St. Raphael on Anglicanism
This is a fascinating chapter in the history of Western Rite Orthodoxy and Antiochian Orthodox jurisdiction. St. Raphael of Brooklyn, the Arab hierarch who served in America under the Russian Orthodox Church (originally the only recognised jurisdiction in this land), had allowed isolated Orthodox to receive ministrations (apparently including the sacraments) from Episcopalian clergy. He made these provisions (operational only under extraordinary circumstances) because a number of high-church Anglican clergy had represented to him how they were essentially the same as the Eastern Orthodox.
In this fascinating missive, St. Raphael says he changed his mind after a deep study of the liturgy found in the Book of Common Prayer. That, and increased study of Anglican history and dogma, convinced him that the church was little different from other Protestant denominations. Subsequently, he reversed his decision and forbade any Orthodox to receive Episcopalian ministrations.
A standing committee of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod decided, in 1904, that the Anglican liturgy was unsuitable for Orthodox usage. Now we have an Antiochian hierarch, St. Raphael, saying that his study of the Book of Common Prayer eucharistic service led him to the conclusion that Orthodox people should not attend such services, nor receive ministrations from Anglican clergy.
The Roman rite, on the other hand, has never fallen under such strictures or reprobation, seeing that it was put together not by haters of Orthodoxy but by Saints of Orthodoxy. Therein lies a great distinction.
By the way, I saw that there was a celebration, in Australia, in 2007, of the 100th Anniversary of the Approval of the Book of Common Prayer Rite by the Russian Orthodox Church. We know that in 1904 the church committee decided that rite was unsuited for use by Orthodox Christians because it was so written as to be “bland and colourless” (were, I think, the words used) in its confessional contents, that is, to be acceptable in its bare content both to historic Christian belief and to Protestant belief.
by Monk Aidan of Austin from Occidentalis Yahoo! Group Post No. 12111
Does this mean that the Antiochian Western Rite Vicarite possesses some hidden wisdom over that of the learned, repentant and holy Saint Raphael Hawaweeny (commemorated by the Church of Antioch on the 1st Saturday in November)? Since there are plenty of constructive criticisms found on the Occidentalis and OrthodoxWest forums and of late on the Not Quite Rite and Western Rite Critic blogs about the ill-adoption of a clearly Heterodox liturgical form, I will save our readers from any rehashed rewrites about this.
But what I don’t understand is: If these “converts” in the AWRV are Orthodox why do so many of them (who maintain online publications) always have a long list of links to various Anglican (duh!) and Monophysite (read: Orthodox heresy) websites? One of the leading AWRV champions maintains the Western Orthodoxy blog. Take a look at his links, then look at his friends’ links on their pages. Makes one wonder who is more credible: these good people in “Official” Orthodoxy or the sincere Orthodox people they themselves criticize?
Anyway! Here we have the words of the saintly hierarch from among the Antiochians while serving under the Russian (and only) Archdiocese in America. Is the “Self-Ruled” Antiochian Church so desperate for an increase of its numbers that their local Synod would tolerate an Anglican sect within her Church? Having ignored their own saintly hierarch’s words, She has introduced a disease that will either and eventually do great harm to her or She will be forced someday to purify Herself of this American Western Rite Vileness. The AWRV has done nothing to advance a genuine Western Orthodox Witness and is an embarrassment to those of us who care more about Orthodoxy and its authentic Western Rite for the salvation of souls no matter how few they may be!
Read the Epistle of St. Raphael:
St. Raphael on Anglicanism
-Monk Symeon di Siracusa
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