Part One
Part Two
Saturday, November 30, 2013
The E-cute-menical Throne
H/T: Met. Savas of Pittsburgh. When the members of the Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir met with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople on Friday, November 29, the sons of two of the priests in the choir somehow managed to beat him to his seat. Dimitrios S. Panagos was there to capture the moment.
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Miguel Alvarez: unmercenary hero
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(SFGate) - Miguel Alvarez had never worked in a senior care home. He had never administered medications. The only reason he took the janitor job at Valley Springs Manor in early October was to save money for Christmas gifts for his children.
Yet last week, as the Castro Valley care home plunged into chaos amid a state-ordered closure, Alvarez found himself changing diapers, bathing, spoon-feeding and otherwise comforting more than a dozen seniors who had been abandoned there.
"I'm a janitor - I didn't know what I was doing. I just tried the best I could," Alvarez, 33, said Thursday at his home in San Leandro.
Alvarez was one of two employees of the care home who stayed when everyone else - including management - left as the state yanked the facility's operating license. On Thursday, he told his story to media members for the first time.
He cried as he described a nightmarish scene of confused seniors shouting for help, some becoming weak and "zombie-like" because they hadn't received medications in several days, and others trying to escape.
"I'd never want to see my parents or grandparents go through anything like that," he said. "I liked these people. I wanted to treat them well."
Last Friday, While Alvarez and cook Maurice Rowland were busy with other residents, Edmund Bascom, 65, walked out of the facility. He still has not been found.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Fellowship of St. John Vladimir founded to serve young adults
Chicago, IL (SOC-NASA) - Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago has founded the Fellowship of St. John Vladimir to serve the young adult community. This fellowship will have focused instruction on the application of Orthodox Chrisitanity. Meetings begin December 17th and will be held every Thursday at 7pm.
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Notes from the Russian Bible conference
I posted on the opening of this conference and normally I would just append the closing notes to the old post or leave it to those interested to follow-up, but there were some intriguing points made below that deserved a separate post. I found the section on a perceived need to create a critical edition of the Slavonic Bible as a prerequisite to beginning the process of translating a Russian text.
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November 28, 2013 (mospat.ru) – the 7th International Theological Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Modern Bible Studies and the Tradition of the Church convened by the Holy Synod Decision of January 30, 2013, concluded its work at the conference hall of the Department of the External Church Relations in Moscow.
The forum was attended by leading bibleists and theologians of the Russian Orthodox Church, secular scholars and specialists from abroad.
The first plenary session on November 26 was opened by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He noted the need for the reception of achievements made by modern bibleistics in the context of the Holy Tradition of the Church. In this connection, His Holiness also pointed to the need to develop relations between church educational institutions and research and education centers both in Russia and other countries and to the importance of teaching ancient languages in the theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies, presented a programmatic paper on the Translations of the Bible and Modernity.
Among the speakers at the plenary session were also Metropolitan Antony of Borispol and Brovary, chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and rector of Kiev Theological Academy, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family and president of the International Catholic Biblical Federation, Prof. Christos Karakolis, University of Athens, M. Seleznev, head of the Chair of Bible Studies of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute, V. Akimov, pro-rector, head of the Chair of Bibleistics and Theology at the Minsk Theological Academy, and Prof. Johan Lust, Catholic University of Leuven.
The conference continued its work in sections under the themes “The Bible and its historical context”, “The biblical exegesis in the church tradition”, “The translation of the Bible”, “The reception of modern biblical scholarship in the Catholic Church”, and in the round tables on “The Six Days and its context”, and “The translations of the Bible in the languages of peoples comprising the flock of the Russian Orthodox Church”.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Most expensive printed book in the world? The Psalter.
The Psalter played a formative role in United States history. For example, when the Americans marched against the Redcoats they sang the Psalms. How interesting that the Church's hymnbook gets such little attention outside of Orthodoxy.
(Christian Today) - A book of Psalms printed in 1640 sold this week for just under $14.2 million on Tuesday, making it the most expensive printed book ever.
It is believed to be the first book ever printed in what is now the United States just 20 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
The book is meant to be a faithful translation into English of the original Hebrew psalms and was auctioned at Sotheby's in Manhattan after being put up for sale by Boston's Old South Church.
The historic church was the location of Benjamin Franklin's baptism in addition to meetings that led to the formation of the Boston Tea Party.
The church decided to sell the incredibly rare Bay Psalm Book in order to raise funds for its ministries.
The Bay Psalm Book takes its name from its publication in Cambridge by the Puritan leaders of the Massachusetts May Colony.
Out of an original 1,700, only 11 copies remain today, another of which is still owned by Old South Church.
Reverend Nancy Taylor, senior minister of the church, said the book was "arguably one of the most important in this nation's history".
She has also said the sale of the book is "life-changing" for the church, as it will now be able to afford to expand its ministry.
The book was bought by American businessman and philanthropist David Rubenstein, who plans to put it out on loan to libraries around the US.
The highest price ever paid at auction for a book was $30.8 million for Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Hammer, a personal, handwritten notebook sold in 1994.
The Thanksgiving Akathist
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In looking for a version to print out for the children (I like to talk with them a little before services like this so they have some understanding of what they are hearing) I noted there are quite a few versions available online. Here are three:
- From St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, TX - The most commonly referenced online.
- St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in McKinney, TX - This is another popular source.
- Antiochian Archdiocese - A version notable in that it also has the Akathist broken up so it can be read in pieces over the entire Nativity Fast.
Here is a sample from a recording made by St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Madison, WI (available on liturgica.com).
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
The Inter-Hours of the Nativity Fast
(Wikipedia) - The Inter-Hours (Greek: Mesoria) are brief services in the Daily Office of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches. The Inter-Hours are called for during the Lenten seasons of the Church year. They are styled after the Little Hours—First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour, and Ninth Hour—only briefer.
The Inter-Hours are called for during the Lesser Fasts (Nativity Fast, and the Apostles' Fast. According to Nikolsky Ustav, they are to be read during Great Lent if the Ladder of Divine Ascent is not read during the Little Hours.
Each Inter-Hour follows one of the Little Hours is named for the Hour it follows (i.e., the Inter-Hour of the First Hour, etc.).
Ecumenical Patriarchate glorifies two saints
(OMHKSEA) - On Tuesday, November 27, 2013, the Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided the formal inclusion in the List of Saints of the Orthodox Church of elder Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia and of venerable Meletios of Lardos.
Feast Day of Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia: December 2nd.
Feast Day of Saint Meletios of Lardos: February 12th.
Elder Porphyrios was born on the 7th of February 1906, in the village of St. John Karystia, near Aliveri, in the province of Evia. His parents were poor but pious farmers. His father’s name was Leonidas Bairaktaris and his mother’s was Eleni, the daughter of Antonios Lambrou.
At baptism he was given the name Evangelos. He was the fourth of five children, and the third child of the four that survived. His oldest sister, Vassiliki, passed away when she was a year old. Today, only his youngest sister, who is a nun is still alive.
His father had a monastic calling but obviously did not become a monk. He was, however, the village cantor, and St. Nectarios called upon his services during his journeys through the area, but poverty forced him to emigrate to America to work on the construction of the Panama canal...
Saint Meletios of Lardos
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Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia
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Modern Bible Studies & Tradition of the Church Conference
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(mospat.ru) - On 26 November 2013, a scholarly theological conference of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission on Modern Bible Studies and the Tradition of the Church began its work.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia opened the conference and welcomed the participants.
The Presidium of the conference consisted of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Post-Graduate Studies; Metropolitan Antony of Borispol and Brovary, chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and rector of the Kievan theological schools; Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Dr. Yefim Pivovar, rector of the Russian State Humanities University.
Metropolitan Hilarion presented the key report; Metropolitan Antony delivered a report on the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Ukrainian language in history and at present; and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia spoke about the translations of the Bible in the life of the Catholic Church.
The Conference will deliberate on the topics due to be discussed by the Inter-Council Presence and will consider topics traditional for Russian Bible studies. Some session will be devoted to modern Bible studies in history and philology and to modern Biblical archeology.
Elder Porphyrios reported to have been glorified today
The blog Cyberdesert is reporting the below:
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Today on the 27th November 2013 the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople recognised Elder Porphyrios (Bairaktaris) of Kavsokalyvia as a saint of the Orthodox Church.
Details to follow
Details to follow
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Bulgarian episcopal election cancelled over claims of "rigging"
(Novinite) - The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has decided to cancel the first round of the vote for metropolitan bishop of Varna and Veliki Preslav.
The decision comes after representatives of both clergy and laity said they have grounds to believe that the election was rigged.
The first round vote, which took place last Sunday, elected Bachkovo Monastery abbot Boris and little-known bishop Ignatius as contestants for the second round.
Prior statements made by controversial abbot Boris and the virtual inelectibility of bishop Ignatius were among the reasons cited for believing the vote was pre-arranged.
The Holy Synod decided that a first-round local vote will be held again December 15 in Varna, while the second-round canonical election will be held a week after.
The Varna and Veliki Preslav metropolitan bishop seat became vacated - or "widowed" in Bulgarian Orthodox Christian parlance - after the July mystery drowning death of controversial former bishop Kiril.
Monday, November 25, 2013
My trip to Allentown
I have sadly fallen out of the habit of posting parish spotlights when I travel. Hopefully this post is the first in a recaptured tradition of parish visit postings. This weekend I visited Allentown (for gallons of honey of all things) and was able to make trips to two parishes: St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church of Emmaus and Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church (ACROD) in downtown Allentown, PA.
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| The church in better weather |
The architecture of the former owners worked quite well with the needs of an Orthodox church - so much so that if the stained glass windows weren't filled with patterns of stars of David and scales I might not have known it was not purpose built by the Carpatho-Rusyn people that use it now. I expected a diminished parish given the age and the Latino-ization of the area, but the Liturgy was actually quite well attended. The priest there, Protopresbyter Robert J. Rebeck, has served for fifty years and was happy to see our short-lived injection of numerous children. My middle daughter, always a boisterous singer, was greeted fondly by the older ladies of the parish as well.
Given that the parish is located where it is and has a rather good Sunday turn-out there is some hope that evangelizations efforts would help reintegrate the parish into the new melting pot neighborhood. We reintegrated ourselves with a stop at a local taqueria after Liturgy for chilaquiles verdes, tacos, pancakes, and horchata. Somehow we found room next to the honey container for pantry items like masa harina, manteca, tamarind, and "travel food" like chile-spiced mangoes, Jarritos drinks, etc.
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| The parking lot was under construction when I arrived |
Hopefully my next trip to the area will be less darting from warm rabbit warren to rabbit warren and more taking in the local sites. Oh, and more tacos.
Clergy housing allowance legislation ruled unconstitutional
(Christianity Today) - One of the most important tax breaks available to American pastors is unconstitutional.Complete article here.
At least, according to a federal judge's assessment of an atheist group's complaint that the IRS's clergy housing allowance—which will save pastors $700 million this year in income taxes—violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb of Wisconsin ruled that the second part of IRS Code Sec. 107, which exempts clergy from paying income taxes on compensation considered a housing allowance, "provides a benefit to religious persons and no one else, even though doing so is not necessary to alleviate a special burden on religious exercise."
"The significance of the benefit simply underscores the problem with the law, which is that it violates the well-established principle under the First Amendment that '[a]bsent the most unusual circumstances, one's religion ought not affect one's legal rights or duties or benefits,'" wrote Crabb in a ruling first reported by the Wisconsin State Journal.
The decision leaves alone the first part of Sec. 107, which excludes the rental value of actual parsonages from being taxed...
On Josaphat Kuncevyc
Josaphat Kuncevyc was a great proponent of the Unia who was killed by Orthodox believers by being hit with a halberd, shot, and then thrown into a river. Most hagiographies you read of him are as you might expect stridently anti-Orthodox. The treatment of him by Orthodox is no less severe (see here). Even today his name is used to polemical ends (see here). All that to say celebrating a Divine Liturgy at the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter on St. Josaphat's feast day is not an innocuous or irenic move.
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(RISU) - The patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) on 25 November with the special permission of Pope Francis led a solemn Pontifical Divine Liturgy at the altar of the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the laying of the relics of St. Josaphat, martyr for Church unity.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, almost all the bishops of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, Bishop Milan Shashik, Bishop of Mukachiv Eparchy, representatives of other Churches sui iuris and the Apostolic See.
St. John the Compassionate, pray for us!
Today the Church remembers St. John the Compassionate (more commonly called St. John the Merciful). Please also remember in your prayers today the important, salvific work of St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto, Canada. If you feel so moved, donations can be made here and volunteers are always welcomed.
"The poor are our teachers and Masters, for only they can bestow upon us the Kingdom of Heaven.”
- St. John the Compassionate
British Antiochian Archdiocese founded
(AOC-UKIE) - Further news about the transitional arrangements for the Archdiocese:
Archpriest Gregory Hallam was granted an audience by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X on 21st November 2013. His Beatitude updated Fr Gregory on the Holy Synod's intentions for the Archdiocese.
Firstly, he confirmed that the Archdiocese now exists canonically, and is currently vacant.
Secondly, His Beatitude explained that no Patriarchal Vicar had yet been appointed, and there may be no appointment. His Beatitude was updated on the preparations currently being made by the Cathedral and (ex-)Deanery, and it is entirely possible (but by no means certain) that our Archbishop will be elected at the next meeting of the Holy Synod in June 2014. Since this is only a few months away, it may not be necessary to appoint a Patriarchal Vicar. The Patriarch - who remains our bishop in this transitional period - has given the Archdiocese a blessing to invite Metropolitan IGNATIUS of Paris to undertake episcopal actions on his behalf, as and when necessary.
Clearly the Patriarch and the Holy Synod are watching our new Archdiocese closely, and observing how we organise ourselves and prepare for the reception of our first Archbishop. Please continue to pray for us as we undertake the many essential tasks that must be completed over the next few months.
We would also like to thank His Eminence, Metropolitan KALLISTOS of Diokleia, for his firm support. We are grateful for his holy prayers!
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Longest-married couple In America celebrate anniversary
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| John and Ann Betar, of Fairfield, celebrate their 80th anniversary at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, in Bridgeport, Conn. on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The couple has been named the "longest married couple" in the U.S. for 2013 by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, a Christian marriage group based in San Bernardino, Calif. The Betars are scheduled to receive a plaque and other gifts from the group at their granddaughter's home in Fairfield on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/The Connecticut Post, BK Angeletti) |
(WPXI) - America's longest-married couple is celebrating their 81st anniversary.
"They say the key to their lasting message is understanding and communication.
"You've learned to accept one another's ways of life. Agreements, disagreements."
John and Ann Betar eloped on Nov. 25, 1932 — fleeing because Ann's father wanted her to marry a man 20 years older than her. She was just 17; John was 21 and lived across the street.
Now Ann is 98 and John is 102. They were named the longest-married couple earlier this year by the group Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
The couple has been through some huge changes — from the Great Depression to wars to the Great Recession, and their family has changed, too. They lost both a daughter and their son to cancer. Their oldest daughter is 80 — and they have 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandkids.
Oh, and we heard from Ann on advice— but John's tips for a lasting marriage? Be content. And...
"We're always holdings hands. Yep."
Foreign astronauts take Orthodox priest's blessing
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Moscow, November 21 (Interfax) - Rector of St. George Church in Baikonur Archpriest Sergy Bychkov told that astronauts, including foreigners, feel reverence for Orthodoxy.
"Everyone is awesome. Catholics try to come to the church and confess before the flight as in any case a person understands that he won't be able to make an emergency stop in the places where he goes to," the priest told BBC Russian Service.
According to him, every of them tries to take a blessing, to kiss the cross and asks to be blessed with the holy water.
Foreigners confess in Russian, "even if it's not perfect," Father Sergy said.
"They can also confess in English. I can't say that I speak very well, but I understand the language and can communicate," he added.
It has become a tradition in Baikonur to bless carrier rockets and astronauts before the flight.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Effort underway to name Orthodoxy basis of Russian culture
(RT) - Center left MP Yelena Mizulina, known for her pro-life stance and conflicts with leaders of the LGBT community, has suggested amending the constitution emphasizing the exclusive role of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Mizulina said at the Friday session of the parliamentary group for the protection of Christian values, that the Russian constitution should include a preamble saying that “Orthodox Christianity is the basis of national and cultural originality of Russia”.
The move gained support from other participants in the session who represented the majority caucus of United Russia and the Communist Party caucus.
Currently the Constitution describes Russia as a secular state and protects freedom of conscience. Four religions – Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism are sometimes called ‘traditional’ in the mass media and politicians’ statements, but there is no legal basis for that.
In 2012 nationalist lawmaker Sergey Baburin also suggested mentioning Christianity in Russia’s constitution. Baburin said the country could follow Georgia’s example and underline the Church’s role in the nation’s history while still protecting the equality and freedom of all beliefs. Back then, the move failed to gain sufficient support.
According to a poll conducted by the Levada research center in late October this year, over 70 percent of Russian Federation citizens consider themselves Orthodox Christians. 44 percent of respondents hold the Russian Orthodox faith as the official religion of the country. 56 percent agreed that the Russian Orthodox Church played a major role in Russian history.
Bp. Michael of New York on the diaconate
(Vimeo) - “Lessons in Our Faith” is a series of instructional videos produced by the Diocese of New York and New Jersey (Orthodox Church in America) featuring His Grace, Bishop Michael. In this installment, the topic is THE DIACONATE. Using his popular “7 Questions and 7 Answers” format, Bishop Michael discusses this subject in a concise and direct manner. In eight minutes, the video offers the fundamental teaching about this ordained vocation ... Deacon ... within the life of the Church. The entire "Lessons in Our Faith" series is available here.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Albanian Diocese launches Hispanic outreach in NJ
I'm reposting this article after it was brought to my attention that this effort is one sponsored by the Albanian Diocese and not by the Greek Archdiocese. My sincere hope is that the currently somewhat patchwork-heavy effort in Spanish-language resources divided amongst the OCA, Antiochians, and now the Albanians will grow increasingly well coordinated and comprehensive. Apologies to Father Rafael Melendez on the diocesan misattribution.
(SS Peter and Paul Cathedral) - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has started a new mission in Red Bank, NJ. A very special aspect of this mission is that it was started in order to bring Orthodoxy to the Hispanic community, as well as others from backgrounds that are not traditionally Orthodox. This is certainly worthy of praise.....much more of this is needed if the Church in America is to grow. The Rector, Fr. Rafael Melendez, sent out this letter to announce the mission:
"By the Grace of God and with the blessing of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, Holy Theotokos Orthodox Christian Chapel, an Orthodox Christian Chapel dedicated to the Holy Mother of God located at 340 Shrewsbury Avenue, in Red Bank, NJ will open its doors to everyone. This new mission to All seeking salvation and to the Latino community will commence this Sunday November 3rd of 2013. The Reverend Protopresbyter Father Rafael Melendez, an Orthodox priest with many years of pastoral experience has been assigned to minister this new Chapel.
At the Grand Opening, 125 Holy Relics of the Saints will be brought for public veneration.
This Chapel, located in the center of the Red Bank Community will be a place of worship, love and peace in Christ. The Chapel is named in honor of the Holy Mother of God and Ever Virgin Mary, Mother of all the believers and of all humanity.
Sunday November 3rd, 2013 will be a very special for Red Bank and for all of New Jersey. This is the first Orthodox Christian Church in the United States under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople dedicated specifically to the missionary work among Hispanics and others of Non-Orthodox ancestry. All are welcomed regardless of race, color or ethnicity. The Divine Services will be celebrated in the language of the people. Father Rafael serves in English, Spanish, Greek and Church Slavonic.
The day will start with the Matins Service (Orthros) at 8:00 am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am. At 11:00 am, there will be a Special Blessing of the New Chapel and the Holy Relics of the Saints will be exposed and venerated publicly. All will have the opportunity to receive the blessings of Our Savior Jesus Christ, the Holy Mother of God and All the Saints whose Relics will be present for this special event. May Our Lord God continue blessing all of you, your families, friends and acquaintances!"
+ Protopresbyter Father Rafael Melendez
Nutrition, mental health, and Orthodoxy
(YouTube) - Ms. Elizabeth Szlek explains that over the course time, treating patients suffering from trauma from an Orthodox Christian approach, she identified a whole category of mental health issues that were not related to trauma at all. With further research, she has recognized a strong link between nutritional deficiencies and mental health issues, leading her to pursue a degree in nutrition as well. Elizabeth shares her experience and study in this poorly-explored area of cross-research at Holy Trinity Seminary.
Father Daniel Sysoyev, pray for us!
The Reverend Father Daniel Sysoyev (1974-2009) was a young, married priest of the Church of Russia who was martyred in his church in southern Moscow by a Muslim fanatic during November 2009. More information on his life can be found here. As Sister Prosdoki from the Annunciation Monastery in Ormylia, Halkidiki Peninsula said, "It's high time you prayed not for Father Daniil, but to Father Daniil"
Podcast 1: The New Martyr Father Daniel and the Royal Path in the Mission of the Church
(AFR) - Father Peter spoke to a gathering of clergy and lay people in Athens recently and pointed to the witness of the new martyr of Moscow, the missionary priest Father Daniel Sysoev, as a model for mission work today. Father Daniel walked the "Royal Path" of the Church, avoiding two extremes, that of indifference to the person from the right and indifference to the Truth from the left.
Podcast 2: The Missionary Program of the New Martyr Fr. Daniel Sysoev
(AFR) - Fr. Peter Alban Heers examines the New Martyr Fr. Daniel Sysoev's spiritual and missionary program. Fr. Daniel is a great contemporary example of what a missionary can do and be, and his missionary school is an effort that can be replicated by pastors the world over.
Monday, November 18, 2013
St. Sophia Seminary restarting weekend classes
(UOC-USA) - Want to learn more about God’s plan for this world? Want to find out how He has worked through Ukrainian history and culture to bring believers to sainthood and salvation? Then this program is for you!
Classes in this three-year program meet one weekend a month throughout the Fall and Winter/Spring semesters and for one week of residency in the Summer.
The primary purpose of this program is to provide men and women who have a graduate degree in theology from somewhere other than St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Seminary with an educational experience that will allow them to better serve the parishes and people of the UOC-USA. However, you are all welcome to apply and you do not need to have any previous theological training to benefit! In fact, this program is appropriate for everyone who wants to learn more about the unique history, spirituality, and liturgical traditions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church!
Students who already have an advanced degree in theology that complete this program will graduate with a Master’s degree in Divinity; those who complete this program but have no other theological degree will be awarded a Licentiate in Divinity.
This is the same program that used to be called the “post-diaconal program” for late vocations. Whereas the St. Sophia’s Distance Learning program (set to start in Fall, 2014) and other pre-approved substitutes (e.g. the Antiochian St. Stephen’s Program) satisfy the educational requirements for the diaconate, this program provides the additional coursework necessary to satisfy the educational requirements for the priesthood. It must be noted that no program ever guarantees ordination to any rank.
Classes start in January! Contact V. Rev. Bazyl Zawierucha (Provost, Academic Dean) at zawierucha05@msn.com for more information and to receive an application.
Additional information: Two courses are offered each semester; each course is three semester hours; each semester hour costs $100.
Winter/Spring semester courses: “The History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church I” will be taught by Rev. Dn. Mychail Sawarynski; “Ecclesiastical Art and Architecture” will be taught by V. Rev. Bazyl Zawierucha. Additional instruction in Ukrainian Orthodox liturgics will be provided in conjunction with Vespers on Saturday evening and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning.
Winter/Spring semester details: Classes will meet at Holy Assumption parish in Northampton, PA from Friday @ 3PM - Sunday @ 1PM. Housing will be arranged. Students will be responsible for paying for their own meals. Course dates are: 1/24-26, 2/21-23, 3/21-23, 4/25-27, & 5/16-18.
Standing in worship
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(The Morning Offering) - Standing for worship has been the only acceptable posture for Orthodox Christians from the earliest of times. Through the discipline of standing we act as the faithful servants of the Lord, worshiping before the Throne. We recognize that the temple is not a place of entertainment, where we relax and take in a show, but the very place where we encounter our God. The Holy Apostle Paul tells us, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith" (I Cor. 16:13); and, "Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (Ephesians 6:14).
Christians should always be spiritually on guard, and even more so then when attending the divine services. When we stand for worship, we subject our bodies to the attention needed to properly and fully worship God with all our body, mind and soul. We offer ourselves to God as His humble servants, giving Him all our attention. When we become fatigued during long services we become living offerings to the very God we worship.
Saint Paul says, "Present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). And, the words of the Lord Himself, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses (Mark 11:25)."
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk addresses WCC
Met. Hilarion is usually good for an engaging speech. He has given another such good address below. It's worth reading both for its comprehensiveness and its insightfulness.
(WCC) - Address by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk,
Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate,
At the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches
Busan, the Republic of Korea, 1 November 2013
Your Holinesses and Beatitudes, Your Eminences and Graces, dear brothers and sisters, esteemed delegates of the Assembly,
The World Council of Churches has a long and rich history. Set up after the Second World War, the Council responded to the expectations of Christians of various confessions who strove to meet, to get to know each other and to work together. Over the sixty five years since the founding of the WCC, several generations of Christians belonging to religious communities that were cut off from each other have discovered for themselves the faith and life of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Many prejudices regarding other Christian traditions have been overcome, yet at the same time that which divides Christians to the present has been acknowledged ever more clearly and deeply. The greatest achievement of the Council has been those encounters, that well intentioned and mutual respectful inter-Christian communication, which has never allowed for compromises in the field of theology and morality and which has enabled us to remain true to ourselves and to bear witness to our faith, while at the same time growing in love for each other.
The World Council of Churches today remains a unique instrument of inter-Christian cooperation that has no analogy in the world. However, the question arises as to how effective this instrument is. We must note with some regret that, in spite of all of the efforts aimed at bringing Christians of various confessions closer to each other, within Christendom not only are the divisions of the past not disappearing, but new ones are arising. Many Christian communities continue to split up, whereas the number of communities that unite with one another is extremely small.
One of the problems which the WCC is encountering today is that of finances. It is said that it is connected with the world economic crisis. I cannot agree with this opinion. The experience of other international organizations, whose work is of general benefit and therefore needed, has shown that funding can often be found for noble goals. This means that the problem is not the economic crisis, but how relevant and important is the work of the WCC for today's international community, which is made up to a significant degree by, and at times, a majority of Christians.
The creation of the WCC was determined by the endeavour to find answers to the challenges of the post-War period. Yet in recent years the world has changed greatly, and today Christians from all over the world are facing new challenges. It is precisely upon how successfully we respond to these challenges that the need for our organization in the future depends. The contemporary situation demands from us more decisive action, greater cohesion and more dynamism. And yet it also demands a re-orientation of the basic direction of our work, a change in priorities in our discussions and deeds. While we continue to discuss our differences in the comfortable atmosphere of conferences and theological dialogues, the question resounds ever more resolutely: will Christian civilization survive at all?
In my address I would like to focus on two fundamental challenges which the Christian world today faces in varying degrees. The first is that of the militant secularism which is gathering strength in the so called developed countries, primarily in Europe and America. The second is that of radical Islamism that poses a threat to the very existence of Christianity in a number of regions of the world, mainly in the Middle East, but also in some parts of Asia and Africa.
Militant secularism in Europe has a long history going back to the period of the French revolution. But it is only in the twentieth century in the countries of the so called socialist bloc that godlessness was elevated to the level of state ideology. As regards the so called capitalist countries, they preserved to a significant degree the Christian traditions which shaped their cultural and moral identity.
Today these two worlds appear to have changed roles. In the countries of the former Soviet Union, in particular in Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia and Moldavia, an unprecedented religious revival is underway. In the Russian Orthodox Church over the past twenty five years there have been built or restored from ruins more than twenty five thousand churches. This means that a thousand churches a year have been opened, i.e. three churches a day. More than fifty theological institutes and eight hundred monasteries, each full with monks and nuns, have been opened.
In Western European countries we can observe the steady decline of the numbers of parishioners, a crisis in vocations, and monasteries and churches are being closed. The anti-Christian rhetoric of many politicians and statesmen becomes all the more open as they call for the total expulsion of religion from public life and the rejection of the basic moral norms common to all religious traditions.
The battle between the religious and secular worldview is today raging not in academic auditoriums or on the pages of newspapers. And the subject of the conflict is far from being exhausted by the question of belief or lack of belief in God. Today this clash has entered a new dimension and touches upon the fundamental aspects of the everyday life of the human person.
Militant secularism is aimed not only at religious holy sites and symbols by demanding that they be removed from the public domain. One of the main directions of its activity today is the straightforward destruction of traditional notions of marriage and the family. This is witnessed by the new phenomenon of equating homosexual unions with marriage and allowing single-sex couples to adopt children. From the point of view of biblical teaching and traditional Christian moral values, this testifies to a profound spiritual crisis. The religious understanding of sin has been conclusively eroded in societies that until recently thought of themselves as Christian.
Particularly alarming is the fact that we are dealing in this instance not only with a choice of ethics and worldview. Under the pretext of combating discrimination, a number of countries have introduced changes in family legislation. Over the past few years single-sex cohabitation has been legalized in a number of states in the USA, a number of Latin American countries and in New Zealand. This year homosexual unions have attained the legal status of 'marriage' in England and Wales and in France.
We have to state clearly that those countries that have recognized in law homosexual unions as one of the forms of marriage are taking a serious step towards the destruction of the very concept of marriage and the family. And this is happening in a situation where in many historically Christian countries the traditional family is enduring a serious crisis: the number of divorces is growing, the birthrate is declining catastrophically, the culture of a family upbringing is degraded, not to mention the prevalence of sexual relations outside of marriage, the increase in the number of abortions and the increase of children brought up without parents, even if those parents are still alive.
Instead of encouraging by all means possible traditional family values and supporting childbirth not only materially but also spiritually, the justification of the legitimacy of 'single-sex families' who bring up children has become the centre of public attention. As a result, the traditional social roles are eroded and swapped around. The notion of parents, i.e. of the father and the mother, of what is male and what is female, is radically altered. The female mother is losing her time-honoured role as guardian of the domestic hearth, while the male father is losing his role as educator of his children in being socially responsible. The family in its Christian understanding is falling apart to be replaced by such impersonal terms as 'parent number one' and parent number two'.
All of this cannot but have the most disastrous consequences for the upbringing of children. Children who are brought up in families with 'two fathers' or 'two mothers' will already have views on social and ethical values different from their contemporaries from traditional families.
One of the direct consequences of the radical reinterpretation of the concept of marriage is the serious demographic crisis which will only grow if these approaches are adhered to. Those politicians who are pushing the countries of the civilized world into the demographic abyss are in essence pronouncing upon their peoples a death sentence.
What is to be the response of the Christian Churches? I believe deeply this response can be none other than that which is based on Divine Revelation as handed down to us in the Bible. Scripture is the common foundation which unites all Christian confessions. We may have significant differences in the interpretation of Scripture, but we all possess the same Bible and its moral teaching is laid out quite unambiguously. Of course, we differ in the interpretation of certain biblical texts when they allow for a varied interpretation. Yet much in the Bible is stated quite unambiguously, namely that which proceeds from the mouth of God and retains its relevance for all subsequent ages. Among these divine sayings are many moral commandments, including those which concern family ethics.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Prosphorabakers Spyridon & Nicodemus of the Kiev Caves
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Troparion, Tone 4
While ye made loaves for the Eucharist with your own hands, with your mouths ye offered unceasing psalmody to the Lord as a sacrifice of praise, O blessed Spyridon and honored Nicodemus. Entreat Christ God together in behalf of our souls.
Kontakion, Tone 3
That thou mightest reveal thy burning love for the Lord, O wondrous Spyridon, with thy mantle thou didst stop up the mouth of the furnace which was burning mightily; and that thou mightest show forth the well-spring of the waters of the gifts of the Spirit which dwelt within thee, bearing water in thy robe thou didst extinguish the flame of the fire. Wherefore, as thou hast boldness before the Lord, ever pray with the blessed Nicodemus in behalf of us who hymn thee.
Pope meets with Russian Church representative Met Hilarion
(Rome Reports) - Pope Francis met with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of external relations for the Russian Orthodox Church. It's their second meeting. The first one took place after Pope Francis' first Mass as Pontiff.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
A handbook on Orthodoxy and ecumenism
(Ekklesia) - Orthodox and ecumenical scholars presented the Orthodox Handbook on Theological Education and Ecumenism at the World Council of Churches (WCC) 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea last week.
The work was coordinated by an editorial group from the different Orthodox and ecumenical organisations including the WCC and the Conference of European Churches along with a team from Volos Academy in Greece.
The Regnum Studies in Global Christianity publication explores the issues related to the understanding and practise of ecumenism that Orthodox churches struggle with, focusing particularly on churches in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
The series publishes studies that will help the global church learn not only from past and present, but also from provocative and prophetic voices for the future.
The editors and the publisher particularly hope that the series, which until now has published four major volumes on theological education, as a public space will encourage churches from the global South to make an important contribution to the shaping of a healthy future for world Christianity.
The editors are inviting theological seminaries and universities from around the world to submit relevant scholarly dissertations for possible publication in the series. It is hoped that the series will provide a forum for South-to-South as well as South-to-North dialogues.
The handbook will provide an essential new tool to work out proper teaching curriculums and essential readings for courses on relations to other churches, ecumenical dialogue and World Christianity in Orthodox churches.
The preparation of the resource book has been a project of the WCC Programme on Ecumenical Theological Education (WCC/ETE) in cooperation with the Conference of European Churches and Volos Academy. The handbook contains the contributions of 110 orthodox scholars within 900 pages.
* Studies in Global Christianity series on the Regnum Books website here.
* More from Ekklesia on the WCC and its 10th Assembly here.
Cypriot Church receives returned looted icons
NICOSIA, Cyprus (680 News) – The largest haul of looted, centuries-old church icons, frescoes and mosaics ever repatriated to Cyprus were officially welcomed Tuesday after a nearly four-decade journey.
A ceremony marked the return of the 173 items that were stolen from Orthodox and Maronite Christian churches in the Turkish Cypriot northern part Cyprus. The island was ethnically split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece.
“The Church of Cyprus is joyous that after 40 years, the largest number of stolen treasures is coming back home, to their homeland,” said Archbishop Chrysostomos II, the head of the island’s Orthodox Christian Church. Chrysostomos also thanked retired Pope Benedict XVI for his assistance in the repatriation.
The religious treasures will be put on display and undergo restoration at the Byzantine Museum flanking the Archbishopric in the capital Nicosia. Communications Minister Tasos Mitsopoulos said many items were severely damaged when looters removed them from churches and cut them into more easily transportable pieces.
Chrysostomos said the aim is that all treasures can be returned to places of worship in the north once a hoped-for political solution to the island’s division is reached.
Museum Director Ioannis Eliades said no monetary value can be put on the items including fragments of a 1,500-year-old mosaic depicting a clean-shaven St. Thomas and 1,100 year-old frescoes of unidentified saints.
The frescoes, from the church of Saint Solomone in the village of Komi tou Yialou, are the oldest of their kind in Cyprus which traces its roots in Christianity to the 1st century.
The Apostle Paul is said to have preached the gospel in A.D. 45 and converted the island’s Roman governor Sergius Paulus, the first head of a Roman territory to undergo conversion.
Other important works include the 14th century icons of the Virgin Mary the Merciful from the monastery of Saint John Chrysostom in the village of Koutsoventis and a 16th century icon of Saint Mark from Saint Andronikos Church in Kythrea village.
Police discovered the religious treasures in a 1997 raid on the apartment of Turkish art dealer Aydin Dikmen in Munich, Germany. The treasures remained in the custody of German authorities until a protracted court battle could prove the Cyprus Church’s ownership.
“I’m touched that such a large quantity of religious treasures have been returned,” German Ambassador to Cyprus Gabriela Guellil told The Associated Press.
The church says hundreds of religious artifacts were looted from churches in the island’s north and many have appeared on the black market in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.
Georgia and the monarchy
(Vestnik Kavkaza) - The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, partly owned by former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, published an article by Yelena Milashina headlined "The prince is growing up" devoted to the political situation in Georgia.
According to the author, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili's decision to choose Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili as his successor may be dangerous for the future of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition. Ivanishvili prefered Garibashvili to Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, one of the most influential Georgian politicians, because he doesn't trust professional bureaucrats and would rather see his former employee as the new prime minister (Garibashvili started his career working as a manager in Ivanishvili's company), the author writes.
However, Alasania and his supporrtes may not be happy with such a choice. If Alasania's Our Georgia - Free Democrats party leaves the coalition, the position of Georgian Dream and especially the Republican Party in Georgian politics will be shaken, Milashina writes.
This may be favourable for the opposition United National Movement party founded by Mikheil Saakashvili, she underlines. One should understand that Saakashvili's party is still the most massive and well-organized political party in the country.
In such a case Ivanishvili will have no other choice than to establish an alliance with far-right forces, whose power became obvious after the recent violent dispersal of the Tbilisi gay pride parade. Businessman Levon Vasadze, a vocal critic of the LGBT rights concept, is one of Ivanishvili's close friends, the author of the article underlines.
Vasadze is also a close associate of Georgian Patriarch Iliya II, the most popular public figure in the country, and the godfather of 2-year old Prince Georgy Bagration, the heir to the Georgian throne. Prince Georgy's parents represent both branches of the Bagrationi royal dynasty - the Mukhrani and the Gruzinsky, the author explains, hinting that the restoration of the monarchy may be Ivanishvili's best choice in order to remain in power, despite possible political tensions.
When the Church apologized
My wife holds a special devotion to St. Nektarios and so he features highly in the prayer life of our family. What many do not know is how persecuted he was throughout his life. It was truly atrocious and a heartbreaking read for anyone who takes the time to do so. The below outlines the circumstances surrounding the much deserved apology from the Patriarchate of Alexandria. From the blog Out of Egypt:
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On the 15th of September in the year 1998 the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria sent out an apology. Here is what they wrote:
“The Holy Spirit has enlightened the gathered members of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa, under the leadership of H.B. Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, more than a century since Saint Nektarios, the great Teacher and Father of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church was expelled from the Church of Alexandria, to reach the following decision:
Taking into account the resolution of the Church to rank Saint Nektarios amongst the saints because of his innumerable miracles and his acceptance within the religious conscience of Orthodox Christians throughout the world, we appeal to the mercy of the ever-charitable God. We hereby restore the ecclesiastical order of the Saint of our Century, Saint Nektarios, and grant to him all due credits and honors. We beseech Saint Nektarios to forgive both us, unworthy as we are, and our predecessors, our brothers of the Throne of Alexandria, for opposition to the Saint and for all which, due to human weakness or error, our Holy Father, Bishop of Pentapolis, Saint Nektarios, suffered.”
-PETROS VII Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
What led to this apology? Let’s find out…
Complete post here.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Jewish roots of Orthodox Christian worship
(YouTube) November 5, 2013. V.Rev. A. J. Bernstein, co-founder of Jews for Jesus and a long-time Orthodox priest, will present essential concepts of Christianity and how they evolved from Judaism, specifically within the context of Orthodox Christian worship.
*our apologies about the extra noise in the video -- there were construction workers in the basement and on the roof working on Phase 2 of the Expansion Project.
From heart to heart
This video is worth watching if only because it brings to light how emotionally and morally complicated the organ donation process is. It also shows the singularly wondrous love parents have for their children.
"There is No Sex in the Church!" - An Interview
Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov is the rector of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Orthodox Church in Mulino, Oregon and also a noted author of such titles as Break the Holy Bread, Master: A Theology of Communion Bread, Imagine That...: Mental Imagery in Roman Catholic and Easter Orthodox Private Devotion, among other works. There Is No Sex in the Church is his latest book and quite an intriguing read. Below is a short interview on this important tome, which is available here. Readers of this interview can use code 2F5G2Z7S at checkout for 10% off.
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This book is a collection of articles, papers and talks that I have written and given at various times and for various reasons. But the main and the newest piece, titled The Problematics of Orthodox Sexuality, was written as a reflection on some questions raised by young people. When I talk to young people about marriage and human sexuality--topics in which they are profoundly interested--I am keenly aware of the strange duality that exists in the Orthodox mindset. On the one hand, we celebrate the sacred union of man and wife, while at the same time we rely on the writings of the most ascetic of Fathers for advice on how the young couple is to build their life together. Even our standard morning and evening prayer rules are exclusively monastic and utterly and completely ignore that fact that the overwhelming majority of those who read the evening rule, for example, are not preparing for an all-night vigil in their hermit cells, but to lie in a marriage bed. Imagine, for example, that we were to use the advice of Saint Mary of Egypt in preparing meals for our family: "Take two and a half loaves of bread and eat a little until you gradually finish them after a few years. Then, for seventeen years, feed on herbs and all that can be found in the desert." Of course, no pastor of a sound mind would ever give this advice to a family--we seem to have enough common sense when it comes to food. But when it comes to marital sex, many continue to quote ascetic Fathers and virgins, as if somehow they have expertise on the matter. And it is this very phenomenon that interested me and prompted to write on the subject.
Among other books I have written are Break the Holy Bread, Master!: A Theology of Communion Bread, and Imagine That...: Mental Imagery in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Private Devotion. The first book examines the history, theology, and praxis of the use of sacramental bread in traditional Christianity. From the Last Supper to the Great Schism, and from Christology to ecclesiology and Christian anthropology, the symbolism of bread has dominated Christian history and belief. What kind of bread did Christ offer to His disciples at the Last Supper? Why do Roman Catholics and the Orthodox disagree on how to bake bread? What is the significance of the symbolism of bread for Christian theology and praxis? This book addresses these and many other questions. The second work examines the use of mental imagery in private devotion in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions of prayer. The research is based on the writing of the saints of the two Churches, as well as on analysis provided by some of the best theologians of the Russian Orthodox Church. The findings are to be used as a tool within the ecumenical dialogue between the two Churches. The core of the argument is that the two traditions followed significantly different paths in their approaches to spiritual life. These differences exist in many aspects of devotion. Both are available on amazon.com.
The topics you touch on in this book are quite sensitive. This is a hard thing to discuss with one's priest and people seem to come to conclusions about what is "allowed" on their own. Has this always been the case?
Of course I can only guess, but I do not think so. First, the Greco-Roman world in which Christianity first spread seemed to be quite comfortable with human sexuality and the human body. Greek art of that period appears to bear witness to very liberal and open attitudes of the Greeks toward sex. I would imagine that people were also very comfortable talking about sexuality. One may think that by the Middle Ages the situation was different, but even that can be questioned. There seems to be little if any evidence that medieval people lived as pious ascetics and at least some evidence that they did not. The peculiar preoccupation of confessors with lengthy lists of sexual behaviors about which they apparently inquired their parishioners may point to either the prevalence of those behaviors, or to some peculiar personal struggles of the confessors, or both. Whether every priest had a lengthy conversation about sex with every parishioner at every confession is not at all clear, but it is likely that parishioners did in fact discuss sexual matters with their pastors. Exactly what happened in the Russian Church in the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, or how the attitudes of the Puritan settlers in the United States affected their descendants who convert to Orthodoxy in the twenty-first may be an interesting study to undertake, but I feel that it is important to discuss these topics now.
It's striking how many of the prohibitions had their origins in countering pagan ideas and practices. I would think, lacking a historical understanding of what prompted these (sometimes rather odd) proscriptions, that one could easily assume the Church forbids something because it is sinful in itself and know nothing of the initial reasoning. The same could be said for a cursory reading of the Rudder on a whole host of concerns, sadly.
Indeed, many of the prohibitions have less to do with some inherent sinfulness of the act in question and more with things which are no longer understood by modern Christians. Much has been explained about the reasons for not being allowed to be in the same bath house with a Jew or to be treated by a doctor who is a Jew. But we are less comfortable talking about and exploring the origins of the prohibition against the "woman-on-top" sexual position. And if we continue to insist that it is sinful "just because," we are risking placing unnecessary and weird burdens on the shoulders of Christians or fostering an attitude of canonical relativism; either one would not be good.
In reading your second chapter (The Problematics of Orthodox Sexuality) you discuss the married state and holiness. Do you feel there is a misapprehension about the merits and reasoning behind a married couple living as "brother and sister" and/or about the married state as a method of sanctification in general?
Elevating the brother-and-sister model as somehow being the ideal state of marriage, is, in my view, misguided. This appears to imply that those living as husband and wife, rather than as brother and sister, are not reaching for the ideal or worse--living in a lesser or even somewhat sinful state. Put more simply, I do not believe that every monastic is necessarily a saint just by the virtue of being monastic, nor that the path to sanctity is closed to every lay person just because he or she is not a monastic. Monasticism and married life are different paths, and one is not necessarily better than the other. It is true that greenhouse flowers--monastics sheltered from the world by the walls of a cell--may grow larger and more colorful, and that wild flowers--lay Christians who struggle in the world--may not be so impressive at first glance. But the wild flowers are conditioned to withstand the harsh winds, rains, and droughts that would kill greenhouse plants; they are stronger, and some people prefer the wild beauty of field or alpine meadows over the manicured perfection of a greenhouse.
Given that we (in the main) draw our bishops from the monastic ranks and that particulars of marital relations are a decidedly non-monastic topic, how should the Church address the need to provide direction? Would this be a matter for the as yet unscheduled Great and Holy Council in consultation with married clergy advisers? Would anything less not seem to the laity like non-binding theologoumena?
First, I think that we need to be a little less squeamish about this topic. We all agree that discussion and instruction are of great value in Christianity. We expend much time, breath and ink teaching people about the Christian way of life: prayers, services of the Church, fasting, Scripture, and just about anything else. And yet we consistently hesitate to discuss a topic which is of great importance to any young adult and most older adults. Pastors who cover up their own inadequacies or outright ignorance by pretending that there is no sex in the Church or worse--by a high-browed "thou shalt not!" are failing their flock, most of whom will in fact engage in a sexual relationship at sometime in their lives. I am not in any way involved in preparations for the Great and Holy Council and do not know what will be discussed there, but I firmly believe that a comprehensive and affirmative theology of Christian marriage and sexuality is vitally necessary to safely guide our flock through the minefield of modern secular ideas which influence the minds of our young people whether we want to admit it or not. And in the absence of an intelligent Christian argument, the secular voice is the only one speaking to our children. Those who can read Russian, may find an excellent brief note by Vitalii Kaplan on this topic of great interest:here.
Your book also tackles the "gay marriage" issue and more broadly homosexuality in general. Things are moving apace in the same-sex union movement with something written about it almost daily both in large, international media outlets and in small local papers. Is there an easy answer to be had for the layman who wants to understand the Church's position on homosexuality as something other than opposing two people "in love" because of antiquated misconceptions about same-sex attraction?
Unfortunately, I do not have a good answer, and neither does anyone else as far as I know. In my book, I mentioned the difficulty of presenting a coherent Orthodox argument mostly because it does not seem to exist. What we have had thus far, was a two-pronged approach to the problem: 1) the Scripture clearly speaks against homosexuality, and 2) homosexuality is unnatural. The problem with this approach is that the Scripture also says, for example, that it is an "abomination" to eat shrimp (Leviticus 11:10)--the same word that Leviticus 18:22 uses for a homosexual act of lying "with a male as with a woman." And as for the unnatural aspect of homosexuality, there are many things that heterosexual couples do--such as using their feeding orifices for sexual and/or emotional gratification (otherwise knows as kissing)--that this argument simply falls flat is many ways. One of the main reasons for my book was to spark some serious theological work that could help formulate a coherent and convincing Orthodox response to the very successful homosexual movement of our time. I believe that we owe this to our children.
I very much agree, Father. Thanks for your time in answering the above questions. I hope this book does indeed spark conversation on the topic amongst our clergy and the laity as well. While not an "easy" book because of the sensitive nature of the topic, I hope many parishes add this title to their bookstore offerings. We can't ignore the questions asked and assume they will answer themselves in the minds of the faithful or future generations of believers.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
"Coffee with Sister Vassa" now an AFR podcast
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(AFR) - "Coffee with Sister Vassa” is a brief, 10-minute weekly program hosted by Sr. Dr. Vassa Larin, a nun of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and liturgiologist of the University of Vienna in Austria. The program offers an engaging reflection on the Orthodox Church calendar of the current week, including the lives of the saints, scriptural passages, the Orthodox liturgical tradition, and a light dose of humor.
Met. Methodios of Boston - clarion call for orthodoxy
(Patheos - Terry Mattingly) - It happens all the time: Church leaders stand at podiums and urge members of their flocks to go and share their faith, striving to win new converts.
These speeches rarely make news, because they are not unusual. But something very unusual happened earlier this month in Brookline, Mass.
“You will surely agree that our mission … is to lead our brothers and sisters — both inside and outside the church — to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” said the featured speaker.
“This is becoming more and more difficult because many hesitate to share their faith, fearing they will be considered quaint and bothersome. This is especially the case in America’s colleges and universities where atheism and indifference on matters of faith and religion reign supreme.”
This would be ordinary, if not tame language in a gathering held by Campus Crusade for Christ, the Southern Baptist Convention or any Bible Belt megachurch. But this speaker was Metropolitan Methodios, the white-haired leader of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston, addressing clergy and laity in a conference center dedicated to Greek culture.
The spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox believers in New England didn’t stop with this call to evangelize people inside and outside his flock’s sanctuaries. Instead, he directly challenged the lukewarm or even compromised version of the faith that may result from the media “bombardment of materialistic and hedonistic philosophies” that shape the public square.
All too often, he said, the result is neither orthodox nor Orthodox.
“People today fashion their personal beliefs by integrating Orthodox and non-Orthodox elements,” he explained, in the speech text posted online here (PDF). “Without realizing it, they become ‘cafeteria Christians.’ Just as they do not partake of every food item in a cafeteria line — but only those foods which they like — in the same way they feel they can pick and choose from what Orthodoxy teaches...
“Let me be clear: Core teachings of our faith are not subject to popularity polls or political correctness.”
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