Back in November 2014 I came to Patra, Greece, for the funeral of my mother. Father Andrew at my mother's parish church ushered me into the sanctuary and gave me vestments to wear so I could preside at my mother's funeral service. So there I was, a clean-shaven priest from America between two local priests, …
Two Questions for the self-important in each of us
We are in Greece for a long overdue vacation. We stopped in Germany on the way to Greece to visit some friends. My German vocabulary consists primarily of lines from the Wagner operas. Not exactly useful when traveling in modern Germany. So I find myself in the position of most tourists - in a foreign …
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The true heart of Islam
It is commonplace for people in this country to speak of Islam as incompatible with Western 'values'. I myself have fallen into that trap more than once - even in these pages a couple years back. Muslim leaders have often been attacked for not speaking out against terrorism. The fact of the matter is that …
Does the Orthodox Church have a political theology?
Lately I have been reading some pieces of political theology coming from a variety of Christian sources. And I'm not referring to political agendas or endorsement of political parties. Political theology is not partisan politics under the cover of Christendom. What is political theology? True political theology is neither Left nor Right. Political theology is bringing the …
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Thoreau’s Conscience
Every time I turn to the Journals of Henry David Thoreau, I always find the wisdom that I need in my life and is so sadly lacking in our world of experts and talking heads. Here is a sampling from my perusals today. In his journal entry for August 18, 1854, he describes in great …
God is Working Still
Jean Vanier introduces his meditation on chapter 5 of John this way: The first time Jesus journeys with his disciples to Jerusalem he goes to the Temple, his “Father’s House.” The second time he goes to an asylum where rejected people are lying around unwanted. This is also his Father’s home. Jesus is calling his …
Do you trust?
Only John’s Gospel makes Thomas a significant character. The other three Gospels merely list him as one of the disciples. In John’s version of the life and teachings of Jesus, Thomas figures in three episodes. In the Lazarus episode, when Jesus decides to go to raise Lazarus, Thomas says, “Let us also go that we …
God of the gaps is no God
I love reading from Bonhoeffer's writings, especially in the series of the complete works in English translations put out by Fortress Press. Bonhoeffer is perhaps best known for his "Letters and Papers from Prison," written between April 1943 (when he was arrested for conspiring against Hitler) and January 1945, three months before he was executed …
The Question of Holy Week
Two processions entered Jerusalem, perhaps on the same day, certainly in the same week... Audio file:
Be astonished, O disciple of Christ!
Without us knowing it, and perhaps without the Church intending it (!), the Sundays of Lent have done something of a discipleship catechism for us struggling disciples of Christ. I had never realized this, until I sat down to work on this sermon. The First Sunday of Lent promised visions of glory: You shall see the …
Ancient Answers 