NOTES for Co1 11:19

These words of the apostle of Paul are astoundingly of current interest now, as they were in the middle of the 50s of the 1st century. In this part of the chapter, Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians about liturgical life and underlines that, if heresies are necessary, divisions because of them, are on the contrary inadmissible. Forgetting these words of the apostle, we think often instinctively and we act exactly on the contrary: we think that the heresies are inadmissible, but that the divisions with dissentients are necessary.

This sentence of the apostle sounds strangely in Greek as in English as well, especially on the background of the Christian history. Greek indeed contains as English the word "aeresis" - heresy. This word was used in three close, but not identical meanings: a) choice, the freedom of choice; b) elections, the elected persons; c) aptitudes, courses, directions, schools. At the Cathedral period, the first two meanings withdrew to the second plan for Christians, but they were still quite used in the 1st century. This word bears in itself no negative tinge, thus why the apostle speaks about these "aeresis" as something necessary (and we can translate as "desirable"). We cannot however exclude the possibility that the apostle speaks about elections of the public servants in the Corinthian community, entailing division between the partisans of various persons.

Somehow or other, it is fundamental for us that the apostle characterizes personal preferences and\or difference of opinions as being a normal phenomenon for Christians. He explains that it is necessary so that the tempted and the approved may be made manifest among us. We think humanly that if the approved manifest themselves, then, consistently the rest is considered as not having passed the test, which means useless, with corresponding "organized conclusions ". It is in no way what the apostle wants to say, for it is important for him to see the tempted and approved so that, by keeping the unity as a great jewel, we can follow their example and their choice.

Besides, for us, particularly for those who grew in the period of the Bolsheviks, it is important to understand that heresies are admitted necessary only in a unique religious community, the unique Eucharist of which Paul calls to observe, that is - within the framework of Christianity. It usually seems to us that, Christianity is a doctrine or an ideology, where there cannot be differences of opinions. But now they can’t only be, but they are even necessary. It is very clear in reality: God planted the Church in a changeable world, and which varies itself, and under the gracious action of the Creator. And it comes to choose every day in it the way of a Christian life.