The sacramental nature of this material world Unlike angels, who are entirely spiritual beings, God has made each of us as creatures dwelling in a material world. To be whole, we therefore must worship God both in body and soul. This teaching is central to our Christian faith and is
And the demon of dejection Depression is one of the plagues of the modern age, overtaking many with it’s insidious poison, and ravaging many a life. The pain and suffering that comes with deep depression can infect those who surround the sufferer, for the depression of one person can spread
The Christian Response to 9/11 Muslim theologian Ayatollah Baqer al-Sadr said, “The world as we know it today is how others shaped it. We have two choices: either to accept it with submission, which means letting Islam die, or to destroy it, so that we can construct a world as
The Orthodox of Kosovo suffering continued attacks Early Saturday morning, Albanian Muslims in Pristina, Kosovo, set fire to the Orthodox Cathedral, and immediately after the fire, started using it as a toilet. Once again, the Orthodox heartland of Serbia is suffering the results of the Western Powers hatred of Orthodoxy.
Living our Orthodox Faith in a Multi-Cultural Society Orthodoxy by it’s very nature is a demanding religion, one that requires her faithful to fully embrace a lifestyle that is in opposition to the world about us. The many periods of fasting and the practice of standing for our services are
Who are we to judge them? The most difficult people to deal with are often the very people who need our love and kindness the most. The angry neighbor or coworker can be turned around by being treated with respect and love, regardless of their behavior. They are the people
The problem of evil in God’s creation We’ve all read news reports of horrid cases of people being imprisoned for long periods of time by perverted individuals who have been later diagnosed as classic psychopaths. By definition, psychopaths are individuals who are hateful towards others, and incapable of empathy. Sometimes
Being sensitive to other peoples crosses We humans are an odd species. We are capable of great sensitivity and compassion, yet we are also capable of terrible cruelty. Staring at people with facial deformities, or who may have peculiar, physically malformed bodies, may satisfy our innate curiosity, but the cruelty
Think about the good so as not to think about the bad Since the eyes and the ears are the doors of the soul, an Orthodox Christian must not leave the body without attention. Unlike the religion of Gnosticism, which teaches the separation of soul and body, with the physical
Kindness softens and opens up the heart As we examine how we live our lives as Christians, we look to those who leave an impression of goodness, kindness, and humility, as examples of the person we would like to become. That saintly person, by their every example, exudes the humbleness