This is a short post on a topic many would consider of minor significance in comparison to the great problems facing the world today, and by comparison they would be right.
Looks like it's not only my RC church that is suffering from the Return of the neo-scholastic Sith....love your blog, and your deified vision of apokastatic love.
Your comment about Eastern Orthodox and the Confederacy piqued my interest. I was not aware that there was any substantial engagement between Eastern Orthodox and the Confederacy (or even that there were substantial numbers of EO in the US at the time.) Do you have any links to more information on this? (I should add that the links between the Confederacy and my own denomination, the Episcopal Church, were sadly all too close.)
Here is an article by Dr. Kelaidis on Orthodoxy's history with American slavery (https://publicorthodoxy.org/good-reads/orthodox-christianity-and-american-slavery/). It also comments on Philip Ludwell III and the fellowship named for him, though with more grace towards to the fellowship than I would grant, as it is true that "[the fellowship] is more indicative of the state of affairs for Orthodox Christians in America in general than many would like to think," but this just means that being "reactionaries, fundamentalists, and Christian Nationalists" is the state of affairs the fellowship represents. Another article on these groups today can be found here by Dr. Sarkisian (https://publicorthodoxy.org/2021/12/03/orthodox-lost-cause/).
Our verses today Acts 6:47-60 made me think along the same lines as your article Noah. As a new Orthodox I am very hesitant to criticize the church but I think not only Orthodox churches but many many churches non-denominational, Protestant, Catholic etc etc are more focused on their religion than they are on live for their fellow man. I am speaking specifically of the constant building of new churches. Would the money be better spent on homeless shelters, soup kitchens etc. I am not saying that churches are not necessary I am just saying that many times the old building can suffice. I think sometimes that the early Christians would have somewhat against us today because we have strayed from our duty to help people but as always the collective errors are just an outgrowth of our own personal sins magnified. So as we talk about what the churches could do better ie making accommodations for the disabled or using their building funds for more practical uses we also need to check ourselves and see that we are guilty of the same misuse just on a smaller scale. Where instead of eating out for the 3rd time in a week spending $25 on a meal we could eat in and use that money for helping some who hadn’t had more than one meal a day or maybe one meal every other day. And instead of criticizing churches for not making worship more accessible maybe we should give a lift or help transport some people to church. It all begins with us. Lord have mercy. I think that I was told in the early days catechumens were ministered to outside the church and did not even attend the Eucharist as much of the Liturgy was not understandable to them they were still being fed the milk of compassion and care. And seeing the Love that is preached to the faithful actually put into practice and lived out by the faithful to help them
You know, I've actually never been to a church that doesn't have a gluten-free eucharist, but then again I'm not Orthodox (I couldn't sell my wife on the idea). It never even occured to me that it might be an objectionable idea. The fear that ASL could be misinterpreted is especially funny, at least if he's really imagining interpretation of the liturgy would be done on the fly; I certainly hope the priest isn't improvising! ASL exists as a written language too, and a standard version of the liturgy in ASL could easily be adopted. And come on, opposing adding another visual element to the liturgy? Since when did the Orthodox believe that less is more? Robes, bells, incense - the Fathers are probably kicking themselves that they hadn't thought of it sooner!
This was a fun read, though it was about a sad issue. I never heard of this Dixon fellow before, but your verbal evisceration of his views was literally laugh inducing. I hope he responds and considers your arguments.
Looks like it's not only my RC church that is suffering from the Return of the neo-scholastic Sith....love your blog, and your deified vision of apokastatic love.
*cue Imperial Death March*
Your comment about Eastern Orthodox and the Confederacy piqued my interest. I was not aware that there was any substantial engagement between Eastern Orthodox and the Confederacy (or even that there were substantial numbers of EO in the US at the time.) Do you have any links to more information on this? (I should add that the links between the Confederacy and my own denomination, the Episcopal Church, were sadly all too close.)
Here is an article by Dr. Kelaidis on Orthodoxy's history with American slavery (https://publicorthodoxy.org/good-reads/orthodox-christianity-and-american-slavery/). It also comments on Philip Ludwell III and the fellowship named for him, though with more grace towards to the fellowship than I would grant, as it is true that "[the fellowship] is more indicative of the state of affairs for Orthodox Christians in America in general than many would like to think," but this just means that being "reactionaries, fundamentalists, and Christian Nationalists" is the state of affairs the fellowship represents. Another article on these groups today can be found here by Dr. Sarkisian (https://publicorthodoxy.org/2021/12/03/orthodox-lost-cause/).
Many thanks for the resources
Our verses today Acts 6:47-60 made me think along the same lines as your article Noah. As a new Orthodox I am very hesitant to criticize the church but I think not only Orthodox churches but many many churches non-denominational, Protestant, Catholic etc etc are more focused on their religion than they are on live for their fellow man. I am speaking specifically of the constant building of new churches. Would the money be better spent on homeless shelters, soup kitchens etc. I am not saying that churches are not necessary I am just saying that many times the old building can suffice. I think sometimes that the early Christians would have somewhat against us today because we have strayed from our duty to help people but as always the collective errors are just an outgrowth of our own personal sins magnified. So as we talk about what the churches could do better ie making accommodations for the disabled or using their building funds for more practical uses we also need to check ourselves and see that we are guilty of the same misuse just on a smaller scale. Where instead of eating out for the 3rd time in a week spending $25 on a meal we could eat in and use that money for helping some who hadn’t had more than one meal a day or maybe one meal every other day. And instead of criticizing churches for not making worship more accessible maybe we should give a lift or help transport some people to church. It all begins with us. Lord have mercy. I think that I was told in the early days catechumens were ministered to outside the church and did not even attend the Eucharist as much of the Liturgy was not understandable to them they were still being fed the milk of compassion and care. And seeing the Love that is preached to the faithful actually put into practice and lived out by the faithful to help them
You know, I've actually never been to a church that doesn't have a gluten-free eucharist, but then again I'm not Orthodox (I couldn't sell my wife on the idea). It never even occured to me that it might be an objectionable idea. The fear that ASL could be misinterpreted is especially funny, at least if he's really imagining interpretation of the liturgy would be done on the fly; I certainly hope the priest isn't improvising! ASL exists as a written language too, and a standard version of the liturgy in ASL could easily be adopted. And come on, opposing adding another visual element to the liturgy? Since when did the Orthodox believe that less is more? Robes, bells, incense - the Fathers are probably kicking themselves that they hadn't thought of it sooner!
This was a fun read, though it was about a sad issue. I never heard of this Dixon fellow before, but your verbal evisceration of his views was literally laugh inducing. I hope he responds and considers your arguments.