Sword in the Fire

For the next 7-8 weeks we will be studying through Leviticus. Actually it will a study of the OT Liturgical system, so we will include portions of Exodus and many NT passages such as Hebrews. As a way of introduction let me review the 4 major ways that the Church Fathers read the OT (as well as all of Scripture). -Ultimately we understand the OT through the person of Jesus. The story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is a good paradigm for this. Two disciples unknowingly met Jesus along the road, and Jesus it is said went through Moses and the prophets and revealed Himself (but they did not recognize Him until the breaking of bread). 4 Senses of Scripture -compiled by John Cassian (360-435) 1. Literal Sense: this is just the plain, historical sense. 2. Typological/Allegorical: The is similar to the foreshadowing that one sees in liturgy. However, in Scripture a real historical event becomes a type or shadow of what is to be fulfilled in Christ. The beauty of this that a histor...

I know it's a strange title. If you read the previous post on theosis, then you know that the only resources are the tools the God has provided through the Church. However, if you are new to Orthodoxy many of the concepts are different than in other forms of Western Christianity. Many forms of Western Christianity view God in a legal sense. He is a divine judge that has been offended and whose wrath needs to be assuaged through some type of punishment. The Church becomes a court room. Yet in Orthodoxy, the metaphors are more medical than legal. The Church is a hospital through which a loving God heals the cancer of our sins so that we might share in His life. Grace is not an object that provides or an attitude, but His very life that He bestows. Yes, I know that these are generalizations, but it can be useful to understanding the differences. Here are some print & audio resources that I have found helpful: Clark Carlton, The Truth Clark Carlton, The Life Conciliar Pres...

I love history, and when it relates to the Church and her saints it is even better. Here's a link I found about an article in the Orthodox journal " Road to Emmaus " about St. Andrew the first-called. The author spent several years researching all the local traditions regarding visits by St. Andrew. He then compiled and harmonized them into a full chronology of his missionary journeys. It is truly amazing. Andrew took serious Jesus command to preach to the "ends of the earth". I always assumed St. John was the last of the apostles to die because he was the only one who died of natural causes. Yet, this author maintains that St. Andrew actually died several years letter as martyr by the Roman authorities. He estimates that Andrew was 85-95 yrs old. See below and read how he brought the Gospel from Ethiopia to Scandinavia. Check out this link: St. Andrew St. Andrew's feast day is June 30th. Troparion - Tone 4 First-enthroned of the apo...

Theosis is an essential concept in understanding salvation in the Orthodox Church. Sometimes Orthodox literature will refer to theosis as divinization or deification. It simply means to become like God. This concept is explicitly expressed in the Biblical passage of 2 Peter 1:4. This passage illumines and summarizes theosis as the process whereby man may become partakers of the divine nature. Much has been said by the Fathers in regards to this passage and the doctrine of theosis . This essay will discuss the definition of theosis ; in what sense does man become a partaker of “the divine nature”; how the concept of synergia is a part of theosis ; and the implications of theosis not only upon man but all creation. A discussion of salvation history will be necessary to fully understand the theological concepts as well. The goal of the Christian is to become like God. Man was created for this purpose. In Gen. 1:26, “God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Ou...

If you are in Louisville or within driving distance, St. Michael's has an upcoming conference. FOURTH ANNUAL St. Michael Institute for Orthodox Studies St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church Louisville, Kentucky • September 21 - 22, 2007 ROOT AND BRANCH: PAST AND FUTURE OF ORTHODOXY IN AMERICA An intimate treatment of the continuity of the Orthodox Faith passed from dislocated immigrants of the diaspora to their children and to converts in the New World who come to the Church as spiritual orphans. SPEAKERS Old World/New World: The Legacy of Church Planting V. Rev John Nehrebecki, pastor emeritus Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, Paramus, NJ New World/Old World: Inheritors of Church Planting V. Rev. John Bethancourt, pastor Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Santa Fe, NM Recipes for Humus & Homousius V. Rev. Michael Laffoon, pastor St. Mark Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA From Seminary to Assignment Fr. Justin Patterson, pastor St. Athanasius Orthodox Church, Nicholasville, KY Growin...