Christian Discrimination

Posted on by Fr. Peter
First let me say that this is in no way directed at all Evangelical Protestants out there that may read this post. Just at a select group of narrow minded ones. I have much love and affection for the PE’s and often say we Orthodox could learn a thing or two about how to get folks to church from you guys. You educated me and might I had are the reason I am Orthodox today, not because of your theology but because during my time at Eastern Nazarene College I was introduced to these people called Romanians.

As many of you know I have a radio ministry called Shepherd of Souls. As a matter of fact I am recording my 100th episode this week. God has blessed this ministry more than I could ever have imagined when I began a year and half ago. The show is now heard of 16 stations in the USA and one in New Zealand! All the praise goes to God for that!

Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from the Wilkins Radio Network in South Carolina advertising “Broadcast your program of ministry message on 2 Christian Radio Stations for only $15.00.” Anyone who has ever bought radio time will know that this is a steal! The boast stations is some of the larger markets like Pittsburgh, PA and Pensacola, FL.

I am always on the look out for more stations to carry my show, as well as sponsors! So I called them up to see what the deal was. I got an email message yesterday that Mr. Barry Bright would be returning my call today. He did, and this is where it gets good. He told me that he did not think my show would fit on their station because this is a and I quote here “Christian Radio Station.” He went on to ask my beliefs and I told him all of the Orthodox stuff, Creed, Councils, Tradition, Scripture, Sacraments, etc. etc. etc… Well he said we are sola scriptora! Oh yes that old heresy that has no place in Christian Tradition. That is the tradition that gives license to Folks like Pat Robertson to say the Haiti Earthquake was God’s retribution and Jerry Falwells great Christian statement that Hurricane Katrina was God’s was of getting back at New Orleans for all of the Gays and gambling! Such wonderful people they are.

So this brings me to the point of Discrimination. I am not sure, but in my Bible, and oh by the way that Bible you hold so dear, you can thank us for providing that to you! yes that’s right folks we Orthodox and Catholics put that book together, so next time you wish to slam us over the head with it just remember that. So back to my point. I am not sure it is very Christian for Christians to discriminate against each other. His obvious message to me was that we Orthodox are not Christians! WOW someone needs to read their history better. (See previous statement!)

So to all of you who listen to the Wilkins Radio Network at www.wilkinsradio.com I would suggest you write to them and ask them to explain their policy of discrimination. You know our country is under attack by the Godless forces and we Christians should be working together to defeat them, but since folks want to create church in their own image and likeness we will continue to fracture ourselves to the point where there is no one left.

I was thinking about Ancient Faith Radio and the wonderful work going on there. Would they discriminate, well my guess would be if the show was not Orthodox they would but then again, we do not send out ads soliciting business. To the folks from Wilkins Radio Network if you happen to read this and I am sure you wont since I am by your definition not a Christian, you should change your adverts to read “Narrow Minded, Heretical, Christian Talk Radio, for Narrow Minded Heretics!” That would seem to fit more with your business plan.

I also want to thank you because now I am going to work day and night to ensure that stations Like Ancient Faith Radio and Orthodox Christian Network become dominant in this world to give the REAL message of the love of Jesus Christ! Thanks.

Evangelical Counsels ~ Chastity

Posted on by Fr. Peter
This is the second in a series of articles on the Evangelical Counsels or vows that a monastic takes upon entering the monastery. I last wrote on poverty and a reader left me a question about why we call these the Evangelical Counsels. The simple answer is because we get these ideas from the Gospels themselves hence the term evangelical. I think we sometimes confuse this term with the Evangelical Church and we need to recall the original meaning of the terms as one that made reference to the Gospels. I hope that answered the question.

Chastity is another one of these things that often gets confused. Christians of all walks of life are called to the position of chastity. If you are single you are called to a chaste life meaning no sex outside of marriage. If you are married you are called to the chaste state in your married life, in other words the sexual relationship belongs in the marriage bed and only the marriage bed.

This applies to the monastic as well. Called to live in the state of chastity. We also have live in the state of celibacy. And there lies the difference. Again all Christians are called to live in the state of chastity but the monk is called to celibacy as well. Celibacy is not having a family. Actually the more accurate statement would be to not have a biological family as the monastery becomes the monk’s family.

Chastity, like the other counsels, helps us to reach that state of perfection that we are desire to obtain. Whatever our state in life this should be our goal to better follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The monk leaves behind family and the hope of a family to be better able to serve the Lord “fulltime” if you will. The monk will be free from a divided loyalty to the family and to the Church. The monastic will be able to devote the hours necessary for prayer and work, not that family life is not work, but free from the obligations of the family. Free to dedicate their life to God.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Posted on by Fr. Peter
By George E. Matsoukas, Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity

To all constant bloggers, ecclesiastical colonialists, ecclesiastical bureaucrats, enablers of foreign domination — i.e. journalists, lobbyists, and other special interest groups dedicated to keeping the church in disunity, disorder and dependent — I say: KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE that Christ’s Orthodox Christian Church would be free to become the Church in the Americas.
The real heroes bringing integrity to the Chambesy process and meaning to the Episcopal Assembly are Archbishop Demetrios and His Beatitude Jonah. Archbishop Demetrios is a man of prayer, who personifies the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. He is wise and worthy to convene the Assembly of Bishops.

So too is His Beatitude Jonah, who was born and nurtured in America and not a prisoner of Old World History and the Roman Empire, and free of foreign domination. He is an example of the servant Bishop and through humility brought the bishops of the OCA to the discussion as canonical bishops.

Archbishop Demetrios and His Beatitude Jonah, by their example of love by giving something up for the greater good, have made the assembly representative of the Bishops of America so that the first steps can be taken to develop the blueprint for a unified multicultural Orthodox Church in the Americas.

We must remember whatever is decided must be accepted by the People of God who so far are not part of the process which is just beginning. Renewal of the Church is the work of all the People of God especially in our pluralistic world that is free of kings and emperors.

So for all of this to come together we must pray together that the Holy Spirit fills the meeting rooms of the bishops with the Light so that the integrity of the Chambesy process is revealed to all of the People of God. If there is no integrity in the process of developing the blueprint the consequences will be far reaching and far lasting.

George E. Matsoukas

h/t AOI Blog

Evangelical Counsels ~ Poverty

Posted on by Fr. Peter
When a man or a woman answers the call to live the monastic life that is the first step is a life long process of living out that call. Part of the journey is the taking of vows. The monk makes four vows those of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability. Theses are commonly known as the Evangelical Councils. In this series of articles I will look at each of the vows and the meaning behind each of them.

The vows that a monks takes either eastern or western are not as old as monasticism itself. In the early years, a person would find an elder and then dress in monastic garb. This garb would have been different depending not only on the elder but also the geographic location. Vows came along about the 6th century and have been used since then both in the Eastern Church and the Western Church.

These vows are public and in them they confirm the profession of the vows I have outlined above. In the Western Church, Benedictines are the only ones who make the fourth vows of stability but in the Eastern Church all Monastics take this vow.

Just a word on Religious Orders. Orders grew from the elder monk relationship into much larger world wide organizations of Monastics. One thinks of Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, etc. In the Eastern Church Orders do not exist per se rather monasteries exist under an Igumen and follow a rule or Typicon that is common to that particular monastery. Most typicons would be basically the same with some regional variation.

Poverty is one of the lest understood vows that a monastic takes. Poverty in a monastic sense is that of individual poverty. Everything is owned in common by the community and no one has more than one needs. The monastic community will own the land and buildings and such as well as all of the other possessions of the monastery. This will differ from monastery to monastery. Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly known as Trappist do not even own the clothes on their backs, all is owned in common.

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” Acts 2:44

This is a very difficult concept in out 21st Century materialist world that we would literally sell all we have and give to one another but that is exactly what the monastic vows.

“Will you remain unto death in non-acquisitiveness and in the voluntary poverty for Christ’s sake which belong to the common life; not acquiring or keeping anything for yourself except in accordance with common necessity, and then, only in obedience and for your own discretion?” (Monastic Tonsure Service)

The monastic has to figure out for themselves the difference between a need and a want. The Monastics will also practice recycling to find other uses for items that are no longer in use. Sometimes a broken item and be put to use as something else thus saving the need to acquire another item.

The community should not acquire things that are not necessary as well. Sometimes one goes to a monastery and the monks are living like kings. This is not a good idea. Live a simple life is the watch word in the monastery. The main thing to remember about monastic life is that for the most part it is lived out in community and not solitary. The community is one that decides what is good for the community not the individual. However, account is taken that some may be weak and will require more than others.

Next time Chastity

The Monk

Posted on by Fr. Peter
The monk is one who is separated from all, yet is united to all.
Evagrius Ponticos ~ 4th Century Monk

I believe that it is the witness of the monk to the eternal, to preach the tenderness of God, and to live it.
Mother Maria, Her Life in Letters

The word monk comes from the Greek monachos, “alone.” The term is applied to one who makes the choice to lead a life that is solitary, unified, integrated, pacified, and undivided in the quest for the Absolute. For the sake of God, the monk leaves the world, its allures, pleasures, and all those ties which have been part of his life until now. This is painful and hard; after all, monks and nuns have much the same feelings and sensibilities as their fellow human beings.

The difference is that they have heard a call in their hearts, an inviting call that tells them, “Come, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Follow me.” The person who decides to become a monk of nun and enter the solitude of a monastery or hermitage does it because he or she heard this call, a call stronger than any other, a call to communion and fullness of life with God, a call that fulfills the deepest desires of the human heart.

He is toil. The monk toils at all he does. That is what monk is.
Abba John the Dwarf, The sayings of the Desert Fathers.

Adapted from: A Monastic Year: reflections from a Monastery, Br. Victor-Antoine D’Avilia-Latourrette

On Contemplation

Posted on by Fr. Peter
If we try to contemplate God without having turned the face of our inner self entirely in his direction, we will end up inevitably by contemplating ourselves, and we will perhaps plunge into the abyss of warm darkness which is our own sensible nature.

~ Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

21 May ~ Constantine & Helen, Equal-to-the Apostles

Posted on by Fr. Peter
This great and renowned sovereign of the Christians was the son of Constantius Chlorus (the ruler of the westernmost parts of the Roman empire), and of the blessed Helen. He was born in 272, in (according to some authorities) Naissus of Dardania, a city on the Hellespont. In 306, when his father died, he was proclaimed successor to his throne. In 312, on learning that Maxentius and Maximinus had joined forces against him, he marched into Italy, where, while at the head of his troops, he saw in the sky after midday, beneath the sun, a radiant pillar in the form of a cross with the words: “By this shalt thou conquer.” The following night, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and declared to him the power of the Cross and its significance. When he arose in the morning, he immediately ordered that a labarum be made (which is a banner or standard of victory over the enemy) in the form of a cross, and he inscribed on it the Name of Jesus Christ. On the 28th Of October, he attacked and mightily conquered Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber River while fleeing. The following day, Constantine entered Rome in triumph and was proclaimed Emperor of the West by the Senate, while Licinius, his brother-in-law, ruled in the East. But out of malice, Licinius later persecuted the Christians. Constantine fought him once and again, and utterly destroyed him in 324, and in this manner he became monarch over the West and the East. Under him and because of him all the persecutions against the Church ceased. Christianity triumphed and idolatry was overthrown. In 325 he gathered the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which he himself personally addressed. In 324, in the ancient city of Byzantium, he laid the foundations of the new capital of his realm, and solemnly inaugurated it on May 11, 330, naming it after himself, Constantinople. Since the throne of the imperial rule was transferred thither from Rome, it was named New Rome, the inhabitants of its domain were called Romans, and it was considered the continuation of the Roman Empire. Falling ill near Nicomedia, he requested to receive divine Baptism, according to Eusebius (The Life of Constantine. Book IV, 61-62), and also according to Socrates and Sozomen; and when he had been deemed worthy of the Holy Mysteries, he reposed in 337, on May 21 or 22, the day of Pentecost, having lived sixty-five years, of which he ruled for thirty-one years. His remains were transferred to Constantinople and were deposed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which had been built by him (see Homily XXVI on Second Corinthians by Saint John Chrysostom).

As for his holy mother Helen, after her son had made the Faith of Christ triumphant throughout the Roman Empire, she undertook a journey to Jerusalem and found the Holy Cross on which our Lord was crucified (see Sept. 13 and 14). After this, Saint Helen, in her zeal to glorify Christ, erected churches in Jerusalem at the sites of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in Bethlehem at the cave where our Saviour was born, another on the Mount of Olives whence He ascended into Heaven, and many others throughout the Holy Land, Cyprus, and elsewhere. She was proclaimed Augusta, her image was stamped upon golden coins, and two cities were named Helenopolis after her in Bithynia and in Palestine. Having been thus glorified for her piety, she departed to the Lord being about eighty years of age, according to some in the year 330, according to others, in 336.

New Monastery Website

Posted on by Fr. Peter
With special thanks to Fr. John Peck of Logos Web Services and Fr. John Schroedel of Inoa Technologies we have a great new website for the St. Columba of Iona Orthodox Monastery.

If anyone is in need of web design or web hosting these are the guys to contact. Great service and very reasonable rates. Tell them I sent you their way.

Check out the new site here

Deleted Post

Posted on by Fr. Peter
As you can see, or not, I have removed a post from this blog. This is the first time I have done this since I started this blog. It has caused people to spew hate towards me and threaten me two times to turn me into my bishop for the things that I write. I even had someone on Facebook say that I should be defrocked, whatever that is, or should go and join the Episcopalians. WOW, I have never been faced with such hate before. The funny thing is most of the comments have come from people in the Orthodox Church, I am glad respect is still being taught to people who come into the Orthodox Church! Just because I am a priest does not mean I do not think, and I believe what I wrote was in line with Orthodox Theology or I would not have written it. In our Archdiocese we encourage thinking and dialogue on issues we are not all cookie cutters and I am glad for that. Out of discussion and discourse comes understanding. Calling someone a Nazi or a Communist does not advance understanding at all, it is just simply childish. It is easier then academic discourse because you do not have to think about it.
But because it caused some to stumble I have removed it and I will beg the forgiveness of those who found it objectionable. It was not my intent to offend only to have a conversation, but I guess it is not possible for some to have that conversation. Passion is a great thing, hey passion led us to be a country and that is great and I applaud that, but passion that lowers itself to name calling is just plain silly. So I beg your forgiveness if I offended or hurt you in any way.

I only ask that we can have civil discourse. Where has that gone? It used to be that we could have a discussion about an issue and disagree and that would be that but now we have to call each other Nazi and Communist if we do not agree or this one is a liberal or that one is a conservative. Where has civility gone?

I hope we find it because if we don’t we are doomed.

Lesbians and Catholic Schools

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Last week, a Roman Catholic school south of Boston withdrew the acceptance letter for a child whose parents are lesbians. The reason given is that the parents lifestyle is not in concert with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The Archdiocese of Boston quickly distanced itself from the school and the parish priest, and has offered the child a seat in another school.

I have a fundamental disagreement on this policy because of a few items. First, is it the child’s fault that his parents are lesbians? What if his parents were convicted murderers, another thing not in concert with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It reminds me of a story from years back. The girl next door found herself in the family way whilst still in high school. She decided to have the child and when he was born went to the local parish priest for baptism. He refused to baptize the child because his parents were not married. Not very pastoral I would say.

If the Roman Catholic Church feels that homosexuals are outside of the church that is fine, my disagreement is not on the teaching of the church as this is fundamentally the same teaching as the Orthodox Church. My disagreement comes in how the policy is being implemented. If you are not going to accept children of parents whose lifestyle is outside the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church then you need to implement the policy in a fair way and not target one group. How about children of divorced parents, children of parents who live together and are not married. How about children of parents who are not Roman Catholic, that’s a big one. Children of parents who do not come to church… etc. The list goes on.

Policies are fine, and upholding church teachings is great, and I really do applaud this school for doing just that, but it seems a little one sided and that the things that gets my goat. We need to ensure that we are employing a policy the same for everyone otherwise it smack of discrimination plain and simple. And discrimination is not only wrong, it is anti-Christian.

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