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Rev. Fr. George Morelli, Ph.D., A.B.P.N. OCAMPR EJournal, Volume II Number 1 (March 2004)
Fr. Nicholas Graff (2003) has touched on the seemingly complex contradiction of the Church as the Body of Christ. She is both transcendent (glorious and resurrected) and existentially wounded, with the concomitant, "pain and suffering of the broken and fragmented. In as much as we have to work out our own salvation in this existential world, it behooves us to heal our wounds. With Christ as the model, the "One and True Healer of souls and bodies" Fr Nicholas suggests three modes of healing: Mutuality, Fidelity and Trust.
Indeed it appears that Fr. Nicholas has identified three important theological pillars of the healing process. Examination of his conception of each of these "environs" as he calls them, indicate how central they are to "orthodoxy" Mutuality defined as "shared standards and language", Fidelity defined by our "commitment to the Dogma, Holy Traditions, and Canons of the Holy Church and Trust, described as a ballet involving complex moves including vulnerability.
These "environs" and the issues they raise require not a paper but an entire program. Fr. Nicholas, in discussing Mutuality questions if the antiquated cultural topologies and forms of Orthodoxy are able to find a compatible language (to foster healing) in Contemporary America. This excellent question cries out for developing an answer. An answer, however would be hard fought. First there would have to be agreement on which cultural topologies and forms of Orthodoxy are "antiquated" versus essential; then only could we move on to discussion of what is essential Orthodox Contemporary American language. This alone might be a theme for a Conference and surely a major issue for some future Pan-Orthodox ecumenical council.
A similar perspective would have to be addressed when examining Fidelity. Our clear lines, are indeed non-negotiable. The relation between these clear lines and existential issues that make up the contemporary world is where problems ensue. For example clearly the Orthodox Church condemns abortion as intrinsically wrong. Life begins at conception. This is basic incarnational theology. Now let's take an issue I discussed at length with Fr John Breck (J. Breck, personal communications, 1989-1991) during several personal communications. Fr John raised the question that the moment of conception may not be as clear cut as previously thought. In the case of twins, a single identical twins a single fertilized egg begins a splitting process. (One, two, four eight etc.) According to the traditional view, this would be a single human person. However up to several hours later the single ball of cells that make up this person, (in cases of twin development) itself splits in two, each of which continue development into two individual persons. Although conception of a single person occurred at fertilization, "individuation" can occur later in time. This type of unexpected finding challenges us to the arduous task of incorporating this information into Orthodox theology and its ethical and moral consequences. Fr Nicholas invites us to quite a challenge. The issues Fr Nicholas suggests, "misogyny, sexism, racism, elitism, anti Semitism, homophobia etc." seem equally complex. I believe along with Fr. Nicholas, that as Christians, anointed by the Holy Spirit at our baptism, we are required to take on this task.
Trust, states Fr. Nicholas, is so important. He views it as the greatest value
necessary for healing. He indicates that one must first become vulnerable
in order to trust. Trust and vulnerability are the most psychological of
environs fostering the healing of the relational heart of the community.
One challenge for Orthodoxy will be to relate theological moral issues such
as free will with psychobiological determination. It behooves us at this
point to find out what scientific research psychology suggests about these
processes. Psychological researchers have focused both on the developmental
basis of trust and the fostering of trust in later life. To cite one example,
Malatesta and Wilson (1988), based on discrete-emotions analysis of attachment,
have suggested avoidant behavior revolves around a fear/anger axis. The
efficacy of Cognitive-behavioral interventions in treating fear (anxiety)
and anger have been well established. (O'Leary & Wilson, 1987) Interventions
from cognitive restructuring to graduated exposure have been used in such
treatment. Thus the healing ministry in the contemporary church has this
tool, used in mutuality and with fidelity to foster the relational heart
of the community. I do caution however that scientific psychology should
not be trivialized by pop psychology or psychology that is actually armchair
philosophy. Some time ago, Bandura (1969) warned clinicians and researchers
"Theoretical models of dubious validity [e.g. Adler, Freud, Jung, Rogers]
persist largely because they are not stated in refutable form….psychodynamic
explanations in terms of symptom-underlying disorder become superfluous."
The integrity of Christ's healing ministry, therefore should not be contaminated
by such approaches. Let us use as Fr Nicholas so aptly states, true mutuality,
true faith and my caveat of true psychology in the spirit in St. Paul's
letter to the Phillipians (4:8): "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever
is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things."
In as much as the questions raised by Fr. Nicholas cut to the core of the Orthodox
faith in terms of how it is to be practiced in the modern world, it behooves
all, to heed his warning that we should be quick to question and slow to
answer. Sincere, Spirit inspired questioning can lead us maintain the faith
given to us by Christ and avoid contamination of our faith and practice
by secularist and "politically correct" misconceptions. Indeed this is the
challenge.
REFERENCES
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