Parallels
One notices that the internet provides an opportunity to see not everyone is the same. One quickly realises that not all Orthodox are the same… as painful a realisation as that might – or might not – be, depending on one’s mental state.
But one wonders if all the recent issues in ECUSA and RCC are not caused by the same thing – the sudden discovery that all the Anglican World, all the Catholic World is not the same. This discovery happens *any* time a local X leaves her parish and ventures out. “We do it right at home, why are you different?”
The assumption is always that “We do it right at home.” I see the same thing in political discussions, in theological ones… it’s kinda funny actually. Like an Orthodox Deacon said to me – several times – in any divorce you only meet the good party.
The internet brings this all home: you no longer need to go overseas to see that someone is different – or even to another diocese. You only have to turn on, sign in and geek out to see difference delivered right to your own home.
It’s quite a trip, man.
Category: church geekery
Discussion: You came too late to this party
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Unfortunately the internet also has several serious drawbacks. It is not simply that you can see various viewpoints. One can also see various very false and dangerous viewpoints. I am here thinking of the many internet urban legends that can range from utterly benign and silly to endangering someone’s life if the advice is followed.
One can also find almost any “conspiracy” theory on almost any subject. Because it is all offered on an equal basis, one cannot easily discriminate between the genuine and the “nutball.” The role of procedures like peer review, academic debate, confirmatory testing, etc. are bypassed leading to difficulties in discernment even for those who are naturally cautious.
Two examples from the last election are the Swift Boat Veterans, and (on the other side) the supposed “true” rumor that Bush was going to reinstate the draft. Evidence to the contrary, peer review, etc., did not matter, both were seen to be true, but were not. The amazing part was that once the election was over, no one commented on the now clear falsity of those two sets of internet rumors that crossed over into the media.
Finally, the supposed democratization of information on the Internet has also led to the ability for any small group to appear to be a larger group than it actually is, which can lead people to false conclusions about what is happening on almost any subject.
Do I use the Internet? Lots and lots and lots. Are news and commentary bloggers a good thing? Provided that they hold to some reasonable standards, YES. But I am also quite aware of the “damage” that has been done to the concept of “accuracy” and “science”, and several other fields by it.
Yes, although that’s not the point: the point being that if I think all Orthodox avoid using “Christmas Trees” because they are pagan… or only use oil lamps to light icons… all I need to do is go to thge net.
If I’ve been taught that all Episcopalians use the BCP, all I need to do is go to the net.
If I’ve been taught that no Orthodox Church has X Y or Z, all I need to do is go to the net.
If I’ve been taught that All Orthodox Everywhere – who do it right, anyway – do it like we do here at home… it only takes a couple of clicks to expose that fakery.
But, if I’m hyper-pious, clearly those folks over there are wrong.
LOL,
I would quite agree with you on what you posted. The good side of the Internet is that you can quickly “blow up” mistaken or false information by simply doing some reliable research. This is where the bloggers have been so good. The “anarchic mobs” of bloggers roaming the Internet have, more than once, uncovered falsity and misinformation.
Again, my experience in Orthodoxy has been so incredibly different than yours! The Orthodox that I have known here in Birmingham (Greek, ROCOR, OCA, Antiochian) have not expressed any of the sentiments you quote above. And yet, theologically, the Orthodox in Birmingham are quite conservative while socially being quite progressive.
Which, actually, confirms your point about looking outside one’s small area to see broader expressions of Orthodoxy (or whatever).
LOL, you are so right. There used to be this myth of “common prayer” in the Episcopal Church, suince we all use the same Book of Common Prayer. People thought there was som comfort in being able to go to any Episcopal Church and basically having the same liturgical experience. LOL… We knew some had smells and bells and chant, and some did not- but the words and basic actions were the same… Now all we have to do is go to the webpages of Trinity Wallstreet, St Gregory of Nyssa. SF, and Grace Cathedral to learn that the words aren’t even the same anymore.
We the pastors at Reconciler decided it would be a good idea to study the pilgrimage itinerary of the 4th century Egeria. It is interesting that she does not show this attitude that what they did at home was the right way and the way they did it everywhere else was wrong. She though almost at time reverses this sentiment: what she finds on her pilgrimage is better than what is done at home.
However the judgement seems to be very different than what you are describing. She recognizes difference and everything doesn’t need to be exactly the same but if difference shows a deficiency in practice in relation to Christian Truth she seems to wants the deficiency to be repaired, but without harsh judgement.
I don’t know Egeria just seemed to be a witness that there has always been difference within the Church but also a desire for practices of different parts of the Church to converge when there was a way that better expressed or more fully expressed the truth of the Church and the Gospel.
Egeria seems to witness to something beyond our seeming current need to just allow differences to multiply with out thought as if difference in and of itself is an absolute good, but it also shows that being concerned for that things are done properly and with some consistency across space and time can have little to do with one’s sense that “how we do it is correct.”
One last thought it really seems to me (and I say this as a crazy Protestant) Huw that the attitudes of Orthodox you are describing are as much a denial of Tradition as anyone intent on innovations and the newest way of worship we can invent.
Egeria! I couldn’t remember her name for the LIFE of me, at 2 AM this morning when I made this post. Thank you, Larry.
The internet makes it possible for all of us to be Egeria.
Don’t forget, before she left home she was worried that things would be different. It was her priest who said, “When in Rome…”
I confess that many of the attitudes I describe are – THANKFULLY – of limited scope, but yes, it seems I got in with the wrong sort. It’s not Orthodox at all. It’s sectarian. Most of the last year and a half I’ve been asking questions and realising the spectrum. Fr Ernesto has been most handy, poking me left right and center saying “WTF, you needed more ethnic clergy boy!” Of course, he was saying that to someone who had been trained with the sense that all ethnic clergy were nuts – by someone who is now under a whole bunch of ethnic clergy: ironies never end.
But you know… that’s kinda my point. Anglican, Orthodox, Lutheran, what the heck. Convert or Cradle – Christians: we’re all nuts together.
I’m actually happier having realised that. Of course: it makes me a protestant again, or rather, (c)atholic.
To repeat myself, the internet makes it possible for all of us to be Egeria. For most of my life I rather enjoyed being Egeria. I remember writing to a Christian band in London and sharing with them pictures of St Gregory’s and we all rejoiced together at the variety of gifts in the Body. Later I wasn’t so happy about variety.
Lord, have mercy.