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I think the Bishop's criticism was based on Fr Sophrony's last book - a personal revelation of Divine Light, which is not usually made public, except by Western writers/mystics.

Fr. Serafim,

I find this observation or remark a little puzzling, to be honest, due in part to its apparent imprecision. Are you referring, here, for example, to the pre-schism Western saints? Secondly, many of the Eastern saints spoke of the Uncreated Light; and it is practically understood by all that they spoke not according to their imagination of it, but rather according to their divine vision and experience.

Also he was concerned with Fr Sophrony's innovative Liturgical practices such as general confession, serving in way that publicly demonstrated the mysteries of the Liturgy, something very alien to Orthodox praxis.

"Serving in way that publicly demonstrated the mysteries of the Liturgy." Once again, your words strike me as confusing at best. Are you perhaps referring to the absence of an Iconostasis? But surely the icon screen is a very late tradition, and was not part of the early liturgy of the Church. Secondly, the Eastern Iconostasis was never introduced into the Western Rite, and so the Liturgical mysteries were always performed openly, as you say, in the West, without the covering of an icon screen. So, then, how is that an "innovation?"

While I'm a "liturgical" ignoramus of sorts, to be sure, the word "innovative" does strike me as absolutely the wrong choice of word to describe Elder Sophrony. While I was never present to witness his liturgical life and service firsthand, nothing could be more obvious and certain to me, and all objective and careful students of his writings, than the holy Elder's complete and utter fidelity to the traditions of his holy fathers in Christ.

humbly,
Ken