DISCOVER ORTHODOXY

In my journey I came to the realization that there had to be "One, True Church", The Church that Christ built (Mt 16:18) on the "foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20). Sure there might be off-shoots, sects, heretical or schismatic, but there had to be 'The Original" and it had to still be in existence. It couldn't be an amalgamation of all the so-called Christian denominations. And it couldn't just be a spiritual reality, that invisibly covers the earth. There has to be the Church that Christ said He would build and the gates of hell would not prevail against. I discovered that the One True Church is "The Orthodox Church", also known as The Eastern Orthodox Church or The Holy Orthodox Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church is the "...one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church" spoken of in the Nicene Creed.

Check Out These Links About Orthodox Christianity

> Discover Orthodox Christianity
www.antiochian.org/discover

> Questions And Answers About Orthodoxy
www.oca.org/questions

THE ORTHODOX TRUTH ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY

 

Deeply Disturbing Concerns – Homosexual Militancy Threatening the Orthodox Church

 

March 27, 2015 by Editor 

by Fr. John Guy Winfrey –
I never imagined in my entire life that I would actually see the day when same sex marriage would be legalized in the United States. But far more troubling, and absolutely beyond my wildest imagination would be that it would be accepted within the Orthodox Church. The acceptance of homosexuality as an acceptable behavior is, of course, one of the reasons that caused me to leave the church of my birth and enter Orthodoxy in the first place. It is tightly tied to women’s ordination to the priesthood and many other things that entirely undoes the historic Catholic (and Orthodox) Faith. Like so many before me, I had honestly assumed that crossing the threshold of Orthodoxy into the “unchanging Church”, I had finally arrived at a place wherein I simply live the historic Christian Faith untroubled by apostasy from within.
That illusion was popped for me a couple of months ago with a web post titled, Never Changing Gospel, Ever Changing Culture, on an official blog of the OCA, Wonder (wonder.oca.org/blog) [since removed by the OCA hierarchy], by the Archpriest Robert Arida, of Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in Boston, Massachusetts. In his essay he obliquely proposed the acceptance of same sex marriage as something we Orthodox should embrace. His language was guarded, but was richly laden with symbolic expressions used by those who support such things. If one reads other things he has written there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever what he is suggesting. Following this revelation, I found that there are organized, and quite sizable, groups intentionally and deliberately pushing the Orthodox Church to accept this aberration. It has been more than suggested to me — to my horror — that a substantial number of the power brokers within the OCA are at least sympathetic to this if not entirely supportive.

I found that there are organized, and quite sizable, groups intentionally and deliberately pushing the Orthodox Church to accept this aberration [homosexuality]

As Antiochians we are not in as bad a state, but we’re not free of this either. One priest, whom I count as a friend, supports this in his parish in Cambridge, Mass. I have been told that another friend, the Economos of our Archdiocese believes the same. A parish in South Carolina has a priest whose daughter is lesbian and while he does not support homosexual behavior, he will nonetheless not speak out against it in fear of damaging his relationship with his daughter. As a parent I know that I have told my children that I love them but can’t accept particular behaviors. I have no bones about doing that and so I’m gobsmacked at such a lack of backbone. Is that too harsh? I don’t think so.
This is a fundamental Scriptural morality of Christians. It is a non-negotiable. But too many clergy will not stand firm because they look to their parish for their personal affirmation. God help us all. It is not only an OCA and Antiochian issue, but the Greeks have had trouble with this too.
I am not concerned that there are homosexuals within the Orthodox Church. There are and thank God for that because they need salvation just as much as I do. But I have to repent of my sins, and they must repent of theirs which includes this sin. Sin is not to be tolerated and condoned, but repented of. Some clergy have the gravely mistaken notion that by accepting practicing, unrepentant homosexuals at the chalice is the only way to hopefully one day bring them to repentance. This is a novel idea. The Church has always set those who are actively engaged in grossly sinful behavior apart from the chalice until they repent. To allow them to receive at the chalice is to give approbation to their behavior. What’s more it is seen this way by the homosexual activists.
I am aware of another priest, again a friend, but one who believes in the fulness of the faith, that has made this mistake. His name is now listed publicly by homosexual activists as one who is receptive to their aberration. In other words, he is not holding them for future repentance, but is actually making room for the establishment of their behavior as acceptable beginning in his parish.

Sin is not to be tolerated and condoned, but repented of

And now I come to the deeply disturbing concern — if all of this isn’t enough. The Orthodox Church has grown over the past several decades because it has been able to say that we believe the Faith as delivered by the Apostles without alteration or change. Thousands of people have joined the Church because they have been seeking peace and stability. But if this fundamental thing is altered all bets are off. Unless our bishops publicly stand against this, and publicly reprimand those clergy who are advocating for this, then the Orthodox Church will not only cease growing but it will begin to radically decrease in size. Converts who had placed their hope in Orthodoxy will withdraw in large numbers.
Take a look at the Episcopal Church or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America if you want proof. Moreover it won’t only be laity who leave, but there will be clergy who do so as well and some of them will take their communities along with them. Without being able to actually show the continuity of “keeping the Faith unaltered” then the Orthodox become nothing more than ethnic enclaves with an esoteric spirituality and an elaborate liturgy. Why would anyone want that? No me.

Pray that our bishops speak up about this

There are things that must be discussed about this issue honestly from a pastoral perspective. For example, if an Orthodox receives a same-sex civil union how should he be disciplined? There is no room to discuss the acceptance of this, but our response. Another issue, which I have raised before, is should we now withdraw from participating in the civil aspect of marriage in the Church lest we be forced to perform same-sex unions? These issues must be discussed frankly and honestly. But, sadly, I don’t think they will be. I rather think that we shall try to move along with business as usual and our heads buried firmly in the sand — full ostrich mode, until it is too late.
Pray that our bishops speak up about this. This is not the concern of only one jurisdiction but is the concern of all Orthodox. Pray that they speak quickly and definitively. And if they don’t, then pray that God shows us all where we must go to live the Faith of the Apostles without this cancer.

THE REST OF THE BIBLE

What "books" belong in the Bible? The New Testament "canon" was finally settled in the 4th century. The final number of books in the New Testament has been 27 for the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Protestant Church. However, the Old Testament "canon" differs among the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholic, and The Protestants. For the early church the Old Testament was the "Greek Old Testament", also known as the "Septuagint". The Septuagint or Greek Old Testament has remained the Old Testament of the Orthodox Church from the beginning. It is important to note that the Greek Old Testament includes a number of books not found in modern translations of the Bible mostly published by Protestants. During the Reformation period the Reformers called these particular books the "apocrypha" and cut them out of the Old Testament of Protestant Bibles. The Roman Catholic Church responded by keeping most of these books in their Bibles and they are known as Deuterocanonical. The Orthodox Church has called these books the "Readables" since the 4th century when St Athanasius named them as such while he was working on establishing the Christian canon of Scripture.

THE READABLES:
Prayer of Manasseh
Psalm 151
1 Ezra
Tobit
Judith
1, 2, 3 Maccabees
Wisdom of Solomon
Wisdom of Sirach
Baruch
The Epistle of Jeremiah
Susanna
Bel and the Dragon
The Song of the Three Holy Youths

BOOK TO READ:
The Rest of THE BIBLE - A Guide to the Old Testament of the Early Church
by Theron Mathis www.conciliarpress.com

Metropolitan Anthony Bloom - ON SUFFERING

A Beautiful explanation of the Christian view of how suffering is redemptive through the love of Jesus Christ.



Check Out This Video From 1973:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2OtD5OkHHo

LETTERS ON ORTHODOXY

This blog is a record of the letters an inquirer into Orthodoxy wrote to his family and friends while he struggled for the truth, and what it meant to him as a Protestant. It is a very personal journey that you are allowed to enter into. Many questions Protestants have about the Orthodox Faith and Church are answered. Give it a read, or recommend it to someone you may know who is looking for answers about the Ancient Faith.

WWW.LETTERSONORTHODOXY.WORDPRESS.COM

THE EVER-VIRGINITY OF MARY

Listen to some Orthodox Truth about Mary!!! Fr John Whiteford (former Protestant) debunks all the misconstrued passages of scripture concerning the "Ever-Virginity" of Mary. 17 minutes of stimulating Bible study.




Click on:
www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/amvon/the-ever-virgin-mary

If you want to learn more on this subject, and from a Saint to boot, you must get a copy of the book, "The Orthodox Veneration of MARY the Birthgiver of God", by St John Maximovitch. Order from www.sainthermanmonastery.com

Also consider these two small books on Mary:
"The Virgin Mary" by Alexander Schmemann Order from www.svspress.com This 93 page book is part of the "Celebration of Faith" series, Sermons, Vol. 3

"The Presence of Mary" by Father Alexander Schmemann This 26 page is part of the Saint Athanasius Study Series, Published by Conciliar Press (Now Ancient Faith Publishing) Hopefully you can get this book at www.store.ancientfaith.com

PRAVOSLAVIE

If You Are Looking For A Beautiful Website Full Of Beautiful Truth Visit www.pravoslavie.ru/english/  And Spend Some Time Surfing Through The Articles, Interviews, Theology, Education, Church History, and Photogalleries.  And Information On All Things Orthodox!!!

LIVING THE ORTHODOX WORLDVIEW by FR SERAPHIM ROSE

Check Out This Audio Recording of Fr Seraphim Rose Teaching On "LIVING THE ORTHODOX WORLDVIEW".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQgN1mjqi0

ORTHODOX PEACEMAKERS

Do you find yourself engaged in "difficult conversations"? With your spouse, your child, your fellow church member, a fellow employee? Take a look at "Alternative Dispute Resolutions".
                    www.orthodoxpeacemakers.com

PRAY FOR THE SUFFERING CHURCH

May Our God And Savior Jesus Christ Forgive Us For Not Praying For Our Persecuted Brothers And Sisters. We Must Keep Them In Our Hearts And Minds Through Regular Prayers And Intercessions For The Suffering Church - Whether Those Currently Suffering In Syria, Ukraine, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Or Those Who Have Suffered In Kosovo As This Video Documents The Destroyed And Vandalized Churches And Monasteries Of Kosovo. Video @ www.pravoslavie.ru/english/7405.htm

Let Us Learn About The Persecuted Church Around The World At www.persecution.org And Always Keep Them In Our Remembrance Through Prayer.

EXPOSE' OF ANSELM'S PENAL SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT

It is mind-boggling that the vast majority of those who call themselves Christians are so wrong about almost every aspect of the person and work Jesus Christ. One important aspect of the person and work of Christ is His "death upon the cross". Listen to this incredibly detailed expose' of the doctrine of "Penal Substitutionary Atonement" as proclaimed by Anselm of Canterbury, and believed by Protestant and Roman Catholic Christians. Most of the popular radio and television teachers and pastors embrace the falsehoods and blasphemies of Anselms doctrine in one form or another.

LISTEN TO THE SERIES OF PODCASTS AT

"THE ORTHODOX REVOLUTIONARY"
www.orthorev.net 

You can listen to the 47(and growing) podcasts "Consecutively"on TheOrthoRev on Youtube.