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September
30, 2002
Candles, incense and silent vigil: The liturgy of the heart
It was Fr. Peter Gillquist who, while still a Protestant, came to
understand that the first Christians of the New Testament were indeed
using pre-set and pre-determined liturgical prayer in their worship
services. This was a major personal realization for Fr. Gillquist that
helped him come further along the road to Orthodoxy with its beautiful
liturgical expression. But we really don't need theological or
historical "evidence" of our very real human need for liturgy in our
lives. We only need look around to see what happens when tragedy strikes
people . . .
more
September 22, 2002
That Which Is Not Yet Good...
Saint Maximos the Confessor has written: "Fasting and vigils, prayer
and psalmody, acts of charity and hospitality are by nature good, but
when performed for the sake of self-esteem they are not good. In
everything that we do, God searches out our purpose to see whether we do
it for Him or for some other motive". Do these
words trouble us? more
September 18, 2002
More
Letters to Theophilus:
(32) Religions, (33) Inner Self and Outer Self, (34) Miracles and (35)
Personhood and Freedom
September 16, 2002
Saint Amphilokhy of Pochaiv: Holiness for modern times
The feast of the Pochaiv Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated
during that of her Nativity. The great saint associated with Pochaiv is
the Venerable Job, much-hymned in the popular as well as religious songs
and poetry of Ukraine. A recent addition to the roster of the Saints of
Volyn also from the Pochaiv monastery serves to highlight more
contemporary struggles of Christians and how to meet the challenges they
pose. more
September 10, 2002
Two questions from visitors:
- I read about what
takes place in an orthodox wedding ceremony, my question to you is,
can a father walk a daughter down the aisle or is that allowed?
see answer
-
My husband and I have recently
received the following invitation to attend a home for a video
on discussion. The invitations states that they will be showing
a video series called "The Alpha Course" together with small
group discussions. During the meal they will view a video with
Nicky Gumbel, the international leader of the Alpha Course. His
talk is titled "Christianity: Boring, Untrue, and Irrelevant?"
Following the video and discussion you will have the opportunity
to register for the course.
After looking into "The Alpha
Course" on the internet we have found a vast amount of
information both in support of and against the "Alpha Course".
My husband and I have decided we
are comfortable in our Orthodox Faith and we do not wish to
attend this discussion. However we are curious, what is the
Orthodox view on "The Alpha Course" and "Nicky Gumbel".
see answer
September 9, 2002
3 questions on the book, "The
Orthodox Church" 1963 edition, by
Bishop Ware.
1) Does the Orthodox Church believe in
"binding" or "sealing" generations
together? I heard that pp. 260-61 of
the book I mentioned teaches this. Please
clarify.
2) Does the Orthodox Church really
believe in the pre-existence, as Bishop
Ware's book teaches on page 247?
3) Are we really spirtual offspring of
God, like the book states in and
around pp. 224 & 237?
see answer
A visitor's question:
How does the Orthodox Church treat experiences that people
have with their unborn
children? I know that Orthodoxy don't believe in the
pre-existence of souls,
but how about the pre-existence of spirits?
see answer
September 5, 2002
Three questions from a visitor:
1) Does Orthodoxy believe that man is made of up
body, soul, and spirit or body and soul?
2) What is the importance of recieving a "new name" during the Holy
Matrimony ceremony? 3)
Is our soul passed down from our parents or created immediately by God?
see answers
September 4, 2002
A visitor's question
I heard that the
Ethiopian Church uses Prayer
shawls? Can you tell me
something about this pratice? what they are how you use
them what they look like and where one
could obtain one?
see answer
September 3, 2002
A visitor's question:
I'm confused - can you tell me what the
main differences are between Ukrainian Catholic
and Roman Catholic? Also, what are the main differences
between Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox? Are there
different belief systems/customs/practices?
see answer
September 2, 2002
Please note that the calendar
file available for downloading is now in a .cvs format. This means that
the file can now be installed into other calendar programs as well as
Outlook. Calendars now available:
September
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