As for boys and young men serving as robed acolytes, that is not even a traditional Orthodox practice to begin with (we have adopted it in this country from Roman Catholic practice), so there is no historical foundation to exclude girls and women from that role. I cannot stress strongly enough how damaging this synodal statement is going to be to the spiritual and liturgical well-being of women and girls throughout the Orthodox Church. Orthodox lack of unity and ethnic... Read more

Just when you thought it was safe to head back to Mass — or even go back in the water — here come the Priestesses! Nine women, including one Canadian and one American, plan to defy the Vatican and become the first female Roman Catholic priests and deacons ordained in North America during a ceremony on a boat on the St. Lawrence River next month. You can click H E R E to read the whole story. Here’s the sentence... Read more

Orthodox Priest in Charleston is uninvited to give the benediction at the Medical University of South Carolina. An unfortunate sign of the times. Read more

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by Mary Catherine Huneycutt (age 10)I walked inside from a cold but enjoyable walk. To my surprise, there was a sticky note on the watermelon on the counter. I read it and automatically understood. My Dad prepared a “scavenger hunt” for me. It was a great start too. The first sticky note said, “Go to a place you look every day, many times.” I walked back to my room, not knowing what awaited me. As I entered my room, I... Read more

Much is being made these days of Pope Benedict’s dream for Church unity — West & East, Catholic & Orthodox. Many may ask: What happened to the unity of the Church? Was it ever united? There are currently over 2,600 Christian groups in North America — all claiming, in one way or another, to be “the Church”. So, instead of studying the “Church of What’s Happening Now”, we must look back to the “Church of What Actually Happened” for clues,... Read more

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Praiseto Thee, O Lord:for this day,for what it shall bring,orfor what it shall take away;for what it shall offer,orfor what it shall require. Praiseto Thee, O Lord:for color, smiles, friendship, love,for beauty, little boys & girls,for light, grace, mercy, truth & rest. Praiseto Thee, O Lord:for darkness, trials, cares, blisters,for labour, sorrow, tears, struggle,for exhaustion, burdens and fears. Praiseto Thee, O Lord:Because Thou hast promised to make it all goodto the heart that loves and trusts in Thee. Praise to... Read more

The bishops of the Antiochian Archdiocese. From left to right: Bishop MARK, Bishop BASIL, Bishop ANTOUN, Metropolitan PHILIP, Bishop JOSEPH, Bishop THOMAS, Bishop ALEXANDER.Thanks Rdr Andrew Over at Pontifications, a letter entitled “Why I Can’t Be Episcopalian“. This from Bob Felton & Blogger News: “I wonder how much the average Christian knows about the history of the Bible – not the history recounted in the Bible, but the history of the book per se. Not much, I suspect. There are... Read more

Back when I was in seminary (Nashotah House, 1989-92), controversy was a given. We didn’t have women clergy serving at the altar. But we did have some female students and even more advocates for change. In retrospect, from where things are today, it was a simpler time. Less nutty, but pretty intense. One of the biggest controversies happened in my Senior year when the Presiding Bishop, Edmond Browning, visited the seminary for the first time. I was part of the... Read more