February 20, 7534
To address this, we must first ask: Why did God create humanity? God had no need to create humans. God is the Holy Trinity, and He does not experience loneliness or lack. He created humanity out of the abundance of His love. Like a loving parent, God desires love in return from the beings He created. However,…
God has revealed to humanity that He is one yet triune in persons. How can we understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity within our limited comprehension? What do the terms person/hypostasis/essence/nature mean? What are the shared and individual properties of the Holy Trinity? Before delving into the mystery of the Holy Trinity, it is…
Why did God allow the trials of the 20th century to befall the Orthodox state (godless rule, execution of clergy, destruction of churches)? For what sins? What needed to be corrected? “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”(Hebrews 12:6) When we are ill, we go to a doctor…
Scripture repeatedly states: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”(Psalm 110:10; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10) But it also says: “Perfect love casteth out fear.”(1 John 4:18) These statements are not contradictory; they describe different stages of spiritual growth. A house must be built starting with the foundation, not the roof. The journey…
We should not presume to take God’s judgment into our hands. We do not know who will perish or who will be saved—that is God’s domain: “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.”(James 4:12) We should focus on our own salvation: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”(Philippians…
It is quite common to hear statements like this: “I am Orthodox, baptized, but I don’t go to church. I don’t trust priests. But I believe in God in my soul. I wear a cross. I’ve been taught not to steal or wish harm on others. I believe that’s enough. After all, the main thing…
Much depends on the circumstances—whether you are visiting them or they are visiting you. There are numerous Church rules that regulate our conduct regarding heretics. What do these rules say? Looking at their context and interpretations, they prohibit joint prayer with heretics or those excommunicated from the Church, whether at home, privately, or in a…
Theaters, public performances, and other forms of entertainment have long been integral parts of social life. The Christian Church has coexisted with these phenomena for centuries and has documented its experiences in the canons of Ecumenical and Local Councils. These canons are explained by well-known Orthodox canonists such as Zonaras, Valsamon, and Aristenes. If we…
The surrounding world changes, but “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). God’s commandments, which people must follow, also remain unchanged. The values and virtues that we should strive for are constant. The methods for achieving virtues and fighting sin have been described once and for all. Human nature itself does not…
Modern individuals have stopped engaging in many traditional activities and crafts. For instance, many women no longer practice needlework. Does this have any negative consequences, and what were the benefits of women’s needlework and embroidery? Indeed, modern society has largely shifted to urban living. Just a hundred years ago, many activities and skills that seemed…