Practical Tips for a Move to Western Orthodoxy

From WesternOrthodoxy.com. I have updated some of the information from this original post, written on that website and not by me, to reflect our new Western Rite Vicar General, the Very Rev. Fr. Edward Hughes. This is a helpful, practical guide for those who are looking for a new church home in the new year.

Practical Tips for a Move to Western Orthodoxy

This article is a collection of points to think about for those considering a group move to Orthodoxy. Some are practical - how to make a great altar for a temporary space. Others are legal issues to explore with counsel. Not every point applies to every situation. These thoughts are offered by those who have been through this process, survived and thrived.

Phase 1:
Exploring Your Options

A great move. Here is what one layman, whose father had been an Episcopal priest, wrote after he and his parish completed a move to Orthodoxy:

My wife and I talked, we prayed, we thought about it. 73 years of Episcopal Church worship were ‘on the line.’ To leave was almost inevitable, but filled with fear and trepidation. We went to our first Western Rite Orthodox communion still unsure. Lo and behold we found ourselves at home, and what a homecoming! The liturgy, the prayers, the celebration of the Mass without the contamination of inclusive language, without the intrusion of contemporary political liberalism. We were Home! Surely God was leading us, loving us and guiding us! Home! How else can you say it? Home with Jesus Christ! Free at last to worship as our fathers and their fathers before them. Thanks be to God.

Like any important move - such as to your dream home or a great new job -- a move to Western Orthodoxy takes consideration, planning, and effort. This article makes it easier to think through and complete that process. And here’s the best news: Coming home to Orthodoxy is the last move you’ll ever have to make.

Call with questions! The Archbishop has appointed a Vicar General as the person directly under him to deal with Western Rite issues, inquirers, liturgics, etc. Grab the telephone and call the Vicar General about any issues, concerns, problems, or just to talk about Western Orthodoxy. He can help personally or refer you to someone in the Vicariate. The Vicariate can also arrange speakers -- for example, other priests or lay people who have gone through this and can speak to your people. Here are the address and telephone numbers:

The V. Rev. Edward Hughes
103 Pleasant St
Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 685-4052 or (978) 686-3274

Bricks and Mortar. Most new churches start fresh in a new space. If you are thinking of trying to keep the old church building, get excellent legal counsel far in advance of any move. In the Episcopal church, this has been made very difficult by changes to canon law designed to thwart people changing affiliations. Get solid, independent legal advice. Whatever the advice, think hard before devoting your early years and resources to a custody battle for the building. You may decide, in the words of one parish, to say “You keep the building, and we’ll keep the Church.”

Testing the Waters. Normally, the movement to Orthodoxy begins with a few people. It is of course desirable - both for spiritual and pragmatic reasons -- to bring with you as many people as possible. However, you must be discerning and realistic. You know your parish. Establish your core group before you make any announcement. This is particularly true if it appears that only a portion of the parish will be likely to make the move. Begin cautiously, approaching only those persons you are confident would be interested. After you make your announcement, you may be amazed at the number of people who join you. You may also be surprised by some persons who do not, and who may even become hostile.

Loose Lips. As you explore the possibility of forming a group to join Orthodoxy, be circumspect. This is especially true if a priest or deacon is considering whether he is called to go with you. If the hierarchy of your current denomination discovers your discussions or search before you have finalized your plans and announced your departure, it could make a “pre-emptive strike” against you. Excommunications or suspension of clergy can present difficulties if done before you are ready to move. Such actions can injure the financial position of clergy and their families by creating gaps in retirement packages, group health insurance, etc. While new arrangements will eventually be made, you want such matters to be negotiated and transferred, rather than starting anew or after a lapse in coverage.

Address People’s Concerns. Once you are discussing the possible move, take time to solicit and address any concerns parishioners have about the idea. People may have erroneous ideas, such as that Orthodox services require 3 hours of standing, or aren’t in English. Show people the Western Rite service, so they can be comfortable with it. If people are concerned about joining a church they may perceive to be “ethnic”, address that head on, including by explaining that something like half the members and clergy of the Archdiocese are converts, and that Western Orthodox folks in particular are almost all converts. Offer to put people in touch with similar lay people from other parishes who made the change.

More Orthodoxy Online. Investigate the additional resources and information available on other Western Orthodox websites. Check out our Links page.

Phase 2:
Physical & Legal Preparations for the Move

Once you decide to move, you have two main needs: (1) To gather the vestments, books and other hardware necessary for proper worship, and (2) To establish the legal framework for your new parish. These activities should go on concurrently.

• Holy Hardware

You will want to make the first liturgy in the new space look and feel like as much like a “real” church as possible. Plan ahead for vestments, acolyte cassocks and surplices, altar items, etc. At the same time, don’t obsess if you don’t instantly own everything you had at the old church.

A Little Leaven. Orthodox communion bread is leavened. For leavened priest’s wafers and people’s hosts, call (931) 836-8089.

Service Books. Order service books in advance. Write to the Vicariate about Western Rite materials available from the Vicariate or the Archdiocese. Depending on how “Novus Ordo” your parish was forced to go, you may no longer have 1940 Hymnals or a proper Anglican altar Missal or the English Gradual. Here are ideas on where to get those:

What’s in the Attic? If the old church has copies of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer or 1940 Hymnals or English Gradual books stored somewhere and never used, consider negotiating to take them with you. (This would be done after your announcement is made.) The BCPs do contain material not used by Western Orthodox, but are handy because they contain the proper version of the psalter. (See also Daily Office, below.)

Bookstores. Second-hand book shops often have inexpensive copies of the 1940 Hymnal and 1928 BCPs. Ask everyone in the parish, especially those practiced at ferreting things out in bookstores, to look for them. Have a book marking party to make the small linguistic changes necessary to reflect Orthodoxy’s rejection of the filioque. Delete the words “and the Son” from the Creed’s “who proceedeth from the Father and the Son . . .”. Occasionally a hymn has an embedded reference to the filioque. These are also easily fixed. For example, Hymn 199’s last line refers to the Holy Ghost as “who from Both with Both is One/” Change this to “who with Both is ever One.”

Auctions. Try searching for vestments, candlesticks, altar linens, and other tangible items online. At any given time there’s an amazing amount of religious hardware on offer through Ebay, for example. If you don’t find what you need immediately, you can register a personal shopper request for it. That means Ebay will email you whenever a new item comes up that matches your request. Yahoo’s auction service has a similar feature. Consult someone in your group who’s an experienced online auction shopper. And be sure to ask any questions before you bid for something. Also check out traditional auction houses in your area. If possible, make arrangements to be alerted when church-related goods come up for bidding.

Coordinate Donations. Set up a Donations or Arts Committee. People may be in a fever to donate things. Unless judgment and oversight are exercised, you can end up with a bunch of stuff that doesn’t match, some of which is undesirable, and all of which must be used to avoid giving offense. Draw up a prioritized list of what the church needs. This might include references to the Wippell’s catalog (preferable to the Almy, which is more Novus Ordo) and prices. Circulate it, or use it tactfully as a reference when people express interest in giving something. Wippell’s USA contact information is:

1 Mill Street
P.O. Box 468
Branchville, NJ 07826
tel. (973) 948-2134.

I’ve Got a Little List. Appoint one of your number to keep a detailed list of all gifts made, especially physical items. Describe the gift with specificity (e.g., Silver plated monstrance with Limoges image of the Blessed Virgin Mary). For major items like a processional cross, set of vestments, etc. consider taking a photograph. For each gift, list the donor(s)’ names, addresses, the date the gift was received, and whether it is in memoriam. If the gift is a memorial, list the name of the person in whose memory the gift is given, and that person’s relationship to the donor. Include the value of each non-cash gift, and any supporting documentation the donor may have. This list is a permanent record for your mission and the parish it will become. The record helps people to establish the charitable exemption for any gifts, and can also help establish an insurance claim in the event of a loss in future years. (Store one copy of the list away from the church for this purpose.)

Let Us Build an Altar. A practical altar is easily built with two tall sawhorses and a large, solid, heavy board. When covered with a Jacobean frontal the altar looks great. See our instructions for making and vesting an altar.

Laudian Frontals. The beauty of the traditional Laudian frontal is also very practical for those in temporary worship spaces. Essentially, you sew a large rectangle large enough to throw over the altar and flow out regally all around. You can round off the corners, or leave them square and simply turn them under at the altar. This frontal not only makes for a beautiful altar, it also saves all of the material so that it can be re-used later when you have a permanent space of your own. If you can find locally or afford to order from Wippell’s a good all-seasons tapestry suitable for formal liturgical use, you can start with a single frontal to use year-round. Since good tapestry is costly, it’s usually less expensive to buy solid color fabric in the various liturgical colors and make a different frontal for each season. Look for a fabric that drapes nicely and has a bit of heft to it. Upholstery grade material works well. See our instructions for making and vesting an altar.

The Propers. If your choir director is unfamiliar with how to chant the propers in the English Gradual, or if you need the books, call the Vicariate - there are people who can help.

Pew missals. A people’s Western Orthodox Missal is available from the Archdiocese. Updates/revisions to it are available from the Vicariate. Also available is a red paperback edition of the liturgy. This is an inexpensive choice for those just starting out.

Thurible and Incense. Incense is required at Mass in the Orthodox church. You can get a thurible and incense from Wippell-Mowbray. (See "Coordinate Donations," above, for contact information.) Plain frankincense is available at some health food/natural food stores and some Greek Orthodox sources. (Note: The thuribles used in the Eastern Rite are not appropriate for WR use because they have bells on them.)

• Stablish The Thing: Legal and Organizational Preparations

Mission Control. As soon as your group is reasonably defined, and you are sure you are going to make the move, contact the Western Rite Vicariate, so that your status as a Mission of the Orthodox Church can be established as soon as possible. This is very important - it provides you with a place to be, an anchor, so that you are not just a group of people with no association or defined purpose. It also can allow you to accept tax exempt gifts and pledges, using the charitable and/or religious tax exemption of the Vicariate or a local Orthodox church which may be designated to help you.

Do You Exist? Consider forming the legal structure of the new church in advance. Start the process for incorporation, or whatever the appropriate formalities are in your state. The Antiochian Archdiocesan sample articles of incorporation will help you get started. Supplement them with federally-required provisions and requirements specific to your state.

Getting Your Own Tax Exemption. Talk with your counsel about securing a tax exemption under Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(3), as well as a similar exemption from the state in which you are organized and operate your new parish. This is valuable, since it exempts the church from income tax as well as from most or all state taxes. It also means gifts may be deducted by the donor.

Keeping Your Tax Exempt Status. Once your parish obtains a tax exemption, you must keep it. One of the Internal Revenue Service tests is the “organizational and operational test”. A church must demonstrate that it is organized and will be operated exclusively for religious purposes. Statements to this effect should go in both the bylaws and in the Articles of Incorporation, where the corporate purpose is given. The IRS also requires that religious organizations refrain from lobbying or political campaigning. Church bylaws and articles of incorporation must also provide that church assets are irrevocably dedicated for religious purposes, and that if the church ever dissolves its assets will be distributed to another tax-exempt religious organization. (See the Antiochian Archdiocesan sample articles of incorporation.) You should consult with your local counsel about these provisions, as well as how your organization can meet these tests to obtain and maintain tax exempt status.

Insurance. Get your new insurance up and running before your first service. Include these coverages among those you consider: Property insurance, to protect against loss to buildings and things belonging to the church (vestments, supplies, books, furniture, etc.); Liability insurance, to protect the church from any third party claims (such as if a visitor slips and falls at your service). Liability insurance may include coverage for Directors and Officers (your clergy and vestry members) and for clergy malpractice. Pick an insurance expert knowledgeable about the needs of churches and non-profits, and ask for a church combination package. This can offer all needed coverage at a substantial discount over the cost of buying each policy separately.

Accounting. The account books of the mission must be established right away to keep track of monetary donations, gifts and pledges, and to assure that the federal Internal Revenue Code and the tax laws of your state are complied with. Get the accountant in place even before you make the break -- it’s essential that proper books and records be established at the very beginning.

Health Coverage. Write to the Archdiocese to arrange clergy health coverage through the Archdiocesan plan. Shop around also. Depending on local circumstances, you may be able to secure a better deal on the open market.

Decency and Good Order. Make sure everything is in apple-pie order at the old church before you announce your plans and certainly before you actually go. This means physical space, church property, accounts, etc. Take photographs of the exited space and bring them with you. Do this even if there is no sign of trouble - if you never need them, fine. However, claims of damage or tampering may be asserted after you’re gone and not in a position to rebut them without photos. Immediately after the move, consider going over the property with the Bishop or other person in authority, as one would with a landlord on exiting an apartment.

Mine and Thine. If you are bringing anything with you that somebody could argue belongs to the old church, be open about it. Document why you believe it need not remain behind. Invite the old church to let you know if it disagrees.

Put it in Writing. Document everything. This need not be done in a stilted, legalistic manner. Use a friendly letter instead. The point is to have something in writing, both to smoke out any misunderstandings so they can be resolved promptly, and to have a record of what went on. The address box of the letter should include the recipient’s title, e.g. Senior Warden. Here’s an example of a legally effective confirming letter, which has a non-threatening, friendly tone. If you secure a deal to buy unused books, you could write:

Dear Walter,

Thanks so much for agreeing to sell the old BCPs and 1940 hymnals to our new mission at 50 cents a copy. We counted 150 total, so here’s our check for $75 - if you came up with a different number just let me know. I’ll have somebody pick them up after the Thursday liturgy next week.

Thanks again, ____.

Or, to document that certain objects formerly used and stored at the old church are going to the new, you could write:

Dear Elizabeth,

As I mentioned to you at coffee hour last week, the folks leaving to start the new Orthodox mission are bringing with us the silver tray used for the entrance votive candles and the set of Oxblood vestments for Passiontide. As you know, the tray was on loan from Mrs. Waters, who is joining the new mission. The vestments were given to Fr. Glaston personally and thus are going with him.

If you have any questions, just give me a ring.

You get the idea.

Proof of Delivery. Send any written items in a way that gives proof of delivery, such as Federal Express or certified mail, return receipt requested. If for some reason you decide that it will be too offensive or “in your face” to send an item in such a way, consider having an independent person - like a neighbor or friend not affiliated with the church - review the letter, seal it and hand deliver it. That way, there’s a relatively neutral person to confirm delivery. On the file copy of the same item, have the person make a note of when and how it was delivered. For example “Handed personally to secretary outside Fr. Smith’s office, Wednesday March 10th at noon.” Or, “Went to the church Friday June 3rd at 4:30 p.m., nobody there, put the letter through the mail slot.”

Media Coverage. If the press gets involved in your change, seek out parishioners or others experienced in handling the media -- this is a great opportunity to get your message across. Consider sending press releases to the Religious Editor or other suitable media sources. Be sure to send your draft press release to the Vicar General before it goes out. This helps ensure a consistent message and enables you to build on what others have done in the past. Comments to the media should be upbeat. Give your reasons for the change, stressing the positives of Orthodoxy, not the negatives of your old denomination.

Phase 3:
Up and Running

Welcome to Orthodoxy. Consider asking for “Welcome” letters from the Vicar General, your local W.R. dean, and any other Orthodox clergy who may have been involved in your transition. It is very cheering to have these read aloud at the first service. It underscores that the people aren’t just leaving something, they are joining something. Also, reading letters from the duly constituted authorities underscores that you are not vagantes.

Be It Ever So Humble. Once you have established your mission, you must have a place to hold your services, vestry meetings, etc. This place need not be grand, nor what you ultimately want your church building to be. However, it is extremely desirable that it be a place that is exclusively yours, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If it is all yours, almost anything will do for a beginning. You may hear arguments that you cannot afford any such place, and that homes should be used, or that a place should be rented just for Sunday mornings. Occasionally this must be so. However, you should look at the budget very carefully and sacrifice other things to get a place of your own. This will enhance your sense of mission and may also help you grow. It’s hard to get new folks into a private home, or to explain to inquirers that Mass is here, Matins there, and Evensong someplace else. Also - it’s a lot of work traipsing altar frontals, missals, thurible, etc. from place to place. Much better to have your own, blessed site where all can remain up from week to week.

Begin As You Mean to Go On. People are generally most receptive to change right at the time of the switch. If things like the propers, incense, formal liturgical language, veiling during Lent, etc. were forced to lapse in the old church, restore them right away, the first day. Toss the cassock-albs or other Novus Ordo vestments and start with the right stuff on day one. That way, these features are understood as givens, non-negotiable from the start. If you start without such things, it may be difficult to add them later.

Bless Thine Heritage. As you settle in, remember two key rules: No Novus Ordo, No Byzantinism. Look at old prayers you’ve collected; if they’re Novus Ordo, retranslate them back to traditional, liturgical English, or get the original version from an older source. Have the choir director take the same care with anthems. Well-meaning Eastern Orthodox may suggest you adopt customs or rituals followed in the Eastern Rite. Sometimes in the zeal of joining a new group, people may want to do that. This is forbidden; See the Ordo. The Eastern and Western Rites - including non-liturgical customs - are not hybridized. Each is preserved separately in its glory and fullness. Indeed, one of our new blessings is that when away from home we can attend Eastern Rite liturgies as full participants, just as our Eastern Rite brethren do when they visit a Western Rite parish.

Blessed Bread. Western Orthodoxy has restored the ancient Western custom of offering the eulogiae or pain benit - bread which is blessed, but not consecrated. At least as early as the 6th century, the custom of giving out blessed bread to non-communicants was prevalent in England, France and Germany. The Sarum liturgy, an inspiration for the Orthodox liturgy of St. Tikhon, has a specific prayer to bless the eulogiae, which is approved for Western Orthodox today: “Bless, O Lord, this creature of bread, as thou didst bless the five loaves in the wilderness, that all who partake thereof, may receive health both of body and soul. In the name + of the Father, and + of the Son, and of the Holy + Ghost. Amen.” Giving blessed bread to all is a kind and helpful custom for today, since persons who do not share the Orthodox understanding of communion might otherwise feel uncomfortable at not being able to receive. It is also a good example of the joy --and paradox-- of becoming Orthodox - that in the “Eastern” Orthodox church, we can be more free than before to fully pursue and enjoy all that is good in our Western Christian heritage.

The Daily Office. If people have gotten out of the habit of saying daily Matins and Evensong, teach on this. Get a sufficient number of Ordos, from:

ORDO
St. Luke's Priory Press (website under construction)
1325 E. Queen Ave.
Spokane, WA 99207

Also available is The English Office. Look at used bookstores for a single volume combining the King James bible (the authorized English language bible for our Archdiocese) and the 1928 BCP. This is very useful for saying the office.

King James Version. If necessary, alert lay readers for matins and evensong to practice the lesson from the KJV, and have a KJV bible at the church for readers to use. You may need to remind people to use the old form of introducing and readings: E.g., “Here beginneth the ___ verse of the __ chapter of the Epistle of James.” “Here endeth the [first or second] lesson.”

Confession. In addition to the General Confession at each liturgy and in the daily office, The Orthodox Church stresses sacramental confession to a priest. If this has not been customary or well-understood in your prior affiliation, consider teaching on this.

Bequests to the Church. After the switch, people whose wills contain bequests to the old church or affiliated organizations may wish to change their wills to leave the bequests to the new church instead. An announcement can be made in the bulletin reminding people of this issue.

Emergency notification cards. As at a school or office, it’s a good idea to have emergency notification cards. These tell the parish leaders who to call if a member is ill, has an accident, etc. If you had them at the old church, consider photocopying those of parishioners who are founding the new church. (Get their permission first, in writing.) Or, create/copy a form, and have them filled out at the first meeting or service of the new church. Some people may have included the church or priest as an emergency contact on a wallet card or at work. If the telephone number of the clergy or the church office has changed, consider reminding people to update such designations.

Funeral directions. Consider having parishioners fill out a card indicating their wishes (hymns, burial site, etc.) in this regard. The Orthodox church disfavors cremation. Relatives, however, may prefer it because it is perceived as cheaper. Having written confirmation of parishioners’ wishes can avoid unseemly disputes down the road, perhaps with relatives who are a different religion or unchurched. Your local funeral director is a good resource for whatever forms work in your state.

Resignations. Consider whether members wish to or need to resign from church-related boards or organizations affiliated with the old entity. For example, if you are the old parish’s representative to the ECW, you need to resign from that. Do this in writing and retain copies. It’s thoughtful to copy the old church on the letter, so that they know you’ve taken care of this. Depending on terms between those leaving and those staying, consider asking who your replacement will be and including that in your letter.

The Acolyte Corps. In Orthodoxy, only men and boys serve as acolytes. If your old church allowed female acolytes, you need to prepare them to understand and accept this change. Consider recruiting the former female acolytes to a new job in the new church - running the book table; coordinating the outreach program; managing the schedule of who sets up each week for liturgy, etc.

The Altar Guild. In the Western Tradition, it has long been a special ministry of church women to care for the vestments, altar linens and vessels, to help set up the altar, and to arrange and place the altar flowers. This is one of many instances where the Western Orthodox tradition is different from the Byzantine practice (only men deal with the altar). If you already have an altar guild, it can transition seamlessly into Western Orthodoxy. If your past affiliation doesn’t have this feature, talk to other Western Rite priests and altar guild directresses about how to get it going. One practical set-up point is new to Orthodoxy: The Metropolitan Archbishop gives a silk square to each new parish at the time of its reception into Orthodoxy. This item, called the Antimens, goes on the altar every liturgy, under the Fair Linen.

Mail Forwarding. At the post office, fill out mail forwarding cards for the priest, vestry members and other individuals who may receive mail at the old church by name. Ditto for the rectory. If something is sent to you which should go back to the old church, forward it promptly with a nice note. (Keep a file copy of your note and a photocopy of the outside of the item forwarded.)

Set an Example. Act at all times in a courteous and businesslike fashion. In addition to being the right thing to do, it can help move to your parish people who are sitting on the fence. If the people who stay behind are acting angry, vindictive, and paranoid, and the people who moved to Orthodoxy are being friendly, open, and courteous, think about what kind of message that sends.

Memorial Gifts. Parishioners occasionally find it a wrench to leave behind gifts given in memory of their beloved dead. Consider negotiating to buy these for the new church, so that they may follow the giver. This may be a long shot, but you never know. Unless the leaving group is on extraordinarily good terms with the old church, this might best be done well after the dust has settled.

Prepare for the Novelty to Wear Off. After you’ve been up and running in Orthodoxy for awhile, prepare people for some degree of let-down. Remember Screwtape’s letter to Wormwood: “Work hard, then, on the disappointment or anticlimax which is certainly coming to the patient during his first few weeks as a churchman. The Enemy allows this disappointment to occur on the threshold of every human endeavour. It occurs when the boy who has been enchanted in the nursery by Stories from the Odyssey buckles down to really learning Greek. It occurs when lovers have got married and begin the real task of learning to live together. In every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspiration to laborious doing.” The novelty of setting up chairs and carting around “church in a box” runs out. Persevere.

Be Realistic. Do not suggest that life will be a perfect dream in Orthodoxy, that a person’s spiritual life will radically change and improve right away, that the church will magically triple in numbers and money, etc. This may sound silly - but in at least one instance people were told things like this, believed them, and were disappointed. Discuss the real reasons for becoming Orthodox: Orthodoxy is true. We can be in the historic and vibrant Orthodox church, in communion with millions of people, while also preserving all that is good and worthy in the Western Christian heritage. This is not just for our own benefit, but for that of all His holy church. Orthodoxy wants the glorious and beautiful traditions of the West restored unto her. While the Orthodox church, like any in this fallen world, has problems, they are vastly different from those with which many of us were familiar in a previous denomination. No argument about dogma, no political groupthink masquerading as Church doctrine, etc.

Spread the Word. Are there people who left your old church out of concern that it was departing from its true tradition? Who became unchurched for whatever reason? After the new church is up and running, let them know about it. Some people may be interested in joining; others may simply be glad to know that their former co-parishioners have found a home in Orthodoxy.

A Worthy Vocation. From the beginning, traditional Western Christianity has suffered attacks from within and without. In spite of the heresies, persecutions and schisms, and the serious attacks in our own 20th century, it has survived for 2,000 years. If you are considering becoming Western Orthodox, you may well be called by our Lord to preserve the magnificent heritage of the Western Christian Tradition, restored to Orthodoxy once more. This vocation is to perpetuate the Western Rite liturgy, and also the beauty, majesty, spirituality, and devotion of the Western Tradition. We are sure that if you are true to this calling, God will bless your endeavors.

Enjoy Your New Home! Thousands of people have found a new home in Orthodoxy - perhaps you are called to do so. Of course it is not easy. Of course it involves sacrifice - and plain old work, like some of the practical tasks outlined here. All good and true endeavors do. But we know of nobody who, having made the move, would ever go back. Welcome Home. Amen.

Write the Next Chapter. Is there something you wanted to see in this article that’s not there? Something your group found helpful in the transition and want to share with others? Send in you suggestions, and maybe they will be part of the next edition of this article.

The Ravages of Relevance

Like other examples of this genre, I thought for certain this had to be a parody. I'm told it is not. Behold the ravages of "relevant" ministry:



Yeah, this is what all the kids are into....

Update: A poster notes this video is produced by The Way International. For more information on that group, see the comments and read this profile. Also, the video disappeared from YouTube because The Way Intl. has asserted a copyright claim. However, one can view it (out of morbid curiosity) here.

Merits of the Saints: St. Peter Chrysologus

Over on Conversi ad Dominum, Fr. John W. Fenton quotes St. Peter Chrysologus' sermon of the feast of St. Lawrence (celebrated Sunday), which ends thus:

Therefore let us honor and esteem the merits of the martyrs as being the gifts of God. Let us beg for them, and add the inclination of our own will.

Fr. Fenton notes the the term "merits" is familiar to most of us only through the medieval dispute over works of supererogation, etc., but intimates it may not be inexplicably bound up with such notions. He writes:

St Peter Chrysologus, however, is certainly not medieval, and does not, to my mind, evidence "pre-medieval" tendencies (whatever these may be). Hence, his use of the term "merits" suggests that, perhaps, there is a proper use of the term that neither reactively requires its deletion nor unthinkingly compels it to be understood in a scholastic context.

Of St. Chrysologus, "the Western Chrysostom," Fr. Fenton is certainly correct.

Subdn. Benjamin Andersen has a few comments on Fr. Fenton's post, which are, as always, enlightening.

We had a discussion of merits on this blog in March, 2006. I was humbled that discussion spurred Subdn. Benjamin Andersen to write an outstanding blog entry on the topic, which I link for those able to access his blog. For those who can't, I quoted and commented upon his entry here.

Though this discussion is in a most embryonic stage, Fr. Fenton's post alludes to a fascinating question: to what degree would the term "merits" be applicable within Orthodox theology, and should such use then be made of it? Everyone agrees further study is needed; I would love to see such be undertaken. Surely somewhere there must be an Orthodox philanthropist or medievalist willing to underwrite such research? Or someone with the appropriate grounding in patristics and Western history willing to read? Is Bp. HILARION (Alfeyev) out there somewhere? :)

As I wrote before, this merits discussion.

New Blog Added

I've added a link to this site: Maria Lectrix. It features "public domain audiobooks six days a week," with an emphasis on patristic texts. Prepare to fill an entire hard drive. :)

Diary of a Loser

As Homer Simpson would say, "It's funny because it's true." It would explain 90 percent of the blown-out bandwidth on the internet. And if we're honest, we've all been this person at one point or another.

BTW, see what pops up when you hold your cursor over the image.

(Cartoon credits: xkcd.com.)

This Blog Brings Peace with a Former Critic

Some may think, judging from the noise pollution of some hateful anti-Western Rite polemicists, that, should they have the temerity to speak publicly anything concerning the canonical Western Rite, they will receive only hatred and malice. That's why I was pleased to receive this response to my recent post "How Orthodox Saints Assessed Western Spirituality":

I really enjoyed reading this. I was once very zealous in persecuting post-schism devotions without any consideration other than "is it post-schism?" I've come to understand that this approach is too absolutist... too "Western" in some ways.

I would insist that imagination - in actual prayer - is to be discouraged. But, I think Archbishop Hilarion had a good point; a point which I had not considered, in fact. Now that I think about it, Russian Saints counseled that we use the imagination to "warm the heart" as a preparation to prayer. I think that, if we uphold the necessary distinction between imagination used in a limited and proper context as an aid to producing a prayerful spirit (rather than as prayer itself), we would do well.

I ask forgiveness for the times I have been too dogmatic in opposing post-schism things. I think there are still good grounds for being cautious with such things, and making sure that they are used correctly... but I have come to understand that more balance is needed on these matters.

To the man - indeed, now a monk! - who wrote this, I remember your zeal at "persecuting" devotions well! :) I'm glad we agree on a need for balance in this regard; if it was good enough for the saints, it should be good enough for us!

As to the use of imagination during prayer, as I recall we actually agreed on this point during our discussion/blowout argument about the Rosary a few years ago. I suggested meditation on the mystery under consideration prior to prayer, precisely as a means to "warm up the heart" as recommended by, e.g., St. Theophan the Recluse. (I may have used the exact phrase, but I forget.)

Balance is precisely what is needed. Whether we presently agree on the exact contours of this or not, I'm overjoyed that you wrote. I'm happy you have joined a canonical Orthodox Church body (the Greek Orthodox Church) and that you are serving God as part of a larger monastery. Thank you again, and may God save us together.

A Prayer for One's Enemies -- from Inside a Nazi Concentration Camp

St. Nicholai of Žiča and South Canaan

Yesterday was the feast day of St. Nicholai (Velimirovic) of Žiča and South Canaan, a Serbian Orthodox saint who reposed in the United States. He came here having spent a number of years being persecuted by the Nazis, ultimately landing as a prisoner in Dachau. It was about them that he wrote this prayer. In continuing our promise of last week, we are happy to reproduce the saint's words here; would that we could reproduce his sanctity, as well:

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into Your embrace more than friends have.

Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.

Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.

They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.

They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.

They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself.

They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.

Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a dwarf.

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of Your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:

so that my fleeing to You may have no return;

so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs;

so that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul;

so that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;

so that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;

ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself.

One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.

Therefore, bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.

A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.

Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

— St. Nicholas of Žiča and South Canaan (St. Nikolai Velimirovic)

Happy Name Day

I wanted to wish everyone at St. Patrick Antiochian Orthodox Church in Warrenton, VA, a happy name day! I know my wishes will pale next to those of H.G. Bp. THOMAS. According to St. Patrick's website, "His Grace Bishop THOMAS will be celebrating the Divine Liturgy with us on our Patronal Feast, Monday night March 17th begining at 7:00" (Eastern Standard Time).

This blog has been supportive of their journey from the Charismatic Episcopal Church into Orthodoxy, passing on good news about them as it became available. We're glad to have one more item to add, especially on their feast day.

A happy and blessed feast day to St. Patrick's, and "Many Years Master" to Bishop THOMAS.

Two Prayers for Our Enemies

In keeping with our promise, here are two (well, really three) prayers for our enemies. First, the Byzantine "Prayers for our Enemies":

Troparion

Thou who didst pray for them that crucifed thee, O Lord, Lover of the souls of men, and who didst command thy servants to pray for their enemies, forgive those who hate and maltreat us, and turn our lives from all harm and evil to brotherly love and good works: for this we humbly bring our prayer, that with one accord and one heart we may glorify thee Who alone lovest mankind.

Kontakion

As thy first martyr Stephen prayed to thee for his murderers, O Lord, so we fall before thee and pray: forgive all who hate and maltreat us and let not one of them perish because of us, but all be saved by thy grace, O God the all-bountiful.

And from the Western tradition, here's one bit from a portion of Evening Prayer of the "Forms of Prayer to be Used in Families," which the Holy Synod of Russia decreed needed no changes on doctrinal grounds (although I would recommend adding invocation of the saints and angels to the prayers, even in the short forms):

Accept, O Lord, our intercessions for all mankind. Let the light of thy Gospel shine upon all nations; and may as many as have received it, live as becomes it. Be gracious unto thy Church; and grant that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may serve thee faithfully. Bless all in authority over us; and so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands, that they may punish wickedness and vice, and maintain thy true religion and virtue. Send down thy blessings, temporal and spiritual, upon all our relations, friends, and neighbours. Reward all who have done us good, and pardon all those who have done or wish us evil, and give them repentance and better minds. Be merciful to all who are in any trouble; and do thou, the God of pity, administer to them according to their several necessities; for his sake who went about doing good, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Grant it, O Lord, grant it.

Lenten Disruptions, Version 2.0

It seems nearly every year during Lent, the media revive some long-discredited rumor to discourage Christians: the "tomb of Jesus," the Gospel of Judas, The Da Vinci Code, etc. For some reason, canonical Orthodox always seem to pick fights with each other about contraception during Lent. And it seems as though nearly every year since I started this blog, during Lent (or, more tellingly, around Holy Week) someone issues some allegation against me that I'm supposed to waste time and energy combating, rather than working out my own salvation.

Right on cue, I understand from someone privy that a new round of rumors about me has been posted on a number of vagante haunts. I gather these include a number of false allegations. Some of you may know better than I the details of who posted what where, and when; I doubt it would be spiritually beneficial for me to learn. But before I could end the discussion of this unfortunate topic, I gathered the chief allegation claims that I made a number of telephone calls, over the course of two years, to His Grace Bishop GABRIEL of ROCOR to pass on negative information about some vagante or other.

At the risk of dignifying the charge, let me simply respond: I have never been in touch with Vl. GABRIEL by telephone, telegram, mail, FAX, e-mail, personal audience, telegraph, hologram, or courier pigeon. I have never communicated with Bp. GABRIEL of ROCOR in any way, shape, fashion, or form at any time in my life. Indeed, I'm sure Bishop GABRIEL would be the first to say so.

Again, I don't know the specifics of who posted what when, or where. I do not wish to hear the specifics about this or other rumors; indeed, I did not wish to hear the substance of this falsehood. I do not intend to spend a moment reacting to such people. I do intend to forgive whomever was involved, pray for their well-being, for their enlightenment — and for their malice to end. And then, I hope to set about trying to have an effectual Lent.

I know others have also been hurt by a recent number of anti-WRO onslaughts. There's no point in getting angry or upset over their mean-spirited falsehoods or rushing to their blogs and boards to duke it out with them. (Ya think you're going to get an even playing field?) I can't imagine what Adversary-al Accuser would want us to do so and thus rob us of all the joys of Lent. But I — and I hope you, dear reader — won't fall for it. I would guess this is not the first falsehood these individuals (whoever they are) have posted, and that their history and behavior exposes them for what they are, anyway.

In reality, there is absolutely no profit in trying to talk with those with a Pseudodox axe-to-grind. As Ari Adams has noted about discussions with vagantes:

it gets old and soul-wearying...[Our assailants will] twist any answer given into whatever mockery they choose to advance their selves...

Personally - I get tired of the pretend friendships, people claiming: "I'm for traditional Western rite Orthodoxy", "I'm for Church Unity", etc. All the while they back-bite and slander those holy WRITE clergy actually labouring in the field, then have the gall to call it 'parochial differences' or claim our Western rite clergy are 'liars'. Frankly - I'm scandalised. I'm not interested in the kind of 'Orthodoxy' these critics (whether they consider themselves pro or anti Western rite) are selling - and I'm tired of them expecting us at every challenge (new blog, yahoo board, recent rumor, or forum posting) to come out and battle them for the 'heart and soul' of the Western rite and Orthodoxy....

So true, particularly since most of the "challenges" are not new, they are often simply means to spread falsehoods about canonical Orthodox clergy/laity/jurisdictions, and most of these people are outside Orthodoxy themselves. Ari rightly notes that Western Orthodox:

have enough battle in our own 'cells': fighting our own sin, a culture that is increasingly hostile, and the pain, misery and poverty of humanity around us. We don't need 'cocked up' wars with opponents who want to blab on and on about liturgical minutiae but don't seem to know a single thing about Christian friendship, overcoming doubt about God and the Church.

Please join me in not focusing on these things, not allowing such misbehavior to replace the new birth of Easter with a stillborn Lent. Let's get into church and pray. Most of all, let's not allow their actions to blind us to the real task at hand: repenting of our own sins, growing in Christ's image and likeness, and in so doing seeing thousands around us being saved.

Old Bloggers Never Die...

But they do occasionally take longish hiatuses.

Sorry. Good to be back. I'm trying to get around to answering the questions that have come in.

The Young Fogey Fulminates Against Me

(Acknowledgement: I'd like to thank Logos for pointing this out to me, as I don't read Serge's blog.)

Mr. John "Serge" Beeler (who has appropriated for himself the title "The Young Fogey," apparently from Colleen Carroll Campbell's excellent book The New Faithful) has written a "response" to my post, "The Western Rite is Not 'Reverse Uniatism.'" Mr. Beeler and I crossed swords a number of years ago, which seems to have given him an interminable antipathy toward me — but then he seems to rage against anyone with the temerity to disagree with him. Mr. Beeler (who it seems cannot bear to call me by name), writes:

This blogger, trying to defend the Western Rite Orthodox experiment as not ‘reverse Uniatism’, seems to mirror the latinisers in the BC churches. Paraphrasing him: ‘We use Western externals but underneath are really Byzantine in our theology — the Eastern church fathers — because only that is really Orthodox’. What? [That's some paraphrase - BJ.]

IMO the best of the WRO, like Subdeacon Ben Andersen, no longer blogging, don’t talk like that. They don’t pretend everything they do is pre-schism nor try and rewrite history to fit byzantinocentrism. Like the high-church BCs use mostly Orthodox stuff and try and square it with today’s RC ecclesiology (papal prerogatives), these Orthodox openly use Roman and Anglican prayers, devotions and spiritual writing — dare I say theology as in ‘expression of dogma’, not the same as dogma in itself? — and find that this doesn’t contradict the Byzantine theology of other Orthodox. One set of dogma, different expressions. Sounds good.

Those who read my blog regularly know such accusations ("byzantinocentrism"?!? Maybe I really am "Ethnic Ben.") are misplaced. What really seems to frost Mr. Beeler is that he is an indefatigable (albeit usually indirect) exponent of the Branch Theory, and I, like all faithful Orthodox, reject that notion. I believe the faith of the Apostles is Orthodox, not an odd hybrid, by parts Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Anglican (with High, Low, and Broad churchmen vying to define that ambiguous term). Between these three communions, we are dealing, not with "different expressions," but different dogmas. For the interest of those who do not frequent the blog, I reply more fully below.

Detailed Response:
Hmm, having re-read my own post a few dozen times, I find no reference wherein I claim everything in the Western Rite "is pre-schism" (though a great deal of it is), and my readers would agree it is a stretch to refer to this blog as "byzantinocentric." (!)

The vast bulk of my post, of course, is dedicated to the fact that WRO and "Uniates" are not identical because no political or economic favors were granted in the genesis of the Western Rite; because we do not use an identical rite to that of another Church; and because we do not deceptively label ourselves members of one communion when we are members of another. (e.g., some ByzCaths call themselves "Orthodox in communion with Rome," which is an oxymoron.) All of this escaped his notice.

I also can't seem to find any statement that only the Eastern Church Fathers are "really Orthodox," a view I frequently criticize. I do find these words in my post: "we look with understandable affection at forefathers like Pope St. Gregory the Great, St. Ambrose of Milan, the Venerable Bede, and St. Peter Chrysologos." I simply noted that we in the Western Rite do not ignore the Eastern Fathers. How radical.

I've rather made it a distinctive practice to point out the similarities of Eastern and Western Rite practice: see here, here, here, here, and here. In other words, "One set of dogma, different expressions. Sounds good."

Incidentally: Three times in his post, Mr. Beeler makes reference to an alleged "high-church minority" of Byzantine Catholics. Most Ruthenians and Melkites are now Evangelical Charismatic Megachurchers, presumably.

Blogs That Make Me Think

I've been tagged. Julio Gurrea of Hispania Sancta asked me to post the five blogs that make me think. (If he'd e-mailed me, I might have known I was tagged earlier.) :) The instructions are:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think;
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme;
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

I enjoy reading a wide variety of online religious writers, and I take something away from each of them. However, the five blogs that most frequently make me examine or ruminate upon something deeper would be (in no particular order):

1. The Ochlophobist. Always insightful, he gets away with making longish posts, because each new sentence enlightens rather than grates. His recent, thoughtful exploration of contraception was a welcome change from the usual bloviation and angry condemnation that plagues the topic.
2. Qatl Qitl Qutl. Eric Jobe is a genuine scholar, and his linguistic insights help me see things from a new perspective. It's a snobbish retort to say, "Unless you understand the original languages, you can never fully understand the Bible"; Eric Jobe has never made it -- but he proves if you do know the original languages, that knowledge can add new depths to your faith.
3. Ad Orientem. Ad Orientem has the ability to make me think on every issue: politics, social events, church news, and theology. The blog defly traverses these, which would bog down any other commentator, with a skill and felicity rare on any specialized blog. If it weren't a sin, I'd be jealous. :)
4. Hispania Sancta. I'm not just saying this because he tagged me. :) Julio's rare posts help us focus on what's truly important: are we passion-filled hypocrites, expounding on high doctrine which indulging in low-living? His resources on purity and the deformities visited upon us by narcissism are most impressive.
5. Conversi ad Dominum. Fr. John W. Fenton of Holy Incarnation Church in Detroit (AWRV) renders his readers a valuable service in posting his sermons online, something every Orthodox priest consider doing. Moreover, his scholarship and knowledge of St. Maximos the Confessor (among many others) gives his regular posts a depth lacking in others. There is always much to contemplate.

Honorable Mentions: Ari Adams' two blogs (he just isn't posting as much anymore; real life taking him away from his readers), Orthodox Tidings, Glory to God for All Things, and Energetic Procession. Occidentalis (Subdn. Benjamin Andersen) and Fr. Matthew Thurman's blog used to rank high in the pecking order. RIV(irtual)P.

Tagging: Eric Jobe, Eric John, and Ari Adams.

Finally, I'll tag you: I'm always looking for a good read. What should I be reading? I'd genuinely appreciate your recommendations.

A High Honor for this Blog

Wow! The Prophet Mohammed himself has linked to me. If you haven't visited this satire website, it is all very un-PC.

Eric John and "Ethnic" Ben: New World Order Agents!

The vagantes aren't happy when someone calls their bluff.

This blog noted press coverage that "Metropolitan Archbishop Joseph Thaddeus, OSB, SSJt., Ph.D." (Alan S. "Skip" Stanford) had pleaded "no contest" to multiple charges of molesting teen boys, along with other sordid details. His "American Orthodox Church" apparently has a "Western Rite." Our friend Eric John posted a humorous comment, which I turned into its own guest blog post.

Well, someone on the Apostle1.com website — perhaps Metropolitan Skip himself — wrote a nasty missive about Eric and me.

Eric John is "an eccentric" whose "ego is fully blown up now." He's "certainly lost it" and written a lot of "graffiti." (The Pseudodox guy uses the term four times.) Besides, "What rock of education or lack of it did this guy crawl out from under?" (He later asked, "What oyster shell did this guy crawl out of"; evidently, he owns a mitre but not a thesaurus.)

Our opponent also had a "few" words to say about me. I am:

a so-called "Orthodox" Church parishioner who is very "ethnic" oriented because of many of the statements allowed in his posting and web page (blog)... [SNIP]

The information he posts is a mixture of his personal mentality and the idea that one must be under a Patriarch... Well folks, this guy has lost it for he would not otherwise have posted it altogether if he were... It would actually seem to appear that he and those whom he belong to have joined in and with Synchrestic Ecumenism and those who desire a ONE WORLD CHURCH and a ONE WORLD CHURCH GOVERNMENT ... [SNIP]

he should be credited for his "ethnic" stand to corrupt and deceive the many who view his web blog pages [SNIP]

He appears to attempt to make himself appear as though he is an expert on Episcopal Lineage! He is not... He is ethnic and his attempt to cast aspersions others is to believed or opined to hide behind the pall of thwarting a more microscopic look at his parish or jurisdiction he belongs to.

A few things are striking about this attack, aside from its broken syntax.

• I'm "ethnic"?
• Eric John is a devotee of "Synchrestic Ecumenism"? (That would make him the pioneer of all things "Synchrestic.")
  

What's genuinely funny is that he objects to my statement that the American Orthodox Church, "has a 'Western Rite Orthodoxy' webpage and claims to be tied to the vagante 'Western Orthodox Church in America.'" He replies, "Never claimed anything of a sort! That's your attempt to read into things never stated or said." But on his own website you can see a link to WOCA, which the webpage states is a "member of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH."

Or maybe this is more false evidence planted by the ONE WORLD CHURCH GOVERNMENT!

Ethnic Ben, signing off.

FYI

I updated this post on Holy Week, East and West. Thanks for your comments, here or offline.

If It's Lent, It Must be Contraception

It's Lent, so naturally, members of the Orthodox Church (particularly in the blogosphere) are discussing the topic of contraception. The Ochlophobist, in particular, has a series of well-balanced and pastorally wise posts on the subject (Pt. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and still going).

Every Lent, there appears to be a divisive discussion of birth control, along with a major media assault on Christianity (the Grave of Christ, the Gospel of Judas, The Da Vinci Code, etc.). Both, as likely as not, stem from the same source. Ergo, I'm begging off the discussion at the moment. But the Ochlophobist is actually worth reading, thus far.

Goodbye (Again), Subdn. Benjamin

Our dear friend Subdn. Benjamin Andersen has closed his outstanding Occidentalis blog — for good this time. He cites lack of time to produce a "quality blog" and personal concerns about whether blogging is the best use of his time. I couldn't respect the scholarly subdeacon's choice any more than I do, though it will be a shame not to share in his insights.

I've had similar thoughts about my own blog and have been "permanently busy" for some time, but instead of close up shop, I've made another choice: do a subpar blog. :) I don't have an infinite amount of time to devote to this website and don't know it would be a "quality" blog even if I did — as I note in my official disclaimer to the left, this blog is pathetic and I am pathetic — but I saw a lack of authentic information about the canonical Orthodox Church's Western Rite online and wanted to do what I could with my limited free time to change that. (I do hope to have some more in-depth and focused material available for my readers in other formats in the future.)

I am sorry to see Subdeacon Benjamin's blog go, but I hope this gives us the opportunity to become better friends yet offline. God bless, and as he wrote the last time he quit blogging, "Depart in peace."

Happy Name Day, Ari!

According to today's entry in the Roman Martyrology, this is the:

birthday of St. Aristobulus, a disciple of the apostles, who completed by martyrdom a life spent in preaching the Gospel.

He is believed by tradition to be the brother of St. Barnabas and to have spent his life shepherding the British.

Spraznikom, Ari!

Another Home Altar

A Western Rite home chapel in Great Britain

Our friend Michael Astley has posted two pics of his home chapel. Lovely, and they compare nicely with this home chapel photo (and this chapel photo). And he has the benefit of home services everyday. God bless him and the lovely worship space he has crafted.