The Lesson for Today: Robert Frost
I If this uncertain age in which we dwell Were really as dark as I hear sages tell, And I convinced that they were really sages, I should not curse myself with it to hell, But leaving not the chair …...
View ArticleThe Central Question
Below is the first chapter from a useful little booklet: The Illumined Heart, by Frederica Mathewes-Green: The Central Question You are holding a small book with an old-fashioned title. It might seem...
View ArticleWeathering Totalitarian Regimes
The Church has weathered two totalitarian regimes. I think it important to read at least a short history of each of these trials of the Church. For the Church’s response to Islam, I will be reviewing...
View ArticleBible Study: background
From Dr Mazinghi’s translation of the Wisdom of Solomon Wis 1:1-15 Wisdom 1:16 – 2:24 With their deeds and words, however, the ungodly summon [death],the pine for it, believing it to be a friend,and...
View ArticleA Rich Life
Nowadays the media suggests many things are needed to live a rich life. Emily Dickinson, a misplaced catholic saint, showed in both her life and her art a different view: I dwell in Possibility –A...
View ArticleExodus, Wisdom, John
“Both John and Wisdom mention the miracles of the Exodus as a model for the signs operated by wisdom (in Wis) and by Jesus (in John). Both John and Wisdom present these signs in the same order, which...
View ArticleThe Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy
Alexander Schmemann, of blessed memory, wrote a concise history of Eastern Orthodoxy that deserves to be more widely read, particularly by Eastern Catholics. Here is the foreword to ‘The Historical...
View ArticlePlaces to Pray
One can pray anywhere, of course. However, I expect most have favorite places to pray and for me that is in the nave of a parish. Whether sitting or standing, whether alone or with many, whether in joy...
View ArticleMelkite Diaspora
From Wikipedia: The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is the largest Catholic community in Syria and Israel, and the second largest in Lebanon. As of 2014 the Melkite Greek Catholic Church was the largest...
View ArticleClassical English Style
Ward Farnsworth, Dean of the University of Texas School of Law, writes on a wide range of topics. His series on Classical English is special in its quantity and range of examples. The series consists...
View ArticleGospel Fragments
Having been amongst a ‘trainload of fools trapped in a magnetic field’, Bob Dylan had, so to speak, a changing of the guards when he stripped and kneeled and said ‘Lord, Lord, you know their hearts are...
View ArticleFavorite Composers
A placeholder for notes on my six favorite composers Related books: I’m not a musician; however, I grew up listening mostly to classical music from the romantic period. In the Navy, I discovered Mozart...
View ArticleExodus Themes
This is mainly for background for me to use when teaching, as appropriate for various age levels from 4th grade to adults. It is also a place for me to store reference materials for my 9-10 year old...
View ArticleExodus Themes 01
In the first few verses of Exodus there is a shift in perspective, from the tribal (the 71 offspring of Jacob, v 1.5) to the people, the Israelites (v 1.7 and cf Genesis 32.29) filling the land of...
View ArticleSocial Solidarity
Before addressing solidarity, I want to categorize social structures in general as: Any actual social structure will, of course, have some overlap. I’m primarily interested in Family and Civic...
View ArticleOrthros Gospel, Resurrection Prayer, Psalm 50
In the Byzantine rite for Orthros (morning prayer/Matins) on Sunday, after the reading of the Resurrection gospel (see below), we say: Now that we have seen the resurrection of Christ, let us adore the...
View ArticleSchmemann texts
My little library has one line: Eastern Orthodoxy; Alexander Schmemann For me, that consists of three books:
View ArticleThe Winter Pascha
The below is from Thomas Hopko’s 40 day devotional book ‘The Winter Pascha’, from the second meditation, on ‘come and see’: The story (John 1:43-51) is typical of St John’s gospel. The people first...
View ArticleTranscendentals and Church Services
The main Christian Sunday service has two predominant styles, albeit with various mixtures, the Rhetorical and the Liturgical. The rhetorical style is dominant among protestants and is...
View ArticleLong Form East Asian Drama
For thousands of years performance art has revolved around a two hour performance criteria, plus or minus some time. Movies have not really changed that; however, long form tv drama is doing new...
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