The Bond That must not

Other articles affected by this particular article... You may wish to read them first:

In my early years as a bishop, an elderly Priest told me a story about Jesus Christ and that the Biblical account of the stoning of the woman named Mary Magdalene was an allegorical one. He said that the Biblical account had a deeper meaning and further, "..the truth of the Biblical account has much to do with repentance and confession, something the Church later used as the basis for that which we call 'Seals of the Confessional".

For some heinous crimes Jewish law inflicted death by stoning. Under this punishment fell such crimes as idolarty (Deut. 12:10-11; 17:5-7), blasphamy (Lev. 24:14, 23), the profanation of the Sabbath (Num. 15:35, 36), contumacious rebellion against one's parents (Deut. 22:21). Stoning is the only method of execution that is explicityly established. It was probably used also in other crimes for which unspecified capital punishment was the punishment. The witnesses who had testified against the guilty one had also to throw the first stones, and then all the others present (Deut. 17:7; also see Jn. 8:7).

For not having observed the ban against Jericho, Achan was condemned to be stoned (Josh. 7:25). Jesus was often accused of blasphemy and of profaning the Sabbath and was therefore threatened with stoning (Jn. 8:59; 10:31-33; 11:8). Stephen was also accused of blasphemy and executed by stoning (Acts 7:55-60) while Paul escaped different attempts to stone him (Acts 14:19; 2Cor. 11:25). Jesus saved a woman caught in the act of adultery from the punishment of stoning (Jn. 8:1-8). And it is to this (Jn. 8:1-8) that we are referring for she is believed to have been, by some accounts, Mary Magdalene.

The elderly priest told me that this story has far reaching meaning. In the tradition he came from he said that the woman had afterwards told all her sins to Jesus and it was then, without anyone being present, that he forgave her and told her not to sin again. "This" the elderly priest said to me, "is the basis for the seals of the confessional from which the Church today does not observe it wholeheartedly.

He further said that in the some parts of the early church, if someone needed to go to confession, it was rather that he or she would stand before the congregation and admit their sins. It was the Priest who would give the penance and the congregation who would provide the forgiveness. Yet, in other parts or jurisdictions of the Church, the Seals of the Confessional were applied to the Penitent who went to only the priest. But as time went on in many other jurisdictions of the church where confession was before the congregation, it became necessary to stop the wagging tongues of gossipers who were causing trouble for a confessant by telling the confessions that had been made before the congregation now became a public scandal.

The Seals of the Confessional therefore has its historical roots in Jesus Christ, it would appear. And, as a result, has been a primary pillar of the One, Holy, Orthodox, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The very Church which many in various Protestant denominations, abhor and reject as though the baby with the bath-water has been thrown out the window.

This is one of the very bonds that unite those who are truly struggling faith in understanding and acting according to the ancient norms of the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles, the Seven Ecumenical Councils and Holy Mysteries which are not limited to just seven sacraments.

Any clergyman who breaks such a bond, such a Pillar of the Church, is automatically anathematized. Any clergyman who negates the Seals of the Confessional of another clergyman who heard the confession of penitents, anathematizes himself for casting aspersion such rancor and causing scandal upon the church's stronghold or pillar.

Some Protestant denominations do not hold to those sacred mysteries and do not even understand them whatsoever. Yet, in their denunciation of other clergyman who have and do hold true to their faith, takes upon themselves the same sin as the penitent for they have blasphemed God, the Holy Spirit. And, there is the crux of all faiths for the Holy Spirit is honored and glorified by all denominations of mainline Protestantism.

Christ's death and resurrection is about our salvation. It is about our struggle out of pain of heart for that which He provided us. He trampled down death and arose to New Life... a Life that we too can and will share in if we abide by the very faith (teachings) He gave us and the Holy Spirit imbued in those who were ordained or consecrated to His service with all that is held as holy and honorable.

When the Pope takes such an oath at his investiture as the Bishop of Rome, the Patriarch of the Roman jurisdiction of the Catholic Church of the West; such an oath accepts all that is held as being the true Pillars of the Church which includes and supports a primary pillar such as the Seals of the Confessional upon which a faithful supplicant can be given the balm of healing for sins committed in order for true repentance through confession and forgiveness is supposed to be provided. A Bishop who fails to take that oath is not honor bound to all that previous bishops had held to, including the breaking of any of the pillars of the Roman Church Catholic.

As a result of such lack of taking the oath all manner of harm is done to the faith. Take a look a victims and supposed or alleged victims of the recent sex scandal. Now there are those organizations established for their idea of justice against clergy who have committed sexual abuse. This, along with many Protestant based organizations have, by their actions on taking action against a cardinal, fail and refuse to understand the operation of the Seals of the Confessional as though they have no belief in or follow the practice of repentance and forgiveness either for themselves or others.

Such has brought about laws in, at least, some states of the U.S.A whereby families have little control to apply familial punishment without finding themselves victims of their children who can file false charges against the parents.

Some of those laws, and most of them, involve allegations of physical punishment, of sexual abuse when may be none have happened. But the cost to families who have little to no financial backing in order to be properly represented by an aggressive lawyer not paid for by the State (a public defender) or an advocate for the adults, leaves much to be desired. Even such laws that were once, by Federal standards, were to have allotted sexual offenders into three categories of HIGH, MEDIUM, and LOW risk has caused for some states to lump them altogether whereby the punishment of prison is now a prisoner in one's own home.

Father Seraphim Rose was indeed correct... What Russia had come out of, the U.S.A. is going toward rather quickly. The Evil One has infected men and women, even children with a false pride, a vanity of self and a worship that is not of God or to God but to self and man.

The Seals of the Confessional would seem to appear to be something to be set aside by some, as seen by recent group attitudes where forgiveness cannot and will not be given in some instances. A murderer has more 'rights' than others and after serving his or her time behind the prison walls, after probation or parole, has a more complete freedom than others... This is unwieldy justice and a slap against the very foundations of the roots of our faith established by Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles, ancient councils (Seven) and Patristic fathers.

While the Papal Oath is truly Orthodox and is an oath most Orthodox Bishops take upon their consecration through the First, Second and Third Confessions of Faith... it must be understood that some jurisdictions of the Catholic Faith (Church) are departing from such in such a way whereby the bond or hinges of the faith are being destroyed. The Death of Jesus Christ, His Resurrection, the oath, and even the Seals of the Confessional are all bound together in our established doctrines and beliefs. Without one of them, everything falls apart and the destruction of that which Jesus Christ gave to us through the Holy Apostles, Seven Ecumenical Councils and Patristic Fathers, leads to unholy beliefs, pagan beliefs... beliefs such as are already a part of those who are anti-catholic and many who are anti-christian.

Those who remain faithful to the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles, the Seven Ecumenical Councils and Patristic Fathers are true strugglers out of pain of heart and it is to them we must truly submit ourselves in spirit and truth!

Keep Up-To-Date by clicking on:

Quotes from Metropolitan Archbishop +Joseph Thaddeus, SSJt., Ph.D. Continuously updated

If You have a question that you wish to ask, please feel free to submit it. However, may it be suggested that you review all previous questions for the Month and also the Archive of questions previously asked for your question may have already been answered.

Click Here For Archive Quotes

Click Here for AOC HISTORY PAGES

Irvine Community Church (Canada)

Where the Faith of the People is a living faith

as given by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles and Patristic Fathers.

Archbishop +David Francis (Wigley), OOFM

Liturgy: Tikhon Liturgy

An American Orthodox Church Mission to Canada and member of the Holy Synod of Bishops

of the

AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

(North American Orthodox Church, American Orthodox Catholic Church)

Our Newest Member to Apostle1.com

Western Orthodox Church in America (WOCA)

Where the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ is bound up in His Love.

To Have the Love of Jesus Christ is to abide by His Life and Teachings.

There is no other way... The Church does not conform to the World,

The World must conform to the Church...