"Is the Orthodox (Byzantine) Path to Wisdom
Still Viable Today?"

 

by Jean-Michel Sourd

 

 

In our presentation tonight we will not try to describe Orthodox Christian Philosophy history that took place in the Byzantine Empire from the 9th century to the 15th century, but we will try to focus on two possible application of an Orthodox Christian philosophy in our daily lives by using reflections made by contemporary Christian Orthodox philosophers in the light of several Byzantine thinkers such as St. Maximus the Confessor.

1)    An Orthodox Philosophy of Education

First of all as educationist I believe this topic is quite important in the principle of my profession as a teacher.

The Russian Orthodox philosopher, Paul Evdokimov, wrote, "the educational concern of Christifying rational life, the saturation of every domain by the light of Christ, a saturation that is inherent to the Christian faith, derives organically from Christian anthropology." This statement will serve as our guiding principle in this exposition of an Orthodox Christian philosophy of education.

We will begin with the last phrase of his statement first and ask with Hamlet, "...what is this quintessence of dust?" Aristotle believed that man is "the political animal," David Hume that "they are nothing but a bundle or collection of different perceptions," Jean-Paul Sartre that "man is freedom." The Christian tradition, of course, has answered this question in various ways: man and woman are "made in the image and likeness" of God; man and woman are the harmony of body, soul and spirit; man and woman are "a little lower than the angels;" man and woman are vapor; man and woman are gods. However, says Father Alexander Schmemann, "the first, the basic definition of man is that he is the priest." That is, "he stands in the center of the world and unifies it in his act of blessing God." That the human being is priest who unifies the cosmos derives from the mystery of Christ: "He has made known to us his hidden purpose...to be put into effect when the time was ripe: namely, that the universe, all in heaven and earth, might be brought into a unity in Christ." Indeed, "Christ is all and in all."

This brings us to the preceding phrase of Evdokimov's statement, "the saturation of every domain by the light of Christ, a saturation that is inherent to the Christian faith." The mystery is that the transcendent Word is also the one in whom "all the principles of things both are and subsist as one in an incomprehensible simplicity" (St. Maximus the Confessor). St. Maximus says that the created logoi (principles) of all things have their source, meaning, and plenitude in the diving Logos, "by whom all things were made." Therefore, comprehending a cosmos (and above all, man, the microcosmos) that is saturated "by the light of Christ" is communion with Christ. Herein lies the secret to the priesthood of all humanity. Humanity, through its apprehension of both the created and the uncreated, serves as the portal through which the cosmos passes on its way to transfiguration.

Finally, we come to Evdokimov's opening phrase, "the educational concern of Christifying rational life." For the rational faculties of human beings to be effective, they must be "Christified;" for, they are apprehending a world that is Christified. This is the educational concern of the Orthodox Church, to bring the rational mind into a state of Christification so that the cosmic book of revelation may be read rightly. Indeed, "To be saved...we must look at the world with wonder, gratefully receiving it anew, with its mysterious promise of the infinite. Everything-the world, history, other people and myself-can be a source of revelation, because through everything we can discern, like a watermark, the face of the risen Christ" (Olivier Clement).

The Christification of the rational mind is accomplished by study within the context of the mysteries of the Church. That is, it is accomplished by God's grace. Study itself becomes a sacrament of the human priesthood in which intelligible and sensible things are brought into unity and offered to God with thanksgiving. We see then that scholarship is inseparable from the Holy Table. The grains of comprehension are harvested, processed, formed and offered as prosphora (The word prosphora denotes the bread which is brought to the Church as an offering for use in the preparation of the Holy Gifts for Holy Communion). The grapes of ripened understanding are squeezed, aged and poured out as fragrant wine. The fruits of our rational labor then become pleasing to God.

"...what is this quintessence of dust?" Though not the answer he sought, we will let Hamlet answer his own question: humanity is "the beauty of the world." "The condition of the cosmos, its transparence or its opaqueness to the divine light, depends on the transparence or opaqueness of humanity itself" (Olivier Clement). Thus did the Lord say, "The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye be single, your whole body will be enlightened. But if your eye be evil, your whole body will be in darkness." For the world is a man (St. Maximus) whose potential personhood (hypostasis) is found in each person (Vladimir Lossky). The "single eye" is the Christified mind which allows the light of Christ to shine upon the world. It is the purpose of education to make the eye single, to Christify the mind so that all creation may be transfigured by the light of Christ.

2) Christian Orthodox Philosophy: a personal psychotherapy.

The important message is that the church can heal an ailing personality. The term "Orthodox Psychotherapy" does not refer to specific cases of people suffering from psychological problems of neurosis. Rather it refers to all people. According to Orthodox Tradition, after Adam’s fall man became ill; his "nous"  (the spiritual capacity for Divine apprehension) was darkened and lost communion with God. Death entered into the person's being and caused many anthropological, social, even ecological problems. In the tragedy of his fall man maintained the image of God within him but lost completely the likeness of Him, since his communion with God was disrupted. However the incarnation of Christ and the work of the church aim at enabling the person to attain to the likeness of God, that is to re-establish communion with God. This passage way from a fallen state to divinisation is called the healing of the person, because it is connected with his return from a state of being contrary to nature, to that of a state according to nature and above nature. By adhering to Orthodox therapeutic treatment as conceived by the Holy Fathers of Church man can cope successfully with his thoughts (logismoi) and thus solve his problems completely and comprehensively.

The Orthodox Psychotherapy gives the opportunity to the people to indulge in the great theme on the therapy of the soul, which consists of the purification of the soul, illumination and Theosis, using the patristic terms. Existential therapy is a process of personal introspection and change, interpersonal communal solidarity, culminating in Theanthropic communion Approaching the subject through the teachings of the fathers it helps us to comprehend what the soul is, how it is connected with the body-- how the passions act both physical and spiritual -- how one can attain Knowledge of God, how man in the image of God attain to the Likeness. One can identifies the salvific healing hesychastic process as the fundamental purpose of the Faith here. Hesychasm, (Hesychasts (hesychastes -- quietist) were people, nearly all monks, who defended the theory that it is possible by an elaborate system of asceticism, detachment from earthly cares, submission to an approved master, prayer, especially perfect repose of body and will, to see a mystic light; which is none other than the uncreated light of God) rather than a facet of Orthodox theology, is presented as the embodiment of its sacred tradition. In this matter, the new definition of the Church is viewed as spiritual hospital is of its role proper, rather than a quaint analogy. Within this vessel is undertaken the arduous task of spiritual healing, patients diagnosed being without exception suffering from the malady of the Fall.

Ideally, the ordained clergy can fill the role of therapist, imparting as deacons, priests, and bishops correspondent guidance toward purification, illumination, and glorification. This ideal is often unmet, however, and while even unworthy priests may celebrate the Liturgy, calling on the Holy Spirit as the people's voice, they cannot act as spiritual guide or healer by virtue of office. The 'royal priesthood' like it is called by Bishop Hierotheos Vlachos, in his book about Orhodox Psychotherapy includes all the baptized who can act legitimately as priestly therapists given the other requisite credentials and gifts. I questioned myself regarding logistical practicalities of treatment, how hesychasm could be realized by the masses of Orthodox Christians living, say, in urban settings in the post-industrial West or global Asian cities such as Singapore or Hong Kong. It seems that recitation of the prayer of the heart need not be confined to a cell to derive benefit, but can be undertaken while driving or riding the bus, or on break from work. Novices might set a modest goal to pray 30 minutes twice daily and all should be realistic in their discipline.

Beyond the case for therapy as appropriate ecclesiastic model, we have to deal, with the nature of the soul, or the 'psyche' to be treated, as the next most crucial to a contextual understanding. 'Soul' is conceded as a Platonic convention admissible as Christian figure of speech only provisionally. Not entirely adequate to describe Christian spiritual beliefs, neither is 'psyche' without theological ambiguities. The difficulty with such terms is that, taken too literally, or with philosophic or psychological uses intact, they suggest mind and spirit are somehow aside from the self. This conflicts with the aim of the Church's traditional hesychastic healing approach to the whole person. The ancient fathers were so biased against philosophy to refuse to trade on its terminology. Human language is limited in its efforts to explain the eternal mysteries, but the ancient fathers preference is to opt for the term 'nous' as most viable in describing the spiritual capacity for Divine apprehension. The 'purification' of the soul is in essence a clarification of this faculty, lost by way of the fall, and likely damaged through a lifetime of choices motivated by self-love rather than compassion. The nous, is the organ and perceptual capacity specifically treated through Orthodox Psychotherapy. Through hesychastic treatment, prayer restores this faculty, which rests in the heart. The words of Christ are thus fulfilled, that it is the pure in heart who will see Him. And to see Him, isn’t it the path to wisdom, from a Christian philosophical point of view?

 

 

Saint Maximus The Confessor (around 580 – 662) Simple monk and theologian, he wrote comments on the Fathers of the Church and numerous dissertations on liturgy and  theology, especially against the heresy of one single nature in Christ.

 

Paul Evdokimov (1901-1970), Russian theologian. As a layman, he tried to combine the thoughts of the ancient Fathers, the reflections of contemporary Russian philosophers (Berdiaev and Boulgakov) and Western thingking. He was professor of Patristic and theology at St. Serge Orthodox Institute in Paris.

Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983) a leading Russian Orthodox theologian influential in U.S. church life in the cause of religious freedom in the Soviet Union and in the world-wide ecumenical movement. Schmemann was a friend and spiritual counselor to author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who was expelled from the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Schmemann was an adjunct professor at Columbia and New York universities and at Union and General theological seminaries in New York City. He was also dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, N.Y. Committed to the rights of believers in the Soviet Union, Schmemann for more than 30 years had broadcast sermons in Russian to the Soviet Union over Radio Liberty.

Olivier Clement, Historian of Christian Orthodoxy, theologian and layman, Professor at St. Serge Orthodox Institute in Paris. He is specialized on ecumenical issues.

 

Vladimir Lossky (1903-1958) Son of the Russian philosopher Nicolas Lossky. Disciple of French medieval historian Etienne Gilson, he is a leader of the “neo-patristic” research. He was living in Paris.

 

Hierotheos Vlachos, Archimandrite Spiritual father in the diocese of Athens, Greece. Writer of numerous books about Christian Orthodoxy especially: “Orthodox Psychotherapy; The Science of the Fathers »