-
I Can’t Make It Without God
Read more: I Can’t Make It Without GodI introduced some of Tito Colliander’s Way of the Ascetics. I offer here the second chapter as well. I have been in Detroit, Michigan attending a conference and will return to the website on Tuesday evening if I’m not able to do any work in Detroit. May God bless. Chapter Two: ON THE INSUFFICIENCY OF HUMAN […]
-
Learning to Sin
Read more: Learning to SinAs strange as it sounds – human beings have to “learn to sin.” Not that we need any help doing the things that sinners do – all of that comes quite easily to us. But we have to learn that we are sinners – and this does not come easily to us. Oddly, I first […]
-
Back to the Cross
Read more: Back to the CrossI feel a need to tie a few loose ends together – or at the very least to make a few connections. It’s possible as in this last week to drink rather deeply at one of the many wells of living Orthodoxy such as the writings of Fr. Sophrony. It’s also possible in doing so […]
-
A Closing Word Tonight from St. Silouan
Read more: A Closing Word Tonight from St. SilouanA few paragraph’s from Fr. Sophrony’s St. Silouan the Athonite. It was a great moment in the history of human thought and spiritual experience when Descartes pronounced the words, ‘Cogito, ergo sum’ (‘I think, therefore I am’). Another philosopher, one of our day, understood life rather differently, putting it, ‘I love, therefore I am, for […]
-
Getting Started
Read more: Getting StartedTito Colliander wrote a small spiritual classic, The Way of the Ascetics. I heartily commend it to all. Asceticism is not simply the domain of monks, or something foreign to Christianity, much less is it opposed to salvation by grace. Asceticism is not an earning of grace, but a “doing of the Word.” It is […]
-
The Triodion Comes (and I Can’t Wait)
Read more: The Triodion Comes (and I Can’t Wait)Preparing bulletin and sermon for tomorrow, the realization that we begin the Lenten Triodion tomorrow brings with it the “crashing down around you” realization that Great Lent will be upon us shortly. For the non Orthodox, the Lenten Triodion is the book that contains all of the specific material needed for the Lenten season. We […]
-
The Knowledge We Should Seek
Read more: The Knowledge We Should SeekJust another few paragraphs from Father Sophrony’s St. Silouan the Athonite. He is here even more explicit on the difference between the knowledge acquired by experience and that acquired in a more abstract manner: God is neither envious, selfish nor ambitious. Humbly and patiently He pursues all men on all life’s paths, and each of […]
-
Father Sophrony on “Dogmatic Consciousness”
Read more: Father Sophrony on “Dogmatic Consciousness”I introduced the phrase “dogmatic consciousness” yesterday – a phrase coined by Fr. Sophrony Sakharov to describe the acquisition of grace in a manner that is truly engrafted within our lives and mind. Today some more thoughts: The Dogmatic consciousness I have here in mind is the fruit of spiritual experience, independent of the logical […]
-
The Patience of the Saints
Read more: The Patience of the SaintsChrist said, “In patience possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). Orthodoxy presumes patience on our parts. The services take patience – they last a good length of time and without patience your mind will never stop wandering. Catechumenates can take a while. Learning many of the things of an Orthodox way of life cannot be rushed. […]
Subscribe to blog via email
Support the work
Your generous support for Glory to God for All Things will help maintain and expand the work of Fr. Stephen. This ministry continues to grow and your help is important. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!
Latest Comments
Fr. Stephen, this is such a beautiful post, thank you! I don’t think I’ve ever commented before, but have been…
I can only speak of God as I know Him in Christ crucified. Apart from that, the conversation becomes an…
Ook, That the earliest community of Christians in Jerusalem held all things in common was certainly a response to the…
Fr. Stephen wrote: “If you do this sort of thing for a good number of decades, and couple it with…
Read my books
Listen to my podcast
Please Read
Categories
Archives
Anna, Thank you for your comment! It really is about love. Usefulness (utility) is certainly something that can be measured,…