I don’t pretend to speak for the entire transphobic community, but my own strong belief is that transphobia is not a matter of choice. I was born this way, and there is nothing “wrong” with it. We are all children of God, and labels don’t mean anything anyway. I very deeply respect Diane’s belief that he is a woman, which is his constitutional right as an American, but when he tries to legislate that belief on others by having the... Read more

Fr John Shaw, a Russian Orthodox priest in Milwaukee, writes: The other day, I received a colorful ad packet from the National Geographic Magazine. I only took a good look at it today. “Introducing GEOGRAPHY OF RELIGION: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk”. “Christianity: Journey from Pasture to Imperial City.” ” ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life’.” “During his... Read more

Various “options” are offered in the way of Christian morality on an array of burning issues: the sanctity of marriage, gay marriage, promiscuity, euthanasia, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and the list goes on. Some people spend time remembering sadly the golden age of Christianity. Modernity looks as if it is an inhospitable time for the Church. Time for retrenchment and defensive actions are called for. But the Triune God says … Karl bumps into his guardian angel? The Nativity... Read more

As Touchstone’s Mere Comments blog links are currently inactive, I’ve taken the liberty of posting one of their issues here … On the way to work today I saw another one of those billboards that have been bothering me of late. This one merely showed the buttocks of a woman, slightly, ever so slightly covered with the barest of a bikini bottom, backside facing the viewer. I have no idea what they were selling. Maybe a radio station or low... Read more

The following comment was posted on WORLD’s blog following his death … It is very quiet in Jordan (jimu, we aren’t in Palestine, but Jordan, 75% of the population is Palestinian), people have been anticipating the news of his death, which calms down tempers and keeps the “passionate rage” at a minimum. I think this was part of the plan in keeping him alive (as well as God’s mercy to allow him another chance to repent. My mom, a hardened... Read more

Time to dust off the ol’ prayer rope … Read more

I have been receiving questions from folks (Episcopalians & others, here & abroad) about possible conversions to Orthodoxy. Glory to God for all things! That being said, you can’t get there from here. By that I mean, forget the Internet and get thee to church. An Orthodox Church. Several have asked, “Should I join the OCA or the Antiochian Archdiocese?” Good question. I was a recently ordained Episcopal priest when I wrote the same handwritten note to the OCA Metropolitan... Read more

An Episcopal priest who, with his wife, faced discipline from the church after the couple’s leadership of local Druids became public has resigned from his Downingtown church. The full article will be available on the Web for a limited time. (c) 2004 Philadelphia Inquirer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. Thanks to alert reader, Mary, for the FWD. Read more

Despite the almost endless lists of sects that fill fat telephone directories, the options for contemporary Protestants in North America boil down to essentially two. One may either attend a theologically conservative church where members have some knowledge of the Bible and attempt to apply biblical principles in their daily lives but whose Sunday worship will be disjointed, informal, even painfully irreverent; or join a mainline congregation that may have reverent, formal, even traditional worship but also (and here’s the... Read more

Today, the Saturday before the Feast of the Archangels (Nov. 8th), is the Feast of our father among the Saints, Raphael of Brooklyn. As he is the Patron of the Mission that I serve, here follows his Troparion … Rejoice, O Father Raphael, Adornment of the holy Church! Thou art Champion of the True Faith, Seeker of the lost, Consolation of the oppressed, Father to orphans, friend of the poor, Peacemaker and Good Shepherd, Joy of all the Orthodox, Son... Read more