Saint Onuphrius flourished in the fourth century, first in the cenobium near Hermopolis of Thebes in Egypt, and later as a solitary in the desert, where he was discovered by Saint Paphnutius. When Paphnutius first encountered him deep in the desert, he was affrighted at the Saint’s appearance, seeing him covered with hair like a […]
Archives for 2018
On Constantine and Western ethnocentrism
Recently, I posted a meme that began a discussion concerning Constantine I and the silliness of the argument that is made about how Constantine I somehow stole the Church. This was in spite of the fact that the Church has successfully resisted imperial attempts to excise it for 2 1/2 centuries. As one person who […]
Some illogical statements on Constantine
The meme above was recently making the rounds. Most memes are rather logically-challenged. This particular meme actually has maintained a fair degree of logical consistency. It is, of course, too short to deal with complexity, but it summarizes well the argument that is used by the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, and the Oriental Orthodox. […]
Perseverance of the Saints vs Preservation of the Saints
Recently I wrote an article on the similarity between the Calvinist doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints and the Orthodox doctrine of the ability to lose one’s salvation. In either case, the emphasis is on the idea that a Christian is one who perseveres through to the end. In the case of a Calvinist, […]
On police being killed and civilians killed by police
There have been lots of news for the last several years of both law enforcement officers being killed and law enforcement officers inappropriately killing civilians. If you were to watch any, and all, of the cable news, you would say that the rate of killings of both law enforcement officers and by law enforcement officers […]
So, it is Summer!
“However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So, He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed,” (Luke 5:15-16). There are many Scriptures that speak of Our Lord Jesus withdrawing to pray. All the Evangelists, in […]
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus and say, “He died for all.” — Hymn, There Is A Balm in Gilead “Love can be sacrificial, and in so doing, it becomes redemptive.” — Bishop Michael Bruce Curry OK, I admit to being a bit of an […]
Depends on how one defines “once saved always saved.”
The term “once saved always saved” is used frequently among various–but not all–Evangelicals in English-speaking countries. The concept, however, is treated in one of two ways. While the Orthodox would agree with neither way, it may surprise you to learn that we would be closer to the way once-saved-always-saved is used in the T.U.L.I.P acrostic […]
New Embassy in Jerusalem, yes!
I just watched the opening of the USA Embassy in Jerusalem. It is a move with which I agree. I am not the only socially progressive person to also agree. I listened with interest to a Congressman who is a Bernie Sanders backer who also agreed with the move. I know that the USA has […]
On war and healing
The Opposite of War is Not Peace — What the Orthodox Byzantines retained was an older Greek notion that war inevitably damages the soul. Even in a just cause, in self-defense or to protect innocents, participation in war still harms the soul in some measure. And so I came to the realization that the Byzantine […]
