Topic: Serafim Rose

[Radost]

I am curious if anyone is familiar with Serafim Rose's books.  I thought about reading the book called Serafim Rose His Life and Works because he studied under St. John Maximovich and was involved a lot with Russian Orthodoxy in California.  I live next to California 4 hours from San Francisco so I am thinking I'd probably enjoy reading that book.  Has anyone else read it?  What are your opinions of Serafim Rose? 

[Andrew21091]

I highly recommend reading it since it is very good. Fr. Seraphim Rose was a great ascetic of our time.

[Entscheidungsproblem]

Try checking out:  http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,19644.0.html

People's opinions of his works tend to be very binary, either they love them or hate them.

[Andrew21091]

Well, I haven't read many of his works (only his selected lay sermons), I did really enjoy reading his biography and I feel that I got spiritual benefit from reading it.

[Punch]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

[jckstraw72]

that biography is one of the best books i've ever read. i find it incredibly spiritually beneficial!

[Asteriktos]

What are your opinions of Serafim Rose?

I've read the following, and here are my opinions of each...

God's Revelation to the Human Heart - Neutral on this one
Nihilism: The Root of the Revolution of the Modern Age - Wouldn't recommend
Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future - Wouldn't recommend
The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church - Would recommend
The Soul After Death - Wouldn't recommend
Vita Patrum by St. Gregory of Tours - Would recommend
The Apocalypse: In the Teachings of Ancient Christianity - Would recommend
Not of This World: The Life and Teaching of Fr. Seraphim Rose - Would recommend

Note that I read the older biography of Fr. Seraphim Rose, and haven't read the new one. So to sum up, things that he edited I generally would recommend, and the main biographical book about him I would generally recommend, but things actually written by him I am much more wary of.

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I definitely recommend His Life and Works by Hiermonk Damascene.


Selam

[Alpo]

I definitely recommend His Life and Works by Hiermonk Damascene.


Selam

Me too. I don't know about his other books but I did find that biography a good cure against convertitis. He seemed to become pretty balanced in his later years even though some of his views stayed quite weird. Stuff like this was quite eye-opening.

[Orthodox11]

I generally like his works and find them very enlightening. I would not recommend them as introductory reading though, with the exception of his biography. His writings are often overly literal and not particularly nuanced, and could therefor be quite confusing (if not actually harmful) for someone not well grounded in Orthodox theology.

[Shlomlokh]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

The huge green one? I feel like I've read so much, but I'm only around page 260. I am loving it so far!

I have read Blessed Seraphim's Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future and I found it to be excellent. I look forward to the day when we can commemorate him as St. Seraphim of Platina.

In Christ,
Andrew

[Punch]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

The huge green one? 

I look forward to the day when we can commemorate him as St. Seraphim of Platina.

In Christ,
Andrew

Yes

I already do.

[Shlomlokh]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

The huge green one? 

I look forward to the day when we can commemorate him as St. Seraphim of Platina.

In Christ,
Andrew

Yes

I already do.

I should have clarified. I do as well. By 'we' I meant the Orthodox Church the world over. I know that he is very popular for some reason in Italy. Can anyone tell me why? This is of particular interest to me as my family hails from Sicily.

In Christ,
Andrew

[Alveus Lacuna]

I have an icon of him in my prayer corner and ask for his prayers. He is already a saint, just not "officially."

[Punch]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

The huge green one? 

I look forward to the day when we can commemorate him as St. Seraphim of Platina.

In Christ,
Andrew

Yes

I already do.

I should have clarified. I do as well. By 'we' I meant the Orthodox Church the world over. I know that he is very popular for some reason in Italy. Can anyone tell me why? This is of particular interest to me as my family hails from Sicily.

In Christ,
Andrew

He is very popular throughout the world.  I have yet to meet someone from abroad who has read his works that does not hold him in high regard.  It is only in the United States that I have seen any controversy over him.  But then again, did not even Jesus say that a prophet is not without honor except in his own land and among his own people? 

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I have read many of his books and find them very enlightening.  I have started reading his biography, but have not yet finished.

The huge green one? 

I look forward to the day when we can commemorate him as St. Seraphim of Platina.

In Christ,
Andrew

Yes

I already do.

I should have clarified. I do as well. By 'we' I meant the Orthodox Church the world over. I know that he is very popular for some reason in Italy. Can anyone tell me why? This is of particular interest to me as my family hails from Sicily.

In Christ,
Andrew

He is very popular throughout the world.  I have yet to meet someone from abroad who has read his works that does not hold him in high regard.  It is only in the United States that I have seen any controversy over him.  But then again, did not even Jesus say that a prophet is not without honor except in his own land and among his own people? 

Well said.


Selam

[jckstraw72]

very true. Met. +JOSEPH of the Bulgarians in America said he has seen Fr. Seraphim on iconostases in Russia

[Shlomlokh]

very true. Met. +JOSEPH of the Bulgarians in America said he has seen Fr. Seraphim on iconostases in Russia

That's wonderful to hear!

My priest was very inspired by Fr. Seraphim after his conversion to the point that our services are conducted in like manner to those at Platina. I hope to purchase an icon of him soon. Does anyone know how far along his "canonization process" is (I apologize that I have forgotten if this is the proper term) in the Synod?

In Christ,
Andrew

[Subdeacon Michael]

Does anyone know how far along his "canonization process" is (I apologize that I have forgotten if this is the proper term) in the Synod?

I asked Archbishop Kyrill about this when he visited the UK a couple of years ago and he was interested in my devotion to him but there seemed to be little about canonisation.  I asked the same of Metropolitan Hilarion when he visited last year and was told that there had been no official discussion of it.  I know nothing of what may have happened in the meanwhile.  I also do not know how it would all work given ROCOR's relationship with the patriarchal Russian church.  Perhaps the Holy Synod would be responsible all of the decisions and, if he were to be canonised, it may perhaps happen in Christ the Saviour rather than Holy Virgin. Who knows?

M