Dear Thomas,
A great response.
We do not know the Mind Of God. We are called to have faith and to repent; that's quite enough for most of us!
In Christ,
Anglian
When people argue about when life starts, it is usually a station on the way to tell us when they think it should end.
God knows the answer to both these things - and it is a sign of of sin that we think we can take on His role. We are so wise and …
There's an interesting discussion underlying this.
When it is said that God 'allows' the Devil to tempt us, that is true only at the level that God allows the Devil (and us) to exist. God allows us free-will. We choose whether to fall for the tempt…
Of course it is very sad; indeed it is more than sad. To move, as these young woemn have, from the Light of Christ into the darkness is to put their immortal souls into peril. Yes, we must pray for them. But perhaps we must also do more to ensure th…
Of course it is wrong to steal. If there are circumstances which mitigate that sin then God, the all-knowing and all-merciful will make the judgement - not us.
In Christ,
Anglian
Dear Bigeee,
Just make an effort to talk to people afterwards and you'll find things change.
Just because we're Christians doesn't mean we don't have the usual human failings; but it should mean we try harder to overcome them. Persevere.
In Chris…
I doubt your priest will be in the slightest bit surprised, and he will be far less embarrassed than you. He will also give you good practical advice. The worst thing you can do is to magnify this into some great sin that you cannot discuss with you…
Dear QT,
Since the Good Lord allows us free will, we should not attribute every genetic accident to Him. Since He has a plan for us all, we should not attribute it to chance either.
His ways are not our ways, and there are things that we are not m…
Dear Irish Copt,
It is very helpful.
Of course it was only some of Origen's writings and ideas that were condemned, not the great teacher himself. He was so far ahead of the rest of us that even today we are finding things in his writings which ch…
It is in the very nature of the Devil's sin of pride that his downfall - and our own - lies.
The Devil knew that the heart of man (and woman) was full of pride, and so he tempted our first parents, and they fell. So, in each generation, do we. That…
Dear Tony,
It is indeed a difficult one in the context of the Old Testament.
God told us through Moses that we should not kill. In the passage cited by QT the Israelites are directly commanded to kill. God is therefore commanding the Israelites t…
Dear Thomas,
I have hesitated to post on this most vexed of topics, but certainly my understanding of 'justification' is covered by the joint statement.
In Christ,
Anglian
God's will for each of us is worked out in our lives in proportion to the way we listen to His will.
This does not mean (contrary to the belief of some American Protestants) that being a Christian means you will be rich and successful because God w…
Thomas is quite correct.
The Devil, full of pride and sure that he knows what is best, tempts us to emulate him; how often do we behave just that way?
God has given us, His children, free will. Through the Incarnation He has shown us what it is to…
Best of luck if you wish to try making a video - but you won't convince those who do not wish to be convinced, I fear.
This is, as has been said, an argument that has been going on for centuries - and the whole point of Faith is that we believe wha…
For those who would like to study this wonderful Gospel in more detail, I can recommend
Joel C. Elowsky, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament, volumes IV a and IV b (Intervarsity Press, Illinois, 2006).
In Christ,
Anglian
Indeed, the Church is not divided. As St. Irenaeus wrote in Adversus Haereses III, 24:
Wherever the Church is, God's Spirit is too; and wherever God's Spirit is, there is the Church and every grace; for the Spirit is Truth.
In Christ,
Anglian
It can be very difficult here. There are so many books, after all. But it is right to warn people to be wary about books that are not by Orthodox writers. For myself, I find so much to read just by His Holiness Pope Shenouda, that that would keep me…
[quote author=Doubting Thomas link=topic=5730.msg79200#msg79200 date=1194524994]
I KNOW! Half the world has not heard the Gospel, and we think that changing the Christmas date is of imminent importance!
[/quote]
Dear Thomas,
Oh I don't know - the …
This sort of thing is the fruit of ignorance. I feel sorry for the man, and think he needs our prayers that he might yet turn from his sins and know the Risen Lord.
In Christ,
Anglian
Dear Iqbal, Dear Orthodox 11,
It certainly was not my intention to 'bait' anyone here; in the context it seemed a not unreasonable question.
If one is going to deny Apostolicity to the see of St. Peter on the ground that the Catholic Church has de…
[quote author=Orthodox11 link=topic=5921.msg79274#msg79274 date=1194739977]
I would like to briefly point out that the terms "Apostolic Church" or "Apostolic succession" - from a traditional Orthodox perspective - can only be applied to the Orthodox…
Yes, it is surely a cultural difference; our friend QT has mentioned several times the way in which the culture in Paris makes things a little different there.
But the essential remain the same- the need to repent, for amendment of life, and to wal…
Dear Thomas,
Indeed. I would endorse your comments.
It might also be worth while pointing out that if one looks up Copts on the Orthodoxinfo site it still accuses of of being Monophysites, so it is not a site from which I would care to take anythi…
Dear Stavro,
What is being said agrees that there is no merit in the 'branch' theory; I was trying to answer Orthodox 11's perfectly reasonable question as to how what I was saying earlier differed from it.
If one holds that 'by their fruits shall…