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Christianity Today, May, 2008 |

CHRISTIAN VISION PROJECT

The Poverty of Love

The desert fathers and mothers would know instantly why our gospel is too small.

Bradley Nassif | posted 4/30/2008 08:33AM

The last few decades, more and more evangelicals have been mining the treasures of Eastern Orthodoxy. One reason for their openness is the work of people like Bradley Nassif, professor of biblical and ...

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Pro	Posted: May 09, 2008 11:46 PM

Truly never before has the cross of each person who wants to be a true Christian been as heavy as in this time of the triumph of falsehood which we are experiencing. Never before on this earth has there been such a huge number of people who freely and easily, without any shame, without any pangs of conscience "call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20). - Archbishop Averky of Syracuse

Kon	Posted: May 09, 2008 6:50 AM

Mr Nassif says 'The desert was the front line of spiritual warfare—as in the Bible, a place of testing and death. It was where the heart was purified, the passions conquered, sin destroyed, and humanity renewed.' Funny that, I thought that happened on the cross where our Lord died. Mr Nassif, you not only do not have a small gospel, you and your church do not have a gospel at all! The only true gospel is one that saves. I also write as one who knows the Orthodox church quite well. I grew up in it, left it, returned to it as a believer, so much wanting it to be right, but then left it for good.

Agyei-Manu Elvis

Posted: May 08, 2008 1:54 PM


I just need to be respected as a christian, teach me to attain this desire. Please, consider this my request very ,very, important.

Uriel

Posted: May 05, 2008 8:34 PM


God's purpose for humanity is Christlikeness. Here is the balanced Christian life: We are redeemed, healed and elevated so that we can influence others to pursue the same the goal: Christlikeness.

Oh No

Posted: May 04, 2008 10:52 PM

In other words, the closer one gets to God, the MORE one is aware of one's own sins. This awareness leads to a consciousness that is characterized in "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5) in the OT and "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (St. Paul in 1 Tim. 1:15) in the NT. The greatest Saints (including the Fathers and Mothers of the Desert) passed from this world with this type of conciousness, the very fruit of the Gospel and the mark of their holiness and Christ-likedness.

Oh No

Posted: May 04, 2008 6:14 PM

Granny Fran, I'm troubled by your self prescribed solution based on your reading of Nassif's reading of the Desert Fathers: "I need to deny my flesh and affirm my spirit." The spiritual warfare of the Desert Fathers is more like this:"The Holy Spirit shows him all his inner poverty and weakness, and the corruption of his heart and soul, and his separation from God. To be brief, the Holy Spirit shows him everything as it really is. Then a person begins to have true humility, begins to lose hope in his own powers and virtues, regards himself as the worst of men. And when a person humbles himself before Jesus Christ,he begins to repent truly, and resolves never again to sin but to live more carefully." This is a far, far different thing than self-affirmation of one's spirit, a very strange, but typically Evangelical (read: gnostic) take on the teachings of the Desert Fathers.

The Bible Says It

Posted: May 03, 2008 6:57 PM


McTuba said: "Professor Nassif apparently does not believe in justification by faith alone." St. James doesn't either. The only place where the phrase "faith alone" occurs in the Holy Scriptures is in his Epistle (Chapter 2 verse 24): "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."

Tree	Posted: May 03, 2008 5:48 PM

Wow - breath taking and beautiful! Many thoughts that resound with God's care and reaching out into our world, regardless of one's tradition. I sense richness, not poverty, here. Interestingly my father, a Lutheran, was taught about St Simeon in his country town confirmation class; my mother was raised Orthodox and does not remember him. Yet she taught me in her 70's to appreciate Orthodox iconography in a way that could not be done in a classroom. We still see so dimly in so many ways.

McTuba

Posted: May 03, 2008 4:12 PM

Professor Nassif apparently does not believe in justification by faith alone (regardless of his statement that he does not believe in eternal acceptance by God through works). I don't think CHRISTIANITY TODAY should call itself a magazine of "Evangelical Conviction" if it presents this kind of article without any disclaimer. "Evangelical" ought to refer to the Biblical evangel in which the ONLY foundation of eternal acceptance by God is Christ's vicarious obedience in His earthly Life and His vicarious death on the Cross. This ALONE makes us acceptable unto God when it is received by FAITH ALONE.

Paul Bartlett

Posted: May 03, 2008 12:18 PM

I have made the journey from my evangelical upbringing into the Orthodox Church and have found a continuously increasing fullness that I would have never dreamed before. If you choose to investigate it you don't have to leave your brain behind but don't be discouraged by apparent conflicts. There are many areas where closer scrutiny is required to understand what is meant as centuries in the West have changed the meaning of biblical vocabulary. Especially refreshing is a place where I don't have to rely on subjectivity of, My (or the latest "guru's") private interpretation of scripture. The scripture and it's interpretation are placed firmly and completly objectively in the context of the church that has faithfully "held fast to the traditions of the apostles whether delivered by letter or by word"

Adam	Posted: May 03, 2008 11:25 AM

Thank you, Bradley Assiif. You offer a challenge to our imperfect love, and in invitation to a deeper dedication to the gospel of Christ. Those who call the asceticism of the desert fathers self-indulgent have to seriously ask themselves what they are saying. Read St. Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians: "7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" What is Paul saying?

PHolzendorf

Posted: May 03, 2008 11:14 AM


Excellent article.............It is not that the Gospel is too small, it is our daily practice of our faith that is too small. The desert fathers gave up the world and choose the better spiritual living. . We are encumered by many things......... Easy believism is taught / pushed..pray to receive Christ and all is well. Not so, we need to LIVE OUR FAITH

Houghton Grandmal

Posted: May 02, 2008 9:33 AM

The same spirituality was common to both East and West. Groups of hermits and monks sprang up indigenously in Italy, France (Gaul), Ireland etc. as one root, but the desert fathers' teachings were also known widely through the summaries written by John Cassian (d. 430), who had spent decades in Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. It may surprise many readers to know, but this monastic tradition in its western dress was one of the main streams contributing to Pietism and in turn to Evangelicalism. Commentators who denounce it here don't realize that it actually helped create their own Evangelical movement. The impulse to give oneself to God without holding anything back, well-described here by Professor Nassif, lies at the heart of the Christian faith. A word to the wise suffices.

Pray for Nassif

Posted: May 01, 2008 8:27 PM

Hey Monachos, Nassif was quoted as a so-called "expert" in a local Arizona phony-baloney expose on a local Greek Orthodox Monastery. Here are Nassif's charitable words: "I would encourage the bishop to be the bishop, stand up for the gospel, at all costs, and, If necessary, if they refuse to follow the gospel, they should do their duty and excommunicate them." Fr. Anthony (a real monk) said this in response to Nassif: ": I feel sorry for those people, really. You know, we never stop praying for those people who have those evil thoughts in their minds." What this shows is that Nassif is only interested in paper Saints (paper Desert Fathers) that he can control or spin into something that MIGHT be palatable to the Evangelicals who are his real bread and butter. Dealing with Real Monks, real living Desert Fathers is something beyond his strength, intellect or desire. Orthodox Christians should join in prayer for poor Nassif.

Monachos

Posted: May 01, 2008 6:02 PM

In the intro we read: "But while championing the Orthodox cause, he's never been blind to its spiritual needs. As he put it in one article, "The most urgent need in the Orthodox world today is an aggressive 'internal mission' of (re)converting our people to Jesus Christ." Dr. Nassif, perhaps you should get thee to a monastery to see the the reality of the living Faith as expressed in the Desert Fathers. You'll see that they are not just book saints, not just paper saints. Since the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese has a very strong anti-monastic ethos (mores the pity) and therefore has no monasteries in the U.S. you'll need to step out of your circle in order to see reality of the living Desert Fathers and Mothers in our own time. THEY are the ones who are reviving and reconverting our people to Jesus Christ here in the U.S. and around the world!

James 2:24

Posted: May 01, 2008 5:46 PM

Why cast our Orthodox pearls before those who would turn and trample on them, Mr. Nassif? The Desert Fathers and Mothers lived out of the commands of the Gospel (cf. new Decalogue that are the Beatitudes) that is why they are Saints in the Church. As St. John Climacus reminds us, "Jesus Christ is the Light to Angels, Angels are the light to Monastics and Monastics are the light to Man." St. Theodore the Studite teaches us, "Monks are the sinews and foundation of the Church." Whose Church? Not the church of the Evangelicals. Their gospel only tells them to "get saved" in an instant and mocks the Faith by calling it "works salvation" or "pharasaical" or "traditions of men." Evangelicals have no frame of reference to understand the the teachings of the Desert Fathers. Indeed, the Gospel makes the Evangelical version(s) seem very small, but I don't think you're helping Evangelicals much by throwing the words of our Saints into their faces to remind them of their lack.

David L

Posted: May 01, 2008 5:18 PM

I recently was received into Orthodoxy. I spent almost a decade amongst Protestant traditions, eg. Confessional Lutheran, Word Faith, Fundamentalist Baptist, Orthodox Presbyterians, the Reformed, the Non-denominational denomiantion, Calvary Chapel, UMC. Free Methodist, and so on. I think what RJR misses is what these people did by the grace of God, they gave up the world. What you are missing is the fullness of the faith, you are viewing the faith of the Orthodox and those men and women of blessed memory through the prism of your own hang-ups and experience. We do not all have the same vocation.

Bill & Carole Cowell

Posted: May 01, 2008 2:25 PM

We have known Bradley Nassif since he was a teenager, have followed his pilgrimage of faith, and look forward to reading his writings. Brad is genuine and authentic, and his premise that there is a poverty of love among those who are called evangelical, is undeniable. May we all learn from his faith and scholarship, so that the love about which Jesus spoke and taught, and which was displayed in the early church, might once again become evident in Christendom.

Torben

Posted: May 01, 2008 7:36 AM

A thought provoking and interesting article. It asks many good questions about whether our gospel has become too comfortable. It inspired me to once again ask myself some questions: Is Jesus enough or do I need fame, fortune and success as well? Is Jesus sufficient even when people misunderstand me or accuse me of different horrible things? Is Jesus my Lord also when he calls me to something my parents, my church, my friends don’t understand or maybe even don’t agree with? www.abrokencup.wordpress.com - Torben - who couldn't get the star rating to work, but would've given the article four stars :-)

Ian Robinson

Posted: May 01, 2008 5:01 AM

I have many times been to the vast deserts of Central Australia, and experienced a lot of what the Desert Fathers (and Mothers) saw there in the majesty of God, the power of silence to communicate God's presence, human littleness below the cosmos of stars, and the father's palpable welcome to the little ones. This article captures that original genius in its focus upon depth of love, upon the work and wonder of emptiness so that Christ's love can be all in all. It threatens my city self because it is the opposite to 'achievement', a self-justifying stance, hence even athletic asceticism is opposite to the gospel-intent of the Desert Fathers. But the 'effort' of dispossession is the same as what Jesus said to every one who enquired of him how they could become his follower - sell, leave, repay, and so on. We miss the point if we react as though it is only about monastic-style ascetic disciplines.

Ephrem Hagos

Posted: April 30, 2008 11:24 PM


Without any basis whatsoever for knowing Jesus Christ directly, personally and firsthand, as promised (Jer. 31: 31-34) and fulfilled completely at His death on the cross (Matt. 26: 26-29), all we have is another spirit, another gospel and a different Jesus from the one preached by the Apostles. GOD HELP US!

Discerning believer

Posted: April 30, 2008 8:40 PM


An article asserting in its subtitle our gospel is too small tells me this probably shouldn’t be included in Christianity Today. I’d guess this article is not in the hard-copy version of CT. Our Gospel is never too small. Our submission to it may not be large enough. CT’s disingenuousness is spiritually irresponsible.

Eugene M. Wiese

Posted: April 30, 2008 7:52 PM

What everyone seems to miss is the summation in the last sentence and the title of the article: the poverty of our love. I cannot see that love is so easy, or that love is so difficult. We are to learn and practice love. If we follow love to the bitter end, we suffer death rather than let anyone or anything change our love to something poverty-stricken. "Greater Love hath no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friend." Jesus laid down His life in love. As the Romans drove in the nails, He said: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." In the pain of His passion, He thought of the welfare of His mother: "Son, behold thy mother; Mother, behold thy son." Yet love is what we can all learn, possess, and practice. If we seek our own comfort before the comfort of anyone else, our love is indeed poverty-stricken.

Sergey

Posted: April 30, 2008 7:13 PM

I would recommend people Protestants who are critical of Orthodoxy next year follow the tradition of Great Lent, in short, fast which Orthodox Christianity prescribes to its followers each year. Don’t go to Orthodox Church. Just try to stay out in your diet from animal fats, milk, meat, and fish. And then after two or three weeks tell me how you feel. Can you say, as Jesus said “not by bread alone”. Can you? No, you will feel desperate, nervous, on edge. And why? Because, we as a protestant talk too much about spiritual stuff but whenever our bodies got a little pinch we are in despair. Seriously, try Great Lent next year and then see how your “I can do everything in Christ” will change, how you will see yourself as one who needs salvation every day. You will see that you are not greater than other people; you will see your spiritual bankruptcy. You will see need for Christ in your life.

John	Posted: April 30, 2008 6:03 PM

Re: "While Nassif was exposed to evangelical faith in his youth, which he says gave his faith vitality, he has remained a faithful member of the Orthodox Church." I was raised as an Evangelical. Exposure to this kind of "faith" was like exposure to a spiritual carcinogen. I thank God every day that I am able to receive treatment in the Orthodox Church for the spiritual cancer that has afflicted me since exposure to the toxic "evangelical faith."

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