In Scripture. God speaks to the leaders of the peoples, telling them that they must rule justly. That means, they must treat the poor, the needy, the afflicted, the stranger, the widow or orphan, with respect. If, on the other hand, they contemptuously mistreat the lowly of the world, they risk divine judgment. The prophet Isaiah made it clear that social injustices caused divine retribution: The LORD enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is... Read more
Anglican theologian Andrew Linzey, following a significant tradition of Christian exegesis, explained that humanity originally was meant to be vegetarian. It was, indeed, a kind of divine command. “Genesis 1 clearly depicts vegetarianism as divine command.”[1] If the original intention for humanity, as shown in the beginning of Genesis, was to have a meat-free diet, and Jesus is said to restore humanity within himself to a pristine, pre-fallen state, some people might want to ask what are we to make... Read more
Hadewijch, a 13th century mystic, once mentioned a transformative experience she had on Pentecost: Once on Pentecost Sunday I received the Holy Spirit in such a manner that I understood all the will of Love in all, and all the modes of this will of the heavens and of heavenly things, and all the perfection of perfect justice, and all the shortcomings of the lost; and with regard to all, I saw the will in which they then were, either... Read more
There are several ways to practice meditation. Each of them can provide unique encounters with grace, helping those who practice them become spiritually mature. It is possible to divide all of these practices into two particular types. The first could be described as kataphatic, embracing kataphatic theology and the attempt for imaginative or deliberative contemplation. The second could be described as apophatic, leading away from all discursive thought and into a silent union with the divine. That is, some forms... Read more
St. Augustine, writing against the Manichaeans, explained how heretics often wanted to identify themselves as Catholics, but yet no one, not even the heretics themselves, would point to their chapel when a stranger asked them where Catholics meet: The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate. And so, lastly, does the name itself... Read more
Paul believed that Christ’s work on the cross was not just for but for the whole of creation. All things are brought together and made one. The whole of created being is brought together and shown to be one. God became not just a man, but a creature, a part of created being, so that all that has been created can be raised up and partake of the eternal kingdom of God. “For in him all the fulness of God... Read more
It might seem strange that the last Sunday of the Byzantine Paschal cycle, coming after the Ascension, focuses on the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, that is, the Fathers of I Nicea. And yet, if one reflects upon the way the Father glorifies Jesus through his resurrection, then the relationship becomes more apparent: the Council of Nicea, in affirming the divinity of Jesus, affirms the glorification which the Father gives to the Son, the glorification which is given to... Read more
The final act of Jesus’ historical earthly ministry was his ascension into heaven. After his resurrection from the death, he enlightened the Apostles, showing them the correspondence between prophecy and what he had accomplished. Then he set them up to lead the church, giving it the foundation it needed to continue throughout history so that he could then ascend, exiting, as it were, the spatial-temporal mode of being: Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke... Read more
As the results of various elections indicate, right-wing nationalists are slowly rising in power in Europe. In the United Kingdom’s European elections, the Brexit Party, led by hard-liner Nigel Farage, garnished the most votes of a single party, while in Italy, Lega Nord, the far-right “league” party headed by Matteo Salvini came out on top. These nationalists often give rise to dangerous rhetoric against outsiders, with Muslims often on the receiving end of unjust bigotry. The rise of far-right nationalism... Read more
In trying to console his friend, the decaconess St Olympia, St John Chrysostom reminded her of a truth understood by the ancient world, that in a sense, life is but a dream, a fable. When we wake up from sleep, we do not care about the glories and honors, or the pains and sorrows, we suffered in our dreams. Likewise, we shall have little to no care about those things once we reach the eschaton: Therefore, do not be cast... Read more
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