So many people have distorted the message of Jesus that they think salvation is about knowing the right facts and that those who don’t know them will be damned for eternity. Many atheists have picked up on this presentation of the Christian faith and have rightfully challenged it, saying if true, God would be unjust. Christ did not teach such an ideological approach to salvation. Indeed, he constantly confronted it. He pointed out how many of those who thought they... Read more
Solomon’s Temple, built to house the presence of God, provides us ways to understand various aspects of our relationship with God through the symbolism used in its construction. But, as the Temple was built before the incarnation, its symbolism could only hint at what would be revealed to us in Jesus Christ. That is, we must not expect every aspect of revelation to find itself represented in the symbols employed in the Temple. And, we must also keep in mind,... Read more
Christianity is meant to be a religion of enlightenment; we are meant to awaken from our sinful stupor through the light of Christ. The incarnate God-man, Jesus, eschatologically overturns the darkness of sin and injustice and brings the fruit of that work into time. The already-not-yet aspect of the eschaton brings grace into the world in order to overturn and heal the harm caused by temporal injustices; nonetheless, we should not expect the fullness of justice except in the transcendent... Read more
Jesus is the resurrection and the life: through him, the dead will come back to life. Death has been conquered by death, giving an end to death itself, which is why life after death will be eternal life. In his death, Jesus encountered all the dead so that he could taken them into himself and participate in his resurrection from the dead. The key to eternal life is Jesus. The dead share in death together. Jesus, in his death, found... Read more
Pope Francis frequently shares his love to those who have otherwise been mistreated and abused by Christians. This is revealed in in the relationship he has developed with many poor trans women in Italy. They have come to know him and his welcoming love; he offers them help with their material needs, even as he encourages them to listen to him every month at one of his general audiences, giving them a special space when they come. He, of course,... Read more
One of the most controversial topics in contemporary Eastern Christian discussions (Orthodox and Catholic) is that of the so-called toll houses (telonia, τελωνεία). Many Orthodox object to the notion of the toll houses, saying it is heretical, while others point out that belief in them has not only never been condemned, but finds itself represented by many important saints and theologians. The general notion of the toll houses is that upon death, every person will find themselves challenged by demonic... Read more
At the heart of the Christian way of life is the way of love. Love overcomes and defeats sin, allowing the peace which sin destroyed to be restored. St. Paul exhorted his readers, therefore, to engage in the spirit of love, telling them that they should bear with each other with patience and humility. That way, anger and pride, and other such sins, would not destroy the unity Christians are meant to have and present to the world: I therefore,... Read more
Scripture often talks about God anthropomorphically as if God were human. Sometimes, this is done by talking about God’s actions as if God achieved them in the way humans do, such as through by use of hands or feet. Sometimes, it is done by expressing God’s actions as if they followed some sort of human passion like anger (or wrath). God’s anger is said to be provoked by the accumulation of sin. “It is as though the guilt had grown... Read more
Abusing foreigners, denying healthcare to the poor, engaging racism, and even destroying the environment thanks to the health hazards which ensue, all flow from or promote the denial of the dignity of the human person, that is, each represents a denial of the value of human life. Ignoring the conditions for life to flourish, or worse, promoting injustices which not only hinder human survival, but human dignity, are both sins which must be confronted even as the structures of sin... Read more
Growth can be difficult and painful. We might not understand why, but we know, through experience, that it is the way of things. “No pain, no gain” is a popular expression of this truth. To develop, we will go through growing pains. We will be tried and challenged with difficult tasks which will determine who and what we are to be. Some people, understanding this, take it to heart in an extreme fashion. Thinking all pain will lead to some... Read more
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