May 13, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: astrology, astronomy, Byzantine, Byzantium, calendars, canonization, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Christianity, computer analogies, computer programs, computers, computus, Divine Liturgy, Easter, Eastern Catholic Church, Eastern Catholicism, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, Eucharist, fasts, feast days, glorification, Gregorian Calendar, High Church, Holidays, holydays, Hours, Julian Calendar, Latin Christianity, Latin Church, liturgical reform, liturgy, Liturgy of the Hours, medieval, Middle Ages, name-day, New Calendar, nonviolence, nonviolent resistance, Old Calendar, order of worship, Ordinarius, ordo, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, Pascha, paschalion, religion, Revised Julian Calendar, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Rome, saints, science, seasons, Second Vatican Council, slava, software, Southern Hemisphere, tradition, Tridentine Mass, Typicon, Typikon, Unia, Uniates, Uniatism, Uniats, Vatican II, weather, Western Christianity, worship
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Yes, on the Third Monday of Pascha yesterday morning - May 12 (NS)! - some snow stuck to the ground in higher elevations of southwestern Pennsylvania (link may break), the Commonwealth where I and alot of other Orthodox live!
This discussion goes back to my recent post occasioned by the (Western) Good [...]
April 24, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Christianity, deification, Divine Energies, Divine Energy, Divinization, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, glorification, Orthodox Christianity, prayers, religion, saints, Theosis, translation, Uncreated Light
NEOPHYTE OPINION ALERT
Numerous Orthodox hymns and prayers include the past tenses of the verb to shine, referring in one way or another to light, often God’s Uncreated Energies as Light, as frequently discussed in this blog, whether directly from a Person of the Trinity, or indirectly through a Saint, Angel, or the Theotokos (God-Deliverer).
Allow me [...]
March 15, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: art, basilicas, Blessed Mother, cathedrals, Catholicism, Christianity, deification, Divine Light, Divinization, Eastern Orthodoxy, glorification, iconoclasm, iconography, icons, images, Italy, Mary, miracles, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, painting, religion, Roman Catholicism, Rome, saints, salvation, theology, Theosis, Theotokos, Uncreated Light, Western Orthodoxy
Italy’s former Orthodoxy is attested by the ancient icons and Greek icon-style murals and mosaics to be found in many old Latin churches there to this day. Rome itself has at least one icon said to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist (like a few in Orthodox hands, or rather, graced to Orthodox [...]
March 11, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Catholicism, Christianity, confession, conscience, deification, Divinization, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, forgiveness, glorification, journalism, media, news, obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, OCD, OCPD, orthodoxy, perfection, religion, repentance, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Rome, sacraments, salvation, scrupulosity, scrupulous conscience, sin, social sin, spiritual guidance, structural evil, Theosis, Vatican
OK, OK, now that we’ve all had a laugh over a Vatican bureaucrat-archbishop’s politically-correct-sounding interview, first things first: what he was really about (Latin perspective). For further background, from other sources on the WWW, I gather that what he was doing in the first place was providing advice to priest-confessors / spiritual directors in the [...]
July 22, 2005 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: ascesis, asceticism, askesis, deification, Divine Energies, Divine Energy, Divinization, doctrine, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, empirical theology, experimental theology, glorification, John 7:17, Orthodox Christianity, purification, salvation, theology, Theosis, virtue
John 7:17 (NKJV):
If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or [whether] I speak on My own [authority.]
Here was discussed the fact that those who experience Energetic Union with God/Glorification perceive fundamental o/Orthodox Christian teachings therein. Now John 7:17 seems to reinforce that testimony. If [...]
July 16, 2005 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Bible, Christianity, deification, Divinization, Eastern Orthodoxy, forgiveness, glorification, Hebrew Scriptures, Job, Job 42:7, Job 42:7-8, Old Testament, Old Testament Church, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, philosophy, philosophy of religion, religion, salvation, Scripture, spirituality, theology, Theosis
See Job 42:7-8 (NAB):
…the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and with your two friends; for you have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant Job. Now, therefore, take seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up a holocaust for yourselves; and [...]
July 6, 2005 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Christianity, Divinization, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, glorification, Jesus Christ, John Romanides, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, religion, Romanity, salvation, spirituality, theology, Theosis, Trinity
From Prophet of Roman Orthodoxy: The Theology of John Romanides, by Andrew J. Sopko, Dewdney, BC, Canada: Synaxis, 1998, pages 41-42:
Lest glorification/divinization be equated with a mystical ecstasy, it will suffice to say here that the true experience always contains a revelation of the Holy Trinity in uncreated glory. In the realization that there is [...]
July 1, 2005 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: apostolic succession, Bible, Catholicism, Christendom, Christianity, church history, churches, conciliarism, conciliarity, Divinization, Eastern Orthodoxy, first among equals, glorification, Great Schism, Holy Spirit, infallibility, John 16:13, Matthew 18:18, Matthew 6:13-19, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, orthodoxy, papacy, patriarchates, pope, religion, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Rome, salvation, Scripture, sobornost, spirituality, St. Peter, theology, Theosis, Western Christendom, Western Christianity, Western Church
Yesterday was the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Apostles. The Gospel reading for Divine Liturgy was Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi, Matthew 16:13-19 (here, from the NAB).
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When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
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They replied, “Some say [...]