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…
Since the fall of human nature and the rupture between man and God, a longing for the lost paradise has been hidden deep within the souls of men. The curse, imposed as a punishment for the fall, often acts as…
Our Lord Jesus Christ shed His precious blood to deliver the human race from corruption and death, in order to restore fallen man to his former blessedness. He brought to earth His teaching, which contains everything necessary for the salvation…
According to the explanatory dictionary of S.I. Ozhegov, a dogma is “a fundamental principle in religious doctrine, regarded (by the Church) as immutable truth and not subject to criticism.” It is often said that the only reason for breaking church…
Why are “dogmas” necessary? Is the moral teaching of the Gospel not sufficient? We believe in God, but why this heap of incomprehensible and unnecessary dogmas, which the mind can neither accept nor comprehend? “God is one and triune.” Two…
What is the Creed? The Creed is a brief yet precise exposition of the Christian faith, composed by the Holy Fathers. The first brief Creed was composed by the Holy Apostles themselves at their Council in Jerusalem in the year…
What role does a guardian angel play in our lives? How does he inspire us with the right thoughts? How can we learn to hear them? Sometimes a fleeting thought comes, you don’t pay attention to it right away, and…
A certain Old Believer clergyman — a somewhat well-known one — once surprised me in conversation by referring to a “holy lestovka.” But we, as Christians, understand holiness to belong first and foremost to God. It is proper and fitting…
By F.E. Melnikov Old Belief is generally understood to mean that Russian religious movement which unites millions of people, commonly called Old Believers. But such a definition clarifies nothing of substance, for the very nature of this “ecclesiastical movement” remains…
Viktor Bochenkov Almost everyone has at least heard something about Old Belief. But what exactly is it? It’s no secret that the old label “schismatics” is still in common use. For a long time, these words were nearly synonymous. Even…