There is amusing meme bouncing around Facebook that plays on St. Nicholas’ defense of Orthodoxy against Arianism during the first Ecumincal Council (325): he punch-uated this defense by striking Arius in the face. Both Christ and His Mother confirmed the righteousness of his action when they restored him to his episcopal dignity (the Emperor St. Constantine had stripped him of this dignity to preserve order after the attack).
I do not advocate violence in the face of heresy, but I wonder if we even have the visceral revulsion to blasphemy (violations of truth) that Saint Nicholas had. No, that’s not true: I know very few people who feel it in their gut when lies are told about who Christ is. I think we have lost something important.
Why is it important? Because we need good and true instincts to be holy. We have this idea that we make moral decisions in our heads: that is wrong. Our brains are just the PR department of our instincts. Our guts make the decision, then the mind kicks in to explain why that decision was the right one (to include a sort of kangaroo court that provides a veneer or “rationality” to the process; see Jonathan Haidt’s work to learn more). If our instincts are not correct, our minds will end up defending bad decisions. And it gets uglier if you are an academic or armchair theologian: if you have read a lot of books or blogs) about Orthodoxy you will end up using the words in those books to defend yourself (this was one of Nicholas Taleb’s points in The Black Swan). And when I say “you”, I mean me, too. I am the first of sinners (but so are you).
What is the solution? Reading more books (or blogs; even this one!) won’t do it. Three things will: kenosis, Orthopraxis, and community.
- Kenosis (and hesychasm) will help by removing our attachment to our own opinions. As we achieve this, we will be able to approach issues more objectively.
- Traditional Orthopraxis will help by training our instincts. Don’t forget to do the things that our fallen society deems unreasonable (like kissing priests hands, prostrations, tithing).
- Community, to include fellowship with Tradition (“giving the saints a vote”, to paraphrase Chesterton), provides the next essential step in moral discernment.
Alas, this will take some effort and time. In the meantime, a bit of humility might help. Don’t assume that you are playing Nicholas in Nicea… your fallen psychology may well have you in the role of Arius!
