The place of the Holy Virgin in the life of a Christian The Holy Virgin is a stumbling block for many protestants looking into Orthodoxy. The idea that this woman described in the Gospels in such humble terms could be called Mother of God seems unbiblical to them. She was
Category: The Morning Offering
The Meaning of Salvation in the Ancient Church According to Protopresbyter George Metallinos, Dean of the Athens University School of Theology, “For we Orthodox the unique and absolute goal of life in Christ is theosis, our union with God, so that man – through his participation in God’s uncreated energy
The Monastery begins fundraising drive As anyone knows who has attempted to spend time in our monastery, we’ve been limited to one small cabin, with two beds, for accommodations. As this cabin is within the enclosure of the monastery, it has been off limits to women who’ve desired to spend
Holy Tradition supports the proper interpretation of the Bible Many evangelical protestants see Holy Tradition as standing in direct contrast to Scripture, as though Tradition is always relegated to “the traditions of men”. However, there are numerous references in Holy Scripture to Holy Tradition. For example: “Many have undertaken to
We must guard against doing any harm If we keep watch over our own faults it will be impossible for us to notice the faults of our neighbor. We must keep remembrance of our own faults before God and pay no attention to the shortcomings of those around us. Focusing
Sharing the otherworldly faith of the Early Church Those of you who have been reading my postings are aware that we get a lot of Evangelical Christians visiting our monastery. Many are seeking that which they sense is older and more stable than the present day expression of Evangelical Christian
When clergy become arrogant There are some clergy who hide their insecurities and flaws by acting in an arrogant and condescending manner toward those who are under their spiritual care. Being domineering, and thinking themselves privileged, they become condescending toward those they consider lesser then themselves. Rather than serving in
A servant cannot be greater than his master The Sovereign Lord of the Universe came down to earth as a humble servant. He Who sits upon the seraphim, was born to us in a stable. The King of kings came as the Good Shepherd Who laid down His life for
Community is the essential element in what it means to be human Christianity is a communal faith, one that requires it’s followers to be actively involved with others. The Church’s worship is communal, and salvation itself is a corporate act, one that necessitates interaction with others. One is not “saved”
Imparting the faith as a missionary people Two Byzantine brothers, Saints Cyril and Methodius, brought Orthodox Christianity to the Slavs in the ninth century, and the brilliance of their missionary outreach, as opposed to that of the Latin Church, was in the very use of the vernacular. These great saints who