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Secularized Sin
Read more: Secularized SinI have had numerous responses across social media about yesterday’s article on sin. It’s title, “Sin Is Not a Legal Problem,” drew some strong reactions. A particular concern is worth thinking about carefully. There is, as many have pointed out, plenty of juridical language in both the Scriptures and in the liturgical tradition of the […]
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Sin Is Not A Legal Problem – Athanasius and the Atonement
Read more: Sin Is Not A Legal Problem – Athanasius and the AtonementI often struggle when people speak of their “sins.” Indeed, it is not unusual to be asked, “Is ___ a sin?” The question always makes me feel like a lawyer. Imagine that, instead of a doctor, you have a lawyer whom you consult for your medical problems. You are having trouble breathing. You’re short of […]
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The Context of Faith
Read more: The Context of FaithShortly after moving to this side of the Smoky Mountains (the Tennesee side rather than the South Carolina side), I began to notice that the local dialect differed from my own. It was rounder, somehow, less nasal, but still with very strong “r’s.” Local phrases could also be puzzling. “I don’t care to,” for example, […]
Church, Interpretation, Liturgy, Modernity, Reflections, Scripture, Secularism, The Sacraments, Tradition
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The Long-Range Option
Read more: The Long-Range OptionIn 1981, Alasdair MacIntyre published his book, After Virtue. He offered a historical analysis of the breakdown of moral conversation, essentially noting that a once classical agreement about the grounds of moral thought and action had been shattered into many conversations, most of which were incompatible and mutually contradictory. To make matters worse, he […]
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Reading Scripture in the Kingdom
Read more: Reading Scripture in the KingdomThat which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Joh 3:6) It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (Joh 6:63) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh […]
Allegory, Interpretation, Morality, Mystical Theology, Orthodox Christianity, Reflections, Repentance, Scripture, Tradition
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The Contradictions of Scripture
Read more: The Contradictions of ScriptureWe can, however, only express the Truth if we foresee the extreme expression of all the contradictions inherent in it, from which it follows that Truth itself encompasses the ultimate projection of all its invalidations, is antonymic and cannot be otherwise. -Pavel Florensky I wrote in a previous article about the importance of contradictions in […]
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Reading by the Light of Christ
Read more: Reading by the Light of ChristLet us suppose that you have heard the story of Jesus, in a fairly bare form, nothing like as complete as any of the gospels – just a general outline. And then let us suppose that the only Scriptures you have access to are the Old Testament. You have never seen a New Testament […]
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The Greatness of a Lesser World
Read more: The Greatness of a Lesser WorldNothing could be more “cozy” than Tolkien’s description of the Shire. Many think the Shire is an idealization of rural England, and, no doubt, it certainly resembles it. Though the English do not seem to live in holes, they, nevertheless do like their gardens. And though the major cities resemble major cities elsewhere, rural villages […]
C.S. Lewis, Incarnation, Modernity, Orthodox Christianity, Reflections, Solzhenitsyn, The Sacraments, Tolkien
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A Writer’s Reflection
Read more: A Writer’s ReflectionThe composed and uninterrupted remembrance of our absolute weakness and sinfulness is truly the, par excellence, (yet admittedly peculiar) means to permanent, spiritual joy. – Dino (in the comments) Readers of this blog who stay around for a time discover that often the best “meat” is found after you crack the shell – that is, the […]
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A Truly Rational Faith
Read more: A Truly Rational FaithSt. Paul notes that “faith works through love” (Gal. 5:6). This describes the very heart of the ascetic life. Only love extends itself in the self-emptying struggle against the passions without becoming lost in the solipsism of asceticism for its own sake. It is love that endures the contradictions of reality without turning away or […]
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Latest Comments
Cleo, The phrase “died for our sins” which is Apostolic (St. Paul, etc.) doesn’t really get a full explanation in…
Nicole, Interesting catch. I do not think Fr. Thomas was meaning “development of doctrine” in the manner that it has…
Dee, thank you for your response. This resonates with me, as I believe we are all connected on a deep…
Father as an admirer of your ministry and a former Roman Catholic I am only concerned about the phrase “development…
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Thank you Father, your explanation resonates with me and I feel the truth of it.