Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future

Fr. Seraphim Rose may have gotten his monastic name from a famously gentle Russian saint, but he had a warrior's spirit. His goal in life was to prove, by his own example, that a contemporary Orthodox Christian can still live exactly like a 3rd-century Desert Father, if only the will and the zeal were there. While doing this, he still found the time to write a number of passionate polemics (of which this book is the best-known) attacking what he saw as various forms of indulgence and temptation masquerading as "spirituality." First, though, if you're reading this like an editorial, demanding to be convinced of the author's "correctness," this might not be for you. And, while we're on the subject, let me also suggest that this approach is unproductive. I think that, for better or for worse, people adopt beliefs by example, based on the moral authority of their role models, rather than on their philosophical "validity." We look down on huckster moralists who engage in the same hedonism they rail against when they think no one is watching. By the same token, I have to feel a certain respect for a man who backed up his beliefs by living a life of ascetic prayer in the mountains. "Agreeing" or "disagreeing" with him is not really important. But on to the book. Its subject matter is somewhat eccentric, but that simply reflects the strangeness of various "spiritual" fads and trends in 1970s California. The type of person who would be moved to visit a remote Orthodox monastery in California, a place more frequently associated with over-the-top hedonism, would likely be the spiritually vulnerable type, the type to have previously been damaged by various garish UFO cults, gurus, and charlatans, before reaching out in desperation for something else. It is not possible to reach such people by mocking their beliefs, or by attempting to prove to them that they are "wrong" -- they have absorbed enough sophistry and rationalizations to beat you at this game, and unlike you, they feel that they have something to lose. Rather, Fr. Seraphim neatly subverts their worldview. He casually allows the possibility that their alleged mystical experiences were "real," but strongly questions their "goodness." He then interprets them using Orthodox demonology, and emphasizes the danger of trusting these mutable, impressionable perceptions. The spirit of ancient Orthodoxy may seem "superstitious," but paradoxically, for that very reason, it is also extremely distrustful of superstition (or "spiritual deception," eloquently described by Fr. Seraphim in Ch. 7 of this book). Orthodox philosophy is quite practical for understanding and resisting the mass delusions and spiritual pitfalls described in this book, which exemplify the concept of "spiritual deception" perfectly. If they have any weakness at all, it is precisely to this view. Their claim to truth is based on the idea of "verifiable" personal experience, so that if their adherents are experiencing ecstatic revelations, those experiences must therefore be true and good. By conceding this "verifiability," but decoupling it from "goodness," the rug is pulled out from underneath the lot. Intellectually, this is a subtle approach. The opening line of the book is, "Every heresy has its own 'spirituality,' its own characteristic approach to the practical religious life." (xix) This is a deep statement. To believers, this is saying that the way to combat "heresy" is to understand, explain, and address its deeper psychological cause, instead of simply repeating comforting doctrinal formalities. In Fr. Seraphim's words, "the willingness of our fallen human nature to mistake illusion for truth, emotional comfort for spiritual experience, is much greater than you think." (141) The purpose of religion is not to provide excuses to hide behind; it's a simple point that often gets lost in profit-seeking double-talk. From a purely Christian viewpoint, Fr. Seraphim offers a sobering warning. It is easy to imagine the antichrist as a comic-book villain who cackles maniacally, twirls his handlebar mustache, and oppresses Christians in cartoonishly evil ways. In fact, many fringe groups use exactly this image to rally their faithful. But, in Fr. Seraphim's interpretation, the antichrist will not be openly confrontational, but rather will mimic the appearance of Christ as closely as possible, playing into a widespread yearning for "meaning in life," and seemingly offering to everyone exactly what they want. The title does not imply that Orthodoxy is "the religion of the future," but rather puts the two in mutual opposition. The message is that "the religion of the future" will tell you exactly what you want to hear, and, if you self-identify as Christian, it will deliberately play on your sense of identity; instead of using brute force, it will seduce you into accepting it as Christianity. Complacency is dangerous. Fr. Seraphim's cultural analysis is likewise provocative, regardless of whether one "agrees" with it. I like science fiction -- first, a large part of it actually reflects a profound anxiety about "progress" in general (think Blade Runner or any other post-apocalyptic setting), and second, the more "optimistic" variety (think 1960s Star Trek ) at least tries to hold humanity to a higher standard, or simply offers a way to make analogies to contemporary political problems (most of the "aliens" in Star Trek were just "foreigners" in make-up). But Fr. Seraphim's observation, "Science fiction in general is usually not very 'scientific' at all, and not really very 'futuristic' either; if anything, it is a retreat to the 'mystical' origins of modern science" (75-76) is dead-on, and makes one wonder why popular culture always has to be so delusional. I think that the best way to understand what Fr. Seraphim was all about is not from his writing, but from his life. He also seemed to believe that his point would be better made by living properly than with words. But he was undeniably a perceptive and original thinker, with an articulate and compelling interpretation of the spiritual woes that he encountered.

This is one of the books I picked to read for Lent this year. It was very enlightening - even though it was written fifty years ago, many of the trends identified in the book are still happening today as Western society continues to move away from God, unfortunately.

I found, in the pages of this book, answers to questions I have had over the years. Certain practices had troubled me and provoked questions in my mind that I had no answers for, but here were explained quite well.

A great read that clarifies everything that's going on today. I was surprised by the importance Fr Seraphim attached to Hinduism, but I can kind of understand it, though I would give it a different label.

**A Thought-Provoking and Insightful Read!** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **"Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future"** is a truly **exceptional** and **thought-provoking** book that offers a deep exploration of faith, reason, and modernity. Written with eloquence and clarity, it challenges conventional thinking about religion and presents a fresh, **inspiring perspective** on the nature of belief in the future. The author does a remarkable job of blending **philosophical insights** with personal reflections, making complex ideas accessible and engaging. The book is not only **intellectually stimulating** but also spiritually enriching, offering a strong foundation for those seeking to understand the role of religion in our rapidly changing world. The writing is both **compelling and compassionate**, inviting readers to reflect on the deeper meanings of life, faith, and the divine. For anyone interested in **theology, philosophy**, or simply exploring new ideas about spirituality, this book is a must-read. It’s a **powerful and enriching journey** that leaves a lasting impression. Highly recommended!

Bought it for my husband he really enjoyed it.

There is a lot of random observations but weed through them and you will be struck at prophetic wisdom of it all,even though the events noted seem dated.

This book did a hard reset on my spirit.

... to understand what is at stake in our world ; it may change your vision forever about what is spirituality! First chapter explains why Fr Seraphim Rose is so clear -without compromise but with a lot of unique explanations, examples and experience - Indeed he did offer his great heart and tolerance to every person who cam to him - believer or unbeliever - But in a book about spirituality his aim is to tell "the truth" to readers (sorry I cannot find a better word, I am not a native Englishspeaker, And the book is not translated in my language) This is of GREAT interest also for those who have experiences in various "oriental spirituality" I greatly suggest to read it :it is brilliant, short and clear enough to open your eyes and ears !

Nesta obra, o venerável padre Seraphim Rose analisa como a ascensão da espiritualidade das religiões orientais em países “cristãos”, fenômenos OVNI e o reavivamento carismático estão relacionados a religião do futuro (a religião do Anticristo). A obra tem diversos relatos e fontes para explicar todos esses temas e utiliza os Santos Padres (padres, bispos e monges dos primeiros séculos) para analisá-los. Uma leitura obrigatória para enxergar a ortodoxia nos dias de hoje!

Even though this book was written in the mid 70's it is still so relevant today if not more so. More than ever we are prone to the pitfalls of being duped by new agism in all it's forms and in recent years the so-called alien disclosure of classified files in order to question and diminish our faith in a Creator God, making us ever so susceptible to every new fad that comes along. Great read.

Glad it’s available on Amazon! Excellent read and very pertinent in our times.

En este libro San Seraphim Rose nos brinda una profética exposición de la “Religión del futuro”, que en este tiempo ya está más manifestada. Esta religión es la del anticristo, y solo la iglesia ortodoxia es el arca que nos puede salvar de este diluvio apocalíptico.