ORTHODIXIE ... Southern, Orthodox, Convert, Etc.

THANKSGIVING: The 8th Ecumenical Campfire (Pt 2)

2009-11-24T04:32:00.006-06:00

In our last episode: a Roman Catholic Priest, two Orthodox clergymen, a Baptist boy and an Episcopalian gal, along with a Greek layman -- unexpectedly -- share a Thanksgiving campfire.

In the end, I asked: "What do you think happens?"

This week, an answer (provided almost entirely from AFR listeners).

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

Manhattan Declaration & Ecumenical Campfire

2009-11-20T15:43:00.005-06:00

Four things ...

1) Read the Manhattan Declaration - HERE.

2) If so inclined, you may add your signature - HERE.

3) I have received some worthy script entries toward the second part of the Orthodixie Podcast "THANKSGIVING - The 8th Ecumenical Campfire". Listen - HERE.

4) If so inclined, send me your script ideas - orthodixie at aol dot com

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AA: Sinner? Yes. Heretic? No.

2009-11-19T08:30:00.003-06:00

It was said concerning Abba Agathon that some monks came to find him having heard tell of his great discernment.

Wanting to see if he would lose his temper they said to him, "Aren't you that Agathon who is said to be a fornicator and a proud man?"

"Yes, it is very true," he answered.

They resumed, "Aren't you that Agathon who is always talking nonsense?"

"I am."

Again they said, "Aren't you Agathon the heretic?"

But at that he replied, "I am not a heretic."

So they asked him, "Tell us why you accepted everything we cast at you, but repudiated this last insult?"

He replied, "The first accusations I take to myself, for that is good for my soul. But heresy is separation from God. Now I have no wish to be separated from God."

At this saying they were astonished at his discernment and returned edified.

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetic Collection, "Agathon," # 5, Benedicta Ward (ed. tr.), pp. 20, 21.

Stolen from DYNAMIS.
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THANKSGIVING: The 8th Ecumenical Campfire

2009-11-17T11:59:00.007-06:00

Most stories about the history of Thanksgiving concern the harvest celebration of the pilgrims and the Indians that took place way back in the autumn of 1621.

The one I’m about to relate is being told for the first time and concerns the Thanksgiving of 2012.

And ... I’m gonna need your help to complete this one – listen for details at the end of this episode.

Anyway, this Thanksgiving story involves a Russian deacon, an Antiochian priest, a Greek layman, an Episcopalian laywoman, a Roman Catholic priest, and a Baptist.

I know what you’re thinking: How in the world did such a gathering come about?

Well, that’s the story I’m here to begin (and, with your help, end).

It all took place in the rolling hills of Southern Oklahoma just before Thanksgiving in the year 2012. The Catholic priest, Fr O’Malley, was traveling alone on his way north, to Norman, to see his mother for the holiday.

The Episcopalian woman was dating a nice looking Baptist fellow and was traveling to Stillwater to introduce him to the family. They were hoping to get married just before she entered seminary in 2013 to study toward the priesthood.

The Russian deacon had befriended the Antiochian priest and the Greek layman on Facebook, and they were traveling to a clandestine meeting of "traditional-minded Orthodox Christians" in Oklahoma City.

You never know who you might meet on the highway, especially in an early ice storm the day before Thanksgiving. That’s right, believe it or not, Interstate 35 was covered with ice. The highway patrol had put out a bulletin advising folks not to travel unless absolutely necessary. But, as you might imagine, the Episcopalian gal and her Baptist beau were on a mission – as were the Greek, Antiochian, and Russian churchmen!

Fr O’Malley? He’d not seen his mother in two years and her health was failing.

Needless to say, these people were heedless. They all, in one way or another, believed they were on a Mission from God.

Well, friends, at first glance it might seem that God had other plans. The roads were slick, the travel hazardous and ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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On Fasting by Archimandrite Damian (Hart)

2009-11-15T00:01:00.001-06:00

As many Orthodox Christians begin the Nativity Fast, these words from Archimandrite Damian (of Blessed Memory):

Orthodox Christians spend a large portion of the year fasting. If all of the fasting days and periods are observed and kept, we fast for about half of each year. By fasting, we mean abstaining from any and all animal or dairy products and eating only one meal a day.

Our society today is not in any way conducive to supporting such an activity; it suggests to us in many ways and on various levels that we satisfy our appetites and that we indulge ourselves to one end: to enjoy ourselves for the sole purpose of comfort and pleasure. It is indeed that rare exception for anyone to indulge just one appetite. If one is gluttonous in one appetite, then in all likelihood, he will indulge (or over-indulge) all of his appetites. Furthermore, the Tradition teaches us that appetite and passions are closely related.

Foremost is the fact that fasting is above all a spiritual exercise, and as such, it needs to be supported by our private prayers, our public worship, and our regular confessions and partaking of the Sanctified Gifts of the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the reason for the tradition that fasting should be done with the advice and direction of a confessor or spiritual father. Fasting is a response of the soul to the desire for God, and it is developed over a long period of time. Fasting is not something which is simply entered into lightly without any thought or preparation.

The reason that fasting should be undertaken with direction is simple. The fasting regulations and rules of the Orthodox Church are strenuous. We must follow Saint Paul who tells us that we must first take milk before we can eat meat; and this is true of any spiritual exercise or discipline. If one attempts to acquire a spiritual exercise without the proper preparation, direction, and support, he runs the definite risk of biting off more than he can chew--literally and figuratively. In such a condition, he becomes discouraged and drops the whole activity. It is, therefore, imperative that fasting be supported by our spiritual life and be directed by our confessor.

But why do we fast? What is the point? Certainly we do not fast for health, beauty, or long life! It has already been stated that fasting is a response of the soul in its desire for God. In addition to the stirring within the soul for God, we fast in imitation of the example of our Savior. After Christ's Baptism and before His earthly ministry began, Saint Matthew tells us that He fasted for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, while being tempted by Satan.

We fast, as again Saint Matthew relates, because our Savior Himself instructed us to fast and to pray. Prayer and fasting go together hand in hand. One complements the other. We cannot engage in one without engaging in the other if we are to follow the evangelical precepts.

We fast because Saint Paul instructs us that we must keep our bodies under subjection. We are to rule our bodies and not let our bodies rule us. We grow in grace as we give ourselves to worship, prayer, study, and meditation until every aspect of life is governed and permeated by the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. And God the Holy Spirit will dwell in us only if our hearts are a fit dwelling place for Him.

We fast to prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of Heaven, as we receive it upon this earth, that our souls may be saved, and that we may partake of God's Kingdom fully in the life to come.

-- Archimandrite Damian (Hart), October 1984

Thanks to Hierodeacon David for text FWD and pic (Fr Damian, Christmas 2008).

I Went to High School with You

2009-11-14T06:30:00.002-06:00

"The source of the word 'humorist' is one who regards human beings in terms of their humors — you know, whether they're sanguine or full of yellow bile, or whatever the four classical humors are. You stand back from people and regard them as types. And one finds, especially by the time one reaches one's fifties, that there are a limited number of types of people in the world, and you went to high school with every single one of them. You can visit the Eskimos, you can visit the Bushmen in the Kalahari, you can go to Israel, you can go to Egypt, but everybody you meet is going to be somebody you went to high school with."

-- P.J. O'Rourke (Source)

We Came, We Saw, We Converted

2009-11-11T18:03:00.005-06:00

The Lighter Side of Orthodoxy in America
by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

From the publisher:

Based on his popular blog and Ancient Faith Radio podcast, Orthodixie, Fr. Joseph Huneycutt presents a humorous look at the pluses, minuses, joys, pitfalls, and struggles of perpetual conversion within an Orthodox Christian worldview.

Within these pages you’ll find all those familiar characters you’ve encountered in exploring American Orthodoxy -- but with a hilarious twist: the Orthodox Christian Anarchist, the Orthodox White Boy, and that incomparable superhero, Ortho-Man.

You’ll be introduced to the lighter side of fasting, theosis, living a holy life in a secular world, and the struggle to understand those on the other side of the cradle/convert divide.

For those days when acquiring the mind of Christ seems impossibly serious and, well, just plain impossible, a quick dip into We Came, We Saw, We Converted will restore your sense of humor and help you get up and try again.

COMING IN EARLY DECEMBER!

Place your pre-order now, and we will ship it to you for arrival before Christmas (for customers in the Continental U.S.).

PRE-ORDERS BEING ACCEPTED.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T13:41:00.000-06:00

Helmsman: Blest be the boat.

Crew: God the Father bless her.

Helmsman: Blest be the boat.

Crew: God the Son bless her.

Helmsman: Blest be the boat.

Crew: God the Spirit bless her.

All: God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Spirit,
Bless the boat.

Helmsman: What can befall you
And God the Father with you?

Crew: No harm can befall us.

Helmsman: What can befall you
And God the Son with you?

Crew: No harm can befall us.

Helmsman: What can befall you
And God the Spirit with you?

Crew: No harm can befall us.

All: God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Spirit,
With us eternally.

Helmsman: What can cause you anxiety
And the God of the elements over you?

Crew: No anxiety can be ours.

Helmsman: What can cause you anxiety
And the King of the elements over you?

Crew: No anxiety can be ours.

Helmsman: What can cause you anxiety
And the Spirit of the elements over you?

All: The God of the elements,
The King of the elements,
The Spirit of the elements,
Close over us,
Ever eternally.

-- Anonymous, translated by Alexander Carmichael of Lismore, from Carmina Gadelica.

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A re-post from 2005

Catechizing from the Barber's Chair in Beaumont

2009-11-07T20:54:00.007-06:00

It's not often that one gets scalped by a Christian, rarer still is when a priest willingly airs his failures (of "Biblical proportion").

Protestants may cheer this episode as much as the Orthodox, but with both sides on differing sides.

This episode of the Orthodixie podcast eavesdrops on some arguments concerning Scripture and Tradition at St Michael's in Beaumont, Texas.

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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On Holding the Tongue

2009-11-06T09:38:00.000-06:00

The Lord will protect your soul so long as you hold your tongue. Do not say more than necessary; much talking drives away the Holy Spirit.

Learning to be silent is a great undertaking. In remaining silent, you emulate our Lord, Who “… answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled…” (Mark 15:5).

-- Elder Andronicus of Glinsk

You need to strive more to be silent. Vacuous people talk a great deal. If you say little, people will listen to your words. When older people speak, hear them out, without interruption. Afterwards, you may respond, politely and meekly.

-- Elder John of Glinsk

Taken from the parish newsletter of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St John the Baptist. Image Source

Man Says He Saw Jesus in Truck Window

2009-11-05T05:57:00.003-06:00

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Jim Stevens said he's not particularly religious and is clueless about why an image resembling Jesus Christ keeps appearing on his pickup.

Stevens, of Jonesborough, said nearly every morning, an image that looks to him like the face of Jesus Christ has appeared in the condensation on the driver's side window of his Isuzu truck. A Johnson City Press photo of the truck showed a facial image.

Stevens said when he first saw the image, he figured it would evaporate and not return. But it kept reappearing for two weeks now.

Stevens said folks at the grocery store he goes to were amazed to see the image.

He said he isn't going to wash the truck for a while.

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The Proverbial Road to Hell

2009-11-04T06:08:00.000-06:00

How many utopias, radical movements, revolutionary programs, and the like the world has seen, the leaders and participants of which have wanted to attain human “happiness” without God and against God, relying on their fallen reason. History maintains the sad and tragic memory of this. Individuals, too, blinded by unbelief, wanting to fulfill intentions that seemed good to them, have often caused evil and pain to those around them.

Faith is necessary, but it must be correct faith. Error and delusions can be many, but truth is always one. People who are motivated by mistaken religious doctrine are certain that their intentions are good, but their false spirituality leads them to ruin. All religious falsehoods are performed with the participation of demonic forces.

Taken from, and more, HERE.

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HUMOUR: How to Worship

2009-11-03T14:28:00.004-06:00

Those of you who have been involved in various Charismatic groups will appreciate the above video; those who have suffered among the Frozen Chosen will enjoy the classic, below:

Thanks to Matushka Anne for forwarding the former; the Huneycutts own the Mr Bean one on video cassette!

OPINION: Is the Pope Anglican?

2009-11-02T06:02:00.000-06:00

Moving this posting back up top ... for All Saints pics: click.

From time to time a matter of serious import derails the normally bizarre nature of the Orthodixie Podcast. This episode addresses one of those occasions.

Recently, Pope Benedict the 16th caused no small stir in ecclesiastical waters, which rippled into much electronic chatter on the Internet.

The Vatican recently announced that Pope Benedict is setting up special provision for Anglicans, including married clergy, who want to convert to Rome together, preserving aspects of Anglican liturgy. They will be given their own pastoral supervision, according to this press release from the Vatican:

“In this Apostolic Constitution the Holy Father has introduced a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion by establishing Personal Ordinariates which will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony.”

The original brief notice went on to say: "This is clearly a historic gesture by Pope Benedict which will encourage thousands of disaffected Anglicans to become Roman Catholics."

As a 48 year old man, but only a sixteen year old Orthodox Christian, I’m forced to think back to my days of doubt -- back when I was an Episcopalian seminarian wondering what to do about my place in the Anglican Communion.

Specifically, would such a proclamation by the Pope of Rome have influenced my decision about where to run to when …

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

All [Future] Saints [in Disquise] Party

2009-11-01T05:37:00.003-06:00

THIS IS THE HEAD ...

Hello everybody!

The Lord and Saints ... (it's the annual "All Saints Party" at St George).

And this, so I hear, is a 70s Guitar Man ...

Of course, pie eating contest ...

St George attacks a dragon ...

This pie ... attacks this guy.

"What? You think that's funny?"

"I thought it was pretty funny ... then I had to make a pit stop."

Texas is pretty this time of year.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the pie-eating winner!

The first man on Mars ... followed by the owner of the spaceship.

Earlier, herself in make-up ...

This guy's make-up needed a cover-up ...

Ah yes ... one of the joys of adulthood: sitting.

... and eating.

And smiling because this is "Your House" tonight! (Vivian's in charge of All Saints.)

"But, I'm in charge on all other days ..."

Where are the parents, here? These men are making their own cookies & cakes!

... and voila! This fellow came into the party a mere tike, ate up a bunch of goodies -- now look at him!

Appalachian State ... meets Texas.

Lady Bugs have their moments, too ...

Amy Oakley?

The Dynamic Trio.

(I had to sneak into the darkened church to get something ... couldn't resist.)

Oh my!

Fr John ... You ARE my father!

...

Word has it there's a bug going around ...

We made sure to have a doctor on hand.

I think these guys went trick-or-treating early on ...

Some say peppers will cure what ails ya ...

"It's like this: Find an electric socket and, using these two fingers, you ..."

"Yikes! Watch out for the Kung Fu Guy!"

...

"No fair! I wanted to be the Kung Fu Guy!"

Honest to goodness, these folks told me they were supposed to be Raggedy Ann & Andy -- I thought it was Wendy & Waldo!

Very nice. (She won the contest in her age group ... I mean, who's gonna vote against Her?)

Miss E and Miss Susie ...

My goodness! This is actually a Miss, too (I think).

Whooooooooo -- whooooooooooooo!

"Who's gonna deal with the pirate?"

"What pirate?"

"Stand back, ladies!"

Whoop-eeeesh!

"Arrrrrrrrrgh!" cries Venom, having been dealt a lethal blow by Indie.

"Humph ... boys."

And these ...

ladies and gentlemen ...

are ...

THE FEET!

Halloween Hypocrite (Revisited)

2009-10-29T20:54:00.004-05:00

The following is timely a repost from 2005.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to fantasy, games, dress-up, and such. And if you promise not to tell anyone: I've read most everything Stephen King has written. Harry Potter? Used to be opposed, now I've read 'em all.

I'm just not interested in celebrating this feast.

I did as a kid. It was a parent thing. (Hi Mom!) That and, well, a candy thing. When I got older I was confused. One year, honest to goodness, we had a Haunted House IN the church! [Folks, even now I get the willies just recalling it.] Like the Haunted House rides at the Fair, it was more silly than spooky. But, you gotta admit, Wee Erd.

Much has changed since I was a jitter-bug. More people are more kooky. And not all Christian "histories of Halloween" are accurate. [Here's my own collection of lore from ago -- along with its "correction."]

Call me a fundamentalist, but I actually get excited when schools cancel its celebration. Here ... and H E R E.

I used to provide letters to parents asking school administrators to excuse Orthodox kids from Halloween celebrations.

As mentioned in one of the posts linked above, my son really wants to participate in Trick-or-Treat and revels in any and all Halloween decorations. Just the other day he told his 3-year old sister, "Helen ... we don't celebrate Halloween. But, when you get to be a grown-up, you can if you want to. Right, Dad?"

Right ... son.

Okay, so here's the hypocrite part. Back at Nashotah House, there was a legend of the Black Monk. You can read it here. It was our first year in seminary and they were taking all the seminarians' kids on a wagon ride trick-or-treating. I was in my really anti-Halloween twisted phase. We didn't have kids; there was no reason for us to go, but everyone knew my proclivities.

Then something got into me. I remembered a ghoulish mask that I'd packed away in a back closet. We'd used it in some radio gig and, for some reason, I still had it. When I heard the tractor and wagon approaching our apartment on the return trip, I quickly donned a cassock and the hooded mask and went and stood by the road. Motionless. Staring. Those kids screamed their heads off! (My wife couldn't believe what I was doing.)

After they'd passed, I ran into the apartment, de-costumed, and walked down to where all the hub-bub was to bask in my ghoulish glory.

One of the students, a Middler, rushed up to me and said, "That was great! Man! You were awesome!"

Speechless, I just stood and smiled at him. Then he said, "You really got us good when you were standing in the cemetery!"

(Uh, folks ... though I never told him, I didn't go up to the cemetery that night.)

That said, for those interested -- listen to Fr George Morelli's excellent (and gentle) expose on this very non-Orthodox celebration.

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BARTHOLOMEW & American Primates

2009-10-29T07:56:00.003-05:00

NEW YORK - His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave an audience ... Tuesday, Oct. 27, to the Orthodox Primates of the USA, most of whom were present the previous evening for the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community. Present at the audience were Archbishop Demetrios of America (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Philip (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Christopher (Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Nicholas (Carpatho - Russian Diocese); Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Jonah (Orthodox Church in America), Metropolitan Constantine (Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA); Bishop Ilia (Albanian Orthodox Diocese) and Archpriest Alexander Abramov (Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA). Archbishop Demetrios welcomed His All Holiness on behalf of the Primates.

The remarks of His All Holiness follow:

"We bring to you the greeting, the blessing, and the love of the Apostolic, Patriarchal and Ecumenical Throne of the First-Called Andrew, and we express as well our appreciation to the Most Reverend Chairman of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, for bringing you together today so that we may have this opportunity for fellowship in the Holy Spirit and for a dialogue of love.

For nearly fifty years, the Standing Conference has served as a place for the Primates of the various jurisdictions that are present in North America to gather and discuss common concerns and issues. Also, through the many agencies that have been formed under your aegis, you have been able to activate pan-Orthodox ministries that extend beyond the confines of your particular Churches, so that your united effort might be brought to bear in common interests.

The success of SCOBA has always been based in the true sense of cooperation, of synergy, between the Orthodox ecclesiastical entities here in North America. You have been successful at providing a common witness to all the Orthodox Faithful, even as you have maintained your ties to the Mother Churches and sought to establish yourselves in the countries and culture within which you live.

Nevertheless, SCOBA has always been an organization that lacks authorization from the Mother Churches, being a self-started and volunteer body. This reality reflects both strengths and weaknesses strengths in that SCOBA was free to find creative solutions to issues and problems, without seeking approval from a higher authority and weaknesses, because without authorization from the Mother Churches, there has been no methodology to effectuate decisions and policies that prepare for the future.

Given these considerations, it was logical for the status quo to evolve, as it did at the Synaxis of the Heads of the universally recognized Autocephalous Churches last October at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. At that time, the common will of the universally recognized Autocephalous was
expressed as follows:

As Primates and the Representatives of the Most Holy Orthodox Churches, fully aware of the gravity of the aforementioned problems, and laboring to confront them directly as 'servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries' (1 Cor. 4:1), we proclaim from this See of the First-throne among the Churches and we re-affirm:

1) our unswerving position and obligation to safeguard the unity of the Orthodox Church in 'the faith once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3), the faith of our Fathers, in the common Divine Eucharist and in the faithful observance of the canonical system of Church governance by settling any problems that arise from time to time in relations among us with a spirit of love and peace.

2) our desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements, such as in the so-called Orthodox Diaspora, with a view to overcoming every possible influence that is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology. In this respect we welcome the proposal by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to convene Panorthodox
Consultations within the coming year 2009 on this subject, as well as for the continuation of preparations for the Holy and Great Council.

As you all know and are well aware, the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference did take place in June of this year, at the Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland. The Decision, and the Regulations promulgated by the Pre-Conciliar Conference establish a modus operandi by which the Bishops, in the regions of the world defined by the Conference, may progress institutionally toward the solutions that we all seek in the forthcoming Great and Holy Council.

This is not to say that there will not be difficulties along the way. The region defined for this portion of the Western Hemisphere is quite extensive, including Spanish-speaking Mexico and Central America, together with the rest of Anglophone and Francophone North America. There are many bishops who have never been represented in SCOBA, and who will now participate through their Mother Churches in the Assembly of Bishops. There are also the issues of so-called 'autonomies' and 'autocephalies' that are not recognized by the Church Universal, and for which solutions must be found in order allow for full participation on every level in the processes of the Assembly of Bishops. All of the issues and problems that require resolution first require willing hearts and minds, study and careful consideration, and the unfailing loving application of the canonical tradition of out Holy Orthodox Church.

As the convener of the Pan-Orthodox world, the Ecumenical Patriarchate stands ready to be of assistance through guidance and an ongoing dialogue based in the truth of Gospel. We welcome positive suggestions and, as it said in our modern world, 'thinking outside the box,' so that we may construct models of ecclesiastical polity and governance with foundations sunk deep in the venerable tradition of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and at the same time are relevant to the spiritual needs and societal conventions of the world within which our faithful live.

Here, we do not reference compromise nor conformity to the world, but, following the exhortation of the Holy Apostle Paul that we be 'transformed by the renewing of our minds,' we speak of transformative and transformational models that are faithful to the history of the Church, for this history is that of the Holy Spirit Who infuses and guides the Church in every generation in times of weakness and in times of strength, in times of persecution and in times of triumph, in times war and in times of peace. And in whatever time the Church finds her incarnate presence through the grace, operation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we know that the Church lives in accordance with the Apostle's injunction: 'that everything be done decently and in good order.'

Therefore, beloved brothers in the Lord, let the order of the Church be observed perfectly among you, beginning and ending always with the commandment new and divine that we have received from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Love one another. Everything else that we attempt even with all our skill and might will come to naught if love does not reign supreme among us all. With these words we leave each of you with our Patriarchal and paternal blessing, invoking upon you the grace of God and His infinite mercy."

Following the remarks of His All Holiness, there was an exchange of gifts, including a presentation by Metropolitan Philip of an engolpion (Episcopal medallion) with the icon of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Ecumenical Patriarch presented gifts to all the Members, and departed the meeting. Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch throughout America and who is the Chairman of the already functioning Episcopal Assembly of France (Inter-Episcopal Committee from 1967 and full Episcopal Assembly since 1997), remained to engage in a brief dialogue with the Members.

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Five Types of Christians

2009-10-28T04:09:00.000-05:00

Mother Maria Skobtsova, a martyr of the Nazi concentration camps, and an early 20th century intellectual and nun, wrote an insightful essay entitled, “Types of Religious Life.” In it she articulates five ways of being religious: the synodal, the ritualist, the aesthetical, the ascetical as well the ideal way, the evangelical (or “way of the Gospel.”).

While it is easy to point fingers and categorize certain churches or groups as this or that, what’s really interesting (and frightening!) is how easily I (*) seem to fall in these inaccurate and perilous ways of thinking about the Church.

Synodal. While really based on what she experienced of the émigré Russian Church, in its use of the Church to promote ethnic heritage and political ideals, it’s a potential trap for all of us, myself included, convert that I am. Anytime I see the Church as an institution, or as a way of conserving the past, I fall victim to this thinking.

The Ritualist. Mother Maria, calls this way “a type of magic,” and she is totally correct. We can get the idea that God’s grace is based upon our carefully exacting the right formula of rubric and spoken word. I have often fallen into this mire as I encountered first the Canons, and then the Typica, using my new knowledge to prove how “Orthodox” I was and taking the opportunity to judge bishop, priests, and whole churches, because of their inexact ways of “performing” the services.

The Aesthetical. Once again, I shamefully acknowledge my participation in this way of thinking. The beauty of the Divine Liturgy was what initially attracted me to the Orthodox Church. But to get so caught up in how the choir and/or chanting sounds, how the altar boys move and how the lighting is set, is to forget why we are there in the first place.

The Ascetical. Suffering is a huge part of our Christian faith. Jesus says, “Take up you cross and follow me.” And indeed the Church honors those who have done so, down to our present age. But the problem with (and evidently so many others, else Mother Maria would not be addressing the problem) ... is that our suffering, our struggle…becomes a self-centered exercise. It is not a struggle out of love for God and fellow Man. It’s a struggle for my own salvation. I think the distinction is difficult to articulate, yet I can and do feel it in my own manner of living.

The Evangelical (Gospel) Way. Finally, Mother Maria turns to the true way to look at the Church; the true way to live. As St. Paul says, “It is no longer I who live but Christ,” so too, the Christian way is to live as Christ did, in a way that goes beyond “What would Jesus do?” Christ gave us two commandments to live by -- that we should love God, and love our neighbor. These must be the criteria by which we judge all that we do. Its fine that other things happen at church; culture is preserved, social opportunities occur, etc. But if the heart of what we do is not about loving God and our neighbor, then our music is as tinkling brass, our icons are pretty pictures, and our prayers are hot air.

* I totally stole this entire post, and pic, from Deacon Raphael (he is the "first person" speaking above).

There's also more here.

ESOLEN: The Battle Before Us

2009-10-25T10:28:00.007-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the hour is late. The biotechnocracy is coming upon us, ready to sweep aside the last remnants of a truly human community. One thing that has confirmed me in my adherence to Roman Catholicism is that, virtually alone for many years, and still virtually alone for some issues, Rome has stood against the reduction of human sexuality to will, even the will of faithful spouses. Because of the separation of grace from the rationally discoverable natural law (I know, not in Hooker, but in Ockham and in the late medieval pietists of the devotio moderna, even in Thomas a Kempis), we now have Christians making embryos in petri dishes, and leaving us almost no wherewithal to oppose the deliberate cobbling together of genes to produce babies according to our specifications. Once that happens, goodbye any chance for a resurgence of Christian civilization -- not until such a monstrosity destroys itself, anyway. I hope I do not live to see that filthy advent.

So let us on both sides stop the shouting. I would appreciate it most deeply to hear from my fellow Christians of the Protestant persuasion that they are sorry to have tagged abortion as a "Roman" issue for so long -- until Frank Schaeffer woke them up, after precious years were lost, not to mention precious lives. I for my part am perfectly willing to concede the worldliness and downright wickedness of Alexander VI and some of his predecessors; affirming at the same time, however, that we have not had a wicked man in the papal chair since Trent; and that plenty of Roman cardinals (Reginald Pole was one) at Trent had sympathies with the reformers. They had legitimate complaints ...

Might we all agree that what separated a Luther from an Ignatius of Loyola, each with a profound sense of our utter dependance upon God's grace for the least deed of merit we can perform (however one wants to define that merit, or explain it theologically), or a Melanchthon from a Pius V, is as nothing compared with what separates all of those battlers on the issue of grace from the Pelagians who complacently fill up our pews, in all our churches?

One last thing, whether some of the interlocutors here like it or not. I'm a committed Christian. Jesus is my savior. No answer besides Jesus can be given to any of the great questions in this universe. I can do absolutely nothing of merit on my own, without Jesus; and I don't mean that I do half of a good thing while He supplies the other half, either. Now you all who believe in Scripture are my compatriots in the battle. I may grumble that you take insufficient stock of the Church fathers and of the natural law. You may bemoan the fact, as you see it (for of course I don't see it that way, or I would not be Catholic) that I accept unwarranted additions to Scripture. But whether we like it or not, the battle is here, the trenches are dug, and our rifles had damned well better be pointed in the same direction. And here we bicker -- to quote Milton, "As if we had not foes enow besides, That day and night for our destruction wait."

A comment from Dr Anthony Esolen -- here -- stolen from this site.

Bishops & Old Shoes

2009-10-23T20:01:00.007-05:00

At the risk of never being assigned to chauffeur bishops again -- or worse! -- I must admit to having done it once.

Ladies and Gentlemen, recently, I had the blessing of driving three hierarchs from their hotel to another hotel for dinner. I sat with two bishops at dinner, drove another to the airport the following day, spent time dining and serving with 3 more during hierarchical liturgy, and had a nice repast with the metropolitan following a baptism.

My hierarchical experience began at home, where I had to decide which shoes to wear. I know, it sounds odd to hear a man, a clergyman, saying such a thing. But, you see, I normally wear Birkenstock shoes -- like sandals, just covered -- with a side buckle. But, with the Metropolitan in town, dinner at fine hotel and all, I remembered the old Johnston & Murphys languishing in my closet.

I got ‘em out, shined ‘em up, and, much to the dismay of my Birk-freedom-loving toes, put 'em on.

Snazzy!

I headed out the door a full 40 minutes early for, what would normally be, only a 15 minute drive ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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WISDOM! - Russian Clergy Resolution

2009-10-23T06:16:00.002-05:00

As part of our pastoral discussions we talked about the need for parishioners to confess as a rule to their own parish priests, and only with a specific blessing to confess to other priests. This is especially important given the propensity for some clerics outside the Russian Church to employ the canons as a cold rule of law rather than as a pastoral guideline applied with love. This has led in some instances to parishioners being given lengthy penances of excommunication for sins that have been confessed previously with little or no penance from their own parish priest. Further, we strongly call upon our flock to confess on Saturday evenings or eves of feasts, and only to confess on Sunday mornings or feast days before the Divine Liturgy in extreme circumstances.

Hear, hear! ... and more here.

The KJV or HELL!

2009-10-22T06:07:00.002-05:00

Church Plans To Burn Bibles, Christian Books
Pastor Says Burning Meant To Light A Fire Under True Believers

My friend, Constantine, sent me this story. Click the link, below, to view the TV news clip.

CANTON, N.C. -- A North Carolina pastor says his church plans to burn Bibles and books by Christian authors on Halloween to light a fire under true believers.

Pastor Marc Grizzard told Asheville TV station WLOS that the King James version of the Bible is the only one his small western North Carolina church follows. He says all other versions, such as the Living Bible, are "satanic" and "perversions" of God's word.

On Halloween night, Grizzard and the 14 members of the Amazing Grace Baptist Church also will burn music and books by Christian authors, such as Billy Graham and Rick Warren.

Telephone calls to the Amazing Grace Baptist Church and Grizzard's home were not immediately returned Wednesday.

Click the source -- here -- to view the TV news clip.
(Yes, verily verily, you really should.)

Antiochian Bishops in Houston

2009-10-21T06:06:00.002-05:00

On October 18th, following the Antiochian Synod of Bishops meeting (10/16) and the meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese (10/17), Hierarchical Liturgy was served at St George Church; in addition to visiting priests and deacons, three hierarchs celebrated: Metropolitan PHILIP, Bishop ANTOUN, and Bishop ALEXANDER.

Listen to the Hierarchical Liturgy here.

Here's some pics, thanks to Hatem Khalaf, taken during the service ...

Metropolitan PHILIP, Bishop ANTOUN, and Bishop ALEXANDER bless the faithful with the dikirion and trikirion.

October is Youth Month; this youth is my favorite oldest daughter.

Bishop ANTOUN blesses the Epistle readers.

The Metropolitan delivers the homily.

The Great Entrance.

"Let us lift up our hearts!"

CHOIR: "We lift them up unto the Lord!"

The communion of the faithful (L to R: Fr Joseph Purpura, Fr Joseph Shahda, Bishop ALEXANDER, Fr Joseph Huneycutt).

Bishop ALEXANDER distributing the Holy Gifts.

VATICAN: Provision for Anglicans to Convert (en masse)

2009-10-20T08:28:00.005-05:00

The Vatican has announced that Pope Benedict is setting up special provision for Anglicans, including married clergy, who want to convert to Rome together, preserving aspects of Anglican liturgy. They will be given their own pastoral supervision, according to this press release from the Vatican:

“In this Apostolic Constitution the Holy Father has introduced a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion by establishing Personal Ordinariates which will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony.”

More on this very important story later. But this is clearly a historic gesture by Pope Benedict which will encourage thousands of disaffected Anglicans to become Roman Catholics.

UPDATE: Bill Murchison, over at TOUCHSTONE's MereComments writes: "We all need on some terms or other to be back together. The Reformation, as time marches on, looks more and more like the worst idea in human history ..."

Source

Thanks to FWD from Fr Miguel Grave de Peralta.

Saved by the Big But of Mercy

2009-10-15T08:12:00.006-05:00

I remember when my oldest was about four years old. It was after church one day, and the kids were running around the yard, climbing trees, and creating mayhem. I was talking with some parishioners when I happened to look off in the distance to see a boy, about the same age as my daughter, holding her down and, gasp, kissing her!

I walked out and called his name, yelling, “Hey! Get off of her!” Almost at the same time could be heard the voice of the boy’s dad, yelling, “That’s my boy! Heh heh, yep! That’s my boy!” For him, it was priceless; but for me, not so much.

It’s all in perception. And when perception is viewed through the favoring eyes of love, it looks a whole shade different. Love of my daughter led me to yell one thing; his hopes and love for his son caused an entirely different reaction.

Love definitely complicates things, but ...

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