A Celtic cross given by Dr. Ken Bakken The Theological Vision of God and Natural Science Orthodoxy does not exclude from the theological vision of God the findings of natural science. Science and faith can be in concert with one another and our desire to reinstate our communion with God
Hell and Hate One of my favorite authors as a young man, was Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk. In the introduction to his work New Seeds of Contemplation he wrote: “Hell was where no one has anything in common with anyone else except the fact that they all hate
Bro. Theofil with fresh collard from our garden. We Must Guard our Hearts As we are all filled with thoughts that flood our minds, let us consider each thought and decide whether it be our own, or those of the enemy of our salvation. If they be the latter they
Aerial view of monastery () Closed Communion in the Orthodox Church When a stranger approaches the Holy Gifts during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy it is the norm in the Orthodox Church for the priest to ask the person to “kiss the chalice”. Not knowing if the person is
Hieromonk Paul, mowing the lawn Authority Comes with Responsibility The recent scandal revolved around Penn State University’s assistant football coach have brought to light an ugly secret. The sexual exploitation and abuse of children seems to have reach epidemic proportions in our society, and the arrest of a respected university
The Prince of Peace is the Victorious Conqueror Revolutions, wars of conquest, and battles between nations, are all the sad consequences of our fallen world. Death and destruction are the results of our having fallen from grace, and giving in to personal pride and arrogance, all in the face of
Wild Foxglove, growing abundantly on the grounds of the monastery Putting Aside all Hypocrisy and Living for ChristHow easy it is to worship with all piety and correctness while standing in a service within an Orthodox temple, yet make no effort to live Orthodoxy during the rest of our week.
Even tractors get flats Suffering is Meant to be Salvific The Lord does not allow anything beyond our power of endurance, to afflict us. Whenever difficulties come our way, we only sin if we are unwilling to endure. Suffering is meant to be salvific, for the Holy Apostle Paul tells
Our lower forest It Pleases the Lord When We do His Will “Blessed is he who strives to please the Lord as others try to please men.” These words of Saint John Climacus should serve as the theme for our every hour. It is so easy to surrender to social
When We Turn Away from God When we turn away from God, the Lord lets us go it on our own. He will not force Himself upon us. We get ourselves into trouble when we push God aside, and wonder why we have such difficulties with life. With love in