Is the male-only priesthood a discipline or essential to the nature of being a priest? Sr. Vassa (again unflinchingly taking up a contentious topic by climbing up the ladder to the highest platform and then jumping into the deep end head first) dives right in and says there is no reason beyond personal preference to not have female clergy. You know, when people ask me about women in priesthood, they say, 'Sister, why can't women be priests?' And I say, 'Women CAN be priests. We don't WANT them to be priests.' Because you see, God can do anything, and the Church, by divine authority, uh, can do anything, but, the Church doesn't want to - and that's a legitimate reason. What I don't like is when we TRY to pretend that there are other reasons for this, because it's legitimate not to want something, and there are reasons not to want this - right? - but, we shouldn't pretent that there's some... reason, that, for example, the maleness...
Jean-Claude Larchet'a newest book discusses exactly this. I'm glad to see our hierarchs and theologians paying attention. The book is called "The New Media Epidemic: The Undermining of Society, Family, and Our Own Soul."
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDeleteArguments against the printing press, paper & pencil, learning to read.....where does it end?
ReplyDeleteAmazing that the blessed MP speaks on freedom but from a culture that held liberty at arms length away since the barbarian hordes! It is not surprising but rather expected in such proclamations. Lord, have mercy.
I could be wrong, but I think he's alluding to the scientific and publicly admitted fact that many modern technological devices and programs were intentionally designed to be incredibly addictive, and have even been shown to change our brain chemistry in a very negative fashion.
DeleteIf the Christian view of true freedom is freedom from passions, then addiction to technology can truly be seen as a threat to spiritual and mental freedom.
Its harder and harder for each generation to pray and pay attention in church, when we have been trained from infancy to be distracted and constantly flipping from one image to another.
Anyways thats my takeaway for whatever its worth, he could have something else in mind.
Bozo you're being comically overdramatic about this. Patriarch Kirill stating his personal view on the development of modern technology is hardly something to say "Lord have mercy" about.
DeleteAlso, to give this post context, Patriarch Kirill doesn't think that technology in and of itself is bad at all, in fact he encourages technological development, but only as long as it is beneficial for mankind and conforms to the will of the church. Here is a recent interview that will shed more light on his view on the matter: https://youtu.be/cS01gseem3A
Changes brain chemistry and the way we think; makes access to passion inducing material easy; reduces literacy, decreases attention spans; gives unparalleled control over data and information to a relatively small number of people who lack accountability to law; viatiates against contemplation and stillness. All of these are elements of freedom
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand it also increases access to many materials, people and conversations that were impossible before.
Nevertheless if it truncates our ability and desire to be still and know that I am God and our ability to discern and respond to our actual encounters with Him where we are. I wonder.
So in Moscow people are demonstrating for the right to free and democratic local elections. Where can I hear Patriarch Kirill demand those civic and constitutional rights are respected?
ReplyDeleteIt is not the Church's business to demand anything regarding political and civil rights.
ReplyDelete