Church, World, Mission: Reflections on Orthodoxy and the West

by Alexander Schmemann

The questions raised in this collection of essays pertain to a wide range of history, theology, liturgy, canonical order, the ecumenical movement, and mission. One underlying question, from which they all stem and to which they all ultimately refer, gives them an inner unity and What is the destiny of the Orthodox Church in this second half of the twentieth century, in a world and culture radically different from those that shaped the Orthodox mentality, thought-forms and life-styles of the past? Witty, provocative, Church, World, Mission is essential reading for all interested in the role of Orthodoxy in the world today. Father Alexander Schmemann (†1983) was a prolific writer, brilliant lecturer, and dedicated I Believe...

Genres: Theology, History

227 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 1997

About the author

Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann was a prominent Eastern Orthodox theologian and priest of the Orthodox Church in America.

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still find Fr. Schmemann's vision of Orthodox to be the most exhilarating one that exists. He brings to life the Liturgy of the Church. Unfortunately, he was a fringe thinker in his day and now his vision is almost extinguished from Orthodoxy. I would have left the Orthodox Church long ago if not for Fr. Schmemann. He made it clear that the Kingdom of God was central to the Liturgy, to the kerygma of the Church, to its structure and beliefs about itself. Today, what becomes central to Orthodoxy is the past, the received tradition, the desire to carry on Russian or Greek or whatever ethnic tradition. Whereas Orthodoxy in history showed a dynamism and creativity in its Liturgy, that slowly died out and the Church became ever increasingly a preserver of the past, so much so that Orthodoxy appears and even becomes petrified, ossified and moribund. Repeating past formulas, preserving ethnic or liturgical traditions, unconcerned about why those traditions began, how they replaced earlier traditions, how they changed over time for many reasons, some good, some historical, some because a form of thought began to dominate in the church ("the west", monasticism, etc).

The book also has some "dated" elements to it. Schmemann thought of the OCA's autocephaly as a coming storm that would sweep into modern Orthodoxy and challenge old ways of thinking. That storm either never came ashore or blew out to sea. What is unfolding in the current episcopal assemblies is far more a cobbling together of canons, "old world" concerns and loyalties, and a process based on avoiding controversy or conflict. The autocephaly is far more today a mosquito - annoying to be sure, but not of much threat to the staid order.

[Marcas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Profound and faithfully challenging, typical Schmemann!

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these essays were average. Others were incredibly profound and thought-provoking. Regardless, Schmemann offers important challenges to both Eastern and Western Church traditions. I loved it.

[Радостин Марчев · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много ясно представяне на някои от най-важните теми в творчеството на Шмеман - без значение дали човек е съглсен или несъгласен с него.