Is it possible for someone who does not know how to read to be an Orthodox Christian (or any sort of Christian for that matter)? Occasionally when whenever I hear someone discoursing on an obscure matter of theology or expounding on the writings of one of the Fathers, I think of my grandfather, my father's father, who while functionally illiterate, lived a pious Orthodox life by all accounts. Was his Christianity somehow lacking by not having read any works of Orthodox theology? I don't know how much he read Scripture outside of church, but I guess the broader point is, can one be Christian with only that Scripture that is read in the church? I am not familiar with any Orthodox declaration about the necessity of the Holy Scripture for a layman. Certainly one can be fed as it were a great deal of Scripture by participating fully in the life of the Church.
I suppose for many Protestants, an illiterate Christianity is not possible, since without the Bible there is no Christianity. Yet there were Christians long before there was a Bible, and there were Christians long before literacy became a common trait in the late 19th century. Do not mistake my purpose in posing these questions. I am not looking to ditch Scripture or other writings (anyone who has been in my study will know that not to be the case), but I wonder how much reading and learning Christianity on an intellectual level can interfere with us being Christians. One can memorize the Bible front-to-back, as I am told Pope Shenouda of the Coptic Church has, and still remain beyond the pale of Christian belief. On the other hand I get the impression from some Orthodox I know that one can gauge their spiritual development in terms of how much Orthodox-related reading they have done.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
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3 comments:
St. John Chrysostom once said that he did not see how one could enter the kingdom of heaven without reading the scriptures daily...
sf
You made a strong judgement about Pope Shenouda III without supporting it. You have most likely never heard what that man has said, did, or how much of a witness to Christ he is under the Islamic rule in Egypt!
BTW, enjoy your Brandy!
I think that St. John Chrysostom's comment presupposes ability to read, but refusal to do so.
What Orthodoxy teaches about the meaning of being a Christian can help us here. A Christian is one who participates in God's uncreated energy, which comes to us in all kinds of ways in the Church. Certainly reading can be helpful, but let's face it: Reading is helpful in the same way that counseling with a trusted, competent, reliable spiritual elder is helpful. Reading can also be dangerous, for the same reasons that trusting bad counsel is.
In my opinion, the bottom line is that one need not be literate to be enlightened and warmed by God's uncreated energy. They just need to be receptive. How many child martyrs do we venerate, for example? How much formal theology do we think they understood?
On the other hand, if a person is able, and edifying works are available, their right use is commendable. While Orthodoxy is not rationalistic, it is reasonable; that is, it can fruitfully be talked about. Nor do I think that one must become a walking encyclopedia of patristics. In fact, in my relationships with Evangelicals, I just try to get them to read their 66-book Bible in its own context. For example, what in the world does St. Paul mean in 1 Tim. 3:15? Here's the Bible saying that the Church, not the Bible, is the pillar and foundation of the truth. There's no need to throw patristic citations at men's heads. You believe the Bible? Great. So read what it says.
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