PREFACE

In 1994, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church warned that the followers of Roerich's teaching[1] had placed themselves outside of Orthodoxy. Of course, a storm of indignation arose in "society": "Intolerance!", "Fanaticism!", "Middle Ages!". The most sensitive noses even smelled the "fires of the Inquisition".

In 1997, my two-volume work "Satanism for the Intelligentsia. On the Roerichs and Orthodoxy". It explained on a thousand pages the incompatibility of Christianity with theosophy and Buddhism.

Almost two years of silence followed. Roerich's periodicals snapped at my book from time to time, but did not enter into a serious discussion. During this time, I had many reasons to be disappointed in the level of honesty and education of my Roerich opponents.

Finally, the Roerich publishing house "Belovodye" published a book by Ksenia Myalo "The Star of the Magi or Christ in the Himalayas". The main feature of this book is that it tries to argue with me not from a theosophical position, but from... Orthodox. The author insists on his churchliness. The publishers emphasize that her voice sounds "from within Orthodoxy."

Well, the event is quite predictable for the post-post-post-post-modernist 90s of the twentieth century.

A lot of people think that Orthodoxy is just a beautiful word, behind which there is an empty space that they can force with their furniture according to their own plan. Lighting a candle in an Orthodox church is considered a sufficient reason to then call any of your political, philosophical, religious positions "Orthodox".

But even a constant visit to the chicken coop does not turn you into a chicken. And entering an Orthodox church does not turn into a Christian someone who nourishes his mind with the fruits of secular, non-Christian and pagan philosophies.

Orthodoxy is a fairly well-defined tradition. This tradition has existed in history for many centuries – and therefore there is no need to invent what Orthodoxy is, what it has and what it does not. This is a tradition recorded in writing, and therefore it is not difficult to verify certain assumptions about Orthodoxy. This is a tradition that has always caused controversy and willingly entered it. In the course of these disputes, the Church has made very clear distinctions between what is Orthodox and what is not Orthodox. This is a tradition that preached its own principles, criticized others, and, therefore, out of polemical necessity, constantly created and improved the exposition of its faith and the ways of its argumentation. This means that Orthodoxy is largely embodied in the world of thought and philosophy. Therefore, to be Orthodox means to enter into a historical tradition that clearly distinguishes itself from all others, which has expressed and argued the basic principles of its faith.

Orthodoxy does not need to be created anew: whoever wants to be Orthodox must simply join Orthodoxy - and then the heritage of the Holy Fathers will be passed on to him as well.

It would seem that everything is obvious: realize that history did not begin with you, that you are not the first person living on earth and looking for God, and listen to the voice of Tradition.

But again and again there are strange people who allow themselves to consider themselves Orthodox and at the same time confess and defend positions that have long been evaluated by the Holy Fathers and Councils as incompatible with Christianity. Orthodoxy presupposes the ability to discipline one's mind and feelings, to captivate "every thought in obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word discipline cannot be popular in the era of postmodernism and democratic pluralism. But without disciplining the mind, no science and philosophy are possible, and without this, spiritual growth is impossible.

Thus, the Roerichs were invited to depart from the Church and realize their separation from it. They were asked not to deceive either themselves or other people with the appearance of the unity of Theosophy with Orthodoxy. But these people were incapable of acting. They were unable to honestly and courageously realize their choice. They continue to huddle against the church walls and conjure: "We are also Orthodox!"

This aspiration, contrary to all evidence and all logic, to consider themselves Orthodox, is very indicative: it means that in the depths of their souls even the Roerichs feel that the Church gives some kind of protection through its sacraments. They want to denounce the Church, criticize its history, doctrine and even the Gospel, but at the same time be under the protection of the Church. For some of the Roerichs, this is just a disguise. But for some, this is a sincere aspiration.