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Ancient Faith Blogs presents a select group of writers and thinkers who regularly post on matters of theology, culture, art, parish, and family life.
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Word of the Day
Putting Off Vices and Putting on Virtues (Mon. Oct. 18)
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The word of the day is “put.” Who would continue to wear old, dirty, and worn-out clothing when we have brand new clothes in our closet? Yet unless we are intentional about our spiritual way of life, this is what we might do. In our reading of Ephesians 4:25-32, Paul gives examples of how the faithful at Ephesus are to live and grow according to the calling of their baptism. The apostle continues to use the metaphor that is taken from the exchange of the old, soiled garments and the new robe of righteousness given in baptism. The baptized puts off the one set of clothes and puts on the other. The Rhetorical Pattern of Putting Off and Putting On…
Word of the Day
God’s Holiness and Our Holiness in His Likeness (Sun. Oct. 17)
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The word of the day is “holy.” What categories do we use to speak of God? Life, love, goodness, and truth might come to mind. Or we might think of righteousness, glory, or grace. Then too, there are the terms omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. All these are ways of thinking of God. But in today’s reading of 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1, Paul reminds us of the fundamental character of God when he advises his congregation in Corinth to “perfect holiness in the fear of God” (vs. 7:1). God’s Holiness, His “Otherness” In 1 Peter, the apostle underscores Paul’s admonition when he writes, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16 quoting Leviticus 11:44). Note that our holiness, however, has its…
Eastern Christian Insights
Beautiful Icons Bear Good Fruit: Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Seventh Ecumenical Council and the Fourth Sunday of Luke in the Orthodox Church
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Titus 3:8-15; Luke 8:5-15 Icons certainly beautify the church, but not simply in the conventional sense of being aesthetically pleasing. Instead, they manifest visually that the Son of God has called and enabled us to become His beautiful living icons. They show that the Savior has made us participants by grace in His deified humanity so that we may shine brightly with the divine glory. Today we commemorate the 367 Holy…
Shepherding our Little Flock
Rise and Shine & Give God the Glory!
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My kids LOVE to sing. Likely this is because my husband and I LOVE to sing and we always have music on in our home – except when we are trying to be intentional about silence. My children (and likely yours) know well the tunes of the various prayers from church and we enjoy singing many of our prayers especially prayers to the Theotokos like “To thee the champion leader” (which my…
Word of the Day
The Never-ending Process of Becoming Spiritually Mature (Sat. Oct. 16)
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The word of the day is “mature.” In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 14:20-25, Paul gives instructions about the practice of speaking in tongues. In the middle of this discussion, he lays out a principle for Christians to guide the manner of thinking of the faithful. He writes: “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature” (vs. 20). Childish Behavior In effect, Paul says that the Corinthian’s behavior is childish. Like children, they are boasting that they have the superior spiritual ability to speak in tongues. In their pride in their spiritual talents, they are thinking like three-year-olds. St. John Chrysostom says that children are awestruck with trifles but are not…
Faith Encouraged
Meant To Be Made New!
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It was an old suit, but I loved it! It had both sentimental value and the added benefit of actually fitting me! But my dear bride said it had to go! Sure, it had a few stains but I thought they were hard to see. Yes, there was a tear inside the jacket, but I was the only one who was going to see that. And, OK, so the pants were a…
Word of the Day
A Garment Meant to be Worn Everyday (Fri. Oct. 15)
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The word of the day is “new.” Is baptism just a ceremony, a way of welcoming newborns into the family? We make it an empty ritual when we do not realize that it requires a change in the way we live. In today’s reading of Ephesians 4:17-25, Paul warns the Ephesians about going back to their way of life before their baptism. Using the metaphor of clothing, the Apostle urges them to put off the “old man” and put on the “new man.” This image combines three trains of thought. The first is that Christ became the “New Adam,” the Head of a new kind of humanity by His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:45; Romans 5:12-13). The second is that the faithful…
No Other Foundation
A New Akathist for St. Herman
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Once upon a time I had the privilege of being at a lecture given by the very wonderful Father Michael Oleksa, well-known author of the book Orthodox Alaska. Fr. Michael was giving a lecture to a group of us Canadian Orthodox clergy, and saying that, despite the “standard” akathist which lauds St. Herman almost exclusively for his prowess as a monk, he was famous among those who first knew him and loved…
Every Thought Captive
Christian Sexual Ethics: What Went Wrong? pt. 4
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This is the final installment of this series. For the full series here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, of this series. This brings me to the second way in which Christianity performed an end-run around the entire complex of assumptions that governed ancient thought about sex and marriage. It did so, not by addressing these subjects directly, but by presenting a model of holiness even higher and more exalted than the ascetics. I have in mind, of course, the Virgin Mary. Her elevation to a central place in Christian life and devotion revolutionized how…
Remembering Sion
Become as Little Children
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We celebrate today the Feast of Pokrov — the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God — with great faith and heartfelt joy. Though not numbered among the Twelve Great Feasts, nevertheless it is kept as one of the chief and most beloved feast-days of the entire Church year. Most of us are familiar with the story of the feast’s origins in the 10th century: the imperial city of Constantinople was threatened…
Faith Encouraged
Let's Recapture Appropriate!
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Think about the word “Appropriate.” What a powerful idea! If something or someone is “appropriate” then that thing or that person or that situation is laudatory, worthy of emulation, and creates a space where there is a sense of well-being. In other words, the complete opposite of the current American election for president! OK, no politics, but seriously, dear ones, can this society support even the vestiges of the concept of being…
Word of the Day
On Living Effective Lives in Terms of the Kingdom (Thurs. Oct. 14)
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The word of the day is “futility.”[1] Today’s business climate puts a premium on efficiency. Management models focus on ways to save time and energy to increase profits. However, efficiency does not equal effectiveness. One can be most efficient, but our work may not be worthwhile. Today in our reading of Ephesians 4:14-19, Paul warns his flock against living as other Gentiles do in the “futility of their mind” (vs. 17). From the apostles’ spiritual point of view, the unbelieving citizens of the Roman empire are living unproductive and ineffective lives despite their efficiency. Today we consider how we can avoid the entrapments of lifestyles that are empty of meaning or benefit to others. We reflect on how we can…
Walking an Ancient Path
The Orthodox Road and the Point of No Return
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The “point of no return” on the Orthodox road is a place of inner wrestling that is very uncomfortable. It can happen all at once, or more as a quiet, slow realization as we learn about the Faith of the ancient Church and start practicing it to the best of our abilities. It’s a realization of, “I can’t go back to the way I was. I can’t go back to my old…
Faith Encouraged
Made Able!
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I really like to write and I enjoy public speaking, but I had a hint of my tendency to wordiness when my first time in seminary produced a comment from one of my favorite professors. I had just finished a fairly intensive philosophy paper for his class and was really sweating the grade he would give me. Most everybody got their papers back quickly, but mine wasn’t in the first batch handed…
Word of the Day
A Majestic Prayer That We Can Make Our Own (Wed. Oct. 13)
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The word of the day is “pray.” In today’s reading of Ephesians 3:8-21, Paul makes known his prayers for the churches of the region of Ephesus. The apostle says that he wants to encourage the Ephesians despite his imprisonment. Therefore, the apostle writes, “For this reason, I bow my knees to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 14 and 16.) The Majesty of Paul’s Prayer for the Church The prayer soars in majestic phrases. Paul asks for their “strength” “in the inner man” (vs. 16), the indwelling of “Christ in their hearts,” and their “foundation in love” (vs. 17). The apostle goes on to pray that his flock might comprehend with the saints “width and length and…
Faith Encouraged
No Longer Strangers!
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I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I had wandered into the wrong place. Everything about me screamed, “he doesn’t belong here!” And it was confirmed when a waiter came to escort me out! There is nothing quite as cutting to anyone than to be made to feel unwelcome or unwanted. The stigma of being the “outsider” is a heavy burden to bear. This is especially true when all those “insiders” have their own…
Word of the Day
Therefore, No Longer Strangers and Foreigners (Tues, Oct. 12)
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The word of the day is “therefore.” In today’s reading of Ephesians 2:19-3:7, Paul writes that though they are gentiles, the Ephesians are “no longer strangers and foreigners.” They are “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (vs. 2:19). That is, non-Jews are equal members of the church. And both Jews and Gentiles are being “built together” into a temple, a dwelling place of God. The Controversy is Over: Gentiles Are Fully Accepted Note the triumphant tone of this letter compared with Paul’s earlier letters. Time has passed. The controversy over the incorporation of the Gentiles into the church has been resolved. The Holy Spirit has made known the “mystery” of God’s plan “to His…
Glory to God for All Things
The Collapse into Chaos - Where Only God Makes Sense
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Nothing is more traumatic than the onset of chaos. Predictability breaks down, goodness seems to disappear, and the madness of sheer survival takes over. In chaos, everything seems plausible since reason itself has become unreachable. A recent spate of reading took me down the rabbit hole into the madness of the 14th century. For all of the “structure” and stability of the Middle Ages, a society where everyone seemed to have a…
Faith Encouraged
There Is No "Lone Ranger" Christianity
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OK, so I have a hard time asking for directions. But, hey, since the invention of the GPS, I don’t have to! My man’s ego is protected by technology once again! Seriously, I do admit to not being crazy about asking for help. It feels like weakness to me and that plugs into my own weakness and pride. I guess that’s why I keep getting into situations where I have no choice…
Eastern Christian Insights
"Now is the Day of Salvation": Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost and the Third Sunday of Luke in the Orthodox Church
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2 Corinthians 6:1-10; Luke 7:11-16 As we read in today’s gospel text, the widow of Nain certainly had no expectation that the day of her son’s death was “the day of salvation.” It had been the worst day of her life, for in that time and place a widow who had lost her only son was in a terrible state. Poverty, neglect, and abuse would be real threats to her life; she…
Word of the Day
Christ, the Head of All Creation, is Head of His Body, the Church (Mon. Oct. 11)
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The word of the day for Monday, October 11 is “above.” In today’s reading of Ephesians 1:22-2:3, St. Paul writes in lofty terms about the majesty of Christ, the glory that He shares with His church as its Head. In the earlier verses, the apostle writes that Christ now sits at the right hand of God “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (OSB Ephesians 1:21). The Orthodox Study Bible notes that “principality, power, might, and dominion are orders of angelic beings” (OSB fn. Eph. 1:21-23). Next to God, the Holy Trinity, these powers are the supreme beings…
A Lamp for Today
Lighting Up the Apocalypse 17: Fallen Star, Bound Angels, and Hardened Hearts
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Revelation 9, Job, Ezekiel 9:3-8, Luke 21:18 The second part of the seven-trumpet series does not make for pleasant reading. Chapter 9 is prefaced with the cry of “Woe! Woe! Woe!” As trumpets five and six are blown, we infer from the commentary that these trumpets comprise two of these three woes (9:12). The first of the woes, heralded by the fifth trumpet, features a fallen “star” who is allowed to unlock…
Faith Encouraged
The Blessing of An Inheritance
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“Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” When I sang that old hymn as a boy, I wondered what it could mean. After all, how can you count your blessings? There are so many. All you’d do is count all day long. But maybe that’s the point! If we learn to focus on our blessings maybe we won’t let what we don’t…
Word of the Day
Why We Should Not Put Off God’s Grace Until Tomorrow (Sun. Oct. 10)
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The word of the day for Sunday, October 10 is “vain.” In today’s reading of 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, Paul begs his congregation at Corinth, “not to receive the grace of God in vain” (vs. 1). What does it mean to receive the favor of God through the Gospel in vain? In Greek, the word for “vain” refers to what is hollow and without contents (Strong’s #2756.137). It calls to mind the image of a bottle that is empty or a house that is vacant. To receive the Gospel in vain is like receiving a present and not opening it or like getting a gift card and never using it. It is hearing the Gospel with our ears but not with…
Word of the Day
Not Rules but Discernment (Sat. Oct. 9)
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The word of the day for Saturday, October 9 is “lawful.” In today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 10:23-28, St. Paul answers the question of eating meat once sacrificed to idols. The Apostle writes, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful” (vs. 23). “All things are lawful…”? Yes. “For freedom, Christ has set us free” (Romans 13:9 CSB). He has liberated us from the accusations, guilt, condemnation, and futile works of earning righteousness. We are free of its control. And No. The baptized have one overarching and all-encompassing commandment. The Orthodox Study Bible comments, “Christians are obligated to obey only one law: the law of Christ, the law of love” (OSB fn. 1 Cor. 10:23-24). It…
Word of the Day
The Disclosure of the Mystery of God’s Purpose (Fri. Oct. 8)
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For Friday, October 8, the word of the day is “mystery.” In our reading of Ephesians 1:7-17 today, Paul lifts his eyes from his concerns for his churches, and he gazes into our hope in Christ. The Apostle speaks of the “mystery of His [God the Father’s] will.” It is the revelation of what God “purposed in Himself according to His good pleasure” (vs. 9). The Greek word for “mystery” is derived from the sense of stopping the mouth or being silenced. The term implies that a mystery is a secret that is being kept until the proper time. Even then, it can only be disclosed by revelation and known by those whom the Spirit enlightens (Strong’s #3466 168). The mind of the Almighty is inscrutable. His…
Shepherding our Little Flock
Where else God is? A little children's rhyme
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In my last post I shared how my 3 year old son started asking me a lot – “Is God over us?” He seemed to be constantly wanting to be reassured or reminded that this was true. A few days after my post he asked me “Mommy who is below us?” And rather than read too deeply into questions of hell or an “underworld” I imagined his concrete understanding really wanting to…