Despite a renewed emphasis today upon biblical studies in our seminaries and parishes, critical exegesis of the Bible remains an enterprise little understood and still less appreciated by most Christians. The Holy Gospel, most feel, should be heard and venerated … Continue reading
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In the last issue of this article I actually shared the text from the Council of Chalcedon which finalized an actual dogmatic statement about Who the Church believes Jesus Christ to be. On the Cyrillian side, particularly noteworthy is the … Continue reading
I have been sharing ideas about why we should be aware of the Fathers of the Church and what they taught and wrote. They are the foundation for our understanding not only of the New Testament (NT) but also our … Continue reading
The section of the Divine Liturgy that transpires immediately after the completion of the Anaphora, is the Communion Service. When a deacon celebrates the Liturgy with a priest, a litany traditionally serves as an introduction to this section of the … Continue reading
Our readings for this week are taken from Paul’s letter to the Colossians and Luke’s Gospel. Our Epistle reading tells us that, because we are God’s chosen ones, we should clothe ourselves in virtue. Paul then articulates a number of … Continue reading
After spending a great deal of time presenting the ideas of our Greek Church Fathers, I realized that I have to answer this question for my readers: Why should we spend the time and effort to learn theology with the … Continue reading
I am, in this article, still considering the 28th Step on St. John’s Ladder, which is PRAYER. In the last issue I touched on the issue of being distracted during prayer. Being distracted during prayer does not mean taking time … Continue reading
In the last issue, I shared with you that the true understanding of the Sacred Scriptures can only be understood within the context of our worship. Therefore, the proclamation and celebration of the Word must resolve into silence. This characteristically … Continue reading
How does God speak to us? I suggested, in the last issue of this article, that He might speak to us in the new “insights” we get when we are praying or meditating. Sometimes it may be a verse from … Continue reading
In the last issue of this article, I shared with my readers that the Council of Chalcedon (451) clarified much of the language that several Fathers of the Church, especially Cyril, used to set forth the true faith about Jesus … Continue reading