In Praise of Old Women
07/23/2014
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Church of England comes to the rescue. This summer a couple was married in the church of St. Mary’s and St. Martin’s in the town of Blyth in Nottinghamshire. After the Vicar, a lady named Kate Bottley, tied the matrimonial knot with the words, “Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder”, she then led the newly-married bride and groom in a pre-arranged
ON SELFISHNESS AND WANTING HAPPINESS
07/22/2014
ON THE PROPER KIND OF SELFISHNESS The first thing I want you to understand, if you really want to wake up, is that you don’t want to wake up. The first step to waking up is to be honest enough to admit to yourself that you don’t like it. You don’t want to be happy. Want a little test? Let’s try it. It will take you exactly one minute. You could close your eyes while
Treasures from our Subsequent Conversations (Part I)
07/21/2014
Some Other Things He Told Me about His Life on the Mountain One day, I arrived at his little trailer home about two to two-thirty in the afternoon. “Welcome. How is it that you arrived here at this time of day? Is there another person outside?” “No, I’m the last one. I have come to find out from you how we can acquire the Grace of God.” “I was in obedience to two elders on
Analyzing Our Thoughts and Feelings (II)
07/18/2014
Evagrius’s account of self-observation might almost be found in a psychology textbook explaining the various mechanisms of the soul and the connections of the individual feelings and emotions: “It is very important for us that we also learn to distinguish the various demons and to determine the attendant circumstances of their appearance. Our thoughts can teach us this…. Furthermore, we should note which demons attack less often and which are the more burdensome, which abandon
Father Maximos on the Gift of Patience
07/17/2014
There was further discussion about the gift of chrestotis before we had a short break. When we reassembled, I suggested that we move on to the next spiritual gift. “Coming from the bottom up, Fr. Maxime,” I said, “you have spoken so far of self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and kindness or chrestotis. We’re left with patience, peace, joy, and love.” “Fine. Let’s continue with patience.” Fr. Maximos nodded, grinning. “God is infinitely patient. He does
Marketing the Church: “Mad Men” or “Holy Heralds” (Part II)
07/16/2014
While valuable, used without proper understanding and reserve, marketing strategies such as focus groups, satisfaction surveys, exploratory interviews, town-hall meetings, and channel market segmentation, have the dangerous potential of radically altering the shape and character of the Church, redefining its character and mission in terms of negotiated exchanges between purveyors and consumers. The practice of such unbridled marketing methods has, consequently, generated a deleterious mindset of obligation among church members. Sadly, believing that all secular
Marketing the Church: “Mad Men” or “Holy Heralds” (Part I)
07/15/2014
By Father Frank Marangos One of the objectives of many churches is to attract people who do not participate in the life of a church. According to Barna Group Research data (2011) 28% of the adult population has not attended any church activities, including worship services, in the past six months. That translates to nearly 65 million adults. When their children under the age of 18 who live with them are added to the picture,
The False Self Follows Us
07/14/2014
The heart of the Christian ascesis is the struggle with our unconscious motivations. If we do not recognize and confront the hidden influences of the emotional programs for happiness, the false self will adjust to any new situation in a short time and nothing is really changed. If we enter the service of the Church, the symbols of security, success, and power in the new milieu will soon become the new objects of our desires.
Reaching Out
07/11/2014
What does it mean to live a life in the Spirit of Jesus Christ? It is a personal [question], a [question] born out of struggles which in the first place were and still are my own. But during the years it became more and more clear that by deepening these struggles, by following them to their roots, I was touching a level where they could be shared….the quest for an authentic Christian spirituality is worth
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