms'. On the contrary they are obliged to depart from him and confess their faith because a bishop, even if he be a patriarch or pope, ceases from being a bishop the moment he ceases being Orthodox. The bishop is a consecrated person, and if he is openly sinful, respect and honour is due him until - synodically censure . But if he becomes openly heretical or is in communion with heretics, then the Christians should not await any synodical decision, but should draw away from him immediately. (Against False Union, A. Kalomiros, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, 1967.) After stating his summary of the Church's opinion, Dr. Kalomiros then quotes, in part, the 15th Canon of the so-called First and Second Council of the Holy Orthodox Church, which took place in the year 861 A.D. But as for those who on account of some heresy condemned by the Holy Synods or Fathers sever themselves from communion with their president, that is, because he publicly preaches heresy and with bared head teaches it in the church, such persons as these not only are not subject to the canonical penalty for walling themselves off from communion with the so-called bishop before synodical clarification but they shall be deemed worthy of due honour among the Orthodox. For not bishops, but false bishops and false teachers have they condemned, and they have not fragmented the Church's unity with schism, but from schisms and divisions have they earnestly sought to deliver the Church. If, at this point in our discussion, a person is in one accord with the criticisms which have been rendered above, and if a person moved by the requirements of Holy scripture finds himself agitated by the unfaithfulness of the Church in which he worships, it may be that he will begin to wonder whether or not his salvation is secure. I suspect that most people will be offended by the suggestion that their salvation has been jeopardized by the unfaithfulness of their bishops and clergy. However, 1 pray that a few will see the responsibility that they have before God to seek the Truth, which is Jesus Christ, by severing themselves from untruth and this unfaithfulness and by uniting themselves to a Church whose bishops are faithful in their ministrations to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his teachings, as these have been received through the Holy Scriptures and the Councils of the Holy Fathers. Let me share with you two very deep feelings which I had as an Episcopal priest when I began to see clearly the unfaithfulness of the Church in which I had been ordained. The first feeling was one of fear: fear that if I did not choose the Truth, 1 should lose my salvation. At this point in my struggles, I was continually struck by the image of Pontius Pilate as he stood before the Christ and said, "What is Truth?", and then offering Jesus up to those who had betrayed him, he washed his hands, thinking that this ritual act would somehow absolve him from his complicity in this world's rejection of its God~given Lord and Saviour. The second feeling that I had was more complex, because it involved all those impulses which we have when we approach the unknown. For, as I sought an alternative to the Episcopal Church, the only candidate which I found seemed to be cloaked in Eastern cultural customs and practices which were basically foreign to my own Western background. (This view has since been shown to be unfounded.) And while, on the one hand, I feared that I should be lost in this foreign and mysterious world, on the other hand, our merciful God brought peace and comfort to my mind through those verses from the 83rd (84th) Psalm. O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer : hearken, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God our defender : and look upon the face of thine anointed. For one day in thy courts : is better than a thousand. I had rather be doorkeeper in the house of my God : than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness. For the Lord God is a light and defence : the Lord will give grace and worship, and no good thing shall he withhold from them that lead a godly life. 0 Lord God of hosts : blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee. Persons interested in contacting Fr Spiridon Scheider may write to him at 21 Lafayette Road, Ipswich, Mass. 01938.

Return to Top Index of Documents Home Page