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Christianity and the One-Storey Universe – Where Do We Begin?
Read more: Christianity and the One-Storey Universe – Where Do We Begin?I read an interesting article today on a blog for those who are “de-converting” or in some sense trying to get over their religious past. For some of my readers it may come as a surprise that I find this interesting – but I find it deeply fascinating. I do not think that those who […]
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The Remembrance of Wrongs
Read more: The Remembrance of WrongsRemembrance of wrongs comes as the final point of anger. It is a keeper of sins. It hates a just way of life. It is the ruin of virtues, the poison of the soul, a worm in the mind. it is the shame of prayer, a cutting off of supplication, a turning away from love, […]
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Travel Prayers
Read more: Travel PrayersI am driving through rain today (just over past Nashville – 3 hours or so away). But I’m not fond of rain. If you think of me over the day (there and back) offer a prayer for safety. It’ll be good to get back home, and out of the wet. Glory to God for all […]
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‘Til My Last Breath
Read more: ‘Til My Last BreathAbba Antony told Abba Poemen, “We have one great work to accomplish. Before God, we must accept responsibility for our sins, expecting to be tempted until our last breath.” For myself, as wells as others that I know, the battle against sin and temptation is, as described by the Fathers, a battle ’til our last […]
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Preaching the Gospel to All Nations
Read more: Preaching the Gospel to All NationsOne of the striking experiences of Theophany (Jan. 6) is the public Great Blessing of the Waters. I have done this service at several rivers, once in Columbia, S.C., where the ruins of one of the older, more infamous State Prisons, overlooked the site of the blessing. To pronounce the words of blessing over the […]
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Holy Russia
Read more: Holy RussiaLike the returning exiles of Israel from ancient Babylon, the Russian people have been returning to a Church that was frequently devastated and constantly persecuted under 70 years of Communism. When an Orthodox Church is consecrated it is set aside “until the end of the world.” Thus you do not simply walk away from a […]
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Keeping Your Eyes Open
Read more: Keeping Your Eyes OpenA hermit said, “Cover a donkey’s eyes and it will walk in circles around the mill wheel. If you uncover its eyes, it will not continue to walk. The devil obscures our vision and leads us into all kinds of sins. If we keep our eyes open, we will more likely escape. Keeping your eyes […]
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Scenes from Theophany in Russia
Read more: Scenes from Theophany in RussiaOn Theophany, the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the Church celebrates the manifestation of God as Holy Trinity: Christ, the Son of God, the Voice of the Father speaking, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” and the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Across […]
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What’s Beneath the Water? Crushed Dragons.
Read more: What’s Beneath the Water? Crushed Dragons.This coming Sunday (New Calendar) marks one of the greatest feasts of the Orthodox year, the Feast of Theophany, Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan river. Across the world Orthodox Christians will gather after the Liturgy to bless the waters: the ocean, a river, a spring, etc. Every feast day in Orthodoxy is connected to […]
Matthew, First – the language of natures should not be read back into the text of the New Testament. It’s…