What are the roles of men and women in the family? Under what circumstances can a woman work without harming the family? St. John Chrysostom writes that human responsibilities can be divided into two categories: public duties, or tasks outside the home, and domestic duties. Men are generally more suited to the former, and women…
How can one discern the will of God when facing life situations where it is unclear what to do? (For example, choosing a husband, profession, place of residence, etc.) The Lord has granted us free will and freedom of choice, so we should not shift the responsibility for all life decisions onto God. When choosing…
What is spiritual kinship? How can couples in the Old Believer tradition avoid becoming spiritual relatives before marriage? Spiritual kinship, often referred to as “kinship through the cross,” typically arises through baptism, when godparents are appointed for the baptized individual. A spiritual kinship exists between the godfather (or godmother) and their godchild, equated by Church…
An Instruction From a Father to His Son I, a sinner (name), bless, instruct, guide, and admonish my only son (name), his wife (name), their children, and their household to follow Christian laws, to live with a clean conscience and in truth, keeping the will of God and His commandments in faith, and to establish…
The life of a Christian is built upon the presence of a spiritual father. A spiritual father is a priest who helps the Christian grow spiritually. It is to him that the Christian usually turns for advice and for the performance of sacramental rites such as marriage, baptism, and others. A Christian does not go to just…
If a family is a small church, then a Christian community is a larger family. Therefore, every Christian must have a spiritual father with whom they can discuss their problems, seek answers to pressing questions, and so on. Without necessity, a spiritual father should not be changed. One should not arbitrarily go to confession with…
What does the common phrase “we crucify Christ with our sins” mean? How can this be understood if Christ was crucified once, long before our time? When the Lord Jesus Christ began His public ministry, St. John the Forerunner, who was calling people to repentance and baptizing them in the Jordan, pointed to Christ and…
Bishop Innokenty (Usov) They say there is one answer that fits any question. That answer is: “I don’t know.” In the same way, there is one excuse that fits any misdeed, any sin, any bad or foolish habit. That excuse is: “It is customary,” “I am not the only one who does this,” “Everyone does it.” Ask, for example, a card…
By Kiril Mikhailov “One must try everything in life!” This slogan is repeated, as if by the hypnotized, by nearly everyone. Television has ingrained this in us, and we no longer even think—we simply try, as long as the opportunity is there and no punishment follows. Moral and internal restraints are gone. After all, television teaches…
In the Gospel, Christ says: “Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends.”(John 15:14–15) From this passage, we see that it is not the Lord who calls us servants; rather, we…