-
The Centrality of the Cross
Read more: The Centrality of the CrossFr. John Behr, in his book, The Mystery of Christ, takes a very close look at the earliest centuries of the Christian faith, and at the very heart of Orthodoxy itself which is to be found there. In particular he speaks with great clarity about the “rule of faith,” certainly known to all of the Apostles […]
-
Publicans and Harlots and the Last Banquet
Read more: Publicans and Harlots and the Last BanquetThis morning’s gospel was a familiar story: the calling of Levi to be a disciple. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many […]
-
The Systematic Theology of the Cross
Read more: The Systematic Theology of the CrossThe following excerpt was sent by a dear friend and a frequent reader of the blog. It is taken from Richard Wurmbrand’s With God in Solitary Confinement. Wurmbrand, a Lutheran pastor who was imprisoned under the communists in Romania, always spoke well of the Orthodox whom he encountered in those places of confinement, and brings […]
-
Redeeming the Time
Read more: Redeeming the TimeIn Ephesians 5, St. Paul speaks about “redeeming the time” warning those whom he writes that the “days are evil.” It is a phrase that has always reminded me of Christ’s admonition: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. […]
-
A Southern Lent
Read more: A Southern LentOne of the hallmarks of my generation in the South is that we never grew up without a great deal of attention to God. Whether it was the absolute assurance in the sermons of preachers who could say with some precision who was going where when they died, or even with assurance describe heaven, or […]
-
The Slow Work of Grace
Read more: The Slow Work of GraceIn the minds of many, grace is a legal concept – an expression of the kindness of God in the forgiveness of sins. As such, grace is instant and complete. This fits well within the legal conceptions of salvation. In the classical understanding of the Orthodox faith, salvation can indeed have a quality of “suddenness” […]
-
Just the Shell
Read more: Just the ShellAn entertainment personality, fresh from various surgeries (augmentations, alterations, etc.), recently opined in an interview, “But in the end, this is just a shell.” It was a very revealing cultural moment. The body is “just a shell” but worthy of tens of thousands of dollars to alter its appearance. It has been observed that modern […]
-
The 15th Antiphon of Great and Holy Friday Matins Sung by Archbishop Job of the Midwest
Read more: The 15th Antiphon of Great and Holy Friday Matins Sung by Archbishop Job of the MidwestThis is a wonderful video of the late Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest. May his memory be eternal! [vodpod id=Video.3070600&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26] more about "The 15th Antiphon Sung by Archbishop …", posted with vodpod
-
The Instinct of Repentance
Read more: The Instinct of RepentanceRepentance is a difficult journey in the modern world. Our psychologized culture has lost the language and the instinct of repentance. When such language and instinct last existed is itself a significant question. A large measure of the language of repentance is found in the word repentance itself. It is a Latin cognate (coming into […]
Fr. Stephen, and Margaret Sarah, Thinking of Lewis’ book “The Great Divorce” : The narrator of this story tells of…