"St Augustine was a saint in the Orthodox Church until the 1960s."
Now, I'm aware that this statement was most likely not first uttered in 2009; however, that's when I first heard it. I'm equally aware that it may not be original with the person from whom I heard it; hence, no attribution.
Given those caveats, the truth contained within it captivates my imagination.
7 comments:
And what truth is contained in that statement?
If you find out why that is you should enlighten the rest of your readers. However, I think there is a Saint Augustine Antiochian parish in Denver, CO. It might be interesting to know if that parish was founded before the 1960s or not.
I have had the St Augustine is a saint argument more times then I care to remember. Once I was told, "He can't be an Orthodox saint, because saints don't make mistakes, and he did." I responded, "then there isn't much hope for any of us then."
It's more than a little true. Very in vogue these days to knock Augustine and quibble over venerable, blessed, sainted status.
I should point out that the person who made the "favorite quote" was speaking tongue-in-cheek; i.e., he was pointing out a current fad which, to my mind (and his as well) is not to be commended.
Anam,
The truth in the statement is that St Augustine has always been venerated and commemorated as an Orthodox saint; however, there is a certain school prevalent apparently in American Orthodoxy (since the 1960s, according to the quote) which at least grudgingly acknowledges this veneration while laying much of the ills of "western theology" at the feet of this saint. I surmise that, in some quarters, this denigration of St Augustine evinces a latent anti-Westernism and/or anti-Romanism.
Jake,
I'm familiar with St Augustine parish, and am good friends with the priest. The parish was founded after 1960 as an Old Catholic Church, and was received into Orthodoxy in the 1990s. This link may prove helpful.
Adam,
I too have had the same argument. No doubt you may know the following statement by Fr Patrick Henry Reardon.
Josephus,
I have always been amused at those who think it is a denigration to "bust" St Augustine to the status of the Blessed Virgin Mary. :)
Saint Augustine did make mistakes, but so did Gregory of Nyssa. Gregory's never really stuck in the life of the church, while Augustine's more or less became embeded in western theology. Though this is not true for all of them. Augustine for example took the Platonic line that there was a global or universal soul, which was not the Holy Spirit until his dying day.
I am a member of St. Augustine in Denver. Trust me, the parish is Orthodox and is in full communion with the other Orthodox parishes in the Denver area, Greek, Russian, etc.
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