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Christianity Today on grace

Thanks to another blog, I was linked to the following quote from an article in the online version of Christianity Today. Those steeped in the grace of God know there is no difference between freedom and obedience, and that the spiritual life is all about being compelled. Jeremiah says he cannot hold in the message God has given him (Jer. 20:9). Paul feels obligated to preach to Gentiles (Rom. 1:14).... [Read more]

Lenten reading material

Let’s take a break from the philosophy of science and think about Lent. With full permission from Orthocath, below is his post on readings that will both help improve your Lenten observance and help deepen your understanding of Orthodoxy as well as broadening your faith: A good discipline to develop during Great Lent is to devote oneself to more spiritual reading. First, one should devote more... [Read more]

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Roman Catholic and Orthodox differences on Original Sin

In a couple of the last posts there has been an ongoing discussion of the differences in the concept of Original Sin between Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy. So, let me put a couple of citations from the Wikipedia that may help people to see the differences. Why from the Wikipedia? Well, because they are better at summarizing than theologians.   I am aware that any summary always is insufficient,... [Read more]

Never Ceese and Augustinian Original Sin

So, you do not know why the book, Never Ceese, fits the worldview of Roman Catholic Christianity? Well, let Father Orthoduck tell you. But, let Father Orthoduck warn you that there is some heavy theology ahead. OK, here is the theology. All Christians agree that the Fall has damaged humanity, but they do not agree on what it all means.  Both the East and the West agree that Free Will has been damaged,... [Read more]

The American Revolution and morality, part 03

Now having said what I said on the first two posts in this series, you might assume that I am against any possibility of revolution. But, that would be wrong. My question was whether one could develop any Christian theology of a just revolution. And, I have pointed out that this is a very difficult subject and that there are several conservative theologians who doubt that the American Revolution qualifies... [Read more]

The American Revolution and morality, part 02

Now some of you may be thinking that to question the morality of the American Revolution has to be some type of strike against conservative Christians or some attempt to do away with the idea that the USA is a Christian country. But, it may surprise you to know that the question has been raised by some of the most reliably conservative Christians in the USA, in a book written by a professor from Liberty... [Read more]

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The American Revolution — was it moral?

Father Greg and I have both posted on our respective blogs on the issue of just revolution lately. When is a revolution moral by Christian standards? This is very important because the claim of many of us is that the USA has a basic Christian foundation. I think that it is beyond the shadow of a doubt that the cultural milieu within which the American colonies were founded was mostly one of either... [Read more]

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On Romans 13 and government

Copied below is a comment from the previous post that I have moved up to be a main post because it brings up several good issues.  I have slightly edited it to remove comments that refer to another blogger. The comments are from Fr. Greg, who has his own blog. First, regarding the legitimacy of government in general: That government, in general, is legitimate is well-attested, not only in Romans,... [Read more]

The Imperfect Lady, our Mother, the Church

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Yesterday, I answered a note from a person who asked me about the Church, and it... [Read more]

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Danny Glover says global warming caused earthquake, Huffington Post takes him on

Forty-eight hours ago, Father Orthoduck apologized for Pat Robertson’s remarks concerning a curse being the cause of the Haiti earthquake. One of the readers lamented that he was about to go to a convention where he would get lambasted for those comments by people who love to put down Christianity. Another reader commented that he could simply answer with Danny Glover’s rant that blamed... [Read more]

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