Rating: 9|Votes: 18

The Recognition of the Baptism of the Heterodox as the Basis for a New Ecclesiology (In Step with Vatican II)

A paper delivered at the Theological-Academic Conference "The Great and Holy Council: Great Preparation without Expectations," March 23, 2016 in Piraeus, Greece

Fr. Peter Alban Heers

There is no basis, and it is once again misleading and a departure from the Orthodox phronema, to speak of recognition of the “reality” and “validity” of heretical baptism. If there is talk of “recognition” of the ministrations of heretics it is only in the sense of it being validly, i.e. properly, carried out in the apostolic manner. This is for the purpose of determining the possibility—not the necessity—of reception by oikonomia, as is clear in St. Basil’s 1st and 47th canons.

Rating: 2|Votes: 1

Those Whom He Justified He Glorified: Paul’s Argument in Romans 1:17-3:31

Seraphim Hamilton

The one who was the embodiment of Israel was also the embodiment of God, radiant with divine glory. Since the identity of Israel is mapped around this person, to be constituted as an heir of Israel “not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” means to share in the divine glory which animates the resurrected body. To be justified is to be glorified.

“Lord, Why Can I Not Follow You Now?”: Why Peter Had To Wait

Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon

In John, the love of Christians for one another is modeled on the love all of them come to know in Christ. Thus, whereas the mandate in the Synoptic Gospels is to love our neighbors as ourselves (cf. Mark 2:31 et al.), in John’s account we are to love one another more than ourselves. And the basis for this new mandate is not an ethical principle, but a personal example: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I loved you, that you also love one another” (13:34).

Rating: 8.3|Votes: 22

Who are the nephilim?

Fr. Jonathan Tobias

Thus we hear of the appearance of the “Nephilim” in that mysterious, ancient age before the Flood. Most of the time, that word “Nephilim” is translated as the English word “giants.” But “giant” does not come close to the full meaning of the term. “Nephil” carries the meaning of “superiority,” “great and powerful,” and also “violent.”

Rating: 7|Votes: 3

The Light of God

Metropolitan Ephrem (Kyriakos)

Saint Gregory Palamas says that intellectual knowledge is not independent of purity, of our liberation from the passions. Our true knowledge, divine illumination, does not come from studies, but from purity: purity of body, mind and spirit.