Call No Man “Father”
Like many Orthodox clergy, I have lost track of the number of times my Protestant brethren have objected to the priestly title (in my case, “Father Lawrence”), citing the Bible which commands that they…
Reflections in Christ
Banquet Remarks on the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, and the Enthronement of Bishop Daniel
I greet you with joy on this holy occasion. And I thank you all for your gracious hospitality. I do not intend to speak at length, but I hope you will allow me to reflect brief…
Exhortation at the Conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, and the Enthronement of Bishop Daniel
Your Grace Bishop Daniel, I greet you today with joy, joy for you and joy for your flock. But it is not just I who have come to visit the cathedral for your enthronement. ...
Homily at the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, and the Enthronement of Bishop Daniel
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Beloved brothers and beloved children in the Lord: ‘Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church, and with choirs of saints she…’
Remarks for Beginning of the School Year at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary
A Continued Pentecost
In the late Metropolitan Kallistos Ware’s classic The Orthodox Church, he describes the Church as “a continued Pentecost”. This is true, but it is important not to misunderstand his…
On the Wearing of Church Vestments: Do Clothes Make the Man?
One of the first things that clergy do after entering the church on Sunday morning for Divine Liturgy is to put on special clothes called “vestments”. They are highly stylized…
Overturning Everything
Thinking about the Atonement: the New Testament
In my last piece I discussed the Old Testament view of the atonement. Here I would examine the New Testament understanding of the atonement. ...
Thinking about the Atonement: the Old Testament
It is perhaps significant that there is no obvious and complete explanation of atonement and how it functioned in the Bible. My guess is that this was because it was too obvious to the ancients to require…