Problem:
While on Christmas vacation from college, my daughter told me that one of her
professors said that sex outside marriage was not against the "natural
law." In fact, there was no "natural law" - but "anything
goes." I have tried to bring up my children to be good Orthodox
Christians. What am I to do?
Solution:
By all means continue to proclaim the Gospel teachings, but be sure not to base
your moral system on some so-called 'natural law' as described by science. You
see, your daughter's college professor is correct. Extra-marital sex is not
against the natural law as defined by science. In science, when we speak of
natural we mean what is "in nature." In nature, many types of
behaviors exist. There are many varieties that we see in our own culture and
even more varieties that we can see in cross cultural comparisons. Sociological
and anthropological studies lead the way here. Thus monogamy, polygamy, war,
murder, chastity, and homosexuality, etc., are all equally "lawful in
nature" because they all exist. For example, we may observe that in a
certain culture, homosexual behavior occurs and thereby deviates from what the
average individual does. The fact that it exists means it is natural, as
natural as a sunrise or an earthquake, a flower or a flood. Scientists view
such a behavior merely as a statistic. A certain percentage of the population
engage in homosexual behavior and is thus natural.
Science
has spoken! All varieties of sexual behavior are "natural." But this
view is entirely different from the definition of what is natural to man that
God has revealed to us. Science and the Church are not opposed, they are simply
using two different definitions of the term: natural.
Inner Conscience
It is not
uncommon to consider however that in the depth of conscience, man detects a law
which he does not impose on himself but which holds him to obedience. Christian
ethics would imply that all evolution of morals and every type of life must be
kept within the guidelines and boundaries imposed by the immutable principal
based on every person's inherent sense of right and wrong.
In the
course of history whenever the Roman Church (or any other Church) has based its
faith, dogma or morals on science, she has been terribly embarrassed.
Copernicus, a 16th century churchman and scientist, was considered a heretic
for stating the sun was the center of the universe, instead of the earth as the
theologians taught. This earth-centered universe fit well with the theological
view of man as the greatest of God's material creations, who thereby must
reside at the center or focal point of the universe. Galileo too, ran into
difficulty defending the Copernican position. But, as we know, the earth is not
the center of the universe, and whether it is or not has nothing to do with
commitment to Christ, holding fast to His teachings or morality.
Natural as Understood by the Church
Mankind
is meant for paradise, and paradise is understood as life in and with God that
lasts for all eternity. (Morelli, 2006). The church fathers tell us what is
"natural" for man is his original purpose. St. John of Damascus tells
us:
As a
golden seal to this plain homily, we will add a brief account of the way in
which that which is most precious of all that God has created — the noetic and
intelligent creature, man — has been made, alone among created beings, in God's
image and likeness (cf. Genesis 1:26). First, everyman is said to be made in
the image of God as regards the dignity of his intellect and soul ... and
endowed with free will...
Further,
St. John of Damascus taught this dignity natural to man carries with it a
responsibility toward holiness:
Every man
possesses that which is according to the image of God, "for the gifts of
God are irrevocable" (cf. Romans 11:29). But only a few — those who are
virtuous and holy and have imitated the goodness of God to the limit of human
powers — possess that which is according to the likenesses of God"
(Philokalia III).
The words
of St. Simeon the New Theologian should be kept in mind then as a guide to our
behavior, not as a scientific statistic, but looking to paradise, for which we
were originally created:
It is
right for us to place the yoke of Christ's commandments on our shoulders from
the start; and we should not resist or hang back. On the contrary, we should
walk straight ahead wholeheartedly obedient to them in truth the new paradise
of God, until the Son comes to dwell in us with the Father through the Holy
Spirit" (Philokalia IV).
The Parental or Pastoral Response
Well, for
you as a parent or for a counselor or pastor, there would be two important
issues left. One would be concern for the breakdown of society: indifference,
moral relativism secularism and syncretism (Morelli, 2008) are the fruits of
promoting or condoning behavior based on the scientific statistical definition
of what is natural and therefore acceptable, ethical and moral.
Christ our Guidepost
Most
important however, is the second issue. It is really not an issue at all
because it is at the apex of our lives - this is our Orthodox commitment to
Christ. We do not obey a proscription, sexual or otherwise, because it conforms
or does not conform to a scientific definition of natural law. We obey
according to the measure of our commitment to Christ. The measure of this
commitment will be based of Christ indwelling the depth of hearts and sincerity
of our prayer. It would be well to keep in mind what our holy fathers have
taught us - obedience leads to faith and prayer, and in turn, faith and prayer
lead to obedience. Being excellent psychologists, the fathers tell us that the
main pitfalls to prayer and obedience to God's will are forgetfulness, ignorance
and laziness. Possibly we could sum up these three categories into two:
knowledge and perseverance (or persistence). Real knowledge and perseverance in
living the Christian spiritual-moral life can only come from the perspective of
Christ and His Church.
So you
see, your daughter may be getting a very valuable college education, if she at
least learns that the Orthodox Christian life, sexual or otherwise, cannot be
proved by the 'natural law' as defined by science, but what is 'natural' for us
in terms of the purpose of which God originally created us. You as her parent
along with her pastor, and the entire Church, can add to her knowledge by
teaching and witnessing the message of the Gospels, the commandments, the
beatitudes, what Our Lord called the "narrow path" leading to our
sharing of the Light of Christ. It is by the illumination of Christ that we
will become as "little children"; that we will find the Kingdom of
God.
This
kingdom , as the evangelists tell us, is found in our hearts. I might add that
it is not found in a science textbook, unless the "laws of nature"
God created are illumined by his Divine light.
"The
heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his
handiwork.Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares
knowledge" (Psalm 19: 1-2).
By Fr. George Morelli
Source: http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/OT/view/smart-parenting-xv-when-your-school-age-child-brings-up-a-conflict-between
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