tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post1579333207875019779..comments2024-03-22T11:37:52.668-05:00Comments on Byzantine, Texas: A univocal response to Abp. Elpidophoros from Mount AthosByzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-20430219136126022302022-07-30T18:22:22.426-05:002022-07-30T18:22:22.426-05:00Joseph, a serious answer to your question would ta...Joseph, a serious answer to your question would take seriously what their formative environment really is. These children are in the same ontological position as all other children raised in a non-Christian secular environment, which is unfortunately is the vast majority of children today in western civilization. Children born into Islamic, or Chinese, or fil_in_the_blank are in more or less the same position. <br /><br />These two children not only suffer from this usual situation, but also from two parents as well as grandparents and other extended family, Godparents/sponsors, and even an Archbishop that are actively trying to *reform* the Church into their own image - the theological anthropology of transhumanism and "love".<br /><br />Perhaps your correct (I pray you are) and that if they are brought to a parish, even if only once a year, the seed of Light in their darkened formation will be implanted. However the Church can't be the Church by performing "gay baptisms" or any other comprise with the world/darkness.<br /><br />The sacrament as it is normally performed recognizes all this, which is why we can recognize this reformational effort for what it was. Your generosity and concern for these children strikes me as impassioned (you really think anyone is saying they are "spawn of Satan"), to the point that you want to almost deny what really happed here, or at least justify it (e.g. as some extreme form of economia). Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16152024447008244670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-13394340995097831612022-07-29T10:18:31.175-05:002022-07-29T10:18:31.175-05:00So are these children ontologically orphans, a chi...So are these children ontologically orphans, a child of a single parent, or the spawn of Satan? I get the impression that there's a lot of votes for the later unfortunately.<br />Joseph Lipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10361879846966270399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-62429339579719066662022-07-28T23:08:59.262-05:002022-07-28T23:08:59.262-05:00The first paragraph makes the link (though it'...The first paragraph makes the link (though it's unfortunate the statement is not more explicit). The family, including the godparents, of the recent "gay baptism" make the link - they realize the symbolic (real, not nominal) and theological significance of their accomplishment and AB Elpidophoros actions. So much of western Christendom (certainly all the mainline protestants) has lived the link.<br /><br />Ontology trumps abstract distinction Joseph.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16152024447008244670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-35636690073410441102022-07-28T21:51:24.763-05:002022-07-28T21:51:24.763-05:00The statement from the Assembly of Bishops from 20...The statement from the Assembly of Bishops from 2015 was also unequivocally against same-sex couples adopting children, but just like the Athos statement, it did not say that those children couldn't be baptized in the Orthodox Church.<br />Joseph Lipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10361879846966270399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-284987133433645042022-07-28T21:38:52.290-05:002022-07-28T21:38:52.290-05:00Interesting that Athos doesn't criticize the c...Interesting that Athos doesn't criticize the controversial baptism in their statement. Instead, it is entirely geared towards saying that same-sex couples should not be allowed to adopt children in Greece.<br />Joseph Lipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10361879846966270399noreply@blogger.com