AMERICAN PROTESTANT 1) Carpenter: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary?” (Matthew 13:55a). 2) Husband of Mary: “… Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16). 3) A Just Man and Guardian of Jesus: “… and her husband Joseph, being a just man” (Matthew 1:19a); “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her... Read more

The following repost from a couple years back is due to several factors: 1) tmatt’s not only right about the anti-Christmas hoopla dying down, it seems the whole Christmas spirit is a bit weak this year (maybe it’s just me); 2) I’ve added an “Orthodox addendum” to this story, and 3) I needed a blog update. 🙂 By the way, Mom – if you’re reading this, you know what a vivid imagination I have. (For the rest of you: wink,... Read more

Christ was like a man “who perceived a weak person carried away by a raging current. He knows that he himself will be sucked up by the whirlpool, wounded and lacerated by the rocks, swept away by the water. But pity for this man in danger stimulates him. He does not hesitate to throw himself into the current.” He enters, therefore, without reservations into the flow of duration. But in order to save the one who is drowning, he must... Read more

The husband and wife must lay virtue, and not passion, as the foundation of their love, that is, when the husband sees any fault in his wife, he must nudge her meekly, and the wife must submit to her husband in this. Likewise when a wife sees some fault in her husband, she must exhort him, and he is obliged to hear her. — St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Thanks to FWD from Fr Josiah Trenham. Read more

The Huneycutts went camping over the Thanksgiving Break at the state park at Martin’s Creek Lake, near Tatum, Texas. The weather was absolutely perfect, with temps in the 70s/40s. (Hover your cursor over pics for captions; click to enlarge.) Read more

It is the peculiar genius of Byzantine history that its glory reached its apogee in the era known to the West as the Dark Ages. It has no great literary heritage — a half-millenium of Muslim domination ensured the annihilation from memory of its major works beyond the Alexiad of Anna Comnena, the anonymous epic of Digenes Akritis, and various religious texts. The latter survived because the Church survived, even as the Empire did not. Chief among them are the... Read more

Can Anything Good Come Out of Hollywood?Since the movie’s out today, I’m re-posting this script review. Scroll down to the bottom for a link to Frederica Mathewes-Green’s movie review. It’s Hollywood not Tradition; and, after all, it’s just a movie. But having had the opportunity to read the script for New Line Cinema’s The Nativity Story, I can honestly say: It’s pretty good. Really! I enjoyed it. Earlier reports of the movie could lead one to believe that Hollywood was... Read more

Common Declaration by Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Bartholomew I“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” (Ps 117:24) This fraternal encounter which brings us together, Pope Benedict XVI of Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, is God’s work, and in a certain sense his gift. We give thanks to the Author of all that is good, who allows us once again, in prayer and in dialogue, to express the joy... Read more

First, as you know, Indonesia is the most Muslim of nations. That’s why your help is most needed. Did you know about Orthodox Christianity in Indonesia? Thanks to FWD from Fr Gordon Walker. Secondly, my cyber pal, Jean-Michel, sent along this link which contains just about every single Christ-mas song you can think of and gobs of ’em flown in straight from obscurity. (See, I told you St Joseph was an old man!) Jean-Michel, by the way, was the first... Read more

Yep! Looks like we all might just be havin’ a Mary Christmas this year! As far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing. Here’s Christianity Today on Mary the Revolutionary. HT THUNDERSTRUCKAmy’s perplexed ’bout Prots and Mary. And, of course, it all stems from this. Well, actually this. There’s hope for our motley crew yet … “All generations shall call me blessed!” Read more