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Friday, August 21, 2020

Returning Monarchy to the States

Orthodox Christianity has always been friendly towards hierarchy.  Monarchy in particular is seen as a reflection of the divine rule of God over His creation.  Even during the Roman persecutions, Christians did not call for overthrowing the heathen emperors:

     Tertullian (+ c. 240) employed a similar argument. “Anticipating Eusebius, he insisted that Christians rendered ‘such reverential homage as is lawful for us and good for him; regarding him as the human being next to God who from God has received all his power, and is less than God alone.’ Christians, Tertullian argued, were even perfectly willing to offer sacrifice on behalf of the emperor, though it had to be a Christian sacrifice: ‘We therefore sacrifice for the emperor’s safety, but to our God and his, and after the manner God has enjoined, in simple prayer.’ Pagan sacrifices are useless, the ‘food of devils’. Christians appeal to God, praying ‘for the imperial well-being, as those who seek it at the hands of Him who is able to bestow it.’.. Christians do just what the imperial cult demands, though in his own way.” In other words, the only legitimate sacrifice a Christian can make to the emperor is the sacrifice of prayer on his behalf; for he rules, not as a god, but “by the will of God”. So the Christians by no means refused to give to Caesar what was his. Indeed, the emperor was, in Tertullian’s words, “more truly ours (than yours) because he was put into power by our God”, which is why the Christians prayed that he should have “a long life, a safe empire, a quiet home, strong armies, a faithful senate, honest subjects, a world at peace”.

--Dr Vladimir Moss, http://orthodoxchristianbooks.com/articles/1019/-foundation-christian-political-theology/

It is true that some Christian writers did view some of the Roman emperors as tyrants, as types or foreshadowings of Antichrist and the Beast. 

 . . . Nevertheless, it was the more optimistic view of Rome as the true kingdom that prevailed. And the loyal attitude of the Christians to Rome is demonstrated by the fact that even during the persecution of Diocletian, when the Church was threatened with extinction, the Christians never rebelled against the empire, but only against the unlawful demands of the emperors. And in reward for this patience, the Lord finally broke the crust of ancient pagan despotism, bringing to birth a new creature designed specifically for the spreading of the Faith throughout the world – the Roman Christian Autocracy, or New Rome…

--Ibid.

Dr Moss continues with words that are relevant here in the States, where most are quite proud of having cast off what they consider the ‘tyranny’ of a king:

     Since that time [i.e., the conversion of the Roman Empire under St Constantine the Great], as St. Seraphim of Sarov taught, the first duty of all Orthodox Christians, after faithfulness to Orthodoxy, is loyalty to the Orthodox Christian Autocrat – in his time, the Russian Tsar [Moscow inherited the Imperial Throne after the fall of Constantinople/New Rome in 1453 to the Turks.].

     “In explaining how good it was to serve the Tsar,” wrote the saint’s friend, Nicholas Motovilov, “and how much his life should be held dear, he gave as an example Abishai, David’s war-commander.

    “’Once,’ said Batyushka Seraphim, ‘to satisfy the thirst of David, he stole in to a spring in view of the enemy camp and got water, and, in spite of a cloud of arrows released at him from the enemy camp, returned to him completely unharmed, bringing the water in his helmet. He had been saved from the cloud of arrows only because of his zeal towards the King. But when David gave an order, Abishai replied: “Only command, O King, and everything will be done in accordance with your will.” But when the King expressed the desire to take part himself in some bloody deed to encourage his warriors, Abishai besought him to preserve his health and, stopping him from participating in the battle, said: “There are many of us, your Majesty, but you are one among us. Even if all of us were killed, as long as you were alive, Israel would be whole and unconquered. But if you are gone, then what will become of Israel?”…’

   “Batyushka Fr. Seraphim loved to explain himself at length, praising the zeal and ardour of faithful subjects to the Tsar, and desiring to explain more clearly how these two Christian virtues are pleasing to God, he said:

    “’After Orthodoxy, these are our first Russian duty and the chief foundation of true Christian piety.’

     “Often from David he changed the subject to our great Emperor [Nicholas I] and for hours at a time talked to me about him and about the Russian kingdom, bewailing those who plotted evil against his August Person. Clearly revealing to me what they wanted to do, he led me into a state of horror; while speaking about the punishment prepared for them from the Lord, and in confirmation of his words, he added:

    “’This will happen without fail: the Lord, seeing the impenitent spite of their hearts, will permit their undertakings to come to pass for a short period, but their illness will turn upon their heads, and the unrighteousness of their destructive plots will descend upon them. The Russian land will be reddened with streams of blood, and many noblemen will be killed for his great Majesty and the integrity of his Autocracy: but the Lord will not be wroth to the end, and will not allow the Russian land to be destroyed to the end, because in it alone will Orthodoxy and the remnants of Christian piety be especially preserved.

--Ibid.

For throwing off our legitimate ruler, King George III of England; for undermining Christian hierarchy in general; and being quite prideful and unrepentant about all of this, a mass of demonic energy has been building in the States.  The violent Marxist riots in many of them are the natural outcome, just as they were in Russia and France.  Monarchy is not a cure-all for our societal woes, but its restoration is a necessary part of the repentance the peoples of the States must undergo if they wish to reestablish anything resembling a Christian society within their respective boundaries.

--

Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

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