God sharing His divinity with our humanity The idea that Christ would have incarnated in the flesh, even if Adam and Eve had not fallen, was taught by a number of early Church Fathers. Although not a formal teaching of the Orthodox Church, the understanding comes from the view that
The Therapeutic Tradition of the Church Most of us have been asked the question, “are you saved?”, at least once in our life. Having it’s origin in the protestant soteriology (doctrine of salvation), this question has clearly become part of our American cultural lexicon. The question is often asked by
Becoming partakers of the Divine Nature Although our regeneration began with baptism, our repentance opens the gates to grace after grace. Repentance is the second regeneration in that through our repentance, the door to the mercy of God opens wide. In being regenerated by God’s mercy, we are justified before
The reactivation of the memory of the “eye of the soul” Humanities mishandling of the memory of God led to the fall, and the reactivation of that memory through the healing of the “nous” (the eye of the soul), is necessary for the restoration of that memory. We must be
Political vs Spiritual Authority It is a temptation for those who serve the Church to think their parishioners should adhere to the political ideals of their priest or bishop. This is a gross temptation that can lead to the alienation of some members of their flock, especially the young. The
Proper attire in the House of God The Church is our home, a place where we should feel comfortable, and at ease. It is also God’s house and is a temple set aside for worship of the Holy Trinity. Although times have changed and we have become a very casual
The Church is forever united with Christ and is Christ like If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 1 John 4:20
How to be a pious Orthodox Christian without stoking the flames of pride And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be like the hypocrites, who are fond of standing up in the synagogues and at the corners of streets to pray, so that they may be seen by people. Verily
Our struggle for repentance must begin with an honest appraisal of our self In our struggle on the path to God, repentance must be the central theme. Only in repentance will we find the true meaning of life, for only in repentance can one enter into communion with God. This
What will we experience in the after life? There is no formal doctrine in the Orthodox Church concerning the afterlife for animals, including our pets. Those Fathers of the Church who have expressed themselves on this matter were simply expressing theological opinions that have not become universally accepted, and remain