“Corrective Baptism”?
One would not have guessed that the question of whether to receive a person into the Orthodox Church by baptism and chrismation or by chrismation alone would be a hot issue given the history of...
View ArticleThe Papal Claims
Over two millenia there have, of course, been many papal claims, many of which Orthodoxy has always accepted. The claim to be the Patriarch of the West has proved unobjectionable to the East. The claim...
View ArticleThe Cult of Bareness
I cannot be the only one who has had the experience of visiting a non-Orthodox church service and finding it stunningly empty and plain. After long familiarity with Orthodox worship with its icons,...
View ArticleGreat God Almighty’s Gonna Cut You Down
Recently I heard a very dark and serious song about the judgment of God and His wrath against sinners. It was the folk song “Great God Almighty’s Gonna Cut You Down” (accessed here). I was not aware of...
View ArticleJesus Revolution
I sometimes tell inquirers at St. Herman’s when they ask that I began my Christian life in earnest as a Jesus People—which usually results in blank stares, since most of them are too young to have...
View ArticleScepticism and the Holy Fire
A wise man once said "what we believe always remains intellectually possible, and never becomes intellectually compulsive. I have an idea," he said, "that when this ceases to be so, the world will be...
View ArticleEvangelizing the West
The Church has the same task in whatever land it takes root and finds itself, namely that of making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Trinity, and of teaching them to observe...
View ArticleArguing with Culty Fundamentalists
There are stupider things to do than arguing with a culty fundamentalist. As the late great Jim Croce reminded us, you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, and you don’t pull the...
View ArticleArguing with Culty Fundamentalists
There are stupider things to do than arguing with a culty fundamentalist. As the late great Jim Croce reminded us, you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, and you don’t pull the...
View ArticleSaints in context-Abraham
Today we begin a series on Old Testament saints in their context: surveying major figures of the Old Testament to better understand their lives, their words, and the lessons they can teach us - for,...
View ArticleI Just Had to Pray
A quiet confession between us: Nostalgic freak that I am, I still like listening to old songs from the Christian folk group Children of the Day. The group is one of the earliest Jesus People music...
View ArticleAn Offensive Invitation?
I am told on good authority that it is offensive to invite people of other religions to convert to Christianity. Thus it is offensive to say to a Jew, “Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God and so...
View ArticleMind the Gap
Fr. Lawrence explains the modern contempt for belief in the demonic and why it should be challenged.
View ArticleThe Fathers of Nicea
On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the holy God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.
View ArticleWhat Does An Ecumenical Council Look Like?
With many of the autocephalous Churches meeting in Crete this week, some have wondered if this was another "Ecumenical Council" of the Orthodox Church. Fr. Lawrence Farley helps us understand that term.
View ArticleAltar Boys
In a recent blog post entitled Altar Girls, Fr. Lawrence raised concerns over considering this practice. In this podcast, he now looks at Altar Boys as well as Sub-Deacons and Acolytes.
View ArticleThe Rite of Proskomedia: Who Is Included?
Fr. Lawrence suggests there are problems involved in declaring that only Orthodox may be commemorated if no further details are provided, for this sets up the liturgist to be a judge over the souls of...
View ArticleOn Wearing Cassocks and Other Good Habits
So, what’s the deal with clerical dress and monastic habits? Do they really matter?
View ArticleAn Exclusive Creed
Fr. Lawrence says the Nicene Creed was created to exclude which goes against the grain of our modern secular society, where the word “inclusive” has become a magic word, conjuring up warm feelings of...
View ArticleA Lethal Legacy
How do we spend our Sunday mornings? At a thrift store? On a golf course? Before the television set? And if we choose any of these options, what are we teaching others by these choices?
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