Jeffrey Steenson, [this week] explained to the US bishops why he is to be received into the Roman Catholic Church. He leaves an Episcopal Church in disarray, led no longer by a ‘house’ but by a ‘community’ of bishops, with a songbook of praise to Mother Earth, Sister Moon and Brother Sun. Here’s the story (thanks to an e-tip from tmatt). In an earlier letter to the bishops, the 55-year-old Bishop Steenson, who has headed the diocese based in Albuquerque,... Read more

My wife likes to say that she knew we were becoming Orthodox when she came home one day to a recording of Byzantine chant playing, and a censer smoking on the hearth next to a couple of icons. I remember very clear what she did that afternoon–she gestured to the couch and asked, “Do we need to remove the pews, too?” — Richard in the Comments Reminds me of an old Top Ten list where the number one sign that... Read more

Oops! Wrong picture … D’oh! Everyone knows that story! Here we go: My ol’ e-buddy, Dawn, was recently at my alma mater, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. (I’m sure it took her at least a thousand words to explain that picture! Click the link above.) Read more

The following is a re-post from September 24, 2005.Route to Rita At first, my son wasn’t excited about moving to Houston. He’d heard they had hurricanes. Fr John Salem, the priest at St George, encouraged me to tell him that it had been a long, long time since a hurricane hit Houston. Not to worry. That, I did. I also found a house with a pool. The latter was enough to pump the boy up. Hurricane, pool. Pool, hurricane. The... Read more

A. J. Jacobs’ recent book writing trick: Live a whole year following all the rules of the Bible. Unless your religion is similar to a Weird Al Yankovic video, or your Bible’s missing a whole section called the “New Testament,” reading this story about his adventure is frustrating to say the least. Jacobs spent the year carrying around a stapled list of the more than 700 rules and prohibitions identified in the Good Book, and also consulted with religious leaders... Read more

Back when I was an Episcopalian — and “on my way” (as the say) to Orthodoxy — I really weirded out the Missuz. Oh sure, she was ready to move on from where we were, but she was not 100% on fire for Eastern Orthodoxy! For some reason, Orthodoxy’s funny that way, guys & gals … I’d had a Prayer Desk — a prie deux — commissioned in seminary, which was downstairs in my study … Well, one day, while... Read more

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Ladies and Gentlemen, as you may know, I have Hollywood connections. I participated in Sony’s interactive media campaign when they launched the Da Vinci Dialogue to promote Tom Hanks in the screen version of Dan Brown’s blockbuster. (Updated audio version of that piece here.) And, as a recent blog commenter noted, I — ahem — borrowed from the title of an earlier work (starring Jack Nicholson on the screen) when I wrote One Flew Over the Onion Dome. So it... Read more

The St George Orthodox Church monthly Mediterranean Luncheon kicks off on September 20th! This monthly luncheon is a new way to encourage our parish and the community to come and enjoy our delicious foods and have fellowship. The menu for the September 20th Luncheon: Tender beef kabobs Mediterranean green beans in savory tomato sauce served on a bed of Vermicelli and rice, Mediterranean salad and hummus Come join us as we kick off the St George Mediterranean Monthly Luncheons –... Read more

I have read your blog a number of times. I have also read other Orthodox blogs. A strange question has occurred to me. Perhaps you can offer insight. Why is it that it is (generally) recent converts to Orthodox Christianity who blog? I received the above note from a “Cradle” Orthodox Christian. I’d never really thought of it — appropriate Comments welcome! Read more