“Brethren, see to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8)

 

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE was written three decades ago by a renowned, and now widely revered, priestmonk of the Russian Church Abroad.  Although it is therefore necessarily somewhat ‘dated’ in referring to people lost since departed this life, and to particular circumstances which are perhaps largely forgotten now, - readers will no doubt notice the very altered stand that the Church to which Fr Seraphim belonged (ROCA) has taken in the last few years - the fundamental teaching in this piece remains relevant to the contemporary situation in which Orthodox Christians find themselves today.  The astute reader will find that Fr Seraphim’s words are a concise and balanced exposition of the stance taken by Traditionalist Orthodox Christians now as then, and they will find much in what he has to say which will guide them through the sometimes torturous decisions that they have to make to remain faithful to the confession of faith made at their Baptism into Holy Orthodoxy.

The Royal Path:

 

True Orthodoxy in an Age of Apostasy

 

By the Ever-Memorable Father Seraphim of Platina,

the Twentieth-Fifth Anniversary of whose Repose

falls on 2nd September this Year.

 

THE HOUR of death will come upon us, it will come, and we shall not escape it.  May the prince of this world and of the air find our misdeeds few and petty when he comes, so that he will not have good grounds for convicting us.  Otherwise we shall weep in vain. “For that servant who knows his Lord’s will, and did not do it as a servant, shall be beaten with many stripes”  (cf. Lk. 12:47).

St. Hesychios the Priest

 

As the Fathers say, the extremes from both sides are equally harmful . . . (We must) go on the royal path, avoiding the extremes on both sides.

St. John Cassian, Conference II

 

Everyone who speaks contrary to what has been prescribed, even if he fasts, even if he is a virgin, even if he prophesies, even if he works miracles, you should see him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, who is contriving the destruction of the sheep.”

St Ignatius of Antioch