The executive committee for what is called the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America (that's a mouth full!) met recently and issued a statement which reaffirmed their commitment to Orthodox unity in the U.S. - The Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of …
Tag: Russian Orthodoxy
Know Thyself
Know thyself. The Christian understanding of self-knowledge is substantially different from that of the world. The Christian call is not one of egocentric self-fulfillment or self-gratification. The danger of a quest to “know thyself” outside the bounds of revealed truth manifested in Christ Jesus is that, to some degree or another, it has elements of …
A Courageous Voice in a time of False Peace
Bishop Theophan of Poltava, of blessed memory, writes, "All has been put to disorder and is worsening. And I grieve over this, but I also rejoice. I grieve because we have no peace, but I rejoice because peace will come! And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds …
Continue reading A Courageous Voice in a time of False Peace
Firsthand Reflection
I have just returned from a two and a half week trip to Ukraine. Although the trip entailed personal factors, one of my goals was to acquire a firsthand experience of the ongoing situation in Ukraine, specifically regarding the Church. To this end, I was blessed to have the opportunity to speak with some of …
Aspirations of Global Dominion
Those who read my blog know that a theme that I revisit on a frequent base is that of the events transpiring in Ukraine. These events have many long years of development. Although there are many aspects to the events there, I have focused mainly on the implications with regard to Orthodox Christianity. The Orthodox …
With Whom Will I be Left?
Of great relevance to contemporary issues is the following incident from the life of Archbishop Theophan of Poltava of blessed memory. Such an incident gives guidance to lovers of truth in the midst of certain unstable situations. An evident example is the current situation in Ukraine (which affects America too) and the establishment of a …
With Whom to Stand?
There is, generally speaking, in the Western world a sad silence that reigns with regard to topics like the persecution of Christians. One such example in recent decades has been the mass persecution and destruction of Christian populations in the Middle East. A number of years ago I gave a small talk in which I …
What Will You Choose?
I was rereading this article by Archbp. Averky (of Jordanville) of blessed memory and could not help being struck by its extreme pertinence to our times. I believe it most worthy of sharing, it is a sober but stirring message (the above title is the one which I have given to this post) - Few …
New Martyrs of Russia: An All American Feast Day
“Christianity must remain eternally unchanging, in no way being dependent on or guided by the spirit of each age. Instead, Christianity is meant to govern and direct the spirit of the age for anyone who obeys its teachings.” St Theophan the Recluse Millions upon millions of martyrs; a concrete number is hard to ascertain. Indeed, …
Continue reading New Martyrs of Russia: An All American Feast Day
Moral Heresy
In true Christianity, Orthodoxy, right faith and living go hand in hand. For instance, a person cannot confess that Jesus Christ is not God and be an Orthodox Christian, in confessing something contrary to the revelation of God in His Church such a one is setting himself at odds with that revelation. Of course, one …
The Inkless Pen 