More than acquittal and justification Salvation can not be explained in legalistic terms of acquittal and justification, for salvation is much more than simply being forgiven and getting into heaven. The close tie between faith and works, when it comes to the Orthodox view of salvation, is not about being
When we are the occasion of another man’s disdain Because we are all brothers and sisters, we are responsible for the way we impact others. Often we are entirely innocent, yet by our very existence we become a source of great irritation and anxiety for other people. The only way
The Ship that is the Church The nave of every Orthodox temple is symbolic of the image of the Church as being a ship. As the waves of passions confront us and threaten to hurtle us against the rocks, it is good to remember that as long as we remain
When we experience the “dark side” of the Church For those who have experienced what has been called the “dark side” of the Church, the struggle to remain faithful to the Orthodox Faith can seem daunting. The dark side is the result of the sinful, fallen nature of all of
Acquiring righteousness is not a part time job Teachers and parents routinely remind children of the importance of refraining from giving in to peer pressure, knowing that good behavior can often be undermined by the desire to fit in with their friends and school mates. We adults need to remember
Your closest and most intimate friend is yourself If you have never learned to accept and love yourself, you will never be able to love another person. If you don’t learn to forgive yourself, you will never be able to forgive another person. You must learn to be your own
The capacity to forgive and the capacity to love The capacity to forgive is directly related to the capacity to love, and it is in our act of forgiving others, that we find forgiveness. For it is in the turning away from our own self-concern, and our own self-will,
The importance of confidentiality between the confessor and penitent The Seal of Confession is a hard and fast rule throughout the history of the Orthodox Church. Since the priest, in Orthodox theology, is but a witness to the confession, since the confession is made to Christ Himself, confidentiality is an absolute
Also known as the Feast of Lights The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on January 6 (19th according to the Julian Calendar). The Feast commemorates the Baptism of Christ and the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity. At
The declining numbers of avowed Christians A recent survey, carried out by a team from Lancaster University in England, showed that the number of people who consider themselves non-religious is rising with each generation. Among the over-60s of all races, there are nearly twice as many Christians as non-religious respondents