The Whole Counsel Blog
Jeroboam, Son of Nebat
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Though he is far from a household name, Jeroboam, son of Nebat is one of the most important figures in Biblical history. As the first king and founder of the independent northern kingdom of Israel, he became the paradigmatic wicked king. He is, in many way, the first schismatic and heretic in the history of God’s people. In addition to creating the northern political structures, he began an alternative religious system that would not only endure in the northern kingdom throughout its existence, but even make inroads into the southern kingdom of Judah. Under the later Omride dynasty, the kingdom which he founded would become a regional power and at least for a time far surpass the southern kingdom of…
Faith Encouraged
Made FOR Him to be LIKE Him
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Shakespeare’s Hamlet has a character named Polonius and Shakespeare has him utter those now famous words “For the apparel oft proclaims the man.” And then, of course, there’s the famous business advice “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have!” All this focus on apparel makes one wonder if men are unaware of their true selves. And that, dear one, is seen in the fervent scramble of humanity to…
The Morning Offering
The Priest
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The priest should be like a funnel If a priest is truly to be an agent for grace, he must become like a funnel through which the Lord’s mercy can flow. That a priest has received the grace of ordination, if he does not attempt to live a life of holiness, if he does not become a living sacrifice for…
Faith Encouraged
And The Evening and The Morning...
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“To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven.” The Byrds lyrics were taken, of course, from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the First Testament. It is the gift of time, granted to us by God, where our lives play out. It is also a gift of God that even our mistakes and sins have a finality so that we do…
The Morning Offering
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
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Communing from the Body and Blood of the Master during the period of spiritual combat The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is attributed to Saint Gregory the Dialogist († 604), Pope of Rome, but in actuality, it is not the work of one individual, but is a composite work coming down to us from Holy Tradition. The Liturgy of the…
Behind the Scenes
Orthodox Worship: "Now I Understand Why"
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No Other Foundation
St. Andrew's Great Canon: a Rival Voice
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Every year during Lent we invite into our churches a great pastor, St. Andrew of Crete, and listen while he leads us in a meditation on sin and repentance. That is, we listen while his Great Canon is chanted, and in response we reply over and over again, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me!” Some things in this long poetic work might strike some moderns as a bit…
Grace Here and Now
Why Lent?
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To be reminded of grace is grace itself, shorter the shadows fall. Illumination now is lit, and lighter is heavy life, yet like lace, with all its order designed to be seen through, I see and avow the bit that’s brighter – From “Lent” by Maurice Manning Why Lent? I mean what is it, besides refraining from certain foods – a laundry list of “nos”? One has to be careful not to…
Glory to God for All Things
Facing Up to God
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And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. 2 Cor. 3:18 Among the most striking of all images in St. Paul’s writing is his description of beholding the glory of God with an unveiled face. It’s a very difficult passage to translate. The word rendered “beholding” in the translation quoted above is actually…
Faith Encouraged
The Power of Logos
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“Make your words sweet. After all, you may have to eat them!” Great advice, and perfect for one who is embarking on a spiritual journey of disciplined and purposeful faith. You see, our words are icons of our hearts. That’s why paying attention to our words is part of any spiritual discipline to become the master of your passions rather than the slave of your emotions, your fears, and your desires. Watch…
Orthodox Reformed Bridge
Preparing for Lent
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The Orthodox Church prepares for Lent by observing a series of Sundays, each with a particular theme. On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the Orthodox faithful hear one of Jesus’ well known parables and are urged to reflect on the importance of repentance for our spiritual recovery. One way we learn the meaning of repentance is through the hymns and prayers of the Church. One especially powerful prayer sung in…
The Morning Offering
The Lenten Journey
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Transformation through the Lenten Journey The Byzantine Court was filled with sycophants, busying themselves with building alliances that would help them rise in status and influence. During the thousand years of the empire, a few emperors were tricked into believing these sycophants were truly their friends, and could be trusted, when in actuality they were being played, and these flatterers…
The Morning Offering
Forgiveness
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Forgiveness is the cure for judgment, anger, and resentment Our Lord Jesus Christ told us: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37).” In the Our Father, the very prayer given to His disciples after Christ was asked to teach them to pray, we…
Eastern Christian Insights
Wearing "The Armor of Light" Requires Forgiveness: Homily for the Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare) in the Orthodox Church
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Romans 13:11-14:4; Matthew 6:14-21 When the prodigal son returned home, he was surely filthy, malnourished, and at least half-naked. The father restored him to the family by clothing him with a robe, a ring, and sandals, and then celebrated his return with a great banquet. As we prepare to begin the Lenten journey tomorrow, we recall today how Adam and Eve stripped themselves naked of the divine…
Glory to God for All Things
Forgiveness and the Whole Adam
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I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (John17:20-21) The Elder Sophrony, together with St. Silouan, wrote about the “whole Adam.” By this, they meant all the human beings who have ever existed and those yet to come. For Silouan and Sophrony, this was something known in the present tense, a “hypostatic” knowledge of the fundamental unity of the human race.…
The Morning Offering
The Divine Liturgy
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Where communion with God is restored The Church is that place where heaven and earth are united, and where we can live as we were meant to be, as before the Fall. The Church’s Divine Liturgy is that place where the disunity that came with the Fall is put aside, and communion with God is restored. Our participation in the…
Father Bill's Blog
109. Pre-Lent: Fourth Sunday - Fasting, Forgiveness, Final Instructions
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In the Sunday Epistle: Romans 13:11-14,14:1-4 Saint Paul makes creative use of night/day, winter/spring imagery. “Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is gone; day is at hand.” That’s the truth. Time is passing. We don’t have forever to wake up and shape up. How much time any of us have left on earth we don’t know. I knew an older couple who had a spat,…
Faith Encouraged
These Are The Things You SHALL Do
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I love the look on my daughter’s face when I tell her “You can do what you want to do AFTER you do what you have to do.” Training a child (or, for that matter me!) to delay gratification is one of the most important life lessons any parent can give a child. This basic ability of the mature pays off life dividends in both practical and spiritual ways. If I would…
The Morning Offering
The True Spirit of Fasting
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Fasting is more than abstaining from certain foods This coming Monday is the beginning of Great and Holy Lent, so now is a good time to prepare ourselves for this Lenten Journey. As with previous years, I am sharing this approach to fasting, which will greatly enrich this penitential preparation for the Feast of the Holy Resurrection. With love in…
The Whole Counsel Blog
One God, the Father and One Lord, Jesus Christ
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It is a commonplace in St. Paul’s theology for the apostle to refer to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as a unified phrase (cf. Rom 1:4, 7; 5:1, 11; 6:23; 7:25; 8:39; 15:6, 30; 16:20; 1 Cor 1:2-3, 9-10; 8:6; 15:57; 2 Cor 1:2-3; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2-3, 17; 5:20; 6:23; Phi 1:2; 2:11; Col 1:3; 1 Thess 1:1, 3; 5:9; 2 Thess 1:1-2, 12; 2:16; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Phil 1:3). Within the context of 1 Corinthians 8:6, St. Paul makes this formulation based on integrating Christ into the shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. This formulation ultimately became the basis for the phraseology of the Nicene Creed. The relationship between these two persons, the Father…
No Other Foundation
Islamic Spain: “In this pretty world, gallantry took its last bow”
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I have just finished reading a volume that should be a required text for anyone enthusing about how enlightened and tolerant Spain was under Islamic rule in medieval times, The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise by Dario Fernandez-Morera. The enthusiasm for the glories of tolerant Islam is suffused throughout modern scholarship, to the point of embarrassment. It is difficult not to conclude, after one looks at the actual historical facts that the…
Faith Encouraged
Perverting the Nation
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I really don’t know where it came from, but since I can remember, there were two great interests in my mind – politics and religion. Strange, since my traditional Southern upbringing discouraged the mixing of the two realms of human endeavor. But there it was, a passionate interest in both, so much so that there was a time in my life where I had to choose whether to become a politician or a…
The Morning Offering
Family
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Staying connected with family It is always sad to lose a family member in death, but it is also sad that it often takes a funeral to bring together relatives who’ve not seen each other in years. It is from this perspective that I realize I, as the oldest of the cousins, am the one family member who remembers how…
Behind the Scenes
Schedule for 2019 Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference
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We are thrilled to announce the schedule for the approaching 2019 Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference. You’ll note that speakers, sessions, extra activities, meals, and worship are all included. Tickets are still available for this event, but they are selling quickly. If you have not yet registered, click here for more information and to purchase your ticket. For readability, only the speaker and title is included for each session below. You…
Faith Encouraged
“Clean Monday” Here We Come!
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I was sitting right next to it! And then it went off! And I nearly jumped out of my skin. It was an alarm that let you know when someone was “breaking into the house.” I didn’t realize I was that close when they were going to test it and it scared me to death. But I guess that’s what an alarm is supposed to do: get your attention. Nowadays, though, most…
The Morning Offering
Submitting
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Do we think ourselves wiser than the Church? In an age of unbelief it can be a struggle to submit to the laws of the Church. When the society around us regards the Church’s laws and traditions unfavorably, we can easily give in to thinking the same thing, and disregard the canons and statutes of the Church of Christ. If…
Time Eternal
Upcoming Speaking Engagements: Toronto (March 10) and Edmonton (March 16)
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Hey folks! Just a quick note to let you know about some speaking engagements coming up this week. This Sunday, March 10, I’ll be giving an informal talk on Lent and despondency in Toronto (Holy Myrrhbearers Orthodox Mission). The talk will be 1pm at Trinity College with Forgiveness Vespers to follow around 2PM. Join us if you’re able!…
