Glory to God For All Things

September 12, 2007

How Do We Know God?

How do we know God? The question is simple and straightforward – until we begin to answer it. I have written lately much about icons, and particularly the Seventh Council’s contention that “icons do with color what Scripture does with words.” This simple statement has such a richness of implication that it is hard to […]
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Conversion, Knowledge of God, Orthodox Christianity, The Journey of Faith
September 11, 2007

Looking for God in All Places

Sometimes the title for a piece comes before the rest of my writing and tells me what I’m going to write. Other times it comes as the last thing. Tonight it’s the first. I thought about “Looking for God in all the Right Places,” but, then again, that’s the problem. People frequently assume that God […]
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Conversion, Knowledge of God, Orthodox Christianity, The Journey of Faith
September 10, 2007

Icons and the Fullness of the Faith – A Story

In 1988 I began studies at Duke University in the Graduate School of Religion. My intention at the time was to complete a doctorate and look for a teaching position. I had served for eight years in the ordained ministry of the Episcopal Church and was headed for what I hoped would be a deepening […]
Read more: Icons and the Fullness of the Faith – A Story
Conversion, Fathers, Icons, Orthodox Christianity, The Journey of Faith
September 10, 2007

A Blessed Day to You All

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Music, Orthodox Christianity
September 9, 2007

When an Icon is not an Icon

When is an icon not an icon? There are several answers to the question. Some of them would be technical, even somewhat argumentative as the strict canon governing icons gave way to more “Westernized” styles in the 17th century and beyond – but there have been notable “icons” among even very “Westernized” icons. St. Seraphim […]
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Icons, Orthodox Christianity, Scripture
September 7, 2007

Icons and the Scriptures

I have had many thoughts this week about problems within the modern academic study of Scripture. An inherent problem is that scholars of Scripture lack both imagination and experience. I do not mean to impugn the intelligence of any particular academic – indeed, I have known many interpreters of Scripture whose work was almost pure […]
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Icons, Liturgy, Orthodox Christianity, Scripture
September 6, 2007

Being Formed in the Light – Icons and Salvation

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.John 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this […]
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Conversion, Icons, Knowledge of God, Orthodox Christianity
September 4, 2007

Windows to Heaven Are Not One Way

I am participating in an icon workshop this week. Lectures, slides, and the slow process of learning how icons are painted, by painting one yourself under the guidance of an accomplished master. My experience is that you very quickly see that here you can only be pupil (at least at this stage of my life). […]
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Beauty, Icons, Orthodox Christianity, Prayer, Saints
September 4, 2007

What Do You See Outside Your Window – Evil in a One-Storey Universe

A question was put several days back about what would be said about “evil in a one-storey universe?” Of course, as I’ve thought about the question, my simplest conclusion is to wonder how one would give an account of evil in a two-storey universe. For it seems that those who have imagined the universe as […]
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Beauty, The Church
September 2, 2007

Icons – A Room with a View

Dreams are interesting things – our modern age either makes too little of them or too much of them – but mostly, we believe our dreams are about us and about the inside of our heads. Those who make too little of their dreams write them off to anxiety or other stresses of the day […]
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Beauty, Icons, Knowledge of God, The Church

Byron, I sometimes think the same thing. I sincerely believe that there are surprises involved – that the things we…

we should long for the judgment of God that we might be freed from the hay, wood, and stubble that…

Jacob, Sub-creation. That’s an interesting question. I don’t recall reading any patristic content on the topic (which is not to…

Christ is Risen, your blessing dear Father, this was my favourite article of yours, I loved reading about the South…

Rachel, What a wonderful poem! Thank you.