Cyprian wrote:Barbara, Hierotheos Vlachos is a New-Calendarist. That's all you really need to know. A few years ago, Philoteus and I tried to warn this forum to refrain from promoting the psycho-babble of Vlachos, and his mentor Romanides, and it caused a big uproar, and the thread was locked, and Philoteus was chased away from this forum, and has yet to return.
This is sad, and you must invite Philoteus back.
Remember, a few years ago back in 2011, we had many members from HOCNA who venerated Romanides and his writings. Since that time, HOCNA has subtly promoted many heresies including Awake Sleeper and Name-Worshiping. In 2011 and 2012, more than half the laity, monastics, and clergy of HOCNA left and joined the GOC-K when Met. Ephraim issued encyclicals promoting Name-Glorification.
We must pray that more of HOCNA's laity and clergy become enlightened and leave HOCNA before it begins to promote more damnable heresies. The problem lies with family ties. Certain very elderly and sick members who are innocent and pious people remain within HOCNA. Some of these "see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil" people remain as nuns with HOCNA. They venerate Elder Panteleimon and believe the twisted lies of Met. Ephraim, who has convinced his adoring followers that vicious rumors and gossip are being promoted in an attempt to destroy HOCNA, and so they must stop their ears from hearing such things. To avoid offending these pious people, their adult relatives and children, their children, and grandchildren cannot leave HOCNA as long as these elderly people are alive.
There are still people who claim to be "True Orthodox" who support the teachings of Hierotheos Vlachos, Romanides, Elder Sophrony, Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos, and other New Calendarists. Even though I have quoted many passages from Elder Sophrony to prove his Name-Worshiping position, there are laity and readers on this very forum who claim that I am a "Heresy Hunter," yet in their own multiple Internet blogs, they act like bishops and attempt to teach novel things -- Blind leading the blind.
Even at my parish, I have met an uneducated parishioner who promotes "reincarnation." Does my priest agree with reincarnation? No, he correctly states that reincarnation is a heresy. However, the teachings of Freemasonry and even Rosicrucianism are pervading World Orthodoxy as individual members of their laity, clergy, bishops, and even the EP have been avowed Freemasons since the early 1900s. When members of World Orthodoxy seek to join True Orthodoxy, they might knowingly or unknowingly conceal their true beliefs. For this reason, the clergy in True Orthodoxy usually have these inquirers and catechumen undergo a lengthy catechumenate from one to three years to root out and correct all these false teachings..
