A canon is a rule established by the Church to provide order within the Church and to promote the healing of the soul. Canons set a standard of behavior, define appropriate boundaries, and provide therapeutic guidelines. A canon is not a law. Canons should not be approached legalistically, but interpreted and applied by Bishops and Priests with pastoral discernment and care in a way that is good for the salvation of everyone involved.
The tradition of the canons as a whole is an aspect of Holy Tradition, but individual canons are changeable. They are not unalterable dogmas. The canons should be understood as guidelines developed by the Church for the Church through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Church possesses the authority to establish new canons, interpret the canons for the current time, apply the canons to specific situations, and revise existing canons as needed.
The canons are are not theoretical rules for answering hypothetical questions. Instead, they are practical guidelines established by the Church for navigating actual problems and answering relevant questions that have arisen in the life of the Church through the ages. The canons should be approached as guidelines connected to specific issues in the particular places, times, and cultural situations in which they were written. The sacred canons should not be disregarded as old-fashioned and irrelevant for today. At the same time, they should not be arbitrarily applied today without considering the real-life experience of living as an Orthodox Christian in the 21st century world. Since Orthodox Christians live in different historical situations than our ancestors, some canons may be (or may not be) applied quite differently than in the past.
A Bishop possesses the authority to apply the canons within the churches under his care. Individual canons may be applied with the strictness (akrovia) of the canon as written or, on the other hand, with leniency (economia). The canons are flexible and bendable in order that they may be properly used for the good of the Church as a whole and for the salvation of individuals. So, a particular canon may be applied strictly, applied more lightly, or not applied at all, depending on the situation.
Do not attempt to apply canons to yourself or to others without spiritual guidance. Otherwise, you may mimic a self-righteous Pharisee arbitrarily applying Old Testament law. Simply, follow the guidance of your Bishop and Priest with regard to the canons. A surgeon may recommend a non-surgical therapy to correct your medical problem or, when necessary, may skillfully wield the scalpel to carefully make an incision in your flesh to improve your health. The canons are therapeutic tools to be used by the Physicians of the Church for the healing (salvation) of human beings. Do not presume to diagnose or treat yourself by applying canons to yourself. Instead, listen to your spiritual Physician and be obedient to what he instructs and blesses you to do for the promotion of your health.
Text copyright © 2018 by Fr. Symeon D. S. Kees