Letter written on behalf of an unknown nun to her Lutheran uncle (against Lutherans)

I have always loved, honored and respected you, uncle, like a father. Therefore, I always wished the best for you, as for myself. But what good is greater for us than all good things, if not eternal salvation for our souls? A feasible study of this subject led me to the point that I decided to talk with you in writing, uncle, about what is now occupying my soul so much. I ask you, uncle, to have the patience to read my long letter, and I also ask you to take the trouble to consider and examine what is written in it. I find this necessary both for you and for me, to calm my soul, which sincerely loves you. Listen, uncle, to my explanation. At the beginning of my entry into the monastery, I thought indifferently about Christian religions, since I had heard many times among educated people that one could be saved in any religion, one just had to be a good person. Therefore, I, born in the Orthodox faith, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, tried, according to my strength, to arrange my salvation by reading various Orthodox books for more than twelve years. What have I learned during this time and through this reading? I learned that the Orthodox Church, for eighteen and a half centuries, has preserved unchanged and undamaged from innovation the teaching that was transmitted to it from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself through his apostles and their successors - bishops and shepherds of the flock of Christ and through Ecumenical Councils. I also learned that outside this one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, which in all justice is called the Orthodox Church, salvation in other faiths is very doubtful and untrue, because the Apostle Paul clearly says in his Epistle to Ephesians: “There is one Lord, one faith” (Eph. 4:5). These words show that there is only one true faith, while other religions are in every way not true, but false, and there is only one true Church, namely the one that the Lord Himself founded in the beginning through His apostles and their successors - the bishops, and about which He speaks in the Gospel: “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). It is obvious that our Lord Jesus Christ founded one main and Catholic Church, and not many different ones. Although the Apocalypse (Revelation) mentions seven churches, these churches were private, like-minded with the one Catholic Church. What do the words added by the Lord mean: and the gates of hell will not prevail against her? The inspired interpreters of the Divine Scripture explain that our Lord, as God, knew that in subsequent times people, proud and highly intelligent, would not want to obey the Divine teaching of the one true Church, founded by the Lord Himself, but, according to their desires and human wisdom, would invent various imaginary ways to please God; the true path of salvation, in the one true Church, will be blasphemed, and even rebelled against the Church itself, although unsuccessfully. That is why the Lord added: the gates of hell will not prevail against her, that is, people who are misguided, highly intelligent blasphemers of the true Church, who are under the influence of dark forces, and, in all fairness, are the gates of hell, because with their false and disastrous teaching they deceive the inexperienced and bring them down to the bottom of hell. Although this word will seem cruel to many, especially to Gentiles who are trying to live piously, let them themselves carefully consider the word of the Apostle Jude, who calls all those who have separated from the unity of faith and the Church strangers to the spirit of truth and the spirit of God, as it is written in his scripture: “For in the last time there will be scoffers, walking after their own lusts and being ungodly. These are those who separate themselves (from the unity of faith and are) corporeal, having no spirit” (Jude 1:18-19), that is, people are carnal, or spiritual, but in no way spiritual. And the holy Apostle John the Theologian, among the three revered as the pillar of the primacy of the Church of Christ, writes about those who separated from it that they are alien to what the self-seers and ministers of the Word taught, alien to the participation of the apostles, as it is read in his Epistle: “She departed from us, but was not mad from us: if they had been from us, they would have remained with us; but let them appear, for they are not all of us” (1 John 2:19). Reading such testimonies about the difference between the teachings of the Orthodox Church and other faiths, I wanted, leaving the others, to find out as much as I could about what the Lutherans base their doctrine on, because among them is a person close to my heart - you, dear uncle. From various sources that I could have, I was able to find out the following: 1) The Lutheran faith got its start from Luther, a former priest of the Roman Church. I immediately imagined the advantage of the Orthodox Church, founded under the direct influence of the Lord Jesus Himself by His twelve chosen disciples and apostles and seventy less, and disciples of the apostles, such as Dionysius the Areopagite, the wondrous Hierotheus, Ignatius the God-Bearer, and others. It also occurred to me that the Christian teaching of the Orthodox Church was implanted with many difficulties and all kinds of sorrows, and was sealed with the blood of countless martyrs. Luther founded his teaching at the royal table, with much affection from the nobles and peoples oppressed by papal abuses, who were ready to accept any teaching, just to get rid of the frantic papal power. 2) The Lutheran doctrine has existed for only 300 years, and has already managed to divide into more than seventy differently-minded sects and societies, of which each party considers its doctrine to be right. I was struck and surprised beyond words by how intelligent Lutherans, despite such unfavorable consequences and such division and diversity of opinion, do not notice the unfoundedness and obvious contradictions in Lutheran teaching. Isn’t it obvious after this that the truth of the doctrine of the Orthodox Church, which was preached and planted by different apostles, in different countries, among different peoples who had different dialects, different morals and customs and were governed by different laws? But, despite all this, the Orthodox Church has maintained whatever doctrine it has maintained in the earliest times of Christianity, unchanged and undamaged by innovations for 18 and a half centuries 31 . Although there were times in which the Orthodox Church was greatly indignant, through the wiles of the evil leader the devil, by various heretics, the Orthodox pastors, gathering with the entire universe, in a common council, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, purified the Christian truth and protected the Orthodox Church with the rules handed down from the apostles and holy fathers, in accordance with the Holy Scriptures. 3) Although the teaching of the Protestants occurred out of necessity, as a result of the abuses and violence of papal power, but if Luther and Calvin had sought the truth and glory of God, and not their own glory, in order to glorify their names in posterity as reformers of the Church, then, with the error and deviation of the private Roman Church into innovations, they could turn to the Catholic Eastern Orthodox Church, which, among various sorrows, like a crown among thorns, flourished piety and shone with the truth of the doctrine, and thus, by the number of their followers, they would increase the number of sons of the one true Church of Christ and would deliver them from the division and diversity of thought in which they are mentally distressed at the present time, dragged by the winds of various human wisdom. But has arrogance and love of fame ever led anyone to the truth? Their fruit: superstition and lies, and deception of themselves and others. 4) Lutherans reject Church tradition, saying that “we accept only what is written in the Gospel and the Epistles of the Apostles,” which clearly contradict themselves, because in the Epistles there is a direct indication of the acceptance of Church tradition. The Holy Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: “I praise you, brethren, because you remember all my things, and keep the traditions that I gave you” (1 Cor. 11:2). And again: “In the same way, brethren, stand fast and keep the traditions” (2 Thess. 2:15). And in the Epistle to Timothy: “O Timothy, keep the tradition, avoiding the vile talk and contradictions of a false mind” (1 Tim. 6:20). And the holy Apostle John the Theologian writes in the Council Epistle: “I had many things to write to you, but I did not desire by charter and ink, but I hoped to come to you and speak mouth to mouth, that your joy might be filled” (2 John 1:12). Was this oral conversation of the Apostle John and the conversations of the other apostles delivered into the air and ignored by the disciples of the primal Church? No; From such oral conversations, the so-called rules of the apostles were compiled, which hitherto exist in the Orthodox Church. Let us say more than this: if you reject Church tradition, then you cannot believe the Gospel, because the Lord did not write the Gospel with His own hand, but orally conveyed the teaching of the gospel to the apostles; The disciples of the primal Church wrote the teaching they heard from the Lord. And in the beginning, in different places, many gospels were written; but the Church, having examined them, recognized only the writings of four famous evangelists as reliable and true, while rejecting the others. So, are Lutherans doing the right thing by rejecting the authority of the Church regarding its tradition? Our Lord Jesus Christ not only Himself preached the teaching of the gospel orally, but also did not give the disciples the commandment to write, but commanded them to preach it orally, just as we read from the evangelists Mark and Matthew: “Preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15); “Going... teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all the things given to you in the commandments” (Matthew 28:19-20). And what was written by the apostles was written after the preaching of the Gospel, as required by circumstances. And this was arranged providentially, so that later it would be possible to repeat, using these messages, the teachings they conveyed orally. It is also known that many of the apostles did not write anything, while others, if they did write, then wrote, according to their own testimony, about “the things known in them, according to tradition, as they were delivered to us, who from the beginning were witnesses and servants of the former Word” (Luke 1: 1-2), - moreover, they did not write about all objects, but only about some, and about others at all were kept silent, as they were already known according to legend. Therefore, the Orthodox Catholic Church recognizes sacred tradition as the source of the Christian religion, in addition to the Holy Scriptures. 5) The Orthodox Church has seven Sacraments, but Lutherans recognize only two Sacraments - Baptism and the Eucharist. And these Sacraments do not have real meaning and fulfillment for them, because these Sacraments are performed by a layman, although he is called a pastor, that is, a person revered by them as a priest. Lutherans do not have a priesthood, because there are no bishops, since the founder of their teaching, Luther, being only a priest, could not transfer the priesthood to others. Who, however, appoints pastors to the work of ministry? They are elected from among people who have received theological education, and the Protestant consistory, or their spiritual government, where laymen sit among the members, gives them the right to be called pastors and perform sacred services. But can a lay person perform the Sacrament of the Eucharist? Nowhere in Holy Scripture and in Church history is there any example or indication that a lay person can perform the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Therefore, one of the laity, no matter what name he is called, if he dares to do this, sins greatly, and will give a great answer to God; but those who partake of it are greatly deceived, and deceive themselves in vain. Moreover, the Sacrament of the Eucharist requires another Sacrament - Repentance and Confession of sins before a clergyman and obtaining permission from him, whether someone is worthy or unworthy of communion of the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Lord, so that not in court and condemnation “he eats and drinks, not discerning the body of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:29), as the holy Apostle Paul testifies. If those baptized by him confessed their sins to John the Baptist at Baptism, then do Lutherans who confess to themselves act correctly in their conscience, being ashamed out of pride to confess their sinful wounds to another? But this shame, suffered by the repentant before his confessor, frees him from shame at the Last Judgment of the Lord, as the Orthodox Church rightly believes. It is not in vain that the Holy Scripture says: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Let us assume that Baptism, if necessary, can be performed with water by a layman, in the name of the Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. On this basis, the Orthodox Church recognizes Protestant Baptism, but it confirms this Baptism, like its own, with another Sacrament - Confirmation, so that those who have been cleansed of original sin and reborn in the font of Baptism will receive new strength from above for affirmation and success in the Christian life, when through the sacramental anointing the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit is imparted to him. We see an example of this in the primacy of the Church. When Samaria was baptized by the evangelist Philip, one of the seven deacons, the apostles sent two from among them to confirm the faith of the converts in Samaria, imparting to them the Holy Spirit. Protestants also feel the need for this Sacrament, because they have retained the name confirmation, or affirmation in faith; but since this Sacrament can only be communicated by one bishop, or, if through a priest, then through the world, sanctified by the bishop’s prayer, therefore among Lutherans there is no one to teach the gifts of the Holy Spirit to converts. Although among the Lutherans there is one party that imagines having bishops, this opinion is unfair and false, as one Lutheran from the English denounced this recently. This man received a spiritual education and was supposed to take the place of assistant to the pseudo-bishop; but he first wanted to know whether Lutheran episcopal ordination really had an uninterrupted succession from the apostles, and for three years he studied this subject historically with great diligence. What did he find through this research? I found that all the pseudo-sacred Lutherans are nothing more than laymen - the researcher’s own expression. Because during the last change from Catholicism to Protestantism, only the bishop agreed to accept the Lutheran teaching, but this bishop, due to illness, always avoided consecrating others, according to the testimony of the researcher, rightly reasoning that the old priesthood was not moving toward the new creed. Therefore, the lesser Lutheran clergy were forced to come up with a certain formula and, according to it, appointed themselves bishops and priests alike for a hundred years. But every wrong deed is exposed by itself. Priests, equally appointed as bishops, began to consider themselves equal in rights over time, for which reason the Lutheran formula of consecration required correction and the addition that such and such was appointed for priestly service. This is the history of the Lutheran bishopric! The said researcher, while exploring the beginning of Lutheran ordination, at the same time examined the doctrines: Latin, Armenian and Orthodox, and joined the latter, as preserving its doctrine unchanged and undamaged from innovations since the times of the apostles (“Spiritual Conversation”, 1858, No. 42). 6) Luther rejected the maintenance of fasts established from the time of the apostles in the Church of Christ for blessed reasons. Is this rejection fair and justified? Was it not our Lord Himself, the God-man, who set an example for this by fasting for fourty days and forty nights? And what the Lord created, He created for our imitation, as He Himself testifies: “For He has given you an image, that even as I have created... you also do” (John 13:15). On this basis, and in memory of the Lord's fast, the fast of the Great Pentecost has been established in the Orthodox Church since ancient times. Although not everyone can imitate the Lord in this, like his chosen ones Moses and Elijah, who fasted for forty days and forty nights, every true believer Christian must, according to his strength, keep this fast, as prescribed in the rules of the one true Catholic Church of Christ. If the apostles, divinely inspired and holy and passionless men, fasted, as can be seen from many places in the Acts of the Apostles, then did Luther thoroughly deprive weak and passionate people of this holy weapon to curb passions, that is, fasting; because fasting with reason and observed in moderation tames carnal passions. In addition, for the fast observed by the Orthodox before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, there is a clear indication in the Acts of the Apostles that it was established back in the time of the Apostles, and was then already known to the entire primacy of the Church of Christ. Saint Luke, describing that sea storm in which the ship carrying the Apostle Paul to Rome was in distress, makes it clear that Saint Paul predicted this disaster to the centurion due to the late hour and the winter that had already begun: “before even the fast had passed away” (Acts 27:9). Obviously, Saint Luke mentions here a well-known fast of the then Church. This fast for the Orthodox occurs from November 15 to December 25, precisely at the time when there are terrible winter storms in the Mediterranean Sea. What will Lutherans say to this, who imagine prescribing for themselves rules of life from the Holy Scriptures? 7) Also, Lutherans, contrary to the Holy Scriptures, confess that the Holy Spirit also comes from the Son. Doesn’t the Lord Himself say about the Holy Spirit that He proceeds from the Father, as it is written by the Evangelist John (John 15:26). Lutherans also have wisdom that is not based on anything, but now is not the time to talk about them. 8) One German Lutheran, who recently converted to Orthodoxy, discovered the following malicious intent of Luther. The Lord says in the Gospel: “if (your brother) disobeys the Church, let you be like a pagan and a publican” (Matthew 18:17); and the holy Apostle Paul writes to Timothy: “let you know how to live in the house of God, for the living Church of God is the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Luther understood the power of these words, that by them The apostle and the Lord Himself attribute great importance to the Church in relation to the truth and the spiritual right given to it by the Lord. And since he broke away from the private Roman Church, for the sake of its abuses, and did not want to join the Catholic Church out of arrogance and love of glory, he replaced the word “church” with the word “parish” in the German translation of the Holy Scriptures, whereas in the German language there is the original word “church”. originals: Hellenic-Greek, Latin and uncorrupted French (I’m not talking about Slavic), and you will see this counterfeit. Moreover, consider: if in the seventy Lutheran dissenting parties each parish will be a pillar and support of the truth, then what kind of truth of Christ will it be? And one more thing: how will the Lutheran pompous preaching of love be fulfilled when, for the reason stated above, they must despise each other as pagans? 9) Lutherans, to justify their separation from the one Catholic Church, cite a passage from the Acts of the Apostles: “For God does not pay attention to personalities, but fear Him in every way, and do what is right and is pleasing to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). But these words do not serve to justify the Lutherans, but rather to denounce them. This is said about Cornelius the Centurion, that for the creation of much alms and for his constant prayers, he was truly pleasing to God, but he was not completely pleasing to Him, and was still insufficient in what was required for perfect salvation. Why did the Angel appear and commanded him to call the Apostle Peter, explaining the reason for the calling: “he speaks to you verbs, in which you and your whole house will be saved” (Acts 10:6). Instead of incorrectly interpreting this place and incident, Lutherans should understand the correct meaning of it and turn to the Apostolic Church. This is especially necessary for those of them who try to live piously and make many prayers to God, because in the Church they would find words for the perfect pleasure of God and receive undoubted salvation with their homes. 10) Lutherans give a completely different meaning to another place of Holy Scripture. The Holy Apostle Paul writes to Timothy: “For there is one God, and one mediator for God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself redemption for all: the testimony of his times was that I was appointed a preacher and an apostle” (1 Tim. 2:5-7). The Orthodox Church explains this passage of Holy Scripture in such a way that no one could accomplish the work of our redemption and deliverance from oaths and original sin, no man, no Angel, and only the Only Begotten Son of God and the Word of the Father. Lutherans, taking only half the meaning of this passage, namely: “for there is one God, and one intercessor for God and men,” strive to prove by this the rejection of the veneration of the holy saints of God, considering their intercession for us before God unnecessary. But are Lutherans wise? Is it being interpreted this way in good faith? 11) Question. Why is the doctrine of the Orthodox Church, planted by different apostles in different places and peoples, remaining the same and unchanged for eighteen and a half centuries; But the Lutheran teaching, taught by one person, was divided over the course of three centuries into more than seventy different parties? Answer. Because the Catholic and Apostolic Church commands its children to understand the Holy Scriptures as they were and are being explained by God’s chosen men, purified of passions, God-bearing and Spirit-bearing, and recognized as such by the entire Catholic Church of Christ; Luther allowed each of his followers to interpret the Holy Scriptures at their own discretion. But just as pride alone, not to mention other coarse passions, can greatly blind a person, so that he cannot see the truth presented to him, therefore, the highly intelligent followers of Luther’s teaching, each interpreting the Holy Scripture in his own way, could not help but fall into differences of opinion and disputes and discord, which is why their division inevitably followed into so many parties that disagree with each other. Luther wrongly based his opinion that everyone, for the sake of the Holy Spirit living in him, can interpret the Holy Scripture according to his own understanding, wrongly based it on the words of the Apostle John: “And you have the anointing of the Holy One and know all things” (1 John 2:20). Lutherans do not have this spiritual anointing because they do not have the Sacrament of Confirmation, through which the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit is communicated to those who are baptized, as was already proven above by the example of Samaria, which was baptized by the evangelist Philip, but did not receive another Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although the cathedral, baptized by the same Philip, and Saint Paul, baptized by the Apostle Ananias, received the Holy Spirit, individual cases that occur out of need and according to the special Providence of God cannot be a general rule. Moreover, those who have received the Holy Spirit can quench it with various passions (see 1 Thess. 5:19); and with the lamp extinguished, the researcher will inevitably wander in the darkness of ignorance and the deception of the enemy. 12) Luther questioned the Catholic Epistle of Saint James, the brother of God. When other religions recognize this Epistle as the authentic message of St. James, then why does Luther alone recognize it as dubious? Saint James in his Epistle says that faith alone is not enough for salvation, but that faith also requires good works. Luther preaches salvation through faith alone, without good works. But is the latter opinion true? Isn’t it the Lord Himself who says in the Gospel: “If... you want to take it into your belly, keep the commandments”? (Matthew 19:17). And in addition to guarding from gross vices, the Lord commands guarding from the most subtle ones, namely: not to be angry, not to judge, to maintain chastity in your eyes, to do alms, fasting and prayers without vanity and covetousness, to forgive insults, to love enemies, to pray for those who harm us; and all this is called good deeds. And the Lord has no need for these good deeds; but the fulfillment of His holy commandments serves only as a preservation for man. What will happen to expensive things when they are left in contempt, in dampness, in uncleanness? One will rot, the other will rust, the third will be eaten away by moths. The same thing happens with Christians who despise keeping and fulfilling the commandments of God, and especially with those who consider their fulfillment unnecessary and superfluous. The doctor himself has no need for the diet he prescribes; but maintaining dietary rules is necessary for the patient who is being treated by this doctor. Likewise, for a Christian who thinks of believing in God, it is necessary to fulfill God’s commandments, and faith alone is in no way sufficient for salvation. Because the demons believe and tremble, but have no hope of receiving salvation. What if some Christians, due to weakness, cannot do all good deeds? Then the Lord accepts their good will and awareness of their weakness, and humility before everyone, and a request for mercy from the Lord through His sole mercy. For the Lord hates only the proud self-justification of those who invent crafty lies to justify themselves. Well-meaning Lutherans recognize the need for a pious life and fulfillment of God's commandments, because the innermost consciousness of man, his very conscience, demands this. Only those blinded by pride and lust unjustly hope to receive a good end and the mercy of God even after their reproachful life; but they will be very mistaken in this. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap in every possible way. 13) Some of the Lutherans fervently and fervently pray to God, and on these spiritual feelings they imagine basing their salvation, ignoring the most important commandment of the Lord, Who says: “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but do the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Just as at the beginning the will of God was violated by the disobedience of the forefathers, so now its fulfillment begins first of all with the obedience of the Church of Christ, as the Lord Himself testifies to this before its shepherds, starting with the apostles: “Hear you, He listens to Me: and discard you, Me is discarded: discard Me, the One who sent Me is discarded” (Luke 10:16); and in another place: “If the Church (and not the people) disobeys, make you as a pagan and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). In vain, against these words of the Lord, Lutherans want to justify themselves with other words of the Holy Scripture: “For you are the churches of God who live, as God said: for I will dwell in them and walk, and I will be God, and they will be my people” (2 Cor. 6:16; Lev. 26:12). Man has a fundamental nature—consists of body and soul, and the Lord first created the body, then the soul. Therefore, everyone who calls himself a Christian must first belong to the visible Church of Christ, as the Lord Himself commands, and then let him take care of his spiritual church, according to the inner man. Both are necessary. It is not in vain that it is said in the Holy Scriptures (Ps. 67:7): “God dwells like-minded people in His house,” that is, in His Church, both militant on earth and triumphant in heaven, for both of them constitute one kingdom of the House - the Lord Christ. Therefore, those who differ in their views and who separate from this House of God face a clear danger of remaining outside, with the foolish virgins, since through their stubbornness (against the Church) they will be deprived of the necessary oil. Well, uncle, what I found out, I submit for your consideration. Don’t think that I want to teach you: eggs don’t teach a chicken. I also don’t want you to simply believe my words; but I only sincerely ask you to investigate this important and necessary subject. I also ask you to give me your noble word so that, before a complete study, you do not talk or discuss this with your pastors and Lutherans close to you, and if you want, in case of perplexity, to learn something about Orthodoxy, you can talk about this with the Most Reverend Gregory, with Andrei Nikolaevich Muravyov and with Stepan Onisimovich Burachk. I know, uncle, that you pray to God earnestly. Therefore, before exploring both faiths, pray to the Lord with faith, without any prejudice towards one side or the other, Orthodox and Lutheran. I believe in the mercy of God that if a person seeks the truth of Christ with the rightness of his heart, then it will be revealed to him in every possible way without the admixture of false wisdom. Just do not accept notifications about this and certification through any voice from outside or inside you. This, according to Orthodox doctrine, may be from an enemy, a hater of the truth of Christ and a sower of the weeds of false teaching. Notification and certification, according to the teaching of the Church, is simply the resolution of conceit and conviction of the truth of Christ, which I wish both for myself and for you with all my soul and with all my heart. Amen. You might be interested in: