The Feast of Feasts

By Alexander Earl

Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it!

-Matthew 7:13-14

Etiquette used to advise not talking about politics or religion at the dinner table. That is rather easy to do these days when sit-down dinners are a novelty, let alone human interaction that is not constantly distracted by gadgets and media. But we did ourselves a great disservice by following that advice, for now we have completely forgotten how to even talk about religion and politics; in most cases, we may not even have any clue what religion and politics are about, or what it would mean to cultivate sensible positions regarding them, let alone discuss them cordially, reasonably, and charitably.

In truth, it is politics and religion that are worth talking about. In classical philosophy, the former was all about how to structure the polis (the city) so as to promote the common good, which was seen as a god-like activity, for it is God who oversees and orders the universe.' The latter was an even greater activity; religion was about how we ought to live in this life such that we not only live like God, but dwell with him![2] There could hardly be topics more important for us to think about and discuss.

Christianity heightened and transfigured this classical vision. It spoke about the coming of a Kingdom, and that God became a man in history, Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. It is to him that "every knee shall bend."[3] The Kingdom of God is upon us, and we are called to live it. The Christian life has as its aim the embodying of Christ in our very flesh so that we can say with St. Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."[4] Such embodiment makes us able to truly see and hear Christ's words, "What you have done for the least of these you have done for me, "[5] because in following Christ we have become "partakers of the divine nature."[6] We are all capable of being mirrors for the divine light to enter this dark world. That is a radical vision, and it is simultaneously political and religious! Whether we orient our whole lives and society around that vision, or not, has tremendous consequences.

One might suspect that rights such as freedom of speech--captured in the American Bill of Rights--are meant to promote and protect the ability for us to have a space to speak freely about issues that truly matter without the pressure of violence. Sadly, our culture has chosen violence, physical and emotional, to ensure conformity. Though it is politicized, it is hardly political. Though it is religious in fervor and devotion, it knows little about religious belief and practice. And though its values and imagination are irreducibly Christian Justice for the marginalized, care for the poor, and so on), it does not know what it means to proclaim Christ as King. Hence, how are Christians to operate in these difficult times? How can we learn to "speak the truth in love"[7] to those with whom we disagree? How can we engage a culture which is increasingly hostile to Christian dogmas and practices? And how can we do so without giving into the temptation to conform, accommodate, and give up ground to the concerns of the day, or to flee into obscurity?

First, we need to grow deeper in knowing the truth of our tradition-intellectual, moral, political. We help no one by simply jumping into discussions when we ourselves are misinformed and unprepared. Second, we must always understand the context of truth. Speak the truth in love. In an age of soundbites and anonymity, we need to be better at loving our neighbor. It is in the context of loving relationships where genuine conversations happen. And third, let us follow St. John Chrysostom, who was exiled for condemning the moral degeneracy of his era; yet he not only preached it, but lived it in his own life of poverty and asceticism, even considering his trials a great blessing.[8] Truth, love, and radical humility: this is the narrow gate that leads to life, and I advise that it begins at the dinner table.
 

[1] Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1094b10
[2] "But we must not follow those who advise us, being men, to think of human things, and, being mortal, of mortal things, but must, so far as we can, make ourselves immortal" (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1177b30); "That is why a man should make all haste to escape from earth to heaven; and escape means becoming as like Goel as possible; and a man becomes like Goel when he becomes just and pure, with understanding" (Plato, Theatetus 176a­ b).
[3] Phil 2:10
[4] Gal 2:20
[5] Mt 25:40
[6] 2 Pet 1:4
[7] Eph 4:15
[8] See St John Chrysostom, Letters to Olympia

On a recent cloudy autumn Sunday, a small group of pilgrims made the trek from Western Pennsylvania to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on campus. The pilgrims, along with a group of seminarians and Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield gathered at the shrine located behind Erickson House after Coffee Hour to pray the Akathist Hymn to the Walsingham Icon of the Theotokos. Fr Chad sat down with us to talk about the history and significance of our campus Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.

In 2009, the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, a Western Rite group based in Colorado, raised funds and made a donation so we could refurbish what was originally a Lourdes shrine when we bought this property (a former Catholic convent). We decided to transform the long-neglected shrine into one that has a particular Orthodox devotion, and we decided on the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham since the people raising the funds were Western Rite.

They have a special devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham, but also, one of our SVS press authors, Fr Christopher Knight is the current Orthodox priest in the village of Walsingham (if you haven't seen his book on science and religion, you should, it's very popular).

The history of the shrine is quite fascinating, particularly after its destruction by Henry VIII, the finding of the well that had been destroyed by the 1920s, and the Orthodox connection to the rebuilding of the shrine. Today, the “Holy House” has an Orthodox chapel, adjoined to the Anglican and Roman Catholic chapels. Another interesting part of this shrine is the so-called Slipper Chapel, which is one mile away from the main shrine. It got its name from the local practice where people would take off their shoes and walk the last mile to the Holy House barefoot.

The icon in our particular shrine was painted by Khouria Erin Mary Kimmett with Annunciation Press. Our shrine was actually registered amongst the many global shrines of Our Lady of Walsingham. The pilgrims from Pittsburgh, of course, discovered that and wanted to come and pray in the shrine. So the shrine gets used for different things. During the right seasons, the Paraklesis is prayed in there and other such things. Rather than sitting empty, in disrepair, our Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is well-kept and used for prayer, and how grateful we are to the Brotherhood of St Lawrence who restored it. 

The inaugural webinar in St Vladimir’s Seminary’s new Light of the World Webinar Series took place on Tuesday, October 17, via Zoom live stream. Co-hosts His Grace Bishop John (Abdalah), Auxiliary of the Diocese of Worcester and New England (AOCANA), and Orthodox writer, Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green, spoke at length on the topic, Submission to the Church: How to Become Children of the Light. 

His Grace Bishop John began his portion of the webinar by inviting listeners to come to a common agreement on the definition of the terms used in the title of the webinar. In defining “submission”, he referred to Ephesians 5.21, which established a vision of a Church where “everyone [is] submitting to everyone as unto the Lord–so that we can save each other, so that we can encounter Christ, in loving relationships that are based in truth, and that are for the good of both.”

Kh. Frederica opened her presentation by calling listeners' attention to the inherent resistance in American thinking to the idea of submission. We are taught we must all strive to stand out from the crowd, and always do only what we want to do, not what others tell us to do, she pointed out. Kh. Frederica laid out how we as Orthodox are to understand submission to the Church in practice as Orthodox Christians; first submitting to Orthodox theology and the lived experience of Church fathers and mothers, and then allowing oneself to be healed and sanctified by the sacraments, traditions, and practices of the Church.

Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, moderated the Q&A session following the speakers’ presentations. He thanked the speakers for their careful consideration of the topic, saying, “I think this topic couldn't be more timely–we are living in a time of enormous darkness, and yet, there is a new wave of seekers and inquirers pouring into our Orthodox Churches, looking for the Ark of Salvation. We were very pleased to hear from both Sayidna John and Kh. Frederica on this important topic.”

Chief Advancement Officer and webinar orchestrator, Sarah Werner, also thanked the speakers for their thoughtful and insightful talks, and encouraged listeners to support the students at St Vladimir’s Seminary by making a donation to the scholarship fund at svots.edu/give.

Next month’s webinar will be on the topic Gender--Enlightening our Minds with the Words of the Scripture, featuring co-hosts Dr Edith Humphrey (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary) and Dr David Bradshaw (University of Kentucky), held on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern. 

To watch the recording of the first session of the Light of the World Webinar Series, Submission to the Church: How to Become Children of the Light, click the link below.

Watch Webinar Recording

About the Light of the World Webinar Series

This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, speaking on a variety of topics while answering a core question:

How are we Christians to be the light of the world?

Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes that address real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society. 

These online webinars are open to the public and free of cost. They are recorded and uploaded to the St Vladimir’s Seminary YouTube channel after the live Zoom event for easy access. 

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) has received a grant of $250,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to supplement the Compelling Preaching program, a new project which aims to strengthen preaching and homiletics in Orthodox Christian parishes.

The program was developed with the support of an earlier grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Compelling Preaching Initiative.

The supplemental grant will allow SVOTS to expand and strengthen the first three initiatives of its Compelling Preaching program:

• Renew: a continuing education program for preachers
• Resource: a curated online resource of exemplary preaching
• Research: an interdisciplinary academic conference on Orthodox Christian preaching

Additionally, the supplemental grant will allow us to add an exciting fourth initiative to the program—Reveal: a faith-based storytelling initiative for laypeople that will identify, and provide coaching, for participants who will share a compelling story of faith in a live storytelling event.  

Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, shared his enthusiasm for the new initiative, saying, "Sharing the Gospel with others is an essential part of our call to walk as children of light. (Eph 5:8) This generous grant from Lilly Endowment will help us to support all Orthodox Christians who are called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ." 

Lilly Endowment launched the Compelling Preaching Initiative in 2022 because of its interest in supporting projects that help to nurture the religious lives of individuals and families and foster the growth and vitality of Christian congregations in the United States. 

ABOUT THE LILLY ENDOWMENT
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate, and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.

By Andrew Kayaian

According to an explanation provided by Facebook, “When you follow someone or a Page [on Facebook, or other social medium, like Twitter], you may see updates from that person or Page in your News Feed.” It means that the Follower is immediately informed of the affairs of the Followed (e.g. a private individual, public figure, organization), including the latter’s interests, life events, locations/travels, endeavors, aspirations, opinions, and other such information.

The act of following on social media, however, has no substantive bearing upon one’s life, either in thought, word, or deed. Following on social media does not carry with it any incumbent real life consequences. For example, if a Facebook Friend posts that he is attending an event, there is no necessary corollary that a Follower must also attend that event. Even if a Follower does decide to alter his life in conformity to the information provided by the Followed Friend and attends the event, it is only by virtue of the Follower’s whim. It is not dependent upon the previously freely-made choice of following; following on social media carries no obligations.

Contrarily, Christ’s command to his disciples, “Follow me,” is substantive, carries obligations, and involves the whole person without reservation. The command is significant enough that the same story in which Christ says, “Follow me,” is recorded similarly in all four Gospels. The Synoptic accounts share most of these details explicitly; John’s conforms with them by implying the details in his narrative. In the story, located within the first five chapters of all four books, Jesus encounters the fishermen brothers Simon Peter and Andrew at the beginning of his ministry in Galilee, after his own baptism and forty-day withdrawal into the desert. The details of this short but poignant story convey the same message about what it means to follow Jesus. In all four accounts, the disciples-to-be are engaged with their mundane task of catching fish, likely for their livelihood. For simple fishermen, the last thing they would do is abandon their lives/livelihood because this would likely mean financial ruin; yet, this is exactly what occurs.

In Matthew 4:18–20 and Mark 1:16–18, Jesus simply calls to Simon and Andrew to follow him, and they do. In these accounts, Jesus gives his command to follow him; the text specifically indicates that the disciples did so “immediately,” or “suddenly” in Armenian translation, implying a total, unexpected break from the perceived correct order of reality. Simon and Andrew followed Jesus so completely that they abandoned their previous lives totally. It was a corollary action to their choice to follow Jesus to abandon their previous lives of meager certainty as fishermen for new uncertain lives as disciples, fishers of men. Mark and Matthew demonstrate that following Christ must include a complementary real life consequence, and that these two disciples recognized that fact and willingly fulfilled this responsibility. In Luke 5:1–11, Jesus’ command to follow him is preceded by Jesus aiding Simon and Andrew to catch many fish, after which they likewise abandon “everything” (nets, boats, and fish) to follow Jesus. John 1:35–42 implies the abandonment by simply saying, four times, that the disciples just followed, and stayed, with him.

In all four accounts, the command and corresponding action described in the Armenian translation strongly indicate that following Jesus is more than isolated moments of accumulating information on a ‘News Feed.’ The Armenian uses the word “to come”/“գալ” paired with “after”/“զկնի” for Jesus’ command, i.e. “Come after me.” It uses the word “to go”/“գնալ” (John uses another word for “to go,” “երթալ”) to describe the disciples’ resulting incumbent action. In other words, the choice of following Jesus cannot be acted upon according to the whim of the follower. While a free choice, it carries indispensable responsibility that must be totally fulfilled along with the privilege of being Christ’s disciple.

Christianity takes to its farthest logical conclusion the dictum: my house, my rules. The choice to live as a Christian, i.e. in Christ’s ‘house,’ must be chosen. Once chosen, however, there are requisite responsibilities/rules which accompany it, namely to be like Christ himself. There are no such incumbent responsibilities in following on social media. In light of the modern trend of “following on social media,” the Church can simply return to the sources, once again emphasizing the incumbency of the real life consequences of coming after Christ. We can choose to follow him willingly, but we must always prepare and rejuvenate ourselves for the privileged responsibilities that accompany that God-given choice.