parresia

First Council

On "In-fighting."

An issue has been raised.

If Orthodox tradition and doctrine regarding the nature of the true church was as clear as they claim it to be, there would be no controversy over who has jurisdiction in America. Moreover, the in-fighting reveals the same sins of pride and lack of love toward one's brother that are manifest in many Protestant factions.

It seems that Scripture itself tells of "In-fighting" that did not result in, nor lead to an invalidation of Apostolicity. In Acts 15 we read:

Acts 15
1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoeni'cia and Sama'ria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses."
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

Reading the passage in full is highly recommened, for one sees a very close resemblence with the manner in which the Ecumenical Councils were held.

That aside, my original intention for bringing out Acts 15 was to respond to the first part of the comment,

"If Orthodox tradition and doctrine regarding the nature of the true church was as clear as they claim it to be, there would be no controversy over who has jurisdiction in America."

It seems to me that on an issue as important as whether or not Gentile converts must be circumsized for salvation and how the role of Jewish tradition must be, or must be avoided in the life of Gentile converts, that the Apostles (of all people) would have had no controversy amongst themselves as to the answer. But what we read is much different. We read that there was indeed a need for a debate-- indeed a need for the Church's first Council. I would posit from this, and from the squabble between Peter and Paul, found elsewhere in Scripture, that "in-fighting" does not necessarily lead one to conclude that the Church is not operating properly, or that the Church is somehow illequipped, or worse, bogus.

Responding to the second portion,

"Moreover, the in-fighting reveals the same sins of pride and lack of love toward one's brother that are manifest in many Protestant factions"

I would argue that, again, "in-fighting," if that's what is happening in the Orthodox discussion of American autonomy, does not lead one to conclude, based on Acts 15 and Peter and Paul's differences, that the source is necessarily "sins of pride" or a "lack of love." It is important to reiterate that these discussions amongst the Orthodox are "in house" debates, literally. I think this changes the tenor of the juxtaposition, since in Protestantism, by contrast, when a new denomination is formed it is usually on account of differences in doctrine or practice thought to be so important, and the differences so great, that communion in the same church is no longer considered tenable. This is simply not the case in American Orthodoxy.

Posted by jeremy stock at April 19, 2002 09:54 AM