Letters of Fr. Seraphim Rose 2

Letters of Fr. Seraphim Rose

122. April 8/21,1973. Lazarus Saturday

Dear Father Ioannikios,

Blagoslovite!

Thank you for remembering us poor sinners. The subscription has been entered for the slave of God Constantine. May God hear his prayer and grant him the true grace of repentance!

We feel deficient in our desire to keep in closer contact with you in your very difficult path. It seems there are many who do not appreciate the labors of the fathers at Jordanville and “know better” how they should labor. May God guard us all in fruitful labors wherever we may be, but not to intrude on the good labors of others!

Apparently Fr. Lev is more or less in charge of Orthodox Life? Is anyone in Jordanville watching closely what he prints? We have in mind in particular the possibility of Metr. Anthony’s unacceptable ideas on the “Dogma of Redemption” being included in the series of articles by him. Hopefully they will not be. I made a report on this subject to Fr. Panteleimon in Seattle recently, and he at least saw some of the difficulties and said he didn’t have any chance to print anything like this anyway in the conceivable future (despite the fact that The Old Calendarist says so!). 

But Fr. Lev seems to be a rather independent operator. May God grant him good fruits—but we doubt that he’s aware of this issue!

What do you think of Nikodemos? Did the article on “evolution” bother you in the last issue? It didn’t us, but our Greeks seem a little upset over it. May God grant that there will not be unnecessary quarrels over points open to some personal opinion, among laborers in the true Orthodox mission field today! We try to be in harmony with everyone as best we can, but are frank when we feel it necessary. Frs. Panteleimon and Neketas don’t much like Tsar Constantine and Blessed Augustine in the calendar, but thanks be to God, they are peaceful about it and I hope got the point that we don’t want to take the authority of dropping anyone until we have good reason from the Russian sources to do so.

We are supposed to be helping Vladimir Anderson prepare for the priesthood. But please tell us precisely what it is that he can get by going to Jordanville for the summer or part of the summer. Is there some regular course now or tutoring in English language? (which we doubt.) Or is he supposed to go there only to pass tests on the books in Russian you indicated to him? (which his daughter can’t translate). In any case, we have started giving him some lessons (beginning with liturgies) and will proceed depending on what we hear from you. We will be glad to take quite a bit of rime with him. We have a feeling that Vladika Anthony’s idea of “sending him to Jordanville” is a little vague—?

Laurence Campbell has just joined us and asks that you send the remaining number of Orthodox Life on his subscription to our address. Please pray for us, that we may be able to proceed truly in the spirit of Blessed Paisius! You are the first to comment on our printing his Life—but it is time, isn’t it?

We greet you in advance with the Paschal greeting and beg your prayers. Please give our greetings to Father Vladimir, who has gladdened us with his recent letters.

With love in Christ our Saviour,

Seraphim, monk

with greetings from Father Herman and Brother Laurence