The Open Ark

Hello! My name is Noah Jefferson. I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian with a Masters degree in Theological Studies from the University of Toronto. I created this Substack to be a place where I can post my reflections on topis of interest to me, chiefly theology.

Why the name “The Open Ark”? Firstly, because I like puns and my name is Noah. Secondly, because the Ark is a powerful theological symbol that needs to be reclaimed in Eastern Orthodoxy. Often, especially online, the Ark is used to convey the idea of the Church as a self-enclosed entity preserving itself by a reactionary recoiling from the world and history which are the chaotic seas. It is often forgotten that the Ark itself represented the whole world, contained clean and unclean animals, and that it, well, opened, and repopulated the world. The world post-flood, in the symbolic cosmology of Scripture, was the Ark enlarged.

With Christ, who is the prototype of which Noah and the Ark are types, the Church as Ark of Salvation is His Body. The flood was the crucifixion and descent of Christ into Hades, and on the Ark of His Cross Christ slew the Leviathan and emerged triumphant over the abyss, opening up the Ark of the Church at Pentecost to transform the world into the Church. Until the eschaton the glorification of Christ through transforming creation into His Body will not cease, and it is this fundamentally optimistic perspective I want to express (and defend).

*I do not expect to post on this Substack with any great frequency. I will post when I feel inspired or compelled to do so. I hope my miscellaneous thoughts are edifying, or at least enjoyable, for those who care to read.*

Stay up-to-date

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.

Join the crew

Be part of a community of people who share your interests.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.