Troublesome Passages of the Old Testament It is important when reading the Old Testament, to remember that it was written as an account of a peoples journey to God. As the Israelites journey continued, they came to know God, little by little, through God’s self-revelation to their prophets, and their
Opening Wide the Doors of the Church The subject came up among clergy of our diocese as to whether it was proper to allow a man to attend services while wearing an earring. The point, as it seems to me, is to make him feel welcomed enough to want to
Authority Comes with Responsibility When people are hurting, and seeking professional help, they are vulnerable, and the trust they place in the professional makes them particularly open to exploitation. This is why we must have institutions and lines of authority that hold professionals accountable. We can not allow anyone who
Hieromonk Paul, the co-founder of the monastery Setting Sensible PrioritiesWe all need to set sensible priorities, making sure we pay attention to our health, our family, and our spiritual life. We must not let our life be so full of work that we don’t allot time to focus on the
and Love 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
News Anchor Siv Kristin Saellmann “A necklace with a Cross insults Islam” In early November, a Norwegian anchorwoman with NRK, a state television and radio broadcasting company, was suspended from her job after appearing on the air with a Cross (1.4 centimetres) on her necklace. It seems some viewers, members
Teaching a class at Tacoma Community College The Critic, Fearing He will Fail, Does Nothing It is easy to be critical of another person, finding fault with what we perceive they are doing, have done, or have not done. Yet the man who points out how another man has stumbled,
Both Soul and Body Unlike angels, who are entirely spiritual beings, God has made each of us as creatures dwelling in a material world. To be whole, we must worship God both in body and soul. This teaching is central to our Christian faith and is an affirmation of the
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
The Orthodox Practice of Standing for Worship Standing for worship has been the only acceptable posture for Orthodox Christians from the earliest of times. Through the discipline of standing we act as the faithful servants of the Lord, worshiping before the Throne. We recognize that the temple is not a