One shouldn't Choose a Priest as a Spiritual Father, if he Disobeys or Strongly Criticizes his Superiors

Bishop Kirill (Zinkovsky)

Question to the bishop.

Bishop Kirill (Zinkovsky), Sergiev Posad. From the answer to the question "How should a priest choose a spiritual father?"

If we are to speak of any signs of the spiritual father under whose guidance one should not come, I think, first and foremost, it is their attitude toward the virtue of obedience. Because some spiritual fathers who call for obedience to themselves are often, unfortunately, unwilling to obey higher church authorities themselves. In such a case, this is evidence that such a pastor has not fulfilled the virtue of obedience in his own life. This is fundamental for us: obedience to the Law of God, the Church, and the hierarchy. Accordingly, any people who pretend to be spiritual priests, and perhaps are even called "elders", but, let's say, strongly criticize the church authorities, or do not show, as I already said, an example of obedience, this is the first criterion, which, despite any talk about some spiritual gifts, should stop us from coming into obedience to this person, into spiritual guidance.

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