Glory to God for All Things

The Icon as Proof of God’s Existence

Posted on 10/26/2006 in Orthodox Blogs with 2 Comments

God “adorns himself in magnificence and clothes himself with beauty.” Man stands amazed and contemplates the glory whose light causes a hymn of praise to burst forth from the heart of every creature. The Testamentum Domini gives us the following prayer: “Let them be filled with the Holy Spirit…so they can sing a doxology and give you praise and glory … Continue reading →

The Descent into Hades

Posted on 10/26/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 12 Comments

Charles Williams, one of C.S. Lewis’ circle of friends, once wrote a book entitled, The Descent into Hell. In it he chronicles the slow inexorable damnation of a soul. Choices made or not made – a chronicle more of spiritual ennui than of willful rebellion – it is a very sobering novel. There is an understanding of hell that goes … Continue reading →

An Update on the Pontificator and Limbo

Posted on 10/24/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 1 Comment

Al Kimel, writing on Pontifications, has posted another article on Limbo, this time doing a masterful job of stating quite clearly why the doctrine is wrong, why children, unbaptized, still enjoy the bliss of heaven. His reason is simple: the love of God. The problem that has plagued the West on this subject is accurately analyzed as well: the false … Continue reading →

Worship and the Knowledge of God

Posted on 10/23/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 9 Comments

We prove God’s existence by worshiping Him and not by advancing so-called proofs. We have here the liturgical and iconographic argument for the existence of God. We arrive at a solid belief in the existence of God through a leap over what seems true, over the Pascalian certitude. According to an ancient monastic saying, “Give your blood and receive the … Continue reading →

In Limbo No More

Posted on 10/22/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 8 Comments

Al Kimel, over at Pontifications, has posted an excellent article that supports the Vatican’s possible abandonment of the doctrine of Limbo, that is, a doctrine that consigns unbaptized babies to somewhere other than the Beatific Vision of Heaven (in some Catholic accounts, limbo was a place of natural bliss, in others a place of torment.) He references an article by … Continue reading →

Saving Beauty

Posted on 10/22/2006 in Orthodox Blogs with 8 Comments

“God will save the World Through Beauty” This saying, often attributed to Fyodor Dostoevsky, never occurs in precisely this form in his novels – though the idea is present in such a strong sense that the phrase is correctly attributed to him. It is a phrase that is easily misunderstood. For Dostoevsky, in good Orthodox fashion, beauty is … Continue reading →

Putting the Finger on Modern Paganism

Posted on 10/20/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 3 Comments

I spent a fortnight in England this summer. Staying in an excellent Orthodox monastery (St. John the Baptist in Essex) and touring the country for another week. The greatest part of the week, I believe, will prove to be the fact that I was roommate for 14 days with my 19 year-old son, James. He’s good company and very … Continue reading →

Words for the Heart

Posted on 10/20/2006 in Orthodox Blogs with 4 Comments

You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other… Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, … Continue reading →

Posted on 10/19/2006 in Orthodox Christianity with 14 Comments

Glory to God for all things. For things growing and things that are passing away. For a good walk on a summer day and the quiet of a country lane. Glory to God for all things both revealed and not revealed for He is good and Lord of all.

Page 2 of 3«123 »

Read “Everywhere Present”

Have you ever referred to God as “the Man upstairs”? Most Christians living in a secular society have unwittingly relegated God and all things spiritual to the “second storey” of the universe: Read More...
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe

RSS - Posts

Subscribe to Blog via Email

On Ancient Faith Radio

Click on the icon to listen to Fr Stephen on
"Ancient Faith Radio""