On Theological Illiteracy

Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou mentions various concerns with imparting Orthodox Theology: from reductionism, poor catechesis, to resorting to books alone. Fr Vassilios' article also implies that there be a lived theology, a theology that is encountered in beauty as well as leading one from rationalism to a real encounter of the Living God. That one be led to repentance and union with the Holy Trinity, and behold the beauty of God, in all the paradox, all the mystery, all the depth and wisdom of His Body, the Church. Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Theological Illiteracy
http://www.pravmir.com/theological-illiteracy/

A talk given by Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou on Clergy Laity Conference, November, 2010.

True Love

"True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts, and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray and ask for the courage to love." + Mother Teresa

The effect of Christ’s Nature Becomes Manifest in Us

Reblogged from http://sayingsoftheorthodoxfathers.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/by-prayer-the-effect-of-christs-nature-becomes-manifest-in-us-fr-matta-el-meskeen/

The transcendent gifts of the Christian life are manifold. Some are general, like the second birth, redemption for the forgiveness of sins, justification by grace, sanctification by the blood of Christ. Others are personal, like the gift of love, humility, piety, the glowing of spirit in constant intimacy with the Lord, and so forth. The strength and efficacy of all these gifts, however, can never be manifested except through prayer. 

By prayer, the effect of Christ’s nature becomes manifest in us. By prayer, the power of his death and life appears in our works and behaviour. By prayer, the sweet savour of Christ is scented in our words and thoughts. It is even scented in our quietude and silence as well. 

The work of Christ to redeem from sin, to save from sin, and to bring victory over evil can never appear except through a life of prayer. Neither can the living testimony of the new birth be brought about without such life. Without a life of prayer, all attempts to declare these divine actions in man’s nature become false, theoretical, and a product of the ego or self-will. In such a case, the old Adam remains as he is with his inclinations, passions and earthly nature. 

We should then accept these facts about prayer and set our hearts to them. We should resolve firmly to apply them with all our strength, which will cost us much effort and sacrifice. But whatever the sacrifice or effort, we will surely attain to all the transcendent mysteries of Christ – such mysteries as were previously only a matter of hearing. 

This can be realised only when prayer becomes our supreme concern, our main preoccupation, which outweighs all other cares; our duty, which challenges all other duties; our pleasure, which surpasses every other pleasure. We would then pray at all times, in all circumstances, in all places, in all conditions. We would pray in an insatiable hunger for constant contact with Christ. In all this we would be urged by his words, deeds, actions, and character – as he said, “Learn from me” (Mt 11.29). 

[Fr. Matthew the Poor, Orthodox Prayer Life]

http://sayingsoftheorthodoxfathers.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/by-prayer-the-effect-of-christs-nature-becomes-manifest-in-us-fr-matta-el-meskeen/

Marriage as the Kingdom

"The marriage, which is called to be the beginning of the Kingdom of God when two are no longer two but one - but only a beginning, because, as I mentioned it last time, the Kingdom of God must be taken by storm, and only those who are prepared to storm it can enter it. Storming means conquest. It means conquering one's old self so that nothing of it is left which is alien to God’s purpose, which is not capable of integration into God's eternal Kingdom, of becoming one of the building stones of the New Jerusalem. This is a call to struggle throughout a whole life, with inspiration, with joy, with stern determination, against everything which is self-centredness or which is the natural, aggressive greed of fallen mankind. I have mentioned that at the root of the prayers which we offer we ask for mutual chastity, for integrity, for love - and all this in a relationship of true freedom and true humility, a humility which consists not in denigrating one's own self but in being open --humbly, reverently, worshipfully --to the other, ready to receive what will be given, never to grudge what is not offered, never to complain of what the other is not yet capable of giving."

+ Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

Resisting the Reductionist "Spirituality" of Secular Presuppositions

"I am an Orthodox Christian – which is not the same thing as saying that I have an interest in “organized religion.” There is much about organized religion that I dislike in the extreme, and I occasionally see its shadow seep into my experience within Orthodoxy. But I repeat unashamedly that I am an Orthodox Christian and admit that one clear reason is that I am not very “spiritual.” Without the life of the Church and its Tradition – I could easily drift into a shapeless secularism – living a mediocre existence, marking time until my time is done.

On Motherhood

"Motherhood is what makes us the carriers of what life was intended to be in the garden of Eden. It was betrayed by Adam and Eve and then redeemed by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Life, when she accepted, as everyone should, and must and can except the will of God to give life. she is the ultimate actually, life-giver, she is she created life in a fallen world that is so often just coping with existence. The difference is quite clear and quite obvious between between a person who exudes an aura of living faith living allegiance, living belonging, living acceptance and the person whom forgets this calling. It is a calling, it is a mission, it is a duty and just exists. So motherhood is giving life to everything, to everything you touch." 

+ Matushka Juliana Schmemann, On Motherhood

"Women who have or have had the privilege of giving life, and women who did not, all have this potential virtue, this talent of giving life." 

+ Matushka Juliana Schmemann, On Motherhood

On Motherhood by Matushka Juliana Schmemann

http://youtu.be/DEX8TiYFRmg

Also see: "THE JOY TO SERVE" by Matushka Juliana Schmemann which offers a fresh perspective concerning the role of women in the Church and, more germane, in the context of our modern world. Available from Alexander Press http://www.alexanderpress.com/downloads/APB_Dialogue-6_Schmemann_Joy.pdf

Parents need to love the child…

Parents need to love the child…
by Anastasia Donets
Source: http://www.pravmir.com/parents-need-to-love-the-child/

The family of fr. Alexander and matushka Maria consists of twelve children and fourteen grandchildren. Their oldest son, Phillip, is a deacon with a history PhD and also works at the Orthodox University. Their oldest daughter, Tatiana, holds a PhD in philology and works at the church Traditional school and the University. Fr. Alexander’s youngest daughter, Olga, attends a specialized mathematical school. All the children live a church life and some are getting a theological education. We asked fr. Alexander to answer some questions about difficult issues that arise in the process of raising children.

Homilies and Preaching

“The homily should not be a sermon about the Gospel, but preaching of the Gospel. In other words, it should not be an explanation of what was read, nor a class in theology, nor a meditation on the Gospel theme, because all these depend on the preacher’s own gifts and talents. What feeds the congregation is not the preacher’s rhetorical or theological or devotional skills, but the Gospel itself”

From "Theologia Prima: What is Liturgical Theology" by Professor David Fagerberg paraphrasing Fr Alexander Schmemman

The Poor Teach Us

"Is it possible to discover that I am more governed by my fears than by anything else? I don't want to hear the cry of the poor because if I do, I will have to change. And, I will not know what to do. I will feel lost and not know what to do--a feeling of complete inadequacy and powerlessness. And this will reveal to me that I have everything except the essential. I have friends, I have money, power, knowledge; but I do not have the capacity to share, to listen and to love. Not only do I feel helpless but I discover that maybe I'm all wrong, that all my values are upside down. I suddenly discover that I am not so good and, finally, that I am more governed by fear than by anything else. I begin to put my finger on the fear, and out of that culture which told me that I must be the best, I discover that the poor are teaching me that I am poor."

+ Jean Vanier

Beautiful Mini-Documentary on St John the Compassionate Orthodox Mission in Toronto

"The belief here at St John the Compassionate is the belief that each one is important, whatever their situation. A community can't take in everyone but it can become a sign, a sign that in this broken city there's a place where people believe that love is possible." + Jean Vanier

We say: "If you are willing to share your life with us, we will share ours with you. We will encourage you when you mess up, help you find direction when you are not sure which way to go, hold you when you are hurting, and help you discover, strengthen and focus your gifts and abilities. We are here for the long haul." It is not uncommon for people at St. John the Compassionate Mission to tell us, "You are the closest thing that I have to family." http://www.stjohnsmission.org/

"Prayer, people think, is about words, but prayer is entering the silence of one word unceasingly spoken in our hearts - love." + Fr Roberto Ubertino

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7LZEmvdtaw