Heresy

Sin Cannot Be Blessed by the Church

Fr Photious Avant Sin Cannot Be Blessed by the Churchby Fr. Photius Avant –
Sin itself, of any variety, cannot be blessed by the Church. It can’t be. Sin is destructive. It is corrosive. It has within it the principle of death, of dissolution.

“Thine they were. Thou gavest them Me and they have kept Thy Word” says the Lord Jesus Christ in His high priestly prayer to the Father (John 17:6). And it is the Word, Jesus Christ Himself, which the Father gave to the apostles, Whom the apostles have kept.

And, it is the Word Jesus Christ Who is defended at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325 which we commemorated yesterday. A terrible heresy had disrupted the peace of the Church: the heresy of Arius. Now, he was not the first heretic and certainly not the last. But, heresy, all heresy, is destructive because in changing what we understand about Christ, in changing about what we understand about the Holy Trinity, the end goal gets changed. The goalposts have been moved. [Read more…]

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Mari Iakovou Mars Proudly and Publicly Celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month

Mari Iakovou Mars Proudly and Publicly Celebrates LGBTQ Pride Monthby Jennifer Davis –
As she has done in previous years, Presbytera Mari Iakovou Mars is enthusiastically, proudly and publicly celebrating and promoting homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride for LGBTQ Pride Month this year also.

On her Facebook page, on June 2, 2021 Mars wrote:
“Happy pride, y’all!!! To all my LGBTQ+ family, friends, and clients: I see you, I love you, and I will never stop fighting for you.”

Mars is the wife of an active Orthodox priest in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOAA).

Mars, Presbytera Mari Marilisse, is married to Fr. Christos P. Mars who currently serves at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia. [Read more…]

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Lazar Puhalo: “Ten Commandments Not Terribly Significant or Unique”

Lazar Puhalo false teacher impostorby Fr. Ioannes Apiarius –
On March 11 on his Facebook page, the retired vagante Archbishop, Lazar Puhalo, as Fr. John Whiteford refers to this rebellious and controversial hierarch, once again posted his distorted views that contradict the Scriptures and the Orthodox Church teaching. In his public online comments Puhalo makes several outrageous claims about the Ten Commandments that have no basis in Orthodox Christian theology.

Puhalo opines that the Ten Commandments “have become such a fetish piece among so many Christians.” He further asserts that “The ’10 Commandments’ are not terribly significant and certainly not unique.”

Puhalo concludes with another scandalous claim: “If we think about it, the 10 Commandments have almost nothing to do with Christianity.” [Read more…]

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Petition for Bishops to Denounce Blasphemous “Orthodoxy in Dialogue” Website

Petition for Bishops to Denounce Blasphemous Orthodoxy in Dialogue Websiteby Michael Sisco –
The website, Orthodoxy In Dialogue, which is run by Giacomo Sanfilippo, is a blasphemous site that makes a mockery of Orthodoxy. It actively promotes lifestyles and concepts that are contrary to the Orthodox Faith and Holy Tradition. This site also frequently attacks the faithful who vocally stand for truth with gross exaggerations and outright lies.

The undersigned Orthodox Laypersons and Clergy, kindly request that our Orthodox Bishops publicly denounce this vile website, and consider excommunication of those who assist them in subverting our faith.

Add your name to the Change.org petition here: Petition to Denounce Orthodoxy In Dialogue. [Read more…]

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Archbishop “Many Spoons” Elpidophoros – Heresy to the Nth Degree?

Archbishop Many Spoons Elpidophoros Lambriniadis from Monomakhos Blog –
Is heresy far behind? One would think so, because these directives indicate that we don’t really believe that the Chalice contains the real Body and Blood of Christ.

Archbishop Elpidophoros Lambrianides of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, implemented some significant changes to our Tradition. Troubling changes. Everything from how we commune, to how we venerate the icons, greet one another, engage in fellowship, to participating in Divine Liturgy has been modified.

Though he specified these were “temporary” changes, it’s hard to understand why he would move forward with them now, after the lifting of the restrictions in the outside world. This leaves one to wonder if what we’re seeing really is just “temporary”. After all the hard work it took to draw up these directives, what’s to say this isn’t the “the new normal”. Viruses aren’t going to go away. [Read more…]

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Inga Leonova: Criminal Stupidity for Bishops and Priests to Give Holy Communion and Spread the Virus

Inga Leonova: Criminal Stupidity for Bishops and Priests to Give Holy Communion and Spread the VirusWhen will the Orthodox bishops finally say ENOUGH and deal with these false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing who deny the power of the Holy Eucharist and constantly attack faithful priests and bishops?

Inga Leonova, the infamous creator and editor-in-chief of the heretical “The Wheel” journal, accuses bishops and priests in Romania and Russia of “criminal stupidity” for giving Holy Communion to Orthodox Christian faithful in their Churches. She also insists that these priests and bishops “should be arrested” for these “crimes.”

In her public Facebook post Inga Leonova writes (bolded for emphasis):

“More news from the world of criminal stupidity. The same is happening in Russia. The same is happening in Orthodox communities the world over, perhaps not at the same scale as in the more militantly “traditional” countries. But every small parish that does that spreads the virus exponentially.

I think these priests and bishops should be arrested. [Read more…]

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Fr. Cyril Hovorun: Mistake to Believe Eucharist Cannot Transmit Virus

Fr. Cyril Hovorun Heresy on Holy Eucharist and VirusHere comes “Public Orthodoxy” with yet another challenge to the true teaching of the Orthodox Church by Fr. Cyril Hovorun, a progressive academic who appears enamored with the spirit of the world. Hovorun fancies himself wiser than the Apostles, Saints, Fathers, Theologians, and Teachers of the Church. ANAXIOS!

The heretical academics at “Public Orthodoxy” just can’t let a serious crisis go to waste.

Key excerpts by Fr. Cyril Hovorun:
“Now let us go back to those who believe that the virus cannot be transmitted through the Eucharist. Their mistake, firstly, is docetic, because, like ancient docetists, they believe that the Body of Christ is exempted from the laws of nature. [Read more…]

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When People of God Fall, They Behave Worse Than Pagans

When People of God Fall They Behave Worse Than Pagansby Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon –
How are pagans to take seriously those who profess to be better than the world, when in fact they live by norms conspicuously lower than the world?
…
How are pagans to take seriously those who profess to be better than the world, when in fact they live by norms conspicuously lower than the world? How is it possible for a Christian church to hold its bishops, for instance, to lower ethical expectations in matters of business than the chairman of a secular corporation?

Why are such scandals permitted, year after year? Or again, why should a priest not be unfrocked for offenses that would promptly send a school counselor to prison? How can we expect pagans to take any Christian church seriously if it does not call its own stewards to account?

Alas, it is a demonstrable fact that the people of God, when they fall, often enough do not fall to the level of good paganism, but much lower. [Read more…]

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Giacomo Sanfilippo’s Unholy Vendetta Against Faithful Orthodox Priests and Teachers

Giacomo Sanfilippo Unholy Vendetta Against Faithful Orthodox Priests and Teachersby Fr. Ioannes Apiarius –

Via multiple posts and articles full of hysteria, wild exaggerations, distortions, and innuendos Giacomo Sanfilippo (also known as Peter J. Sanfilippo), has been relentlessly defaming and attacking several Orthodox Christian priests, bishops, and seminary professors. Why? Because these men dare to publicly and fearlessly defend the Orthodox Church teaching on homosexual sin and warn the Church about many false teachers (like Sanfilippo) and deceitful venues that question, challenge, mock, deconstruct, contradict, and distort Church teaching, practices, and theology, especially regarding morality, human sexuality, and marriage.

Since 2017 Sanfilippo has used his inappropriately named “Orthodoxy in Dialogue” website, his Facebook pages, and his Twitter accounts to maliciously condemn these good men and smear their reputations. Sanfilippo has launched an unholy personal vendetta against these priests and teachers and is fomenting rebellion inside the Holy Orthodox Church. [Read more…]

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Heresies and Schisms Will Appear in the Churches, in the Last Days

St. Ambrose Heresies and Schisms Will Appear in the Churches Mocking The Holy FathersSt. Ambrose of Optina (1812-1891) –
My child, know that in the last days hard times will come; and as the Apostle says, behold, due to poverty in piety, heresies and schisms will appear in the churches; and as the Holy Fathers foretold, then on the thrones of hierarchs and in monasteries there will be no men to be found that are tested and experienced in the spiritual life. Wherefore, heresies will spread everywhere and deceive many.

The enemy of mankind will act skillfully, and whenever possible he will lead the chosen ones to heresy. He will not begin by discarding the dogmas on the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, or the Theotokos, but will unnoticeably start to distort the Teachings of the Holy Fathers, in other words the teachings of the Church herself.

The cunning of the enemy and his “tipics” (ways) will be noticed by very few — only those that are most experienced in spiritual life. Heretics will take over the Church, everywhere, and they will appoint their servants, and spirituality will be neglected. [Read more…]

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Blasphemy and Open Rebellion by Nik Jovcic-Sas the “Orthodox Provocateur”

Blasphemy and Open Rebellion by Nik Jovcic-Sas the Orthodox Provocateurby Jennifer Davis –
Why would anyone invite Nik Jovcic-Sas to any academic conferences or ask for his opinion on any Orthodox Church issues? Have these clergy and academics lost their minds?

Nik Jovcic-Sas (Nik Jovčić-Sas), describes himself as “Violinist, LGBTQ+ Activist, Drag Queen, Eastern Orthodox Theologian & Vampire.” Nik also calls himself the “Orthodox Provocateur” and runs a Facebook page by the same name where he regularly posts blasphemous, offensive, and scandalous material.

None of that bothered the “consortium of scholars from the University of Exeter and the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University” who organized an Oxford Conference (Aug. 16-17) with the help of Deacon Brandon Gallaher and Gregory Tucker (man “married” to another man) where “contemporary issues of sex, gender, and sexuality were discussed in relation to the Orthodox Church.” Nik Jovcic-Sas was one of the invited speakers (I assume in the “LGBTQ+ activists” category) who presented at the conference. [Read more…]

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Trust Faithful Orthodox Elders, Avoid Modernist Liberal Academics

Trust Faithful Orthodox Elders, Avoid Modernist Liberal Academicsby Fr. Michael Wood (Hieromonk) –
For the academic, nothing is a given, nothing is sacred, all must be questioned and challenged.

While I have spent a fair amount of my life in and around academic institutions, and would count myself an historian and liturgist, I am above all an eremitic monastic priest. While I certainly cannot lay claim to the extremes of monastic asceticism that many of our great Orthodox Elders have held to, nevertheless in all matters theological, I will always come down on the side of Scripture, Tradition and the Fathers, for that is where Orthodox truth is to be found.

We are, as Orthodox Believers in The Church, dependent entirely upon revelation and as such our real theologians are not academics at all, but rather the great experiencers of God.

Hence when we have academic clergy presuming to pronounce on the faith, from their height of academe, I would counsel the faithful to run away from them. [Read more…]

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Warning to Orthodox Church: False Teachers and Deceitful Venues That Contradict and Distort Church Teaching

Warning to Orthodox Church: False Teachers and Deceitful Venues That Contradict and Distort Church Teachingby Fr. Ioannes Apiarius –
Orthodox Church is being attacked by false teachers and deceitful venues that question, challenge, mock, deconstruct, contradict, and distort Church teaching, practices, and theology.

With help from the Orthodox editors, I have compiled a list of articles, essays, and petitions written by Orthodox Christian priests, deacons, professors, and writers warning the Church about false teachers and deceitful venues (especially Public Orthodoxy, The Wheel Journal, Orthodoxy in Dialogue, Fordham University’s Orthodox Center, Lazar Puhalo, Sister Vassa) that question, challenge, mock, deconstruct, contradict, and distort Church teaching, practices, and theology.

These links summarize the extensive true and public witness of approximately fifty-nine (59) Orthodox Christians (mostly priests) all of whom are in good standing with the Orthodox Church (spanning multiple jurisdictions). They represent Orthodox bishops, priests, archpriests, hieromonks, seminary professors, and two deans of Orthodox Christian Seminaries. [Read more…]

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Parable of the Wheat and the Tares – Why Priests Must Vigilantly Keep Watch

Parable of the Wheat and the Tares - Why Priests Must Vigilantly Keep Watchby Archpriest Victor Potapov –
The devil sows tares, says the Lord, while men sleep. In other words, the devil sows his tares secretly, unnoticeably, when the guards appointed to look after the field, that is, the pastors of the Church, keep watch inadequately, and when the faithful themselves live carelessly as well and listen too credulously to impostors and false teachers.

In the parable of the sower and the seed, the discourse was about how men accept the word of God in different ways, and how this word affects men in different ways. In the next parable ­ that of the wheat and the tares ­ Christ speaks of the fourth portion of seed, which had fallen on good ground, and how the enemy of man’s salvation does everything possible in order to ruin that which grows in this good ground.

The parable of the wheat and the tares is extremely topical for our days, when people raise the question of the origin of evil in the world and are perplexed over the temptations, schisms and fallings away which they encounter in the Church Herself. [Read more…]

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The 2018 Resolution on Same-Sex Relationships the OCA Bishops Rejected

OCA synod of bishops As publicly confirmed by a senior OCA priest and privately confirmed by other OCA priests, at the Nineteenth All-American Council in July 2018, a Resolution aimed at asking the bishops to correct errant clergy and lay persons who promote false teaching on same-sex relationships was rejected by the OCA Synod of Bishops and not permitted to be voted on by the assembly. Concerned that publications such as The Wheel were perceived to be given a tacit blessing by the hierarchy, senior priests urged the bishops, through the resolution, to send an unambiguous message that false teaching will not be tolerated.

The OCA Synod rejected the resolution citing that it was not appropriate for the All-American Council to “give direction” to the Synod. The OCA bishops also did not provide any feedback to revise or edit the priests’ statement to make it more acceptable to them. [Read more…]

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