St. Stephen's Musings

2005-02-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

An Extended Sabbatical

"Then Frodo kissed Merry and Pippin, and last of all Sam, and went abroad; and the sails were drawn up, and the wind blew, and slowly the ship slipped away down the long grey firth; and the light of the glass of Galadriel that Frodo bore glimmered and was lost. And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed on into the West, until at last one night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise..."

The destruction of the Ring of Power did for Frodo what Kirsten's birth is doing for me. I am only now beginning to understand how truly revolutionary are the ramifications.

As I get older my admiration has increased for those like Frodo--souls who, to quote St. Maximus the Confessor, "understand the created essence of things" and because of this illumination know that, as Ecclesiastes notes, God "has made everything beautiful in its time yet He also has put eternity into man's mind."

There is an important "both/and" at work here. There are many places, such as the Shire, where good friends, stimulating discussion and community can be found. Yet there comes a point where, in spite of (and, paradoxically, because of) these things, one must leave for "white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise..."

It is this philosophy that forms the foundation for my decision to take an extended sabbatical from St. Stephen's Musings.

Since November of 2002, I have spent countless hours constructing posts, expressing ideas, and responding to comments. For the most part, I have found blogging a very positive experience. Some of my best writing can be found in the archives of this blog. I've been able to wrestle with the topics of the masthead in ways I would have never been able to otherwise. I've corresponded with and met amazing, talented, and insightful people because of blogging and my life would be impoverished without them.

For quite some time, all that is good about blogging was persuasive enough to stave off what I always knew to be inevitable. But life beyond the Middle Earth we call "the blogosphere" always beckons, and the intensity of this call has grown to the point where I can neither ignore nor postpone action any longer. Kirsten's birth, in some ways, is merely the catalyst.

There is a life of deeper prayer to develop, battles with passions to more fully engage, a growing list of books to read, a university degree to hopefully finish, Latin students to teach, long walks to take...and, of course, a wife and newborn daughter to love and cherish. At this point I am faced with the hard truth that I am unable to give my best to these endeavors and vocations while simultaneously meeting the demands facing me as the man behind St. Stephen's Musings.

I'll still be regularly reading many of the blogs on my roll, and you'll no doubt see me in the commenting threads from time to time. Chances are, I'll be back blogging regularly again in the near future.

But for now, I must bid you farewell.

It is time.

2005-01-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

We Are Home

All of Kirsten's vital signs, blood work, and lab results came back and there was nothing but good news to report! She and mom were discharged from the hospital Saturday afternoon and have both taken to breast-feeding perfectly. We are all tired but handling this parenthood thing pretty well so far!

Many of you may have seen the letter I sent out, but here it is in an expanded and edited format:

Kirsten Anysia Ioanna Thienes, was born Tuesday evening at 5:20pm by emergency cesarean under truly miraculous circumstances. Truly, God was glorified!

Even though she was born post-term, Kirsten was a tiny 5 lbs/ 6 oz and 18 inches at birth. When Kirsten was born:

a) she had a non-functioning and discolored umbilical cord that was half the size it should have been
b) the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around her neck twice, her shoulder, and her abdomen
c) she had a fully expired placenta
d) she emerged from the womb so covered and full of meconium that the two chief doctor's at the birth (with 45 combined years of experience in high-risk, emergency births) said without a doubt it was the most dire meconium situation they had ever seen

Not only was our little girl not a still-birth, but she was healthy beyond all scientific explanation. The staff who saw the birth and those who have seen her file since have told us, many in tears, that they are convinced this birth was a miracle.

The chief surgeon pulled me aside after the birth and said, "I don't know if you're religious or not, but we don't have answers for you. I hope your faith does."

I was there as Kirsten was delivered, and I was allowed to follow her into the adjacent NICU where her Apcar score (the measurement of a baby's response to birth and life outside of the womb that is taken one to five minutes after birth) went from "1" (basically dead) to an "8" in less than 3 minutes with no oxygen, IV, or other medical treatment. The NICU respiratory specialist who worked on her said it was literally "impossible" that her blood-oxygen levels could have been that good since the meconium was fully impacted below her vocal cords and her placenta had already died.

I truly believe she was resurrected from the dead in front of my eyes.

We are also convinced God richly poured out His mercy and love through the prayers of St. John Maximovitch (whose oil was used to anoint Carrie during the pregnancy and whose relics were placed on Carrie minutes before the surgery). We thus have given Kirsten a second middle name, Ioanna, in honor of St. John. May his intercessions continue to bless those, who in faith, seek to emulate his love for Christ.

Glory to God for all things!

Update: I have pictures I can send you if you email me.

Update 2: Seraphim says it well: "Oftentimes it seems that miracles are connected to our own fragility. The fragility of spiritual *and* physical vulnerabilty and need...in spite of the development of the human race into a people that has 'conquered' and discovered so much...we are still left open mouthed, awe struck, on our knees with gratitude."

Update 3: Owen writes a stunning post about having a newborn daughter.

Update 4: "Faith in God pulls down divine power, overturns all human conclusions, works miracles, resurrects the dead and leaves science astounded."---Elder Piasos, "Epistles" pg 215

2005-01-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

Miracles

Thanks to my sister-in-law for posting a much anticipated update on the miraculous birth of our little girl.

I have been awake now for 50 hours with very little food and have experienced more emotions in the last few days than I can hardly bear. Honestly, I'm too exhausted to post much about the events leading up to, what the hospital staff have now dubbed, "the birth of the miracle baby." All I can say is that truly God is glorified in his saints and that His love was poured out for the salvation of those who witnessed it.

Thank you all for your prayers, support, and selflesness. I can't even begin to tell you how thankful we are...please continue to pray for us and especially little Kirsten.

2005-01-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Praying for a Safe Birth

The Orthodox Young Adult group here in Portland gathered together last night for our regular time of spiritual discussion, potluck dinner and prayer.

We typically close the evening with Small Compline but because of my wife's labor difficulties, Fr. Theodore thought it would be appropriate if we all chanted the Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos (also known as The Paraclesis service) instead.

Truly it was a blessing to ask the intercessions of our Mother for a mother!

Carrie woke up this morning with more strong and steady contractions but so far there is no news to report. More updates forthcoming.

Update: We had scheduled a biophysical profile for Thursday, but Carrie just found out she was able to get an appointment for early this evening.

2005-01-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

Not Quite Here Yet

The wife began to experience regular contractions in the wee hours Sunday morning, lost her mucus plug and labor progressed as expected. Then in the early afternoon the intensity and frequency of contractions tapered off and now have stopped almost entirely. We are in a holding pattern this evening.

More updates as the situation develops. Please keep us in your prayers.

2005-01-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

The Secret to Doctrinal Unity

While the Divine Liturgy is indeed the major form our unity takes as Orthodox Christians, it is not the basis.

More about that formless basis in a moment, but for now I'd also like to insert the observation that our unity has many other forms than only the Divine Liturgy. It shows up also in shared customs and disciplines such as fasting together at set times, the prayers we have in common that we pray when we are apart. We also have a vast shared literature, especially the Holy Bible and the Creeds and the
conciliar decrees and Fathers.

But the unity of the Church is none of these, singly or combined. They are its forms and they do indeed serve to strengthen and promote our unity, but they are not what produces it.

The secret of unity in doctrine is unity in Life, with an upper-case L.

It is what St. Paul calls "a great mystery", the mystery of Christ and the Church, into which mystery every catechumen is initiated by Holy Baptism, the mystery whose fulfillment and consummation is the goal of an Orthodox Christian's life.

The secret of unity is that we each share with the Risen Lord that same, intimate, personal relationship the Apostles shared with the same Risen Lord. (Yes, that sharing takes place, supremely but not exclusively, in the Divine Liturgy.) That is a spiritual reality not to be reduced to any visible thing or set of visible things.

It means the meaning of my life, now, is Christ. I look at my brother and sister and see that the same Christ Who is my Life is also his and her Life. It is as if we all had our straws dipped into the same drink, the Fountain of Immortality, or were all branches of the same Vine, planted in the same soil, the same Life (sap, nutrients, etc.) circulating through us all.

We look at each other and see another *self*--another hypostasis of one and the same nature we hold in common, that re-created human nature which exists in Christ alone, that He created by uniting, in His Incarnation, what had been human nature with His Divine Nature, by putting to death on the Cross the mortal aspects of the new human nature in Him, by glorifying it in the Resurrection and deifying it in His Ascension into heaven.

That new human nature, which is united to the Divine Nature and is Christ's alone -- but into which you and I, in a great mystery, can be incorporated. It's the living of the Life that is His, the Divine-Human Life, the eternal Life, that doctrine describes and serves. False doctrine describes our Life in Christ/Christ's Life in us badly or not at all; true doctrine describes and serves it well.

He who lives that Life knows the difference. That's the secret to doctrinal unity.

--From the Orthodox/Lutheran discussion group.

2005-01-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Eggplant to the Rescue?

I woke up this morning and, lo, my mid-section looked quite fat and protruded. Of course as troubling as this is, it is no big surprise as no one is expecting my delicate condition to be changing any day now.

However, when my wife woke up and realized her belly was also still quite large and pronounced, her patience was tested yet again.

We tried this "foolproof" eggplant recipe on Thursday but to no avail!

Your continued prayers are precious to us.

2005-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

Anniversary

As we wait for the imminent birth of our first child, my wife and I celebrate our third wedding anniversary today.

I love you Carrie!

Update: She says it better than I: "As we enter the 4th year of our marriage together, and await the birth of a new phase of our marriage (parenthood!), may we continue to meditate on the prayers said over us at our wedding. May each Eucharist be a reminder of the reality of our sacred matrimony. May we remember the beautiful crowns, and how we are crowned as ministers of our household, our 'little Church'. May Jesus continue to turn the water of our lives into the wine of the kingdom." Amen, my love. Amen.

2005-01-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

Affirmations, Calvinism, and Addressing Consciences: Random Monday Musings

* Daily Affirmations for Bloggers. If you've blogged for any significant amount of time you will recognize several of these. A few might even apply to you!

* An Introduction to the Orthodox Church for Truly Reformed Calvinists broken down into seven major categories. Highly recommended.

* This is good to see: An Orthodox intentional community dedicated to serving men with HIV/AIDS.

* Quote du jour from the January issue of Touchstone:

"People do not come to Christ because they seek a new lifestyle aid, or are following a historical argument, or fear eschatological heat...If we are going to be faithful in our witness (pastors and laymen alike), we must stop addressing merely minds, sentiments, and self-interest and start addressing consciences."

2005-01-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

"Raise Your Right Hand..."

Remember this horrible accident?

Well, the state has charged the motorcyclist with reckless driving and I've been recently subpoenaed to appear in state court later this month as witness for the prosecution.

2005-01-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

Preparing for Theophany

Today is the Eve of the Feast of Theophany, sometimes called the Feast of Lights or Epiphany.

Some have dubbed Theophany "the green holiday" pointing out that the Orthodox sacramental view of the cosmos draws quite heavily from our understanding of the significance of the baptism of Christ.

As Fr. Thomas Hopko explains, "It is the faith of Christians that since the Son of God has taken human flesh and has been immersed in the streams of the Jordan, all matter is sanctified and made pure in him, purged of its death-dealing qualities inherited from the devil and the wickedness of men."

Growing up in an Anglo-Catholic home with a rich sense of liturgy and feast days, my family would exchange gifts on St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6), Christmas Day and one gift on Epiphany (Jan 6). It was a good way of recognizing the importance of the entire Nativity season. A special family meal, Scripture readings, and a gift helped make Epiphany an important part of our lives as Christians.

What are some ways you and your family celebrate Theophany in your homes and lives?

Update: The Antiochians have some excellent essays and resources on the topic of Theophany. Be sure to check out Fr. Joseph's insightful poem.

2005-01-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sex, Marriage and Theosis: Part II

Part I and the article in question for those late to the discussion.

Archimandrite Luke claims Evdokimov (in a section of "The Sacrament of Love" concerning contraception) "has successfully excluded the spiritual father from any 'interference' in this aspect of the married couple's life."

Not quite. Evdokimov is simply noting that the spiritual father can't rule the couple's relationship in dictatorial fashion and shouldn't give married couples counsel based solely on the narrow view that (as the postscript claims) "conjugal relations within marriage are blessed only for the sake of procreation."

The truth of the matter is that, sans a more complete definition, this narrow (and very Roman Catholic) understanding of marital sexuality *nor* the gradual acceptance of contraception are healthy expressions of the Church's teaching about marriage and sex. Evdokimov appears in places to err on the side of the latter, but in historical context one can see it as an attempt to combat the errors of the former. In any case Evdokimov's comments are certainly not, as Archimandrite Luke believes, a good example of the dreaded "deification of carnal relations."

Later in the article Archimandrite Luke wonders if Evdokimov "hopes for their growth towards spiritual maturity ('the spouses harmonious growth in charisms'), how can they progress without any direction?"

But where does Evdokimov ever say that married couples don't need spiritual direction? There is a subtle but important difference between authoritarian "interference" and pastoral "direction." The questions mount quickly here:

1) Do we, or do we not, believe that marriage is a sacrament and that the grace of Crowning makes married life a path to theosis equal to that of a monastic and that the union of man and women in the life of the Church should be informed but not subserviently defined by a particular strand of Athonite monasticism?

2) Can a spiritual father encourage the faithful to accept "the perfect way" (for example, no contraception) of their own free will without denigrating marriage or simply procreation?

As I noted earlier, one of reasons I admire Evdokimov is that he wasn't afraid to explore ways of bringing a healthy monastic vision and praxis into the life of the parish/laity without subsuming one vocation into the other. Yes, he was a product of the Parisian school which clearly colors some of his views. However, the only alternative was (and continues to be) a certain vocal and active sector of the traditionalist school that sees in marriage nothing but weakness and sin. Too often I have a hard time deciding which side is missing the boat. Too often they seem like equal and opposite sides of the same flawed coin.

The fact is we will not have healthy marriages without a vibrant monastic movement in America that actually informs our praxis, including our sexuality. This is one lesson the more "liberal" Orthodox (especially new converts) need to accept. As I noted in Part I, I sympathize with the traditionalist fears concerning certain ramifications of American Orthodoxy taking its cues from post-Enlightenment culture and western Christendom rather than the historic teachings of the Orthodox Church.

Conversely, those on the side of Archimandrite Luke need to open their minds to the idea that traditional, celibate Athonite monasticism is not the only way to be fully Orthodox and that stubborn insistence in this direction will cripple the spiritual growth of the married laity by forcing on them a vocation and a particular model of orthopraxy they are not called to.

Update: Cparks adds some excellent commentary on this issue. He, like Clifton in the comments here, "thinks we overemphasize [the] importance [of sex] if we treat it any differently than we do food..."

Update 2: The Lutherans at Here We Stand are debating the question: "Can one have any sort of practice of virginity (such as Christ envisions in Mat. 19:12 and Paul recommends in 1 Corinthians 7; cf. Acts 21:9) without forbidding to marry (1 Tim. 4:13) or treating sexual desire within marriage as a venial sin?"

2004-12-30T08:07:00.000-08:00

Sex, Marriage and Theosis: Part I

Bill (in the comments of the 12/20 post) asked me if I was familiar with the "traditionalist" critique of Paul Evdokimov in general and specifically an article entitled "New Age Philosophy, Orthodox Thought, and Marriage."

I am, and what follows are my introductory remarks.

First of all, I sympathize with several overall points being made by Archimandrite Luke: a) the sexual act is not a substitute for theosis and the ascetical path to union with God requires a sexuality directed by a purified nous b) sexuality should not be the foundation of our theology or our lives, and c) sexual love should not be confused with the Divine Eros.

I also agree that the gradual acceptance of contraception by many Orthodox clergy and prominent Orthodox scholars (though Evdokimov was not quite as insistent about this as others after him) over the last several decades should raise an eyebrow or two.

However, I would posit that Archimandrite Luke misunderstands the Church's teaching concerning marriage, exaggerates the danger posed by several writers he critiques, and conflates the concept of "carnality" with normal human enfleshment.

As an example of the latter, he quotes St. Mark the Ascetic who said, "If we no longer fulfill the desires of the flesh, then with the Lord's help the evils within us will easily be eliminated"

Right. But St. Mark isn't talking about sex! He's talking about the passions.

IOW, "flesh" in this context doesn't mean simply the material nature of our bodies (much less does it mean the God-pleasing union between a man and woman crowned in marriage) but rather sinful desires, the misuse of the material world, and the passions in their twisted state. Archimandrite Luke would have his readers believe that St. Mark is basically saying, "When you stop having sex with your wife, then you will be able to have a healing relationship with God."

How far this interpretation is from a healthy understanding of the relationship between marriage, sex, and theosis. In a document entitled the "Constitutions of the Holy Apostles" it is noted that "a husband, therefore, and a wife, when they company together in lawful marriage and rise from one another may pray without any observations and without washings are clean. But whoever corrupts and defiles another man's wife or is defiled with a harlot when he arises up from her, even if he should wash himself in the entire ocean and all the rivers, cannot be clean." (Props to Minor Clergy)

Unlike Archimandrite Luke's disdain of marital sexuality and the traditionalists reliance on a very western understanding of sexuality, the Church clearly teaches that the sexual relationship between a man and a woman crowned in the sacrament of Marriage is blessed by God and does not a priori hinder the couple from the fullness of the spiritual life.

In Part II, I will examine some of the specific comments made in the article concerning Paul Evdokimov and raise some questions of my own about what they may indicate.

2004-12-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

On the Feast of Stephen

The 27th of December completes a trifecta for me of back-to-back-to-back celebrations: Christmas (25th), Birthday (26th) and Nameday (27th).

I wrote quite a bit about St. Stephen two years ago and why I admire him so much, so this year I'll re-post a short snippet from last year's Dynamis reading in honor of my patron:

In the portrayal of Christ's Martyr Stephen as one 'full of grace and power' and who speaks with 'wisdom and the Spirit', the Martyr directs our gaze into the heavens to behold 'the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.' Of course, it is the Lord Who is being revealed through the person of His Holy Martyr Stephen.

Just as true icons always disclose the connection between their particular subjects and the Divine Incarnation, so likewise St. Luke's account of Christ's first Martyr, Stephen, manifests the Lord incarnate in His Church. Therefore, let the reader perceive in the account of St. Stephen's witness, a faithful revelation of the Lord of grace and power, of wisdom and the Spirit, and of eternal Glory at the right hand of the Father.

St. Stephen is the Proto-martyr not only in the sense of being the first martyr for the Lord, but also as the proto-type of Christ's martyrs, for all Christ's true martyrs reveal the Lord Jesus acting and teaching through His Body, the Church.

Troparion in tone 4 for St. Stephen:

O Protomartyr and mighty warrior of Christ our God,
You are victorious in battle and crowned with glory, O holy Stephen!
You confounded the council of your persecutors,
Beholding your Savior enthroned at the right hand of the Father.
Never cease to intercede for the salvation of our souls!

Amen. I pray you had a blessed celebration of the Lord's Nativity this past weekend and will continue to keep the Feast these 12 days of Christmas!

2004-12-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

Why I Respect Paul Evdokimov

Chrysostomos asked me "What is it that appeals to you about the writings of Paul Evdokimov?"

I esteem Paul Evdokimov for several reasons:

1) He is a great example of someone who not only understood and communicated the Church's teaching and vision through his writings in a way that took seriously both the Church and the world, but who ceaselessly struggled to live the fullness of the Faith in the time and place God had placed him.

He worked tirelessly for the poor, he labored in humble jobs to support his family and numerous charities, and during the Nazi occupation of France he and his family hid people who were targeted for arrest. He later directed a hostel for those displaced by the war and offered safe harbor for those fleeing from Germany. Truly, he was a "doer of the word and not merely a hearer."

2) Several of his books were instrumental for me after I became Orthodox. "The Sacrament of Love" revolutionized my idea of marriage and reaffirmed its value in the painful wake of losing a fiance. His writings about "interiorized monasticism" provide, IMO, an excellent vision of how the monastic ethos can and should be lived out by laymen. His classic "Ages of the Spiritual Life" is an amazing and sweeping tour of the Church's spiritual depths.

3) He had what all aspiring intellectuals and Orthodox theologians should have: an intimate love for Christ, a holistic understanding of the Church's teachings, a penetrating experience and grasp of "worldly knowledge" (philosophy, literature, psychology, history, etc) and how the Church's way of life brings meaning to it all, and a desire to help other people.

My admiration of Evdokimov does not blind me to some of his faults:

1) He was uncritically enamored with Jungian psychology and tended, like many 20th century Russian theologians, toward Sophiology.

2) There are times when the amount of knowledge he tries to incorporate into a text bogs down his argument (see several chapters in "Women and the Salvation of the World" for examples of this)

3) As a member of the Parisian school he sometimes leaned a bit too far in the "ecumenist" direction on occasion (as an official representative of the MP at Vatican II he seemed a little slow to grasp the depth of the chasm between the EO and the RCC).

All of these negatives, however, do not detract from the legacy he left--a penetrating insight into the Church's teachings and a concrete example of how those insights can be lived out in life.

2004-12-20T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Struggle With God

"If we know how to listen, we can hear above the noise of the world the questions put to us by the meaning of things."

One of my favorite theologians of the 20th century is Paul Evdokimov. For those unfamiliar with his work, I highly recommend taking a peek at "The Struggle With God."

2004-12-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

Thankfulness

I've been swamped the past several months (and the last two weeks in particular) with work, school and teaching. I have several posts in progress, but haven't had time to polish them. So, in lieu of a "real" post, I give you some of the recent circumstances for which I'm giving thanks:

* The grueling schedule of lectures, papers, and reading for my literary theory and criticism class paid off in the form of an "A"

* Our little unborn baby was thought to be transverse in the womb, but after some naturopathic remedies and the prayers of St. John Maximovitch, the most recent ultrasound revealed the baby had returned to a head down position.

* This Nativity season has proven to me, once again, that I'm a terrible Christian. Why am I thankful for this, you ask? Well, I need humility and there is nothing like a major fasting season in the Church year to help one realize the mercy of God and the weakness of man.

* A series of events at work was slowly bubbling up into an almost full-blown catastrophe. In the last week, several of the explosive problems have been dealt with swiftly and effectively.

* I have grown far more comfortable with teaching than I thought possible and have truly been blessed by the students.

2004-12-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

All Get Credit For The Work Of One

Remember this rant about student participation in group discussions?

Clifton's post about the dangers of "group think" is spot on and analyzes the problem in more depth:

"Here's what happens in groups-if you're lucky. One student will take the assignment seriously, two or three will at least be interested enough in watching the serious student do her thing that they'll take part. The remaining four or five are grateful for an opportunity to cease all rational cognition (if they'd ever engaged in any in the first place). In the end, one student does the work of all seven, with minimal assistance of one or two others. And all get credit for the work of one."

I see a similar (although not quite as willful or jaded) dynamic occurring when I teach Latin. Even with only 11 students, the group structure allows students who are struggling to "slip through the cracks" far too easily. This is one reason why I give quizzes and tests often and base grades on a wide range of factors.

Class participation or "group projects" are usually poor indicators of actual learning and mastery.

2004-12-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

The Patron Saint of the Internet

Apparently the time has come to designate an Orthodox Church saint to serve as spiritual guide to internet users. The two finalists are St. John Chrysostom and St. Feofan the Hermit. Good choices.

However, it is a shame the clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate don't read the blogs. If they did, they'd realize I solved this problem more than a year ago!

2004-12-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Product of a Hurricane in a Marble Quarry

The news that Antony Flew, a British philosophy professor who has been a leading champion of atheism for more than a half-century, has "converted" to the intelligent design theory has stunned the scientific community.

This reminds me of an astute observation made by Mark Shea:

"It has always struck me as odd to point to the immense concentration of intellect, will, technology and energy it has taken to do relatively small things in the extremely specialized conditions of the lab and argue that this product of white-hot focus of ultra-controlling human intelligence is clear evidence that absolutely no intelligence was involved in the production of all the rest of the vastly more complex life we see around us. ... It's like taking years to build a tiny house of cards and then using this feat to say, 'There! This accomplishment shows the Capitol Dome was therefore obviously the product of a hurricane in a marble quarry.'"

It seems Flew finally understands how silly this argument really is. But you have to admit: the intensity of the religious faith that forms the foundation of modern atheism is truly astonishing. If only Christians clinged to our first principles with such conviction...

2004-12-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Whole World In Latin

* A pox upon the stenchiferous poltroons! Anthony follows it up with proof that a certain English expletive has interesting Latin roots. Naughty, naughty...but very funny.

* This is a fascinating list of Latin translations of modern objects. More proof that Latin is not a "dead language" after all!
(Props to Clifton and Occidentalis)

* Don't miss this collection of linguistic anecdotes from around the world.

* Oh. My. Gosh. This is hilarious!

2004-12-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

The Works of Faith

What the Fathers are teaching [when they speak about faith and works] is faith as the only true righteousness, as opposed to anything else. This is the teaching of the Apostles, this is the consensus of the Fathers, this is the doctrine of the Church: No amount of good works, done apart from faith, is worth anything.

However, what is not part of the patristic consensus or of Scripture rightly understood, is dividing, conceptually, faith from *its own works*, that is, faith from itself.

The works of faith are to it as the spirit is to a body (James 2:26). They are what makes it alive, what makes it faith.

Belief doesn't yet make it faith--even the demons believe. Trust, if it's only in your mind and heart, doesn't yet make it faith. For all you know, you are imagining you trust him, flattering yourself, like St. Peter. (Luke 22:33, see also Mark 10:38-39) Faith is belief and trust *in concrete form*.

It's "faith which works by love" (Gal. 5:6) that is and always was the only true righteousness. Without love, who am I, a child of God? No, I am a nobody, a nothing. (I Cor. 13:2) Thus, the great chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, turns out mostly to be about works!

Faith's works, that is. For they are God's work in us, and our work in God. In truth, where there is union with God, one can no longer say whose works they are.
They are yours in the sense that it's you, not God, who must put forth the effort; they are God's in the sense that He, not you, makes the effort fruitful.
No, neither faith with its works nor faith without its works will merit you salvation.

Faith apart from the works of the law indeed exists. But Faith without *its* works DOESN'T exist and so isn't worth talking about; it's a human fantasy and nothing more; it cannot be instrumental in your salvation any more than works apart from faith can.

But even faith with its works won't earn you salvation either. Rather, it already *is* your salvation sprouting up (not yet in full bloom). You have already been saved from being any other sort of person than one who lives by trust in God. You have already been saved from a selfish, meaningless existence. You have already been saved from despair, from wickedness, from slavery to satan, from fear, from secularism, from humanism, from countless dead-end isms, from walking death.

So if sola fide means faith apart from works of the law, fine. (Romans 9:32, Gal. 2:16) But if it means faith considered apart from *faith's* works, no. That is purely a figment of our imagination. We do not consider or theologize concerning what doesn't really exist, much less suppose this abstraction could be capable of justifying anybody. (James 2:14-24)

--From the the Orthodox-Lutheran discussion group

Update: "Belief and Faith are not necessarily the same things....God grant me to be a father who unifies belief and behavior in the heart by faith." Amen.

2004-12-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

What About How To Teach?

Yesterday, in my literary criticism and theory class, a vigorous discussion broke out regarding the purpose of education and the place of theory in the classroom.

Fans of playwright Tom Stoppard will enjoy the following bit of "verbal tennis" written by Professor Plum in a brilliant essay on the dangers of Constructivism in modern educational theory. It perfectly describes the mindset of many of my fellow peers in the English and Philosophy departments:

Imagine that the large, empty, circular white room has ten doors leading to a hallway. The hallway, too, is circular. There's no way out of the building. All doors open back into the same white room. Every ten years or so, the inmates head for a door.

"Let's get outa here."
"Yeah, time for a change."
"I think we've said everything that can be said."
"Written everything that can be written."
"Gotten all the grants that could be gotten from the money cow."
"I agree."
"Innovation. That's the key."
"Forward and Upward and Competence and Knowledge!"
"Clever."
"Yes, time for a new initiative."

And so they race out into the hall and race back in through another door.

"Okay, we're back."
"Back."
"Now what?"
"I don't know."
"Some innovation."
"A new initiative."
"To prepare students for responsible and productive citizenship in a global society."
"What's that mean?"
"I have no idea."
"A new way of knowing!"
"For a new world!!"
"A postindustrial world."
"A postmodern world."
"I think you're onto something, Dr. Mumblemore!"
"Yes. Yes. New courses. New programs. New paradigms."
"What's a paradigm?"
"I don't know. Possibly something."
"A Bachelors Degree in Relativity."
"A Master of Sensitive Narratives."
"A Doctor of Deconstruction."
"We'll have to revise our mission statement."
"And our syllabi."
"And our matrices and rubrics."

[New Guy:] "What about how to teach?"

"You're new here, aren't you?"

2004-12-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

You Guys are Arians!

Jim's anecdote about evangelism among the JW and LDS reminded me of a true story about an Orthodox priest I know:

One day, a short time after he was ordained and settled into his new parish, he saw two young JW's walk up to the house.

He invited them in for tea and encouraged them to make their "pitch" (he didn't know much about them and was curious to hear what their beliefs were).

After a few minutes of Watchtower propaganda, something clicked in his mind and he suddenly exclaimed "Oh! You guys are Arians!" [the name given to followers of an infamous ancient heresy that posited that Jesus was not God from eternity]

The two young JW men looked at each other with aghast faces and turned to the priest and said "Oh no! The Nazi's were totally evil and we love the Jews!"

2004-11-29T09:27:00.000-08:00

Agia Sophia Academy In The News

The classical school where I teach Latin was recently noticed by the media.

One of my students was quoted as saying "On Latin days, we take the textbook home because we have to study."

Good girl.

2004-11-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Two Year Blogoversary

This Friday marks the two year "blogoversary" of St. Stephen's Musings.

When I first started out on November 26th 2002, I never thought 456 individual posts and 3,766 reader comments would follow. (Of course, one wonders if my contribution has been little more than "idle words" ... I hope not!)

For your faithful reading, insightful, spirited, charitable dialogue, and fervent prayers I thank you, dear readers.

Like last year's collection, the following "Best of 2004" list contains a small sample of my favorite posts, some of my more controversial rants, as well as several musings that drew a sizable number of comments and further discussion.

* Waterfall and Rocks of Grace

* Self Expression, Art, Worship and the Trivium

* Ontological Change and Iconography: A Debate with Josh

* The Trials of Bodily Illness

* Ecumenical Discord: Neither Silence nor Capitulation Are Options

* The Image of the Invisible God
Part I and Part II

* Star Wars Denominations

* The Liturgical Gripes Series
Part V
Part IV
Part III
Part II
Part I

* Rules for Naming a Boy

* Fighting the Extremes: Blogging about the Faith

* The Elasticity of Orthodoxy

* The Priesthood of All Believers: Giving Advice in the Church

* St. Maximus the Confessor and the Reformed Tradition

* Generational Curses and Party of Five

* A Conversation About Zen

* On the Transfiguration

* Independent Laborers: Freedom and Obedience

* A Calvinist Who Went to an Orthodox Seminary

* Cut to Pieces

* Where Nobody Needs a Savior

* The Home as the Little Church: More on "Ministries"

* Obedience: The Neglected Virtue

* A Strange Encounter

Have a blessed and joyful Thanksgiving Day and weekend!

2004-11-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

School Related Tidbits

* As a former news editor of a university newspaper, I'd love to see this short documentary about "how universities use tools such as 'speech codes' to force political views upon students."

* Try it. You'll like it.

* Keith muses about why so many Christians go to seminary yet why so many seminarians choose the Ph.D. route instead of active ministry.

* David Bentley Hart, summarizing the deconstructionist mission statement: "Every discourse is reducible to a strategy of power, and every rhetorical transaction to an instance of an original violence."

* Phillippa has gone back to college. Pray for her!

2004-11-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

Literary Theory Buzzword Bingo

I decided to play a little game during a recent lecture in my literary theory class. After creating an informal bingo card, I eagerly waited for class to start.

Epistemological strategies ... (wow, 30 seconds in and we've got one already) ... intertextuality ... (check!) .... western cultural hegemony ...(is there another kind other than western?) .... patriarchal oppression ...(is it possible to get through a literature lecture without this tired old motif showing up?) ... transgendered texts ... (oh, oh, one more!) ... discourses on class struggle."

Bingo! And in only ten minutes!

The problem here isn't so much with the terminology since it is, in some ways, actually quite useful. What drives me crazy is how often students use the words or phrases without having any idea what they are talking about.

For example, the most recent lecture was on "cultural studies" which is a code phrase for "Marxism rocks." It was abundantly clear during the class discussion that no one had ever read "Das Kapital", "The Communist Manifesto" or "Theory of Surplus Value" but only secondary sources on Marx or, as was painfully clear in a several instances, nothing on the subject of Marxism at all.

The fact that students in an upper-division college course can have such a lack of basic historical knowledge is one of the many travesties of modern education. As C.S. Lewis notes, students today "would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about 'isms' and influences" than the primary sources.

2004-11-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

Blog Roll Update

I make small updates to the blogroll on a regular basis but I thought I'd highlight just a few of the recent changes/additions for those of you who don't regularly check out my roll:

* Ray Fulmer is blogging from St. Vladimir's Seminary. Excellent ruminations the last few months.

* James' wife is Sophia Says. How many Orthodox husband/wife blogging teams are there now? I show 5 or 6 at last count...

* Josh Claybourn has joined forces with Paul Musgrave and Eric Seymour in a new blogging adventure. Definitely a "must link."

* With the addition of Christina, there are now 6 bloggers (including me) from my parish. Very exciting!

* I'm always on the lookout for new Orthodox bloggers. Send me an email or make a comment if you find one not listed on my roll or if you become one yourself!

2004-11-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

Social Contract, New Book, and Fellowship 9/11: Random Monday Musings

* Grace reveals, in a scathing yet brilliant "social contract", the idealogy that infects many of our co-workers, family, and friends:

"Since we are too intelligent and enlightened to tolerate mere Christianity or any other traditional religion, we will offer instead our own religious beliefs, which are that good and evil are almost interchangeable, stuff is good and basically there isn't anything to believe in. And you can believe us on this. In fact, we insist that you do. Your religion leads to peace of mind, human dignity and theosis; ours promotes spiritual decay. You see the problem..."

Not counting our own sinfulness, there are days when I think that even Islam takes a back seat to radical secular materialism as the most dangerous adversary of the Church in our time. "Brave New World" has always been the more accurate prediction of our cultural future than "1984" ever was.

* I wouldn't be suprised to see this classic as a required text in my next literary theory class.

* Fellowship 9/11 shows us a Middle Earth kept in constant fear by 'Orc Alerts' and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the Patriot Scroll, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that Aragorn, backed by the secretive 'Fellowship Group,' makes his headlong rush towards war in Mordor - and Fellowship 9/11 takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful cost to soldiers and to orcs and to their families."
--Props to Jan

2004-11-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

A Pig Gains No Glory From The Attempt To Fly

I've been told, by a couple of different people recently (and on more than one occasion in the past), that I would make a good priest.

Thinking about my vocation is one of the many issues that percolates in my soul on a daily basis. However, despite the endorsements, I have my doubts for reasons very similar to the musings of S.M. Hutchens:

I am convinced, quite contrary to a great deal of pious wisdom on the subject, that the possession of certain gifts, even in abundance, is not necessarily a sign that one will have the opportunity to employ them in this life, or the blessing of God in their attempted use.

This is because I, and many others I know, have certain powers whose use I firmly believe we have been forbidden-- which must apparently remain latent indefinitely, at least in this life. There are other gifts I regard as far smaller and less important I have been forced to exercise, much to my irritation and chagrin, consistently. It would appear, if not from our lives, then those of the martyrs, that from a strictly pragmatic point of view God is a great waster of his best resources.

We don't, however, have access to the Grand Scheme of Things, don't know precisely what we've been made for, don't know what God values most in us, or what we shall become in glory.

We are like Jane Studdock [from C.S. Lewis' "That Hideous Strength"], who wanted to be admired and valued for her intellect, but finally had to come to grips with the fact that those whose valuations she really cared about in the end valued her for other qualities.

In evaluating our own gifts and callings we need to take this consideration into proper account. While lack of aptitude provides adequate reason to forego some ambitions (a pig gains no glory from the attempt to fly), its possession, alas, does not necessarily demand its exercise--although, of course, it might.

2004-11-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

A Strange Encounter

"Hey buddy....I think you dropped something!"

I looked up to see who had interrupted my reverie and the face that greeted my gaze was owned by a bright-eyed man in his forties--obviously homeless yet strangely serene. Even in his dirty clothes he seemed almost out of place there on that busy downtown city street.

When his eyes met mine, they seemed to burn into me. I gave him a quizzical look, annoyed that he was talking to me and wondering what kind of drugs he was on. But it was what he said next that scorched the most:

"Your smile!"

It is true, I don't smile often though I'm easily amused. I've been told by others that the worst aspects of my shy, introspective, and brooding personality come through most clearly when I'm not smiling--which is most of the time, I must admit. It probably wouldn't hurt me to pick up that smile and put it on once in a while.

The man quietly walked on, whistling to himself. I am tempted to wonder if it was my guardian angel who tried to tell me what I dropped.

It wouldn't surprise me.

2004-11-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

Prayer: Tracing Over the Lines

Watching young children writing out Latin vocab words this fall in my class made this response by Fr. David Moser to a question on prayer all the more poignant.

"Is it ok to pray spontaneously or should I always use formal prayer? Is it ok to just 'pour my heart out'...or just know that God knows what is going on?"

It is certainly a good thing to pray spontaneously. The prayer book is like a "primer" for prayer - a lesson book on how to pray. The scripture says that "we
do not know how to pray as we ought" and so the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray. How does the Holy Spirit teach us - in the school of prayer that is the Church.

Those formal prayers in the prayer book are the examples of how to pray, they are the "pouring out of the heart" of people who were experienced in prayer (the saints). We begin to learn to pray by mimicking the examples.

When you learned to write in school, weren't you give letters to trace over and over until you could do them without thinking, and then words to trace over and over and so on. Even now you use those same letters and words in your writing - the letters and words you traced have now become your own and are the means of expressing your own innermost thoughts and feelings.

We "trace over the lines" of the prayers by copying them over and over until they sink in and become "natural", then we use those prayers as the letters and words of our own innermost spiritual expressions. That's the "role" of the "formal" prayers in the prayerbook.

The Fathers, when speaking about prayer of this kind, also teach us that it is a good thing to add our own spontaneous prayers in as much as we are able to our private prayers. Once you learn the basics of how to pray from the prayer book, then you combine and re-combine the elements of the prayers that you learned into new prayers - your own prayers.

2004-11-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

On Campus, Poem, and a New Translation: Random Friday Musings

* I was on campus at the university all morning on Thursday doing research for a paper, working in the computer lab, and reading literary theory textbooks at the local coffee shop. While I was there it dawned on me that it had been 6 years since I'd spent more than 4 hours in a row on a college campus. Being a part-time commuter student for so long had made me forget how much fun it was to be a "real" student....

* The collective mood on campus has never been so despondent and suicidal. Hmmmmm....it couldn't have anything to do with the events of Tuesday night, now could it?

* My sister-in-law is a very talented artist. Check out her latest poem.. (The wife and I were at the same party, helping the kids make carmel apples).

* This is hilarious. One of my favorites is their version of John 6:53-54:

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, if you think you are eating the flesh of the Son of Man and drinking his blood, you are an idolater, and you have no life in you. Whoever recognizes that I'm speaking figuratively here, even though I could not possibly have chosen a more misleading way to phrase it, is a true disciple, and he has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

2004-11-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

Post-Election Pledge and Random Election Musings

* My version of the post election pledge: I promise to prayerfully support the President, even if I didn't vote for him and constructively criticize the President, even if I did vote for him.

Care to join me?

* The amount of vitriolic hatred, infantile poutiness, and ignorant fear mongering already spewing forth from ... (well, you all know who you are) is truly disheartening. I am sad to say it is not very surprising. Grow up, folks.

* Apparently Oregon has decided to change the name of the state to "The People's Socialist Republic of Oregon."

* Time will tell if I was right. I really hope not.

* Two things we clearly need to ignore in the future: exit polling and the mainstream media. Both now fully exposed for the jokes they've become.

* Andrew Sullivan, bemoaning the role moral issues played in the elelction, warns that "the intensity of the passion, and the inherently totalist nature of religiously motivated politics means deep social conflict if we are not careful."

When are people going to realize that secular materialism is a religion too and that its stranglehold on the Democratic Party is as frightening to some as the evangelical influence on the Republicans is to them?

Update: Joe Carter has some excellent notes on the election aftermath as does Jay.

2004-11-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

Training Them in Love

My wife and I have been musing about how to approach the privileged responsibility of parenthood. I've been thinking about these two quotes:

"Parents cannot give what they do not have...i.e. if they don't have the things of God fully in their hearts, they won't transmit them on to their children". Fr. Anthony Coniaris, from a talk given at our parish fall retreat.

"Here also, however, is a warning for those who wish for their children to follow their faith...You cannot accomplish this through false means. You cannot make or preserve Christians by 'mere conservatism.' It must be done through love. You cannot accomplish through law what can only be done in grace. You must do more than train your children, you must train them in love, for only love can propagate desire for the orthodoxy that is truly Christian." S.M. Hutchens, from Touchstone's "Mere Comments".

Lord have mercy.

Update: "Fatherhood, the burden of love, my unworthiness, the treasure entrusted to me in this little one--this is my cross, my calling, my path to Christ."

2004-10-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

There's Nothing Outside the Text

My literary theory professor uses the Derridian phrase "there's nothing outside the text" at least once per class. I'm constantly tempted to challenge this epistemological relativism, but then someone goes and says it better than I could.

Roger Kimball, one of my favorite contemporary essayists, nails it:

"Even if deconstruction cannot be defined, it can be described. For one thing, deconstruction comes with a lifetime guarantee to render discussion of any subject completely unintelligible. It does this by linguistic subterfuge. One of the central slogans of deconstruction is "il n'y a pas de hors-texte", i.e., "there is nothing outside the text." (It sounds better in French.) In other words, deconstruction is an updated version of nominalism, the view that the meanings of words are completely arbitrary and that, at bottom, reality is unknowable."

To say that "there is nothing outside the text" begs the question of how anyone could ever know that in the first place. (Are you in the Matrix or not?) But that little philosophical conundrum doesn't seem to bother too many of my classmates....

2004-10-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Latin Humor, Luther, Abortion: Random Wednesday Musings

* Conversation from my Latin class:
Me: "So, we can see that the Latin word for man is spelled "v-i-r."
Female student, after a confused pause: "Is that where we get the word vermin?"

Hmmm. I'll let my readers decide if that is a fair derivative or not!

* The blogosphere has been all abuzz over the discovery that Martin Luther allegedly began the Reformation while sitting on a toilet seat.

However, a little bit of linguistic knowledge cleverly debunks this story.

* My wife is stirring the pot with her question about why the Kerry campaign wants to eat their cake and have it too regarding the question of whether a second Bush administration (through judicial nominations) can overturn Roe v Wade or not.

Jan continues the discussion, noting the crucial role the next president will have in choosing judicial nominees and Justin and Myles have contradictory opinions on what role the abortion issue should play in making one's decision. Much has been said about this by many other bloggers as well....

* Introspective Read O' the Week: On Loneliness and Happiness. John is one of my favorite NW bloggers.

* The wife and I went to the first of six birthing classes last night. I'll share more about that soon...

2004-10-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Becoming the Bride of Christ

A Protestant missionary friend has been corresponding with me via email about all things theological. Here is a small snippet of our conversation:

"In my childhood, the 'church' bruised my family and I quite severely..."

I know what you mean all too well. I think the damage done by those who call themselves Christians (and I am chief among sinners here) is something we can hardly fathom. This hypocrisy and nominalism was, in part, one of the reasons I become discontent with the churches of my upbringing (Anglican and Quaker) and started really searching, in my late teens and early 20's, for what the early church believed and practiced.

During those years, when I looked around at contemporary and modern Christianity, I just couldn't believe that "this is all there is."

"A passion that burdens my soul in these recent years is a passion to see the church prepare herself to become the bride of Christ."

I, too, had this deep longing and hope that the Faith had to go deeper in terms of teaching us a life of holiness; have more continuity with what has come before in terms of belief; have a more solid theological and practical foundation than the private whims of any one pastor or parish; and be what the Scripture itself calls the Church (and here is the key) *as it exists now*:

For example the biblical writers already were calling the Church "the Body of Christ" (Rom 12; 1 Cor 10, 12; Col 1) and the Bride of Christ (Eph 5; Rev 21). It is likened as well to God's living Temple (Eph 2; 1 Pet 2) and is called "the pillar and bulwark of Truth" (1 Tim 3:15).

As a Protestant I just couldn't figure out what church the New Testament was talking about! It sure wasn't the one I was part of with its fragmented denominations, contradictory teachings and practices, and lack of any substantial spiritual life or way of curbing the passions. So I understand what you are saying about the church, or rather, your experience of "church"--it was exactly my own until about 7 years ago.

But more on that later. Let me respond to some more of the specifics of your letter....

2004-10-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

Book Search, New Blog: Random Friday Musings

* "The Personal Heresy" is an old book containing the debate between C.S. Lewis and E.M.W. Tillyard on topics such as literary criticism. As far as I can tell, it is out of print and the few copies available are extremely expensive. Does anyone have a copy or know where I can find one cheaper?
* Speaking of finding texts, does anyone know if there is patristic commentary on the phenomenon of "deja vu"?

* Amusing conversation I had the other night:
A high-school family member: "I'm not doing well in Spanish class. I don't understand the teacher very well."
Me: "Why?"
Him: "She keeps talking to us in Mexican."

* Well, she couldn't fight the urge any more. My wife has started her own blog

Her blog "will contain the random 'inklings' of a sinner who is entering the journey of motherhood for the first time, who is faithfully struggling to travel the Path of Salvation alongside her husband, and working to promote Orthodox Christian education in her community."

2004-10-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

Saving Social Security By Taxing Abortion

From "Discovering Our Dependence" by Mary Ann Glendon:

"Cambridge economist Partha Dasgupta noted an interesting 'free rider' problem: childless individuals (who as a group enjoy a higher standard of living than child-rearing persons as a group) expect to be cared for in old age through benefits financed by a labor force that they are not helping to replenish."

Ok, so I have a tongue-in-cheek idea to help Gen-X stave off the eminent financial crisis caused by the Boomer generation's moral bankruptcy, simplistic thinking, and overall shoddy governance:

For every abortion received between the years 1973-2004, the recipient is taxed for Social Security benefits equal to the average lifetime contribution the child would have been expected to pay into the Social Security Trust Fund. Or the mother and/or father can take a lifetime tax increase, paid on a graduated schedule. In some versions of the bill, perhaps, the abortion providers will pay the tax increase.

This plan could receive bi-partisan support because pro-abortion politicians needing to solidify their pro-life contingency could still support Roe v. Wade ideologically yet could stump on platform that they reduced the number of abortions (due to the procedure becoming a totally untenable financial option for all but the very rich.)

This is all grotesquely socialist and totalitarian, of course.

But then again, the government disincentivizes all kinds of activities and products through taxation (alcohol, imports, marriage, etc). Now that even hardened feminists and liberals are starting to admit the horrific health risks and financial crisis caused by the unlimited abortion license, one wonders why cigarettes and fast food have become politically incorrect but not abortion. Oh wait, I remember why....

2004-10-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Latin Is The Key to Decoding The Campaign

I've been teaching simple, first person singular Latin verbs to my class at Agia Sophia Academy the last couple of weeks. Therefore, this tidbit made me chuckle:

Michael Foley, responding to David Mills' essay "Unimposing Kerry":

I was thinking that your tag, "Values I Cannot Impose on Others," deserves to take on a life of its own. It could be called VICIO for short, which, interestingly enough, makes it resemble a Latin verb in the first person singular. Though there is no such verb as "Vicio" in Latin, "Vicis" does mean change or alteration (hence our word, "vicissitude"), so perhaps "vicio" could be translated as "I flip-flop."

2004-10-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

What Can Happen in One Second

He slammed head first into oncoming traffic just after reaching dangerous speeds of 35-40 mph on a road filled with curves. He clipped my car as he swerved to avoid rear-ending me but there was no time for either me or the other drivers to get out of the way.

The man was now motionless, crumpled on the ground and surrounded by broken glass, mangled plastic, and a crushed motorcycle.

Stunned witnesses began to gather at the scene, some checking to see if the man was conscious and the rest asking me what happened since I had so clearly seen the impact just feet away from my car.

The driver of the truck the motorcyclist hit stood a few feet away, trembling. Sirens wailed in the distance while a bright sunny day suddenly grew a little darker.

I made the sign of the cross and tried to breathe....

Please keep Bryan in your prayers. His status is unknown at this time.

2004-10-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

So Called Liberative Reading Practices: More on Derrida

Jacques Derrida's death has been greeted by literary critics and philosophers as a great loss. Others wonder, based on Derrida's philosophy, if he died in the first place:

"We can't even state that he ever did exist, since he may have been a mere metaphysical projection of our own prejudices against absolutes....."

Clever. Anyway, I thought the essay by R.R. Reno who reviewed Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart's new masterpiece, "The Beauty of the Infinite" was apropos:

"Hart makes the following observation about Jacques Derrida's treatment of classical Christian figures such as John Chrysostom: 'He does not pay a moment's attention to what theology says, but simply imposes upon it his tidy set of binary opposition.'"

This quote was particularly amusing having just come back from my literary criticism and theory class the other day where the Deconstructionist glee at breaking down all the "binary opposites" they can get their sticky hands on was rivaled by their trumpeting Derrida's vision as the greatest philosophical tool since the Socratic method and Derrida the man as the most profound intellectual since Karl Marx.

Well, the sentiment expressed wasn't quite that egregious. But you know what I mean. Reno continues:

"The assessment is immediately and crushingly true, not only of Derrida, but of his generation. Aging postmodern intellectuals do not read texts, nor do they attend to the subtle, nuanced textures of life. They use texts as occasions for what they imagine to be 'liberative reading practices.' All recalcitrant particularity is overawed by the sublime truths of Theory."

Sadly, as my peers in class are trying to prove, it isn't just the aging Boomers who are dazzled by this worldview. Overawed is right.

2004-10-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Music, Young Adults, and Weekend Drama: Random Monday Musings

* Those involved in church music will want to read "When the Spirit Sings: Cultivating Orthodox Spirituality Through Music" by Fr. Ted Pulcini. A very well written essay.

* After a one week hiatus, the local Orthodox Young Adult group is meeting again tonight. After a potluck dinner, we'll continue our discussion of St. Athanasius' "On the Incarnation."

* On a lighter note, the final minutes of this were a lot of fun to listen to on the radio on Saturday and they kept me from focusing on my homework. The final minutes of this, however, were not as much fun.

2004-10-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Voice of a Pure Imperative

My Literary Criticism and Theory class is all I expected it would be---pure propaganda. For example:

"It is best to take him at his word when he lets into his text the voice of a pure imperative."

-- French theorist Michel Foucault speaking, in his classic work "The History of Sexuality", about the writings of infamous sexual defiant Marquis de Sade--

Question: Why are Post-Strucuralists (and, by extension, their cousins the Deconstructionists) so eager to bend over backwards for their fellow nihilistic but when it comes to say, the writings of St. John Chrysostom that Derrida rants against, Foucault's advice suddenly doesn't apply any longer?

I'd ask these kinds of questions in class but I'd like to avoid getting lynched as a representative of the only unprotected class on the university campus: the white, heterosexual male who dares to question the relativist hermeneutic.

I suppose I'll be content musing about theory issues on the blog while I nod vigorously like Pavlov's dog when I'm in class.

Update: As John notes in the comments, Jacques Derrida succumbed to cancer over the weekend.

2004-10-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

Absolute Pacifism and Justifiable War: The Orthodox Paradox

Even a brief perusal of the blogosphere will show the questions surrounding war--both concerning the current struggle in Iraq and in general--are popular discussion fodder in Christian circles, Orthodox included.

Fr. Alexander F. C. Webster, a renowned Orthodox theologian and expert on the patristic tradition regarding issues of war, military violence and peace, is interviewed in the latest issue of "Again" magazine.

He is the author of two books with, at first glance, seemingly contradictory theses.
"The Pacifist Option: The Moral Argument Against War in Eastern Orthodox Theology" as well as a new book entitled "The Virtue of War: Reclaiming the Classic Christian Tradition East and West."

"What I've discovered through this decades-long research into components of Orthodox moral tradition is the primary thesis of my scholarly life--the inescapable conclusion that Orthodox Christianity approaches war and peace from two apparently contradictory but integral perspectives."

One could say this about almost every issue the Church deals with. "Both/and" is the mantra of Orthodox theology!

"There are only two historically grounded and morally acceptable positions that Orthodoxy allows ... absolute pacifism and justifiable war. What I think is happening, ironically and sadly, is the creation of another stance that reflects neither of the two classic trajectories...."

"This new idea insists that war may be a 'lesser evil' or a 'necessary evil.'....But this is a pacifist premise with a justifiable war conclusion! You cannot rationally invoke a pacifist premise that all war is evil and then act upon it positively--at least not without misunderstanding the logic of absolute pacifism, which has its own vitality and integrity, and also seriously misconstruing and distorting the justifiable war tradition."

CS Lewis, writing in "Mere Christianity", agreed that the "middle ground" approach is philosophically precarious:

"War is a dreadful thing, and I can respect an honest pacifist, though I think he is entirely mistaken. What I cannot understand is this sort of semi-pacifism you get nowadays which gives the people the idea that though you have to fight, you ought to do it with a long face as if you were ashamed of it."

In a recent discussion, a young Orthodox woman asked our priest what the "Orthodox position on war" was. The simple answer, the one that all the Church Fathers agree no matter which side of the paradox they fall, was the one our priest gave:

The Church is not "pro-war" since war (justified or not) is always seen by the Church as falling short of the glory of God. Yet the Church is not "anti-war" as we pray for victory of our armed forces that they may "keep Your Holy Church secure" and fight against those who would harm the Church and prevent the faithful from living lives of "peace and repentance."

2004-10-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Orderly But With Little Inner Substance

Quotes du Jour (props to Wild Violets):

"Orderliness, tidiness, clarity of thinking are not very important in themselves, but they become important to a man who is sensitive, who feels deeply, who is in a state of perpetual inward revolution."

I'm not sure what exactly an "inward revolution" is in context here, but I do think there is something about a clean house/dorm/locker/car/desk or whatnot that is both the fruit of (and the prerequisite for) an orderly soul.

Those who have visited a monastery know that, while the grounds and facilities may not be "up to date", they will always be clean and well-maintained. We talk so often of the virtue of simplicity and pine for it to manifest itself in our spiritual lives. I wonder if it starts with having a clean house...

"In this country, unfortunately, as all over the world, we care so little, we have no deep feeling about anything. Most of us are intellectual--intellectuals in the superficial sense of being very clever, full of words and theories about what is right and what is wrong, about how we should think, what we should do. Mentally we are highly developed, but inwardly there is very little substance or significance; and it is this inward substance that brings about true action, which is not action according to an idea."

Ouch. All too true in the case of your not so humble scribe ....

2004-10-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Workplace Irony

I earn my living in the advertising industry (television media to be exact).

I'm working on several new 4th quarter projects right now. One is for a hideously overpriced product nobody needs which the masses will scarf up in spades to "be kewl" .... only to later realize how superfluous and expensive the item is.

The other is for a company that specializes in debt relief services.

I love consumerism.

2004-09-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

Where Nobody Needs a Savior

Michael Spencer writes against a phenomenon I once called "the cult of the nice"; the peculiarly Huxlian/postmodern Christian culture too many of us live in where displaying anything less than "happiness" is verboten. Spencer sums up the problem thusly:

"[Contemporary Christians are] merely human, but their church says they must be more than human to be good Christians. They cannot speak of or even acknowledge their troubled lives. Their marriages are wounded. Their children are hurting. They are filled with fear and the sins of the flesh. They are depressed and addicted, yet they can only approach the church with the lie that all is well, and if it becomes apparent that all is not well, they avoid the church."

Or, what is even more disturbing, we turn church into a place of empty emotions, slick facades, and plastic relationships to dumb the pain. If only we'd simply avoid the church instead of corrupting it!

Bill, who struggles with depression, has found a place where he doesn't have to lie about his need for healing.

"The little crumbs of love I have tasted have fallen from the table of Orthodoxy. I may be depressed, but I'm not stupid. I'm staying put. If I starve to death, I might as well starve to death surrounded by beauty and peace."

People don't understand Orthodoxy, in part, because of what the cult of the nice does to one's perception of an authentic Christian life. In this post, Grace notes that contemporary Christians "are uncomfortable with us Orthodox sometimes because we don't smile more and, I don't know, cheer up. I get uncomfortable with them because they do. There's something a little brittle, a little shiny about all that. It's good stuff in small quantities, but it's sugar-water -- all zip and no substance. No wonder their hearts are hurting."

If there is one thing that needs to be said here it is this: A Christianity without a proper and vibrant asceticism, a way of life that promotes and encourages us to be open about our battle against the passions and our need for constant repentance, isn't Christianity at all. It is pop psychology and false spiritualism masquerading as the Gospel.

The cult of the nice is the shameful joy of a mock resurrection which was never preceded by dying to oneself to being with. Sugar water, indeed.

2004-09-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

An Orthodox Web Development Forum

Fr. John from Chicago, has started an Orthodox Web Development Community.

He writes, "Over the past couple years, I've had conversations with Orthodox folks from all over the world interested in using the internet or web-based technologies to serve the Church in some way. Many were interested putting their skills to work as volunteers, but lacked any community to aide, coordinate or direct their efforts."

"I notice, too, that many people have been duplicating each other's work -- in database work, script programming, and so on. I hope this can be a place where we can share what we've done and learn from each other."

2004-09-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

Who Really Benefits From the Upcoming Presidential Election?

This is an amusing example of why a popular rumor--that both parties wouldn't mind all that much losing this presidential election--has a lot of merit. Let's take a peek into the crystal ball ourselves, shall we?

It is clear now that Bush has dug himself into a massive hole in Iraq and will find it difficult to climb out unscathed and scandal-free in the next 9-12 months. His second term will be filled with continued trouble abroad (Iran? North Korea?) and he will make a series of decisions that will certainly not be popular and quite likely not helpful for the nation's long term battle against terrorism.

This might not be so bad for the Republicans unless the Bush Administration continues to ignore both their fiscally conservative base and the "9/11 Democrats" regarding taxes, the deficit, Social Security and Medicare---which, given the the tunnel vision displayed thus far by Rove, Card et al., seems quite likely. With scandals and failure abroad mixed with negligence at home, a second Bush term will inexorably lead to huge Democratic Congressional wins in 2006 for sure and most likely in 2008 as well. President Hillary Clinton is not far away.

Not an attractive long term picture for conservatives to consider.

Kerry, if he wins, will inherit the very volatile situation in Iraq he clearly doesn't have the wisdom nor the resources to handle. His approval rating will stay well below 50% for much of 2005 and 2006. Exhausted by the whole ordeal in Iraq, voters will hammer him for any lack of resolve or arrogant shortsightedness so typical of Democratic presidents when they try their hand at foreign policy.

(Can anyone say Jimmy Carter in Iran and Afghanistan and Bill Clinton in....well, goodness, take your pick from one of the dozen or so foreign policy debacles of the 90's!).

Kerry will also make the devastating error every liberal in office seems destined to repeat when it comes to domestic issues; presenting a "centrist" face on the campaign trail and later infuriating a large section of the electorate when it becomes clear to all that his policy decisions are made solely by a combination of: a) increasing capitulation to his radical leftist base and b) the natural consequences of having a near total absence of anything resembling a coherent and moral worldview.

In a backlash for spinelessness abroad and moral vacuity at home, the voters will quickly wrest control of the House and Senate away from the DNC and give it back to the Republicans in 2006. After a series of scandals that will further weaken the Kerry Administration, Republicans will find another young, popular governor (if the Constitution is amended, could it be "Auwnuld"?) to crush him in 2008.

Not an attractive long term picture for liberals to consider.

So, all in all, I'm not sure which is worse: having one's candidate win or not come this November.

2004-09-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

Do You Have St. Paul's Bible?

While reading through the Greek Psalter and King James Version side-by-side, I noticed something you can mention to the next Protestant who asks you why the Orthodox Church uses the LXX:

In Romans 3:10ff St Paul quotes from Psalm 13 (14 MT):

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." `

In the Septuagint Psalter we can see where St Paul is quoting from:

"...The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men: to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God. But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable: there is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues have they deceived: the poison of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and unhappiness is in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes. Have they no knowledge..."

But in the Psalms of the KJV most of St Paul's quote is missing:

"...The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did [understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.] Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge..."

The extra material that St Paul quotes from the Septuagint Psalter is missing from the Hebrew Masoretic Text - that's why the King James and many other Bibles are missing those verses. But they weren't missing from Saint Paul's Bible - because the Hebrew or Greek text he used was from the LXX text tradition.

* Props to Silouan from the Orthodox Convert Discussion Group for this.

2004-09-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Home as the Little Church: More on "Ministries"

Tripp (the "AngloBaptist") made a comment on last Friday's post that deserves a longer reply. He writes,

"I am Baptist and in seminary the general line of teaching is that if you want people to stay in your church (church growth yada yada) you have to get them involved. Otherwise they do not feel appreciated or a part of the community....we seem to be saying that the opposite edifies us. Certainly it is a both/and thing and the introvert/extrovert thing may play a small part. Still, I think it is a misunderstanding of the function of that building called church. What do y'all think?"

That is a great question and an important issue. Let me throw out some thoughts:

I liked something RC priest Fr. Richard J. Neuhaus (of First Things fame) said at a lecture the other day. He quipped, "The Church isn't an institution like the Rotary or the Elks--it is first of all a family."

I think when people say they want to be involved, they mean something more psychological and spiritual than organizational. IOW, they want to be part of an adventure bigger than themselves, they want to be loved and feel that not only what they do *but who they are* matters and can be made whole. It isn't so much the activities we crave but the community, relationships, and healing that sometimes (but rarely) comes to life from the myriad of activities most churches peddle as "God's work."

Here is where the Orthodox concept, coined by St. John Chrysostom, really shows itself as part of the answer: the home as "the Little Church."

I think one of the reasons for the disconnect many of us feel is that most of us do not have a Christian praxis in our daily home life that resonates and draws from the Church's liturgical and sacramental life.

There is something powerful about having a rule of prayer, using an icon corner, following the fasts, working as a family to do acts of mercy for our immediate neighbors, teaching our children about the history of the Church, reading Scripture and the Lives of the Saints, etc .... and then doing this again in the larger context of the liturgy and fellowship of the Church. The active life grows organically from the inner; it rarely works in reverse.

Justin correctly notes that his ministry "is to be the presbyter and episkopos of my home- the elder and the overseer of my family, carrying the baton and leading them into the unchanging and ancient faith by example."

It is when we have a synergy between church and home that we understand several important truths, three of which being:

1) The Church as it manifests itself as an institution and our "ministries" derive their existence and worth from the ontological reality of God's presence in the Church's sacramental and liturgical experience and our participation in that life, rather than the other way around.

2) The Christian life is for the healing of our souls and for fostering the fruits of the Spirit in our daily lives and from this can all outward/extroverted "activities" and "ministries" also bear fruit.

3) What Ann said in a previous comment: that the Church exists for us, not us for it. In Orthodoxy this is hard to miss since we are not the creators of the Church, but the recipients.

2004-09-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Adding Our Contributions to the Church

Everyone seems to want their own ministry these days.

Growing up in an evangelical culture meant that if one wasn't: fundraising to be a missionary in a foreign country (apparently one's immediate surroundings were already part of the Kingdom), working towards being hired as a youth pastor (the only "cool" pastoral role) or playing in, or better yet, leading a "worship team," than one wasn't *really* a Christian.

Daily prayer, confession, fasting, participation in the sacraments, communal living, scripture and patristic study, meditation, serving one's family; that which makes for the foundation of the Christian life seemed a bit out of place in an extroverted Christian world eager to pit the contemplative against the active as if the latter trumped the former.

The hidden assumption many us have about our life in the Church, ISTM, is that one must be contributing something of visible "worth" to the community or that outward "activities" and trademarked "ministries" are the goals one strives for as a Christian. A Pragmatic Pelagianism, of sorts. Holiness, purity of heart, victory over passions, union with God....all take a back seat to the particulars of the "purpose driven life."

Timothy Copple warns inquirers when he notes that "the idea that the Church is going to be hurt if I don't join or that my contribution has some importance to the Church overall is a matter of pride and runs counter to the ethos of humility and contentment which is at the core of Orthodoxy spirituality."

"Will we add something? Sure, but we don't come in with that as a central goal or purpose. Rather, we come in to submit to what the Church is and be formed by [her way of life]. Only when we have been formed by the Church can our own contributions, whatever those might be, have any impact and value beyond our own prideful heart."

Now, we know St. Paul certainly encourages us to "strive to excel in building up the church" (1 Cor 14:12) and that each are given gifts "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12). There isn't anything wrong with the ministries and activities that any healthy Christian community must endeavor to do.

So the question isn't so much whether or not ministry/activity/work is good, but rather a) is it what I'm called to do b) does it distract me from the "one thing needful" c) is it being done at the right time and place d) are the motivations coming from a desire to serve God and love my neighbor or from something else; whether an attempt to heal a deep psychological wound or fulfill a warped theology of Christian praxis?

As St. Seraphim of Sarov says, "Note well that it is only good works done in the name of Christ that bring us the fruits of the Spirit."

2004-09-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

Educational Choices

Robert and Gideon both have thought-provoking posts about the issues parents must face when thinking about whether to send their children to government schools or homeschool.

Of course, there are other excellent options as well!

I like this point by Robert: "Our mission as parents is not to make sure our children are attractive, athletic, popular, socially skilled, smart, well educated, or financially prosperous. It is to raise them to be godly."

Now, if one discerns the government schools are the only option for one's children there are many things one can do to make the most of the situation. It is also true that some children will thrive in it. But, frankly, I just can't fathom putting my children in government schools; certainly not until high school and hopefully never.

2004-09-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Ducks, First Day, Advice, and Beauty: Random Monday Musings

* I lost my voice amidst 57,000+ loyal and rabid fans at this heartbreaker on Saturday. Seven turnovers absolutely killed us, yet we still could have won the game in the final minutes. Now I have to figure out a way of teaching this week with a very raspy voice!

* I had my first full day of teaching Latin last Friday. The kids are respectful and sharp, the facilities are excellent, the curriculum superb. Now, if only the teacher wasn't so green....

* Simon has a great post for new bloggers to check out. One of my favorites is #30: "Just like in life, extremism beats moderation and emotion beats logic. If you want reasoned discourse prepare to dwell in oblivion. If you want invective and ill-considered responses, watch the hits come in."

* Liturgical prayer of the week: "Sanctify those who love the beauty of your house." Appreciating and co-creating heavenly architecture, music, iconography, design, and sense of space are part of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian. As Dostoevsky said, "Beauty will save the world." The world certainly needs it.

Update: My voice held up pretty well today in class and three of the students said they love Latin and are glad I'm one of their teachers!

2004-09-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Is "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" Orthodox?

A reader sent this email:

An interesting topic came up in my Human Development class. We were discussing different theories of development including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs... just a brief review and it was viewed as "pretty common sensical" and discussion was about to close, and I raised my hand. I've always viewed Maslow's model as very fair, and again, as making sense. But I had to ask: then how do the Saints fit into this model?

They didn't have all of their basic necessities met such as food, shelter, and belonging, but they were/are more "self actualized" then the highest functioning therapist/clergyman/doctor...

I believe that [the saints'] basic needs were met and so they were able to climb the ladder of needs to self actualization, but their needs were not met by mere material provision, they allowed God to intervene and provide miraculously outside the confines of Maslow's model. What would be a more accurate model? I am interested in making a truer pyramid (if you will) but still within the vocabulary of modern psychology.

Here was my response (slightly edited):

There are many scholars who agree that Maslow's Hierarchy doesn't answer some fundamental questions about human nature.

"There are people who are willing to suffer hunger and thirst ... even to die for values Maslow assumed are less potent than the physiological needs."
Richard M. Ryckman, "Theories of Personality" (pg362)

As Paul Vitz notes in his well known book "Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship", Maslow's theory assumes a linear progression of human development rather than an interdependence of needs.

"Love is inextricably linked to bodily health", and it does not follow that the needs of the body must be fulfilled before one can either love or "self-actualize." Of the Maslow pyramid Vitz states categorically, "there is no such reliable order" when we consider human beings as communal rather than simply physiological. (pg38)

This leads us to a simple observation: Like most of our models, theories and systems (whether they be legal, psychological, sociological etc), Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a useful, albeit limited and ultimately flawed, way of understanding fallen man and society. It does not describe human nature as it was and is intended to become with God's grace.

I think this is key because much contemporary Christian philosophy and educational theory make the often hidden assumption that "what you see is what you get"; i.e. that man is not to "partake of the divine nature" and be divinized but simply to be "self-actualized." He is not to "become god by grace", as St. Athansius and St. Gregory note, but simply to be "a good person."

Thus, the way the modern world looks at human life is seen within the closed system of fallen man's capabilities and vision rather than that of the God-Man, Jesus Christ. It is, in the end, atheistic because it does not allow for the miracles of God; whether they be physical, psychological or whatnot.

In one of the hymns for Nativity we proclaim that the Theotokos, through God, "overcame nature" by giving birth to Christ. So I think you are correct--the saints, while fully human and fallen, work with God to transfigure fallen nature; including what we consider to be the "natural" or "normal" processes of life.

2004-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

Intentional Community, WWII, and Imperfect Communion: Random Tuesday Musings

* Some of you have asked for a progress report on the intentional community. I'm sad to say that, for the time being, the project is being put on hold due to a combination of timing issues, changes in vision, and finances.

* How the WWII D-Day Invasion would be reported by the media today. Oh, how true this is!

* It seems I'm not the only one who realizes that English just hasn't yet developed the linguistic dexterity necessary to express the depth, tenderness, and beauty of Orthodoxy.

* Courageous and truthful statements like this, made at international ecumenical gatherings, give one hope that some good may still come from Orthodox involvement in bodies such as the WCC. Clifton notes, "It's strong medicine, but it's medicine we so desperately need."

2004-09-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Obedience: The Neglected Virtue

A reader sent me an email the other day asking, in part, about a situation that inevitably comes up in the Orthodox life:

"What does a person do when his priest gives him advice he thinks is wrong or questionable?"

This was my reply (slightly edited):

Well, if the advice or counsel *clearly* violates the canons or moral teachings of the Church then you take it up with him privately. If he refuses to repent, you take it to the parish counsel. If you still can't resolve the problem, then you contact the ruling bishop of the diocese (following the pattern set in Matthew 18).

However, if the advice doesn't violate Church teaching but simply seems strict, unfair, uninformed, or just flat out strange, the witness of the saints says one thing and says it with gusto: obey with humility and pray for enlightenment and holiness to come *through that obedience.*

St. John Climacus, as always, perfectly expresses the paradox and beauty of this long forgotten virtue in today's Christian culture. He says, "Obedience is absolute renunciation of our own life, clearly expressed in our bodily actions. Or, conversely, obedience is the mortification of the limbs while the mind remains alive. Obedience is unquestioning movement, voluntary death, a life free of curiosity, carefree danger, unprepared defense before God, fearlessness of death, a safe voyage, a sleeper's progress."

"Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility. A corpse does not argue or reason as to what is good or what seems to be bad. For he who has devoutly put the soul of the novice to death will answer for everything. Obedience is an abandonment of discernment in a wealth of discernment."

I love the paradox of that last line.

Remember, the spiritual father is like a doctor and he guides us as we incarnate the faith in our lives by helping us to diagnose our spiritual ills....What he tells others is really of no use for you. You aren't anyone else but yourself so the counsel you receive is going to be unique to you and your situation. What may seem "legalistic" or strict may be what one needs.

This is the glory of Orthodox relationships in the Church--the standards never change yet are applied pastorally and lived out personally. Would we have it any other way?

We also need to take responsibility for our part in this relationship. We must make sure our spiritual father gets a chance to know us so he can get a good grasp of where we are at in the spiritual life and what virtues we need to work on.

We tell small children "Don't touch that" or "Stay here" because we know that they need boundaries. The child may not fully understand but trusts that the advice will protect him in his weakness.

We need the same trust, faith, and obedience in the life of the Church. We can start exercising the virtue of obedience within the relationship with our spiritual father.

Update: Huw writes about this issue as well. "So I pray to be humble - which means, obedient, but also taking things as they are and not demanding them to be otherwise."

2004-09-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

Open House at Agia Sophia

Last night Agia Sophia Academy held an open house to formally introduce the staff to the parents.

As the only teacher without a Bachelor's or a Master's Degree or previous teaching experience in the elementary grades, I have felt a little out of place. Of course, as my wife reminded me, Jesus didn't choose the Ph.D.'s and experts of the day to be his disciples and future teachers in the faith; he choose people who loved Him, prepared to do His work and ready to accept the challenge. Let it true in this case as well.

After the opening introductions and speeches, I spent the evening answering questions about the Latin curriculum and getting to know the parents. I echoed sentiments expressed by Dorothy Sayers when she wrote,

"I will say at once, quite firmly, that the best grounding for education is Latin grammar. I say this not because Latin is traditional and medieval, but simply because even a rudimentary knowledge of Latin cuts down the labor and pains of learning almost any other subject by at least 50 percent."

The benefits of studying Latin are well documented. Even if the students have trouble retaining the language itself, the skills they learn should serve them well and should provide the foundation they need for language work they will do in future stages of the Trivium.

2004-08-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Baby Update, Paul Haam, Donations, Technology: Random Monday Musings

* Baby update! The latest ultrasound has revealed the "bowel abnormality" previously detected is of no consequence. Glory to God and thanks for your prayers!

* I've noticed the more liberal one is in one's politics the better the chance that one is calling for Paul Haam to give up his gold medal as all-around men's gymnastics champion. The more conservative one is, the better the chance that one feels Haam should keep it.

No comment really....just an observation of the media coverage.

* You know, I hate to ask, but we could really use your support.

* Orthodoxy continues to utilize technology: web builders and electronic publishing.

2004-08-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

Orthodoxy in the Olympics, In-Service, Books, and Feast: Random Thursday Musings

Time is of the essence this week for me, so this post will be short and sweet.

* "Churches look Olympic best as priests skip summer holidays." This is good to see. I've really enjoyed these Olympic Games--almost more than the '96 Atlanta Games.

* In-service training for Agia Sophia Academy the past 4 days has been exhilarating, but also exhausting. The highlight was having my wife lead several of the seminars!

* Thanks to my sister-in-law I found this excellent collection of full length books online.

* If this doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. 1984, here we come....

* Our parish patronal Feast Day is coming up this weekend. St. John the Baptist, pray to God for us!

2004-08-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

A Calvinist Who Went to an Orthodox Seminary

Doug links to a short article written by a Calvinist who received a Master's from SVS. The author starts by reviewing aspects of Orthodoxy he appreciates and then proceeds to explain why he couldn't become Orthodox.

He writes, "Orthodoxy has no doctrinal statement comparable to the Westminster Confession of Faith..."

My question to the author would be--why do we *need* one? Christianity is a way of life that includes, but is not circumscribed by our Creeds, Scriptures, definitions etc. Plus, if you really need a systematic theological text, just look at St. John of Damascus' "Exposition on the Orthodox Faith."

"Orthodoxy also has a real problem with nominal members"

That is for sure. But then again what church doesn't? Would the author really want someone to judge the Reformed teachings or Presbyterian church based on either the existence or number of her nominal members? I doubt it. The tares always exist among the wheat--why does that always seem to scandalize people? That Chesterton quote about "Christianity has been found hard and not tried" comes to mind.....

"The Orthodox have not thought a lot about sin, regeneration, election, and so forth..."

Doug did a nice job of explaining why statements like this come from the very common error of trying to stuff Orthodox theology into Protestant categories and then claiming victory before one has actually addressed the issue *in context*. My question is how could the author think this after attending services, reading the Fathers, and studying Orthodox teaching? He's free to disagree with the Church's teaching, of course. But to say we haven't given it much thought is just amazing.

"If you want to see this for yourself, read Chrysostom on John 6:44-45, and then read Calvin on the same passage."

As long as you ignore all the other Patristic sources, then sure; you can always find a "one-on-one" match-up with quotes taken out of context to support almost anything.

"Many of the Orthodox tend to have a lower view of the Bible than the ancient Fathers had..."

Sadly, this conclusion is probably based more on his experience with certain liberal professors he encountered in seminary than anything else. The Orthodox have a very "high" view of the Bible--we simply don't limit God's revelation to it via a priori theological presuppositions.

"Almost everything else in any liturgy is a later adaptation and development..."

But wait! Just a few sentences earlier he was claiming that Orthodoxy was "underdeveloped" and thus not to be trusted. So which is it?

Lastly, given the typical Reformed squeamishness with icons and the sacraments in general, his "I don't agree with icons" paragraph leaves many questions begged. I'd love to see his "new and revised" critique....

Update: John has a few things to say about this post and I responded to his thoughts--both in the comments here and there.
Update 2: "Description is ever more real than definition." Seraphim pulls in a little of Florovsky to help explain the Orthodox position on formal confessional/doctrinal statements of faith.
Update 3: Clifton, building on what Doug and I have already said, offers a brilliant critique of the Kinneer article.

2004-08-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Pregnant Wife Goes to the Hospital

The sight of your pregnant wife slowly sliding out of her chair, eyes rolling, skin turning white and clammy, ending up with her arms twitching as she lies unconscious on the floor is not something you see every day.

Needless to say, we had a very eventful day yesterday.

It turns out that she had a kidney infection and the acute pain and resultant low blood pressure brought about a lack of iron in the blood caused her to faint. After several tests (including an EKG) everything truly horrific was ruled out. Glory to God, she and the baby seem to be doing ok after yesterday's ordeal at the hospital.

There was one bit of potential bad news: the routine ultrasound revealed "an abnormality in the bowels" of the baby. Hard to say at this point if that means anything or nothing. We would certainly appreciate your prayers and I'll keep you posted as time goes by.

In other news, I start in-service training this coming week as I prepare to begin teaching this fall so posting may be scattered for the next few days. I do have a couple of posts in the works though, so stay tuned...

2004-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

"Let Us Pray for the Catechumens..."

My good friends Cory (Christopher) and Tiffany (Hope) became catechumens this past Sunday at St. John the Baptist

Cory will be my first godson.

If someone would have told me two years ago that they would be well on their way to becoming Orthodox, I would have laughed ruefully and given a weak smile in return. O ye of little faith.

It is amazing what God's grace, prayer, perseverance, and (coincidently) hope can do.

Keep them in your prayers as they enter their "final leg" of their journey toward the Church. As many of us know, the spiritual warfare only intensifies during this time.

2004-08-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Movie Villians: 1974-2004

Yes, this is a silly post topic but once in a while I get in the mood to write about something a little less serious. Humor me!

When I was a journalist I wrote for the "A&E" section occasionally and enjoyed doing film reviews. Here are my top 5 movie villain characters from the last 30 years:

1) Darth Vader, "Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI"
Is this even debatable? His sinister costume, mesmerizing voice, immense spiritual power, relentless will to dominate and (in the end) human fragility make him the best villain of all time.

Best line: "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

2) SS Commandant Amon Goeth, "Schindler's List"
A chilling ruthlessness mingles with a tortured conscience in what might be the finest portrayal of a Nazi in cinematic history.

Best line: "I realize that you are not a person in the strictest sense of the word..."

3) Hannibal Lector, "Silence of the Lambs" + "Hannibal"
What is it about extremely well-educated people? They always go off the deep end. Lector, as the postmodern anti-hero, gives evil a sophisticated face. And a horrifying palate.

Best line: "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chanti!"

4) John Lawrence, "Karate Kid I"
I know this is a controversial selection. But this character really embodies, in a way no one has done since, everything wrong with high school jock culture. Some say I look eerily similar--sans the 80's feathered mullet.

Best line: "You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you, you little twerp! Well now you're going to pay!"

5) Hans Gruber, "Die Hard"
Alan Rickman in one of his most entertaining performances. The script for this character is one of the best ever for a villain, IMO. Intelligent and witty.

Best line: Well, you know what it is! (he repeats one of McClain's lines)

Honorable Mentions:

* General Kaal, "Willow" The costume alone is worthy of mention.
* Francis Dolarhyde, "Red Dragon" (another brilliant performance by Ralph Fiennes)
* Agent Smith, "The Matrix"

2004-08-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

The Olympics, Rules of Life, and "They": Random Friday Musings

* The 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens officially begin today with what has become one of the most elaborate and expensive liturgical celebrations in history: Opening Ceremony Night. Interestingly, much of what we consider to be iconographic of the Olympics (the torch relay, the huge stadiums, the meticulously choreographed pageantry) are innovations introduced by the Nazis at the 1936 Games in Berlin.

* The 11 Rules of Life. I especially liked this one:

Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Huw writes some pithy commentary on the rules.

* The acceptance and endorsement of homosexual relations in both the Catholic and Orthodox Church in Medieval Europe is "proven" in this "scholarly" text. Whew! I'm glad we got that cleared up.....Sheesh.

* I was just talking about this with someone the other day--The omnipresent "They"...

* Lord willing, we will celebrate the Feast of the Dormition this Sunday. A blessed Feast to all!

Update: Thanks to James, here is the famous sermon on the Dormition by St. Gregory Palamas.

2004-08-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

The Firstborn of Satan?

In Orthodox circles one often hears about the dangers of what Fr. Seraphim Rose called the "correctness disease."
While Fr. Seraphim's brilliant insights are spot on and need to be taken to heart by Americans coming to Orthodoxy, the concept itself has been cheapened in modern times by the those who try to distinguish the "level-headed" and "moderate" mindset of themselves over the uber-evil and triumphalistic inner attitude of the converts or traditionalists.

"Zeal not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2) is certainly to be avoided, of course. But it makes me wonder--would the first few generations of Christians (most of whom were converts themselves) have had the heart to be martyred the way they were if they did not, in some small way, have an "ugly convert syndrome" toward paganism (or, like St. Stephen, toward Judaism)?

I get the feeling if we met some 2nd or 3rd century Christians in the flesh, some of us would be pretty embarrassed by the saint's zeal for the Church, for Christ, for the Truth. I'm not sure whether that says more about us or more about them.

Here are two amusing examples of this from church history:

* St. Polycarp tells us that the apostle John once went to the public bath in Ephesus and found inside a Gnostic teacher named Cerinthus. John ran out crying, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within."

* Polycarp himself once met the infamous heretic Marcion walking down the street. Marcion hated the creator-God of the Hebrews and, to get rid of Him, had tossed out the Old Testament and much of the New and rewrote the bits he kept. Marcion asked Polycarp, "Do you know me?" and Polycarp answered, "I do know you. You are the firstborn of Satan."

Do you think these denunciations were said with a wink and a twinkle in the eye, or with sober conviction? Or, what seems more likely given the nature of the saints, both?

2004-08-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

Grammatista

I have accepted, with a mixture of trepidation and excitement, a part-time position this coming school year at Agia Sophia Academy as the Latin and grammar teacher.

I will be teaching 3 days per week for about 30 minutes per session. While this isn't very much class time, the students are young and the curriculum is meant to be taught at a slower pace.

Please keep me in your prayers. I will still be working full-time in the media industry, starting an upper division English course in literary criticism that runs from late September through early December, teaching Latin at ASA, and getting ready for the birth of my first child.

More on all of this in future posts.

2004-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

Orthodox Inquirer Roundup

Cory: "Probing the scriptures, I could not find an instance where Christ assured me I was entitled to a Christian life free from challenge, absent of faith, void of intellectual thought."

Now there is a truth to remember, especially as we become weary of daily Orthodox life, troubled over jurisdictional or ethnic issues, or feel that the truths of the Faith are (as a family member who has left the Church put it to me) "inaccessible."

John has on his list of things to do:
1) Figure out "Authority" in Eastern Orthodoxy and write a paper on it.
2) Figure out "Authority" in Christian Church Protestantism and deal with it.

I pointed him to this great series of essays on the topic.

Rusty: "I remember what God has been doing in my life - how He's changed me in the months I've found out more about His Church. I remember the service yesterday, about the feeling I had when I prostrated before the cross. How it felt to partake of the blessed water, and yearn for the day I can partake of the Eucharist. About how I can almost remember every sermon I've heard preached during the Divine Liturgy. I know that there was life where I was, but now I've found it more abundantly."

Good point, Rusty. Today being the Feast of the Transfiguration it is good to remember that our former life is transfigured, not annihilated.

Nathan: "I am starting to realize that God demands we accept the church on his terms, not our own....We either accept the church as she has come to us through the centuries, or try to fashion our own - with all that either decision implies about God and ourselves."

Amazingly, the choice is really that clear.

2004-08-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Cut to Pieces

The first few days of ascetic struggle during a fasting season are always difficult; not so much because of the fasting per se, but because of what the struggle reveals about the human heart.

Fr. Artemy speaks of this well. "Perhaps the only way for a modern man, crazed by inner pride, to come to humility is to be crushed by life, to be cut into pieces by his sins, and to understand that he hasn't any strength to live without God. Our ancestors were like birds who soared to our Lord; now we must crawl to Him."
Props to Bill

Of course, our ancestors in the faith also had to crawl. Their struggle, while unique to their circumstances and lives, was the same podvig. But, oh, how difficult this struggle seems to us in our day with the myriad of temptations undreamt of in ages past and the seemingly irresistible power of the Evil One's juggernaut.

Update: "In retrospect, perhaps I'm not keeping the fast as well as I had originally thought..."
Update 2: In keeping with the spirit of the great discussion in the comments, I thought Seraphim's debate on the virtues of English with a weight-lifting partner was quite amusing.

2004-08-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Napoleon, Quotes and the Translation of St. Stephen's Relics: Random Monday Musings

* I saw this over the weekend. About 75% of the people in the theater roared with laughter (some of us with tears in our eyes) and the rest seemed confused. A brilliant and hilarious comedy that doesn't rely on vulgarity is a true rarity in our day. Highly recommended.

* Speaking of vulgar, what are your kids wearing? Goodness sakes. I think that about confirms we are in the end times.

* Why the church must repent of inclusivity.

* The Prayer Blog. Add your commemorations and take a few minutes to run through these prayers yourself.

* Quote du Jour: "What's another word for heresy? Progressive orthodoxy."

* Deep Thought du Jour. I feel like this all the time.

* Today is one of the Feast days of my patron, St. Stephen the Protomartyr.

"After the First Martyr had been stoned to death, Gamaliel, his teacher, encouraged certain of the Christians to go by night and take up the Saint's body and bury it in his field, which was at a distance of some twenty miles from Jerusalem and was called by his name, 'Kaphar-gamala,' that is, 'the field of Gamala,' where Gamaliel himself was later buried."

"About the year 427, a certain pious man called Lucian, who was the parish priest of a church near to that field, received from God a revelation in a dream concerning the place where the First Martyr was buried. He immediately made this known to John, the Patriarch of Jerusalem."

"Thus coming to the place indicated and digging there, they found a box with the word 'Stephen' in Aramaic letters. On opening it, they took these most sacred relics and transferred them to Jerusalem with great honor and in the company of a very great multitude of the faithful."

Update: "If you've let your child start being immodest, someone, somewhere is going to be immodest back."
Update 2: The opinions expressed in the comments of this post reminded me of a similiar topic and the intriguing and provocative discussion that followed.
Update 3: Jennifer notes the important truth that modesty is not just a "girl problem"

2004-07-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Queen Mother and the Dormition

Starting next week Orthodox Christians will begin the two week fast in preparation for the Feast of the Dormition. I thought what Silouan posted on a discussion group a few weeks ago was pertinent.

Traditionally, next to the throne of the King was a second throne. Many would assume that the second throne belonged to the wife of the King, but in ancient Israel it belonged to the mother of the king.

There is an Aramaic word, "Gebirah", which means "Queen Mother". The Gebirah was an official position, one with which everyone (Jesus and His disciples included) was entirely familiar. Her role was as an advocate of the people. Anyone who had a petition or sought an audience with the King did so through her.

This role is mentioned in several passages from the OT:

1 Kings 15:13--"He also deposed his Maacah from her position as queen mother."
2 Kings 10:13--"We are kinsmen of Ahaziah," they replied. "We are going down to visit the princes and the family of the queen mother."
Jeremiah 13:18--"Say to the king and to the queen mother: come down from your throne."

Her specific place of honor and intercession is dramatically illustrated in the following passage from 1 Kings 2:13-21--

"Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. "Do you come as a friend?" she asked. "Yes," he answered, and added, "I have something to say to you." She replied, "Say it." So he said: "...There is one favor I would ask of you. Do not refuse me." And she said, "Speak on."

He said, "Please ask King Solomon, who will not refuse you, to give me Abishag the Shunamite for my wife." "Very well," replied Bathsheba, "I will speak to the king for you." Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king stood up to meet her and paid her homage. Then he sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king's mother, who sat at his right. "There is one small favor I would ask of you," she said. "Do not refuse me." "Ask it, my mother," the king said to her, "for I will not refuse you."

Of particular import are the following observations:
1.Adonijah assumed that the queen mother would approach the King on his behalf; he trusted her.
2. The reaction of the King is noteworthy: he stood up to meet her and paid her homage.
3. A throne was provided for her and she sat at his right.
4. Her power as intercessor is stressed by the repetition of the idea that the king "will not refuse her".

Update: "My heart is warmed because I'm learning to know a person and what she means to my God."

Update 2: Tom, speaking of our relationships with the saints: "It's not a matter of logical necessity, but of natural desire."

2004-07-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Generational Curses and Party of Five

The topic of generational curses has come up in conversation recently with various non-Orthodox family members.

While I've already explained in detail why, from an classically Christian point of view, this teaching is heretical and dangerous to the development of a healthy spiritual life, I thought I'd also use an example from pop culture as well.

The following is a direct quote from the script of one of the best episodes of one of the best shows on television in the last 15 years (IMHO!) The title of the episode is "The Intervention"--#20 from the third season of "Party of Five.". Listen to Bailey try to explain his alcoholism and resultant bad behavior to his siblings:

"I'm my father's son, right? Which is...which explains a lot of things. I mean, I can finally stop looking at myself and thinking, what is going on here? What am I turning into? Who am I turning into? Because it's him. I'm turning into him. And it's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's his fault. So...so I'm gonna stop beating myself up and I'm gonna stop letting all of you guys beat up on me. Because this is just who I am, and this is what I do..."

When you boil it all down, this is the train of thought that logically proceeds from the anthropology of generational curse theology (GCT).

While GCT does highlight a few truths such as the reality of the demonic forces and the importance of understanding one's psychological makeup/family history, it does it in a way that cheapens free will and ignores the commandment not to judge one's neighbor.

Bailey was wrong. He may have been predisposed to alcoholism because of family genetics or environmental triggers--but he was the one who drank to excess. And he is the only one who can repent of that sin.

"Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin." Deuteronomy 24:16

2004-07-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Pontificating and Personality Types

The more I've gotten involved in blogging about theological issues, the less interested I am in actually talking about them verbally. It is a strange thing in many ways.

I have this funny feeling that those who only know me through the blog have a very skewed image in their mind of my personality. I'm actually quite taciturn in large groups; even when theology, philosophy, or other topics I love are being discussed.

Being an INTJ, I tend to be quite shy and introverted. While I love deep one-on-one discussions, I abhor large groups and the interpersonal dynamics they create. Authentic interaction seems to be inversely proportional to the number of people involved.

When I first became Orthodox (and even before that) I hardly ever missed an opportunity to verbally rant, argue, muse, or otherwise pontificate on theology or philosophical issues.....or, quite frankly, any area where I felt I had some "expertise." I was an intellectual in the worst sense of the word.

Pontificating has often been a favorite hobby and in some ways that hasn't changed. Nowadays, however, I pretty much try to keep this habit of mine contained within the blogosphere.

Update: "It seems that the harder I try to draw near to God, the less I have to blog about."

2004-07-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

A Conversation About Zen

A few weeks ago a reader sent me some interesting questions about "the supreme identity" concept in Buddhism and was curious if there was a correlation in Orthodoxy.

What follows is another excerpt from the email discussion:

He wrote, "I understand from my Christian perspective, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the supreme identity of God's incarnation and revelation. But don't we also speak of incarnation in other ways?"

Yes we do (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20; etc), but these all flow organically from The Incarnation. Otherwise we run the risk of divorcing the Essence of God from His Energies....

"I've been pondering the notion that when a Zen practitioner claims to have a satori, and that he or she has touched the divine that what may be happening is that they are awakening to an awareness of their own spirit, or getting in touch with their 'Imago Dei'. It's not a direct touching of God, but a glimpse of His reflection in our own created being."

Sure, to some extent I think this is true. Most western practitioners probably aren't going as deep as they think they are because we tend to "play" at Zen. We don't really take seriously the ascetic lifestyle needed for this kind of illumination. There are so many stories and warnings from the desert fathers about the dangers of what they call "prelest"; spiritual delusion as a natural consequence of indulging in "mystical experiences" not tethered to the Church and her ascetic and liturgical life. Any "spirituality" that isn't focused on and flowing from Christ is bound to become prelest sooner or later....

"While I agree with you regarding your observation about the absence of the Personal aspect, mystical experience is transpersonal, but this doesn't necessitate the exclusion of the Personal. It's just as you've said, language is inadequate to describe or define it. Therefore we can only communicate in metaphors which do not do complete justice to the experience."

True. This is why Orthodoxy has always been a "come and see" kind of faith....human language can point the way and in some ways open up the door. But we have to walk through it in faith and in experience. It was coming to realize, in some very profound ways, that Truth was a Person (not an koan, a state of nirvana, or simply knowledge for its own sake) that I was able to turn toward Christ.

"I also have some questions about the asceticism and the 'simply dying' idea. I wont quote D.T.Suzuki, or Alan Watts, or even Ken Wilber, but for my example I'll use the obscure 60's song by Donovan, where the refrain repeats an old Zen description of satori, 'First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.' This sounds absurd to those not studied in Buddhist tradition, but this is a typology of resurrection. The first mountain is the common conception of the mountain, then there is no mountain...is emptiness, or seeing beyond the form of all things, and then there is the mountain again, but a qualitatively different mountain, one for which the devotee now sees in it's absolute relationship to all things."

I see what you are getting at. I suppose if I was going to qualify what I originally said in this regard, it would be to note the importance of the Orthodox understanding of the passions--the powers of the human soul. The Church's view of asceticism is quite different than both the western Christian and Near East understanding and it stems from a different view of what a human being is....In a nutshell, true asceticism is a purification, a restoring of what is good in essence but has been stained by sin and twisted by the misuse of our free will

The Buddhist view of asceticism, because of the implicit dualism at its core, ends up rejecting incarnated living as an essential component of what it means to be fully human....thus the injunction to "cease from all desires" never restores the proper place of desire--it just annihilates it.

One of the beautiful things about Orthodoxy is that things like contemplation, mystical prayer, the centrality of paradoxical language, etc, are all an organic part of the Orthodox way of life. Anything Zen has to offer, Orthodoxy has *and has Christ at the center of it*...and this makes all the difference.

In other words, there is no need to pursue Zen or other mystical approaches to life if one wishes to be a Christian.

2004-07-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

Humor Cornucopia: Random Wednesday Musings

* How to win an argument. His bit about using Latin phrases really got a chuckle out of me but the whole thing is quite amusing.

* Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast. I know a few of you have already seen this (Jan Bear and Josh Claybourn for starters), but it is too good not to pass on. Those email scams are something else...

* The ever classic, "Leave me alone! What I do in private doesn't affect you at all!" way of justifying sin.

* "Then MC Yammer gets up to 'wrap it up.' ... We were given these little sheets of paper with fill-in-the-blank statements...One of them, for example, was 'Change [in the sense of changing to follow God's will] is most often prevented by our desire to be ________.' Vayammer Ice fills it in for us with 'comfortable.' Ever the rebel, I put 'evil.'"

Speaking of young adult groups...Josh's experience reminded me of when I was part of a large Protestant "college and career" group in the mid-90's. There are times when I can hardly believe I was part of that world...

* Katie has some good reminders about our tendency to use bitter sarcasm as a weapon. But I also like what G.K. Chesterton said about the proper role of humor in the Christian life.

"So far from it being irreverent to use silly metaphors on serious questions, it is one's duty to use silly metaphors on serious questions. It is the test of one's seriousness. It is the test of a responsible religion or theory whether it can take examples from pots and pans and boots and butter-tubs. It is the test of a good philosophy whether you can defend it grotesquely. It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it."

* Does anyone remember that old spoof about a modern marketing firm sending an Orthodox parish a "changes you'll need to make to grow your church" letter? I seem to have a vague recollection that Terry Mattingly may have printed it at one point. If someone can find the text, please email it to me or send me a link.

Update: Terry Mattingly did indeed write the article in question. Thanks Clifton!

2004-07-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Bones In My Ceiling

Tonight, at the local "Orthodox Young Adults" discussion group, I'll be sharing my journey to the Orthodox Faith.

Earlier this week, in preparation for the talk, I was digging through some old files and found the original copies of all my poetry from 1995-1999. During this time period I had a good dozen officially published in various poetry journals, literary magazines and the like.

I thought I'd post one of these previously published poems here on the blog for fun. Feel free to critique or offer an interpretation. The poem is entitled "Bones in My Ceiling."

You say you see bones in my ceiling
Visions left over from some travels taken
A vacation from the beautiful flower
Which now looks like an old melted candle
And you see bones, little pieces of blotter, pieces of us
Are we creative within our earth, our world of routine?
You say you want this
And I wonder what it is we really need
I tremble and shudder from something that is not real
I know this
Truth as I come back down
And you see bones
You say you see bones in my ceiling
But maybe tonight all we have seen
Will combine itself inside us
And then you will see what I see
A long trail of stars
Revealing lights on my white sky
I will wake glowing
The illusion tucked back and away in my eyes.

2004-07-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Diversity and Unity: Part II

Later Justin replied, "I think what you're saying would also apply to the modern megachurch if it were true."

Not quite. People in the megachurches are not unified in matters of faith (get 10 in a room together and you'll get 8-9 different Christologies!), they are not united in way of life (except individualism and consumerism), and they are not united in either faith or practice to the history and tradition of the Church throughout the ages.

What unites them is only worship...and as we both know that it isn't enough.

Now it must be said that not every Orthodox parish exhibits or creates the kind of community one might expect. However, as I noted in the comments of Part I, this is in spite of our theology and praxis not because of it. IOW, Individualism, Consumerism, the peculiar American aversion to intimacy, "the cult of the nice", ignorance of and lack of exposure to patristic teaching and God-bearing fathers, decades of persecution, etc are all much better explanations of our failings.

The assumed "stuffiness" of liturgy, "suffocating" ethnic barriers, "rigid" doctrine or "man-made" traditions are simply straw men. The heart of the problem is that too many of us take our ideas about friendship and community (not to mention theology) from the world rather than the Church.

Another contributing factor (at least among Americans) is that quite a large number of Christians, particularly men, have never truly experienced authentic friendship before. This wound, this psychological hole creates a sense of urgency and immaturity; both of which typically injure the delicate and organic nature of relationships. I've seen this happen time and again...

Lewis once quipped that there wasn't anything that foiled an attempt to have a good conversation more effectively than someone starting off a discussion by urgently saying "Let's have a good conversation!" Too often our "church activities" and methods of building community are the equivalent of such folly.

Community comes when people suffer for the truth together and who thus come to love God and experience the unity of that truth. If you don't have deep friendships it probably means you, and those around you, aren't suffering enough--at least not for the sake of the Gospel anyway.

Update: "We're handicapped in this area; so few of us have ever actually 'experienced' community."

2004-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Diversity and Unity: Part I

Justin writes, "Orthodoxy probably does have a lot of diversity, but it's not the kind of community that some of us are talking about. Standing in a room with other people and doing the same thing is a completely different type of community than actually getting to know each other and interact."

Actually the two are intimately connected...which is why, IMO, the emergent movement is having such a hard time with this issue.

There is a closeness, a deep connection that is made when there is a common purpose--it is in sharing in the same worship, the same way of life, the same prayers, etc that we *truly* form the foundation any true friendship requires. The ability to form community outside the walls of the Church is directly related to how united we are inside those walls...which explains, again, why Orthodox people are a) so diverse and, paradoxically, b) so united.

A group of people, all believing and living in radically different (and in many cases, contradictory) ways will have a very difficult time forming lasting friendships, deeply satisfying community, and stable faith....long term.

The emergent movement's answer to this is to simply to intensify the "diversity"--a rather nebulous and artificial concept that starts with the assumption that unity and community will develop if only we had more voices to add to the cacophony of modern day Christianity. The truth is that true diversity is the natural child of authentic unity...but not its mother.

We see this perfect balance and relationship between unity and diversity in the Orthodox Church time again throughout history.

As Bishop Ware writes, "The mutual indwelling of the persons of the Trinity is paralleled by the mutual indwelling ('pericorisis' in Greek) of the members of the Church. In the Church there is no conflict between freedom and authority; there is unity, but not totalitarianism. There is diversity, but not subjectivism or individualism."

More to come in Part II....

Update: Robbymac continues the discussion.

2004-07-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

On the Transfiguration

Here is the essay I've been working on for the upcoming August edition of the St. John the Baptist parish newsletter:

It is fitting that the Church chooses to place the liturgical celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration in the middle of the summer; that time when the light of the sun is so plentiful. St. Maximus the Confessor notes, "The sun that rises and illumines the world makes itself visible as well as the objects it illumines. It is the same with the Sun of righteousness."

The Transfiguration of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:1-9) is one of the twelve great feasts of our Lord commemorated in the Church and is an opportunity for us to reflect on the themes of light, sight, and love and how they are intimately connected. What does this strange and mysterious event in the Gospels tell us about our lives as Christians? What does the light of the Transfiguration teach us about Jesus Christ, our neighbor, and the telos of our lives?

In St. John's first epistle, we are told that "God is light and in Him there is no darkness." (1 John 1:5). It is no wonder how St. John can make such a bold statement since he was one of the three disciples (Sts. Peter and James being the other two) who saw the Transfiguration first-hand. But what does it mean to say that 'God is light'? It is to say, as Georgios Mantzaridis notes, that the light that the disciples saw was "the natural brightness of His divinity...the radiance that was His from the beginning." While we can never see or know the Essence of God, we can see and know Him as He manifests Himself to us in His Uncreated Energies. This is important because, as St. Basil the Great tells us, "we come to believe in the Essence by virtue of the Energies."

When we think of Christ being transfigured, it is tempting to believe that He somehow changed. But this is far from the truth. St. Gregory Palamas says that "Jesus is transfigured, not by assuming what He did not posses, nor by changing into what He was not, but by revealing Himself as He was to His disciples, opening their eyes and healing their blindness."

Like scales falling from their eyes, the disciples saw, for a few brief moments, Jesus as He really is and always was during his earthly ministry-the perfect union of two natures in one person "without confusion or division." In fact, one could say that the Transfiguration is the transformation of the disciples more than anything else.

Throughout the history of the Church, we see that those who see the Uncreated Energies of God are themselves transfigured into light. The blinders of sin, self-centeredness, and short-sightedness are lifted through repentance and the Christian sees his goal-union with God. "Just as many lamps are lit from one flame," says St. Macarius, "so the bodies of the saints, being members of Christ must be what Christ is and nothing else...our human nature is transfigured into the power of God, and it is kindled into fire and light."

But how does this kindling take place? One of the troparians of the feast gives us a hint. It says, "You were transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God, revealing Your glory to Your disciples as far as they could bear it." As far as they could bear it. One of the many challenges this feast poses to us is this: how far are we willing to bear the light of Christ? How seriously do we wish to throw off the scales of sin from our eyes (Heb 12:1b) so that, like the disciples, hesychasts, and saints, we might begin to see God for who He is? "See! The Lord is our mirror: open your eyes, look into it, learn what your faces are like!" (Odes of Solomon).

Is this our prayer? If so, we must want to see reality for what it is, our lives for what they are, and our neighbor for who he is. This kind of light, this type of revelation is a gift of God and thus requires our assent before it can come about in our lives. Fr. Alexander Schmemann puts it well when he says that "faith is also a plea for the everlasting light, a thirst for this illumination and transfiguration... 'Lord it is good for us to be here!' If only these words might become ours, if only they might become our soul's answer to the gift of divine light, if only our prayer might become the prayer for transfiguration."

Participating in the sacramental life of the Church, keeping a rule of prayer, fasting, and acts of mercy will make our souls and bodies light, and open the eyes of our heart to God's grace and light.

One of the beautiful moments of the Presanctified Liturgy occurs when the priest comes forth from the Royal Doors and, lifting a large candle, proclaims, "The light of Christ illumines all mankind!" Met. Anthony Bloom (of blessed memory), reflecting on a particular icon of the Transfiguration, remarks that "these rays of divine light touch things and sink into them, penetrate them, touch something within them so that from the core of these things, of all things created, the same light reflects and shines back as though the divine life quickens the capabilities, the potentialities of all things..."

How difficult it is to see this potentiality in our neighbor! How easy it is to open our eyes, not to the image of God in those around us, but only to the sins and human foibles we so readily want to see! The Feast of the Transfiguration shows us a different way; a vision of the human person that neither subsumes him into nor isolates him from his Creator.

Bishop Kallistos Ware has a beautiful way of looking at it. He says that "[in] the Transfiguration each person and each thing stand out in full distinctness, in their unique and unrepeatable essence; and at the same time each person and each thing transparent, to reveal the divine beyond and within them."

In "The Weight of Glory", C.S. Lewis says something similar. "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare."

Which creature do we wish to be ourselves? One who is filled with light, overflowing with the love of God, seeing the image of God in others? Or one who voluntarily shuts his eyes to the light, refuses communion with God, and thus only sees darkness--the sin and isolation of his own soul projected onto all he experiences. "And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19)

Let us celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration by asking the Lord to grant us purification of heart since without this we will not rejoice in the light of Christ's resurrection. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." (Matt 7:8). Amen.

2004-07-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

Complexity, Divorce, Saints, Imputation: Random Friday Musings

* How many times have you heard sentiments such as, "We need to forget all this complicated theology and philosophy and just return to simple childlike wonder!" I love this rejoinder: "We need to forget about all these complicated trees, bushes, plants and shrubs and just return to simple seeds!"

The subtle, but important, difference between complication and complexity seems to fly right over most of our heads. Sadly.

* Thomas Valentine has a short but informative page on "Divorce and Annulments: The Difference between Orthodox Christianity and the Latins"

* Don't you get this feeling every now and then? Maybe it's just me!

* Gregory Orloff, (a regular reader and commenter on numerous Orthodox blogs) has created a beautiful electronic pamphlet, complete with icons, summarizing the lives of North American saints.

* Here's a question on the nature of the word "imputation" that was brought up in a theology discussion group:

Adams's sin gets imputed to us, right? I can't agree, but I follow the line of thought so far; it's based upon a mistranslation of Romans 5:12. Then our guilt gets imputed to Christ, yes? I can follow that, too, without agreeing. It's the next part that throws me: Christ's righteousness gets imputed to us. But wait a second--what righteousness? By imputation, isn't He guilty of every sin that ever got committed?

A follow up question is this--is a soteriology couched in concepts of "merit" (either ours *or* Christ's) inherently unstable?

* I apologize for the lack of substantive writing the last week or so. I am trying to keep on top of the massive amount of reading I have to do for class, working on an essay (soon to be published) on the Transfiguration, and various other projects.

2004-07-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Agia Sophia, Ever-Virginity, Polygamy, More on Moore: Random Wednesday Musings

* Please keep Agia Sophia Academy in your prayers. After so many doors opening earlier this year, the classical school has hit a few snags--a financial crunch, administrative difficulties, but mostly spiritual attacks. The Evil One would like nothing better than to see the school fail. Let us ask the Three Hierarchs for their prayers that classical Orthodox Christian education will become a reality here in Portland.

* S.F. Danckaert posts some quotes on the Ever-Virginity of the Theotokos. You'll be surprised who is stepping up to the plate to support this ancient patristic teaching.....

* A provocative idea for a sermon. I don't think many pastors could pull this off.

* As has been noted by many pundits, once you open the door to redefining the definition of marriage to include homosexual relationships, the argument for changing the definition again to include polygamy and pedophilia is philosophically unstoppable and politically imminent.
Props to Joel.

* Can you imagine the hysterical and reactionary hoopla that would surround a film like Celsius 250? The fact that some people thought this was a real film just goes to show how gullible we are when in comes to the image-based media.

Here are some other intriguing articles on Fahrenheit 9/11 I've been reading:

* Dave Kopel's comprehensive essay "The 59 Deceits in Fahrenheit 9/11" is by far the most in-depth review of the film I've seen and is chock full of disturbing tidbits.
* On the falsity of the 1.4 billion dollar number used in the film.
* Christopher Hitchen's infamous critique
* Bunnie Diehl offers several links.
* A blog devoted to exposing the factual errors of Fahrenheit 9/11
* Richard Cohan, a liberal and no friend of Bush, isn't happy with the film at all
* An expose of the hypocrisy of film critics
* This balanced review contains some interesting remarks about whether Kerry is any different than Bush.

Update: James Lileks has a great new piece where he coins a phrase. "A Mooreism [is] an assertion thrown out with the assurance that no one will question it."

2004-07-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

St. Elizabeth the New Martyr

Today is the feast day of Grand Duchess St. Elizabeth the New Martyr.

I've always appreciated her story because she had a holistic understanding of the spiritual life. "All of her spiritual qualities were strictly balanced, one against another, never giving an impression of one-sidedness."

One account of her life noted that "she always appeared before people with a bright, smiling face. Only when she was alone or with a few close people, her face and especially her eyes reflected hidden sorrow; the mark of a great soul languishing in this world."

We call this "bright sadness"--the noetic vision of human life that takes seriously the sin of the heart and because of this, is the path to true repentance and newness of life. St. John Climacus said that "repentance is the daughter of hope and the denial of despair." Later, in his classic book "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" he promises that "if you put on the blessed and graced-filled mourning as a wedding robe, you will know the spiritual laughter of the soul."

The life of St. Elizabeth proves this to be true. When we are so often surrounded by frivolity let us run toward authentic joy...and thus accept gladly our sufferings.

In the midst of worldliness,
thy mournful heart dwelt in Heaven;
in barbaric godlessness,
Your valiant soul was not troubled;
You longed to meet your Bridegroom
as a confessor,
and He found you worthy of your martyric purpose.
O Elizabeth, with Barbara,
Your brave companion,
Pray to your Bridegroom for us.

2004-07-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Independent Laborers: Freedom and Obedience

"One things is principles, which remain the same; but it is human nature to attach to these principles certain purely idealistic preconceptions about persons, and this is what can lead to shipwreck."

"This is above all true of bishops, the leaders of the Church. In our days of general decline in the Church, one should not expect too much of them. While giving them all due honor, respect, and obedience, one must realistically acknowledge that (save in rare cases) they are not in a position to serve as personal guides, least of all to converts."

"[St. John Maximovitch] made it a point precisely NOT to accept disciples, but rather to inspire and encourage independent labors within the Church, under the conditions of growth and mutual counsel within the Orthodox tradition."
From "Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works" page 297 (emphasis his).

With those last 12 words, Fr. Seraphim Rose brilliantly completes a paradox of vision and carefully nuances something I've always believed: We, as laity, must always choose what we do and how we are to live--and that includes, paradoxically, the obediences of the spiritual life.

Once we let the spiritual father or the bishop "tell us what to do" without our conscious, informed, and properly directed will being fully engaged, then the dynamism of the Church's way of life does in fact become simply "rules" and "obligations" that will result in cold-hearted phariseeism, legalism, and spiritual death.

Fr. Theodore noted in his 6/13 homily, if we find ourselves living the Orthodox life out of a sense of legalism or guilt we will confuse the means for the end. How often do we see this in our lives?

Now, as I carefully noted before, the critical place of free will in our spiritual life does *not* cheapen, neglect, or otherwise reduce the importance of the spiritual father. In fact, without obedience, accountability and community, there is no true freedom at all. Freedom is freedom for, not simply freedom from.

There is a world of difference between obedience *for its own sake* and obedience that leads to and provides the foundation for freedom in love.

2004-06-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Atonement, Death, Prenatal Technology, and Non-Denominations: Random Wednesday Musings

*Orthodox truism of the day: "There's no such thing as a dead Christian." Discuss!

* Michael Spencer writes about what he sees as a problem of "transactionalism" in modern Christian thought. Although I think he needs to expand and clarify his definition of "sacrament", his critique of the inevitable consequences of an over-active penal substitution theory of atonement mixed with self-centered religious consumerism is spot on.

Along the same lines, this philosophy paper fleshes out what the authors call "the participatory model of atonement." Their thesis is that sin is a relational and ontological problem fundamentally, not merely a deontic (or moral) problem. Interestingly, not a single Orthodox author is referenced ...

* "From 12 weeks, unborn babies can stretch, kick and leap around the womb - well before the mother can feel movement." My wife is entering her 12th week of pregnancy so this article was particularly interesting to both of us. The pictures are amazing!

* "No, they don't worry about the continuous liturgy that has reached so many different cultures throughout the ages, they worry about whether the strobe lights are going to malfunction."
Bunnie Diehl, with a biting critique of "non-denominations", is in fine form.

* Some of you may have noticed the number of posts has dropped off of late. Instead of the usual 4-5 posts a week, I'm down to 3 and I plan on keeping the Mon/Wed/Fri schedule for a while. A less prolific but steady regiment will keep blogging from taking over my life and it has the added benefit of drawing out longer discussions in the comments, because posts stay up near the top a bit longer.

2004-06-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

Soft Totalitarianism

I was recently filling out some online paperwork for the university and came across an example of what I call "the soft totalitarianism" of the university's politically correct mindset.

Roger Kimball, in a recent issue of "The New Criterion", explains the problem brilliantly:
(With props to Jay Nordlinger)

"Affirmative action is Orwellian in a linguistic sense since what announces itself as an initiative to promote equality winds up enforcing discrimination precisely on the grounds that it was meant to overcome."

"Thus we are treated to the delicious, if alarming, contradiction of college applications that declare their commitment to evaluate candidates "without regard to race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or national origin" on page 1 and then helpfully inform you on page 2 that it is to your advantage to mention if you belong to any of the following designated victim groups."

"Among other things, a commitment to multiculturalism seems to dull one's sense of contradiction."

I have a new policy now. Whenever I'm asked to fill out a form that asks the ubiquitous question about racial status, I always choose "Other" and then write in: Human Being.

This is just my way of fighting back against the juggernaut. I figure it's the least I can do.

Update: I had almost forgotten about this incident last year.

2004-06-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Identity: Breaking the Bonds in Buddhism and the Orthodox Connection

A reader sent me an email last week asking for my thoughts on any possible connections between the Buddhist concept of the "supreme identity" and the Orthodox understanding of God.

Fr. Seraphim Rose has a good answer--one from personal experience:

"That concept comes from people who don't want to meet the personal God, because He definitely requires things of one. I think that, in many cases, when people say they have this experience, it's some kind of illusion--some kind of wishful thinking."

"This is very much helped by the feeling of Zen meditation, in which you 'quiet yourself down'--And if you haven't got anything really deep inside of you that wants to come out, you can get yourself into some quiet state, and think you've met God, or whatever you're looking for. It's a kind of spiritual immaturity; but I think that, if there's anything passionate inside of you, finally you'll go crazy and break the bonds."
Quoted from "Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works" page 45.

As a former Zen devotee myself, I can't begin to tell you how true this is. Buddhism is like Christianity without Christ and the Church....which, at the time, didn't sound quite as bad as I understand it to be now.

Buddhism is asceticism without the Incarnation and thus without a proper love for the body. It is contemplation without an Other to contemplate. It is meditation--not on God but on oneself. It is prayer that becomes a shouting into the void. It is union with the divine--not through dying to oneself and rising again in union with Another....but simply by dying.

It is the pursuit of a "truth" that does not originate in a Person, has no boundaries, and therefore no eternal power. It opens one's eyes to the superficiality of contemporary Christianity only to lead to self absorption, soul destroying dualism, and a way of life that has the potential to make one worse off than one was before.

The paradox, for me, is that I would not be Orthodox if it wasn't for my stint in Buddhism. It opened my eyes to truths I would not have experienced in contemporary Christianity and that are fulfilled and transfigured in Orthodoxy.

But it is only now, looking back through the years, that I see the risk God took with me when he allowed me to explore Buddhism.....like Fr. Seraphim I was blessed to "go crazy and break the bonds"--both as a western Christian and again as a Buddhist.

2004-06-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Notable Quotables, Family Joy, and Class Update: Random Wednesday Musings

* My sister-in-law just got engaged! Many Years to Katie(Xenia) and Steve (Job)!

* Seraphim brilliantly describes a state of being I find myself falling into far too often: "My mind has been numbed by the pedantic banality of bureaucratic necessities." That should be made into a bumper sticker.

* Proof that college students will do almost anything to get out of debt. Enough said.
Props to Joanne Jacobs

* Simeon, emerging from blog slumber, quips, "Historically, the church is the first singles bar (where else did a bunch of singles get together, have liquor and chat!) Look at the painting and icons of the Last Supper, isn't it the highest form of a single's bar?"

This reminds of a sign I once saw at a Greek festival: "Alcohol is not permitted off the church premises." I joked that we should take a picture of it and send it to our Baptist friends to scandalize them....

* Huw made me laugh with this: "The Roman Church back in the 16th Century codified their mass into what we now call the Tridentine Mass. It was decreed that it should be that way for all time... or 1967, which ever came first."

* Borowski, Weisel, Levi....my literature class this summer will include all the favorites and then some. My grade will come from one essay test and one paper but I have an enormous amount of reading: 1 anthology, 1 large textbook, 1 autobiography, 2 novels.

2004-06-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

School Update: Progress Toward the Degree and the Armenian Genocide

This past spring I completed a course in ancient Roman history and with it, the course work necessary for the Philosophy and Classics portion of the long sought after bachelor's degree.

From now on I'll be shifting my attention to the few remaining (mostly 400-level literature) courses needed for my English major.

Starting today I will be launching an intense and intensive exploration of Holocaust literature with particular emphasis on the Armenian genocide of the early 20th century.

(One benefit of a large state university is the amazing array of topics one can choose to study--even within one's major!)

The specifics of the Armenian genocide are unknown to many and especially foreign to those unfamiliar with the history of the Orthodox Church. The professor is an ethnic Armenian himself, which should prove interesting.

Having taken a similar class on Jewish holocaust literature a few years ago, I know how emotionally draining a class like this can be. However these tend to be some of the most interesting kinds of courses to take because the subject matter forces students to grapple with issues and ideas that so obviously have consequences.

2004-06-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Elasticity of Orthodoxy

Who owns orthodox theology?

The answer is no one because the truth about reality owns us; or rather, we allow orthodox theology to be our lifeblood and a means to Christ and a path to a more fully conscious acceptance of His Church.

I think it was Fr. Seraphim Rose who noted that "Orthodoxy is not merely a ritual, or belief, or pattern of behavior, or anything else that a man may posses...thinking that he is thereby a Christian and still be spiritually dead; it is rather an elemental reality which transforms a man, gives him the strength to live in the most difficult and tormenting conditions, and prepares him to depart with peace into eternal life."

"This is deeper than mere right doctrine; it is the entrance of God into every aspect of life lived in trembling and fear of God. Such is an attitude produces the Orthodox Way of Life which is not merely the outward customs or behavior that characterizes Orthodox Christians, but the whole of the conscious spiritual struggle."

Elizabeth, in the previous post's comments, noted that non-Orthodox "often see only the 'rigidity' of doctrine or the 'patriarchal' structure or the 'foreign' quality of a service...Orthodoxy is remarkably elastic, encompassing the whole of human experience and transforming it."

Orthodoxy, while making use of structures, canons, etc isn't defined by a collection of such things.
The Church has institutions but she isn't one herself. She is, as the hymnography of the Church proclaims, "leading the faithful in the way of life."

Update: Justin chimes in on the "open source code" analogy.
Update 2: "Why all this hard work at reinvention?"
Update 3: "The Gospel (and sound doctrine) matters because it is a real expression of revelation."

2004-06-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Cheese Head Masses, Alexander the Great, Old Friends, and Blog Titles: Random Wednesday Musings

* I couldn't resist posting this picture gallery of disturbing Catholic Masses. Don't miss the Cheese Head and Dorito Masses. Venerable classics!
Props to Glen Tikhon

* The phrase "I like making new friends" is thrown around sometimes as a virtue. And it is, no doubt. But I wonder how many of us could honestly say "I like keeping old friends" as easily. That sure is a lot more work and a lot less fun....

* "Are the venerated relics of St Mark in Venice actually the mummified remains of Alexander the Great?" I love these kinds of questions.
Props to Dappled Things.

* An east coast Orthodox lurker (who felt compelled to make it abudantely clear that he had a Ph.D from Harvard) gave me some flack via email for the apparent "irreverent" title of my blog.

Ranging from the ridiculously speculative ("St. Stephen would have never mused!") to the grammatically obsessive ("These are your musings not the musings of St. Stephen!"), these kinds of rants come from being poisonously addicted to a limited and narrow way of looking at the world: one's own.

Fr. John suffered the same kind of assault on his blog title from the politically correct thought police.

One can always tell when a fasting season is in full liturgical swing--the passions and obsessions we so carefully shield have a way of oozing out into the open. I know this is true in my life.

2004-06-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Gulf Between Converts and Cradles

Xenia Katie, a new Orthodox blogger, wonders about the terms "cradle" and "convert" and why there seems to be a gulf between the two groups in some parishes. She writes,

"It's only now that I'm noticing a bit of a division between the cradle youth (many of whom are now young adults) who've been at St. John's for years and years, and the new young adults who converted. My friend who I mentioned earlier has expressed at various times in the past that she is intimidated by all of the converts who, in her eyes, 'seem to know everything.'"

"How can we smooth the cradle/convert rift? Can we really just call ourselves Orthodox Christians without harping on the term 'convert' or 'cradle' as if it were a measure of reverence or devotion?"

I've always thought the label "convert" to be awkward and misleading. One could argue that the whole concept behind phrases like "I converted to Orthodoxy in 1998..." is part of the Protestant baggage many of us still carry. As if one's conversation to the truths of Holy Orthodoxy can be boxed into any one particular moment!

The proper attitude should really be "I'm began the process of converting ...." or simply "I was baptized/Chrismated in 1998...."
Now, when people ask me, I simply say "I'm Orthodox."

I also am fond of, "I was a convert, I am a convert, and I hope to continue converting." (Romans 8:24a; 1 Cor. 1:18; Matt 10:22; 24:13)

The fact is we are all converts to the Faith whether we were born into it or not. Every day when we wake up we need to consciously take responsibility for our Faith and be reconverted to it.

2004-06-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

The Priesthood of All Believers: Giving Advice in the Church

Abayea writes (in a discussion with the Orthodox Without My Spouse group) about a common dilemma new Orthodox face: what are the roles of our spiritual father, godparents, and others in regards to giving practical advice on the spiritual life?

"I told [my priest] that when I ask personal questions or sometimes just general ones of a spiritual nature I am advised [by the laymen I'm asking] to ask [my priest]. He said... that there is nothing in Orthodoxy that prohibits ordinary Orthodox folks from giving each other counsel. He said that part of the reason we have sponsors is because pious, learned lay persons can and should give guidance to other lay persons. He did say its understandable when a person who unsure and demures out of fear of giving wrong advice, but that isn't the rule."

This article on the proper role of spiritual fatherhood reminds us of a poignant point:

"From an Orthodox Christian point of view, freedom of choice is very important. We are required to know and to choose intelligently and reasonably. The division between laity and clergy in the Orthodox Church is not a sharp one....There is no special esoteric or arcane knowledge which the clergy or monastics -- even spiritual fathers and elders -- can acquire that the people cannot...."

"Our spiritual fathers and elders are supposed to help educate us, give us spiritual comfort, consolation and guidance. What authority they do have to "impose" a decision is this: the parish priest, bishop or other Church authority cannot allow anything contrary to the canons of the Ecumenical Councils to occur in the parishes....In other words, there can be neither blind obedience, nor chaos and un-Orthodox activity in the parishes or dioceses...."

We can certainly say that the dogmatics of the faith are the property of *all* Christians. We discuss and meditate on the Church's teachings because we are all accountable for them.

However, what remains the responsibility of the clergy (and the monastic elders) is discerning how the canons, traditions and spiritual disciplines should be applied to the lives of their spiritual children.

No matter how good an apologist I might be, I can't tell you how strict to make your fast, whether you should attend Matins with your newborn, exactly how much to tithe, or what length to make your prayer rule, etc. This is particularly true in the blogosphere and other Internet forums where incarnational contact is so minimal.

We can express opinions, explain general principles, and help others wrestle with these questions so that they may more knowledgably enter into the obediences they will freely accept....but we really should avoid giving direct personal spiritual direction unless otherwise blessed to do so.

Update: Peter continues to think I am saying the priests are "nothing special."

2004-06-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Weblogger's Day, Kleptocrats, Newbies, and Harry Potter: Random Wednesday Musings

* It seems that today is International Weblogger's Day. Cheers to ya'll.

* What is the difference between a government school (notice I don't call them *public* schools) and prison? This essay tries to find an answer.
Props to Serge.

* Jan Bear has the Quote Du Jour:

"you don't have to have a specific view of Bible prophecy to consider a liberal democracy, however imperfect, a better friend and trustier ally than hooligans, death worshipers and kleptocrats."

* There have been several new Orthodox bloggers popping up of late. I'll have more on this later...

* I just finished reading "The Hidden Key to Harry Potter" by Orthodox layman John Granger. This is a must read for anyone who has an opinion on the Harry Potter books. Jollyblogger recently noted this book in a post entitled "The Subtly Christian Worldview of J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter".

Update: I also wanted to mention that today is the feast day of St. Cyril of Alexandria and that SVS has a new book out entitled "Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy." It has a Harry Potter-ish sounding title, doesn't it!

2004-06-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Practical Consequences of the Filioque

The Pontificator wonders about the importance of the Filioque controversy in our daily life.

He asks, "Putting aside for the moment the question of who is right and who is wrong, how does the Filioque enter into our preaching of the gospel? How does it affect the Church's proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ? How does it affect our prayer and moral life?"

Here is a pithy and highly simplistic answer to that question in the form of a future thesis paper statement:

The rise of the Pentecostal movement and western Christendom's desperate (and quite often heretical) attempt to recover "Spirit led" and "Spirit filled" worship and Christian faith is, in some part, a consequence of the filioque heresy.

The Filioque, by altering western Christendom's understanding of the relationships within the Trinity, radically "depersonalized" the Holy Spirit in worship, piety, and theology.

This departure from the Orthodox Creed provided the fodder needed when Scholasticism came on the scene to reinterpret the relationship between the believer and God (as well subtly altering the understanding of synergy), and eventually produced what many Charismatics call "the lifeless and Spiritless western Christian experience."

Update: Clifton provides a portal to a series of discussions on the topic of Trinitarian theology and the Holy Spirit.

Update 2: The Pontificator responds.

2004-06-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Silent Letters, Rapture Ready, and Michael Moore: Random Friday Musings

* Updated baby name rule: No silent syllables. I hope I don't need to explain why.

* This is another prime example of why not paying attention to church history can totally screw up your faith. What part of "chiliasm was already condemned by the entire Christian world in 381 AD" don't people understand?

I must admit though, the answer to this clever question made me laugh. You just can't satirize this stuff because it is done so well for you.

* While we wait for the rapture, why not do it in style in a new Christian nation! Will future historians note that this was how the South became the "Fourth Rome"? Huw asks, "How long in this new 'Christian Nation' of South Carolina, before the Catholics or the Orthodox get voted off the island?"

Frankly, I'd rather drown in the ocean than be stuck on that island...

* "I dislike his style, his philosophy, and the dishonesty that seems to flow from everything he creates."

No, this isn't a quote from my hate-mail.

This is a quote by Joshua Claybourn on uber-hypocrite extraordinaire Michael Moore. Josh links to a new film coming out this summer that will prove, hopefully once and for all, that when one calls something a "documentary" and it turns out to be nothing but shameless and libelous propaganda that one has lost the right to be taken seriously.

I'm a conservative to my liberal friends and a liberal to my conservative friends. But I have to say something here: Michael Moore is an utter embarrassment to the Left and to anyone who cares about intellectual integrity. I continue to be mystified by otherwise intelligent people supporting the man and his work.

2004-06-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

St. Maximus the Confessor and the Reformed Tradition

Christopher Jones eloquently notes, in the comments at John's blog, an interesting connection I also made a while back in regards to the link between Calvinist monergism and the ancient heresy of Monotheletism.

Jones says, "It seems clear to me that Calvinist monergism is the soteriological counterpart to Monotheletism. As the Monotheletes denied a human free will in Christ, so monergism denies a human free will in the redeemed. But Christ's humanity shows us what redeemed human nature is, and since He has a free human will, so must we."

Joel Garver, a respected Reformed blogger and professor, recent commented that "a theology of participation [synergy] in God was very much woven into the Reformed tradition" but I have yet to see a coherent Reformed counter to the kind of claims Christopher Jones and I have made.

Is there a Reformed response to the writings of, say, St. Maximus the Confessor?

Update: David gives a concise overview of the Reformed position on free will.

2004-05-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Should We Hate the Sinner?: Judicial Activism and Calvinism

That which separates allies from foes can be thin as silk sometimes.

Steven Smith writes on the "evil-motives strategy", the Supreme Court and the question of how the ideology of the court nullifies the "hate the sin, love the sinner" maxim.

"Suppose that, as a fallible and fallen human being, I do not succeed in hating the sin but loving the sinner. I hate both. I shouldn't, but that's the way I am. Even so, what is the more plausible causal account? Do I start by disapproving of some action as sinful, and then lapse into hating the actor? Or do I begin by hating the person and then project my hatred onto some action that this person performs?"

"The evil-motives account of my position would seem to presuppose the latter: my ostensible moral disapproval of conduct is declared illegitimate because it is in reality merely a manifestation of hatred toward persons who engage in that conduct."

In other words, from the court's point of view, you can't hate the sin of homosexuality (or any sin really) and still love the sinner. This political attitude is one reason why obtaining legal support for a rejection of legislation such as Canadian bill C-250 will be very difficult in this country.

Smith continues: "In short, even in the midst of a chaos of moral perspectives, virtually everyone will agree that it is wrong to act on the basis of hatred."

Well, almost everyone. It seems that on the basis of a literal reading of particular Psalms buttressed by quotes from a few Calvinist preachers, that perhaps we should in fact hate both the sin and the sinner.

While I sympathize with Robert's points about taking sin seriously, not succumbing to the PC temptation to ignore the effects of sin, and making sure to protect the Faith from heresy and wolves in sheep's clothing, I would challenge him to support his general claims with more patristic and NT based "proofs."

Jared continues the discussion in full force with Robert at Darren's blog. Jared brings up a great question:

"How does your type of hating and despising sinners play out in the real world? Is it just an attitude? You mention shunning in your post, but then say you should provide for the needs of your neighbor. You say we should love people because they are made in the image of God but then say we shouldn't befriend sinners....Can you spell out how that works out practically? If it's just a theological distinction based on one's commitment to holiness and an attitude that does not gloss over or ignore a sinner's sin, I don't see what the big deal is."

It might be interesting to dig deeper into the connections between the current political ideology that refuses to believe that Christians can oppose sinful actions while still loving the people themselves, and Robert's position.

Considering how one is reached with the philosophy of political correctness and fueled by anti-Christian animus and the other by a Calvinist soteriology, one might assume they would come to opposite conclusions. Practically speaking, there doesn't seem to be much difference in this case.