by John Couretas The Acton Institute is offering its first monograph on Eastern Orthodox Christian social thought at no cost through Amazon Kindle. Through Tues., Nov. 12, you can get your free digital copy of Creation and the Heart of Man: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on Environmentalism (Acton Institute, 2013). The print edition, which runs […]
Shifting Focus: Why Do We Fast Before Nativity?
This Friday (November 15th) we begin the Nativity Fast. We fast before the Great Feast of the Nativity in order to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Our Lord’s birth. As in the case of Great Lent, the Nativity Fast is one of preparation, during which we focus on the coming of the Savior by […]
CNN Blames Christians for Obamacare Debacle
CNN has blamed Christians for the problem of Americans without health insurance, calling it “The Obamacare ‘scandal’ you haven’t heard about.” In an article on CNN.com’s Belief Blog, CNN writer John Blake says that, while famous pastors “preach in states where crosses and church steeples dot the skyline,” they do nothing about “the poor who […]
What Does Baptism Actually Do?
by Fr. John Whiteford Question. “As a former Evangelical, I have a question. Where do many protestants get the idea that baptism is “only an outward expression of an inward change”?” Roman Catholics and Anglicans have historically used the phrase “outward sign of an inward grace” to describe the sacraments, but by this expression, Roman […]
Met. Hilarion Calls for Prophetic Witness Against Radical Islamism, Militant Secularism
by Nathaniel Torrey Addressing the World Council of Churches (WCC) this past Friday, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, the public face of the Russian Orthodox Church, says the continued relevance and existence of the WCC depends on how effectively it addresses challenges facing Christians throughout the world. He identifies two major challenges: militant secularism and radical […]
The Problem With Protestant Ecclesiology
If Dungan is right, then the issue of the authorship of certain books (most notably the seven disputed letters of Paul) is settled. And it’s settled by appeal to an ecclesiological structure that is other than what Protestants embrace.
Because The Lord Has Sworn An Oath
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon The scene at Mount Moriah, where Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac, has long lived in Christian memory as a source of theological reflection. Melito, a 2nd century bishop of Sardis, commented on the event at some length in a Paschal homily. In this comment we observe how easily […]
2013 New Testament Challenge
Beginning Nov. 15th (that is, in just a few weeks at the beginning of the Advent/Nativity Fast), we will once again be embarking on our annual challenge event to read through the entire New Testament (aloud) by Christmas! This is a great endeavor and exercise and you should join it! Read with your spouse as […]
An Eastern Orthodox Moral Case for Property Rights
by Fr. Gregory Jensen As a pastor, I’ve been struck by the hostility, or at least suspicion, that some Orthodox Christians reveal in their discussions of private property. While there are no doubt many reasons for this disconnect, I think a central factor is a lack of appreciation for the role that private property can, […]
Record-Breaking Jesus Statue Built in Syria
A bronze statue of Jesus Christ, taller than the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, has appeared in war-torn Syria. The statue, entitled “I Have Come to Save the World” was apparently the brainchild of Yury Gavrilov, a 49-year-old Muscovite who runs an organization in London called the St. Paul and St. George Foundation.