I am going to risk sounding cynical: When I read this I thought of Luke 6:32-34. I also thought of my upbringing in this modern secular world where "being nice" and a "good man" is sometimes the highest good, even though it is not in-of-itself salvific. Being good, helping those in need, etc. is one of the most common and ubiquitous aspects of being human - the question is why - to what end? What about those who do not do good? what about evil? What about death? What does it all mean? These are questions that I asked even as a young child and the answers of these questions are what the "blessing from a priest" and the "our Father" address.
As a father of two young children I find Fr. Alexander's (whom I know nothing other than this quote) advice however well intentioned, wrong on a very important level.
Jake - I was about to post a comment similar to yours, but after reading the quote again, I decided my criticism was unwarranted.
Note that Fr. Alexander says that religious upbringing *begins* with thanking Mom for clean clothes and meals. It's only the beginning; not the highest good as imagined by secular culture. To be sure there are weightier matters to consider. Those should be attended to without leaving the others undone (Matt. 23:23).
Beautiful post, in every way!
ReplyDeleteBravo! Now there is solid Orthodoxy, by which the whole world will learn to adore the Theanthropos!
ReplyDeleteGreat teacher.
ReplyDeleteI am going to risk sounding cynical: When I read this I thought of Luke 6:32-34. I also thought of my upbringing in this modern secular world where "being nice" and a "good man" is sometimes the highest good, even though it is not in-of-itself salvific. Being good, helping those in need, etc. is one of the most common and ubiquitous aspects of being human - the question is why - to what end? What about those who do not do good? what about evil? What about death? What does it all mean? These are questions that I asked even as a young child and the answers of these questions are what the "blessing from a priest" and the "our Father" address.
ReplyDeleteAs a father of two young children I find Fr. Alexander's (whom I know nothing other than this quote) advice however well intentioned, wrong on a very important level.
Jake - I was about to post a comment similar to yours, but after reading the quote again, I decided my criticism was unwarranted.
ReplyDeleteNote that Fr. Alexander says that religious upbringing *begins* with thanking Mom for clean clothes and meals. It's only the beginning; not the highest good as imagined by secular culture. To be sure there are weightier matters to consider. Those should be attended to without leaving the others undone (Matt. 23:23).