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The Icon as Proof of God’s Existence
Read more: The Icon as Proof of God’s ExistenceGod “adorns himself in magnificence and clothes himself with beauty.” Man stands amazed and contemplates the glory whose light causes a hymn of praise to burst forth from the heart of every creature. The Testamentum Domini gives us the following prayer: “Let them be filled with the Holy Spirit…so they can sing a doxology and […]
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The Descent into Hades
Read more: The Descent into HadesCharles Williams, one of C.S. Lewis’ circle of friends, once wrote a book entitled, The Descent into Hell. In it he chronicles the slow inexorable damnation of a soul. Choices made or not made – a chronicle more of spiritual ennui than of willful rebellion – it is a very sobering novel. There is an […]
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An Update on the Pontificator and Limbo
Read more: An Update on the Pontificator and LimboAl Kimel, writing on Pontifications, has posted another article on Limbo, this time doing a masterful job of stating quite clearly why the doctrine is wrong, why children, unbaptized, still enjoy the bliss of heaven. His reason is simple: the love of God. The problem that has plagued the West on this subject is accurately […]
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Worship and the Knowledge of God
Read more: Worship and the Knowledge of GodWe prove God’s existence by worshiping Him and not by advancing so-called proofs. We have here the liturgical and iconographic argument for the existence of God. We arrive at a solid belief in the existence of God through a leap over what seems true, over the Pascalian certitude. According to an ancient monastic saying, “Give […]
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In Limbo No More
Read more: In Limbo No MoreAl Kimel, over at Pontifications, has posted an excellent article that supports the Vatican’s possible abandonment of the doctrine of Limbo, that is, a doctrine that consigns unbaptized babies to somewhere other than the Beatific Vision of Heaven (in some Catholic accounts, limbo was a place of natural bliss, in others a place of torment.) […]
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Saving Beauty
Read more: Saving Beauty“God will save the World Through Beauty” This saying, often attributed to Fyodor Dostoevsky, never occurs in precisely this form in his novels – though the idea is present in such a strong sense that the phrase is correctly attributed to him. It is a phrase that is easily misunderstood. For Dostoevsky, in […]
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Putting the Finger on Modern Paganism
Read more: Putting the Finger on Modern PaganismI spent a fortnight in England this summer. Staying in an excellent Orthodox monastery (St. John the Baptist in Essex) and touring the country for another week. The greatest part of the week, I believe, will prove to be the fact that I was roommate for 14 days with my 19 year-old son, James. […]
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Words for the Heart
Read more: Words for the HeartYou cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other… Instead of condemning others, strive to […]
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Glory to God for All Things
Read more: Glory to God for All ThingsGlory to God for all things. For things growing and things that are passing away. For a good walk on a summer day and the quiet of a country lane. Glory to God for all things both revealed and not revealed for He is good and Lord of all.
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What Matters?
Read more: What Matters?God matters and what matters to God matters. I know that sounds very redundant, but I’m not sure how else I want to say it. There are many things that do not matter – because they do not matter to God. Knowing the difference between the two – what matters to God and what does […]
Thank you, Father Stephen, your answers give me a lot to ponder. I suppose letting it be for now is…