IT'S TRUE!!!!
So this has been a hard decision but due to the features that are offered on another blog page maker.......I will be moving my blog. Don't worry.....it can only get better from here =). The site will be easy to remember because it is the same as this but with a different ending.
www.pagesofthesoul.wordpress.com
SEE YOU OVER THERE! PLEASE COME AND VISIT!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Ending the War in Iraq?
I came across this very interesting proposal to end the war in Iraq in an 'ethical way.' The bottom of the ad reads, "When Jesus said 'Love your enemies,' we think he probably meant: Don't kill them." To those who are interested, check out the link. In my opinion, it is a practical way to possibly end our stay in Iraq. Will the President get wind of it? What, if any, will be his response? Lord have mercy on us all, save and heal the nations!
Oh, BTW, you might view this proposal as liberal......if you do that's ok with me. LOL.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
church or personality cult?
Over the years, I have been struck by how much power a person in a position of authority/respect can have. I have had much personal experience with the effects of this when it deals with a pastor. What I find so interesting is that there are many churches out there that seem to be surrounded on the personality of the pastor. Call it marketing--- the pull being 'we've got the dynamic pastor' or 'our pastor knows a lot' or ' our pastor.....' fill in the blank. I am amazed though that this is promoted by making the face of the church the pastor's, literally speaking.
There is a church nearby my house that split from another church and started their own church. The new 'church' had a banner on the outside of it with a picture of the pastor and his name....just in case you didn't know where to find him.....oh I mean it. Every time I drove by it, it sickened me. Every time I see a vehicle from the church and it has his name printed on it, again sickening. When I go to the movies and an ad for a church pops up while waiting for the movie to start.....ok bothersome.....but more bothersome.....it is advertised with a picture of the pastor and his 'sweet, ideal' family. Since when has it been all about the pastor? Possibly this is an age old problem. We're always looking for something to idealize, to give us hope. We want to idealize the pastor and his family, giving us hope that ours will be better. . . .or at least a hope that there's better out there somewhere. Well, the problem is that this idealization leads to dangerous levels at times. Then when one has theological views to reinforce it, it becomes even stronger. I know this first hand unfortunately since I've experienced a church where the pastor beat down, broke down, people and then manipulated them....putting himself in the place of God, since he had a 'special anointing' or he was God's 'anointed', 'ordained', 'appointed' one. He did much damage to people in the name of God.
There is a church nearby my house that split from another church and started their own church. The new 'church' had a banner on the outside of it with a picture of the pastor and his name....just in case you didn't know where to find him.....oh I mean it. Every time I drove by it, it sickened me. Every time I see a vehicle from the church and it has his name printed on it, again sickening. When I go to the movies and an ad for a church pops up while waiting for the movie to start.....ok bothersome.....but more bothersome.....it is advertised with a picture of the pastor and his 'sweet, ideal' family. Since when has it been all about the pastor? Possibly this is an age old problem. We're always looking for something to idealize, to give us hope. We want to idealize the pastor and his family, giving us hope that ours will be better. . . .or at least a hope that there's better out there somewhere. Well, the problem is that this idealization leads to dangerous levels at times. Then when one has theological views to reinforce it, it becomes even stronger. I know this first hand unfortunately since I've experienced a church where the pastor beat down, broke down, people and then manipulated them....putting himself in the place of God, since he had a 'special anointing' or he was God's 'anointed', 'ordained', 'appointed' one. He did much damage to people in the name of God.
The epitome of this is those who bring this even into theology. I know of a denomination (they don't think they're a denomination) that teaches a theology known as the Mosaic view of leadership(yes you guessed right, a.k.a. calvary chapel). You see Moses led the people of Israel, i.e. the pastor is the new Moses. Dangerous,dangerous,dangerous! Basically, this puts all the stock in the pastor and encourages the people to, 'cuz after all he's 'appointed by God, speaks for God.' This takes the church to the level of personality cult in my mind. It puts the power in the hands of pastors who may or may not be good people. It makes a top heavy leadership with the wee little people below. Let's see I will show a chart.....maybe you can see the danger of this. This is the view.....as Moses was to God and over all, so is the pastor now in the New Testament. Scary to me! What to you?
This reflection of mine is not to say it is an isolated problem within calvary chapel. It is true that this is a problem in many other forms of Christianity as well. The bottom line, I'm beginning to wonder why very few people see the danger of making Christianity a Kingdom of personality cults?
This reflection of mine is not to say it is an isolated problem within calvary chapel. It is true that this is a problem in many other forms of Christianity as well. The bottom line, I'm beginning to wonder why very few people see the danger of making Christianity a Kingdom of personality cults?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Happy Earth Day!
Tomorrow is officially Earth Day and I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on our Heavenly Gardener and Creator on this day. Below is a poem by Amy Carmichael, a protestant Christian missionary who lived in the 1867-1951 who worked faithfully in India to stop child prostitution. I thought her poem was fitting for earth day.
LISTENING by Amy Carmichael
I sat in a greenwood. A foaming torrent drummed, “The Lord is great!” “And He is good,” A tiny insect hummed.
A wild bird sand, “And kind, Oh, we have found Him so.” And then a soft and pleasant wind Sang, “Kind,” as he did blow.
The young leaves whispered, “Yes.” The mosses by the mere murmured, “We love His gentleness.” A fern said, “He is dear.”
A little flower looked up, A smilet on her face; Sweet food lay in her open cup. A butterfly said grace.
The good sun clouded o’er–Birds, butterflies withdrew; The wind shook leaves down on the floor; The sky hid all her blue.
Mist lay upon the hill; Sharp rain the river smote; But on its glancing surface still I saw bright bubbles float.
They caught the fading light that was so fain to go; The waterway was as the white of moonbeams upon snow.
And as they shone and broke in simple gaiety; I was aware of One who spoke by bubbles unto me.
What will become of Rome's view of Original Guilt?
Time will tell what the theological implications for the Roman Catholic Church in the future. Some might see this decision by the Pope as insignificant. But many others, who are aware of the theological issues involved, know it is not. What will the Romans Catholics do with Augustine? What of the issue of original guilt? What of the doctrine formed as a result of Augustine's doctrinal 'discovery' the immaculate conception of Mary? This could pose some very interesting discussions and ramifications for the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope Reverses Vatican Stand on Babies Not Baptized
(http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=5230555)
VATICAN CITY (AP) - April 20, 2007 - Pope Benedict XVI has reversed centuries of traditional Roman Catholic teaching on limbo, approving a Vatican report released Friday that says there were "serious" grounds to hope that children who die without being baptized can go to heaven.
Theologians said the move was highly significant - both for what it says about Benedict's willingness to buck a long-standing tenet of Catholic belief and for what it means theologically about the Church's views on heaven, hell and original sin - the sin that the faithful believe all children are born with.
Although Catholics have long believed that children who die without being baptized are with original sin and thus excluded from heaven, the Church has no formal doctrine on the matter. Theologians, however, have long taught that such children enjoy an eternal state of perfect natural happiness, a state commonly called limbo, but without being in communion with God.
"If there's no limbo and we're not going to revert to St. Augustine's teaching that unbaptized infants go to hell, we're left with only one option, namely, that everyone is born in the state of grace," said the Rev. Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame.
"Baptism does not exist to wipe away the "stain" of original sin, but to initiate one into the Church," he said in an e-mailed response.
Benedict approved the findings of the International Theological Commission, a Vatican advisory panel, which said it was reassessing traditional teaching on limbo in light of "pressing" pastoral needs - primarily the growing number of abortions and infants born to non-believers who die without being baptized.
While the report does not carry the authority of a papal encyclical or even the weight of a formal document from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it was approved by the pope on Jan. 19 and was published on the Internet - an indication that it was intended to be widely read by the faithful.
"We can say we have many reasons to hope that there is salvation for these babies," the Rev. Luis Ladaria, a Jesuit who is the commission's secretary-general, told The Associated Press. He stressed that there was no certainty, just hope.
The Commission posted its document Friday on Origins, the documentary service of Catholic News Service, the news agency of the American Bishop's Conference.
The document traces centuries of Church views on the fate of unbaptized infants, paying particular attention to the writings of St. Augustine - the 4th century bishop who is particularly dear to Benedict. Augustine wrote that such infants do go to hell, but they suffer only the "mildest condemnation."
In the document, the commission said such views are now out of date and there were "serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision."
It stressed, however, that "these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge."
No one can know for certain what becomes of unbaptized babies since Scripture is largely silent on the matter, the report said.
It stressed that none of its findings should be taken as diminishing the need for parents to baptize infants.
"Rather ... they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptize them into the faith and life of the church."
Vatican watchers hailed the decision as both a sensitive and significant move by Benedict.
"Parents who are mourning the death of their child are no longer going to be burdened with the added guilt of not having gotten their child baptized," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
He said the document also had implications for non-Christians, since it could be seen as suggesting that non-baptized adults could go to heaven if they led a good life.
"I think it shows that Benedict is trying to balance his view of Jesus as being central as the savior of the world ... but at the same time not saying what the Evangelicals say, that anyone who doesn't accept Jesus is going to hell," he said in a phone interview.
The International Theological Commission is a body of Vatican-appointed theologians who advise the pope and the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Benedict headed the Congregation for two decades before becoming pope in 2005.
On the Net: Document is at www.originsonline.com
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Pope Reverses Vatican Stand on Babies Not Baptized
(http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=5230555)
VATICAN CITY (AP) - April 20, 2007 - Pope Benedict XVI has reversed centuries of traditional Roman Catholic teaching on limbo, approving a Vatican report released Friday that says there were "serious" grounds to hope that children who die without being baptized can go to heaven.
Theologians said the move was highly significant - both for what it says about Benedict's willingness to buck a long-standing tenet of Catholic belief and for what it means theologically about the Church's views on heaven, hell and original sin - the sin that the faithful believe all children are born with.
Although Catholics have long believed that children who die without being baptized are with original sin and thus excluded from heaven, the Church has no formal doctrine on the matter. Theologians, however, have long taught that such children enjoy an eternal state of perfect natural happiness, a state commonly called limbo, but without being in communion with God.
"If there's no limbo and we're not going to revert to St. Augustine's teaching that unbaptized infants go to hell, we're left with only one option, namely, that everyone is born in the state of grace," said the Rev. Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame.
"Baptism does not exist to wipe away the "stain" of original sin, but to initiate one into the Church," he said in an e-mailed response.
Benedict approved the findings of the International Theological Commission, a Vatican advisory panel, which said it was reassessing traditional teaching on limbo in light of "pressing" pastoral needs - primarily the growing number of abortions and infants born to non-believers who die without being baptized.
While the report does not carry the authority of a papal encyclical or even the weight of a formal document from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it was approved by the pope on Jan. 19 and was published on the Internet - an indication that it was intended to be widely read by the faithful.
"We can say we have many reasons to hope that there is salvation for these babies," the Rev. Luis Ladaria, a Jesuit who is the commission's secretary-general, told The Associated Press. He stressed that there was no certainty, just hope.
The Commission posted its document Friday on Origins, the documentary service of Catholic News Service, the news agency of the American Bishop's Conference.
The document traces centuries of Church views on the fate of unbaptized infants, paying particular attention to the writings of St. Augustine - the 4th century bishop who is particularly dear to Benedict. Augustine wrote that such infants do go to hell, but they suffer only the "mildest condemnation."
In the document, the commission said such views are now out of date and there were "serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision."
It stressed, however, that "these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge."
No one can know for certain what becomes of unbaptized babies since Scripture is largely silent on the matter, the report said.
It stressed that none of its findings should be taken as diminishing the need for parents to baptize infants.
"Rather ... they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptize them into the faith and life of the church."
Vatican watchers hailed the decision as both a sensitive and significant move by Benedict.
"Parents who are mourning the death of their child are no longer going to be burdened with the added guilt of not having gotten their child baptized," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
He said the document also had implications for non-Christians, since it could be seen as suggesting that non-baptized adults could go to heaven if they led a good life.
"I think it shows that Benedict is trying to balance his view of Jesus as being central as the savior of the world ... but at the same time not saying what the Evangelicals say, that anyone who doesn't accept Jesus is going to hell," he said in a phone interview.
The International Theological Commission is a body of Vatican-appointed theologians who advise the pope and the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Benedict headed the Congregation for two decades before becoming pope in 2005.
On the Net: Document is at www.originsonline.com
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Thursday, April 19, 2007
an ordinary day
I guess you could say today was just an ordinary day. Nothing stands out as significant or special. I got up,did my morning routines, ate breakfast on the way to work, took the 55 to work. Then, I worked with the kids all day, came home, visited cyberspace, talked a friend on the phone, text messaged a bit, ate dinner, and watched a movie. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was a nice, calm, relaxing Thursday. Sometimes the ordinary is nice. Today it brings me a sense of rest from the craziness of this life. I'm sure my life will have many more of them to come. Just thought I'd stop in my blogspot on this very ordinary day. Till the next one. . . .
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
A Book to Recommend...
I've just started this book that I got from my friend for Pascha. I can tell already how amazing it is! It is Father Arseny: Priest, Prisioner, Spiritual Father (SVS Press). I'm sure some of you have already read it, but if you haven't then order your copy soon. I will keep you updated I'm sure of my further thoughts on it but I can tell already it is deeply impacting! There was a story about a nun who was said that read this book before bed, turned out her light, and when she looked back at the book it was glowing. I know I can be a skeptic but I'd believe it so far from the richness of the story of Father Arseny. Pray for us, Father Arseny! Lord have mercy!
Monday, April 09, 2007
The Angel Cried
I love this Paschal hymn directed to the Theotokos:The angel cried to the Lady full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin.Again I say: Rejoice. Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb. With Himself He has raised all the dead. Rejoice, all ye people.
(Irmos) Shine! Shine! O new Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord has shone on you. Exult now and be glad, O Zion. Be radiant, O pure Theotokos, in the resurrection of your Son.
If you click on the link below and find #18 you can hear it. It is beautiful!
http://orthotracts.org/music/stjohnoftheladder/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=40
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Christ is Risen!
I just woke up. It is Easter morning...well now afternoon. It's one o'clock in the afternoon to be exact. I think this is latest I've woken up in years. Well, that's not true because I'm sure I woke up this late on Pascha last year too. I got home at four in the morning from the Paschal service and celebration. We broke the fast last night after 50 something days. How refreshing it was to actually celebrate the Risen Christ and not just talk about it!!!! We Orthodox fast a lot but one thing I notice about the Orthodox is then we FEAST! What a feast it was!
Christ is Risen!
Cristos Anesti!
Indeed He is risen!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Awaiting Pascha....literally
So here I am, waiting for the Pascha celebration tonight. My stomach is growling and I just finished making ambrosia fruit salad for tonight's celebration. It was an interesting experience to make food and be surrounded by food being cooked without being able to taste it, not even a morsel due to the fact that we Orthodox traditionally do a whole fast before the Paschal service, to prepare ourselves for the partaking of the Eucharist. I was thinking about how different this year's approach to Easter has been then in year's past. The benefits of being a newly Orthodox is to see this difference. Years past it seemed that Easter came like a lightning bolt, so fast I almost didn't notice, and left just as quickly. This year I feel ready. This is it!! The climax of the season of Lent and repentance, Christ is risen! We will say it over and over tonight. We will sing it over and over and we will tell each other over and over for the next 40 days.
So today I finished making the last minute preparations for our Pascha basket of the things we've fasted from and some special luxuries/goodies to celebrate and share. Here I sit at the computer, trying to blog my last minute thoughts until I go ready myself to leave.
Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! Christ is risen from the grave, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
So today I finished making the last minute preparations for our Pascha basket of the things we've fasted from and some special luxuries/goodies to celebrate and share. Here I sit at the computer, trying to blog my last minute thoughts until I go ready myself to leave.
Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! Christ is risen from the grave, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Friday, March 23, 2007
what makes me to cry....
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."
-C.S. Lewis
Honestly, when I hear quotes like the one above, it makes me feel like crying. It makes me feel like crying because I hear how hard it is to live this out. I feel like one of my biggest 'crosses' to carry so far in my life has been to learn how to forgive. I have been through things that feel like forgiving a person would feel as though God were asking me to rip my heart out. I know that sounds dramatic but it is true for me. I have been there in prayer, lamenting to God, 'it's too hard....help me. I feel You are asking me to do the impossible. Please forgive me....help me.....help me to do this." It seems God takes me through situation after situation these last few years where I have to learn to forgive. I have to learn to forgive when forgiving doesn't make sense. I have to learn to forgive in the face of pain,betrayal, loss, and lack of understanding. I am still learning this and when I think about--which is just about every day, I hear my heart cry, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy." I pray one day I will be able to fully pray with confidence "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
-C.S. Lewis
Honestly, when I hear quotes like the one above, it makes me feel like crying. It makes me feel like crying because I hear how hard it is to live this out. I feel like one of my biggest 'crosses' to carry so far in my life has been to learn how to forgive. I have been through things that feel like forgiving a person would feel as though God were asking me to rip my heart out. I know that sounds dramatic but it is true for me. I have been there in prayer, lamenting to God, 'it's too hard....help me. I feel You are asking me to do the impossible. Please forgive me....help me.....help me to do this." It seems God takes me through situation after situation these last few years where I have to learn to forgive. I have to learn to forgive when forgiving doesn't make sense. I have to learn to forgive in the face of pain,betrayal, loss, and lack of understanding. I am still learning this and when I think about--which is just about every day, I hear my heart cry, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy." I pray one day I will be able to fully pray with confidence "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
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