After the Paschal Vigil, our Pascha baskets are brought out for blessing (the origin of the “easter” basket) filled with the things we have fasted from for the last 40 days. These baskets have been carefully prepared and include several foods with a traditionally symbolic significance. Sweet bread is always included, leavened with yeast. This is a symbol of the New Covenant; the Jews made unleavened bread, and we, the Children of the New Covenant, make leavened bread. The braided form of this bread is a display of the Trinity. Pascha Cheese is a figure of all the sweetness of the Kingdom, and remind us of the earthly gifts that come from God. Pascha cheese is normally included, and … [Read more...]
The Moral Peril of Taking Most Covid-19 “Vaccines”
by Fr. Alexander F. C. Webster, PhD The recent public statement by the Orthodox Theological Society in America (OTSA) released on March 8, 2021, with this unwieldy title—“Covid-19 vaccines: How they are made and how they work to prime the immune system to fight SARS-CoV2”—offers a seeming patina of legitimacy to an ethical argument that is abhorrent to any informed, devout Orthodox Christian. (See https://www.otsamerica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Covid19-VaccineTech.pdf.) In this essay, I shall retrieve that gauntlet and offer what I hope is a compelling counterargument. I. The OTSA statement declares boldly, “Most Church leaders have agreed that the many lives saved by … [Read more...]
Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, April 18, 2021
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Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, April 11, 2021
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The Cross: A Sign for All Christians
Originally titled: Should Protestants Make the Sign of the Cross? A Response to Pastor Doug Wilson by Robert Arakaki In a 30 December 2012 podcast, Pastor Doug Wilson was asked what he thought about Protestants crossing themselves. Apparently, this question was asked because growing numbers of Protestants have started crossing themselves. In short, Pastor Wilson’s answer was: “It’s lawful, but it’s not appropriate at all.” He elaborated that it would not be appropriate because it could cause confusion, that is, a Protestant making the sign of the cross might be mistaken for a Roman Catholic. In this blog posting I will be discussing: (1) the origins of this practice, (2) why many … [Read more...]
The Antichrist, the Cross and the Third Sunday in Lent
The Cross is our salvation. No one was ever reconciled with God except by the power of the Cross. by St. Gregory Palamas The Cross of Christ was mysteriously proclaimed in advance and foreshadowed from generations of old and no one was ever reconciled with God except by the power of the Cross. After our First Parents transgressed against God through the tree in paradise, sin came to life, but we died, submitting, even before physical death, to the death of the soul, its separation from God. After the transgression we lived in sin and according to the flesh. Sin “is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans … [Read more...]
Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, April 4, 2021
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The Church is Liturgy
On the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas by Priest Ioannis Fortomas Brethren, today we celebrate a great Father of our Church and champion of Orthodoxy: Gregory Archbishop of Thessaloniki, the Palamas. His memorial is ordained by the Holy Church on the second Sunday of the Fast to indicate that, in St. Gregory, the Triumph of Orthodoxy over heresies (which we celebrated last Sunday) continues. St. Gregory did not introduce new doctrines to Orthodox theology; he simply mounted a defense of the treasured, mature, dogmatic tradition. Not everything that is ancient is venerable or honorable—indeed, many heresies are ancient. We must discern the Truth in all things. The Truth is eternal … [Read more...]
The End of the Modern World
by Fr. Stephen Freeman I consider this a must-read post by Fr. Stephen. Please, let us attend! “Welcome to the 21st Century!” Pick your issue, and if its outcome conforms to a popular, desired norm you are likely to hear such a greeting. The greeting also implies that a less than desirable outcome is wrong because it doesn’t belong to our time. It might be characterized as “medieval,” “outmoded,” “out-of-date,” “primitive,” “Neanderthal,” “reactionary,” etc. None of which actually describe anything. Such labels are value judgments and rhetorical devices that dismiss undesirable actions as beneath consideration. We are “modern” people. The notion of “modern” is also deeply linked with … [Read more...]
Weekly Bulletin for Sunday, March 28, 2021
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