"'Returning to the Fathers' means, for all intents, to advance, not to go backwards. What we need is to be faithful to the spirit, not to the letter of the Fathers, to let ourselves be kindled at the flame of their fiery inspiration, not to gather specimens for a herbarium."

- Georges Florovsky, The Way of Russian Theology

To my mind, this quote expresses a concept that is key to our efforts in the New Evangelization. Sort of a spiritual "back to the future" concept, like Diak alluded to earlier!

What are your thoughts?

Gordo

Gordo,

Like all counsel and advice, it has to be put into the context of the situation it is being applied to. Some things never change, like the basic tenents of the faith and that would be for straight application. Then one must modify the advice for the current circumstance, and that would the spirit.

BTW, if you ever want to read some great cathecetical instruction, Read Saint John Chrysostom's Baptismal Instructions. These were written for those preparing for baptism.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

I was reading this weekend from a short article in "Life Transfigured, a journal of Orthodox nuns" vol. 37, 2, 2005. The article "Women mystics in the Orthodox Church" (p. 12) contained a wonderful image.

"The Orthodox Church has what might be called an integral type of mysticism, magnificently available to all who (according to a contemporary nun) "hold on to the garments of our fathers like little children, and never let go.""

A vivid image, of the Christian's journey, clinging to the garments of the fathers!

the unworthy,

Elias

That right there is the one thing that must be said and resaid: we are not making any of this stuff up out of the blue, rather, we are going back to the trunk of the tree since we seem to be nuts that fell off the tree of Faith.

Peace of Christ,
Nathan Augustine