Common Questions

The Orthodox teaching on dreams is that we shouldn’t believe them and interpret them, but dismiss them, because they may come from the devil.

SPIRITUAL VISIONS

Does the Orthodox faith believe in revelation of spiritual visions through dreams?

The answer to this question is a bit on the complex side. The Church could hardly deny that God at certain times has revealed Himself to people through dreams, since there are many biblical examples of such occurrences. Thus Jacob had such dreams (Genesis 28:12-15), as did Joseph (Genesis 37:5-10), Solomon (I Kings 3:5-9), Daniel (Daniel 7:1), the Magi (Matthew 2:12), Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:9), Peter (Peter 10:10-16). In some special cases, God has revealed himself through dreams. But dreams are also the product of other forces, as well. The very same Scriptures teach us that we are forbidden to observe and seek to interpret dreams as indicators of future events, or to consult persons who claim to be able to interpret them (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). This, because such interpreters often gave to the dreams meanings which were contrary to God’s will and led people astray. Jeremiah says, “Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the Lord, who tell them and lead the people astray by their lies and their recklessness” (Jeremiah 23:32). The Church, in continuation, condemned the practice of Roman society and pagan religion to interpret dreams, for which there was even a “professional” class who interpreted dreams for payment (St. Basil’s Letters, 210). Thus, augeries, divinations and other such practices are understood as not in harmony with Christian belief (Canon 65 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council and Pedalion commentary). We are not to seek to interpret our dreams and to use them to plan our lives.

SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCES

The Orthodox Church’s view regarding such manifestations, as expressed in the writings of the Holy Fathers and in particular, the spiritual masters of the faith, in general would make two recommendations to faithful Christians who believe that they have had such experiences. First, be highly suspicious of their source! The Bible, of course, describes numerous occasions when God used angels and other manifestations to communicate His will. Nearly always, these served God’s saving purpose, and not the private interests of the persons who received these visitations. Again and again, Orthodox literature cautions that such apparent “visita- tions” can have a nefarious source, demonic in character, which only serves to delude and detract us from our main task in living the Christian life. One test of such illusions is to ask if in consequence of such experiences, we tend to focus on our own feelings, our own “spirituality,” or whether it causes us to feel religiously superior to others. Anything like this is a sure sign that God is not the source of it.

The second thing a person who has had, or thinks he or she has had such an experience, is to consult their Father Confessor. No one should try to deal with this kind of thing on the basis of his or her own interpretations and understanding. We are very easily swayed by such apparent spiritual experiences into self-serving and God-denying attitudes. Many have fallen precisely because of this kind of pride.

SUPERSTITIONS

How do some of our Greek superstitions tie into our religion?

“Too closely,” would be a facetious answer. There are a few points which need to be made here. Firstly, the Church clearly condemns as unchristian, belief and faith in superstitious practices. For example, here is a seventh century canon from the Sixth Ecumenical Council regarding a superstitious practice of the time: “We command that henceforth the bonfires lit by some persons on the occasion of the New Moon in front of their own workshops or houses, and over which some persons even leap, in accordance with an ancient custom, it is babbled, shall be abolished and done away with. . . .” Many practices related to paganism were thus condemned. Superstitions which place confidence in impersonal, evil or magical powers betray a lack of faith and trust in God.

Often, however, superstitions enter even into religious practices because the faith seeks to relate closely with the cultures in which people live. Therefore, some essentially pagan or basically unchristian practices or attitudes get related to genuine Christian practices because of the incarnational approach of the Church toward culture. Sometimes these practices are innocent, and merely traditions. Sometimes they betray false values. In this case they should be fought against and eliminated, as did the Fathers of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. Discernment is needed. But we should be sure that the fundamental criterion for our living is the belief in God and the saving work of Jesus Christ, as known and taught through the ages in the Church.