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On the Germans and financial responsibility

The next German government is almost certain to crack down on spending and drastically raise taxes after the lower house of parliament yesterday adopted measures that come close to banning budget deficits beyond 2016. Fr. Orthoduck wishes to comment that Germany is not known to be a very conservative country. The other way to put it is that there are many of Germany’s social policies that would... [Read more]

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On creeds and what is important

So, why were certain things left out of the creeds (see my previous post)? I really liked the two replies that I received for some of the reasons listed. Let’s summarize: I agree with David. The creeds were responses to circumstances at their time and place. They dealt with then current controversies. There is usually no reason to write a creed about something which is not a problem because... [Read more]

On undefined places in the Nicene Creed

We recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday in the Orthodox Church. You all know it. In the original version it reads: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence... [Read more]

Dogs in heaven?

How do you answer a child’s question about his or her pet? All of us who have given life to a little one sooner or later are faced with this question. And, if we have been good Christian parents, we have taught our ducklings (err children) about heaven. We have taught them that there is a life after this one, a life that will be better than this one. Particularly if grampa or granma has died,... [Read more]

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Some final thoughts on penology

I will stop here on the subject of penology, but there is more that could be said. Let me just make a couple of final comments. Yes, I do believe in incarceration for some. There really truly are evil people who need to be taken away from society, who make society significantly less safe by being out and about. There are also some truly damaged people who are, perhaps, best served by being kept in... [Read more]

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The Bible and penology

In the previous post I received a comment about crime being a moral problem. That is absolutely correct with a very important caveat. Crime is a moral problem unless the law itself is immoral. Think about both the Soviet era and Nazi era laws that required citizens to turn in otherwise moral people based on their religion. In the same vein think about when St. Peter and St. John were dragged... [Read more]

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The penitentiary movement and harm to this culture

As I wrote on my post for 21 May, the original penitentiary movement was meant to do away with cruel and unusual punishment and replace it with a system based on Christian thought and oriented towards rehabilitation. In fact, there are three words that are often found in discussions of our prison system: Rehabilitation — the restoration of someone to a useful place in society Retribution... [Read more]

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Fr. Paul Moses

About five months ago I wrote a post called, And the Bishop Cried. In it I reported about our bishop’s reaction to the news that one of my fellow priests, The Very Rev. Fr. Paul Moses, had terminal cancer and was expected to last only four months. He actually lasted five and a half months. Tonight, I received the news of his death. It is appropriate that he passes away during Pascha season. “Christ... [Read more]

A book that should never be written

Kudos to iMonk for finding this YouTube video.  Read More →

Orthodox books that will never be written

Every so often Father Orthoduck thinks about books that he could write. Below are some of the titles that have come to mind. Orthodox beards: their care and upkeep Swinging the wild censer — synchronized censer swinging for the rhythm impaired. Evangelical put-downs — how to make sure no non-Orthodox ever listens to you. Monastic chanting for the ADD generation — five simple chants... [Read more]