Economy helps the weak and humble to correct their mistake, but when it becomes an occasion for endless defilement with heresy, it turns into a transgression of the law.

Andrei Creacico | February 14, 2018

 

If we pay attention to the way the Holy Fathers applied economy, we will immediately understand that the result of applying economy was, to a very great extent, the correction of those who were in some error due to fear or lack of full knowledge of the teachings of the faith, which caused them to hesitate in correcting themselves or to be unaware of their state.

In our days, there is much talk about economy, but unfortunately, examples are often given from different periods in which the Saints lived, without there being an identity in content and thought with the present time. We must always examine whether the economy we discuss achieves its purpose – to bring back entirely to the faith those to whom economy has been applied.

The letters of Saint Theodore the Studite are full of countless examples showing that communion with uncondemned heretics is not permitted, as it means separation from Christ.

"I beg you, guard yourselves against the soul-destroying heresy, communion with which is separation from Christ." (Epistle 60 [119]. To the virgins)

"I have given great thanks to God for the fact that the laity, along with the monks, strive to be pleasing to the Lord, avoiding the darkness of heresy. Indeed, brother, this is darkness and a snare of the devil. Whoever falls into this snare, communion with heretics separates him from Christ and drives him far from the flock of the Lord." (Epistle 245 [433]. To the Curator Constantine)

Saint Theodore the Studite always mentioned that economy is applied for a time, for a certain period, so that those who have fallen into error due to a particular weakness may not be completely abandoned, but ultimately return and confess the faith.

"These things are done for a time, having nothing worthy of blame, nor are they in any way outside the law, but they lower the standard and do not adhere to excessive strictness. For this is economy 'for a time.' Because neither can the doctor immediately heal the weak from illness, nor can the unrestrained horse be easily bridled, nor can hard wood be easily cut, unless one with great experience in such matters gradually makes use of whistles and flattery, of consolations and gentle calls." (Letter 49, To his son Naucratius)

Saint Maximus the Confessor showed that when economy becomes a pretext for justifying both persistence in heresy and harmful communion with heretics, it must no longer be applied, because such an economy turns into a transgression of the law, becoming a snare of the devil.

Then, seeing that their confession was departing from the Truth, Saint Maximus refused to sign. Then he continued:

– If, for the sake of economy, the saving [Orthodox] faith is mixed with the false faith [heresy], this kind of so-called economy is a total separation from God, not a union. (Fragment from the trial of Saint Maximus the Confessor)

The Pedalion is full of examples showing how and under what conditions economy should be applied. Most often, it is applied in times of persecution and weakening of the faith, with the purpose that, through certain concessions and incomplete communion with those caught in the misguided current of that time, they may correct themselves and be strengthened in the true faith, the absence of economy meaning exposure to the imminent danger of being completely overtaken by heresy.

Let us now briefly analyze this passage from Epistle 49 to his son Naucratius:

"Thus did the saints through economies, just as the great Cyril did in this case. […] Then, when they became perfect in mind, the Saint was fully united with them.

"Do we not also show ourselves doing the same? When some who are of one mind with us differ from us in something, and the renunciation of exactness does not bring much grief, we too, undoubtedly, accept communion with them, lest, on account of something small—something small that might later be corrected—we destroy everything. But this concerns the unskilled, not the stewards of the mysteries of God. Such a thing is to apply economy for a time in word and conduct concerning judgment, truth, and law, but by no means regarding lawlessness and falsehood."

From this, we deduce the conditions under which economy should be applied:

1. If those to whom economy is applied show signs of submission until they fully come to wisdom and ultimately renounce communion with heresy, at which point we will have full communion with them;

2. If economy does not bring grief, meaning it does not become a pretext for justifying communion with heretics, which signifies separation from Christ;

3. If it is not applied to those who knowingly spread falsehoods and justify lawlessness.

Great emphasis is placed on this letter of Saint Theodore the Studite, but not all details of its content are carefully examined. It is overlooked that economy is an outstretched hand to those overcome by the dreadful fear of persecution or who have remained, out of ignorance, in communion with heretics who openly preach heresy. The aspect that, concerning those who commemorated and were in communion with heretics, communion was maintained only in non-ecclesiastical matters is approached very superficially. We observe that the proponents of reckless economy cite almost nothing from the other epistles of the Saint, and Letter 49 to his son Naucratius must be understood in the context of all his other letters.

The proponents of compromise make use, either involuntarily or knowingly, of certain exhortations of Saint Theodore the Studite, such as the one not to inquire further in the case of non-ecclesiastical communion with those who commemorate bishops fallen into heresy, but to stop at not eating with those who eat with uncondemned heretics. They subtly generalize this to suggest that, in general, we should not examine at all those with whom we are required to come into contact, even though such an examination is necessary to a certain extent in order to determine whether or not we can have some form of communion with them.

In the time of Saint Theodore the Studite, one would immediately face the loss of life, as the persecution was so severe that those who ceased commemorating the bishops were quickly captured, tortured, and even killed for their confession:

"And for what was this torture? To force Christ’s ascetic to commemorate him as a bishop." (Epistle 51. To his son Naucratius)

"In these days, when not only women like you and those tonsured in monasticism, but almost all the monks and abbots of Byzantium are being led astray, you, along with a few others, have chosen to suffer for Christ rather than enter into communion with heretics, which separates from Christ. For whoever enters into such communion is separated from Christ, like Judas, and becomes a participant with those who handed Christ over to be crucified." (Epistle 256 [444]. To the abbess)

We must always consider the final outcome. The Saints, whenever applying economy, first weighed whether it was suitable for some of those caught in the tide of apostasy, and they applied economy because there was someone to whom and a reason for which to apply it. An economy applied merely for the sake of condescension, carelessly, with the expectation that it be elevated to the rank of an infallible dogma, carries the risk of being applied in vain, yielding no result other than that those who desire nothing but a life untainted by heresy will be held accountable.

Here is a clarifying example, also from the epistles of Saint Theodore the Studite, showing how poisonous an unlawful economy is when applied to justify those who love communion with heretics:

"For either, [considering the saints] as those who do not submit to the sovereign laws [of Christ], they have dogmatized through their economies that adulterous union and participation with the adulterer are equal and of the same honor, placing them on the same level with [Christ’s] economy—and for this reason, they have anathematized the saints as lawless and transgressors of the commandments (and for this, of course, they may be anathematized themselves)—or, confessing that the saints are keepers of the law, they have anathematized themselves rather than the saints, arrogating to themselves, the wretched ones, the name of the saints regarding what they call the economy of adulterous union. And for this reason, again, they have anathematized the saints as those who are not saints. For, according to them [the heretics], saints are those who have applied and continue to apply economies concerning adulterous union and participation with the adulterer. But those who do not accept their adulterous economy and do not manage affairs following it—these, [according to them], are strangers to God, lawless, transgressors of the commandments, and anathematized by them [the heretics]. And from this, understand—what other proof of their shamelessness would you want to see?—and marvel, you who have reason, observing and closely examining the great abyss of their unbelief." (Letter 36 – To Euprepian and those with him)

Yet, many were disappointed, for example, by the compromise into which His Grace [Bishop] Longin [Zhar of Bancheny]  was drawn when he was elevated to the rank of archbishop by his ecumenist superiors from the Moscow Patriarchate. Now, he commemorates the heresiarch Kirill in the episcopal assembly, showing that he has chosen to sink deeper into agreements with the Judeo-Masonic authorities rather than to confess to the end. However, their conscience was quickly lulled by those who knowingly mix truth with falsehood to excuse serious errors.

And, very importantly, we observe with sorrow that this reckless economy, which the proponents of compromise seek to have accepted by as many as possible, has a painful effect that is precisely the opposite of love for one’s neighbor and the desire to confess to the end.

The purpose of this reckless economy is none other than the condemnation of the Orthodox!—and not the return of heretics and those in communion with them. Those who support this do not even consider whether those in a position to compromise with heresy actually have no intention whatsoever of breaking communion with the heretics. They want to remain in full communion with them, and in reality, the application of economy has no foundation, since those engaged in compromise consistently refuse to reduce, even to some degree, the frequency of their dealings with the ecumenists. Instead, they sink even deeper into this harmful communion, continually justifying themselves and turning into accusers of those who avoid having any participation with heresy.

If they had the strength to be sincere, they would realize that their sole purpose is to condemn those who speak of remaining within the boundaries established by the Holy Fathers, while almost entirely forgetting that the real purpose is the confession of the faith, not the condemnation of those who have walled themselves off from heresy…

We would very much wish for the application of economy to be beneficial, as we fully agree with what Saint Theodore the Studite said in his epistle to Naucratius. However, unfortunately, the proponents of compromise, instead of showing humility and a desire to follow those who have no participation with heresy, reveal through their attitude that they actually wish to remain in communion with the ecumenists indefinitely, not merely for a time.

Those who disagree with us will now say that perhaps we too have condemned, that in our fervor mistakes in conduct have been made because we are not without faults, but we will always ask for forgiveness. Our goal is not to condemn but to preserve the purity of the faith untainted, for which we must emphasize that a fruitful economy is needed—one that has a final purpose. Economy should not be applied to just anyone, but to those who are humble and willing to correct themselves. However, if the application of economy bears no fruit, then we will uphold the strictness of exactness, to guard against giving occasion for defilement and transgression of the law.

Let us not forget that the Saints were categorical when they said that economy has no place in matters of faith, lest it draw even the faithful into communion with heresy. Thus, we see very clearly that the Holy Fathers never contradict themselves, for both economy and exactness have as their ultimate goal the triumph of the Orthodox Faith over heresy.

 

Romanian source:

https://web.archive.org/web/20220808172031/https://lumea-ortodoxa.ro/index.html@p=2266.html