Archive

On Sudden Death

Published by Pemptousia Partnership on August 22, 2021 Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Vatopaidi Monastery Nowadays when science and technology are flying, when cultures converge and there is a crisis in values, even the word ‘death’ is avoided and anything reminiscent of it is ignored and discarded. Modern man views death as something negative and as a loss; we usually say for the departed: ‘We’ve lost him’. Whoever does not have the proper knowledge about this issue of

The Devastation of Love

Sermon preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, September 26, 2021. Ken Wilber is a contemporary philosopher and writer in Transpersonal Psychology. In his book entitled GRACE AND GRIT he tells his personal story of loss and transformation. In it he speaks about love in a way you may never have heard. He does not use the romantic language you hear on TV or in movies. He tells the truth. In fact, his definition of

The Twelfth Day of Christmas Advent. A Secular Kingdom…Where Christmas Never Comes

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, November 27, 2017  Two people are working at a soup kitchen, feeding the poor. One of them is a Christian, the other an atheist. The Christian is doing what he does out of obedience to Christ, in order to serve Christ “in the least of these my brethren.” The atheist is doing what he does because he thinks that generosity is a good thing and that the world would be a

Conversations with a Flatlander

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, January 12, 2016  I have been engaged in what appears to be a useless conversation. I’m having a private email chat with an atheist/materialist who insists that there are no miracles – everything can be explained by “natural” means and that the world will be better off when everyone finally agrees this is true. He is a crusader. I have no explanations or apologies for the conversation and know that it

Around the Corner

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, September 7, 2015  Among the most appealing aspects of CS Lewis’ children’s fiction is at the point that I would describe as “turning the corner.” It is not that he creates a fantasy world, but that the fantasy world he creates somehow intersects with the world in which we live. It is the discovery that at this moment, quite unexpectedly, the back of an old wardrobe is a door into another

The Second Friday after Pascha. CHRISTOS ANESTI! CHRIST IS RISEN! The Hidden Soul and the Weight of Glory

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, April 27, 2015  From a Facebook conversation: “Though I wish I believed otherwise, in the depths of my being, I do not believe any part of us survives death. I am, at the center of my consciousness, a materialist, and a reluctant atheist still. I fight this disposition daily, and it is becoming an enormous burden that I wish I could throw off. There are days where my doubt and despair

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen! Friday of the Fourth Week of Pascha. Sin is Not a Moral Problem

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, December 8, 2014 Many readers have never before heard that there is no such thing as moral progress – so I am not surprised that I have been asked to write in more depth on the topic. I will start by focusing on the question of sin itself. If we rightly understand the nature of sin and its true character, the notion of moral progress will be seen more clearly. I

A Sermon for Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sunday

By Ioana Chirieac “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14). This Sunday is such a special day as we prepare for Lent. Forgiving others and softening our hearts is the first step in allowing Christ in the midst of our lives, with body and spirit knitted together in the Holy Spirit, right here

Father Maximos on the Gift of Patience

There was further discussion about the gift of chrestotis before we had a short break. When we reassembled, I suggested that we move on to the next spiritual gift. “Coming from the bottom up, Fr. Maxime,” I said, “you have spoken so far of self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and kindness or chrestotis. We’re left with patience, peace, joy, and love.” “Fine. Let’s continue with patience.” Fr. Maximos nodded, grinning. “God is infinitely patient. He does

Father Maximos and his Atheist Friend, & Saint Isaac the Syrian

One of [Father Maximos’] close associates was Thanos, an environmental architect who was for a while a professor of architecture at the University of Slovenia. Fr. Maximos and Thanos had been friends since their high school years. Upon Thanos’s return to Cyprus with his Slovenian wife and two children, he became one of Fr. Maximos’s key advisors on several of the bishopric’s architectural projects. But Thanos was also a self-confessed atheist. He told me that