OrthodoxNet.com Blog

OrthodoxEurope.org | Bishop Hilarion | May. 5, 2008

Europe is witnessing a significant re-shaping of its religious map. In some countries, where not long ago an atheist ideology was officially imposed on the entire population, and where churches were heavily persecuted, we are now witnessing an unprecedented religious revival. In other countries, however, we see a clear decline in religious practice. Secularism is gaining momentum in nations which not long ago identified themselves as Christian, while the growth of Islam is also quite noticeable. Continue Reading »

Interfax | Bishop Hilarion | Mar. 28, 2008

Q: What do you mean by the hell on Earth?

A: When a man using his power over others makes Earth hell for them. Didn’t Hitler turn Earth to hell for millions of people tried and tortured in concentration camps, perished in gas cameras and battlefields? Didn’t Lenin and Stalin make hell for thousands and millions of people who died in camps or were shot on false denunciations or sentenced by Stalin’s “troika”? Don’t today’s terrorists, who kill peaceful citizens, take them hostage and cut off their heads, turn Earth to hell? Continue Reading »

OrthodoxyToday.org | Fr. George Morelli | Apr. 1, 2008

The ethos of Lent for the committed Orthodox Christian is told to us by St. Dorotheus of Gaza. He likened it to a wake up call, ‘a coming to one’s self’ (like the Prodigal Son) to find meaning for the entire year. The “great and saving forty days” are to wake us up to all times and seasons of all year. Continue Reading »

OrthodoxyToday.org | Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis | Mar. 14, 2008

One of the statements in the Synodikon proclaims: “This is the faith of the Apostles. This is the faith of the Fathers. This is the Faith of the Orthodox. This is the faith that sustains the universe.” What does this statement mean? Continue Reading »

Serfes.org | Lia Eliades | March 2008

At the Ascension of Jesus, the angels were head saying: “Why do you stand looking into Heaven? This Jesus will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” What do the Church Fathers teach us about the “Second Coming?” Continue Reading »

St. Stephen the Great Charitable Trust is Rescuing Britain’s Christian Heritage.

Learn more about Saint Stephen the Great Charitable Trust

OrthodoxyToday.org | Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev | Mar. 14, 2008

The recent debate on euthanasia is impossible to examine apart from the main problems in the dialogue between the religious world-view and Western secular humanism over the values which should lie at the foundation of the ‘new world order.’ In our opinion, these arguments demonstrate the anti-human essence of atheistic humanism, which lays claims to being a universal ideology and openly opposes itself to the traditional notions of life and death. Continue Reading »

OrthodoxyToday.org | Fr. George Morelli | Mar. 15, 2008

In the first chapter of Genesis we read that man is made in God’s image and called to be like Him. The image, the Church Fathers say, is mainly our intelligence and free will. God so loved us, He sent His only begotten Son for our salvation (John 3:16). Continue Reading »

Anchorage Daily News | Lisa Demer | Feb. 29, 2008

The Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska is in turmoil. Priests from around the state are seeking removal of the top official here, Bishop Nikolai Soraich. They say he is hurting the church and ruling by intimidation.

The Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska is in turmoil. Priests from around the state are seeking removal of the top official here, Bishop Nikolai Soraich. They say he is hurting the church and ruling by intimidation. Continue Reading »

OCANews.org | Fr. Michael Oleksa | Feb. 22, 2008

Obedience is the chief concern and the most often preached topic in Alaska, for it is in obedience that we are being asked, no forced, to accept the “corrections” and “guidelines” as well a the decrees periodically issued by the bishop and chancellor. Obedience in itself is, first of all, not a spiritual gift. The Holy Spirit brings love, joy, peace, self-control, but not obedience. Obedience is a means to an end, and a very useful, even essential means, provided one has found a loving spiritual father whose guidance one freely accepts in full confidence that all that whatever the elder commands is not for the elder’s benefit or satisfaction, but for the one’s own salvation. Continue Reading »

OrthodoxEurope.org | Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev | Feb. 13, 2008

I would like to draw your attention to the danger of liberal Christianity. The liberalization of moral standards, initiated by some Protestant and Anglican communities several decades ago and developing with ever-increasing speed, has now brought us to a situation where we can no longer preach one and the same code of moral conduct. We can no longer speak about Christian morality, because moral standards promoted by ‘traditional’ and ‘liberal’ Christians are markedly different, and the abyss between these two wings of contemporary Christianity is rapidly growing. Continue Reading »

CBS News | 1984 | A tribute to Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann

Crunchy Con Blog | Rod Dreher | Jan. 31, 2008

Some readers are aware that the Orthodox Church in America, my church, is undergoing a huge scandal now centered on the hierarchy — especially Metropolitan Herman and his coterie at church headquarters. It involves money, mostly, but also — it has been alleged — sexual impropriety of some of the players. The scandal has been going on for quite some time, and the bishops, being bishops, cannot or will not take decisive action to clean out the Augean stables. What is it with bishops, anyway? Anyway, should you care to, you can read all about the scandal at the exhaustive OCANews.org site, which has become an invaluable source of news and commentary on the mess. Continue Reading »

Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev | Jan. 30, 2008

In this talk I propose to outline the history of atheism in Russia during the last hundred years. I will start by considering the kind of atheism present in Russia before the Revolution. Then I will say something about the development of atheism during the Soviet period. And finally I will conclude with some observations concerning the nature of Russian post-Soviet atheism.

I should like to begin with the following questions. How did it happen that the country known as ‘Holy Russia’, with such a long history of Orthodox Christianity, was in a very short period of time turned by the Bolsheviks into ‘the first atheist state in the world’? How was it possible that the very same people who were taught religion in secondary schools in the 1910s with their own hands destroyed churches and burned holy icons in the 1920s? What is the explanation of the fact that the Orthodox Church, which was so powerful in the Russian Empire, was almost reduced to zero by its former members? Continue Reading »

OrthodoxyToday | Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews | Jan. 20, 2008

Since in the teaching of the Church, abortion is wrong and equivalent to the taking of innocent life, that is, a form of murder, it is a “thing that does damage.” The name take by those who encourage and facilitate abortions, to promote their cause is “Pro-Choice.” Because few would agree that abortion is a “thing that is good in itself,” they do not usually call themselves “Pro-Abortion.” By projecting “choice” rather than “abortion” they distract us from the fact that they are encouraging and making easier a behavior that is wrong. Continue Reading »

OCN | Seraphim Danckaert | Jan. 15, 2008

“I would like to see Share the Light Sunday reach out, and, in the future, [for Come Receive the Light] to be heard throughout the United States,” His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston said during Sunday’s live Web TV program hosted by the Orthodox Christian Network. Continue Reading »

Moral clarity from Metropolitan Kyrill, foreign minister of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Spiegel Online | Metropolitan Kyrill | Jan. 10, 2008

Metropolitan Kyrill, foreign minister of the Russian Orthodox Church, discusses Christian values in the post-communist era, his relationship with the pope in Rome, Vladimir Putin the churchgoer — and wrangles with SPIEGEL about homosexuality.

+Kyrill: “The Bible calls it a sin. But we do not condemn these people. The church is opposed to these people being persecuted or offended. But why should sin be propagated? The gay parade is a blatant display of sodomy. In that case, we might as well promote other sins, as has long been the case on television. This degenerates public morality.” Continue Reading »

Financial Mirror | Jan. 10, 2008

The Cyprus Church intends to take Turkey to the European Court of Human Rights for preventing the restoration of looted Orthodox churches in the northern Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus and for its continuing refusal to allow access to the Christian Orthodox pilgrims for worship. Continue Reading »

OCMA | Jan. 3, 2008

Orthodox Christians Face Violence Following Contested Presidential Elections in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya – The New Year began with tragedy for many people in Kenya as widespread violence erupted on December 27th in the wake of contested presidential elections between incumbent President, Mwai Kibaki, and challenger Raila Odinga. Continue Reading »

Greek Orthodox Church of America | Archbishop Demetrios | Dec. 25, 2007

On this glorious day of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ we celebrate the truly historical, universal, and eternal event of His Incarnation. It is historical, for at the divinely appointed time He entered our human history by being conceived and formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and was born of her in a cave in Bethlehem. It is universal because the Son of God, the divine Logos of Creation, took upon himself human flesh and blood so that He might redeem us and all of the universe from the burden of sin and death.

His Incarnation The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and birth has eternal significance because through His life, we are offered life, not just a mortal and earthly life, but unending life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Continue Reading »