Not long ago a farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.” “Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?” “Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer. “”Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife. The farmer said, “Well it’s... Read more

According to Matt Drudge, this is the way Madonna opens her latest tour. Perhaps it speaks volumes about contemporary society — or just me — but, the thought that overwhelmed me was: Who cares? (For those who do.) Lord have mercy. Read more

“I don’t need someone to interpret God for me,” Mr. Jacobs said. “When I want to commune with others, I go to church.” Maria Bolden, 42, a customer service representative for a cable company, said after seeing the movie, “If marriage is such a sacred sacrament, why is it such a problem for Jesus to have married?” “The Catholic Church has hidden a lot of things — proof about the actual life of Jesus, about who wrote the Bible,” said... Read more

“The issue for me is that God seems to be on the wrong side of most issues,” Spong said in a telephone interview. “The public God we see today is mostly opposed to abortion and gay and lesbian people, and I find that really rather fascinating.” Thirty-some years ago, God was mostly mentioned in the context of the anti-war and civil rights movements, Spong said. “That was the public voice of Christianity,” he said. “Now it’s the Religious Right, centered... Read more

by Archpriest Victor PotapovToday’s Gospel excerpt (John 4: 5-42), brought to our attention by the Holy Church on the 4th Sunday after Pascha, relates Christ’s discussion with the Samaritan woman. The Lord tells her of some “living water” He possesses, and which He could give her to drink. It is a special kind of water, with the capacity to slake thirst forever, and to one who drinks of it appears a “well of water springing up into eternal life.” What... Read more

And who was the elderly looking, slightly hunched-over man with a long white beard and flowing black robe …? He was not just someone who’d come in traditional formal wear. It was Archbishop Varnava of Cannes, who walked the red carpet [at the Cannes Film Festival] like all the other celebrities. The bishop of an exiled Russian Orthodox community came to give his blessing to “The Da Vinci Code,” and pronounced it safe for consumption. Audience members were surprised that... Read more

By now, most of you are aware of the passing of Church historian, and Orthodox Convert, Jaroslav Pelikan. A parishioner had forwarded me his obit; I did not post it at the time as I’d already read about Dr Pelikan’s passing here, there, and yon. That said, THIS is a worthy read. The Rev. John H. Erickson, dean of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, in Westchester County, said … that Dr. Pelikan had “likened his path to Orthodoxy to that... Read more

A little humour for a Saturday. Just the messenger here; this comes from a FWD from a parishioner. It appears to be an expanded version of one I’ve seen. I have taken some editorial liberties. Warning: No toes are safe with these cows! Enjoy! DEMOCRATICYou have two cows.Your neighbor has none.You feel guilty for being successful.Barbara Streisand sings for you. REPUBLICANISM You have two cows.Your neighbor has none.So? SOCIALISM You have two cows.The government takes one and gives it to... Read more

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The best response to The Da Vinci Code — besides derisive laughter — is a boycott. Resist the urge to determine just how bad it is by buying a ticket. You’ll only be rewarding the perpetrators — perhaps encouraging The Da Vinci Code: Part II, wherein Dan Brown reveals that Jesus was really married to Lazarus. I stole the zinger, but it’s all good. Thanks to FWD from blog reg, Keith. Read more