A reminder of the treasure and blessings we have been entrusted with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj4pUphDitA
Orthodox Christianity
The Task of Orthodox Theology in America Today
OrthodoxNet.com | Fr. Alexander Schmemann | September 26, 1966
WHAT DO WE MEAN when we speak of the Orthodox theological task in America today? It is proper to begin with this question because the title of my paper may seem to suggest a theological orientation of which Orthodoxy is suspicious, but which seems to predominate in the West today. It is the reduction of theology to a given “situation” or “age,” a stress on “relevance” understood almost exclusively as a dependence of theology, its task, method and language on the “modern man” and his specifically modern “needs.”
From the beginning, therefore, we must emphasize that Orthodoxy rejects such a reduction of theology, whose first and eternal tasks is to search for Truth, not for relevance, for words “adequate to God” (theoprepeis logoi), not to man. Theology is truly relevant because it is truly Christian when it remains a scandal for the Jews, foolishness for the Greeks and is at odds with this world and its passing “cultures” and “modernities.”
Orthodox mission in the 21st century
Notes from the Underground | Dn. Stephen Hayes | April 27, 2007
This post is from the concluding chapter of my thesis on “Orthodox mission methods”, submitted in 1998. I have posted it mainly as a follow-up to the previous post and comments, especially the comments by Phil Johnson, on monasticism and utilitarianism.
Orthodox churches experiencing a resurgence
Seattle Times Janet I. Tu April 6, 2007
Sean Dimond, a 39-year-old Seattleite who works for a nonprofit organization, grew up Southern Baptist and, through the years, has attended Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Catholic and evangelical churches.
Two must reads this Paschal (Easter) season
First of all, why “Paschal”? The word comes from Pascha which means Passover and is the proper term for the resurrection of Christ. Christ is the “Paschal Lamb” (Passover Lamb). Think of John the Baptist’s words when he first laid eyes on Christ: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” To a first century Jew, the term “Lamb of God” would powerfully recall Exodus, when the angel of death passed over the homes of the Children of Abraham and the Egyptians during the final plague and killed all the first born sons of the families who did not place the blood of the unblemished lamb on their door posts. “Easter” is a later import and is not a historically proper term.
In any case, read these two articles about Pascha in Dachau:
Dachau 1945: The Souls of All Are Aflame
Crisis in Indonesia
NEWS FROM THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER (OCMC)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Crisis in Indonesia – March 19, 2007
The Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia (Ecumenical Patriarchate) wishes to issue the following statement, concerning situations in Indonesia.
The Orthodox Christians in Indonesia have joined the list of those attacked by Muslim extremists. Father Methodios Sri Gunarjo, his family and other Orthodox were terrorized and threatened this past weekend. Although there are no reports of physical harm at this point, the verbal, psychological and other forms of abuse continue. At one point, a knife was put to the throat of Father Methodios, as his attackers demanded that he close the Churches in the Boyolali area of Central Java. It should be noted that there is a thriving ministry in this area.
A Journey That Will Come Full Circle and End With a Ring
New York Times (free registration required) Sergei Kivrin March 21, 2007
At the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, Hierodeacon Roman, a bell ringer, may be able ring the tower’s original bells by next year.
MOSCOW, March 20 — The bells of Lowell House at Harvard — so much a part of the university’s tradition that they have their own society of bell ringers — will soon return to the Russian monastery from which they were sold more than 70 years ago.
The Russian Orthodox Church and the university announced a final agreement on Tuesday to move the bells next year to Danilov Monastery, the residence of the Russian patriarch, after a replacement set for Harvard is completed.
The bells have become a symbol for the resurgence of the Orthodox Church and its drive, much like Russia’s, to reclaim its former glory.
Detroit A Foothold for Christian Orthodox Resurgence
Serbianna.com January 25, 2007
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit is emerging as a national center for the rebirth of Orthodox Christian churches, which have deep ethnic roots in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Lefty political groups fund NCC
The Institute on Religion and Democracy released their report Yokefellows that examines the funding sources for the National Council of Churches (NCC). It’s not pretty. The Tides Foundation and other leftwing groups contribute a good chunk of change. Read the Executive Summary.
I got an advance copy a month or so ago. Read my comments.