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Posts from 1850′s southern arguments part 02

This will be a quick post, since I am at an Econolodge on the way to the diocesan conference. Let me do a quick cut and paste from the Wikipidea on a movement that has had much influence in American Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism. That movement is Christian Reconstructionism. Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Protestant Christianity that calls for Christians... [Read more]

Posts from 1850′s southern arguments part 01

This week I am at the diocesan conference. So, I am going to publish some excerpts from a book in the public domain. I do not agree with the arguments in the book. If I can, I will make some comments, but, mainly, I want you to see the exegetical arguments used, and see if they resemble anything in use today. Again, let me repeat, I do not agree with the arguments in the book. You are likely to see... [Read more]

Evangelism and the Orthodox

I work in a mission church. We are short of money. I have been unsuccessfully looking for a job that will allow me to be a priest for a year now with an incredible lack of success. Our mission is running out of money and in less than a year they will not be able to support me. So, why do I do it? St. Paul makes an interesting statement.: For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity... [Read more]

On learning humility

Abba David said, “Abba Arsenius told us the following, as though it referred to someone else, but in fact it referred to himself. An old man was sitting in his cell and a voice came to him which said, ‘Come, and I will show you the works of men.’ He got up and followed. The voice led him to a certain place and showed him an Ethiopian cutting wood and making a great pile. He struggled... [Read more]

Two more desert fathers stories

They said of Abba Macarius the Great that he became, as it is written, a god upon earth, because, just as God protects the world, so Abba Macarius would cover the faults which he saw, as though he did not see them; and those which he heard, as though he did not hear them. ========== Some of the monks who are called Euchites went to Enaton to see Abba Lucius. The old man asked them, “What is... [Read more]

On what the Desert Fathers in yesterday’s post have in common

Adhunt was right, humility was what all those Desert Fathers have in common. But, let me go on and make a couple of more comments. You may need to refer back to yesterday’s post as you read my further comments. Abba Joseph said, “If you will, you can become all flame.” The command to be perfect is one that Our Lord expected we would obey and follow. That is why St. Paul said, “For... [Read more]

On Desert Father stories

Desert Father stories tend to belong to a genre of literature called wisdom stories. The purpose of the stories does not tend to be doctrinal, though there are exceptions, but practical. They teach you how to live the Christian life, how to think and behave not only “Christianly” but in a generally ethical manner as well. Like many of Jesus’ parables, the stories of the Desert Fathers... [Read more]

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What do these Desert Fathers have in common?

Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, “Abba as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?”‘ then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, “If you will, you can become all... [Read more]

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Why do we use bread and wine?

If you read the controversy in St. John 6, you know of the revulsion that the Jews felt when Jesus told them that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. However, I found the following description from the Desert Fathers to be even more graphic on our use of bread and wine. This is what Abba Daniel, the Pharanite, said: Our Father Abba Arsenius told us of an inhabitant of Scetis, of notable life... [Read more]

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Synaxarion of Pascha

Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh, so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow, because of the law which forbids work on the day of the Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours... [Read more]