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Pastoral Letters
St Raphael of Brooklyn, Messenger, 1912; Orthodox Catholic Review, 1927
Chapter 1
320 Pacific Street,
Brooklyn, New York City,
Sept. 25, 1911.
To the
American Branch
of the
Anglican and Eastern Orthodox
Churches’ Union.
Right Rev. Brother and
Rev., and dear Lay Brothers:—
It is with great reluctency that I must write you this letter. However, it is absolutely necessary for me to do so—my health, duties and convictions all combine as factors, as well as sincerity toward you, my Anglican friends.
First. My health and duties prevent me from giving attention to the work of the Union. For instance:—I am at present enlarging my Cathedral, collecting funds for a Parish House and also for the purchase of a farm for an orphanage. If my health sustains me these matters together with the enormous work of such a scattered and still growing Diocese will occupy all of my time, perhaps, overpower my remaining strength.
Second. I have a personal opinion about the usefulness of the Union. Study has taught me that, there is a vast difference between the doctrine, discipline and even worship of the Holy Orthodox Church and those of the Anglican Communion. While on the other hand, experience has forced upon me the conviction that, to promote courtesy and friendship, which seem to be the only aims of the Union at present, is not only to be killing precious time, at best, but also somewhat hurtful to the religious and ecclesiastical welfare of the Holy Orthodox Church in these United States.
There is a great and growing misunderstanding on the part of the Laity to wit, that, there is actually a union, or that, there will be, in the very near future, a corporate Union, between the Protestant Episcopal Church and the Holy Orthodox in America at least. The result is that the Laity in some sections are being confused in their doctrinal belief as well as growing careless about other requirements of the Holy Orthodox Church. In fact they neither know what to believe nor to reject, — much less which Church it is their duty to sustain.
Very many of the Bishops of the Holy Orthodox Church,—at the present time — especially myself, have observed that, the Anglican Communion is associated with the numerous Protestant Bodies, many of whose doctrines and teachings as well as practices are condemned by the Holy Orthodox Church. And furthermore Freemasonry is a commonly accepted society of some of the highest and most influential Prelates, Clergymen and Laymen of the Anglican Communion. Indeed it would be hard to select any Diocese or parish in the Anglican Communion where Freemasonry had not great influence amongst its Clerical and Lay-members.
You are aware, without my reminding you, that, this fact brings the members of the Anglican Communion into the closest relationship, for purposes other than those of business and religion, with a body of men which includes Atheists, infidels, heretics and unconverted Jews:—men who, to my knowledge, and I am sure to yours also, are opposers of our common Holy Religion—deniers of the Divinity of Our one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and all that is uplifting in the true spirit of Christianity in its selfsacrificing methods of spreading the Gospel of that One Who so loved us that, He gave Himself for us on the Cross of Calvary. For this reason, alone, I view union as only a pleasing dream.
Indeed, as it is impossible for the Holy Orthodox Church to receive,—as she has a thousand times proclaimed, and which even the Papal See of Rome declared for the Holy Orthodox Church’s credit, — anyone into her fold or into union with her who does not accept her faith in full without any qualifications,—the Faith which she claims is most surely apostolic,—I cannot see how she can unite with the Anglican Communion, or the latter expect, in the near future, to unite with her while the Anglican Communion holds so many Protestant tenets and doctrines and also is so closely associated with the non-Catholic religions about her.
But finally: I am in perfect accord with the views expressed by His Grace Archbishop Platon in his address, delivered this year before the Philadelphia Protestant Episcopal Brotherhood, as to the impossibility of union under present circumstances.
Indeed, I feel grieved that very tender explanation and permission granted by me as contained in my address before our Union, which address has been widely published and circulated, have proven very harmful and confusing to the Holy Orthodox Laity. Some of the Protestant Episcopal Clergy have taken upon themselves, through misunderstanding, to offer their services to Orthodox people, when even Orthodox Priest were within calling distance to minister to them; thus conveying the idea that, they, the Protestant Episcopal Clergy, were accepted as Holy Orthodox and that, there was no need of the ministrations of pastoral care of their own Orthodox Bishops and Clergy. There has been much injury done to the cause of friendly relation and reunion by such overt, or confusing acts.
I assure you nothing that I have said in this letter indicates, in the slightest way, a lack of personal regard and love for the individual members on the Anglican side of the Union here in America. I shall always cherish the names of my Right Reverend Brother, Dr. Parker, and the Rev. Dr. Perry, with those of the others that I cannot find space to insert in this lengthy letter. And the sincere friendship which I hold for you all, and especially for Bishop Parker, causes grief when I must tenderly, yet firmly and without revocation, offer you my resignation both from the office of Vice-President, on the Holy Orthodox side of the Union and also from membership in the Union.
Commending the future into His care Who has a way mapped out to reunite the torn-apart-Church for which He has shed His Sacred Blood,
I remain, in His Love,
Your friend and brother,
RAPHAEL,
Bishop of Brooklyn.