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Male and Female at the Cross – Part Three
Read more: Male and Female at the Cross – Part ThreeIn my last article, I reflected on the hiddenness of our identity, including the meaning of being male or female. Our true life is hid with Christ in God. There is more to be said on this hiddenness and its relationship to the image according to which we were created. In the Genesis account, when […]
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Male and Female – Part Two
Read more: Male and Female – Part TwoThe truth of our existence is largely hidden. Much of what we do know is fleeting, restricted to the surface of our lives and subject to constant revision. Both St. Paul and St. John reflect this reality in their writings: Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and […]
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Male and Female Created He Them – Part One
Read more: Male and Female Created He Them – Part OnePlease note that I have made some changes in this article, in listening to comments and observations. Despite all social discussion to the contrary, the most irreducible level of our human existence is binary – we exist as male or female. This intuition, stated in the story of creation, has a profound place within the Christian gospel. […]
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Through the Prayers of Our Holy Fathers
Read more: Through the Prayers of Our Holy FathersIt is a phrase that is heard frequently in Orthodox services: “Through the prayers of our holy fathers, have mercy on us and save us!” The meaning of that phrase is enlarged and enlightened in the writings of the Elder Sophrony. The following excerpt is from his book, St. Silouan the Athonite. Prayer for the […]
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Have You Lost Your Soul?
Read more: Have You Lost Your Soul?When was the last time you heard someone express concern for their soul? When was the last time you listened earnestly as a friend lamented a psychological or emotional struggle? The reason for the difference is simple: we have become a “soul-less” psychologized society. The classical concern for the soul has been replaced by an overwhelming […]
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Dostoevsky and the Sins of the Nation
Read more: Dostoevsky and the Sins of the NationFor many, the idea that we are somehow responsible for the sins of others, or can repent on their behalf is counter-intuitive and deeply troubling. It is distinctly non individualistic. However, it is a cornerstone of Orthodox devotion. Dostoevsky presented a very popular version of this teaching in the words of the fictitious character, the […]
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The Sins of a Nation
Read more: The Sins of a NationCan a nation ever sin? If so, how can it be forgiven? The stories and prophetic writings of the Old Testament are replete with examples of national sin. There are certainly stories of God dealing with individuals, but, on the whole, His attention seems to be directed to Israel and other nations as a whole. […]
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The Right Choice
Read more: The Right Choice“If you come to a fork in the road – take it.” – Yogi Berra Nothing is more common in our day than making choices. Our culture celebrates the freedom we have in our choices and points to this as a hallmark of its greatness. Contemporary Christianity echoes the same theme and urges us to […]
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Things You Can’t Invent
Read more: Things You Can’t InventMost of the things in our lives are not of our own making – they were given to us. Our language, our culture, the whole of our biology and the very gift of life itself is something that has been “handed down” to us. In that sense, we are all creatures of “tradition” (traditio=“to hand […]
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A Cosmic Salvation
Read more: A Cosmic SalvationThe conversation about Church often turns on history and doctrine. Each ecclesiological claim is shored up or torn down. In the middle of the fray, it is very easy to lose sight of what is being discussed. Church is reduced to its most institutional form. I want to suggest a larger view. My first thought is […]
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Matthew, This is not a description of a toxic process. Frankly, every life has some element of the abyss (a…
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Peace and blessings in the name of the Lord. I read your article and it hit me in so many…