As you all may know, Yours Truly has been a constant critic of the Archons (the Knight of St Andrew). First of all, there is the name: archons. That means “leaders”. Jesus rebuked His aunt who wanted her sons (James and John) to have special thrones set up for them when Jesus “came into His kingdom”. Our Lord set her straight in no time flat.
Then there’s the issue of how they constantly thirst after secular glory. In most cases, it’s all rather cringe-worthy. Especially when their annual “human rights award” always goes to some hard-left politician who just happens to reside in the New York-Boston axis.
Finally, one can’t help shake the feeling that their primary job is to raise money for Istanbul. If a penny goes to support an American mission (or an American soup-kitchen) then I’d be surprised. Like this most recent Town Hall, it looks like their primary mission was to clean up Patriarch Bartholomew’s horrible mishandling of the Ukrainian situation. As I commented Saturday, if this was indeed the case, then they failed miserably.
Be that as it may, the level of introspection that should take place, especially when one wants to bestow their highest award on a rabidly pro-abortion politician, is blatant and not a little ironic. And as was mentioned above, it is more than cringe-worthy, it is nothing less than “chasing after greetings in the marketplace” as St Paul opined some two millennia ago.
Imagine therefore my complete surprise that nobody in the Archons pulled the plug on the Town Hall, especially when the talking points were being overwhelmed by the facts. Is it possible that this was indeed conducted in good faith? Let us hope so.
More importantly, however, the Archons recently came out against the most recent New York Assembly action which legalized abortion up to and on the day of a baby’s delivery.
You can read it for yourself at www.archons.org/-/condemn-ny-abotion-law.
Imagine my complete surprise. And as a Greek-American, my extreme gratitude. My labors as a Greek Orthodox in the pro-life movement have been lonely and arduous (and not without much humiliation and criticism from my co-ethnics). Like many Greek Orthodox, we have had to endure the sense that we are black sheep who are often shunned and treated as pariahs among the larger community.
Thus, I’m not sure who was behind this 180-degree turnabout (the Holy Spirit?) but I really don’t care at this point. This law was nothing short of a barbarity and for once, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, in the guise of the Archons, did the right thing, consequences be damned.
I pray that this will portend a profound shift back towards tradition among the Greek Orthodox laity and away from the constant panting after honors. We shall see.
In the meantime, good on the Archons! Axioi!
The one who received the Athenagoras Human Rights Award from Archbishop Demetrios for distinguishing himself as an “advocate for religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate” (as if the EP needed MORE freedom to do whatever the hell he wants) and was the “instrumental person in the process of securing an agreement with the rebuilding and resurrection of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church?” Such a busy beaver. He did all this as he was pushing through legislation allowing the abortion of a full term child. They need to retract the award. It’s hard to stomach.
https://tinyurl.com/yb2zt4s5
Even uk balks at abortion apart from if mother’s life in immiment danger, after 24 weeks.
Greek Orthodoxy’s silence only proves whom they serve. Hailing baby killers? What is left to say of such evil enablers? True Orthodox Christians should leave this false church, and join Holy Russia’s Orthodox Church if they want to serve God’s True Church. The Greeks had their chance, now it is time for Holy Russia to fulfill all that was lost over the last century. Putin and Kiril will be seen as saints and, or, martyrs in the future for the seeds that have laid for us!
We need to be very careful about knowing the mind of God. We can only judge human action in light of Christ.
Unlike some on this blog, i am not american, i do not like trump. at all. Not because I do not agree with what brought us here and same with Brexit. I have attacked the neo- liberal secular elites and their now identity crap pseudo politics as a con. for years and their Plutocracy and smug cost network a la Blair and Cameron and yr lot , but I just do not happen to believe Mr D.or in Uk a collection of lying fools, are the answer. They ARE ELITE. They are a kleptocracy or is kushner a man of the people.?
For me as an Orthodox.,American evangelicals are hardly Christian. No I do not regard them as allied They are heretic and in their zionism,are jews with a Jesus add on. . I use the sole word Jesus for them, because for me as an Orthodox, I never say Jesus without Christ. They never say Christ, BECAUSE AS ALL PROTESTANTS THEY ARE NESTORIAN. NESTORIAN Heretics, arrogantly thinking God is in their pocket. American Orthodox should remember they are Orthodox and not protestants. Greek american Orthodox are PROTESTANTS often in thought and expression ( ministries, music ministry etc, what Orthodox used these Terms?) and lack any Orthodox consciousness in many respects. Hardly surprised as yr default Culture even at secular level is protestant.
Yes re Russia, the survival of Russian church after 73 yrs of relentless persecution of the blooded kind, is a unwelcome ignored fact in West as is the Orthodox Christian belief of Vladimir Putin.
I have serious criticism of him but also respect and acknowledgement of his ability and defense of the Church. If only trump were such a man but when u are a serial draft dodger with a liking for shiny uniforms and parade,, South America might be his best model.Perhaps daddy never bought him the toy fort and toy soldiers to play with?
Putin must have total contempt and amusement. But also becoming pissed off with the double messages coming out of him, as are we all.
Hi Gail, remember me?
They will know they are Orthodox Christians by their love?
No wonder to me why Orthodoxy in America is dying.
If you’re not of it your a schematic and heretic. Your salvation is in question.
The dying Orthodox church in America is alive with Christ’s salvation?
It is the leader of true Christianity in this world in its systemically corrupt state that is in state of disunity?
Protestants are Nestorian is hilarious! Protests only say Jesus and not Jesus Christ. Gee, Gail, if they said Jesus Christ like you say they need to then their churches would be seeing the same exponential growth the EO in America are seeing, right?
Jesus Saves! I saw on the neon sign at the Protestant mission in my city where the Orthodox have NO MINISTRY to the homeless. Two EO parishes in my city and they are only really relevant to their we alone are the only God right selves.
I attended a Protestant church two weeks ago in my city of 200K that has a ministry to those who struggle with all kinds of issues and problems that Jesus saves and heals them from. The irrelevant to the needs of our dysfunctional society EOC is really only relevant to its dying self. It can’t even evangelize itself let alone the world outside of it in America. That is just one reason why it is dying in America.
Jesus is inclusive and the EO are exclusive. That exclusivity alienates, isolates and denies. It is why this church can’t really be effective at Jesus centered salvation by way of evangelism that is not ashamed of the Gospel by it not hiding it in a closed self righteous system of church.
Does saying ‘JESUS’ grate you? What you are really telling me is that you are this….
https://biblehub.com/nasb/matthew/23.htm
Verse 24 really says it.
What is really only relevant to itself is not that relevant to those not of it. That is especially true if it has a self righteous mind set and viewpoint of itself in comparison to others. In fact that kind of a mind set is cultic in comparison to true Jesus centered ministry that is other centered.
The night I visited that ministry 49 people were baptized, people right out of the world. Oh, but the EO are going to come and correct them by bringing them into their church by the millions. That is delusional. That kind of delusional thinking happens to a church when it looses the Gospel and replaces it with its high notion of itself that in reality is the emperor not wearing any cloths.
Oh, I see, the Protestants do all of the hard Gospel and evangelism work that they get wrong and the Orthodox come in behind them and correct their wrong. What planet did you say you are from? Exclusivity is deaf to what it is saying due to its arrogance that really can only hear itself.
So, Gail, EO evangelism is about finding Protestants and converting them to your church and because they got their church wrong in comparison to how right your church is?
Jesus told the Pharisees to go be right and see where it takes you over time. They were all about how religion and tradition right they were and they were corrupted by it (Sound familiar?). Jesus was evangelism come to them as salvation and they were religion and tradition come to themselves as their salvation. One was living Christianity and the other one was dead religion. I know which one the church I attend is.
It is as if the Orthodox see themselves as ARCHON’S in comparison to other Christians not of them. The hypocrisy is apparent to all except those practicing it.
Yes, Gail, just how effective are the EO in America at JESUS CHRIST evangelism? Is that evangelism really about our church is the only right church and not about Jesus Christ as our only hope of salvation?
One would think, Gail, that if you say Jesus Christ and not just Jesus that EOC evangelism in America would be far more effective than it is, right???
If you replace Christ with something else as salvation that will turn you into a cult. You know, like replace Jesus with a dead religion that is really centered on itself and not Christ and call that your only hope of salvation. Religion and tradition is not my salvation, not any church. Only Jesus is. Does that make me a heretic?
If was you who said the Protestants NEVER say Christ. That is a bold face lie. If you can’t win against them then lie about them to somehow make you right in comparison to them.
It is more than this diagram that has happened to your church, but this is a good starting point of understanding how things went so wrong and why it is not going to be corrected….
https://wheelsms.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/life-cycle-of-too-many-churches/
Is your jurisdiction on the far right side of the diagram in America? Be honest.
Yes, Orthodox, keep practicing what took your church to the right side of the diagram believing that it will somehow bring you back to the left side of the diagram where Jesus is alive. Believe the problem is the solution to the problem and then wonder why it all stills dies as a church.
The church I attend stays on the left hand side and there are reasons why it does. It’s not hierarchy centered (inward focus), it is people of God and the lost without Jesus centered (outward focus).
Yes, I know the EO leadership do not provide you resources like that diagram, and I know why they don’t. Be careful with it. Protestants designed it. There might be systemically corrupting heresy within it. Wouldn’t want any EO jurisdiction to go systemically corrupt by those divisive Jesus talking Protestants!
I find it interesting that Gail believes the EO are the correction of the Protestants when the EO are a disaster themselves. The EO cannot even correct themselves let alone be effective at Jesus centered evangelism in America.
The Pharisees were religion and traditions dead and the living Christ paradigm shifted past them and left them behind in their high opinion of themselves. The living Christ leaves dead and self righteous religion behind and to itself. The true church is where the Gospel is alive, where salvation is alive, where real evangelism of the living Christ resides.
What is dead does not share life. What is dead cannot bring what is dead back to life. When what is dead believes it is the correction others need that is hypocrisy and it is also blinded by its self righteousness that believes it is life over death and when it is dead itself.
Convert to systemic corruption, authoritarianism and dead religion, that is the real Orthodox message to the so called by Gail heretic Protestants. Pull the covers on this church and that is what is really there. No amount of pompous ritual, gold and jeweled inlays can hide it, but is sure fools the EO and children.
When what is a dead church believes it is the solution to the alive church the dead church has a serious lack of objectivity problem by its delusional viewpoint of itself. Yes, Protestants covert to Gail’s church and become the same state of her church in America. It will make you more right before God. (Gee, and all of this time I thought it was the breastplate of Jesus righteousness that made me right before God and not a dead religion church gone systemically corrupt.)
What is dead might be living to you but in reality it is the living dead church. There are alive people within it but the church itself is religion and tradition self righteous corrupt and dead. That would not be the Protestant evangelical growing church that I attend that is bottom up come to raise people up to Christ and not top down push them down into corrupt dead religion that believes it is the solution to the wrong it believes about what is not of its self righteous belief about itself.
Go be right, Orthodox. Go be dead right.
Mr. Nevins,
I really wish you had left Gail out of it. You could have made your good points without any personal attacks against Gail. In my opinion, I really think Gail is on her way to sainthood, Please don’t confuse Gail with what you see in most of Orthodoxy. She is a light unto the rest of us.
Now, having said that, I would like to say this. First, I’m sorry for your loss. Your points are extremely well taken. I appreciate your refreshing, and truthful commentary, and conclusions of which I largely agree. The Orthodox Church is extremely triumphalistic without any good reason. As you know from sad personal experience, it can be quite good at wrecking innocent people’s lives. It is anything but infallible or the sole repository of truth. You go a little too far for some of my taste, but you provide a much needed corrective to Orthodox triumphalism and unconscionable elitism and arrogance. Please continue to share your wisdom and knowledge with the rest of us. An honest man with an honest voice. Thank you Mr. Nevins. Don’t forget Gail is a great lady, and one of Orthodoxy’s shining lights.
Costa thank you. I did not know this man’ s story not living in America but I second what you say, and pray too..
The greek church is especially prey to trumphalism and clericalism . None of us Orthodox, Catholic, God help us in that tragedy, or protestant ,can have trumphalism as a fact of our faith.
And there are numbers cases of protestant sects and destruction of lives.
But Costas yr words are wise
Of course, I remember you. I pray for your son every night.
Hi Gail,
May I ask a favor of you please? Would you please pray for my son? He suffers from extreme depression, social anxiety, and panic attacks. I worry about him constantly. He will be turning thirty four this Sunday. I worry constantly about the possibility of him committing suicide. Thank you very much.
Yes, of course, Constantinos. I’m going to the monastery today. I will ask them to pray as well. Would you be good enough to email George his first name? He can then give it to me so I can talk to the monastery and add him to my daily prayers. – I am so sorry you’re having to go through this. Prayers DO help, though, and you have mine.
Constantinos, I suffer from similar diseases and found the OTC HTP-5 medine far better than the Rx. The standard Rx have been implicated in GI paresis.
Costas I worked in mental health the last 20 yrs of my career so understand what u go through. My prayers are with you. And with Mr Nieven .
Me thinks you are one angry man!
I get it you don’t dig Orthodoxy and see things differently and that is fine.
But I would never make an assumption about yr inner spiritual life as u cannot about mine. Or the many many martyrs of the communist persecutions and the Saints. As to rest I could talk about the scandal of protestant mega churches and money and Sex etc etc but I won’t as human failings are our lot. We fall and get up every day and fall and get up.
We live our Christian life through the sacraments and yes through our relationship to our fellow human beings as St mother Maria of Paris dying in the gas chamber at Ravensbrook, fr Dmitri klepenin, St, surgeon bishop Luke, the late bishop Anthony Bloom, surgeon and bishop, and untold lay and clergy.
That u deny this approach to Christianity is fine. That is protestantsism . God bless you .Anybody who looks down on you or judges will be judged. But I must say looking at american evangelicals, Zionist etc, at the hate and RACISM exposed in what they say I have questions too of them.
Sure we are confounded by ethnic problems but that is the fallen human condition that the teaching on the Holy Spirit as shown. by Saint Seraphim of Sarov who showed it manifest in his life shows how to over come.
Might it be in yr superficial blanket condemnation you show intolerance and bigotry? Yes as Christians we should help others and leaders are there to serve, as St John of San Francisco showed in his life . But atheists , and any other also have compassion and serve so that alone is not a Christian atribute solely although of course it should be clearly shown . We also do that individually in our lives with no fanfare as believers. I worked in health care, physical and mental and did Charity work in Romanian and tried to do just that, quietly and peaceful.
I now live in Bulgaria . How dare u make blanket assumptions of me! .
And do you know about the Church in Bulgaria, the life of my Parish.? Of the humble loving priest we have? I had many protestant friends in Uk, who i respect greatly, baptists etc. Just as i have Muslim friends whose faith I respect.
Our witness is our faith lived. Experiential, for you and for me.
As to the Christ bit. Why u so angry friend?. Jesus is true God and true man and the Christ .What do you not get about that.? What angers you about that ?
Cultivate some inner peace friend.
Gail I just answered a very angry protestant guy who seemed to have it in for you, although it was me who mentioned the Jesus minus the Christ. U can read my post if George allows it and judge. I thought to myself, friend, you think you shocking me , i see the Church from inside.!!! As we all do. But non the less, all the Politics and ethnicism and glory seeking, if that is all people see, does leave a bad taste . Without the experiential life lived in the faith, without knowledge of the Saints, it can seem as he says .
But I fear he does not see the mote in his eye either. But we should never lose sight of the beam in our eye.
I agree with Gail.
George, I see the Archon’s comment as the epitome of hypocrisy. Without retracting the “human rights” award they gave to Cuomo, (and so many other pro-death socialist politicians,) they have shown themselves to be speaking out of both sides of their mouths. For shame!
http://orthochristian.com/118900.html?fbclid=IwAR0K00ExXY0ZdD0JPaLLndURjjK3YLFUPvA3AmDviSTNvyW9IgBfQf-sqcc
Above is a good summary of the “Secret Political History” of the Phanar. It puts current events into broad historical context. At heart, Constantinople has been uniate for quite some time. Yet the rest of the Church is simply too lazy and corrupt to act.
Tim,
Maybe time to remove your head out of the sand, and read the article Misha has linked for us. Seems there are millions screaming not only from the streets, but the roof tops as well. Does this not prove that our Russian Orthodox Church is on God’s side? Question is, who is on Constantinople’s side? Putin and Kiril will cure all of Orthodoxy problems, we only need follow and support them against the evil west, and her puppets of Greek Orthodoxy.
Please. Your extremist rhetoric is not helping. I believe in Holy Russia; I’m just not going to buy in to an extreme nationalism which is every bit as bad as the fanatical hatred that some Ukrainians have for everything Russian. Our hope should be Christ and His Church, not Putin or the patriarch. They might someday become saints, as we all have that potential. After all, St. Paul was Saul and a persecutor of the church. But let’s not put all our hope in living men.
I sympathise with the Ukrainian nation
having it’s own Orthodox church. I just don’t like the way it is being brought about, with the interference of Poroshenko, the EP, and the Uniates.
Every nation has had something bad in it’s history; the Russians, the Poles, the French, the Germans. I’m sorry to offend Mr. Tim, but his English nation’s ethnic cleansing of the Irish and Scots shows that they aren’t free from sin.
Solitary Priest: “I sympathise with the Ukrainian nationhaving it’s own Orthodox church.”
They do have Orthodox church, but is the canonical and true one.
We need to be very careful about knowing the mind of God. We can only judge human action in light of Christ.
Unlike some on this blog, i am not american, i do not like trump. at all. Not because I do not agree with what brought us here and same with Brexit. I have attacked the neo- liberal secular elites and their now identity crap pseudo politics as a con. for years and their Plutocracy and smug cosy network a la Blair and Cameron and yr lot , but I just do not happen to believe Mr D.or in Uk a collection of lying fools, are the answer. They ARE ELITE. They are a kleptocracy or is kushner a man of the people.?
For me as an Orthodox.,American evangelicals are hardly Christian. No I do not regard them as allied They are heretic and in their zionism,are jews with a Jesus add on. . I use the sole word Jesus for them, because for me as an Orthodox, I never say Jesus without Christ. They never say Christ, BECAUSE AS ALL PROTESTANTS THEY ARE NESTORIAN. NESTORIAN Heretics, arrogantly thinking God is in their pocket. American Orthodox should remember they are Orthodox and not protestants. Greek american Orthodox are PROTESTANTS often in thought and expression ( ministries, music ministry etc, what Orthodox used these Terms?) and lack any Orthodox consciousness in many respects. Hardly surprised as yr default Culture even at secular level is protestant.
Yes re Russia, the survival of Russian church after 73 yrs of relentless persecution of the bloodiest kind, is a unwelcome ignored fact in West, as is the Orthodox Christian belief of Vladimir Putin.
I have serious criticism of him but also respect and acknowledgement of his ability and defense of the Church. If only trump were such a man but when u are a serial draft dodger with a liking for shiny uniforms and parades,, South America might be his best model.Perhaps daddy never bought him the toy fort and toy soldiers to play with?
Putin must have total contempt and amusement. But also becoming pissed off with the double messages coming out of him, as are we all.
Greatly exaggerated; a departure from your wiser posts.
To try to fit Protestants into the categories of the ancient heresies (one hears Arian, you say Nestorian, etc. etc.) is really off the mark.
Why do the Orthodox in this country never engage Western Christianity head on? I mean, in the real world, not the cyber “world”. Among other things, because they are weak, uncertain, unequipped, and– above all, they have a concealed, unspoken inferiority complex. Whatever they may say or protest. So they just endure and exist in these tiny enclaves. They want to be accepted among the mighty like the Greeks, or stand aloof from the American ruck like the Russians, and dream of their former empire.
Let’s start with the basics: comparisons are odious. I get really tired of constant discussions among the Orthodox about contrasts with the West. It’s always–“here’s where the West has it wrong. Here’s Barlaam vs. Palamas, etc. etc.” Much of this is totally straw-man stuff. I’ve heard countless characterizations of Western Christianity in Orthodox discussions that are, in fact, simply untrue, or great oversimplifications. As a tiny example, I was a Presbyterian for 66 years: the quintessential Calvinist church. Yet I never met an actual Calvinist. But Orthodox will go on and on about Calvinism. Like Freemasonry: totally defunct, ten percent of what it was a few generations ago. But here at Monomakhos, they keep going on and on about it… it never ends, this stuff. Weird preoccupations.
Here’s a question: is it good, or bad, that the entire Western hemisphere became Christian, that Christianity has been planted in Asia, that sub-Saharan Africa is largely Christian? That the antipodes are Christian? It is due to the Catholics and the Protestants– the Orthodox have nothing to do with it. Yet, I think there are some here that would rather see the Orthodox as worldwide dhimmis forever than give any credit to Western Christianity.
Tim R. Mortiss: “I was a Presbyterian for 66 years: the quintessential Calvinist church. Yet I never met an actual Calvinist. But Orthodox will go on and on about Calvinism.”
Very interesting. So Orthodox take dogmas and theology very seriously, and present Calvinists don’t give a hoot? Is it what you are saying?
Well, if so, I prefer honest atheists. At least one can communicate with them.
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
No, what I am saying is that present Presbyterians are not Calvinists. I also say that they don’t “give a hoot.” They are less than lukewarm. (These of course are generalizations.) I, too, prefer honest athiests.
Why do you suppose I am Orthodox? My quarrel is not with Orthodoxy, it is with certain common attitudes among Orthodox in this country.
“Why do the Orthodox in this country never engage Western Christianity head on? ”
(a few sentences later…)
“I get really tired of constant discussions among the Orthodox about contrasts with the West.”
Do intra-Orthodox discussions constitute the “engagement” of which I speak?
Does the sign on the church that says “Greek Orthodox Church” constitute “engagement”? Or something quite the opposite….?
Tim R. Mortiss, yes, “Greek Orthodox”, “Russian Orthodox”, even if the sign on the door said “American Orthodox”, this would automatically disengage so many people.
If a person visits a church in Russia or Greece, is it necessary to have a sign outside that proclaims themselves as “Russian” or “Greek” in the title? I don’t think it’s necessary.
St Raphael of Brooklyn wanted parishes to bear the name “Orthodox Catholic” and nothing else. They should have listened.
Tim, knowing heresies and recognizing them is important but heresy hunting is not. Protestantism, all of its sects, is rife with heretical belief. At this point, however, it is not really accurate to call Protestants heretics. First only a Council can make that determination; second a true heretic has to knowingly reject the truth. Arius is a good example; third, it does little good to label anyone a heretic — how does that help anyone repent. It is a last resort when people have been directly told their errors and refused to repent. It is the hardness of heart, not the heretical belief that is the core problem.
The Orthodox Church is also filled with many heretical beliefs inherited unquestioned from the larger culture and the itching ears of our people. That is almost inevitable. I have held a number of deeply heretical beliefs but I did not hold the beliefs deeply. The best cure for the influence of such beliefs is two fold: 1. Silence (do not propagate heretical beliefs), and 2. attend the services of the Church with a humble heart allowing oneself to be transformed and transfigured by the grace of our Lord.
The difference is that many Protestant and RC doctrines are fundamentally heretical. Still, my experience has been that the love of the Lord tends to override doctrinal error in specific people unless that becomes ideological and used to condemn the truth and the people who hold to the truth. Again, it is the hardness of heart that is the core issue.
The worst damage heresy does is that it divides. It divides one’s mind from love of the Lord and thus salvation if allowed to fester and grow and harden; 2. it divides people from one another. Anywhere you see division within the Church, heresy is at the root of it–sinfulness alone does not have the same effect.
How do we deal with that and not create more division, more reasons to judge our brothers and sisters? That is extraordinarily difficult. Perhaps the best way is to search one’s own heart for heretical beliefs of any kind and work to repent of them.
You are correct about the deep seated inferiority in many Orthodox at least here in the US. However, I think it is a mistake to evaluate our mission efforts by Protestant and RC criteria. There is all kinds of work being done in an Orthodox manner in many places in this country. The grace, mercy and healing of our Lord through the Church is being brought to many, many people.
Many Protestants prefer to hold onto to heretical beliefs like penal substitution. They won’t entertain having any kind of dialog about it because they believe we are a cult. Those who have crossed to our side are not shy about sharing stories of how their families had a fit when they became Orthodox.
Divisiveness goes both ways.
Gail, absolutely true. Yet the real division is between the Truth and lies. All major heresies are Christological in nature. That is they are a lie about Jesus Christ. Such lies are not trivial. Such lies cannot be compromised with. PSA is one such lie. Dispensationalism another (which is a strong motivation in Christian Zionism BTW). Papism is also heretical as the 1848 Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs made quite clear. Those who have not read the Encyclical ought to as well as the Confession of Dositheus as regards Calvinism. Both are easily accessible on line.
We Orthodox need to educate ourselves on these pernicious and, at times, blasphemous, ideas and beliefs. Not, however, so that we can go around crying “Heretic” at everyone else, but so that we can listen and reply appropriately. Witch hunts and scapegoating are just as pernicious and evil as any heresy.
Then there is the moral code revealed and articulated within the right understanding of God, man and our interrelationship. The fullness of that revelation is taught and experienced only within the Orthodox Church. Unfortunately even here sin, concupiscence, ignorance and arrogance also exist and so untruth is here as well. However, the Orthodox Church is not founded on untruth as is western Christianity. I am also aware that there are very few full blooded Calvinists in part because unsweetened Calvinism is so blasphemous that no one of a tender heart can long abide it.
It is not that many such Christians do not love Christ and indeed experience his grace and mercy, it is simply an adulterated understanding which has turned many away from God and our Lord altogether while blocking the ears of others to hear the truth even when spoken and demonstrated.
In a culture defined by egalitarianism so that every “opinion” is equally valid traditional Christian apology is next to impossible to actually convince anyone else of anything–anything can be summarily dismissed if it begins to be the least bit uncomfortable.
I come from the old “Mainline”; Presbyterian version. The pillars of that vanished establishment were the Presbys, the Anglican/Episcopalians, and the Methodists. Some Lutherans got close, but mostly we’re talking British-derived protestant denominations. The majoritarian Protestant Ascendancy, so to speak….
From that background I can say that the problem is not that they are heretics, but that they are unbelievers (I over-generalize, but by very little as regards more-or-less official church positions, whether clearly stated or not).
One thing about genuine heretics: they are always believers. I don’t concern myself much with them, because they don’t represent the bunch from which I departed. Indeed, I wish them well, precisely because they are believers.
What an excellent post. And yes shouting heresy etc without understanding the living of the faith is sterile and as a pharasee.
Words only.
This is why Dogma is important ,vital, as like coming to understand the sustained results of scientific experiement, it is the putting into words the meaning of the found scientific facts and in Faith the EXPERIENTIAL FAITH OF THE CHURCH. The Church had to live it, before it could say it. It is not that the wordings explain what are mysteries often, but that the further we go from those words. the further we go from the lived truth.
Of course in a society that refuses to have any facts of hard and fast belief, EXCEPT THE SECULAR SEXUAL ONES THAT THEY WANT ,often in the face of scientific fact ,it is impossible to have a dialogue. Insight they do not have.
My main point is not the question of the heretical beliefs of many Protestants (but I believe that there are many truly devout Protestants who harbor no significant heretical beliefs), Roman Catholics, or others.
It is rather, the preoccupation with straw-man arguments, and the ongoing frequent comparisons which, when one has listened to them enough, call forth a “methinks they doth protest too much” response in me, personally. A lot of time is wasted, or so it often seems to me.
Not that I am in a hurry anymore, or have any illusions about it!
I am glad for yr post and u right. I have not lived in ghetto but born in Greece and from age 14 in Uk and then career there and Greece and now retired to Bulgaria. Now i often say that we Orthodox are often Monophysite in way we think of Christ and relate, although not in formal belief.
Protestants seem to not have any theology that explains how they see Christ.
Now let me say I want to make a distiction between classical protestant churches from whom we can give and learn much and I respect western christians and have close friendship . But and I maybe did not make it clear, i am refering to the american scene of Prosperity Gospel and Zionist evangelicals etc and evangelicals from whom comes hate and RACISM and yes Orthodox too I call out. For me how any Christian can see trump as, is well beyond me. I do not have to go on about Clintons etc as they are not in power.
But these Zionist evangelicals etc I just see as a different heartless religion
Nikos, I support Trump for one reason: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I was determined not to vote for him until Hillary came out with her deplorables speech.
For all of his bombast, ignorance, arrogance and immorality, Trump does not look upon we Christians as deplorable. He does not promote the murder of children and wish to make such murder public policy as has happened in the state of New York and is proposed in the state of Virginia; he does not support “homosexual marriage”; he does not support the rule of lawlessness under the dictate of anti-God judges. What he has done and is continuing to do in repopulating the judiciary with less liberal (on the face) judges is nothing short of revolutionary (if they hold true).
I cannot support any Democrat for an office of public trust in our country as they are hate filled, nihilistic Marxists who want nothing but tyranny and the suppression of any Godliness.
Not sure where to put this thought. If Western Christianity is so off track, why are people not flocking to so called Orthodox lands? How did Holy Russia become so unholy? How come Greece is not a paradise? I don’t know enough history to answer these questions.
And yes I believe that the USA is in the fight for its life as the ways of Jesus are being rejected. Why is it that we human beings seem to sink to the lowest possible level, even while that level is being lowered.
Is it because we get so comfortable that we don’t see the approaching storm, wherever it is coming from? And we forget our roots?
Fifty years ago I had a biology professor, who kept telling us that every great nation has only lasted about two hundred fifty years. And then he would ask us how old this country was.
Is it the old Tower of Babel story?
Lina, many are called, few are chosen. Love of sin keeps us from living the truth.
There is no earthly paradise.
Only God’s mercy holds in existence giving us the opportunity to repent.
We are a stiff necked people.
Michael Bauman & Nikos,
The name and face in the White House makes no difference, so long as that person builds a wall, enforces immigration policy, and laws. Whoever does that, will cure the majority of our nation’s current and future problems. Do nothing, the left will grow, do as it pleases, and inflict their evil on us, the deplorable.
“who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,”(Nehemiah 4:17)
We must treat illegal border crossers with kindness, within the law. Fight tooth and nail socialist politicians and greedy corporations who wish to use them, drain our treasure, and turn our nation into that which the illegals fled.
Why do we tolerate lawmakers, and corporations breaking our laws without consequences?
Dino
IMO, the rule of law in this country effectively ceased with the Civil War. After that it became ideological politics especially with the advent of monied oligarchies and the desire for government largess over actual participation in government.
After all according to Bettlejuice of Texas, the Constitution is irrelevant. An empowered administrative state is what is required to deal with the exigencies and needs of the time. The deplorables and other need not worry our little heads–our betters will take care of us all we have to do is say “Yessa Massa”
Dino, they are the law. We are given bread and circuses. Fast food and reality TV. Beer and sports. Opioids and forced cold turkey withdrawal.
Kill all the babies and the old ladies and fire up the robots.
Beer is ok.
I wonder, Mr. Bauman, do you talk this way to the young, or do you, rather, give them encouragement?
Our lives and that of our children and grandchildren is much more than opioids and fast foods, circuses and reality TV.
Had we listened to counsels of despair, then we probably wouldn’t even have those children and grandchildren, or each other, for that matter. The naysayers, carking crows, and other birds of ill omen have always been around.
Even the grandkids are starting to get married and look to the future, whatever may come.
There’s a limit to the value of cranky old men, sitting on the porches and shaking their canes and wattles, after all. There is joy to be found all around; especially in those households that serve the Lord.
Tim, My hope lies in nothing in this world but in the Providence of God and His mercy. Almost everybody I know is deeply fractured and in pain.
The politics of this world redeem no one and suffocate many. Our culture is throughly dedicated to death and destruction. I am not sanguin about what my son and my wife’s children will experience when they are my age at least in a worldly sense. I am not an optimist in the usual sense.
Mr. Bauman,
To answer your question, yes, the Red Sox were so dominant last season, they will win the World Series next season, and the season after that. Remember, in MLB, in order to be considered a dynasty, a team must win three consecutive World Series. The Red Sox will accomplish this feat. If I’m not mistaken, you are a Kansas City guy. Forget about them. Their time has past. I certainly enjoyed the shellacking they took at the hands of the Red Sox last season. As a long life Red Sox, I certainly feel that gloating is in order. So I gloat at your expense. Cheers!
…and you have reason to gloat. The Royals were bad last year but they are going to drive some folks crazy. I still remember the game from a couple of years ago in which Terrance Gore as a pinch runner so unnerved a Twins pitcher that he threw a pick off throw away and Gore went to third then scored on a wild pitch that only got ten feet away from the catcher–and he got a late jump.
I love the running game.
I heard it said somewhere that a Christian should be neither an optimist nor a pessimist but, rather, hopeful. This is the attitude that I strive for.
It is true that we are ultimately not to look to the things of this world. On the other hand, as said by Jesus ben Sira: “Do not deprive yourself of a happy day; let not your share of desired good pass you by.”
As for the state of the world, I think about what my folks and the senior partners in my old law firm noted at different times and in various ways (they are of course all long gone): In 1939 they were in the 10th year of the Depression, and Bolshevik and Nazi tyranny had taken over Europe. Yet they did not despair.
St Seraphim of said keep mind in HELL AND DESPAIR NOT.
When i go back to Greece and small the pine resin and the herbs as i leave the plane, it is paradise, for ten minutes ????
Michael Bauman,
Scary bred the Democrats. Not not a word when Virginia Governor promotes infanticide in his state, but as bad as blackface and white hood pics are, they do not come close to the wholesale murder of the most innocent out of the womb, and not attached to the women’s body.
NOW! Democrats demand his removal, for hurt feeling and the revelation of his racist heart of hearts towards his fellow man of a different race. Was his baby murderous heart of hearts NOT enough for all society to remove him and the New York Governor? We as a society are regressing, and our push back, and Lord’s mercy is all that is left. Regardless we must fight the Good fight until the end.
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!”(Philippians 3:2)
Those of us in Christ must unite and put our differences aside, and tackle the evil one and his demonic. We waste time fighting amongst ourselves while the world directly outside our Church burns. Bring Good News to all who will listen.
For the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another.(Galatians 5:14-15)
I agree with you there .Yes of course I see the ‘ right on liberal, illiberal liberal, and I worked with many of them in Nhs in Uk ( social workers I found classic ,not clinical mostly,) and indeed experienced it myself. ( i should remove my very small next to skin baptismal Cross, as a Romanian nurse I know also, they understanding that story very well here in Bulgaria and friends in Russia!) I was able due to position unlike Gabby, who afraid for job , to say to this man that fact he did NOT wear a Cross, did not offend me or the patients. !!) I just wish we did not have to rely on such flawed vessels but I guess, Constantine et al and we as flawed human. But I do find american protestant Christianity strange, WEIRD but then i would! Take care
I just replied to Mr Nieven. I was not aware when i did if his personal situation for which i feel great pain, but that does not take away from my re that u can read and judge.
But yes the comment of mine u replied to was not one of my best i acknowledge.
Rhe truth is as we know that abuse and inversion of the hierarch so the peopke are there to serve the hierarch often happens with us . But this can and does as readily happen in protestant churches with no robes etc , but same abuse of power. It is not the Rome or title but human corruption and power. There is no get out of jail card for any of us.
As a USA point, i understanding that protestant church membership is falling, especially amongst millenials. I do not say this with happiness but simply as a fact.
Occurs to me we similar to Brexit english. At first glance looks like arrogance and super nationalism but actually is a defense to hide the feeling of inferiority re ‘those europeans’, French etc. Same with us Orthodox.
Exactly. As with copts and other so called LESSER eastern churches ,which is a poor way of calling anyone. What ever the state of play 1400 yrs ago, they in their worship as what is expressed in their liturgy, are believing as we do but expressed differently . But many of us engage them as if it was 7th c. Same with Catholic church and 1054 .We do not engage with the hear and now but the theory.
We do this all the time with regard to other christians as if they were fighting the bottles of 6thc or 17th .
Today’s christians are not, or responsible for the schisms as much as craddle Orthodox are for being Orthodox.
In addition some can get into an elitism of ‘ my spiritual advisor ‘ as if they are a monk, and get lost in spiritual self indulgence . But protestants have their flaws too, the major being as if God is on the end of the line to be called on his number. And can be guilty of clericalism without the robes .
Yes I am Orthodox and believe we are the historic church BUT we must also admit failure of schism and that we are ALL WOUNDED AND NEED HEALING.
Nikos said:
” But protestants have their flaws too, the major being as if God is on the end of the line to be called on his number.”
Yes, they should know that he’s too busy counting the hairs on the head of each to take a personal call!
Please. Your extremist rhetoric is not helping. I believe in Holy Russia; I’m just not going to buy in to an extreme nationalism which is every bit as bad as the fanatical hatred that some Ukrainians have for everything Russian. Our hope should be Christ and His Church, not Putin or the patriarch. They might someday become saints, as we all have that potential. After all, St. Paul was Saul and a persecutor of the church. But let’s not put all our hope in living men.
I sympathise with the Ukrainian nation
having it’s own Orthodox church. I just don’t like the way it is being brought about, with the interference of Poroshenko, the EP, and the Uniates.
Every nation has had something bad in it’s history; the Russians, the Poles, the French, the Germans. I’m sorry to offend Mr. Tim, but his English nation’s ethnic cleansing of the Irish and Scots shows that they aren’t free from sin.
Indeed. Culloden Moor, Drogheda, etc.
For the Anglo-Saxon establishment, which is the founding stock of America, to get all hot and bothered about Ukraine, Kosovo, etc, reeks of great hypocrisy
Not to mention yr own native Americans. I am not saying Russian treatment of siberian native and aleuts was new York liberal but given there are much more of them alive and how in Alaska they clung to Orthodox church through years of protestant pressure, tells u all u need to know.
Heck, if folks believe that life over the last 1,000 years in the British Isles has been just as tough and bloody as it has been on the Central and Eastern European plain over the same time period, who am I to say them nay?
“if folks believe that life over the last 1,000 years in the British Isles has been just as tough and bloody ”
It was extremely tough and bloody, Brits were in large part violent descendents of berserk Vikings, Danes, Normans and the like compressed into little space 😉 Just think about Puritan Revolution or Irish Famine.
having lived there.!! Yes of course uk, up to now has escaped much of the bloodshed of central and eastern Europe, especially england Although certain period such as mid 17th c civil war, wars of roses, viking raids ,were much more bloody than we think.
But Scotland and Ireland have a much more blooded history ,often at the hands of the english and are today taking their revenge. English treatment of Ireland stands any Balkan story. Why most of scotland and ireland emigrated to USA. Forced out often of their land. The english like to present themselves as they were not. And were the cause of division in India, Palestinian, Cyprus and Ireland which in just fashion has come back to hauntingw them now. Enjoy
Well, the point was never that the Isles have escaped violence, only that it was never as thoroughgoing as on the continent. They had civil war, sure, but never terror. Their civil war, which invoked religion, did not compare in anyway to the 30 years war, for example.
True, they chopped off the head of one recalcitrant king, but not the royal family and the aristocracy thereafter. And the next foolish king they got rid of they did without a drop of blood shed.
Most importantly and wisely, they arranged affairs so that they were not invaded for 1,000 years. This avoided much suffering!
Very true and 30yr war was the real cause for advent of atheism.
UK indeed has been fortunate being island but it has been ,I would say from having lived and worked there , a touch smug . There are pluses in it’s.history, many ,but also it has not been forced to look at itself as european society has. There is an excellent film I suggest you watch called Overlord , which illustrates all this. Excellent film
Solitary Priest, you don’t offend me at all, nor does anyone else who takes issue with me. What could possibly be the cause of offense? My Anglophilia, as it might be called, is unremarkable in one whose people came here from England via Canada, and as one who, as a citizen of the United States, is an inheritor of English conceptions of law, of political institutions, of language, and much else. (As, with regard to the latter, most everybody here is.)
From 45 years as a practicing trail lawyer, I have derived many precepts. The follow four apply to many swaths of life, and everything related to controversies:
1. All indignation is false;
2. All outrage is mock;
3. All offense is feigned;
4. All threats are empty.
When these are recognized, communication can begin to take place.
And although I am critical of their actions else where, but english law is far better than much more rigid continual law and its case law allows for more humane justice as same situation may be different outcome with two different peopke ,and concept of “Undue Influence” .Roman based law is totally rigid as much of continental law.
English common law is Deuteronomy law. Pharisees were condemned because they syncretized vindictive Roman natural law over Jubilee redemtory Deuteronomy law. See: https://sites.google.com/site/rtdlies/
Yes re free masonsry. I am lost. It’s a political grouping underneath, but not the great challenge. NOW KEEPING THE NEXT GENERATION IS BUT EASIER TO VENT, AND FOR ME TOO
Unfortunately most of the laity support abortion. In fact most geeek women have had abortions. The abortion rate in Greece is on the level of Genocide in an ever shrinking indigenous population (look it up higher rate than in China). The Greeks have given up on their will to live. So as a Greek myself no surprise that 4 out of the 5 Greek Orthodox in the Nys assembly voted for the bill (I believe 2 of them were co-sponsors of the bill)
I am going to get shot down in lights and hanged I know but re Greece yes.Disgusting. And this needs an adult honest conversation that just stating the obvious is not, but is an easy cop out. To be clear I am TOTALLY against abortion , that is to kill a foetus because it is not wanted. To be clear we are not discussing if mother’s life at great risk or all those issues but the main reason for abortion which is on demand .A late form of contraception.
Which is ‘i am pregnant and so not want this baby ‘ Well of course if one holds that view then the view the foetus is not a life in own right is very convinient to have.
There is surely a difference between what the law allows and what a Christian conscience of a believing Christian will do or not do, regardless of what law says. The failure is at this individual believer level to hold a Christian moral view about life at what may be a crisis time in their life.
That a process may be legal or not, may encourage some, but for most if they believe something is wrong, then it will remain so.
This is where the problem lies.. Sadly in Ireland last summer we saw where the tragedy is going. Sadly again the collapse of any moral authority the Catholic church has, was very much in evidence.
As a Irish Catholic friend says ‘the paedophile church ‘
But my issue is this.
These are FACTS.
Figures show that sensible Sex and relationship teaching as in Sweden and Holland ,lead to much reduced teenage prenancy rates and hence reduced abortion rates. This is established fact over many years ..
In Uk those seeking abortion are more likely to be middle class professional . Yes there will be the cases of young teenagers with multiple abortions but working class badly educated young girls more likely to keep their child as they want a baby for all sorts of EMMOTIONAL and economic reasons. USA may be same but I do not know.
The concept of abortion cannot be disconected from wider society norms including euthanasia and the down grading of life to utilitarian status with a IT mind approach. As well as regarding lack of supporting mothers with maternity leave and for father too and adoption process etc ..
Many Americans may not want to hear this but a society that reduces the person to a unit of Labour only, is neither Christian nor human , and will aid abortion activity.
Now this is the hard facts. And i do not want a reply that just tells me what church teaching is because I KNOW IT AND STATED IT ABOVE
As the person stated about for Greece thst I know, Same here in Bulgaria, in Russia where four or five abortions not uncommon , although public attitudes changing in Russia
. Or where abortions banned, THE ABORTION RATE WILL BE HIGHER THAN WHERE ALLOWED. And back steeet. Which is horrendous . Back street abortion is a double obscenity .
Now before I duck, i am not condoning abortion of a healthy foetus, it is killing. So please do not come back accusing me of supporting it. But to come back at me just stating the teaching is an easy cop out ignorant the facts. Not what i say but the facts.
The failure is not the law so much. But the FAILURE OF THE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE IN A NOMINAL CHRISTIANITY.
In Ancient Rome, the exposure of infants, especially female ,was accepted practice as in China til recent yrs. Christians were noted for not doing this and for saving abandoned babies . The imperial legislation banning this, came AFTER . Christians did not wait to be told. Society stopped doing it because it become Christian .The law was needed yes. But SECONDARY.
If christians did not have abortions and if Christian society, even in name, supported families and mothers, then things may be different.
Contraception is another topic, but i recon I will be got at and attacked by people not really answering my question so will leave for another time..
My question is that do we see a higher rate of abortion so we can remain pure and high above it ?,or so we, while stating what the Church teaching is, AND TO ENFORCE IT RE COMMUNION ETC , work in a situation to reduce the rate. This would be start. At end of day it is not the law but the individual conscience that will say NO AND SOCIETY SUPPORTING THIS. I worked in health care as my professional.
But by same token, to avoid THE REALITY OF SITUATION, and to just quote the teaching and repeat , is to duck out from REALITY , and hide behind words. As i said ,the failure is at the individual level. And at end of day as with murder etc ,the individual will answer before God .
As a practical point ,i always refused to aid an abortion ,but looked after patients having had one. There is a distiction there.
The worry today is that the Illiberal liberals demand obeissance to abortion as a bad of liberality and are beginning to denounce my right to say abortion is wrong .
On a wider but is related topic, there is increasing publications trying to show that Christianity was akin to taliban and destroyed classical civilization and science etc and its books etc etc. A classic example is the recent book by Catherine Nixey ,A darkening age ‘
A classic of the genre of frankly cheap CRAP ,journalism posing as academic work. Her thesis has been shot to pieces by most serious scholarship of the topic ,including MANY IF NOT MOST, ATHEIST ACADEMICS . But she is classic for the angry new ( old Soviet type) atheist.
How they hate a God that exists!!
I await the flak in my bombs shelter!
On 1 February 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, together with the Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches and an assembly of clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuVHt3W7ZMY
Hey, ever hear of the Eastern Roumelia Catastrophe of 1885? No Greek whose family lived through that will ever go to church with a scalvonian mongrel
George, it was highly edifying to read of your “labors as a Greek Orthodox in the pro-life movement.” And I empathize with the treatment as “black sheep who are often shunned and treated as pariahs.” I know you are a pharmacist; we met very briefly at Saint Seraphim the day Archbishop Dimitri was interred in his Chapel crypt. If you notice this very late post, maybe you would share if you are a member of Pharmacists for Life, International (pfli.org). Thanks. God bless you.
Regarding the new “birthday abortion” law, Randall Terry is planning an eight day tour from Rochester to New York City to dramatize the evil with a modern day “morality play.” The schedule can be viewed at randallterry.com. It starts Sunday February 10.
Randall Terry, as in Operation Rescue? The one who stole a still born from a pathologist and used it to hit a pedestrian, who he mistakenly thought was pro-choice? Surely these associations are cringe worthy and cause many OC to not be active in the’prolife’ arena.
Hello, molon lave. Although my post is about Randall Terry as in Operation Rescue, the incident you describe may concern another person. Randall Terry was sentenced to prison following a meeting with President Bill Clinton where he requested the President’s autograph. When Clinton stopped to sign his name, Terry showed him a jar with the body of child who was victim of a late term abortion. Clinton was horrified and quickly jumped into his limo. Clinton apparently considered the experience “cringe worthy.”
Since I am not acquainted with you, I certainly do not want to reply to your concern in a brash manner. Nonetheless, I am obliged to offer a defense of Randall Terry, and of Operation Rescue, and of his morality play against the legality of “birthday abortion” currently celebrated in New York state. The essence of that defense is to assert that children will die by abortion tomorrow in Dallas and all across the USA because good people have failed to respond to it personally as the horrific human rights violation that it is. I am one of those who have failed. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.
Randall Terry wrote a very thin, very powerful book titled “A Humble Plea.” It can be downloaded for free from his website. It would be a much more thoughtful approach than my blog reply can offer.
If you live in the Dallas area, it would be an honor for me to meet you and give you a hard copy version of “A Humble Plea.”
Dear Andrew:
Could you please tell me where George’s post is about his GO pro-life efforts? Searching the site hasn’t found it for me. Thx for helping my attempt at Digital Minimalism.
Thanks for all your info and if you are the AE I think you are, always good to worship with you in Church when you come our way.
Will check out Randall Terry tonight.
In Christ,
Nicole
Hello, Nicole. It’s so nice that you remember seeing me in “the assembly of God’s people” at Church. Thank you.
The eighth paragraph of “Credit where Credit Is Due: The Archon Edition” starts, ” Imagine my complete surprise.” Then George writes, “My labors as a Greek Orthodox in the pro-life movement have been lonely and arduous.”
Several news media videos covering Randall Terry’s New York tour have been posted at randallterry.com and more are expected.
Christ is love.
Sincerely,
Andrew
Hello, Nicole. It’s so nice that you remember seeing me in “the assembly of God’s people” at Church. Thank you.
The eighth paragraph of “Credit where Credit Is Due: The Archon Edition” starts, “Imagine my complete surprise.” Then George writes, “My labors as a Greek Orthodox in the pro-life movement have been lonely and arduous.”
Several news media videos covering Randall Terry’s New York tour have been posted at randallterry.com and more are expected.
Christ is love.
Sincerely,
Andrew