The Russian Church During the Synodal Period--Pt 2 (Vol 1, Ch 8, pp 211-255)

From Michael Ruse—to be streamed on June 6

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev surveys some of the most important and well-known literary figures of Russian history during the synodal period. Authors such as Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Leskov, and Chekhov. Sometimes the poets reflect the deep – almost second nature – religious heritage of Orthodoxy in Russia, at other times the poets reflect a cynical influence that took them away from liturgical life. 

What sets this section apart from other chapters such as Orthodoxy in Rus’ is the lack of secular literary culture. The reforms of emperor Peter I made secular culture possible. Before Russians lived mostly within Orthodoxy. Other cultural pursuits did not exist on the horizon yet. Emperor Peter I favored a western attitude toward art, music, education, philosophy, and religion. He wanted to borrow from the greatest European minds and powers of his time. An oversight that resulted from these western reforms were that they contributed to revolutionary ideas. It seems that a foreign identity was pushed forcefully on Russia. Poetry could be blasphemous or atheist by demeaning the sacred. Or, it could be beautiful or prayerful by praising nature and God. Art could reflect the traditions of Russian iconography or for mere decoration and gaudy displays. Philosophy could generate ideas that help the Church defend itself and develop the minds of Russian Christians, or ideas that lead to rebellion, atheism, and nihilism that spin out of control. 

Just as forced identities on ourselves can lead to inner turmoil, estrangement from ourselves and our own traditions, likewise cultural changes forced unnaturally can have catastrophic consequences. Some of the confusing consequences for Russian culture were several debates that involved both culture and religion. First, some writers sought to unite Orthodoxy under the Pope of Rome to create a super-state religion of the world. Second, some writers advanced the idea that Sophia, or Wisdom, was a personification of the female side of God, and they introduced a fourth person into the Holy Trinity. Third, there were arguments between Westerners and Slavophiles. The former embraced a more western European culture and the latter generally favored a more Russian nativist perspective regarding the identity of Russians that was rooted in Orthodoxy and peasant farming economy as well as pan-Slavic philosophies. 

Ideas which are quite common and acceptable nowadays, such as liberalism, nihilism, and atheism, might have been foreign or less well-known to our fellow Orthodox Christians in Russia – if it were not for Peter’s enforced reforms. The flavor of poetry, art and philosophy during the synodal period forecast the changes that occur in the next chapter about Russian Orthodoxy in the 20th c. under Lenin and Stalin.

The Russian Church During the Synodal Period--Pt 2 (Vol 1, Ch 8, pp 171-210)

By Michael Ruse—to be streamed on May 30

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev recounts how the Russian patriarchate was lost and replaced by the synodal structure under the emperor Peter I who introduced many reforms into Russian culture and religion that had far-reaching effects into the titanic events of the 20th c. The relationship between church and state took on more of the style of competitors than collaborators. 

On the one hand, the Russian Orthodox Church grew in numbers, education and schools were set up by the emperor for churches and monasteries, industry and technology developed, and successful missionary was conducted in Siberia, the Far East in China and Japan and the Alaskan territory of North America. The noetic tradition of prayer was revived, and many spiritual fathers rose up in leadership, when the Church needed it. Great, heroic saints such as Seraphim of Sarov, Innocent of Irkutsk, John of Kronstadt, Paisy Vleichkovsky, and Philaret of Moscow cannot be forgotten. 

On the other hand, the great sainthood of Russia coincides with reforms that foreshadowed the country’s revolutionary chaos of 1917. Some Russian Christians termed this synodal period “the Babylonian Captivity.” Leaders chosen by Peter I ran the synod with motives not so religious or orthodox at times. The “intelligentsia” or educated elite forgot the faith and left in droves, and the western styled education created an unfortunate “clerical caste” in society, but more importantly clergy and people distanced themselves from genuine Orthodox tradition. 

But the Orthodox Church never loses sight of what is ultimately important in the middle of political or cultural changes. Evidence of that is seen in the revitalization of Russian elderhood and noetic prayer. For example, in a story about St Seraphim of Sarov and Motovilov, on conversing in the Spirit, Seraphim says to Motovilov:  

As good as prayer, fasting, vigils and all other Christian deeds are in themselves, the aim of our Christian life consists not only in doing them, although they are necessary means to attainting it. The true aim of our Christian life lies in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.

This chapter has far-reaching significance for Christians everywhere who are under many different forms of government and cultural norms. But the aim of our lives is the same.

Late Byzantium--Pt 1 (Vol 1, Ch 6, pp 107-120)

To be streamed on May 9th:

The second thousand years of the Church begins with an end to the unity of the Church.  During the first 1000 years there had been, unfortunately, smaller splits; however, by 1054 the festering political, cultural, ecclesiological, theological, and ritual disagreements between Rome and Constantinople came to a head.  

Politically, East and West differed on the Church-State relationship; culturally, language and philosophy diverged; ecclesiologically, the West saw the Pope of Rome as the head of the world-wide Church while the East did not recognize quite this level of ecclesiastical authority.  Theologically, the main point of contention was the filioque: from Who or Whom did the Holy Spirit proceed.  Finally, on points of ritual, the main point of disagreement at this time was the Eucharistic bread: the West maintained it should be unleavened, the East, leavened, symbolizing the difference in the way both viewed the consubstantiality of Christ’s body with ours.

The Great Schism of 1054 split the Church into two parts, a division that remains today. Immediately following the Schism, both side began engaging in polemical behavior toward the other.  At one point, Roman crusaders, while liberating what had been Christian lands from the conquering Arabs and Turks, also forcibly removed Eastern patriarchs and destroyed Christian holy sites and sanctuaries.

In 1274, East and West met at the Council of Lyons.  Delegates from Constantinople signed an “act of union” with Rome accepting the filioque as written by Rome.  Upon receiving the news, the majority of Greek hierarchs did not accept the Union.  These dissenters were subsequently “exiled, imprisoned, deprived of their property, and tortured” by its supporters.  However, the opposition view eventually prevailed.  Sadly, this and other attempted unions only reinforced the separation.

Following the failed union, during the 13th to 15th centuries, Western “policy on the eastern churches was determined by the conviction that the Catholic [Roman] Church was the only true church, and that salvation was impossible outside it.”

A final note: Rome has recently apologized for causing this distress and East and West have lifted the mutual excommunications imposed in 1054.

Come join with us this week!

Summary of the First Millennium (Vol 1, Ch 5)

Streaming class on May 2nd:

In the first four chapters of Volume 1 of Metropolitan Hilarion’s series on Orthodoxy Christianity, the author led us through the first 1000 years of Christ’s Church.  In this chapter, he summarizes the key areas of Church development:

• Establishment of the conical structure;

• Flowering of Christian holiness;

• Full development of Christian doctrine;

• Development of moral and ascetic always teaching;

• Shaping and development of the Liturgy;

• Emergence of the annual cycle of feasts and fasts;

• Development of Christian architecture and arts; and

• Emergence of the basic principles of Church singing.