The Christian Gospel is the proclamation of the union between God and man, and the renewal of the divine-humanity which Adam abandoned. It is not possible to become that man or woman whom God has uniquely created us to be unless we seek and experience union with God who is true being and the fulness […]
I am struck by how often people correspond with me who have a wrong idea about Christianity altogether. I don’t mean non-Christians, atheists and agnostics. I mean people who have been brought up in the Orthodox Church and just haven’t understood the Orthodox Gospel at all. Perhaps they were taught by those who had a […]
Just a single verse. But it is a verse that we should all have kept safe in our heart, ready to bring to mind when we suffer difficulties of various kinds. It says… And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according […]
We all have opinions about everything. That’s normal. During the Euro 2016 taking place in France at the moment, everyone has an opinion, often different to that of the referee or the TV commentators. The problem with opinions is that we can give our own views a degree of authority that they do not warrant […]
These are the wonderful hymns composed by St Severus, the Pillar of Orthodoxy, for the Feast of Pentecost. Each one is filled with pure and accurate spiritual teaching and is worthy of careful and prayerful reflection. May his prayer be with us all. Hymn 108 Christ, even God, by suffering a voluntary passion On our […]
I’ve been asked by someone why it is that I seem to enjoy participating in the Liturgy, and even look forward to it, while my friend finds it more difficult to feel the same motivation. I have been Orthodox for 22 years, and there have been times in my own life when I have been […]
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In this blog post we will be considering worship, the Language of Heaven, especially having in mind the corporate, liturgical worship of the Church as we gather at the Liturgy and when we offer hymns, praises and spiritual songs. […]
Why am I an Orthodox Christian? Well there are a great many reasons, and perhaps as I reflect on them in a series of blogs it will help others to realise why it makes sense to be an Orthodox Christian, and why it is an entirely reasonable and rational choice. In this blog I would […]
Here are several hymns of St Severus of Antioch on the Feast of the Ascension. Each one is a jewel, a precious gem, filled with an accurate and Orthodox Christology describing our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate, as perfect God and perfect man, without confusion, mixture, division or separation. May the prayers […]
Almost all of my adult life has been spent in preparation for and in the service of the Kingdom of God. Not that I have achieved anything in my own strength or barely begun to be that person I know that God desires me to be. I am far from perfect and I am a […]