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The Cross and the Church
Read more: The Cross and the ChurchThis weekend I have been in Memphis, Tennessee, at St. John Orthodox Church leading a retreat for their Church women. The topic of the retreat was “The Emptiness of God.” The following series of articles captures much of the thought that was offered this weekend (and thus a summary of my thoughts as I have […]
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Why We Fast
Read more: Why We FastThis Sunday, November 15, marks the beginning of the Nativity Fast (40 days before Christmas). The following article offers some thoughts on the purpose of fasting. Fasting is not very alive and well in the Christian world. Much of that world has long lost any living connection with the historical memory of Christian fasting. It […]
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A Relationship With God?
Read more: A Relationship With God?What is the nature of a relationship with God? It is commonplace in our modern parlance to speak of a “personal relationship” which is either redundant, or a way of weakening the true meaning of “personal.” I suspect that the modern meaning of “relationship” is in fact not capable of bearing the true weight of […]
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St. Nektarios of Aegina Sings (or wrote hymns)
Read more: St. Nektarios of Aegina Sings (or wrote hymns)Today is the feast day of St. Nektarios of Aegina, whose hymn “O Virgin Pure,” is among the most popular modern hymns in the Orthodox Church. Here it is sung by monks of Valaam Monastery (in Russian). An English translation follows. Saints sing. O Virgin Pure by St. Nectarios Plagal First Tone (Tone 5) Refrain: […]
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Why Does God Sing?
Read more: Why Does God Sing?I wrote this piece last Spring. The thought of God singing is among my favorite meditations. Yesterday was the feast of the Holy Angels on the Orthodox Calendar – who themselves sing with unceasing praise. Today I celebrate a birthday (not one of the “big ones”) and my treat for myself is to reprint these […]
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Talking Theology
Read more: Talking TheologyI learned during years of theological study that it is possible to give a “theological account” of almost anything and even make it sound cogent. Of course everything that sounds cogent is not necessarily true. In my morning paper I read the following account from a local Church. It was under the heading, “Cafe Worship”: […]
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I Don’t Know About That
Read more: I Don’t Know About ThatA hermit advised, “If someone speaks to you about a controversy, do not argue with him. If what he says makes sense, say, ‘Yes,’ If his comments are misguided, say, ‘I don’t know anything about that.’ If you refuse to dispute with his ideas, your mind will be at peace.” +++ There is an element […]
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Wrong Turns and the Providence of God
Read more: Wrong Turns and the Providence of GodThe following is, in part, a response to a comment posted earlier today. It seemed worth sharing more prominently, since not everyone reads comments. These are some thoughts on the Providence of God and its work in our lives. I think there is absolutely such a thing as Providence (not that we have much of […]
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Learning to Sin
Read more: Learning to SinThis morning I had a chance in a conversation to remember Stanley Hauerwas with whom I studied in my time at Duke in the late 80’s (and early 90’s). This article begins with a reflection from a Hauerwas contention: “that sin is something you have to learn.” It is typical of his thought – startling […]
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Words from an Elder – And a Thought about Trees
Read more: Words from an Elder – And a Thought about TreesI am sharing here a few sayings from the Elder Amphilochios of Patmos, someone whose life and teachings I have heard spoken of before by Metropolitian Kallistos of Diocleia (Kallistos Ware). They are worth savoring. The quotes come from the volume Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit. I am especially fond of his attitude to trees. […]
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One of my favorite quotations is from G.K. Chesterton, that master of quotations: “Tradition is the democracy of the dead.”
Thank you, Sr. Teresa!
Powerful! The meaning of music and chant seems to have been significantly neglected in the teaching of all Churches. The…
Fr. Paul, It’s all there in the Greek! Thanks. Indeed He is risen! It underscores that icons are not just…
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I think, Father, sometimes we forget how important ethos is, and how we come by it. Truly, it is a…