Pyrrhic Spring

Here's the Troparion (equivalent to the Collect) of the Day for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday in the Orthodox Church: O, Christ, our God, when Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead, before Thy passion, Thou didst confirm the resurrection of the universe. Wherefore, we, the children, carry the banner of triumph and victory, and …

On Seeing the World and Holiness

Another great insight from Moby Dick (this one from ch. 16, "The Ship"): Captain Peleg asks Ishmael why he wants to go sailing. Ishmael's answer is that he wants to see the world. Cap'n Peleg tells him to "take a peep over the weather bow." What did Ishmael see over the weather bow? "Not much," …

Obedience

I'm reading Moby Dick right now. Herman Melville is not the place I would normally go to receive spiritual advice, but the following, from ch. 9, "The Sermon," is pretty good: And if we obey God, we must disobey ourselves, wherein the hardness of obeying God consists.

The Meaning of Political Conservative

What is a "conservative" in the American political tradition? Allan Carlson's article, "Beyond Capitalism and Socialism: Rebuilding an American Economy Focused on Family and Community," is about as good a description as one can find anywhere.