The distinction of faith from superstition is a long-standing concern for the Orthodox Christian community. It is a crucial issue that characterizes the quality and depth of one’s religious commitment to God.
Often the confusion between the two concepts is so intense that a large part of the believers is misled. Yet these are two extremely different states of soul and spirit. Faith brings man into a pure relationship with God; it is full of love, trust, peace and spiritual clarity. Superstition, on the other hand, is an excess; it is rigid and attached to often idolatrous practices. It limits the individual and causes a sense of fear.
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Below we will examine the two concepts, the dangers of superstition versus the true faith, and the church's attitude toward it.
The Spiritual Quality of the Orthodox Faith
Faith, in the context of the Orthodox Christian tradition, is a deep inner process that presupposes and strengthens trust in God. The believer does not base his or her convictions on external factors, evidence and concrete actions, but focuses on mental prayer and seeks the clarity of mind. He is thus oriented towards a state of peace, freedom and love.
Orthodox theology approaches faith as a concept that goes far beyond individual religious acts and the rules of the Church. An individual must certainly participate in the ecclesiastical events, but he or she is expected to understand such participation as a spiritual event. Similarly, the believer's observance of the rules (fasting, prayer, etc.) is also a spiritual choice that presupposes the individual's free will.
Faith breaks the bonds of fear and insecurity, strengthening trust in God's providence and infinite forgiveness. It does not imply adherence to external factors, symbols, rituals and other forms of action. The foundation and essence of faith is based on the love, repentance and spiritual clarity of the individual.
The believer is expected to go beyond the surface of things, cultivating a deep, sincere and humble relationship with the ever-present face of God. The piety of the Orthodox Christian worship is not measured by actions and practical rules, but through spiritual terms and conditions that bring out the deeper spiritual quality of the individual.
The Concept of Superstition
Unlike faith, superstition appears to be an exaggeration; it goes beyond the measure of piety and belief. It is rigid and often obsessed with rules, symbols and rituals. In such cases, believers develop a need for a "spiritual security". So, they begin to perfect in detail all individual religious practices. Their relationship with God becomes selfish and self-centered.
The practical application of the rules resembles a panacea that is supposed to lead to God, ensure man's salvation and the fulfillment of all the desires.
Ultimately, instead of soothing anxiety, it cultivates fear, as the believer becomes convinced that any deviation from the prescribed rules may lead to punishment or abandonment by God. Rather than offering a peaceful and liberating attitude, superstition ends up binding a person to rigid rules that aren't always on basic theological principles, but on misinterpretations or exaggerations.
In such cases, the believer becomes overly dependent on external factors, talismans and sacred objects, in which he or she places all hopes of spiritual security. This attitude ultimately distances the believer from the essence of faith, leading to an inner state of fear and anxiety.
Believers often resort to religion as a means to achieve the happiness they desire. They exploit the means it provides, treating them as tools or magical objects. They use incense, giving more weight to the material than to the prayer process. They carry prayer ropes in hope that it will miraculously provide them with whatever they request. They use myrrh expecting to see its effects, as if it were some kind of magic potion. They wear the ribbon blessed on the Holy Cincture of Theotokos and seek normative conditions for its effectiveness. This mechanistic approach is certainly illicit. Moreover, such attitude diminishes the intensity of the spiritual devotion of the believer.
The sacred resources provided by the Church are a blessing to those who receive them and use them in their daily lives. There are some general tips for their use, but discernment is required in order for them to be soul-satisfying. It is important for believers to consult their spiritual father. He is the one who can guide them on their spiritual path, teach them the right way to pray and fast, as well as the right attitude towards sacred objects and relics.
Causes of Spiritual Deception
There are many factors that act to lure people into superstition. The most important cause that pushes believers into a false pragmatic perception is fear of the unknown, insecurity for the challenges brought by daily life, doubt and lack of spiritual strength. People are drawn into a formal and superficial way of believing in order to secure their salvation and God's favor by external actions, which they can easily control by following "the rules" to the letter.
In some cases, superstition is reinforced by the social environment, by traditions handed down from generation to generation. In fact, all cultures have practices and rituals that originate in theological convictions, but lose their essence by falling into exaggerations and misunderstandings of the ecclesiastical truth.
Effects of Prejudice and Superstition
Prejudices and superstitions limit the freedom and flexibility of an individual, while suppressing the spiritual progress. In addition to personal inflexibility, however, they push a person into spiritual sins. Blind submission and insistence on rules lacking theological content becomes an obsession, which then produces condemnation, harshness towards others and the adoption of a moralistic attitude, which does not develop or manifest itself in a loving way. Such people become suspicious both of themselves and of those around them.
Moreover, strictness and moralism often create feelings of anger and oppression either in the people themselves or in those around them, with the result that faith and Christian religion are eventually rejected for the wrong reasons. This is particularly common among young people. The hypocritical and insincere attitude of parents fosters the reaction of children who deny faith in God, having accumulated unpleasant experiences instead of moments of peace and warmth.
Faith as a Choice of Freedom
Unlike blind obedience to rules, true faith gives people the freedom and joy inspired by the sense of God's unceasing presence. Believers who sincerely experience the Orthodox faith and participate in the sacraments and traditions of the Church not only with their presence, but also with their spiritual disposition, live within their relationship with God. Faith is not a blind adherence to rules and symbols, but an experience of unity with Him.
Thus, no guarantees are offered, and true believers are freed from the need to prove their devotion by performing strictly defined yet mechanical acts. They are humbled; they embrace life, spiritually approaching the deeper meaning of faith working through love, for our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is manifested first and foremost in love.
Position of the Church
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The Orthodox Church itself indoctrinates its believers so that they can distinguish between exaggerations and sincere and humble spiritual expression. It even stresses that adherence to pragmatic means can become an idolatrous tendency and an act of heresy. According to the John the Evangelist,
"Keep yourselves away from the idols" (1 John 5:21).
Furthermore, hypocrisy and superstition are reflected throughout the New Testament in the personality of the Pharisees whom Christ calls:
"...graves of dust, which appear beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are filled with the bones of the dead and all uncleanness" (Mt Kg 33, 27).
The correct approach to Christianity is thus taught, in contrast to the hypocritical attitude of the Pharisees.
In general, the Church invites every Christian to study in depth the writings of the Church Fathers in order to avoid the danger of Pharisaism. The sacrament of confession and the contribution of the spiritual fathers are particularly important in this struggle, in which man is called to develop a healthy and sincere faith.
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