Moscow, August 31 (Interfax) - Orthodox Church of St. Innokenty of Irkutsk was consecrated last Sunday in the city of Labdarin (Inner Mongolia autonomous district in north China.)
Descendants of Russians who settled in this distant district of China in the 19th century will become parishioners of the Labdarin Church, which was built in 1990. The parish doesn’t have clergy yet.
The Russian Ecclesiastical mission had been effective in China since 1713 and was abolished for political reasons in 1954. In 1956, Russian Synod granted autonomy to the Chinese Orthodox Church and appointed Archimandrite Vasily for the Beijing Diocese. Following the latter's death in 1962, the Chinese Orthodox Church fell into decay.
In 1997, the Synod of the Russian Church said that under existing circumstances, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II would provide for the Orthodox Church congregation in China.
China’s last openly officiating Orthodox clergyman, Fr. Gregory Chu, died in 2000. He was a priest in the church of Protection of the Mother of God in Harbin. Fr. Alexander Du, the last Chinese priest, though he could not officiate publicly, died in Beijing in 2003.
According to different estimations, there are 9,000 to 15,000 Orthodox believers in China. Majority of them live in Beijing, Shanghai, Heilongjiang Province, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia autonomous districts.
Monday, August 31, 2009
First Orthodox church built in China in 50 years
A timely quote from St. John Chrysostom
H/T: Paradosis
Update (2012): The attribution of this quote by St. John Chrysostom has been called into question.
St. John Chrysostom on the poor from On Living Simply XLIII.
Should we look to kings and princes to put right the inequalities between rich and poor? Should we require soldiers to come and seize the rich person's gold and distribute it among his destitute neighbors? Should we beg the emperor to impose a tax on the rich so great that it reduces them to the level of the poor and then to share the proceeds of that tax among everyone? Equality imposed by force would achieve nothing, and do much harm. Those who combined both cruel hearts and sharp minds would soon find ways of making themselves rich again. Worse still, the rich whose gold was taken away would feel bitter and resentful; while the poor who received the gold form the hands of soldiers would feel no gratitude, because no generosity would have prompted the gift. Far from bringing moral benefit to society, it would actually do moral harm. Material justice cannot be accomplished by compulsion, a change of heart will not follow. The only way to achieve true justice is to change people's hearts first - and then they will joyfully share their wealth.
-St. John Chrysostom
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Indian Orthodox complain to Vatican about terminology use
Complete article here.(OBL News) - July 28, 2009
Our beloved Brother in Christ,
I am immensely delighted to see that Your Grace’s ministry progresses well by the grace and mercy of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ. I implore the Almighty to strengthen you to impart the best leadership so as to take the Church, the Body of Christ, to new heights overcoming all the challenges of the new century.
The basic reason for this letter is some misleading statements seen in the official website of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, under your Grace’s spiritual leadership (www.malankaracatholicchurch.net/major_archbishop.html), which are not in consonance with the lofty Christian witness and unity of the Church, and which overtly misuse the titles of other ecclesiastical heads.
I strongly believe that those statements included in the website are not with Your Grace’s knowledge and permission. If they are published in the website with Your Grace’s permission, let me write some important points for a rethinking and favorable action from your side.
1. In the website, beside Your Grace’s picture, the first title ascribed to you is “Successor of the Apostolic See of St.Thomas”. Any Indian Christian can, with a sense of pride, claim that St.Thomas is the founder of the Indian Church. But the “Successor of the Apostolic See of St.Thomas” cannot be unilaterally claimed and used by all. The title “the Apostolic See of St.Thomas” gives more emphasis on the Apostolic character of the See than on the St.Thomas character. This Apostolicity is granted to various Churches in various places through various persons by the grace of God. How can the Syro Malankara Catholic Church under the Holy Father the Pope, the successor of the Holy See of St. Peter, who emphatically holds that this Apostolicity was given only to the Roman Church through St. Peter, claim its succession to St.Thomas? If somebody under the Catholic Church claims St.Thomas succession, it is against the fundamental dogma of the Roman Church. Right from the advent of St. Thomas in Kerala we have an unbroken priestly succession of St.Thomas through the renowned ‘Marthoma Metrans’, the Malankara Metropolitans and the Catholicos of the East. His Holiness the Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymus I, who bears the very name ‘Marthoma’ (St.Thomas) now leads the Indian Church as its great shepherd. The title Successor of the Apostolic See of St.Thomas in India is the prerogative of His Holiness only. It sounds illogical that the Catholic Church has several Apostolic Sees at a time.
2. The second title given to the Major Arch Bishop in the website cannot be justified by any person with a sense of history. Had Your Grace studied the history of the Church prior to 1930 when the Malankara Rite got separated from the Church, Your Grace being only a steward of a regional rite of the Roman Catholic Church, would not have ventured to add this title to your name. The historical progression of ‘Jathikku Karthavyan’, Arch Deacon, Marthoma Methran, Malankara Metropolitan
and Catholicos is an explicit example of the evolution of governance in the Church over the centuries. The importance each of these titles as understood by the faithful, and which carry even now, these nuances very well explains the intrinsic significance, universality and independence based on a spirit of nationalism and the autocephalous nature of the Church. The powers vested in the Malankara Metropolitan and the Malankara Syrian Christian Association of which the Malankara Metropolitan is the President, are far beyond the rights ascribed to the regional heads of any Rite of the Catholic Church or any other leader of breakaway faction of the Church. Further, it has been unquestionably established by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association held on 20.03.2002 at Parumala, to which Justice V. S. Malimat was the observer appointed by the Supreme Court of India, that His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, the Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan and his successors will be ‘the Malankara Metropolitans’. This decision has been duly approved by the Supreme Court. May I humbly remind Your Grace that by the same reason the illegitimate use of the title ‘Malankara Metropolitan’ by any other ecclesiastical authority is a challenge to the judiciary of our nation...
Friday, August 28, 2009
SCOBA: "We have governance issues."
Complete article and audio here.(AOI) - On the Orthodox Christian Network, Fr. Mark Arey, the General Secretary of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), discusses the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference that met in Chambésy, Switzerland, in June, in an interview with Fr. Chris Metropulos.
“If we’re serious, really serious about Orthodox unity, well my friends, we have to do the hard work and put it together,” says Fr. Arey. “You can’t just snap your fingers and everybody says each bishop can have his own title and then we’re done.”
Fr. Arey talks about SCOBA’s future, in light of the move toward a new episcopal assembly, and how that would affect current governance of American Orthodoxy.
“It’s easy to talk about Orthodox unity when you don’t have to actually do it,” Fr. Arey says...
St. Moses the Black
One of my favorite hagiographical vignettes:
"Once the Fathers of the Scetis were holding a council to reprimand a monk who had committed a fault. St. Moses was invited, but he refused to attend. The priest went to him, and said, Come, for the people are expecting you. St. Moses arose, took a basket filled with sand that had a hole in the bottom of it, carried it on his shoulder and started walking towards the council. When the monks saw him coming with the bag of sand, with sand pouring out of the hole, they asked him the reason of his behavior. He said to them, The sand you see running from the bag represents my sins which are always following me, and yet, today I am coming to judge the errors of my brother. When they heard this, they left the council and every monk went to his own cell, as none could judge that monk."Story of Oregon illegally & secretly videotaping confession
SALEM, Oregon, AUG. 26, 2009 (Zenit.org) - When Father Timothy Mockaitis heard inmate Conan Wayne Hale’s sacramental confession on April 22, 1996, he had no idea it was being recorded.
He also didn't know that the event would spur an unprecedented legal case that attempted to demonstrate that a violation of the seal of the confessional was an infringement on the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Father Mockaitis details these pivotal events in his new book, “The Seal: A Priest’s Story.” The pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church shared with ZENIT how this case involved not only canon law versus civil law, but also a threat to the long term viability of our Constitutional freedoms.
ZENIT: You filed a lawsuit to prevent disclosure of the contents of the confession. What were your legal claims?
Father Mockaitis: Our legal position was based essentially on First and Fourth Amendment violations, which concern religious freedom and protections against illegal search and seizure.
We also claimed civil rights violations against privacy. This was an offense against not only the Church, but against the penitent himself.
But we also raised moral and ethical objections that this particular and deliberate intrusion by the state was one incident that could never be justified for a greater good.
The integrity of both the Constitution and an unmistakable explanation of Canon Law, and the centuries-old tradition of the Church about the absolute secrecy of the seal in the sacrament of reconciliation, were all presented in this case.
It was the first time an attempt was made in court to define a violation of the seal of confession as a First Amendment violation.
The state consistently claimed the tape as among the body of evidence in its investigation.
A priest comes to the confessional in a parish church, a jail cell or a hospital bedside not as a judge and jury, but as a pastor of souls.
The actions of the state, and the response of the Archdiocese of Portland, set up a never-before-test of the American Constitution. I felt state authorities had backed themselves into an untenable legal corner.
ZENIT: American law normally protects something called the priest-penitent privilege, like the attorney-client privilege. How did that figure into your case?
Father Mockaitis: The priest-penitent privilege, like the attorney-client privilege, is granted in this country from the common law of the land. Civil authorities knew this was a sacrament of the Church and they secretly taped it because it was that sacrament; they had the audacity to cross this line between the values of Church and state.
In Oregon as of 1996, if one party -- in such a relationship as priest-penitent -- was willing to reveal information and wave the assumed confidence, then the other party could not object, despite his or her desire to maintain the privilege.
However, neither the penitent nor myself as confessor knew of the taping. By the time I got wind of this surreptitious act done with the approval of the local district attorney, a warrant had already been issued and signed by a local judge for law enforcement authorities to listen to the contents of the tape.
As priest and confessor I was forbidden to grant any waiver of the confidence from the sacrament, so from the beginning there was no doubt the priest-penitent privilege had been violated. We demanded the immediate destruction of the tape and its written transcript.
One footnote to mark is that as a result of this case, about two years after litigation, Oregon revisited the priest-penitent privilege and granted protection for the priest (or member of any clergy) who could claim immunity from public testimony if he and his religious organization had an expectation of privacy.
The seal of the sacrament would certainly meet those criteria.
ZENIT: Are there other stories like yours of the seal being broken? Is this a growing phenomenon? Do you see it as part of a trend about disrespect for religious freedom?
Father Mockaitis: No incident as is described in "The Seal" had ever come before a court of law in this country. The late William F. Buckley wrote, in his estimation, this action was “naked fascism, truly the end of the line.”
I don’t believe it is likely that secret eavesdropping on conversations between priests and penitents is a growing trend in this country, but the revelation of truth and the limits that the law allows between civil authorities and clergy are being pushed to more narrow levels.
For instance, just a few years ago Connecticut almost passed a law requiring priests to report certain crimes that are disclosed in the confessional.
The sad and painful saga of clergy sexual abuse in this country has indeed made professional confidence a more tenuous protection. Yet, it seems to me, the search for truth has in many cases gone well beyond professional respect and reasonable investigation to reach a far more intrusive and disrespectful level.
ZENIT: Why is there a seal of the confessional? Didn’t penitents once confess their sins publicly in church to the whole assembly?
Father Mockaitis: I believe the seal of the confessional finds its greatest justification in the protection of the integrity of the sacrament and for the safety and respect of the individual penitent.
Although, in the early centuries of Christian history, we do hear of the public acknowledgement of sins and the exercise of public penance, some sense of personal privacy was always a part of this sacrament.
The seal guarantees that whatever may be shared between priest and penitent will forever remain confidential.
To know this truth is to grant instant trust for the penitent to speak openly and honestly about whatever his or her struggle with sin may be. The seal creates an environment in which the penitent can be disposed to receive the grace of healing from a God of mercy.
ZENIT: Why shouldn’t the seal be broken when a great public good could come about? Don’t priests usually instruct those who committed a heinous crime to turn themselves in to the police as part of their penance anyway?
Father Mockaitis: What would be the greater good that might justify the revelation of a sacramental confession: the good of the soul of the penitent or some piece of so-called “evidence” that might lead to the conviction of guilt or innocence of an individual?
While the safety of citizens is crucial for the common good, is there no other ethical and legal way to search for evidence besides the invasion of the sacred trust established in the sacrament?
Law enforcement has developed myriad ways to seek evidence for the conviction or innocence of an individual that would make the eavesdropping of a conversation between priest and penitent a desperate method of investigation.
The purpose of a penance is to seek justice, to repair the damage done by sin and to accept personal responsibility for one’s actions.
In the course of conversation between priest and penitent, in the case of a serious crime, the penitent may come to the realization that submission to authorities is the most appropriate way to be granted forgiveness.
But, if an individual has come to the sacrament properly disposed and sincerely seeking reconciliation, the priest is obliged to carry through as a pastor of souls, not as a police officer.
ZENIT: Your case received some attention in the media. What was the general public reaction to the recording of the sacrament? Do you believe the public’s response is a barometer of peoples’ views about the importance of religious freedom?
Father Mockaitis: This case received an enormous amount of media attention.
However, the reaction of the mainstream population was far more visceral. Universal shock, outrage, insult and fear about a new disrespect for people of faith were not uncommon.
Good people knew this was neither about the Catholic Church alone, nor about this sacrament alone, but rather about our Constitutional protections in the long run. I was amazed and edified by the united voice of concern well beyond the Catholic Church.
ZENIT: What happened to the tape recording of Hale’s confession? Was it ever used in evidence or destroyed?
Father Mockaitis: Despite the state authorities’ and the District Attorney’s promise at that time that the tape would be destroyed after the murder trial of the inmate, the tape still exists to this very day.
The ultimate finding of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that this action was a blatant violation of the First and Fourth Amendment made the action of this taping illegal.
Although it was never played during the trial of the inmate, the tape was not destroyed a year after the Appeals Court issued its opinion in January of 1997.
For what purpose does it remain more than 10 years since the inmate’s trial?
It remains a red flag of warning for all those who treasure our First Amendment protections.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Baptist to Byzantium - an interview with Fr. James Early
I posted in June on Fr. James Early's book From Baptist to Byzantium. This week the good Father was kind enough to take time out to be interviewed. Enjoy!
What prompted you to write the book?
First, several people who had heard me tell my conversion story suggested that I write a book about it, since my story is so unusual. I resisted for quite some time, but finally decided to give in!
Second, I had always been frustrated by (usually due to lack of time) not being able to completely explain the various reasons why my wife and I chose to convert to Orthodoxy. There were so many factors that figured into our decision that a five or ten minute explanation just didn't do the story justice. Now, when someone asks, "Now just WHY did you convert to Orthodoxy?", I can hand them a copy of my book, and they will get a full explanation (assuming, of course, that they actually read it!).
Third, I wanted to provide a brief introduction to Orthodoxy--really a case for why someone (particularly a Baptist or other Evangelical) should give Orthodoxy serious consideration. Of course, there are already several excellent books that do this very well, but most are either somewhat long, incomplete, or not irenic in tone. My goal was to cover most of the pertinent concerns that Evangelicals might have about Orthodoxy, but succinctly and in a respectful tone. I tried to make the book very personal, walking them through the discoveries I made, rather than heavily didactic.
Were there any surprises along the way?
I had wanted to write about my pilgrimage to Orthodoxy for quite some time, but unfortunately, writing is one of my least favorite things to do. So, for years, I procrastinated. Finally, in March of 2007, I decided to write a little bit at a time on my blog that I had just started. I had thought that the story might take 10 or 15 posts on the blog. It ended up taking 30, which was my first surprise. Even though I tried to not go into great detail, there was still much to talk about. The series took me about 6 months to complete, because I didn't have time to write every day.
After the series on the blog was done, I compiled the 30 posts into a single document, and formatted it to look like a book. It came out to 60 pages, double-spaced. Just for the heck of it, I sent it to Frank Schaeffer, the head of Regina Orthodox Press and asked him what he thought. I thought maybe it could be a small book or a beefy pamphlet. He said he liked the story, but it needed to be about twice as long. So, over the next 6 months, I gradually added more material. In particular, I heavily augmented the part about the reasons why I converted.
Finally, I ended up with about 120 pages, and Frank said he would definitely publish it (this was a very pleasant surprise!). It was originally supposed to come out in the Fall of 2008. For various reasons, however, it was delayed twice, finally being published in July of this year. The delays were unfortunate surprises, but in the long run they don't matter. It's finally out, and for this I rejoice.
Where do you see this book in the larger category of convert writings? Who did you have in mind reading this book?
I see it as similar to books like Becoming Orthodox by Fr. Peter Gillquist, The Way by Clark Carlton, and Thirsting for God by Matthew Gallatin (all of which were very helpful to me). I designed it to cover more topics than Becoming Orthodox and The Way but to go into less detail on each topic. My book is certainly less detailed than Thirsting for God. And like all three of these excellent books, I include quite a bit of my personal story prior to becoming Orthodox. Particularly, I have included some stories of our adventures and misadventures on the mission field, which I think makes my book unique among convert writings. My book, then, is part adventure story and part apologetic for Orthodoxy.
In other words, if books like Becoming Orthodox and Thirsting for God are "Level one" books for inquirers, mine might be considered "Level zero," or an introduction to the introductions! If someone reads my book and says, "I want to learn more!", then I have accomplished my main goal in writing it.
My hope is that the book could be given by an Orthodox believer to a non-Orthodox friend or loved one and that it would be helpful for them, whether or not they are asking about Orthodoxy. I pray that it will be instrumental for many in helping them find their way into Orthodoxy, or at the very least to help them gain an understanding and appreciation of the Ancient Faith.
For those who are already Orthodox, I hope it will confirm them in their faith and provide them with an interesting read.
You are in the midst of doing book signings at parishes in Texas. How have people responded to your book at those functions or even more generally what sort of conversations have you had with people about the book?
People have responded very well and have been very generous in supporting me and the book. Several people have purchased multiple copies and have sent them to friends of various religious affiliations. One of the most common things people say to me is "I have a friend who is a Baptist (or another type of Evangelical). I've got to give them a copy!" Another thing that I heard often from cradle Orthodox is (in essence): "Those of us who have been Orthodox all our lives have no idea of what you converts have had to go through just to find your way to the faith. Books like yours help us to not take the faith of our ancestors for granted!" Hearing this has been a real blessing to me.
During your time in Eastern Europe you put a lot of effort into learning the local language. Has your knowledge of Serbian been of service to you as a priest?
My knowledge of Serbian has been helpful mainly when I have filled in for vacationing priests at local Serbian Orthodox parishes, which I have done a total of about a half dozen times over the last few years. When I do this, I generally do about 25% of the Liturgy in Serbian and the rest in English. It is fun to be able to pull my Serbian language skills off the shelf and use them every now and then. Once when I was serving the Divine Liturgy at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in suburban northwest Houston, a man came up to me after the service and asked (in Serbian) "What part of Serbia are you from? I don't quite recognize your accent." Needless to say, I was greatly flattered!
You are the asst. pastor at a very vibrant parish divided rather evenly between "cradle" and convert parishioners. Did experiences you've had with catechumens inform some of your topic choices?
Not really; I just tried to tell my story, carefully reconstructing the experiences I had and the thinking processes I went through that led me to change (and pretty quickly at that) from a dedicated Baptist to an on-fire Orthodox Christian.
Having said that, let me agree with you by saying that I am blessed to be in a very vibrant parish filled with fervent believers, both convert and cradle. We have grown from about 40 or so families in 2001 (when I joined) to almost 100 today. We have first-time visitors nearly every Sunday, and our visitors tend to keep coming. Most of them eventually become catechumens and get baptized and/or chrismated. We have had non-stop catechumen classes (and, of course, catechumens to take them!) since at least early 2001. I think that the friendliness of our people, the greatness of our pastor, and the fact that we use 100% English in the Liturgy are a large part of the reason that we have been blessed with such growth and stability.
What is the most most common concept or practice found in Orthodoxy that is difficult for Baptists/Evangelicals to accept or understand? How did you choose to tackle the topic in the book?
There are several Orthodox doctrines and practices that are hard "pills" to swallow for Southern Baptists and other Evangelicals. For Baptists in particular, infant Baptism is especially problematic; after all, the whole Baptist movement was started by people reacting against the practice of infant Baptism, which reformers like Luther and Calvin carried over from Roman Catholicism. The Orthodox Church's lack of belief in Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide are also major stumbling blocks for Evangelicals. Other problematic beliefs include the sacraments, the veneration of Mary and the Saints, the use of icons (especially their veneration), and prayers for the dead and prayers to the saints.
In my book, I dealt with all these issues in a more or less formulaic way. When discussing each, I would say, in essence, "Here is what I had always believed, here is what I read and what that author pointed out, and here is why it made sense and I changed my mind on the issue." Again, I made it all very personal, adopting a tone of "this is what I discovered and why I found it persuasive" rather than simply "this is the truth" (even though I, of course, believe this as well!).
In passing, I must note that the turning point for me was when I accepted the fact that the Orthodox Church was not just the Christian tradition that in its doctrine and praxis is closest to the New Testament Church, but that it is the New Testament Church. At that point, I still had questions about some issues, such as Mary, prayers to the saints and prayers for the dead. But once I realized that the Orthodox Church is the same Church founded by Jesus and the Apostles, guided throughout the ages by the Holy Spirit, I also decided that I could trust the Church. If I had a problem with something the Church did or taught, the problem was with me, not with the Church.
Where's the best place to order the book from?
If anyone would like a signed and dedicated copy, they can order it directly from me. Ordering instructions can be found on my blog (http://saintjameskids.blogspot.com), in the top left-hand corner. The book can also be purchased directly from the publisher, Regina Orthodox Press, at www.reginaorthodoxpress.com. It should be available on Amazon.com and similar mass booksellers in a few months.
First, several people who had heard me tell my conversion story suggested that I write a book about it, since my story is so unusual. I resisted for quite some time, but finally decided to give in!
Second, I had always been frustrated by (usually due to lack of time) not being able to completely explain the various reasons why my wife and I chose to convert to Orthodoxy. There were so many factors that figured into our decision that a five or ten minute explanation just didn't do the story justice. Now, when someone asks, "Now just WHY did you convert to Orthodoxy?", I can hand them a copy of my book, and they will get a full explanation (assuming, of course, that they actually read it!).Third, I wanted to provide a brief introduction to Orthodoxy--really a case for why someone (particularly a Baptist or other Evangelical) should give Orthodoxy serious consideration. Of course, there are already several excellent books that do this very well, but most are either somewhat long, incomplete, or not irenic in tone. My goal was to cover most of the pertinent concerns that Evangelicals might have about Orthodoxy, but succinctly and in a respectful tone. I tried to make the book very personal, walking them through the discoveries I made, rather than heavily didactic.
Were there any surprises along the way?
I had wanted to write about my pilgrimage to Orthodoxy for quite some time, but unfortunately, writing is one of my least favorite things to do. So, for years, I procrastinated. Finally, in March of 2007, I decided to write a little bit at a time on my blog that I had just started. I had thought that the story might take 10 or 15 posts on the blog. It ended up taking 30, which was my first surprise. Even though I tried to not go into great detail, there was still much to talk about. The series took me about 6 months to complete, because I didn't have time to write every day.
After the series on the blog was done, I compiled the 30 posts into a single document, and formatted it to look like a book. It came out to 60 pages, double-spaced. Just for the heck of it, I sent it to Frank Schaeffer, the head of Regina Orthodox Press and asked him what he thought. I thought maybe it could be a small book or a beefy pamphlet. He said he liked the story, but it needed to be about twice as long. So, over the next 6 months, I gradually added more material. In particular, I heavily augmented the part about the reasons why I converted.Finally, I ended up with about 120 pages, and Frank said he would definitely publish it (this was a very pleasant surprise!). It was originally supposed to come out in the Fall of 2008. For various reasons, however, it was delayed twice, finally being published in July of this year. The delays were unfortunate surprises, but in the long run they don't matter. It's finally out, and for this I rejoice.
Where do you see this book in the larger category of convert writings? Who did you have in mind reading this book?
I see it as similar to books like Becoming Orthodox by Fr. Peter Gillquist, The Way by Clark Carlton, and Thirsting for God by Matthew Gallatin (all of which were very helpful to me). I designed it to cover more topics than Becoming Orthodox and The Way but to go into less detail on each topic. My book is certainly less detailed than Thirsting for God. And like all three of these excellent books, I include quite a bit of my personal story prior to becoming Orthodox. Particularly, I have included some stories of our adventures and misadventures on the mission field, which I think makes my book unique among convert writings. My book, then, is part adventure story and part apologetic for Orthodoxy.In other words, if books like Becoming Orthodox and Thirsting for God are "Level one" books for inquirers, mine might be considered "Level zero," or an introduction to the introductions! If someone reads my book and says, "I want to learn more!", then I have accomplished my main goal in writing it.
My hope is that the book could be given by an Orthodox believer to a non-Orthodox friend or loved one and that it would be helpful for them, whether or not they are asking about Orthodoxy. I pray that it will be instrumental for many in helping them find their way into Orthodoxy, or at the very least to help them gain an understanding and appreciation of the Ancient Faith.
For those who are already Orthodox, I hope it will confirm them in their faith and provide them with an interesting read.
You are in the midst of doing book signings at parishes in Texas. How have people responded to your book at those functions or even more generally what sort of conversations have you had with people about the book?
People have responded very well and have been very generous in supporting me and the book. Several people have purchased multiple copies and have sent them to friends of various religious affiliations. One of the most common things people say to me is "I have a friend who is a Baptist (or another type of Evangelical). I've got to give them a copy!" Another thing that I heard often from cradle Orthodox is (in essence): "Those of us who have been Orthodox all our lives have no idea of what you converts have had to go through just to find your way to the faith. Books like yours help us to not take the faith of our ancestors for granted!" Hearing this has been a real blessing to me.
During your time in Eastern Europe you put a lot of effort into learning the local language. Has your knowledge of Serbian been of service to you as a priest?
My knowledge of Serbian has been helpful mainly when I have filled in for vacationing priests at local Serbian Orthodox parishes, which I have done a total of about a half dozen times over the last few years. When I do this, I generally do about 25% of the Liturgy in Serbian and the rest in English. It is fun to be able to pull my Serbian language skills off the shelf and use them every now and then. Once when I was serving the Divine Liturgy at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in suburban northwest Houston, a man came up to me after the service and asked (in Serbian) "What part of Serbia are you from? I don't quite recognize your accent." Needless to say, I was greatly flattered!You are the asst. pastor at a very vibrant parish divided rather evenly between "cradle" and convert parishioners. Did experiences you've had with catechumens inform some of your topic choices?
Not really; I just tried to tell my story, carefully reconstructing the experiences I had and the thinking processes I went through that led me to change (and pretty quickly at that) from a dedicated Baptist to an on-fire Orthodox Christian.
Having said that, let me agree with you by saying that I am blessed to be in a very vibrant parish filled with fervent believers, both convert and cradle. We have grown from about 40 or so families in 2001 (when I joined) to almost 100 today. We have first-time visitors nearly every Sunday, and our visitors tend to keep coming. Most of them eventually become catechumens and get baptized and/or chrismated. We have had non-stop catechumen classes (and, of course, catechumens to take them!) since at least early 2001. I think that the friendliness of our people, the greatness of our pastor, and the fact that we use 100% English in the Liturgy are a large part of the reason that we have been blessed with such growth and stability.What is the most most common concept or practice found in Orthodoxy that is difficult for Baptists/Evangelicals to accept or understand? How did you choose to tackle the topic in the book?
There are several Orthodox doctrines and practices that are hard "pills" to swallow for Southern Baptists and other Evangelicals. For Baptists in particular, infant Baptism is especially problematic; after all, the whole Baptist movement was started by people reacting against the practice of infant Baptism, which reformers like Luther and Calvin carried over from Roman Catholicism. The Orthodox Church's lack of belief in Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide are also major stumbling blocks for Evangelicals. Other problematic beliefs include the sacraments, the veneration of Mary and the Saints, the use of icons (especially their veneration), and prayers for the dead and prayers to the saints.In my book, I dealt with all these issues in a more or less formulaic way. When discussing each, I would say, in essence, "Here is what I had always believed, here is what I read and what that author pointed out, and here is why it made sense and I changed my mind on the issue." Again, I made it all very personal, adopting a tone of "this is what I discovered and why I found it persuasive" rather than simply "this is the truth" (even though I, of course, believe this as well!).
In passing, I must note that the turning point for me was when I accepted the fact that the Orthodox Church was not just the Christian tradition that in its doctrine and praxis is closest to the New Testament Church, but that it is the New Testament Church. At that point, I still had questions about some issues, such as Mary, prayers to the saints and prayers for the dead. But once I realized that the Orthodox Church is the same Church founded by Jesus and the Apostles, guided throughout the ages by the Holy Spirit, I also decided that I could trust the Church. If I had a problem with something the Church did or taught, the problem was with me, not with the Church.
Where's the best place to order the book from?
If anyone would like a signed and dedicated copy, they can order it directly from me. Ordering instructions can be found on my blog (http://saintjameskids.blogspot.com), in the top left-hand corner. The book can also be purchased directly from the publisher, Regina Orthodox Press, at www.reginaorthodoxpress.com. It should be available on Amazon.com and similar mass booksellers in a few months.
Diocese of NY/NJ search committee interviews online
(NYNJOCA) - On Wednesday, August 26, the Diocesan Search Committee made the following interviews with the proposed nominees for the office of Bishop of New York and New Jersey available for review in preparation for the upcoming Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly on August 31st.Interviews available here.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
An Ignatian meeting in Damascus
(SOCMNet) - On Thursday August 20, 2009, His Beatitude Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan, the Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, made his first official visit to our Patriarch His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka Iwas I at the St. Aphrem Monastery in Ma`rrat Sayyidnaya, Damascus. At a reception meeting held soon after in honor of the visiting Syrian Catholic primate, the holy father expressed his warm greetings to Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan who assumed the office in early 2009. Mar Ignatius Joseph III in his reply speech thanked the holy father for hospitality and honor given to him and also presented a Gift of Holy Cross to His Holiness.
Earlier the visiting Syrian Catholic Patriarch and his entourage was received at the entrance of the Monastery by Their Eminences Mor Philoxinos Mattiyas Nayis (the Patriarchal Assistant), Mor Dionnasios Behanam Jajavi, Mor Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim (Archbishop of Aleppo & Environs), Mor Theophilos George Saliba (Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and the secretary of the Holy Synod) Mor Osthatheos Matta Rohum (Metropolitan of Euphrates) Mor Selwanos Petros AL-nemeh (Metropolitan of Homs & Hama), Mor Clemis Daniel of Beirut diocese.
Representatives from the Syrian Orthodox Church of India, Their Eminences Mor Yulios Kuriakose (Senior Metropolitan of the Simhasana churches & Institutions in India and Mor Gregorios Joseph (Metropolitan of Kochi Diocese & Malankara Episcopal Synod Secretary) were also present on the occasion.The Syrian Catholic Church belongs to the family of oriental churches which follows the almost the same traditions and practices of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch & All the east. They separated from the mother church in the late 18th century to join the Roman Catholic communion under Pope and since then is being ruled by a separate Patriarch. Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan, the visiting Syrian Catholic Patriarch was born at Hassaké, Syria on November 15, 1944 and was ordained priest on September 12, 1971. In June of 1991, he was elevated to the rank of "Corbishop" by the Patriarch, Mar Ignatius Antoun II Hayek. On November 6, 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed him first Bishop (Eparch) of the newly established Diocese for Syriac Catholics in the United States and Canada and was consecrated Bishop on January 7, 1996. Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan assumed the office of Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch on January 20, 2009.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Met. Jonah meets with Oriental Orthodox delegation
SYOSSET, NY (OCA Communications)- On August 13, 2009, a delegation of Oriental Orthodox bishops and priests visited His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah at the OCA Chancery here.
The delegation, which was led by His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, included His Eminence Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Prelate of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the United States. The Very Rev. David Bebawy represented the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The delegation visited Saint Sergius Chapel at the Chancery, where they were offered a brief history of the OCA Chancery. After a meaningful discussion on different issues of mutual interest, Metropolitan Jonah hosted a luncheon for the delegation, during which the visiting hierarchs expressed gratitude for their visit.
Metropolitan Jonah also was invited to be a guest of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian at the Armenian Diocesan Headquarters in New York in early September.
Monday, August 24, 2009
New Orthodox supply store goes online
August 23rd (UOC-USA) - The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. would like to welcome everyone to the online version of St. Andrew's Church Goods and Bookstore. Here you will be able to find many items of interest ranging from liturgical books, ecclesiastical items, cemetery supplies, church supplies, CD's, icons and much more. Click here.
Patriarch Kirill, nuclear shield no defense vs. Orthodoxy
Severodvinsk, August 24 (Interfax) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes that Russia's defense capacity should be supported with fostering Orthodox values.
"You should not be ashamed of going to church and teaching Orthodox faith to your children. Then we shall have something to defend with our missiles," Patriarch said at a meeting with the workers of the Northern Shipyard (Sevmash) in Severodvinsk.Patriarch noted that "Today, Sevmash is playing a critical role in maintaining peace and ensuring Russia's defense capacity." Despite all challenges started in 1990s, the enterprise "has managed to preserve the basis of the Northern Fleet." According to Patriarch, such successful performance, however, "has nothing to do with the ideals imposed upon our people, that is, the pursuit of profit and material gain."
"I am sure that free economic relations can efficiently facilitate production development, but in this context, it is crucial not to lose the basis of our spiritual and cultural tradition and overcome the temptation of market pragmatism which values everything for money," Patriarch Kirill said.
According to him, today's Russia has become a market state "but it is so important that its people do not turn into "market persons" by spirit."
"The philosophy guided by instincts and valuing everything for money may destroy the country even provided with the most secure nuclear shield," Patriarch said and noted that the Soviet Union "was destroyed without a single gunshot."
"Not a single rocket left your carriers for that purpose," Patriarch added addressing marine officers.
He said that "At this age of Russia's integration into the global economy, we should focus on strengthening our national integrity and values."
"We have been protecting not our sovereignty on paper, but the sovereignty of our value system," Patriarch Kirill highlighted.
Ecumenical Patriarch meets with Turkish Prime Minister
(ARCHONS) - His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had a luncheon meetng on the island of Buyukada with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior ministers concerning non-Muslim minority and religious freedom rights on Saturday, August 15, 2009. The meeting coincided with government reform aimed to address decades-old tensions with the country's 12 million Kurds. His All Holiness, joined by leaders of the Armenian, Jewish, Assyrian Orthodox, and Catholic communities, delivered a report on the main problems of religious minorities and presented it to Erdogan.
The 88-article report includes such issues as reopening the Orthodox Theological School of Halki, violations of property rights, and bringing attention to cultural diversity and to the problems of local administration on the island of Heybeliada (Halki).
While only reporters from the Anatolia News Agency and the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation were allowed to attend the meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan promised democratic reforms to the religious leaders. Turkey is passing through a transition period, Erdogan said in his remarks, admitting that problems have been experienced during this process along which the government has been exerting efforts for further democratization of the country, Anatolia reported.
The government is against both ethnic and religious nationalism, he continued, underlining that they have kept an equal distance from every ethic and religious group in society. "Are there not deficiencies regarding implementation? Yes, there are. We will overcome these [deficiencies] with a struggle to be carried out all together, and I believe that this democratic initiative will change a lot of things in our country. Only if we stand hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder."
Erdogan was quoted as saying by Anatolia. "Persians have a saying, 'They gathered, talked and dispersed.' We should not be of those who gather, talk and disperse. A result should come out of this."Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Prime Minister later toured the Haghia Yorgi Church, where they had a private conversation in which His All Holiness voiced his community's concerns. They also visited the Patriarchal Orphanage on Buyukada, which was seized by the Turkish state a decade ago. The European Court of Human Rights issued a landmark decision last year that the Turkey Government had wrongly confiscated the property. The government has yet to act on that ruling. His All Holiness also raised the issue of the Halki Seminary, but Erdogan made no statement on the issue. An Ecumenical Patriarchate official later said. "We believe the prime minister is looking for a way to open the school. There is movement on this. It was a very positive, very friendly meeting."
Turkey signaled last month that the seminary may open after pressure from the EU and U.S. President Barack Obama who, while visiting Turkey in April said, "Freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the state, which is why steps like reopening the Halki Seminary will send such an important signal inside Turkey and beyond."
The EU has made reopening Halki Seminary a test of the government's commitment to religious freedom for non-Muslims. The Theological institution was forcibly closed by the Turkish Government in 1971.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew voiced pleasure over the meeting with the Prime Minister, saying "We have been inspired with hope; we are optimistic." His All Holiness was also quoted saying the meeting was "historical" and "a big step."
How to apologize like a man
From The Art of Manliness comes this post on how to apologize. I, for one, don't think many people know how to apologize for two reasons (setting to the side the fact that few people can seem to spell the word correctly). The first is that the idea of contrition has been lost on many people. Instead of taking on the weight of one's actions people often let the burden slide to an excuse. The fault doesn't lie with me, it is how I was raised, I was busy, I was just trying to be funny, etc. What is forgotten is that the motivation, intended result, and extenuating circumstances in no way obviate the need to apologize. It may soften the heart of the one wronged, but it does not sweep the issue aside.
The second reason is that those people that we know are farther and farther from our everyday lives. They may live hundreds of miles away or even a few blocks away, but our lives are now so inward-facing (TV, movies, etc.) that we can prioritize whatever other thing we want to make important in front of resolving inter-personal problems. The hope is that it will "resolve itself," "time will heal," or that they will "get over it." The below post is an excellent resource on the topic of apologizing and I enjoyed it a lot.
“I’m sorry.” Two simple words and yet two of the hardest to say. We easily utter them in response to trivial matters like accidentally jostling a stranger on the subway or giving the cashier the wrong change. Yet in important matters and to those who mean the most to us, we can find ourselves practically choking on the words. But the inability to apologize can critically wound all of our relationships, from home to work. Learning how to properly apologize is a necessary step in moving from boy to man.
Why We Don’t Apologize
Pride. Apologizing can be particularly hard for men because it involves the admittance of fault. It’s hard to say that we messed up. That we were wrong. Our pride gets in the way.
Embarrassment. If we messed up royally, doing something truly boneheaded even though we knew better, it can be difficult to talk about it to the person we hurt or let down. We feel stupid and would rather pretend like it didn’t happen.
Anger. Things that need apologizing for are rarely a one way street (more on this later). We probably did something wrong, but the other person probably did too. And sometimes our anger over how they offended us is so great that we justify what we did and can’t get past it to apologize.
The antidote to all 3 obstacles? Humility. The reason we put up these walls is that we have an overinflated view of our true selves. We’re always right; we always have it together. But it ain’t true. We’re human. We mess up sometimes. You have to accept your imperfection as a part of life. Suppressing it will cut you off from others. Embracing it will allow you to grow as a man...
Why We Don’t Apologize
Pride. Apologizing can be particularly hard for men because it involves the admittance of fault. It’s hard to say that we messed up. That we were wrong. Our pride gets in the way.
Embarrassment. If we messed up royally, doing something truly boneheaded even though we knew better, it can be difficult to talk about it to the person we hurt or let down. We feel stupid and would rather pretend like it didn’t happen.
Anger. Things that need apologizing for are rarely a one way street (more on this later). We probably did something wrong, but the other person probably did too. And sometimes our anger over how they offended us is so great that we justify what we did and can’t get past it to apologize.
The antidote to all 3 obstacles? Humility. The reason we put up these walls is that we have an overinflated view of our true selves. We’re always right; we always have it together. But it ain’t true. We’re human. We mess up sometimes. You have to accept your imperfection as a part of life. Suppressing it will cut you off from others. Embracing it will allow you to grow as a man...
Complete article here.
St. Tikhon's Fall lecture series speakers announced
(STOTS) - CHRIST'S HOLY CHURCH AND HER MISSION TO THE WORLD
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 –
“Christ the Eternal Tao”
Hieromonk Damascene,
Christian Witness to Communist China,
Monastic at St. Herman’s Monastery, Platina, California
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 –
“Honoring a Shared Heritage”
Rev. Moses Berry,
Missionary in the African-American Community,
Pastor of Theotokos “Unexpected Joy” Mission, Ash Grove, Missouri
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 –
“Orthodox Thinking on Other Religions”
Very Rev. John Garvey,
Author of Seeds of the Word,
Attached Priest at Holy Trinity Church, East Meadow, New York
Tuesday, October 13, 2007 –
“Islam and Christianity”
Archimandrite Daniel Byantoro,
Convert Priest in a Muslim Country,
Dean at Holy Trinity Church, Solo, Central Java, Indonesia
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Second Terrace: a divorce checklist
From Second Terrace:
(a somewhat odd meditation on today's Gospel reading: Matthew 19.3-12)
Sufficient (but not necessary) reasons for divorce:
- Sexual activity outside of marriage. Adultery. It matters little whether the mechanics of intercourse are achieved. We all know what sex is without long academic discussions on the meaning of "is" or "sex." I happen to think that any sort of sexual arousal outside of marriage is unchastity, and any sort of mutual sexual arousal outside of marriage is adultery. However, I am not so sure whether the fact of arousal and other activity short of intercourse can be used by the aggrieved partner to demand a divorce. (For that matter, I am suspicious of any demand for divorce.)
- Harm and threat to spouse and child. This includes both physical and sexual abuse. For some time in the 90's, I was a therapist of children and teens who were victims of such abuse. There are few causes for divorce that are so clear and indubitable. The much more ambiguous category of "emotional abuse" cannot be used here. I have had too many clinical experiences with one spouse or partner alleging emotional abuse, while at the same time being far guiltier of that very allegation.
- Desertion. I think marital desertion is the worst of treachery.
If you've checked any of these, then you have a permissible reason to divorce. You do not have "necessary cause." In other words, you are not required to go through with a divorce. But you may.
I would add, however, that if there is any danger to you and especially to your children, then you should separate immediately and ensure the children's safety; and yes, you should think about divorce. I have little hope, this side of eternity, for anyone who engages once in sexual abuse, and physical abuse in a domestic environment requires nothing less than long penance.
Those are the few "permissible reasons" for divorce. There are only three. There is a gaping dichotomy between these three tragic rationales, and the lewd miasma of the divorce-cult we see around us.
Divorce is like leprosy to me. I know, or have worked with, too many children who go home to more than one house; who answer to an amorphous set of parents and step-parents, grandparents and step-grandparents and guardians ad litem and counselors (like I was); who really have no sense of hearth or tradition; who play with any one of an infinite number of permutations of siblings and step-siblings (depending on custodial arrangements and which weekend it was); who cannot "do nothing," who cannot play in the yard in the sun and shade; but who are damned overbooked in play rehearsals, dance lessons, music lessons, track teams, football teams, swim teams, cheerleading teams, T-ball, softball, baseball and soccer.
Meantime, the font and spring of childhood -- the marriage that conceived them all -- is dying of gangrene. And all this over-booking, I fear, is like a drug to hide the decay.
Did you ever think of marriage this way, as the source of childhood's happiness?
So in my lonely war against marital decay, here is a checklist of impermissible reasons for divorce.
In other words, if any of these rationales are your real complaints, then you are simply not allowed to divorce. You'll go through with it, of course. But Somewhere, Someone has already said no.
- Boredom. Nonchalance. Lack of arousal. Lack of fun. Ennui. Lack of sex.
- Boorishness. Inability to communicate. Silence. Distance. Incompatibility. The suspicion that the relationship would never have been approved by the robots at eHarmony.
- Financial disaster. Financial idiocy and even irresponsibility of the spouse.
- Ugliness. Presence of irritating habits. Flatulence, eructation, bromidrosis, apnea, socks on floor, toothpaste tube squeezed in the middle, hair in the drain, messy closet.
- "Spiritual differential." You know what this is. You're like hovering at the third stage of spirituality, like at communion, and your lagging partner hasn't even begun purification yet. You want to live "as brother and sister," but he doesn't want to, the satyr. Or, you want to go to Athos, but she's busy reading Cosmo. You could fly so high if you weren't tethered so low.
- The TV says so. The View says so. The Web says so. The movies say so. The Enquirer says so. The celeb's say so: look at them, they're mostly all divorced and some of them are serial divorcers. "They look okay. It didn't hurt them. The Church is wrong again. I know what's best for me."
- Career. Listen to this insurmountable logic: "We must have two incomes. He/she has to move because of their job. I don't want to, or can't. Therefore, we must divorce. It's not our fault. We must have two incomes to afford our house and lifestyle. We can afford a divorce. We can't afford notto divorce, since we need two incomes to afford our house and lifestyle." [how can anyone argue with this sort of linguistic self-lobomotization? the "logic" is insurmountable only because it is not logical]
- Verbal sparring. Idiotic arguments that perpetuate themselves, and the course of the fight becomes a cage you can't escape, and you know there won't be any winners, but you cannot stop (for God's sake, can't you recognize demonification here?). Conflict over even substantial issues. Irreconcilable differences. "Anything is better off than this hell we're putting ourselves through" (you know, "don't waste time feeling hurt/ we've been through hell together," as Todd says).
- Inability or unwillingness to become an adult. Many people don't like marriage because only adults can tolerate marriage. Kids, as likeable as they are, have a hard time overcoming their feelings. "Bigger kids" -- older than 30 and much less likeable -- not only refuse to overcome their feelings: they turn them into a god, or an "orientation," or any word with the suffix "olic."
The dirty secret of marriage counseling is that a lot of it just doesn't work. And the reason why it doesn't work is because marriage counseling is not what is needed.
What is needed is faith and works. The Way of the Cross and the Receiving of Grace. What is needed is a condition of self-emptying, even starting with only one of the two partners. What is needed is for husband and wife to learn to control their own thoughts and emotions first through prayer and fasting. Their own lack of faith is played out treacherously and splayed out in the manifestations of these "impermissible rationales" – each of which bear a striking and spooky resemblance to logismoi (i.e., demonic insinuation).
I suggest that what marriages really need, in order to prevent divorce, is exorcism– but exorcism in the manner of catechism and spiritual works, of being trained to refute these horrid insinuations and to speak in the language of servanthood, charity and forgiveness.
The Lordship of Christ and Orthodox "psychic order" (i.e., kenotic self-sacrifice, and a mutual desire for peace and beauty) are what is needed. Marriage is oneness of flesh: it is a mysterious icon of Christ's union with the Church. Only an adult woman and an adult man can know each other well enough. Too many overstuffed and plasticized children with playboy bodies and mattel heads marry in sex outside the shadow of the Cross, and wonder why they cannot survive the witching hour soulish interrogation.
Without exorcism, all marriage counseling turns out to be is a business of negotiation – and negotiation, in matters of the heart, is like bean-counting on the Altar.
The reason why there is so much divorce today is not at all because there are so many real reasons for it. It is not because of the first short list. It is only because of the second list of inanities – a list, tragically, that is often translated into the language of the first.
Children reading from the Psalter
First Kathisma
David’s. Without Superscription among the Hebrews, 1.
Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the pestilent.
But his will is rather in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like the tree which is planted by the streams of the waters, which shall bring forth its fruit in its season; and its leaf shall not fall, and all things whatsoever he may do shall prosper.
Not so are the ungodly, not so; but rather they are like the chaff which the wind doth hurl away from the face of the earth.
For this reason shall the ungodly not stand up in judgement, nor sinners in the council of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish.
But his will is rather in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like the tree which is planted by the streams of the waters, which shall bring forth its fruit in its season; and its leaf shall not fall, and all things whatsoever he may do shall prosper.
Not so are the ungodly, not so; but rather they are like the chaff which the wind doth hurl away from the face of the earth.
For this reason shall the ungodly not stand up in judgement, nor sinners in the council of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Recently I have begun taking my eldest son through the kathismata (see below). I set this practice up primarily so that we could have a set time to sit down together and discuss the foundational material found in the Psalms, but I also think it's a good opportunity for him to expand his reading comprehension as well as his penmanship. He copies it out from the green Holy Transfiguration Psalter, then we read it line by line with a discussion about the meaning of each with occasional questions from him on the meaning of a word.
His first response to me having him sit down in my office was to question why this was at all necessary. I asked him if it seemed reasonable for me to let him ride his bike without any instructions or a helmet. He said no. How about jumping into the pool without any lessons? Of course not. So then I asked him if it was reasonable for him to not be cognizant of God's commandments and yet be left alone to walk around unsupervised. He pondered for a bit and then said no.
As school begins on Monday I was glad that Psalm 1 proved to be apropos. It discusses dealing with people who act in an ungodly fashion as well as the blessings that fall onto those walk a righteous path. Certainly a timely topic as he makes new friends and is faced with new opportunities to grow in maturity. If other parents can find fifteen minutes to do the same, this has so far proved to be a worthwhile father-son bonding experience.
A short explanation of the kathismata from Wikipedia:
The 150 psalms were divided into 20 sections, called kathismata (Greek: καθισματα; Slavonic: каѳисмы, kafismy), meaning literally, "sittings". The name is derived from the fact that, in the Office as it developed in Jerusalem and Constantinople, the psalms would be read by one of the brethren while the others sat and listened attentively.
Each kathisma is further subdivided into three staseis (Greek: στασεις), literally, "standings", because at the end of each stasis (Greek: στασις) the reader says: "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit..." at which all stand in honor of the Holy Trinity.
Each kathisma is further subdivided into three staseis (Greek: στασεις), literally, "standings", because at the end of each stasis (Greek: στασις) the reader says: "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit..." at which all stand in honor of the Holy Trinity.
Friday, August 21, 2009
ACROD launches new website
Quite an improvement.
August 19th, 2009 (ACROD) - The long-awaited launch of the newly created website of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA has taken place today. It is by God's providence that its release has coincided with the Feast of The Transfiguration of Our Lord as observed on the Julian Calendar. Its release today, is a visible sign of the miraculous transfiguration that is taking place within the diocese on both the technological and spiritual levels.
The newly designed website was made possible through a generous anonymous donor from within the diocese and in partnership with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Internet Ministries through the SCOBA Information Technology Commission.
The redesign of the website has been a dynamic process. It is the result of much prayer and reflection on the living history of the diocese. The new website is intended to be a mirror of life in the diocese, both past, present and future. The graphic design is bright and colorful and prominently features the icon of Christ the Teacher from Metropolitan Nicholas' chapel. Its bold and colorful design and user- friendly interface invites viewers who "labor and are heavy laden - to come and find rest" and refreshment in the bosom of the Orthodox Church. It is also challenges its users to offer the stewardship of their time, talent and treasures to further the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, and the work of the vineyard of our God- Saved Diocese in particular.
The new website incorporates the latest multi-media, information and communications technologies. It includes an audio/video media player, interactive learning stations, live and archived broadcasts of divine services and lectures, podcasts, email list servers for the dissemination of the latest news and ministry/apostolate specific information, and interfaces key elements of the website with parish websites, personal Facebook pages and internet accessible cellular phones.
The incorporation of these emerging technologies will greatly enhance the ability of the present and future diocesan apostolates to reach the faithful within and outside diocese and provide timely and useful resources. The site has also been designed to allow the staff of the various apostolates to update and expand the content of their particular web pages, using a built-in and highly user-friendly content management system. The diocesan webmaster and information technology team that is currently being comprised will be available to assist the diocesan apostolates in using the available multi-media and communication technologies for their specific needs.
The website is designed to be both inspirational and educational in nature. By including an on-line prayer corner, the user is able to lay aside all earthly cares for a few moments and read the daily scripture readings, the lives of the saints, select quotes from the writings of the Saints, and excerpts from the daily offices, as well as listen to liturgical music, and view live and archived broadcasts of divine services from Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
The viewer may also enter into the Orthodox Reading Room and learn more about the Orthodox Faith. Those who wish to delve further into the Orthodox Faith may wish to visit the Orthodox Learning Center which offers various opportunities to take part in on-line seminars and classes on various topics. The user will also have an opportunity to purchase reading and devotional materials from our newly created on-line store, Orthodox Goods.com, which features products from Christ The Saviour Seminary Bookstore, Gloria Incense and Diocesan Liturgical Publications.
Of keen interest to our youth is a special subsection called The Arena. This section provides a gathering place for our diocesan youth, where they can learn more about the faith. In a special blog forum, they have the opportunity to take a stand and share their common struggles in the arena of faith.
Our newly re-designed diocesan website offers our diocese an exciting opportunity to preach the unchanging Gospel of Christ, in a creative and innovative manner. Using the latest in multi-media and communications technology, our new website will undoubtedly prove to be an invaluable tool for strengthening the sense of community within the family of the diocese, and empowering the essential apostolates of our diocese to more effectively fulfill their apostolic labors. May our new website truly serve as a blueprint for equipping the saints for ministry in the challenging arena of the 21st Century.
UAOC celebrates 20 years in Ukraine
LVIV (RISU) - In Lviv, August 19, 2009, took place a series of events dedicated to the celebration of the third revival of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC). The celebration began with a Holy Liturgy in the Sts. Peter and Paul Church, in which 20 years ago priests Volodymyr Yarema and Ivan Pashulya declared their withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate.
A public prayer was held near the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church on Ruska Street. The celebration was ended in later that day with a special concert in a local theater.
Metropolitan of Halych and Ivano-Frankivsk Andrij (Abramchuk) took part in the opening of the celebratory events, where he called to build church life. According to him, everything is still not right in UAOC life; however, it has an idea and it has a large number of faithful and young priests who can develop the church.
Deputy Head of the Lviv Oblast State Administration Ihor Derzhko noted the large contribution to the community of the UAOC in the state-building process in Ukraine and in the spiritual development of the Ukrainian people. Advisor to the mayor of Lviv with humanitarian questions Vasyl Kosiv presented the Lviv Archbishop Makarij (Maletych) a diploma from the city head Andrij Sadovyj for his work in the sphere of spiritual growth of the Ukrainian nation.
Bishop Makarij expressed that the eparchial administration of the Lviv eparchy of the UAOC works well with the government with full mutual understanding.
The head of the UOC in America (Constantinople Patriarchate) Metropolitan Kostyantyn (Bahan) was represented by a member of the metropolitan council Stepan Halyk-Holotyak, who stressed that Metropolitan Kostyantyn worries about the affairs of the church in Ukraine and attests before the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew about the desire of the Ukrainian people to have an independent Orthodox Church. Stepan Halyk-Holotyak also gave a greeting from the Ukrainian priests of the UOC in America. He stressed that 20 years ago the dream of all Ukrainians in the world was realized – to have an independent church. The speaker addressed those present with a call to analyze what was reaped in the last 20 years and if the products are worthy. He called on Ukrainians to live in love.
Archbishop Makarij (Maletych) in his turn noted that the next anniversary will be celebrated differently because he expects that in Ukraine there will be the process of overcoming the division and it will be directed to the creation of a united national church.
In addition to the events in Lviv, celebrations also took place in Kharkiv. According to the information of the consistory of the Kharkiv and Poltava eparchy, on August 19 in all parishes there were celebratory divine services, in which there was a prayer for Metropolitan Kostyantyn who in 2000 took the UAOC under his spiritual guardianship. Archbishop of Kharkiv and Poltava Ihor (Isichenko) in his sermon, brought attention to the necessity to use the anniversary for spiritual renewing, to deeply think over the reasons of the crisis which haunted the UAOC in Ukraine since 1989 and still do.
In the evening of the 19th began a pilgrimage of faithful of the Kharkiv-Poltava eparchy of the UAOC to Zarvanytsia. The goal of the pilgrimage is to hold a thanksgiving prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her motherly guardianship over the Kyiv Church and for the spiritual experience of the 20 years serving the UAOC in Ukraine.
On August 20 the 20th anniversary was celebrated in Ivano-Frankivsk, and on the 21st the celebration will continue in Kam’yanets-Podilsk.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
First Orthodox liturgy performed at Philmont
CIMARRON, NM (EOCS) - This summer Orthodox Scouts from in and around Seattle, Washington took an exciting and adventurous trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. As part of their experience, the Scouts participated in the first known Orthodox Liturgy to be celebrated at Philmont.
The event was organized by Troop 67, jointly sponsored by the Seattle area’s Eastern Orthodox churches. The trip was also open to eligible Orthodox Scouts in locally sponsored troops.Philmont is in the northeast corner of New Mexico. It includes over 137 thousand rugged acres (214 square miles) of wilderness, with mountains, plains, rivers, trees and wildflowers. The area is inhabited by deer, elk, bears and mountain lions plus many species of birds, and even “mini-bears” (chipmunks). These are joined each summer by some 20,000 Boy Scouts from all over the US and some foreign countries.
Because of its popularity, it’s very difficult to gain admission to Philmont, and planning begins over a year in advance. Applicants are placed in a lottery system. After trying unsuccessfully last year, the Orthodox group from Seattle was lucky enough to make it in 2009.
All together there were five adults and nine boys, including John Prekeges, group leader and crew adviser, his brother James as second crew adviser, and Father Dean Koudukis, pastor of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Seattle. Father Dean served as group chaplain.
After arriving at Philmont the group spent Monday July 6 in camp preparing for the hike. The Orthodox Scouts were assigned one of the harder treks - a total of 75 miles, although in the end they covered close to 85 miles. Packs can weigh from 45 lbs to over 60 lbs.
Tuesday morning they set out on the 11-day trek. Along the way, they used burros for two days to help pack their gear. Some of the Scouts made a side hike to the top of 12,441 foot Mount Baldy, viewing incredible scenery.
On Sunday July 12, at an outdoor chapel on the trail, Father Dean celebrated the first known Orthodox Divine Liturgy at Philmont. When arriving, Father Dean brought wine and prosphoron with him and the Philmont staff kept these refrigerated at base camp. In an ecumenical gesture, the camp’s Rabbi and Catholic bishop helped make sure that these liturgical necessities were transported to the chapel in time.
The entire Orthodox group attended the Liturgy, joined by a chipmunk who had made his home in the stone altar. The service provided a memorable experience of worshipping God in the natural world that he created.
In addition to hiking the boys accomplished some other fun activities including: horseback riding, blacksmithing, panning for gold, visiting an old mine, and some black powder shooting along the trail. On the last day, they crossed over the famous Tooth of Time. This is a large tooth-like rock that served as a landmark for the early settlers in the area.
Orthodox Scouts in the Pacific Northwest are now looking forward to more exciting trips to Philmont in the summers to come.
(Fr. Michael Johnson is retired having served Greek Orthodox parishes in Seattle, Tacoma, and Kenmore (now Shoreline) WA. He is the Northwest Outreach Coordinator of the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, a SCOBA agency.)
Serbian Orthodox Church in N. & S. America sobor notes
Complete article here.(OBL News) - The 20th Triennial Church Assembly (Sabor) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
Day 1: The 20th Triennial Church Assembly (Sabor) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America began on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at St. George Church in Canton, Ohio with the Divine Liturgy. A good number of clergy and delegates began their work with receiving the Holy Eucharist. The Invocation of Holy Spirit was then served by His Grace Bishop Dr. Mitrophan.All the Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America are present: His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher of Libertyville-Chicago; His Grace Bishop Georgije of Canada; His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwest America; His Grace Bishop Dr. Mitrophan of Eastern America, and His Grace Bishop Dr. Maxim of Western America.
The first Plenary Session began with a greeting by Bishop Dr. Mitrophan as host bishop. His joyful observation that we meet no longer as two different administrations, as two sides, but as one united, was greeted with sustained applause. He called on all to ensure that the Sabor be fruitful for our Church and our people, who are called to unity by God as the one Body of Christ.
The Plenary was then opened by His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher. He said that his feelings today are indescribable, as one who lived through the long history of the past decades. He called this Sabor a commencement, because we see ourselves today gathered as one body and family. He said that it was clear from observing the delegates meeting and greeting each other that this is a new and joyful beginning of a new era of unity and growth. He asked that all rise and join in singing Tebje Boga Hvalim, We Praise Thee O God, in thanks for this great gift of being together.Bishop Longin also greeted the Sabor and said that he was sure that this unity would be for the good of our church and people and salvation of our souls. He said this unity is a great and holy gift of God to be guarded and extended. Bishop Dr. Maxim also extended his greetings.
Bishop Mark of Toledo and the Midwest of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese greeted extended his greetings as well. He thanked God for the unity he sees here, and said that he hopes this unity will also increasingly extend to all Orthodox in America.
Metropolitan Christopher also noted with joy the presence of two clergy under the omophor of Bishop Mitrophan present for this Sabor from South America...
Met. Philip and OCA News update on relocating seminarians
(OCA News) - In a posting late yesterday afternoon on the Archdiocesan website, Metropolitan Philip attempted to justify moving three seminarians from the OCA's St. Vladimir's and St. Tikhon's Seminaries to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary by citing the "common Syro-Byzantine" liturgical and musical traditions between the Archdiocese and the Boston school. The statement reads:
"Statement Issued by Metropolitan's Office Regarding Placement of Antiochian Seminarians
From the Office of Metropolitan PHILIP:
Unfortunately, there has been much speculation and incorrect information on the Internet and elsewhere regarding our recent decision to send our incoming seminarians to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. This decision effected two students. The third new student was already planning to attend Holy Cross. Over the years we have tried to keep a balance between the distribution of our seminarians to various Orthodox seminaries here and abroad, especially St. Vladimir’s, St. Tikhon’s and Holy Cross. In fact, this year, we will have 10 students at St. Vladimir’s, 9 students at St. Tikhon’s and 6 students at Holy Cross.
It has been our primary concern over the years to insure a strong priestly formation for our future priests. While all three schools have helped us in accomplishing this task for generations of clergymen, we feel Holy Cross most closely mirrors the practices and customs of the Patriarchate of Antioch in general and the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America in particular. This is true for a variety of reasons, first and foremost being the common Syro-Byzantine liturgical and musical tradition that we share. Given the changing demographics of the majority of our seminarians and the reality that many of them are not rooted in this Syro-Byzantine expression of our one Orthodox faith from birth, we feel it is vital to immerse them in this tradition in a more complete way. It is our hope to have our own seminary in the future. In fact, much of the foundational work has already been done. Nevertheless, since we do not have our own seminary at this point in time, we feel Holy Cross is best suited to accomplish the task at hand.
At the same time, however, we will and have always assessed the common needs and concerns of both the seminarians and the Archdiocese and therefore leave all doors open for the future with regard to their placement."
Despite his criticisms of "speculation" concerning the move, the Metropolitan's statement did not address why this concern for "roots" manifested itself so suddenly, only three weeks before the start of the Fall term at both schools. Even more puzzling however, is the Metropolitan's claim that seminarian Stephen Mathewes (and his pregnant wife) were "not rooted in this Syro-Byzantine expression of our one Orthodox Faith" such that he felt " it was vital to immerse them in this tradition in a more complete way" by moving them to Boston. Was the Metropolitan not aware that Byzantine chanting from Mathewes' father's parish was recently featured on a nationwide PBS broadcast? (Read the story on the Antiochian.org website by clicking on the "more" link under news, and scrolling down to April 2009 stories. Or view the broadcast segment itself here.)
Rather than railing against websites, the Metropolitan might be better advised to check out his own.
Back from the monastery
I have returned from a blessed retreat at the monastery. Thanks to all for the well-wishes while I was gone. It is an extraordinary place and there were quite a few visitors during the week from all over the country.
Candidates for Diocese of NY and NJ announced
I also found the final report (PDF) itself to be interesting reading. It discusses clericalism, parochialism, conciliarity, the election process, and more. Additionally, this page has bios of each of the candidates.
SYOSSET, NY (OCA Communications) - On Monday, August 17, 2009, the Search Committee of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, mandated with selecting suitable candidates to stand for nomination as diocesan hierarch, released its final report.
In addition to the report, the committee released the names of three episcopal candidates to be considered for nomination at the diocese's assembly on August 31. 2009.
The search committee consists of Diocesan Chancellor, the Very Rev. Joseph Lickwar, and the deans of the three diocesan deaneries: the Very Revs. Alexey Karlgut [New York State Deanery]; Samuel Kedala [New Jersey Deanery], and Wiaczeslaw Krawczuk [New York City Deanery].
The "Final Report of Diocesan Search Committee," "Instructions Concerning the Election of a Ruling Bishop," and biographies of the three candidates may be found here.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Off to the monastery
I'll be at a nearby (relative term for someone living in Texas) monastery for most of the week. Apologies for the delay in posting.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Agni Parthene
A personal favorite and one of the great musical works of all time. I've posted it before and I'll probably post it again a thousand times.
IN ENGLISH:
Refrain: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!
O Virgin pure, immaculate/ O Lady Theotokos
O Virgin Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy
More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavens
Delight of virgin choruses/ superior to Angels.
Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the sun's light
More holy than the multitude/ of all the heav'nly armies.
Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!
O Ever Virgin Mary/ of all the world, the Lady
O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady Panagia
O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilation
Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy Mother
More hon'rable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more glorious
than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones.
Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!
Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angels
Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangels
Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbor of salvation
O sacred chamber of the Word/ flow'r of incorruption
Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternal
Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality.
Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!
I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon you
And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favor
Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady Panagia
I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed temple
Assist me and deliver me/ protect me from the enemy
And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal.
Orignanl Hymn in Greek
1. Αγνή Παρθένε Δέσποινα ’χραντε Θεοτόκε
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε Παρθένε Μήτηρ ’νασσα
Πανένδροσε τε πόκε Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
2. Υψηλοτέρα ουρανών ακτίνων λαμπροτέρα
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε Χαρά Παρθενικών Χορών
αγγέλων υπερτέρα Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
3. Εκλαμπροτέρα ουρανών φωτός καθαρωτέρα
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε των ουρανίων στρατιών πασών αγιωτέρα
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
4. Μαρία Αειπάρθενε Κόσμου παντός Κυρία
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε ’χραντε Νύμφη πάναγνε
Δέσποινα Παναγία Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
5. Μαρία Νύμφη ’νασσα χαράς ημών αιτία
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε Κορή σεμνή Βασίλισσα
Μήτηρ υπεραγία Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
6. Τιμιώτερα Χερουβείμ υπερενδοξοτέρα.
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε των ασωμάτων Σεραφείμ
των θρόνων υπερτέρα Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
7. Χαίρε το άσμα Χερουβείμ χαίρε ύμνος Αγγέλων
Χαίρε Νύμφη Ανύμφευτε Χαίρε ωδή των Σεραφείμ
χαρά των Αρχαγγέλων Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε
8. Χαίρε ειρήνη και χαρά λιμήν της σωτηρίας
Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύμφευτε Παστάς του Λόγου ιερά
άνθος της αφθασίας Χαίρε Νυμφή Ανύ
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