You've been Orthodox for eight years, you're a reader, and you've decided so spend your time pontificating about which canons we should take seriously to combat the Orthodox "Religious Right"? Pish posh and for shame Regina Orthodox Press.
The Crazy Side of Orthodoxy
How Traditionalist Ideology and "Changeless" Canons Hurt the Orthodox Church
By: Charles Shingledecker
The Crazy Side of Orthodoxy is an amusing yet poignant critique of the so-called Traditionalist Movement. It examines this modern day phenomenon by looking at the more outlandish Canons that traditionalists insist all Orthodox Christians embrace. Many of these supposedly changeless laws - from priests having ever longer beards to saying that all the Canons are "divinely inspired" - are silly, or even barbaric.
The Orthodox Traditionalist Movement impacts the Orthodox Church negatively because it calls for a "return" to all the traditions of the ancient church, since today they are rarely enforced. But what are those traditions? Did you know that they include forbidding the Orthodox to dance at weddings? From having a Jewish doctor? They also include punishing a woman for having a miscarriage! Believe it or not, these "inspired" Canons even include laws which declare that eating Matzoh bread is evil!
The Crazy Side of Orthodoxy presents a compassionate view of authentic Christian faith, which rests on the teachings of Jesus. It also provides a much needed rebuke to the destructive forms of traditionalism that some Orthodox are pushing, and provides a timely warning. As the author says - just because something is old, doesn't mean it's Christian.
About The Author
Charles P. Shingledecker is a member of the Wisconsin Regional Writers community. Charles was raised Roman Catholic and joined the Greek Orthodox Church in 2003. He is a tonsured lay reader in his parish.
Quote from the first chapter of “Crazy Side…”
“To put this in the context of the present, I note that the Fundamentalist Orthodox are the ‘Orthodox’ version of the Religious Right that has so politicized the Protestant evangelical churches. I’ve written this book as a little warning about just how crazy it is for the Orthodox Church to dive into that Fundamentalist far right mess. The Orthodox Traditionalist movement as it impacts the Orthodox Church worldwide and here in America is extremely complex and multifaceted. And it is not all bad. But discovering the movement’s origins can be like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack.”
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ReplyDeleteTo be fair, it's Regina Orthodox Press...
ReplyDeleteI hope the author feels all better, now that he has had a chance to vent.
ReplyDeleteHow such a book could build up the Orthodox faith in the United States, I have no idea.
Also, what is this law which states that all canons are "divinely inspired"?
ReplyDeleteDoes such a law exist? If not, why does the book's write-up refer to this non-existent law?
Just looking at the table of contents offends me. It is obvious that this person has a very limited understanding of Orthodoxy. There should be a canon that all converts must be Orthodox several years before they begin writing books telling us what Orthodoxy is all about. There are real problems with some people calling themselves Orthodox Traditionalists, but I fear that this book is not a serious discussion of some of the controversies dividing Orthodox.
ReplyDeleteArchpreist John W. Morris
The author is a Reader in the GOA, and is about to have women made fellow Readers. Go figure. It's too bad that Canon Fr. Morris suggests wasn't around when the "Evangelical Orthodox" were brought in, then we wouldn't had the Fr. Gillquist series on Protest-doxy.
ReplyDeleteI think this may also be an illustration of what Fr. Stephen Freeman said recently on his blog: that, while it may seem scandalous to say today, not everyone should read everything. To wit, the Rudder is probably one of those things that should not just be picked up and perused.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with you Joseph. I was totally shocked when I read the description of the book on the web. Canons are there to serve a purpose, even though we might have a hard time to understand it, due to our lack of spiritual understanding.
ReplyDelete"Lay Reader"? Either he is an ordained Reader or he is a layman doing some reading but he cannot be both? Still anything is possible in a church with women readers, beardless priests and electric organs. Perhaps we need canon law reform to bless leaving the doors open in the liturgy or other innovations that Russian traditionalists of the right like me hate.
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily a fan of the book (it's hard to judge something without reading it first, but don't the prayers following a miscarriage blame the woman for the miscarriage? And aren't we technically not supposed to go to Jewish doctors? Perhaps some canons and services are best put aside...
ReplyDeleteJon Marc,
ReplyDeleteBut there is a reason why there is a Canon against going to Jewish doctors. In the ancient world going to a Doctor was not really a medical visit. Rather, it was more akin to a religious rite. Thus it would be inappropriate for Christians to go to Pagan and Jewish doctors. Now, obviously, as written, the Canon no longer really applies. However, its existence should make us at least a little wary of visiting new age healers and other spiritualist, medical practices. This, at least, is how I understand how the canons should be applied.
Mr. Marc, it is the woman's fault. It's also my fault, and your fault. It's the sin of all mankind which brought corruption and death into the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm not Orthodox (yet), but one of the attractive things about the Orthodox Church is that it DOESN'T change it's core doctrines and practice. For those of us coming from the protestant wasteland, the last thing we want to do is recreate the disaster we are leaving.
ReplyDelete@Sam Kim: Wow. Please never, ever tell that to a woman who has suffered a miscarriage. Or her husband, who will likely slug you.
ReplyDeleteNot only does this book show the author's (and thereby the publisher's) ignorance on the proper use and application of the canons, it also reveals his egotistical disrespect and disregard for the Holy Fathers. For,"the destructive forms of traditionalism that some Orthodox are pushing" are actually the divinely-inspired decisions of those we venerate and call saints - the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical councils!
ReplyDeleteHe's just fanatic, fighting against the Truth of the Orthodox faith. He would benefit to humble himself and actually study and seek to receive the divine wisdom the saints, who wrote these canons, possessed - those whom the Church has proclaimed great for centuries.
There are real issues that have caused controversy, but the way to deal with them is through prayerful and respectful discussion, not insulting people by calling them crazy. There is a real danger whenever anyone tries to interpret the canons on their own authority without proper education in the principles of Orthodox canon law.
ReplyDeleteThe dogmatic decisions of the Ecumenical Councils are the foundation of Orthodoxy and cannot be changed.
Not every disciplinary canon can be applied literally but take a certain amount of discernment and guidance from the hierarchy. For example, some of the prayers in some of the books for a woman who have suffered a miscarriage actually should be applied to a woman who has had an abortion. Years ago, the Holy Synod of Antioch warned the clergy to be careful not to use the wrong prayer in this instance. However, once again one must be very careful and must not take it on themselves to interpret complex points of canon law.
Anna, I can relate to your reaction, but on further reflection, istm, you have to read Sam Kim's comments "it's the woman's fault" in the context of the whole comment. In the whole context, it is merely an affirmation of the Orthodox teaching of the origin of all evil and suffering in the fall of humankind into sin. In my observation, one common theme that tends to run through all of our minds when we go through suffering (btw, I am also a woman who has had a miscarriage) is the thought that, at least to some unknown extent, it is also quite possibly my own bad health habits, sinfulness, etc., that contributed to the sickness, miscarriage, or whatever physical, relational, or financial adverse circumstance I face. Such suffering caused by the realization of my own complicity in the sin that causes suffering in the world is not helped by an outright denial of it or of its relationship to my present suffering, but by acknowledging it, confessing it, and receiving the Lord's abundant mercy and forgiveness in place of it.
ReplyDeleteHave any of you read his blog where he declares himself to be an agnostic? The whole situation is quite surreal! I have posted a few comments over there asking some serious questions, such as whether the book was peer reviewed, or if the author is fluent in modern / ancient Greek...his responses betray him. He is completely untrained as a scholar in every way. His satirical style is really scandal causing. And I have read the book...unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteHttp://Charles-shingledecker.blogot.com
Whoever made the derisive comments about the GOA are really, unfortunately correct. This man serves as a Reader, is writing blasphemous nonsense and should be sanctioned by his Bishop...