A Manhattan … through Rose Colored Glasses

A Manhattan … through Rose Colored Glasses August 11, 2010

Critics of the Manhattan Declaration — specifically those believing “members of communions other than their own should not be considered Christian” — are taken to task by S.M. Hutchens in a TOUCHSTONE editorial (Mar/Apr ’10, pp.3-4) wherein he quotes, among others, Father Seraphim Rose:

“We should view the non-Orthodox as people to whom Orthodoxy has not yet been revealed, as people who are potentially Orthodox (if only we ourselves would give them a better example). There is no reason why we cannot call them Christians and be on good terms with them, recognize that we have at least our faith in Christ in common, and live in peace especially in our own families. St Innocent’s attitude toward the Roman Catholics in California is a good example for us. A harsh, polemical attitude is called for only when the non-Orthodox are trying to take away our flocks or change our teachings. (Cited in Damascene Christensen, Not of this World: The Life and Teachings of Fr Seraphim Rose, p.758.)

Interesting.

Nice quote.

But would Fr Seraphim Rose have signed the Manhattan Declaration?

Heh! Who knows?

(I’m sure many of you answered that question definitively in your own mind — but the tally, in my mind, is still too close to call :).

For further consideration:

Rose

Manhattan

TOUCHSTONE

This just in!


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