What is the difference between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church?

With the approaching Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church our “Ask Father” series speaks on the differences, or in this case similarities, between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church. Defending the truth about God and the Church has never been an easy or simple task. The Holy Fathers of the Church debated rigorously and sometimes succumbed to name-calling. After 1,500 years of debate and disagreement the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox remain divided, but with hope of a future healing of the ancient schism that divides us. We ask all our fans to fervently pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as the Church gathers. Though some Churches have indicated they will not attend the coming council, we here at Be Transfigured remain hopeful that, if nothing else, understanding the real history of the long-lasting debates in the Church will help to explain that protecting the truth of Orthodoxy requires patience and prayer. DISCLAIMER: This episode of Be Transfigured in not meant to be a complete discussion of the theological or ecclesiological issues that exist between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church, but is meant to be a general discussion to assist in our general understanding of how the Church functions. 

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT: Hello. My name is Father Athanasios Haros, and I'm the Pastor here at the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church in Florence, South Carolina and I'm your Host for Be Transfigured Ministries. Here at Be Transfigured, as we say, “We invite you to live a new life in Christ.” We feature our sermons and our Bible studies and other special events in the life of the Church. We do it to inspire you to join us living a new life in Christ. I hope you’ll join us. I’ll be back in a moment after this video to share some information about our ministry.

This week the eyes of the Orthodox world are open wide because if you’ve been paying attention either in our Sunday bulletin or my announcements or on the internet or inside of the Orthodox blogs and news services, this week in Crete, we are supposed to be having what is being called the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. It is a historic moment that we are witnessing with our eyes, and it is beautifully appropriate that this morning we are commemorating the Fathers that gathered at the First Ecumenical Council in the year 325.

As part of our Ask Father series, the past few weeks, I have been talking about what members of the Orthodox Church can do, what non-members of the Church can do, and so I received a question this week which is wonderfully timely. I was asked to give a little clarification of the differences of the Orthodox Churches. I want to begin by apologizing to everyone who grew up in the Church because real Church history is not as simple as you were taught in Sunday school.

When we are children, we learned the very simple basic realities of our history, and we grew up knowing that there were these things called the Seven Ecumenical Councils and that the Church gathered in these councils and through what we call consensus, all the bishops who were gathered agreed on the theology of the Church and we teach that to our children in Sunday school. We learned it in Sunday school growing up, but the reality is, my brothers and sisters, it was never quite that clean. It was never quite that easy.

In understanding our Church history, we have to realize that if the truth is worth something and it is, it is also worth fighting for. I don’t mean with guns and swords, but I mean with good energetic debate. We are very blessed that we actually have not the full list of what they call the acts meaning the, you could say, the minutes of these council meetings, but we have many of them that are still in existence today and we can actually revisit those discussions and hear the debates and the arguments of the Fathers of the Church on some very important issues.

How wonderful that today, just a few days before this Council is gathering in Crete of the Orthodox Church, how wonderful that we are remembering the first council which got together, the First Ecumenical Council in 325, but it was not the very first council. The first council was by the Apostles in Jerusalem. We can read about that in the book of Acts, chapter 15, and so there’s this question, “Who is the Orthodox Church?” We say that we are the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and the word Orthodox means correct belief, but that belief came at a deep, deep cost sometimes. In the 400s, specifically I’m thinking for today’s example, there was a raging debate, and when I say raging debate, it was the talk of the world.

We use the word Theotokos. It’s an everyday word for us. Theotokos - we translate it “the Mother of God” but it really is “the one who gave birth to God,” Theotokos, “the bearer of God.” But in the 400s, there were Christians and some of them were bishops who refused to use the word Theotokos. There were bishops of the Church who said, “There is no possible way that a woman can give birth to the eternal God,” and so the debate was raging in the Church.

Some wanted to call her Christotokos, “the one who gave birth to God,” [sic] [should be the one who gave birth to Christ] and gathering together around the most notable bishop who was arguing for this, his name was Nestor. He said that Jesus Christ could not have been completely man and completely God, and so therefore the Panagia could not have given birth to God only to Christ. In the Third Ecumenical Council in the year 431, the Church gathered to hear this debate, and it was resolved that we should call her Theotokos, that Jesus Christ is completely man and completely God, and that put that end to rest for all time.

It wasn’t but 20 years later, another controversy comes up. “If He’s God and man, then what about His nature? Is He a human nature or is He a divine nature or is there some kind of dual personalities going on,” and another debate rages on. In 451, the Fourth Ecumenical Council was called, and in this council, it was determined that God is two natures in one person, not partnering with each other, not two individual people sharing the body of Christ, but that Jesus Christ who was fully God and fully man, and we know Him as the Son of God Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, and that seemed to put everything to rest, except that there was this other group of bishops who said, “No, God has only one nature if He’s one person,” and there was a schism in the Church.

See, many of us grew up in Sunday school thinking that the First Schism was in 1054, but it was really in 451, when those Churches who refused to accept the two natures of Christ, left the Church. Today, they are called the Oriental Orthodox Church. We are called the Greek Orthodox Church, also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church, and that Church still exists today. The Oriental Orthodox Church, we know them today as the Armenian Church, the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Ethiopian Church, the Eritrean Church, the Malankara Church in India, the Syriac Church in Iraq. You’ve been hearing all the new- the stories about the Christians in Iraq. This is the Syriac Orthodox Church and finally, a Church called the British Orthodox Church.

These Churches stayed together since 451, and they’re called the Oriental Orthodox Church, but they’re not with us, the Greek Orthodox Church. We really don’t notice it so much here in America because we’re so focused on being Greeks and Russians and Arabs, it makes sense that the Egyptians have their Church and that the Indians have their Church, we don’t pay attention to the fact that they are two separate Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Church about 350 million across the world, and the Oriental Orthodox Church. I was looking up yesterday about 85 million throughout the world.

Who’s going to be at this council? Not the Oriental Church, but the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church, I put in your bulletins, but I’ll read it just so you can hear it, there are 14 Eastern Orthodox Churches, individual Churches united across the world.

There is the Church of Constantinople, the Church of Alexandria, the Church of Antioch, the Church of Jerusalem. Those are the ancient patriarchs. Then we have the Church of Russia, the Church of Serbia, the Church of Romania, the Church of Bulgaria, the Church of Georgia, the Church of Cyprus, the Church of Greece, the Church of Poland, the Church of Albania, and the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. 14 independent Orthodox Christian Churches united in Communion. We can take Communion in any one of those 14 Churches, but we cannot as I said a couple of weeks ago, we cannot take Communion in the Coptic Church, or in the Armenian Church, or the Malankara Church, or the Syriac Church. We are not in communion with each other, but there’s hope.

1500 years we’ve been divided, but since the 1970s, there’s been a discussion going on between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church. Their best theologians and our best theologians have been getting into the same room and having discussions, and for the most part, it has come, we have come to understand that we have been saying the same thing for 1500 years, that our theology really isn’t different, that we really do believe in the same Jesus Christ and in the same Holy Trinity that we said we believed in in 451.

This international committee has sent an official recommendation to all the patriarchs on our side and all the patriarchs on their side saying “We should reunify, we should get together, we’re really saying the same things for 1500 years. Our theology is the same.” That’s the brightest on both sides, but we are a human Church as well, and we cannot ignore the fact that for 1500 years, they have been condemning our saints, and we have been condemning their saints.

It is not as if we can just hit a light switch and unremember and forget 1500 years of division, and this, if you remember what I’ve been talking about, I mentioned this last year when I was discussing what it means to be Greek Orthodox versus Russian Orthodox and etcetera and I was reminding you that our orthodoxy is a lived experience within history.

We cannot ignore the historic realities that we treated each other very poorly for 1500 years calling each other names. How, all of a sudden, do we expect to say to the Church across the street, “Come receive Communion even though just yesterday I called you a heretic. Just yesterday, I refused to even acknowledge that you were a Christian. How can I do that?” It’s going to take time, and so the monastics, the bishops, the theologians all over the world continue to have this discussion about getting together with the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church, but they will not be present this week in Crete because we’re not yet together.

Now, why is this important for us here in Florence, South Carolina in 2016? What I want you to understand, my brothers and sisters, is that being part of a global Church is not just a political reality. We are part of the second largest Church in the entire world, 350 million Eastern Orthodox Christians. The only Christian Church larger is the Church of Rome. They have a billion. We are not just benefitting though from that national, international reality.

In our faith, what we believe affects how we live, and so what I want you to understand is that for us as Christians, the nuances of how we talk about God are important, how we understand the person of Jesus Christ, do we understand that He is fully God and fully man? There are some Christians today who don’t believe that. There are some Christians today who believe that Jesus Christ was just a really nice guy, and there are other Christians today that believe that Jesus Christ wasn’t a man at all, and that He was just God who walked the earth for a few years and then, poof, disappeared.

There are other Christians who believe that when Mary gave birth to Jesus, the man-Jesus, the God-Jesus came in and kicked the man-Jesus out for a little while, took over His body for 33 years, and then conveniently right before He died on the cross, the God-Jesus disappeared and, all of a sudden, let the man-Jesus take over the body again.

We don’t believe in those things, so for us as Orthodox Christians, it’s an important discussion on the nuances of how we understand the person of Jesus Christ and it’s a mystery. God has revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ the Savior, and you can hear in any Church in town, Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, you name it, you’re going to hear it today, it’s all about Jesus. In a way, it is, but who is Jesus?

The Oriental Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been arguing over that question for 1500 years. No surprise. I challenge anyone of us in this Church today to fully understand how God can become a human being and not stop being God but live 33 years and then die. I’ll be honest. I can’t wrap my mind around that. I cannot fully understand how God did what He did, so I’m not at all surprised that these two Churches have been arguing for 1500 years.

What’s gathering this week in Crete, and we all need to pray for this Council meeting because there are some Churches who are now refusing to attend. There are some of the Orthodox Churches, for example, the Church of Bulgaria, who says, “We’re not coming to the meeting” because they don’t like one sentence here or one sentence there. It’s bigger than that obviously, but so we are witnessing the same kind of Christian history, this week, that we read about in the history books.

When I was going through, just making sure I had all of my ducks in a row for this sermon this morning, I was reading from the minutes of the Fourth Council. It’s beautiful. You can really see – and this bishop said this, and they quote him down there, and one of the bishops says, “If he’s allowed to sit down, that’s it. I’m leaving. I’m going back to my city,” witnessing the exact same kind of discussions that are taking place today, so pray for our Church. We’re going to have Divine Liturgy, Wednesday evening at 6 o’clock to pray for the beginning of the Council, and we’re going to have Paraklesis each night while the Council is in session to pray for our bishops, to pray for our theologians and those who are in Crete that the Holy Spirit truly will guide the Church.

These are not trivial things. These are historic things that are getting together. Imagine how much more effort it will take. You know, we are the Greek Orthodox Church in America, the Russian Orthodox Church in America, we’ve got some things that we’ve got to get in order here, too, in our Churches here in America.

Going back to question of the Oriental Orthodox Church versus the Greek Orthodox Church, imagine a Church right across the street, same icons, same vestments, pretty much the same liturgy, but we were not allowed to cross the street to receive Holy Communion and they were not allowed to come here for 1500 years, and then, all of a sudden, imagine getting a phone call from the patriarch, “Okay, everything is good now, you can go cross the street.” We’d be a little cautious, wouldn’t we? They’ve called us so many bad names. We weren’t nice to them either, so pray for our Church. Pray that these historic days are truly guided by the Holy Spirit as we have believed for over 2,000 years. Glory to God for all things.

Well, I’m back, and I hope this video was an inspiration to you. I hope it helps you live a new life in Christ. Please share our message of hope with your friends and family, and invite others to live a new life in Christ. Find more information about Be Transfigured Ministries by joining us on our website at www.LiveANewLifeInChrist.org You can also find many of our videos on the Orthodox Christian Network, our partners at myocn.net. As we say at Be Transfigured, until next week, God bless you and don’t forget to live a new life in Christ.

Be Transfigured is a production of the Transfiguration of our Savior Greek Orthodox Church in Florence, South Carolina, and presented by the Orthodox Christian Network. Contributions in support of this ministry may be sent to Be Transfigured, 2990 South Cashua Drive, Florence, South Carolina 29501 or online at our website at www.LiveANewLifeInChrist.org.

The Church - Protector and Shepherd

Before ascending to His Throne, Jesus commanded the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem to await the Holy Spirit. Before departing for his trial, Saint Paul warned the Church that wolves would come to attack the Church, some even from within. Ever since, we have been waiting for the return of Christ, comforted and shepherded by the Holy Spirit, while protected by His Church. But we cannot be shepherded if we insist on ignoring the Church and wandering away from her wings. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, protects us from the wolves while leading us to heaven. We must be vigilant against the attack of the wolves, and learn to recognize when someone is teaching against the Church. At those moments we must run to the Church for protection.

Putting all the Pieces Together

Now that cooler weather has settled in and leaves have begun to fall, many families are looking for activities to gather and enjoy fellowship now that it’s too cold for beach fun. Among the many long-time traditions for family fun is building puzzles. Puzzles come in all sizes and shapes, and made for all ages young and old alike. Puzzles highlight beautiful scenery and famous landmarks. After an evening of family fun, NOTHING is more frustrating than have a missing piece to the puzzle. A puzzle with just a single piece missing will inspire families to search for long periods of time, overlooking nothing, to find that single missing piece. Everyone cheers when the missing piece is found; much more than if the family had completed the puzzle quickly without any missing pieces. Puzzles are great family fun...

We often hear life being compared to a puzzle that needs to be solved, and our spiritual life and Church are no different. The Orthodox Christian way of life is like a carefully crafted puzzle in which every piece is perfectly interconnected. Without EVERY piece, the puzzle just isn’t complete. It always surprises me that many, unlike game puzzles, have no difficulty in leaving the pieces of the Orthodox Way of Life puzzle either missing or not connected.

The pieces of the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle include:

1. Receiving Holy Communion
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Caring for the poor
5. Reading and studying the Holy Scriptures
6. Reading and studying the Holy Fathers of the Church
7. Reading and studying books about the Faith and Church history
8. Tithing to the Church
9. Attending Sunday Divine Liturgy EVERY SUNDAY ON TIME
10. Regular Holy Confession
11. Regular attendance at special Church blessing services
12. Regular attendance at special Church prayer services
13. Serving others (inside and outside the Church Family)
14. Reaching out to others and inviting them into the Church
15. Enjoying fellowship with others inside the Church

Like every puzzle, the most important piece is THE MISSING PIECE, since without it, the puzzle is not complete. As we enter into the Advent Season, and the Christmas Fast, take a moment and look over the puzzle you’ve been working on. Is there a missing piece? Have you spent any time recently working on completing your puzzle?

Like any puzzle, the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle is best worked on as a family, when each member searches for the next piece and then rejoicing when each piece is carefully put into place. As a family, we can only rejoice when the entire family is participating in building the puzzle. Take it one piece at a time and, with dedication and unity, the entire puzzle will be complete. Let’s complete the puzzle!

Responding to Contentions about the Law

With the recent decision of the US Supreme Court regarding pending court cases, same-sex marriage licenses were being issued in Charleston, SC amid celebrations and cheers. What is the Orthodox Christian response? We state our opposition to such laws, but we understand that the gift of free will given by God allows for each human being to either accept His will or reject it.

As we celebrate the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 7^th Ecumenical Council, at which the Holy Fathers defended the truth of Orthodoxy in Holy Icons, we might learn a lesson from the willingness of ALL the Church Fathers

to stand up for the truth within the Church, while acknowledging those outside the Church are not bound by the same standards. Preaching about Titus 3.9, St John Chrysostom said this:

“For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why should you labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when you should spend your honorable toil upon your own people, in discoursing with them upon almsgiving and very other virtue.” (from Homily 6 on Titus)

Our Orthodox Christian response must be to protect and nurture the faith in our children. We must strengthen the faith within the Church in order to defend against the attacks of the Evil One who will never cease trying to destroy Christ’s Church. If such laws in South Carolina continue, it will become increasingly difficult for our children to remain faithful to Christ and His Church unless we “spend our honorable toil” to not only teach them the faith, but teach them to LIVE the faith. “These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3.8)

It’s All About Family

When you were baptized and chrismated into the Church, you became a child of God. Our God is the only God who allows His people to call Him Father, and He has given us a Mother, the Church, to guide, protect, and comfort us as we grow perfecting holiness as sons and daughters of God. Christ invites us, “Be merciful like your Father is merciful.” Are you willing to live as a child of God?

What Sunday Worship is REALLY all About

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6.1-4)

The majesty which Isaiah witnessed when he saw God being worshipped in Heaven was also expressed in the Temple which God commanded Moses to construct for His People to worship Him on Earth. For a better description of how Moses was commanded to construct the Temple, read Exodus chapters 25-28 all of which express the majesty of God.

This SAME majesty is expressed in Orthodox Christian worship. Golden candlesticks, incense, Altars, Thrones, Vestments, precious metals and stone are all integrated into Orthodox Christian worship for a reason – to prepare us for being in Heaven.

Many Protestant Churches today express quite a different atmosphere to their worship. Rather than the majesty of heaven, many Church services Sunday mornings “feel” more like a night club. Rather than bowing and reverencing the Altar of God, many Church services Sunday mornings lift up the human passions rather than the mantle of God. In fact many Christians validate this by using the expression “It felt awesome today in Church!” or “I get so lifted up when I go to Church!”

On the contrary Saint Paul and Saint John the Theologian had quite the different reaction to seeing God being worshipped in heaven, much the same as Moses and Isaiah.

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. (Revelation 1.17)

And I know such a man -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows --how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12.3-4)

The Orthodox Church has a centuries-long witness in the lives of countless holy men and women who have had visions of God, ALL OF WHOM express similar stories as we find the Holy Scriptures. So, if we are preparing as Christians to worship God in Heaven for all eternity, why would we not express that same majesty in our Earthly worship? Of course as Orthodox Christians, we do, are at least we should.

The trend in mega-Churches toward the night club atmosphere is obviously attractive to many in today’ entertainment culture, but does it REALLY prepare believers for what is coming for all eternity? If God taught that the way to salvation was in taking up our cross and denying ourselves, it would seem that Sunday worship would focus, not on what makes us FEEL good, but the awesome majesty of being in God’s presence. Would a believer, if they were in the presence of God, REALLY worry more about feeling good than bowing in reverence at the Altar of God?

When you come to Church on Sunday, please consider the REAL reason you are worshipping God. If you are focused more on how you “feel” rather than being in His Presence and glory, you may not be preparing yourself and your family for what is coming in Heaven. Don’t you want to be prepared?

Excerpt from Saint Cyril of Jerusalem “Catechetical Lecture 13”

St Cyril, prior to becoming Bishop of Jerusalem, had been charged with preparing those for Baptism. These lectures were delivered in the (then) brand new Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem in 348 CE just two weeks prior to Holy and Great Friday, most likely in the shadow of the True Cross of Christ which was present in the Church from its finding in 327 CE until 614 CE when it was stolen by the Persians. It was restored to the Church in 628 CE. The Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of Christ on September 14^th commemorates both the original finding and its restoration.

Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a show of them openly (Colossians 2:15); for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the gift; out for this the rather honor your Benefactor.

Hymn of the Cross

Save O Lord Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Grant victory of the faithful against the adversaries of the faith. And protect Your people, by Your Holy Cross.

Kontakion of the Cross

You were lifted up upon the cross of your own will, Christ our God. Grant your mercy upon the people that bear your name. In your strength make glad the Orthodox, giving them victory over their adversaries. May they have your alliance as a weapon of peace, and an invincible trophy.

Find the complete "Catechetical Lectures" of St Cyril HERE

Questions and Answers: What do the Fathers say about mental illness?

In the final episode of our special questions and answers summer sermon series, we have attempted to share with you a brief introduction to how the Church Fathers may be able to guide us in understanding, or at least coping with, mental illness. Taken from the perspective of science as informer to the Church in terms of how we understand the human brain, the Fathers offer us the vantage point of understanding our original state, namely that humans were created in the image and likeness o God. In the case of mental illness as “not the normal” we may better understand the affect of sin on the human soul and mind, and work toward healing which is only possible in Christ.

Trust is Power!

The Feast of Pentecost commemorates the event during which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church to fulfill a promise Jesus made shortly before His Passion. Jesus promised His Disciples, “When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 15.13) Moments before His Glorious Ascension (celebrated 40 days after Pascha) He commanded His Disciples, “Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24.49)

Since the moment the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, the Holy Apostles have been entrusted by God to lead His Church according to His commandments. Since the day of Pentecost, the Orthodox Church has trusted in the teachings of the Holy Apostles to lead us to heaven. The trust has been confirmed in the power of the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church into all truth, PROVIDED THAT we remain faithful to the way of life and teachings of the Holy Apostles.

In a day when we are bombarded with mixed messages of moral shifts and self-oriented priorities, sometimes is just helps to be reminded that the Holy Spirit, as promised by God, guided the Holy Apostles into ALL TRUTH, not just some truth, not just “a” truth, but ALL TRUTH. When we trust in that way of life and teachings of the Holy Apostles, what we call, Holy Tradition, we also are given the power of God to endure the struggle against sin and selfishness, and join ourselves to God.

Being One in God

Just before Christ voluntarily endured His Glorious Passion, He offered a prayer to the Father. This prayer, known as the “High Priestly Prayer” was a liturgical prayer following the model of the Old Testament Sacrifices which expressed the devotion of the person offering the sacrifice. In this prayer Jesus said, “Keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” Jesus spoke often of unity in this great prayer. You can read the entire prayer in the Gospel of John, Chapter 17. In this prayer, we can arrive a deeper understanding of Christ’s desire for His Church.

It was this desire for complete unity that has been a driving force of the Church Fathers since the Apostles were first given the authority to lead the Church. This sort of unity Christ desires, is divine unity in love. Jesus is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit, not simply because they share the title of Divine. The Holy Trinity is exists in complete harmony of love and will. In other words, Jesus always ‘wants’ what the Father ‘wants’ and the Holy Spirit always ‘wants’ what the Father ‘wants’ and the Father always ‘wants’ what Jesus and the Holy Spirit ‘want’; which is.....that WE should live in the same community of love and unity.

But this unity is even greater than ‘us humans’ being united. God desires that we are one with each other AND HIM. Later in this prayer Jesus prays, “That they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one.” (John 17.22-23) We are made perfect in our unity with each other and God. This is realized in the living Sacred Tradition of the Church, given by Christ to the Holy Apostles, and maintained by the Holy Fathers of the Church through the centuries.

God and Summer

It’s that time of year again when parents grit their teeth in anxiety over the next three months. School will be over in a few days, and that means THE KIDS HAVE NOTHING TO DO! With both parents working in most families, and especially in single-parent families, finding activities to keep young children involved and, maybe most importantly for the youngest of our children, SAFE, during the day can be quite the nerve-wracking experience. Compound this with the reality that most families no longer live in communities where they grew up, and the lack of extended families doesn’t even allow for grandparents to help. So parents begin to panic…

OH NO; NOW WHAT?

And then the Church “goes and makes things worse” by actually ending the various programs and ministries for youth. I’ve been in youth ministry for just over twenty years, and I could never understand the mentality, “School is over, now we end the Church programs.” Sunday School ends, Greek School ends (if you are part of a Greek community like I have always been), even youth groups tend to limit their activities during the summer months. You would think Churches would have MORE programs rather than less during the months when youth have no school. But that is not the topic of this post.

This post is about something bigger than whether or not youth groups have scheduled activities during the summer. This post is about an even more dangerous trend. This post is about the trend of taking “time off” from Church as if Church and School are only nine month activities. Of course, the lack of Sunday School plays a role in this phenomenon, because many families “only” come to Church if their children have Sunday School class to attend. You see this also during “Christmas Break” where Church attendance slips for a few weeks following Christmas.

So how can we include God in our summer plans? We have to begin with whether or not we actually include Him in our fall, winter and spring plans. I want to be clear….simply attending Church on Sunday doesn’t necessarily mean you are including God in your life. The Orthodox Way of Life PRESUMES that each day is spent living in communion with God through a life of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and the sacramental life of the Church. Are you attending confession regularly? Are you regularly reading the Holy Scriptures and writings of the Fathers and Mothers of the Church? Is prayer a constant part of your life? See my post on “The Orthodox Top 10” and ask yourself, “Am I living in communion with God or simply being what has been called a ‘pew warmer’ in Church?”

You see summer is really no different than any other season except for the weather. Including God in your summer plans is the same as including Him in your winter plans. Attending Church on Sunday AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING in the Sunday Liturgy by preparing for AND RECEIVING Holy Communion is a part of that life – a central part – but a part. 

The Scriptures and the Sunday of Thomas

A special Bible study on the Scripture readings and themes for the Sunday after Pascha, the Sunday of Thomas, based upon the series "A Year of the Lord, Liturgical Bible Studies" by Father Theodore Stylianopoulos. Recorded live, April 30, 2014, at the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church in Florence, SC.

The Scriptures and Great Lent - Palm Sunday and Holy Week

A Bible study focused on the Themes and Scriptures readings assigned for Palm Sunday and Holy Week in the Orthodox Christian Church. Filmed LIVE Wednesday, April 9, 2014, in Florence, SC.

What Makes Holy Week So Special?

Every year we are invited by the Church to slow our busy lives down and spend an entire week coming to Church. This week, which is called Great and Holy Week, not only commemorates the final days of Jesus on Earth, but they are specifically set aside by the Church for us to devote our entire life to Christ. As early as 150AD there is evidence that Holy and Great Week was already a week of special devotion for Christians as they prepared to celebrate the Feast of Feasts – Holy and Great Pascha.

That means the week we begin today and the sacred and pious traditions, we are invited to participate in, are more than 1800 years old. That means millions of pious and devout Christians have shared many of the same processions, prayers, blessings, anointing services, and celebrations as we will this week. That means Holy Week is “tested and proven” by countless holy men and women, bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and myriad children.

This year is YOUR opportunity to join the millions of holy men and women in the most holy week of the year. This year is YOUR opportunity to dedicate your life to Christ and growing even closer to Him. This year is YOUR opportunity to add your voice to the countless saints of the Church in prayer for the grace of God. This year is YOUR opportunity to experience a life united to God.

Quote of the Day - March 28, 2014

For he that is praying as he ought, and fasting, hath not many wants, and he that hath not many wants, cannot be covetous; he that is not covetous, will be also more disposed for almsgiving. He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up. Therefore even the apostles were almost always fasting.

Saint John Chrysostom - Homily 57 on Matthew 17

What is Truth?

The Sunday of Orthodoxy is both a theological and historical celebration. The final end of the Iconoclastic controversy ended in 843AD when the Empress Theodora, the first Sunday of Great Lent, officially restored Holy Icons to their rightful place within the Church. The Church had earlier in 787AD defended the truth of Orthodoxy present in the Holy Icons as a witness to the Truth of the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. Thus, the first Sunday of Great Lent has been a dual celebration of truth and history ever since!

NOW on iTunes Audio Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/be-transfigured!/id483295178?mt=2

No Thanks Hollywood, You Can Keep Your son of god

The new movie The Son of God opens in theaters today…

I make no secrets about my dislike for “the Hollywood agenda” when it comes to the moral direction our society continues to engage. But when it comes to movies about Jesus and His Church, I can no longer sit quietly under the guise of, “at least they’re talking about Jesus,” without offering a serious warning.

The Orthodox Church throughout history has fought courageously to maintain the truth about who we know Jesus Christ to be, as that truth was revealed by the Holy Spirit to the Holy Apostles. We have defended the truth of Orthodoxy down to single letters when the meaning of who Jesus was and is might be misunderstood by the faithful. We have maintained this truth, “once and for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1.3) through the holy and sacred tradition of the Church.

We would not sit quietly when Arius spoke falsely of Christ, and we cannot sit quietly when contemporary “theologians” under the guise of producing Hollywood blockbuster movies, as these movies are often times fictional representations of the Gospels and early history of the Church. This is nothing new, of course, as Hollywood has a long tradition of altering history for big screen for affect, while defending their actions in “the name of entertainment,” and warning viewers they are not responsible for educating our children.

I remember growing up being warned, “You can’t trust a movie with the facts. You have to read the book!” Teachers were, and probably still are, very good at forming questions that required knowledge of the book rather than just the movie. We can all think of movies where multiple characters from the book were blended into single portrayals on the big screen. So what makes us think this is not also happening when the Bible is produced on the big screen?

The reading of Scriptures is a crucial part of every Christian’s spiritual journey, but there are verses which don’t flow well, for the big screen. If movies were limited to just the written verses, the classic “Ten Commandments” would have been much shorter a movie and Charlton Heston would have been much less famous. I noticed the last time I watched the movie, (and I LOVE the movie) I had my Bible open. What was said in two verses in my bible was more than thirty minutes on the screen. How? Fiction and fantasy is the only way.

But it isn’t only the fictional additions that we must be concerned with. The Orthodox Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has been interpreting the Holy Scriptures since they were first written (speaking specifically of the New Testament) and the Sacred Tradition requires us to “stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2.15) We must be extremely careful anytime we hear the Holy Scriptures interpreted by anyone, including within the Church. Are the interpretations consistent with the Teachings of the Holy Apostles? Are they in line with the understanding of the Church Fathers, who themselves were loyal to the teachings of the Holy Apostles when they first sanctioned the Bible with Canonical Authority.

If you plan to watch this new movie about Jesus, or Noah opening March 28^th, then I caution you to sit with your spiritual father afterward about what the movie teaches. The visual impact of the movie will make it difficult for you to “forget” the incorrect teachings in favor of the Church, but prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit will help as well.

I suppose, from my vantage point, these two movies might comprise a new attack on the Church, since they are being released during the Great Lenten journey while we are seeking a closer relationship with God. Many will flock to the movie theater “seeking a deeper relationship” rather than finding it in the Church. What they are likely to find is partial truth and fantasy about a god who is not the same as The God who revealed Himself to the Church.

Something I Think Protestant Christians Would Want to Know

Of all the Saints of the early Church that I would expect Protestants to honor, it would be Saint Athanasios the Great. For us as Orthodox, he wrote the Creed, the Symbol of Faith, which we are encouraged to memorize and proclaim publicly as a testimony to what we believe as Orthodox Christians. Though the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (as it is known) is no longer recited by many Protestants, Saint Athanasios is known for writing something that I would expect Protestants to hold as dear to their tradition as we hold the Creed. In 367AD, Saint Athanasios, in his capacity and with the authority as Patriarch of Alexandria, wrote a letter to his Churches  teaching what the Church had accepted as Scriptures. For Protestants, who hold so dearly to Sola Scriptura, I would expect them to know about this letter, since without it, they may not have the Scriptures they read. Since we honor this Great Saint of the Church today, I thought I would repost his letter here. (The text is taken from the Advent Church Fathers website.)

(For 367.) Of the particular books and their number, which are accepted by the Church. From the thirty-ninth Letter of Holy Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, on the Paschal festival; wherein he defines canonically what are the divine books which are accepted by the Church.

1. They have fabricated books which they call books of tables, in which they show stars, to which they give the names of Saints. And therein of a truth they have inflicted on themselves a double reproach: those who have written such books, because they have perfected themselves in a lying and contemptible science; and as to the ignorant and simple, they have led them astray by evil thoughts concerning the right faith established in all truth and upright in the presence of God.

2. But since we have made mention of heretics as dead, but of ourselves as possessing the Divine Scriptures for salvation; and since I fear lest, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians 2 Corinthians 11:3, some few of the simple should be beguiled from their simplicity and purity, by the subtlety of certain men, and should henceforth read other books— those called apocryphal— led astray by the similarity of their names with the true books; I beseech you to bear patiently, if I also write, by way of remembrance, of matters with which you are acquainted, influenced by the need and advantage of the Church.

3. In proceeding to make mention of these things, I shall adopt, to commend my undertaking, the pattern of Luke the Evangelist, saying on my own account: 'Forasmuch as some have taken in hand Luke 1:1,' to reduce into order for themselves the books termed apocryphal, and to mix them up with the divinely inspired Scripture, concerning which we have been fully persuaded, as they who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, delivered to the fathers; it seemed good to me also, having been urged thereto by true brethren, and having learned from the beginning, to set before you the books included in the Canon, and handed down, and accredited as Divine; to the end that anyone who has fallen into error may condemn those who have led him astray; and that he who has continued steadfast in purity may again rejoice, having these things brought to his remembrance.

4. There are, then, of the Old Testament, twenty-two books in number; for, as I have heard, it is handed down that this is the number of the letters among the Hebrews; their respective order and names being as follows. The first is Genesis, then Exodus, next Leviticus, after that Numbers, and then Deuteronomy. Following these there is Joshua, the son of Nun, then Judges, then Ruth. And again, after these four books of Kings, the first and second being reckoned as one book, and so likewise the third and fourth as one book. And again, the first and second of the Chronicles are reckoned as one book. Again Ezra, the first and second are similarly one book. After these there is the book of Psalms, then the Proverbs, next Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Job follows, then the Prophets, the twelve being reckoned as one book. Then Isaiah, one book, then Jeremiah with Baruch, Lamentations, and the epistle, one book; afterwards, Ezekiel and Daniel, each one book. Thus far constitutes the Old Testament.

5. Again it is not tedious to speak of the [books] of the New Testament. These are, the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Afterwards, the Acts of the Apostles and Epistles (called Catholic), seven, viz. of James, one; of Peter, two; of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen Epistles of Paul, written in this order. The first, to the Romans; then two to the Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next, to the Ephesians; then to the Philippians; then to the Colossians; after these, two to the Thessalonians, and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, that to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John.

6. These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, 'You err, not knowing the Scriptures.' And He reproved the Jews, saying, 'Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me Matthew 22:29; John 5:39.'

7. But for greater exactness I add this also, writing of necessity; that there are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness. The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobit, and that which is called the Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. But the former, my brethren, are included in the Canon, the latter being [merely] read; nor is there in any place a mention of apocryphal writings. But they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they choose, bestowing upon them their approbation, and assigning to them a date, that so, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple.

Back to Basics; Back to Church!

Following His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty nights, being openly tempted by the devil. Once His fast was completed, He began His sacred mission to bring all people to Himself for salvation. “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4.17) What did Jesus mean when He commanded us to repent?

Repentance has many components, but the main concept is “to change direction and return to where you began.” In calling humanity to repent, Jesus was inviting us to return to where WE began, a life in communion with Him. Since we cannot physically return to the Garden, He has provided His Church for us as a place to live in Communion with Him. This means we have been called by Christ to turn ourselves around and return to the Church and live a life in Communion with Him.

Why turn around? It’s simple, really. We have walked away from our roots as Orthodox Christians. We have embraced a way of life foreign, many times, to Sacred Orthodox Christian Tradition. We have forgotten, many of us, what it means to live a life in Communion with Christ. We have stepped away from the Church. While we might have kept the Church in our memory, we have forgotten to keep it in our hearts and daily actions.

And what is the Church? It is a way of life, established by Christ and His Holy Apostles, in which we live DAILY our life in communion with the Holy Trinity. It is a life of prayer, fasting, taking care of the poor and sick, reading the writings of Holy men and women (including the Bible), and participating in the Sacramental life of the Church. The ENTIRE LIFE of the Church is a life or repentance, a life of getting back to where it all began – a life in Christ.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas – The Circumcision of Christ and Sacred Tradition

And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Luke 2.21 

A few days ago I came across a Washington Post article about the Jewish Rite of Circumcision, and more specifically, the growing “but small” number of Jews rejecting the practice. I particularly found this article intriguing as we Orthodox were about to commemorate the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How could it be, I wondered, that Jews would so boldly reject the earliest Covenant with God? So I read the article, and found it answered my question. This “small number” of Jews weren’t rejecting God; they were embracing secularism which rejects tradition based upon Faith.

Here are some excerpts from the article…

Speaking with God, the 37-year-old screenwriter and grandson of Holocaust survivors explained he was using the “free will and brain you gave me” to reject circumcision. God, he concluded, wouldn’t be impressed by the desire to do something simply “for tradition’s sake.”

 Several factors are fueling the trend, including growing secular discomfort with the practice, mixed data on medical necessity and an American culture increasingly open to reinterpreting religious practices and texts.

 “Because the American Jewish community is significantly educated, they’re more likely to do organic and wanting everything to be natural and snugly, and a bris is sort of primal and ancient,”

 “We live in a more cosmopolitan world, and Jewish families have become very intercultural,” said Biber. “For those families, a ceremony which regards Jewish males as privileged seems problematic, to put it mildly.”

 I found the final paragraph the most telling, as it captures why this issue isn’t trivial.

When it comes to religious evolution, she asks, “Where is the line? At what point is it no longer Judaism? Each choice distinguishes Jews, and it’s a slippery slope.”

If Jews are no longer Jews, ‘just so’ they fit into a secular world, which means they no longer consider themselves as God’s Chosen People, although I doubt they would agree to this point.

Living in a secular world has its challenges. We Orthodox Christians face a similar problem when it comes to living our Orthodox Christian life. It is becoming strange and even ‘exotic’ to be Orthodox Christian in our contemporary world. Many of our faithful aren’t comfortable allowing their faith to ‘show’ beyond their membership card for fears that they may be ostracized by their friends. We, like the Jews in this article, desperately desire to fit in to the society around them.

But God has called us to another way of life.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16.24-26)

 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. (John 15.18-20)

If following the Sacred Traditions of Orthodox Christianity seem unnecessary, as this “small but growing number of Jews” feel about circumcision, consider the words of Saint Paul.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (2 Thessalonians 2.15)

Following the Sacred Traditions of the Holy Apostles, handed to us by the Holy Fathers and protected by the Church for twenty centuries, is not always the easy way, but it IS the Holy Way of life which leads to eternal life with God in Heaven. So a few neighbors see you as being strange; God sees you as being loyal and faithful. Which do you want to please?