Glory to God For All Things

April 14, 2021

The Ladder of Your Daily Life

Perhaps the most prominent ladder in our culture is the one associated with careers. It is an image of the American road to success. We begin at or near the bottom and, step by step, make our way towards the top. It is a metaphor that works well with our modern notions of hard work, […]
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Mercy, Morality, Salvation
April 7, 2021

Can Shame Ever Be Healthy?

When I first began to research the topic of shame, I was surprised to find so little mention or use of the word in the Fathers. There are a few significant examples in which shame features largely, such as Book 4 in The Ladder. Nevertheless, the word seems somewhat scarce if you think about the […]
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Asceticism, Knowledge of God, Reflections, Salvation
April 3, 2021

The Despised God

In On the Orthodox Faith, St. John of Damascus declares: ‘The Son is the image of the Father, and the Spirit the image of the Son’. Such statements are easily read and passed over as among the more obvious Trinitarian statements. I add to this statement another from St. Irenaeus: “That which is invisible of […]
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Cross, Incarnation, Knowledge of God
March 29, 2021

Christianity in a Plain Brown Wrapper

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Co 3:18) Among the many losses within modern Christianity has been the place of transformation. Nineteenth century revival movements and […]
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Morality, Reflections, Salvation, Union with God
March 26, 2021

Following a Conversation with a Tree

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,while we do not look at the things which are seen, […]
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Knowledge of God, Reflections, Thankfulness
March 24, 2021

Join Me for a Webinar

Ancient Faith has started a new series of webinars and has invited me to be one of their presenters. Join me for this evening of thought and conversation. Your participation will help us continue this venue in the future! I have had wonderful conversations on the blog regarding the topic of shame. This webinar will […]
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Reflections
March 20, 2021

Pay Attention! See What You See!

It has been said that the whole of Orthodox theology and teaching can be found in a single, well-executed icon. I believe it to be true. Over the years, I have found that certain icons have been invaluable in efforts to teach a class of inquirers or catechumens about certain aspects of the faith. […]
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Icons, Modernity, Reflections
March 15, 2021

Naked and Ashamed: Dealing with It

The Scriptures record that Adam was ashamed and hid. It’s a primal response. Shame is experienced as a burning sense of exposure and vulnerability. It begs to be clothed upon and hidden. It is possible to say that human beings have been playing “dress-up” ever since. This can be understood in a literal manner as […]
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Forgiveness, Knowledge of God, Reflections, Repentance, Salvation
March 12, 2021

Right Glory – Orthodoxy in Its Own Language

When I was in grad school, I had a term paper graded and returned to me. In it, was a phrase, circled in red, with an explanation and an exclamation mark. It read: “Double modal!” The offending phrase was “might could.” I looked at the phrase, which seemed perfectly acceptable to my ear, and puzzled […]
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Orthodox Christianity, Reflections, Tradition
March 10, 2021

Forgiveness – Give an Enemy a Cup of Cold Water

There is a story related in Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov about an old woman who was quite wicked. She dies and goes to hell to the great distress of her guardian angel. The angel searches for any possible good deed to plead on her behalf and finds a rotten onion – something the old woman […]
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Forgiveness, Reflections, Thankfulness

Thank you Holly and Fr. Stephen. I didn´t mean to suggest that Jesus was in any way unloving. I just…

Also, Father, I’ll mention briefly that I’m reading “Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives” by Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica. His words…

Father, I suffer because of my concerns that my ‘illness’ infects others. As we have discussed in a previous blog…

Holly, I think surely you’re correct – love above all else. It explains why the outcasts (those whom society loves…

I think the sick came to Jesus because they felt His love. At least that’s why I came to the…