Sometimes we get so busy arguing with each other that we fail to realize the similarities in some of our approaches. Let’s take the issue of baptism. Should we baptize infants or should we not? Now, let me tell you ahead of time that I am fully and totally convinced that infant baptism is both […]
Archives for January 2009
Description of too many Christians
Sometimes, the world of fiction gives us descriptions that are more incisive than many a theological description. Read the following excerpt from a fiction book that I am reading. The book is based in very early 20th century England, before WWI. But, see if the description does not actually fit far too many Christians of […]
Power encounters and missionaries
When my wife and I were planning to go to missions, we had to read all the mission literature. At that time, one of the big theories was the “power encounter.” What is the power encounter? Basically, it is a demonstration of God’s power that allows the missionary to overcome the cultural and other resistances […]
The poor teach us
The poor teach us. No, no, no, I am not talking some of the sloppy sentimentality that passes for serious thinking in too much of the Hollywood set. Rather, today I am thinking about the example of a friend of mine. In southern Peru, I was field director of a region. I had two indigenous […]
Fr. Ernesto . . . take off your shoes
Today I had a “take off your shoes” moment. Through an unexpected series of events, I was suddenly invited at the end of last week to go to Kansas City to attend a convocation of people involved in various Orthodox charities. But, even to say “Orthodox charities” is misleading because it lets you picture a […]
Can we tell the difference between religiosity and spirituality?
A fellow blogger described the relationship between depression and the unending search for the right church. But that brought up a slightly different twist in my mind. How do you tell the difference between religiosity and spirituality? Internetmonk well described how depression can lead to an unending search for the Truth. In fact, part of […]
Travel Day
Today is a car travel day as I return home. May the Lord bless all of you and prepare you for the Lord’s Day. For today, I will simply include a copy of Metropolitan Jonah’s message for Sanctity of Life Sunday. It is one of the most balanced pro-life messages that I have seen. === […]
The Orthodox and icons
I was recently asked a question concerning art and Christianity. I made some comments in a couple of e-mails. I reprint those e-mails here, having removed all identifying information, and having done some mild editing because I think it expresses a small part of what icons are to us. ===== The Eastern Orthodox do tend […]
Please Lord, do not let me repeat today!
Have you ever had one of those days where it seems as though the words in your mouth as you go to sleep are the simple prayer, “Please Lord, do not let me repeat today!”? Well, yesterday was certainly one of those days for me. I am on a trip to one of my diocese’s […]
Lack of theological discipleship: casualties by friendly fire
Thesis: We have the tendency, left without theological discipleship and accountability, to make God into who we think he ought to be. When that version of him fails, it is not as if the true version has failed, but only the version we created. Therefore, we have not really left God in a proper sense, […]
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