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WEB 4 - ARCHIVE
Commentary 11 - Page 4 |
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The therapeutic interpretation is no narrowly moralistic or legalistic doctrine, but a practical method aimed at specific results. This interpretation is exact and has its own scientific method. Its practical method creates a true or spiritual morality by developing conscience. One contemporary Greek author - a Metropolitan of the Orthodox church - described the difference thus: 'Sanctity does not have a moral meaning, but an ontological one.' (Hierotheos Vlachos - Orthodox Psychotherapy - P47) This is an essentially Christian definition of sickness, for Christ was concerned with the spiritually sick: with man in his fallen state. Directly because of this difference, it aimed not at manipulation but at liberation. This Christian psychology was very different, and its morality was not enforced but emerged naturally from within the individual. The modern equivalent frequently views ethical activity legalistically, seeing it as having to be imposed on individuals from outside. An element of self-therapy It is a persistent statement in the texts of this ancient therapeutic science that they were intended to be read by those who would put the inner doctrines into practice. This discipline or ascesis - although different from modern scientific method - led in fact to its own kind of scientific precision. To begin with, in this type of study, it is good method for the investigator to remain aware of the aims, intentions and assumptions of the author: to respect the way in which the text was originally formed and then to interpret it accordingly. In both the texts and the unwritten teachings on which this book is based ... still without putting certain of them into writing ... an element of faith combined with persistent practical work has generated a stream of results, sometimes unexpected, which have conditioned and changed the initial conclusions and led to certain specific interpretations. These interpretations frequently show a single underlying meaning to many different aspects of doctrine. Being persistent, these particular interpretations were developed over many years until they might be regarded as the primary conclusions of this study -- although its more obvious conclusions may seem significant enough. More to the point, it is these interpretive conclusions which support some of the apparently open statements such as our ideas about the historical role of thee doctrines and their implications for our present time. It is also these statements that will answer certain other questions, such as the question of the lack of saints today. But here, I should warn the reader, only the practical use of the same therapeutic method will lead to any real measure of agreement, so that this work is likely to remain controversial in the general arena for some time to come: Certain esoteric sources quote the Biblical as saying: "Unless you believe, you will not understand." |
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