Tradition?

Recently a personal friend started questioning the whole idea of “Church Tradition”, or as the Orthodox call it, “Holy Tradition“.  The gist of my friend’s point was this:  …the problem with the whole ‘ancient church – Orthodox’ thing is the you guys are stuck… stuck in ritual, and mindless traditions – not relevant – not [...]

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Black Dress

  Without prayer…               a monk is merely a man wearing a black dress…   This life has been given to you for repentance;                do not waste it in vain pursuits.     -St. Isaac the Syrian   +Anaphora

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Pain, Suffering and the Paralytic

John 5:1-15 -    +  εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς  + καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ  + καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος Gospel for the Sunday of the 4th Sunday of Easter – Sunday of the Paralytic “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall [...]

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Just say no.

These days it seems as if more and more men (and the women who conspire with them) are falling from grace into shame and regret due to basic issues:  lack of control, the inability to say ‘no’, foolishness in their thinking and hardness of heart.  Some say they are ‘powerful’ people.  But in fact who among us is ‘powerful’?  Who among [...]

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Lance Witt Interview – ‘Replenish’

With so many leaders falling from grace these days, a book, and the wisdom within it gleaned from years of experience in ministry, seems particularly appropriate.  But a book is just a book, unless you and I have the desire to ready, and apply what we comprehend.  But if you read one book on leadership [...]

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Springtime.

Living in Michigan is a beautiful thing.   Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice.    If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you!!  Great lakes, crystal clear water, magnificent forests, fast-moving rivers, ‘mountains’ (i.e. big hills) up north, and arguably the world’s very best beaches (available for sun-bathing about 100 days a year!)     But this past Spring [...]

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To Kindle or Not to Kindle?

To Kindle or not Kindle:    That is the question. “So what do you think?”   “Do you prefer ‘books’, made of paper and ink, or reading machines made of steel, glass, silicon chips, and pixellated pixels?” Consider the book. It has extraordinary staying power. Ever since the invention of the codex sometime close to the birth [...]

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