Priest Andrei Chizhenko discusses.
Understanding the meaning of the Ecumenical Councils is especially important in our current time, when the next wave of secularization (from Latin - secular) is trying for the nth time to secularize the Church, pull Her out of heaven and stain Her bright wings with dirt.
First of all, we need to understand, dear brothers and sisters, that the Church has been living according to Her own laws for thousands of years. And they were established not by man, but by God - our Lord Jesus Christ, His holy apostles and their immediate successors - bishops - holy fathers, whose collective mind was guided by the Holy Spirit.
The only task of the Church on earth is to lead humanity to salvation. She has no other tasks. On the contrary, it is called by Christ to tear man away from the earthly vale and show him the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, trying to mix Her sacred hierarchy, other institutions, dogmas and canons with state or public organizations is not a good thing. And always in history it turned into a social catastrophe.
Let's remember the era of the Soviet Union. Let us remember the millions of lives thrown into the cauldron of war. And this avalanche began with the cross being torn off from the temple.
So, what laws does the Church live by?
Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Ecumenical and Local Councils on the unity and catholicity of the Church
Part 1
Part 2
An example of the unity and conciliarity of the Church is given for centuries in the 15th chapter of the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles. Therefore, let's look at it in more detail. The previous 13-14 chapters told about the successes of the preaching of St. Paul and Barnabas among the pagans, which was proof of her pleasing to God; evidence that the Holy Spirit worked through them. This conclusion is all the more obvious when we consider that their mission was preceded by an extraordinary revelation: “As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then they, having fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3).
And so “some who came from Judea taught the brothers: unless you are circumcised according to the rite of Moses, you cannot be saved. When there was a disagreement and considerable competition between Paul and Barnabas and them, they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go to the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem on this matter” (Acts 15: 1-2). This disagreement threatened to end in a split. The idea of turning to people whose guidance by the Holy Spirit was not in doubt by any of the disputing parties helped to avoid it.
The following is the first Council, which dealt with the doctrinal question. “The apostles and elders gathered to consider this matter. After a long discussion, Peter stood up and said to them: Men and brethren! You know that from the first days God chose me from among us, so that from my mouth the pagans would hear the word of the Gospel and believe; and God, the Knower of the Heart, gave them testimony, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he has given us; and made no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Why are you now tempting God, wanting to place on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we could bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved, just as they were.” (Acts 15:6-11). After this, they listened to the story of Saints Paul and Barnabas about the conversion of many people from different nations to the truth. The final speech was made by James, the brother of the Lord, the bishop of the Jerusalem church, who supported Peter, Paul and Barnabas, but at the same time proposed some rules of piety that pagan Christians should observe. The latter were set out in writing: “It pleases the Holy Spirit and us not to place any burden on you other than this necessary: to abstain from things sacrificed to idols and blood, and things strangled, and fornication, and not to do to others what you do not want to do to yourself. By observing this, you will do well. Be healthy” (Acts 15:28-29).
The Jerusalem Council was convinced that it was expounding the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to which it itself was merely joining. Such conviction was inherent in all the holy Councils of the Orthodox Church. Not the number of participants, not the degree of their education, nor any other criterion was set as the main one, but the only one - the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
The decisions of the holy councils were supported by the people of God, while the decisions of the false councils were harshly denounced by them. False opinions and especially false councils have always brought confusion into the Church, which led to divisions followed by reconciliation or open separation from the Church of some of its former members into schism or heresy. Conciliarity is, first of all, the sinless succession by the earthly Church of everything that has already been approved by the majority of the Church, which has accomplished its earthly feat. The Holy Spirit cannot contradict Himself. And if something was once decreed by God-bearing men and at the same time was confirmed in Heaven (let us remember the words of the Lord: “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” ( Matthew 18:19)), no one can cancel this. And if he dares, he will separate himself from the grace of God. Observed as a shrine by many generations of believers and included as an integral part of the church building, the church organism; what fed the hearts of the best sons of the human race is beyond the power of earthly people to distort. It is not in their power to change the Church, which lives for eternity; they can only change it, distort themselves, and through this fall away from eternal life.
A person imbued with the spirit of conciliarity always thinks of himself humbly, for he rightly feels himself in the shining enormity of a church building as some small, dark-looking and subject to vibrations pebble, whose fate in eternity is still in question. A similar way of thinking was characteristic, for example, of the blessed Tsar Ivan the Terrible: “The earth is ruled by God’s mercy and the Most Pure Mother of God’s mercy and all the saints’ prayers and our parents’ blessing and their sovereigns following us...” (1) God’s anointed puts himself in last place in the great heavenly hierarchy that sheds its light on the earth.
A democrat, who considers himself to be the source of power not God, but himself, tends to notice only a small part of the Church in the form of its earthly organization and does not see the whole at all. This perverted vision feeds his pride. Driven by the “advanced ideas of our time,” he wants to place them above ancient church institutions, which seem outdated to him. The Pope of Rome, an earthly man who every day contradicts the Council's regulations, boldly declares himself infallible in matters of doctrine. By this, the papacy tried to throw truth under the feet of people, arguing that it is relative and can change depending on the needs of the time. The papacy in the 9th century turned into Laodicea - the court of man, rebelling against the court of God. Having grown by leaps and bounds in papal Rome, Laodicea gradually began to swallow entire nations, tearing them away from God. Now the papacy is strengthening to lead the entire infinity of relative "truths" to bring Laodicea to Babylon to worship Satan.
We do not call to absolutize every letter of Tradition, every letter of the Council’s decrees - but it is extremely important not to contradict their spirit, for this is anti-God. If fornication, adultery, sodomy, bestiality, heresy, etc. are called mortal sins, one cannot justify them. The penitential discipline of the ancient Church was very severe. And if it is not used in practice now, it is not because someone has abolished it, but because we have become so sin-loving, effeminate, and cowardly that we are unable to bear it. But we must know the ancient norms of church law, for it will contribute to our humility; we will understand and feel that we are in the Church because of condescension towards us, and not because of our merits.
We honor the rules of St. Basil the Great. “He who killed by will and then repented for 20 years will be without the sacrament of St. Tain" (rule 56). “Whoever unwillingly killed 10 years old, let him not receive Holy Communion. Tain” (pr. 57). “Let him who has committed adultery for 15 years not partake of St. Tain” (pr. 58). “Let a fornicator not receive Holy Communion for 7 years. Tain” (pr. 59). “The one who steals, even if he repents and accuses himself, may be removed from communion for a year only by St. Tain; If he is convicted, then for two years” (pr. 61). “For the one who has shown fury in the male field, let the time for repentance be arranged according to the time of the one who committed the lawless act of adultery” (pr. 62). “Whoever showed his wickedness on cattle by confessing, let him be prohibited for that long time” (pr. 63). “Let a perjurer not take communion for 10 years” (pr. 64). “He who has repented of sorcery or poisoning, let him spend the time allotted for a murderer in repentance” (pr. 65). “He who has given himself over to sorcerers, or the like, shall be subject to penance for the same amount of time as a murderer” (pr. 72). “He who has renounced Christ and become a criminal against the sacrament of salvation must be among those who mourn throughout his life” (pr. 73), etc. (2).
Supporters of democracy in the Church find it extremely unpleasant to listen to such rules. This is something that does not fit into the legal and moral norms of our time. To say something like this now is intolerant, it’s almost extremist! And to call someone a heretic is simply the height of indecency! In the face of frankly infernal forces, all Christians must unite - after all, we have more in common than differences! With these and similar words, alas, the evil one catches the Orthodox in his net.
But the rules of the holy apostles, holy Ecumenical and Local Councils carefully protect the faithful from disorderly communication with heretics and schismatics as alien to salvation. The 10th Apostolic Canon says: “Whoever prays with someone who has been excommunicated from the communion of the Church, even if it were in the house, let him be excommunicated” (3).
The 31st canon warns against the possibility of creating schisms: “If any presbyter, despising his own bishop, holds separate meetings, and erects another altar, without convicting the bishop in court of anything contrary to piety and truth, let him be deposed, as being covetous. For there is a thief of power. Likewise, others from the clergy who attached themselves to him will also be cast out. Let the laity be excommunicated from the communion of the Church...” (4).
The 47th canon denies grace in heretical and schismatic gatherings: “If a bishop or presbyter baptizes one who has been truly baptized again, or if he does not baptize one defiled by the wicked, let him be cast out, as one who mocks the Cross and the death of the Lord and does not distinguish between priests and false priests.” [2. P. 99].
Rule 65: “If anyone from the clergy, or a layman, enters a Jewish or heretical synagogue to pray, let him be expelled from the sacred rank and excommunicated from the communion of the Church” (5).
The 7th canon of the local Laodicean Council through the centuries denounces figures who dare to talk about “unity in Christ” with heretical societies: “Those who convert from heresies, that is, Novatians, or Photinians, or Pentecostals ... are not accepted before every heresy is cursed, especially the one in which they were..." (6).
The 32nd rule of the same council says: “It is not proper to accept blessings from heretics, which are more idle talk than blessings.” (7).
In the 34th rule of the same council, it is forbidden to venerate as saints those who were heretics and left earthly life, remaining alien to the Church, even if they accepted death for their convictions: “It is not fitting for any Christian to leave the martyrs of Christ and go to the false martyrs , which, that is, are with heretics, or were heretics themselves. For these are removed from God: therefore let those who resort to them be under a curse.” (8).
The 37th rule of the same Laodicean council reads: “One must not accept holiday gifts sent from Jews or heretics, nor should one celebrate with them.” (9).
The 1st rule of the VI Ecumenical Council, having briefly outlined Orthodox teaching and confirming the previously adopted decrees of the apostles, Ecumenical and Local Councils, continues: “We sweep aside and anathematize all whom they swept aside and anathematized, as enemies of the truth, who vainly gnashed at God and increased their unrighteousness against raise the heights. If anyone of all does not contain and does not accept the above-mentioned dogmas of piety and does not think and preach like this, but attempts to go against them, let him be anathema...” (10).
Rule 72 of the same Council rejects marriages between the faithful and heretics: “It is not worthy for an Orthodox husband to couple with a heretical wife, nor for an Orthodox wife to couple with a heretical husband. If something like this is discovered to have been done by someone, the marriage will be considered unsustainable, and the illegal cohabitation will be dissolved. For it is not proper to confuse the unmixed, nor to mate with the sheep of the wolf, nor the lot of sinners with the portion of Christ...” (11).
Everything that contradicts what was spoken in ancient times through the Fathers by the Holy Spirit, such as, for example, modern “weddings” in some “churches” of sodomites, is insignificant and vain. And even if someday some super-council is convened, declaring itself ecumenical and Orthodox, and establishing something fundamentally contrary to the decrees of the holy Councils, the opinions expressed by such a false council should be considered insignificant, contrary to the spirit of conciliarity, for the earthly church is only a small one, which has not yet overcome all the temptations sent down to it, part of the one Church triumphant in Heaven.
Notes
1. Quote. by: Zyzykin M.V. Tsarist power and the law on succession to the throne in Russia. // Zyzykin M.V. Tsarist power in Russia. M, 2004. 620 p. — P. 72.
2. Rules of the holy apostles and holy fathers with interpretations. M.: Publication of the Moscow Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment, 1876. 626 p. — P. 326-352.
3. Ibid. — P. 29.
4. Ibid. — P. 66-67.
5. Ibid. — P. 131.
6. Rules of the Holy Local Councils with interpretations. M.: Publication of the Moscow Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment, 1880. 876 p. - pp. 213-214.
7. Ibid. — P. 243.
8. Ibid. — P. 246.
9. Ibid. — P. 253.
10. Rules of the Holy Ecumenical Councils with interpretations. M.: Publication of the Moscow Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment, 1877. 736 p. — P. 278.
11. Ibid. — P. 511.
Canon 2 of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, Nicaea
Because we promise God in psalmody: I will learn from Your justifications, I will not forget Your words
(Ps. 119:16)
: then it is saving for all Christians to preserve this, especially for those who accept priestly dignity.
For this reason, we determine: everyone who has been elevated to the rank of bishop must certainly know the psalter, and so he admonishes all his clergy to learn from them. Then the metropolitan should carefully test whether he is diligent with reflection, and not in passing, to read the sacred rules, and the holy gospel, and the book of the divine apostle, and all the divine Scripture, and to act according to the commandments of God, and to teach the people entrusted to him. For the essence of our hierarchy consists of God-given words, that is, the true knowledge of the Divine Scriptures, as the great Dionysius spoke. If he hesitates and is not diligent in doing and teaching in this way, let him not be ordained. For God prophesied: you have rejected your skill, I will also reject you, so that you do not priest to me (Hos. 4:6).
(Ap. 58, ; I Om. 2; Trul. 19; Laod. 12; Serdic. 10; Carth. 18)
.
This rule prescribes that a bishop should be appointed to one who has studied Holy Scripture and the canons well and about whom there is evidence that he is able to teach others. In interpretations on 58 and 80 Ap. rules, we generally talked about what kind of knowledge a bishop should have in order to be worthy of his high rank. This rule explains this in more detail and thus establishes the exact law. Namely: it is established that the candidate for bishop should show a thorough acquaintance with Holy Scripture, as well as with canon law. Regarding the first, the rule gives the reason that the essence (οΰσία) of the sacred hierarchy consists of God-given words, i.e. true knowledge (αληθινή ᾿επιστήμη) of the divine books1321, and between it indicates the Gospel and the Apostolic books and all the divine Scripture, and separately also the psalter. The Psalter mentions the rule because, says Zonara in the interpretation of this rule, “so that in this way he would instruct his people to initiate themselves into the mysteries, i.e. study"1322. In ancient Christian times, there was a custom for not only sacred persons, but also lay people to memorize some selected psalms, even a whole psalter, and therefore these psalms were sung together not only in churches, but also during various works1323. The Psalms of David were the most beloved singing among the people, with which they were animated and kindled their piety. Priests and bishops used this for the good of the church and for the salvation of people, and thus, in every case, they interpreted the psalms to them and extracted from them instructions for behavior in the spirit of the Christian church. Over time, this was forgotten and thus the people were left without the spiritual food that the psalter provided them. And this happened mainly through the fault of the priests themselves. The Seventh Council of Nicea turned its attention to this in order to restore the good old custom in this regard, determining that, in addition to the knowledge of Holy Scripture, which a bishop must have to perform his general service, he must know the psalter especially well, and must communicate his knowledge and to the subordinate clergy, so that he could again explain the psalter to the people, as before, and so that the people would have from the psalms the spiritual benefit that they once received from them. – Regarding canon law, the rule reminds the bishop of the obligation to rule well the church entrusted to him, and he can fulfill this only when he reflects, and not casually, i.e. superficially (έρευνητικώς καί ού παροδευτικώς) knows all the rules. And to prove that a well-known candidate for episcopate knows the Holy Scriptures and canon law properly and therefore deserves episcopal consecration, the rule determines that he should undergo a deliberate test before the candidate metropolitan. The rule prescribes for the Metropolitan that he should do this carefully (ασφαλώς), i.e. must make every effort to test the candidate in everything, so that the church and people would not be in danger if any ignoramus were appointed bishop. At the same time, the rule instructs the metropolitan that when testing a candidate, he should not limit himself only to the fact that the subject has general knowledge of Holy Scripture and the canons; but one should take good care that he is prepared and able to penetrate into the essence of Holy Scripture and the canons, and that “with reflection” he applies from them to life what follows, in accordance with the needs of the people entrusted to his pastoral care. The rule requires, as Zonara says in his interpretation of this rule about candidates for the episcopate, that he be able to penetrate deeply into the spirit of Holy Scripture and the holy canons, in order to know the meaning of every word and be capable of teaching the people entrusted to him and ready to answer those who question him1324. And then, when the metropolitan is convinced of the sufficient knowledge of the candidate for the episcopate, the rule further recommends that during the test he should also pay attention to the fact that the candidate, as a bishop, lives in accordance with the divine commandments and teaches the people entrusted to him; those. Zonara further notes that it is not enough for him to prove his familiarity with Holy Scripture and the canons, but one must make sure that he behaves and lives in accordance with the divine commandments and teaches the people entrusted to him, for the essence of our hierarchy consists of God-given “words”, those. true and accurate knowledge of the divine Scriptures. When the metropolitan is fully convinced of all this during testing, then he can allow a well-known candidate to receive episcopal consecration1325. Otherwise, if the metropolitan notices, the rule adds, that a well-known candidate is “hesitating,” i.e. is not entirely firm in knowledge and does not give the right guarantee that he will act according to the instructions of Holy Scripture and the holy canons and is able to teach the people, then let him not be ordained (μη χειροτονείσθω), for he is not worthy of the episcopacy.
