An aside on traditions

This post does not directly follow yesterday’s post on government. Rather, it is an aside on tradition that will help with our understanding of government. I am currently reading a fiction book for relaxation. It is set in old Russia at an indeterminate time. It is sometime after the arrival of Christianity, but far enough away from Kiev to still have a population that also follows the old gods.... [Read more]

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On the development of Great Lent

Every year about this time someone asks about Great Lent. When did it develop? How did it start? OK, here is the short story. Though some who read the Bible conclude that people were always baptized immediately after accepting the Lord, it was not necessarily that way for everyone who converted. Mind you, there is little doubt that there are quite a few immediate baptisms. But, you might be surprised... [Read more]

Paradosis is all Greek to me

On another blog, I have been having a discussion on the use of the word paradosis which is generally translated “tradition.” I posted on that word before. Go here to read that post. I thought I was done with those posts, but the other discussion has prompted me to cross post my answer below. While you do not see the discussion that has gone on before, I think you will still be able to understand... [Read more]

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Paradosis, an important Greek word, part 02

OK, reread the verses from yesterday. What differentiates a good tradition from a bad tradition? Well, just going by the verses from Scripture, the only difference was whether the tradition was taught by the Apostles or whether the tradition was taught by the Pharisees. Yes, I am oversimplifying but not as much as you may think. Look again at the verses. I have heard too many sermons that speak as... [Read more]

Paradosis, an important Greek word, part 01

It is sometimes worthwhile to do a word study, where one sees how a word is used in different contexts in Scripture. One such word is the Greek word paradosis, which the King James always translates as “tradition,” with one exception. And, that one exception was corrected in the New King James. So, why is it important to know how this word is used? Well, precisely because in the discussions... [Read more]

Not all tradition is Holy Tradition, paradosis ahead

From the movie Fiddler on the Roof (1971) [TEVYE] Tradition, tradition! Tradition! Tradition, tradition! Tradition! [TEVYE & PAPAS] Who, day and night, must scramble for a living, Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers? And who has the right, as master of the house, To have the final word at home? The Papa, the Papa! Tradition. The Papa, the Papa! Tradition. [GOLDE & MAMAS] Who... [Read more]

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Jewish liturgical year, last thoughts

Sometimes, when we discuss theology, we forget to look at the human historical elements of a situation. The funny thing is that centuries later, we will talk about that situation divorced from the humanity of what happened and then wonder why we cannot understand how on earth the situation could have wound up the way it did. Case in point: the “forgetfulness” of the Church with regard to... [Read more]

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Typology or Allegory and the Jewish Liturgical Year, part 04

What important fact has changed our view of history so that it led to a different conception of the Liturgical Year? I am sure I gave it away by that wording. That event is the Incarnation of Jesus Christ Our Lord, and his subsequent Death and Resurrection. History received a violent shock to itself. All human history is now oriented around two central foci. One foci is his Incarnation , and the changing... [Read more]

Typology or Allegory and the Jewish Liturgical Year, part 03

This will be a very short posting because today is Sunday. When we look at the Jewish Liturgical Year, at the Gospels, and at the Early Church Fathers, the Jewish Liturgical Year is seen as a foreshadowing of what Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself would do. And, thus, it was considered unnecessary to celebrate feasts of foreshadowing, when we can celebrate the reality of them. Which brings up the Christian... [Read more]

Typology or Allegory and the Jewish Liturgical Year, part 02

In the previous discussion I mentioned how allegory is regularly used within all branches of Christendom. Some use it more than others. For those who do not wish to admit that they use allegory, they rename it typology. As I commented on my previous post, allegory has some rather good antecedents, since it was Jesus Christ himself who cited Jonah as an example of what He was going to do. It was also... [Read more]