What is Existential Apostasia?

 

What is Existential Apostasia?  This is a very grave place many Christians wander off to after their Entrance into Holy Orthodox Church.  We know Saint Paul has said on behalf of us all, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"  (Romans 3:23).  As we well know, sin is an automatic separation from God and His Church (Body of Christ).  This separation we, here, call an existential apostasia, a state of being separate from the source of Life and Existence.  It is a state most of us unwittingly wander into after we have stood in the Temple of the Lord singing praises and perhaps even receiving the Holy Mysteries on Sunday.  It is a state of wandering in a land of nothingness and darkness where only the hasatan is the prince and enjoys accusing us of our self-willed separation from God.  

Accordingly, one has freely departed, they have left, having moved away from a previous standing.  This implies a departure or desertion of our recently held beliefs and allegiance that being God the Father, Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Body (The Church).  God in his mercy has provided a method of returning to our proper place in-Christ, Mystery of Repentance through Confession.  As long as we experience penthos (compunction, remorse, grief for sins) we can be rightly restored.  This state of existential apostasia ought never be taken lightly! By stepping outside The Church by any misstep --whether you may realize it or not-- you have walked into a demonic space of void and darkness up for grabs by evil who might desire to consume your soul.  Where is your heart?  "... I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent (Revelation 2:4-5).  Existential Apostasia is the ultimate inauthenticity and we cannot be considered as truly existing as long as we are outside the Ecclesia, the Mystical Body of Christ.

--Fr Symeon Agiomichaēlitēs