Customer Reviews

Letters To Father Aristotle

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I have read only bits and pieces of Frank Schaeffer's other books and his articles.
I approached this book with caution, only to be delighted with its sober, warm,
and wisdom-filled discussion of the fundamental differences between the Orthodox
East and the Latin West, the need for monastic role models, the issue of modern
Orthodox liturgical translations, and many other topics. Plus, it includes an
essay on modern Orthodox liturgical reform by the always edifying Father Patrick
Henry Reardon! As a recent convert to Orthodoxy, I couldn't be happier that I
read this book -- and was struck (or chilled) by these lines which have turned out
to be prophetic concerning Frank himself:

Few people are immune to their environment. We all get tired of being the odd man
out. And none of us, least of all myself, do very well at resisting the temptation
to conform to the age and environment we are in.

It only takes a glance at some of Frank Schaeffer's recent articles to see that he
is indeed "conforming". The fact that he could do this after writing "Letters to
Father Aristotle", which indeed carries the fragrance of Orthodoxy, is a sobering
lesson to us all.

Frank Schaeffer writes with the zeal of the convert but (unfortunately) he also writes with a considerable polemic air. In credit to Frank he has much to be polemic about. The failures of Protestantism, the liberalism of post-Vatican II Catholicism, and the sad inroads made by liberalism into many corners of Orthodoxy. Frank means to sound a call to arms to defend the traditions of centuries handed down to us by the fathers and other predecesors but he needs to study earlier, more effective calls to arms. Maybe he needs to study Dale Carnegie a bit. As it stands though Frank is preaching a bit too much to the choir. He doesn't do a very good job of converting those who don't agree with him already.
Perhaps Frank, working along with someone like Fr. Schlemman (of blessed memory), could issue a truly persuasive rallying call to fight modernism, feminism, liberalism and the host of other -isms infiltrating the Church. I for one hope and pray for such leaders to arise and rouse the Church.
Minor flaws aside though Frank does a top notch job of investigating, pointing out, and analying many formidable challenges facing the Ancient Church and Faith in today's world. Unquestionably a worthwhile read.