By Met. Luke of Zaporozhye Translated from Russian, the original may be found here. Today, when we hear the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, we're not hearing simply a text from an ancient manuscript. We are hearing a bold, and almost deafening challenge thrown in the face of the entire created world, …
Continue reading An Incomprehensible Triumph: The Church in the Crucible of Trials
Dear readers, I present to you a translation of a message from Met. Luke of Zaporozhye about the meeting of Pat. Bartholomew and Pope Leo at Iznik (Nicaea), which happened not long ago. His message is forthright and timely. I have posted a number of other messages from Met. Luke on this blog. They may …
Continue reading Iznik and the Predators of Humanity: What “Unity” Conceals
What follows is a letter from Archbishop Theophan of Poltava, of blessed memory. He penned this letter on 4/31/36, in the short calm between two World Wars. The fact that the themes he touches upon are so close to those of our times shows that modern man has learned very little. Today, secular leaders speak …
“His disciples came to him and showed him the buildings of the temple. But Jesus told them, 'You see all of these things, do you not? Amen, I tell you that not one stone will be left standing on another; all will be thrown down,'” Matthew 24: 1-2. After years of Jewish resistance to the …
Continue reading Must Christians Bless the Modern State of Israel?
“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven,” Matt. 23:9. Every so often, a goodhearted Protestant will post this verse in the comment section of my social media. “Matthew 23:9, what are you doing, brother?” “Call no man father … whatever Jesus!” I appreciate their …
Continue reading Call No Man Father! Don’t You Read the Bible, Bruh?
Below is a timely word from St. Nikolia Velimirovich. This prophetic call of his to European peoples is recorded by St. Justin Popovich in his book entitled “The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism.” St. Nikolia's word is equally applicable to the United States of America. Moreover, the spirit that he addresses is not one contingent upon …
Dear readers of the Inkless Pen, Thank you for your support in reading my writings and translations. I'm very thankful. I have been writing and publishing on this blog for almost 8 years now. Not long ago, I also started a page on “Substack.” Substack provides an easy method and opportunity for people to become …
Continue reading The Diary of an American Priest and Substack
“Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it in order to receive a corruptible crown, but we seek an incorruptible crown,” 1 Cor. 9:25. The true Christian life requires self-discipline. This discipline is known as asceticism. Typically, for the modern person this word evokes images of a hermit …
“Virtue (in the Latin virtus) means manliness, strength, and goodness” Fr. Dumitru Staniloae.1 Bogatyr is an interesting word. It has a varied etymology in Russian. Some sources claim that it comes from the Old Turkic word for “hero” - baytur. Other sources doubt the foreign influence and root the origin in two Russian words: “God” …
“For all things there is a time … a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted” (Eccl. 3:1-2). Certain things must be done in their proper season. I guess that's one of the reasons there is the saying, “strike while the metal is hot.” Certain times in life seem to …
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