STM Press Pulls New Edition of ‘Orthodox Christian Canons and Prayers’

STM Press has announced the cessation of sales for its latest prayer book release. Photo: St. Tikhon's Monastery Press

WAYMART, PA — St. Tikhon’s Monastery Press has announced that its new edition of “Orthodox Christian Canons and Prayers” is no longer available for purchase.

“After careful review by the monastery brotherhood we have decided not to sell any more of this title,” an announcement from Abbot Sergius stated. “We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this might have caused and we appreciate your continued support of our work at St Tikhon's Monastery Press. We are currently restructuring the press department so that the monastery’s vision and voice will continue to be the guiding force in all our publications. Thank you for your patience, support and understanding.”

This decision came soon after a video published by Raphael Fiedler, a.k.a “Orthodox Review,” was posted to YouTube expressing concerns with various prayers in the release. In late March, a restructuring of leadership was also announced, as the monastic brotherhood will now be assuming roles that had previously been filled by priests and scholars outside of the monastic community.

In his review, Fiedler points out prayers which he says have no attribution to a specific author.

“Much of this book is on the fringe of tradition, and some is way outside the boundaries,” he states. He added that the book says it is for those “wanting more out of your prayer time,” which he describes as representing the “vending machine” approach to Christianity and, for this particular book, ends up being a warning of what is to come.

One example he provides are prayers of St. John Chrysostom which are used as inspiration for new, anonymously authored prayers. Shown below are St. John’s versions, followed by the prayers in the book.

“Lord, deprive me not of Thy heavenly blessings.

Lord, deliver me from eternal torments.

Lord, forgive me, whether I have sinned in mind, in word, in deed, or in thought.

Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, forgetfulness, cowardice, and stone-like insensitivity.”

 

“Lord, make my heart ready for Thee.

Lord, prepare me as a jewel for Thy diadem. 

Lord, heal my wounds.

Lord, help me bear the rod of Thy correction.”

“More of that kind of vending machine prayer,” Fiedler said. “It just doesn’t sit right.”

According to Fiedler, the new prayers for feasts and seasons also have no attribution to an author, while the Canon for Holy Communion references “Christ’s bloody throne.” 

“Since when is Christ on a bloody throne? He is glorified in heaven,” Fiedler said. He also said that a mention of Christ’s “gory coronation” is elsewhere in the book.

“You know what word isn’t in the Canon of Thanksgiving after Communion? ‘Thanks.’ Not one mention of thanking God in there,” Fiedler continues. “A lot of it talks about ‘me, me, me,’ as if it’s being presented to a listener and not to Christ.”

He also expressed that his review was not an indictment against the publisher, the current staff of St. Tikhon’s, or even the people who may or may not be involved in the creation of the book.

In a longer clarification issued on May 16, Abbot Sergius said:

"Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Press has withdrawn Orthodox Christian Canons and Prayers from sale and distribution. After the book’s release, further editorial, theological, and pastoral review made clear that this volume, in its present form, does not sufficiently meet the standards of pastoral responsibility, source clarity, theological precision, and ascetical sobriety that should accompany any prayer book bearing the name of an Orthodox monastery. Because prayer is at the heart of our monastic life, we believe it is better to acknowledge this humbly, ask forgiveness, and correct course than to continue offering a volume that requires substantial review and revision. We are grateful for the sincere labor that went into the book, and we regret that our review was not sufficient before publication. We are also taking steps to strengthen our review process for future devotional publications. This decision is made out of love for the faithful, fidelity to the Orthodox spiritual tradition, and our desire that Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Press remain a trustworthy witness to Orthodox beauty, prayer, and holiness. Anyone who purchased or received the volume from us may contact us at orders@stspress.com for a refund or credit." 

Previously, the UOJ reported that St. Tikhon's Monastery will host a clergy retreat in October.

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