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The Cross of Conversion
Read more: The Cross of ConversionI grew up in a culture where religious conversion was frequent as well as often short-lived. Religiously, the only remedy to many of the ills of life was conversion. On the face of things I could hardly argue with that now. However, the deeper problem within that particular religious culture was a very truncated view […]
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The Depth of Crime and Punishment
Read more: The Depth of Crime and PunishmentI took on myself to re-read Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment for Great Lent, and have made far greater speed than I would have thought. (Little or no television and bedtime reading can sometimes take you far.) It is a book I have loved for years – being the first Dostoevsky I ever read as a […]
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The Scripture in Creation
Read more: The Scripture in CreationOne of the many endearing stories of St. Seraphim of Sarov was a small act of devotion he engaged in during his years as a hermit. The area around his hermitage was designated by him with Biblical place-names. Thus one place was Jerusalem, another Bethlehem, etc. Thus did the great saint transform the trees and […]
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The Sacrament of the Present Moment
Read more: The Sacrament of the Present MomentThere is a wonderful translation of Jean-Pierre De Caussade’s Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence, which bears the same title as this post. I am borrowing the phrase, not to comment on the volume (though I highly recommend it), but to bring into focus something of at least equal importance. It is the reality of our moment by […]
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Living with Ignorance
Read more: Living with IgnoranceFaith tells us some things – the Holy Scriptures serve as another source of revelation – the Holy Tradition of the Church also informs us of much – but, nevertheless, in the face of all these things our lives are still largely lived in ignorance. It’s not that we cannot memorize Scripture (some memorize much […]
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To Care for the Heart
Read more: To Care for the HeartThere is a term one runs across frequently, particularly in Russian spiritual writing. It is the word; prelest. I have seen it translated any number of ways – but at its heart it’s meaning is quite simple. It is failing or ceasing to care about the state of one’s spiritual life. It is a sort […]
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Forgiveness and the Kingdom
Read more: Forgiveness and the KingdomI am grateful for the patience of my readers – I have written less in the past few weeks – instead mostly posting quotes from the Fathers. It’s not a laziness on my part but an opportunity to go to a well that is far deeper than myself and a great help when I am […]
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Why We Fast
Read more: Why We FastI was asked last year by an acquaintance in town: “Does your Church observe Lent?” I quickly explained that we did. I was then asked how our Church fasted, and I explained something of the general outlines of Orthodox fasting. They then said to me that they needed their nourishment and instead had taken up […]
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Forgiveness and Paradise – Dostoevsky
Read more: Forgiveness and Paradise – DostoevskyThis small passage from Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov, has always been among my favorites within literature. It is the story of the death of Markel, the brother of Zossima, who will later become a great monastic elder. The words of his brother Markel serve as something of a summary of the elder’s theology and among the […]
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The Last Judgment
Read more: The Last JudgmentThis Sunday, as part of the pre-Lenten calendar in the Orthodox Church, is known as the Sunday of the Last Judgment, because the gospel reading is taken from the Parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25. It is a very proper subject for meditation as the Church makes preparation for Great Lent and its […]
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Fr, Stephen, Ina a previous post you quoted St. Maximus the Confessor as having written, “Only things that contradict the…
By definition, then, it’s a hypothetical or theoretical construct. Just like universals are a theoretical construct. Saying it’s not material…
Simon, It’s certainly not describing a material thing.
I think what I have learned is that I am as uncomfortable talking about natures as I am universals. Both…
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Simon, There is, indeed, a sort of hypothetical aspect to discussions of nature. If, on the other hand, we say…