The School of Repentance

Repentance is one of those words that puts people on edge.

Before I became a Christian I mocked the whole idea of confession and repentance - I stood defiant and proclaimed that I had "no need to be forgiven for anything."

The model of repentance that I had seen back then was one of hypocrisy. Men in cheap suits and women with big hair "crying" publicly one moment, and then pointing fingers of condemnation, in an attitude of superiority, at those who stood "outside the truth."

Then, through the incredible grace of God, after "cleansing my palate" with Buddhist teachings I found Orthodox Christianity and saw repentance through new eyes. Now I look forward (in a mixture of dread and excitement) to my first experience of Great Lent - the school of repentance - that prepares the Orthodox Christian for the arrival of Pascha, which is not just Easter, but the commemoration and celebration of new life and light that has entered the world, once for all time.

Before I go much further I need to make a confession. I don't like everything about the Orthodox Church. In fact, I'm being "dragged" into it kicking and screaming - because almost everything about it goes against my "natural" inclinations.

Here's a news article from a few days ago that helps illustrate my point

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TAFT PROMOTES EDUCATION REFORM AGENDA IN AKRON

Holds roundtable discussion with education, community leaders

AKRON (February 16, 2006) - Governor Bob Taft today discussed his education reform agenda during a roundtable discussion with education and community leaders at the University of Akron. The Governor unveiled his Ohio Core initiative during his State of the State Address on January 25, calling for a more rigorous core curriculum to become a high school graduation requirement for all Ohio students. The Ohio Core aims to better prepare high school students for success on the job and in college, and reduce college remediation rates.

"When it comes to high school, it's not just about graduation - it's about preparation," said Taft. "The world has raised the bar, and we must act to raise the bar for high school graduation. It's time to require all high school students to take a more rigorous core curriculum that gets them on the right course to succeed in college and on the job."

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This initative received a lot of criticism from various educators in Ohio - comments like:

"Many students are failing basic courses such as algebra and biology, and teachers groups said they think pushing students into more advanced classes would increase the state's dropout rate."

".....it (a more rigorous core curriculum) would more likely drive away at-risk students who struggle with simpler schoolwork."

This criticism reflects an attitude that has become pervasive - that of reducing all of life to its lowest common denominator.

Rather than raising the standard of education to drive achievement, let's lower the requirments so as to minimize the awareness or discomfort of failure.

This attitude is no more visible than it is in the world of religion or spirituality. Let's not talk about right and wrong as absolutes, let's make truth relative, then no-one will be "offended."

Let's not make it a decision about abortion - let's make it a decision about "reproductive rights."

Why not call a spade an "earth-removal tool" - it sounds so much more significant!!!

I want life to be easy for me - I want all the good stuff and none of the bad - I want to be perfect and I want everyone else to be perfect like me. And I want God to give me everything without my having to do anything for it.

That's my natural inclination. I want God to lower His standards so that mine are acceptable.

In the Orthodox Church, particularly during Great Lent, I am faced with my "true" self. It's not about abstaining from a particular kind of food - it's about coming to the realization of how much I depend on God for my existence. Like the Prodigal son I keep choosing to live in the "far country" away from the love of the Father. Through the season of Lent I "come to my senses" and run back to His arms.

The Christian life, according to Orthodoxy, is not just about believing with the mind, it's about living a life of repentance, physically and mentally; a life of constant mind-change or transformation. It's a school of repentance that prepares you for eternity.