Aphorisms















5 Why you should go to Church

Attend a Church, and do so for the following reasons. In the aftermath of Christ's ascension, two paths were chosen by those who remained behind: become a part of the Church in order to preserve the knowledge and memory of Christ; or, take to the desert and attempt to purge away all of the world's influence in order thereby to be close to God and close to Christ. Obviously, because Jesus was at that time in the eternal world, then escaping this one was the sensible, if, that is, being with him were to be important.

The liturgical year celebrated by the Orthodox Church, which has aimed always to retain the intitial conditions of the church set up in Christ's wake, keeps hold of traditions and memories which stretch back to the time of Christ. Effectively, without the Church, the memory and tradition of Christians would disappear. Therefore, keep that memory alive by supporting your Church.

It is possible to be a Christian while ignoring the established and hierarchical church, confused with worldly power as it necessarily developed to become. This is the path of the monk. Yet I doubt that you, reader, can be a true monk or ascetic. And even were it possible to lead the life of a desert ascetic, you would still owe to the Church the teaching and learning in spirituality which you have needed. So support your Church.

The Church is not for private devotion and personal prayer. Ideally, we recognise our friends there, and share in a public devotion. Even the tradition of asceticism and the working out of sin in extreme inner experience eventually runs up against the problem that Christ and human being are essentially in need of experiencing love, and working alongside other people.



Design Jason Powell, 2020.