Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. When I was a child, I can remember jokes […]
A small defense of the Calvinists
Having jumped on the Calvinists on the issue of the Early Church Fathers and history, I thought it would be only fair to mount a small defense of Calvinists on one issue. Calvinists are regularly accused of agreeing with the phrase that is so often heard in the South, “once saved, always saved.” It is […]
Please be careful this New Year’s Eve
More Comment Graphics Yes, this is a rough graphic. I meant for it to be a rough graphic. I looked for a rough graphic on the Internet, one that I could reprint here. Too many of our high school and college youth think it is funny to end up completely wasted. They do not see […]
The Nativity Sermon of St. John Chrysostom
I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn! The angels sing!  The archangels blend their voices in harmony! The cherubim resound their joyful praise!    The seraphim exult His glory! All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead […]
Remember Real Life
None of us spend full-time blogging. We all relate to the world outside our house, outside our windows. Sometimes, however, in the midst of our blogging, in the midst of our disputes, we tend to forget that most of the people with whom we are involved neither know nor care about the things that seem […]
Oh, the games people play
So, I had CNN on in the background yesterday while I worked on a recalcitrant computer. And, it was hurricane coverage unending. All of a sudden I found myself watching as they reported on the levees. Earlier, it had been said that the water was splashing over, so I was interested. The reporter said the […]
Rabbinical prayer
I listened to the invocation at the beginning of the Democratic national convention tonight. I was impressed by the rabbi’s prayer. Of course, it was the mandatory general prayer that would not offend. Nevertheless, he managed to slip one or two good phrases in there. My favorite was the one where he prayed for civility […]
I desire mercy and not sacrifice. . ., part 3
So, how does one apply the concept of oeconomia? As we used to say, that is where the rubber meets the road.” Among us, it is the bishops who ultimately apply the concept of oeconomia, sometimes acting alone and sometimes in concert. Even when a priest, deacon, or layperson applies the concept of oeconomia, he […]
I desire mercy and not sacrifice. . ., part 2
In order for oeconomia to work properly, there needs to be an understanding of what it is and what it is not. Oeconomia is not a simple relaxation of the rules, as though either a priest or a bishop were winking at you, patting you on the shoulder, and telling you that it is all […]
I desire mercy and not sacrifice . . ., part 1
And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!†But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, […]
