Let’s take a look at some more Bad Theology. Bad Theology happens when we say dumb things about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For example, many folks maintain that our understanding of how the Most Holy Trinity wants us to behave—what we call our morals—can, and even should, change over time.
The Old Testament: Still Valid?
In his question for this roundtable, Editor Scott Coleman asks why “so many Christians” consider some parts of the Old Testament to be “valid” and other parts “invalid”. There are quite a few Protestant Christians who make that sort of distinction, but, in Orthodox Christianity, we affirm the importance of the entire Old Testament.
Dear Young Couple That I Surprised This Past Week
Greetings in the Name of the Lord. I’m the guy in the black dress that was tapping on the window of your car at 5:45am. And, yeah, I know: when you’re sitting in your car with nothing on but your underwear, a priest is pretty much the last person you want to see. But, in the future, if you refrain from parking behind churches, you’ll significantly lower the odds of that kind of encounter.
Communicating with Christ Jesus
This time around, Editor Scott Coleman has asked us to select, from the Bible, the specific teaching of Christ Jesus that we believe is “most important today”. The question suggests that our Lord and Master is someone like Albert Einstein or Blaise Pascal or Aristotle—a great thinker or teacher or philosopher who has left behind a body of writing from which we can draw insights or principles that apply to our current cultural situation. That’s certainly the way a lot of folks think of Christ Jesus. But it’s a mistaken approach.
Bad Theology, Again
It’s time for another round of Bad Theology. Bad Theology happens when we say ridiculous things about the Most Holy Trinity. And, a lot of times, that ridiculous talk comes from pastors and preachers. For example, the Reverend Joel Osteen, one of the most high profile religious figures in North America, often says things like this: ‘God wants you to be successful in every area of your life. God wants you to prosper in your career, in your relationships, in your health, and in your finances’.
Music in the Orthodox Church
The first Divine Liturgy I ever attended was in 2006 and was at our parish. The first thing I noticed was that there was a beginning, ending, and lots and lots of amazingly beautiful acapella hymns and Lord Have Mercy’s in the middle. It was absolutely beautiful, but after months of attendance, I still only had a very basic grasp of how the services worked.
A Holy Presentation
This article is about two of the most precious blessings that the Most Holy Trinity has given to our community—the Divine Services and our children. It consists of guidelines for the participation of children—and young people—in the services. We hope that it will prove to be helpful to all parents, grandparents, and godparents—and to each and every member of our community. After all, the services belong to each and every one of us, and we are all responsible for the care and nurture of the children who attend our services.
Putting On Christ
Love and Money
In his assignment for this roundtable, Editor Harrison Funk has abbreviated a passage of Holy Scripture in a way that’s very common. Harrison asked us to “talk about (1st) Timothy 6:10”; then he added: “Is money truly the root of all evil?” But what First Timothy 6:10 actually says is this: “the love of money is the root of all evil.” And that’s a big difference.
Sleeping in Church
When I was a kid, one of the congregations my family attended had a fairly small sanctuary. We sat close to the back, but, just a couple of pews down and to our left, there was an older man who sat at the end of a pew, right under a tall stained-glass window. He was a friendly guy, but he was also a life-long bachelor, so he was just about always by himself. And whenever the pastor began his sermon, the man would lean over against the end of the pew and promptly go to sleep.