A Generous Orthodoxy

[John Charmley]

Dear Rick,

You ask questions that have often occurred to me, and not least since it became clear to me that I could not remain an Anglican.

When we say that this is 'the Church' and 'that is not' we do not speak with the voice of God; indeed we may even be at risk of constructing a God in our image who judges as we do and who agrees with us; that would seem to be part of the human condition.

As I have mused elsewhere, assuming that 'the Church' is the EO or the OO, what has been the fate of those millions born in the west who have never had access to the Orthodox Church? Are we positing a God who just left millions of His people to languish without a Church. Or, say it is the Roman Catholic Church that is the Church, what then was the purpose of those millions of Orthodox lives lived in Him?

Yes, this being so (hypothetically) why did I not just stay an Anglican? Because there are some things which mark the real Church: it is Apostolic; it is Orthodox in its beliefs; it is sacramental; it holds the faith of the undivided Church. But, as I have said on another thread here, I get out of my depth quickly here.

I don't know what God thinks of the Pentecostals. I know Baptists who are convinced that they are 'saved' and I know Orthodox who think they are 'the Church' and both sets of folk quote the same Biblical verses in support of their positions and refer to their own apologetics for back-up. If I were a Baptist or Eastern Orthodox, I should no doubt be convinced by one or the other; but I'm not, so I'm equally convinced by both and wonder whether either have correctly identified the Church of which Christ spoke?

But then I think, what do I know?

I know that as part of the BOC I have found a Church which is Apostolic, sacramental and Orthodox, and through that a richness of experience I have not had elsewhere in terms of my encounter with Christ. As I stood in Church on Sunday there were six of us in the congregation - six you could see; but I could feel the presence of an unseen host - and I don't 'do' that - but I felt them all the same.

The Scriptures seem to indicate, as does the history of the Church, that right belief does matter - but to us. God can save whomsoever He deems worthy; but in this life the approach to Him is in one sense of the word, easier through His Church. Which is not to say there is no other way - just that there are different ways - just as some of the ways advertising themselves as such are dead-ends.

What you say here

Quote:Is there one group of individuals that is safe, that is saved here in the end, whereby the other groups of individuals have no hope possibly because they did not understand the minutia of Christology or never read the saints and fathers? Are these things criteria for being a member of the One True Church? I hope not, because I am not aware of any church which teaches their members about the Christoloigcal (or Trinitarian) controversies.

seems very important.

The Christian life cannot, surely, a lottery in which, if you get born somewhere as an Orthodox child and just do as you are told by your priest, you get the thumbs up even if you understand nothing of what is being said; but if you get born in Ethiopia as an Orthodox child and become a monk and devote your life to Christ, you get the thumbs down because God failed to recognise your Church just because some Greek-speaking guy did not found it. That would make salvation a lottery.

But enough from me - I am sure that there are other much more informed about these matters who can guide us aright.

In Christ,

John