Holy Scripture and The Church - Part III

Written in 1914, this treatise by St. Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop in Russia martyred by the Soviet Communists, is especially helpful in our days when there is so much misunderstanding regarding the place of Holy Scripture in Christian life and the nature of the Church that wrote, taught, and preserved these Scriptures. St. Hilarion shows in various ways the approach that non-Orthodox, especially Protestants, take towards Scripture is misguided and leads to tragic results for their souls. Divorcing the Bible from the Church (i.e. Sola Scriptura and versions of it) and assuming one can interpret it properly apart from the Body of Christ, which is guided by the Holy Spirit, is the height of arrogance and one can clearly see the divisive results today.This treatise also demonstrates the fallacies of modern “higher criticism,” sometimes even employed by the Orthodox, and how one can rightly orient themselves toward Christ and His revelation. Scripture can only serve its purpose inside the Church; the Church wrote Scripture, determined its canon, and interprets it faithfully, and no one outside the Church has rights to it. Often critics of the Orthodox Church say we disparage and ignore Scripture. This is absolutely false: we value Scripture so highly that we preserved it for centuries, have in-depth commentaries on it, and most importantly, the very words of Scripture comprise the majority of our worship services. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find more Scripture-saturated worship than that of the Orthodox Church. Anyone with ears to hear will come away with new questions and a new way of understanding life as a Christian, or a deeper understanding of what they already live in their daily lives. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” –Apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:15)If you have benefitted from this recording, please share it with others who might be open to hearing this essential message.“Christ did not write anything. It seems that if one reflects enough on this fact, one can somewhat understand the very essence of the work of Christ.” –St. Hilarion“Today we ever more frequently run up against this kind of reasoning: ‘We read such and such in Holy Scripture. The Church teaches differently. So the Church is wrong.’ All kinds of sectarians monotonously chant in this manner ad nauseam. There are even those who echo these ideas while calling themselves Christians, that is, they have adopted incomprehensible arrogance in their attitude toward the Church, placing themselves far above her…. Scripture belongs to the Church, but heretics are not Christians and have no right to Christian Scripture. The Church can ask the heretics: ‘Who are you? You are not of my own; what are you doing here? It is my property. I have long possessed it. I trace my foundation from the authors themselves, to whom the Scripture belongs. I am the heir of the Apostles. As for you, they have, it is certain, always held you as disinherited, and rejected you as strangers, as enemies.’ The truth we have sought to substantiate is not new, but it should be reiterated in the twentieth century, because although it has been repeatedly verified by history, it is now quite often forgotten.” –St. HilarionHoly Hieromartyr Hilarion, pray for God for us!This text can be found here: http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/saint...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!