Why is the Church needed at all? Is it impossible to believe “in the soul” and communicate with God without intermediaries?
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.
Let's start with the fact that the Church is not a human invention, not a corporation of specialists who have arrogated to themselves the right of exclusive intermediaries between God and the world. The Church is all of us headed by God. The Church was founded by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself so that people, even after the completion of His earthly life, Resurrection and Ascension, could remain in unity with Him and be involved in another, Divine reality. The Holy Spirit acts in the Church, Who descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost. This impact continues today. It is carried out not abstractly and theoretically, but through the mysterious (i.e., embodied in the sacraments, worship, mutual communication of believers) side of the existence of the Church. “To believe in the soul” means to consciously separate oneself from the channel of communication with God given to people by God himself.
Thus, the Church is not a mediator; The Church is ourselves, the people of God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, God establishes very close, trusting relationships with people (with those who respond to the preaching of the Gospel with repentance and faith). The Bible compares this relationship to adoption, marriage, or citizenship. As the Apostle Paul says, you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Gal 3 :26-27). This adoption introduces us into God’s family, and it is impossible to be one’s own to God and a stranger to His people. Therefore, Holy Scripture does not know such a thing as “solitary faith” or “faith in the soul”; a Christian is always a member of a community, a gathering of the faithful, membership of which begins with Baptism and is marked by participation in the sacraments.
The very concept of the Church contains several meanings. In Russian, we use this word both to refer to the building in which worship is held, and to large Christian communities - for example, the Russian Orthodox Church. This same word also has a higher mystical meaning: in the New Testament the Church is called the Body of Christ, the head of which is the Savior himself (see 1 Cor 12:27 ; Eph 4:12 ). In the Greek language, which became the basis of the Christian theological lexicon, there are several definitions of the church. Thus, the Greek word το κυριακόν (kyriakon) is used in relation to a church building, and the word ἡ ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) - from the verb ἐκκαλέω (ekkaleō), which means “to call” - denoted the church as a collection of people called by God to Himself from different tribes , peoples, social and age groups. Entering this meeting means a renunciation of selfish existence, a determination to embark on the path of spiritual growth under the leadership of Christ Himself, a life based on faith and love for God and neighbors.
It is almost impossible to lead such an active spiritual life exclusively “in the soul”, without the grace-filled support that is given to us in the church sacraments. Among the sacraments, a special place is occupied by the Eucharist, which Jesus Christ Himself established during the Last Supper before His suffering on the cross. In this sacrament, believers, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Body and Blood of the Savior, who clearly said: unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you (John 6:53 ), because he who eats My Flesh and he who drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56 ). Here “faith in the soul” is clearly not enough. If we believe in Christ and trust His words, then participation in the sacrament of the Eucharist is mandatory for us. If we do not want to express our faith in this way, then we do not have it.
People are often embarrassed by what they encounter when they come to church. They expect to see a completely different life than what surrounds them in the world, to feel some special atmosphere, love and purity, but instead they can run into rudeness and hear comments addressed to them. Some people are outraged that they sell candles in the church and take money for services. There are many different superstitions associated with the church. Where is Christ here? One famous Moscow priest answered this question very well, comparing the Church to Golgotha, where a variety of people were gathered: robbers, warriors, Pharisees. At first glance, it might seem that Christ was not there - even the apostles lost faith, got scared and ran away. But in fact, Christ, mocked and crucified, was at the center of this horror, and with him the Mother of God, the Apostle John, and the myrrh-bearing wife. God was there, although it was very difficult to see him.
Coming to Church and staying in it means expressing your faith and love for God. This is not easy and requires effort from a person. It is necessary to seriously work spiritually in order to look at Christ behind the external human vanity. But it is worth it, because the result of such a spiritual feat will be an incomparable feeling of the presence of God, spiritual unity with others, reunification with the One who is the source of life, and the acquisition of true happiness.
Soul - meeting with the Lord
www.kurer-sreda.ru/2017/01/26/273688-vo-lzhi-ulichil-mitropolita-tixona-dyakon-iz-berdska The editor-in-chief of the Orthodox magazine “Soul” Oleg Ryzhkov did not speak out against Muslims, as the bishop said. The deacon believes that the metropolitan is simply offended by criticism of the diocese.
The head of the Novosibirsk Metropolis, Tikhon, by his order banned the magazine “Soul” allegedly due to illegal publications
The editor-in-chief of the Orthodox collection “Soul,” Deacon Oleg Ryzhkov, called the words of Metropolitan Tikhon of Berdsk and Novosibirsk about Ryzhkov’s violation of the law of the Russian Federation and inciting interreligious hatred false.
False accusations
Let us recall that on January 23, during a visit to Berdsk, the Metropolitan commented to journalists on the ban on the distribution of “Soul” in the Novosibirsk diocese:
- You see, what's the matter? The magazine is not bad. But Father Oleg himself is a very complex person. He lived and worked in Berdsk, then fled to Altai, where he was ordained a deacon. Although he did not tell the bishop that he was married twice, which is prohibited by church canons. Then he started publishing against Muslims, which is prohibited by the legislation of the Russian Federation. I pointed this out to him, but he didn’t listen. He says, “I’m no longer your cleric, I’m from the Barnaul diocese.” I told him: “Well, please, deal with Bishop Sergius.” “We don’t need incitement of interreligious hatred here,” the bishop said.
Deacon Ryzhkov claims that the Metropolitan’s statement does not correspond to reality.
- I didn’t run away anywhere. I live in Berdsk. I have never held any position in the Novosibirsk Metropolitanate, I have never been its cleric. I graduated from the Theological Institute in Novosibirsk. And in Altai I did not take the rank, as the Metropolitan put it, but Metropolitan Sergius ordained me,” Oleg Ryzhkov emphasized.
As for Father Oleg’s two marriages, here, as he claims, church prohibitions were not violated.
— There is apostolic rule No. 17. It says there: if a person is married twice after baptism, then he cannot be ordained under any circumstances. If a person is married once before baptism, then, as it is written in the rule, all sins are washed away by the sacrament of baptism. I was married before baptism. The second time I got married after baptism, as expected, with a wedding in church. In addition, there is a tradition: each bishop decides for himself whether to ordain a person as a deacon or not. Vladyka Sergius knew about me very well. We met with him when I was negotiating the distribution of the magazine. He asked why I, being the editor of a federal Orthodox publication with a circulation of 108,000 copies, had not been ordained. I explained: in the Novosibirsk diocese this is considered impossible. And Bishop Sergius decided to ordain me,” said Ryzhkov.
Bad magazine or editor?
But Father Oleg considers the Metropolitan’s statement about a “violation of Russian legislation” in the publications of the Orthodox collection to be the main lie.
— In July 2015, “Soul” published an article “I love Muslims!” But". This is an article by the most famous Christian from Egypt, Zachary Butors, who has enormous authority in the Orthodox world. He never had anything against Muslims. He writes that he loves them and tells them about Christ. But he writes about where the mistakes of Islam, the religion, are. After this article I added my comments. I am writing that I have many Muslim acquaintances, and they are decent people, and we have a lot to learn from them. Next I talk about Islam and where ISIS came from (a terrorist organization banned on the territory of the Russian Federation - editor's note). Although they claim that they (ISIS members) have nothing to do with Islam, where do they get their ideology from? From the Koran. They just interpret it differently. This is what I’m talking about—the double interpretation of the Koran. Where do I write against Muslims? Lie. As far as I know, some imam from the Krasnoyarsk region complained about this magazine. There was an inspection conducted by the Investigative Committee. They refused to initiate a criminal case due to the lack of evidence of a crime,” recalls Father Oleg.
Ryzhkov copy 560×482 Deacon from Berdsk caught Metropolitan Tikhon in a lie. Deacon Oleg Ryzhkov received an award from Bishop Sergius of Barnaul and Altai for publishing the magazine “Soul.”
After the inspection, although it did not reveal any violations, the Novosibirsk diocese issued a decree signed by Metropolitan Tikhon: “We hereby prohibit the distribution of the magazine “Soul - Meeting with the Lord” in the Novosibirsk Metropolis in connection with the publication of materials that contradict the legislation of the Russian Federation.” Ryzhkov made inquiries to Tikhon several times, tried to meet with him to find out what violations were being discussed. The dialogue never took place.
— I understand if it were some kind of small newspaper, which is published in 100 copies in the parish. But excuse me, our collection is published throughout Russia, as well as in the USA, China, France... Why don’t other dioceses and other metropolitans have any complaints against me? And the Synodal Information Department of the Russian Orthodox Church also knows about that article, because they received a request from the Investigative Committee. If there were violations, my magazine would have been banned long ago. If I had gone against the position of the church, if we had incited ethnic hatred, the magazine would have been banned immediately. The article was published in 2015. It's 2017. And no one is stopping me. And Metropolitan Tikhon keeps saying that I am violating something.
To confirm his words, Father Oleg showed “Courier. Wednesday. Berdsk" numerous written thanks from other dioceses from all over Russia. The bishops speak only kind words about “Soul”. So why did the Novosibirsk metropolitan dislike the magazine?
Offense at criticism of “trading with God”?
Not for the first year, Father Oleg, being not only a publisher, but also a publicist, has criticized price tags for church sacraments. And this is not only Ryzhkov’s position. The late Patriarch Alexy (Second) spoke about the inadmissibility of setting specific prices for baptism, funeral services and other Orthodox rites. But, according to Father Oleg, in the Novosibirsk metropolis this happens all the time.
— I want to emphasize that I am a faithful child of our Orthodox Church. I write and speak about the shortcomings that exist within the administrative church apparatuses. Not in the entire church, but in some metropolises, because of which they are pouring dirt on the entire church. These are just price tags, expensive cars...” notes Ryzhkov. — In the Altai Territory, in churches there are no price tags for sacraments or notes. And you go to Berd’s churches: some notes have one price, others have a different price. And it’s not even scary what they trade, but what trade relations with God create. People enter the temple and do not understand that first of all they come to pray. They think that since they paid, they should be given some kind of service. This makes me feel sick. I openly declare this. That's why there is such hatred towards me.
As Ryzhkov says, the church itself is built on an authoritarian regime, and this is correct, because the clergy are subordinate to the patriarch and have their own hierarchy. But in some metropolises, authoritarianism turns into totalitarianism. And the church turns into an “administrative machine.” And it, Father Oleg emphasizes, must first of all be a spiritual institution. Unfortunately, in the Novosibirsk diocese, according to Ryzhkov, it is precisely this regime that is “blooming in full bloom.”
In addition, the Novosibirsk clergy is trying, as about, which have nothing to do with the Orthodox faith:
— Priests try to pass off their personal understanding of faith as general church teaching. In Novosibirsk, for example, they suggest not eating apples until the Transfiguration. Well, this is nonsense. There are four posts in the church. The church did not establish any others.
For some priests, external actions become more important than the spiritual component, argues Father Oleg. So, for example, in the Novosibirsk diocese there is such a thing as imposing a “single prayer rule” for everyone:
- This is proofreading. That is, you must read a certain set of prayers in the morning, and a certain set of prayers in the evening. I always say this on this topic. Just imagine that you came to a neighbor to ask for a loan. Are you going to read him some rules in the morning and evening? Or humanly ask him for money? What is prayer? This is a conversation with God. But the totalitarian method of management forces everyone not to pray to God, but to read some specific rules, which, by the way, the entire church opposes.
Father Oleg is also against the sole management of church funds. In Novosibirsk, he said, city priests drive good cars and can afford expensive pilgrimage trips, while village priests languish in poverty and do not even have money to buy paint for the domes of the temple.
— This is also the influence of a totalitarian regime. The money is spent on the personal instructions of the Metropolitan,” Ryzhkov concludes.
Apparently, the bishop did not like Father Oleg’s critical look. And because of personal hostility, the magazine, popular in Russia and abroad, will remain banned in Novosibirsk and Berdsk.
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