Hopes and Fears

Wow! I was scolded for being happy at Christmas. It turns out Christmas is a hard time for some people and my happiness made them even more miserable. It occurred to me that maybe this person nailed the reason for season like Nadia Comăneci nailed her landings in the Olympics (albeit, for all the wrong …

Considering Our Own “Works of the Law”

Yesterday’s Epistle in the Daily Common Lectionary was Gal 3:1-14, which is Paul’s diatribe against the Galatians concerning their “works of the Law.” As a brief aside, I have covered at great length through the years the fact that the Pauline corpus as a whole isn’t opposed works. We are “created in Christ Jesus for …

It Is Time for the Lord to Act!

[The title, if it’s unfamiliar, is the very first thing the Deacon says in the Divine Liturgy (the Sunday eucharistic service) of the Eastern Orthodox Church.] As I have mentioned ad nauseum in recent weeks, I’m re-reading Hunsinger’s The Eucharist and Ecuminism. I have felt not unlike poor Alice falling down the rabbit hole. It …

Preparing For That We Know Not Of, Nor Where, Nor How

December 19 … Six more days in the Nativity fast. It’s not a fast that I observe, but whenever the Orthodox Church is in the midst of a major fasting season I find myself becoming more aware of the intricacies of my Christian life. Tomorrow, Dec. 20 is also the beginning of the Forefeast of …

A Follow-up on Judgment and Repentance

After posting my previous essay, I listened to this installment of Praying in the Rain (also available in essay form here) with Fr Michael Gillis. He is able to explain certain aspects of how the ancient church and contemporary Christian East understand heaven and hell better than I can. If you are interested in further …

A Science Fiction Author Meditates on Judgment and Repentance

I am currently listening to a SciFi audio book (Abaddon’s Gate, by James S. A. Corey) that features a very bad young woman (Clarissa) who was pushed over the edge by the arrest of her father and her denial of just how evil her father’s actions were. She kills lots (lots!) of people in her …

Is Cowardice Worthy of the Lake of Fire?

So here’s a weird bit of scripture: He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire …

No Fear in Love

Over the past few days I’ve been reviewing how the word “fear” (Greek  phobos) is used in the New Testament to make sure my memory about it was correct. The reason for this exercise was because I’ve heard a couple of people use 1 Jn 4:18 (“There is no fear in love, but perfect love …

Men’s Group? … Schmens Group!

I've joined a men's group / Bible study at work, and honestly, I've been hating on it ever since I joined. While other members talk about how much they need it for their spiritual life, I find there is little that is spiritual about it. We watch videos and the videos seem to me to …