ΤΗΕ ROLE OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
The
advantage of Orthodoxy, with which She can conquer the whole world,
is its therapeutics, its unique healing method, the only method by
which our human soul can be effectively cured.
The
purpose of Orthodoxy is not to offer some kind of a new fetish. Until
recently, black people, for example, in Africa, who were idolaters,
had many fetishes of their own.
So,
what is our mission as Orthodox Christians? Is it maybe to substitute
the artwork-fetish of the Africans with new ones of “Orthodox”
origin? Is this the reason for sending out Orthodox missionaries to
the heathens? Is it to change their religion and their fetish?
For
God’s sake, NO! We (they) used to have the bone of a monkey as a
fetish. What should we do now? Should we end up using the Cross as a
fetish substitute?
God
forbid, NO! Woe to us, should our Orthodoxy be offered this way… It
will result in superstition again. For the infidel it will be again
just another new religion and not the true psychotherapy. So, if we
do not offer them the healing treatment of our Church, and if we do
not heal them by the Grace of God, we have accomplished nothing.
However,
in order to offer it to our neighbor, we should first have applied it
to ourselves!
f. Savvas Agioreitis
To be continued...
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