Patristic tradition made a distinction between “theology” and other forms of discourse. Theology spoke of God: the being, interpersonal relationships and saving purpose of the Holy Trinity. Other matters fell outside the...
How far we have come from that understanding of the purpose of “theology” in the life of the Church! The term implies a divine word, one that derives from and speaks with awesome wonder of the God who is beyond all language...
A very active and faithful member of our parish came by the other day and we talked for a while. As she left, she asked a familiar and awfully difficult question: “What translation of the Bible should I read?” In reply, I...
Orthodox Christians have always known theirs to be a “biblical Church.” The Bible play a key role in virtually every aspect of our life, from personal meditation to the public Liturgy and mission outreach.
Yet it is true...
Last night I read an article by a well-known Anglican theologian that pointed up the radical difference in world-view that separates him, and people who think as he does, from the Orthodoxy that I treasure.
Well crafted and...
The previous column in this space arose out of a concern for balance in our preaching and teaching of the Gospel, whether from the ambon of our churches, in Bible study groups, or at our children’s (and grandchildren’s)...
In a world marked by such things as childhood trauma, terrorist attacks and a collapsing economy, the anxiety level is understandably high.
We have structured our lives in such a way as to shield ourselves as much as...
Orthodox Christian life is filled with paradoxes, what the Holy Fathers referred to as antinomies: conflicts between two principles, laws or truths that seem equally valid. An example would be “bondage to sin” and “freedom...
There is an extraordinary beauty in Orthodox trinitarian theology. I all too easily lose sight of that beauty, but it came back to me again the other day after a conversation I had with a non-Orthodox friend.
To his mind,...
I don’t have nightmares very often, but when I do, I wish I hadn’t.
Waking up in a cold sweat, heart pounding away, feeling totally vulnerable—but to what? Often I can’t even remember what I was dreaming about, or if I...