Search results for: “church as cross”
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Humility – The Only Path Forward in Orthodoxy
Read more: Humility – The Only Path Forward in OrthodoxyHumility certainly figures prominently in anybody’s list of virtues, and most people are more than a little aware of pride playing some role in their spirtual failures. However, knowing that pride is a problem and that humility is a virtue is not saying that we know anything about humility. First, humility is not precisely the […]
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The Absence of Beauty
Read more: The Absence of BeautyWe can say without hesitation that God is the ultimate author of Beauty, and what we know and love of beauty is an echo or stronger of our desire for the Beautiful God. It becomes a major problem of sin, largely unrecognized, when beauty begins to recede from the consciousness of people, or something tawdry […]
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“And For Thy Whole World”
Read more: “And For Thy Whole World”Anyone familiar with Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazovshould remember the teaching in that novel of the Elder Zossima. He states that “each man is responsible for the sins of every man,” and holds this realization as the key to the life of paradise. The great novelist is not inventing a new idea, but simply allowing one […]
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The Consequence of a Full Faith
Read more: The Consequence of a Full FaithAs noted in a number of earlier posts, I prefer to use the term “fullness” when describing the Orthodox faith because it is far more explanatory than simply saying that we are the “true Church,” etc. “Fullness,” of course does not deny this, but it moves us onto more fruitful ground. I want to take […]
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The Consequence of a Full Faith
Read more: The Consequence of a Full FaithAs noted in a number of earlier posts, I prefer to use the term “fullness” when describing the Orthodox faith because it is far more explanatory than simply saying that we are the “true Church,” etc. “Fullness,” of course does not deny this, but it moves us onto more fruitful ground. I want to take […]
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That Which Is Lacking
Read more: That Which Is LackingIn one of the most unusual of St. Paul’s statements we hear the following: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church… (Colossians 1:24) There are mysteries within mysteries in St. Paul’s […]
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Speaking Carefully
Read more: Speaking CarefullyI officiated at a wedding last Sunday – one of several this year at the Church. It is always interesting to be part of an Orthodox wedding. Unlike most of our services, there is likely to be a majority of non-Orthodox in attendance. And they will have come to a service which even Baptists (no […]
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The Fullness of the Fullness
Read more: The Fullness of the FullnessIt is frequently the case that Orthodox theology uses the word “fullness” to describe its understanding and life of the gospel. This is a far more apt expression than simply saying “we have the truth.” Fullness, I think, better describes something. Truth, in our modern vocabulary, can mean something quite flat – as in a […]
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The Emptiness of Christ
Read more: The Emptiness of ChristSt. Paul speaks of Christ “emptying” Himself in His voluntary sacrifice for us all (Philippians 2:5-11). It is the only place in the New Testament that speaks of this particular action of Christ – at least as an “emptying” (kenosis) but the concept has always played a large role in the Church’s understanding of Christ’s […]
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“The Systematic Organization of Hatreds”
Read more: “The Systematic Organization of Hatreds”I normally do not comment on politics and do not plan to have discussions during this political season. However, I ran across a quote that makes a great deal of sense and certainly has bearing on the spiritual life. It is from Henry Adams’ novel Democracy: Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, has always […]
Jenny, It’s wrapped in the mystery of love by which and for which He created us. Only love understands anything.