Category: Orthodox Christianity
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The Nature of Things and Our Salvation
A number of you will remember this post from a year ago. It is foundational to many discussions on this site. I thought it might be helpful to post again – after all – new readers are always coming on board. +++ The nature of things is an important question to ask – or should…
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The Freedom of Love – Two Selections
“God created man like an animal who has received the order to become God,” says a deep saying of St. Basil, reported by St. Gregory of Nazianzus. To execute this order, one must be able to refuse it. God becomes powerless before human freedom; He cannot violate it since it flows from His own omnipotence.…
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The Wisdom of Man and the Foolishness of God
The Feast of the Nativity, known sometimes in Orthodoxy as “the Winter Pascha,” is one of the great examples in the story of our salvation where the “foolishness of God” defeats the wisdom of man. It is not the story of an underdog defeating the mighty, but a revelation of who God is, and who…
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On the Porch in Nazareth
During my pilgrimage to the Holy Land in September, I had an occasion that has become unforgettable. I had been in the Church of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic) which contains the home in which Mary lived when she was greeted by the angel Gabriel. Orthodox tradition holds that there was also a greeting at the…
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In Christ
One of the most common phrases in the writings of St. Paul is “in Christ.” He uses this phrase so frequently that it is easy to overlook it and move on to something more interesting. My computer Bible program lists 73 verses in which he uses the phrase. As commonplace as it may be, it…
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The Smallness of God
An annual December posting: Whom have we, Lord, like you – The Great One who became small, the Wakeful who slept, The Pure One who was baptized, the Living One who died, The King who abased himself to ensure honor for all. Blessed is your honor! St. Ephrem the Syrian We draw near to the…
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Lossky on Freedom and the Person
Vladimir Lossky, who can be notoriously difficult to read, offers this observation on freedom and the person. It is taken from his essay, “The Creation,” in the small collection, Orthodox Theology: an Introduction. A personal being is capable of loving someone more than his own nature, more than his own life. The person, that is…
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Living the Paradox
The doctrines of the Christian faith are full of paradox. It is a reality that we sometimes forget – our familiarity can make us deaf to its jarring sounds: A virgin is a mother. Death is defeated by death. He who seeks to save his life will lose it. He who loses his life for…
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What Do Angels Guard?
It is a commonplace in our culture to speak of guardian angels, particularly when we have come close to a physical disaster and survived. Thus, a near-miss in an auto-accident, or even a survival from a terrible accident, conversation often lightly turns to mention of “my guardian angel.” Of course, such references also raise the…
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Would You Believe…
Would you believe that this is absolutely the most popular post on Glory to God for All Things? I mean, it has about 15,000 views. The comments are quite interesting, including a comment from a direct descendant of Mother Goose. To read the comments, go here. This delightful old English prayer said by children and their…
Dee, Oh my!