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This is a wonderful video. In addition to an excellent interview with his All-Holiness, there is a spectacular hot-air baloon-view of the Cappadocian caves.
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ONLY ONE CORRECTION TO BOB SIMON'S WONDERFUL COMMENTARY IN THIS 60-MINUTES EPISODE:
No, "worshipers throughout the Orthodox Christian world" do NOT see the Patriarch of Constantinople as "their Pope." There is no "bishop of bishops" for the Orthodox Church as a whole. But then, the term is used in a limited way, so there is still an Orthodox "pope," but only for the Orthodox Church in Africa. Even today, the Orthodox bishop of Alexandria, Patriarch Theodore II, is called "Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria. In fact, the bishop of Alexandria was called a "pope" before the bishop of Rome was called a pope! But there is no "pope" of the whole church. All Orthodox bishops are equal as bishops.
In the ancient Church, "papa" -- "pope," was given as a title to those bishops where some center of pastoral guidance was needed. This was the case in North Eastern Africa from very early on, due to the small numbers of major cities there. Bishops in such areas needed the pastoral guidance of a bishop located in some large central Christian community -- the one unique city in a large geographical area.
Just as that had been the case in North Eastern Africa, it also became the case in the area surrounding Rome. In ancient times, while there were many great cities in the East that became Christian centers, including Jerusalem, Antioch, and Constantinople; in the Western Mediterranean region, as was the case in North Eastern Africa, there was only one central city: Rome.
Surrounding Rome, for hundreds and hundreds of miles North and West of that great city, in what would one day become Germany and France, there were only villages and Roman military garrisons. Paris, London, and Vienna, would not arise for centuries. So, like North Eastern Africa, there was need for a central bishop that bishops of smaller Christian communities could look to for guidance. For this reason, the bishop of Rome, like the bishop Alexandria before him, was also called the "papa" -- the "pope" of that entire region.
But as for "universal authority," that was unknown in the ancient Church, and it remains unknown among Orthodox Christian churches today. Among Orthodox, there has always been a living witness in common among the faithful to the incarnate truth, Jesus Christ Himself. This truth, and the vision of life that depends upon it, stands authoritative on it's own and has always been proclaimed "everywhere by everyone, at all times." Claims for a new and different kind of authority was left to the rise of the Roman Popes of the Middle Ages. And in this video, Bob Simon claims such authority for His Holiness Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople today.
In fact, the Patriarch of Constantinople is not nor ever has been any kind of a "pope;" certainly not in the Western Christian sense, and not even in the Eastern Christian and Orthodox sense. Bob Simon ought to have done some research as there is no controversy involved here among Orthodox Christians.
and engage in discussion with some of the students of Toccoa Falls College.
An MP3 of the presentation at TFC is available, along with an updated version of the PowerPoint & Audio, Do This in Remembrance of Me, which served as an online context for my visit to TFC.
To the PowerPoint & Audio >
Nine Orthodox Assumptions
On Thursday afternoon, October 24th, Dr. Laurel Hughes, General Manager of Dalonega radio station 88.7 WCDG interviewed Fr. Jacob.
Each section is 12- 20 minutes long.
Come and See That the Lord is Good: Part One
Come and See That the Lord is Good: Part Two
In this video, when describing the Transfiguration icon, I misidentify Andrew as Peter! Speaking extemporaneously, I was expecting Peter, James, and John, I guess; as at the Transfiguration -- and there are good reasons for including Peter, as he is included in some other Resurrection icons. But, including Andrew: first called Apostle, once disciple of the Forerunner, who pointed Andrew toward Christ, after which Andrew told of to his brother Peter, fits the overall theme of this particular Resurrection icon very well! The absence of his distinctive curly beard and hair ought to have alerted me, as well as Andrew's own distinctive beard. Thank you to iconographer Nicholas Tsai for pointing out my error to me!
Rev Dr Michael Oleksa's presentations on:
The Orthodox Missionary Legacy in North America,
- delivered at St. John of the Ladder Orthodox Church (Part One),
& at Furman University (Part Two):
Choose Lectures from the lefthand Menu
Fr. Michael preaches greater understanding across race and culture. He is a leader in building cross-cultural relations in Alaska. He is recognized as an "Elder" by the Alaska Federation of Natives, has been honored by the Alaska State Legislature, and the National Governor's Association.
Here is a link to videos of the presentations Fr. Tom gave on February 7th & 8th, 2012, in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, before and after the ordination of Fr. James Bozeman:
http://saintjohnwonderworker.
Fr. Tomas' presentation at Furman University on February 6th will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
- given at St. Timothy, Toccoa
Especially note Bishop Mark's saying that, during Lent, we do not so much "give up things" for Lent, as we "throw them out." And that, "bad habits are thrown out to be replaced by good ones."
Meat we will eat again (it is then, not a bad habit, whereas feasting on the discomfort of others certainly is!), but as we look forward to celebrating the Great Feast of Pascha, let us not look forward to resuming those bad habits we have worked so hard to throw out! That is part of the cleansing power of the Great Lenten fast.
The Formation of the Canon of Scripture - Part One
The Formation of the Canon of Scripture - Part Two
- given at St. John of the Ladder, Greenville, Saturday, 24 March 2012
For those who heard Bishop Mark at our church Saturday, this is the presentation of all that he discussed more informally with us then. It is excellent. It gives a good sense of the central role of the Scriptures in our Orthodox Christian faith and life.
His talks were well-attended and very beneficial to our spiritual lives.
Church & Family Life - at St. John of the Ladder, Greenville, SC
The Struggle for Inner Peace - talk at Daniel Chapel, Furman University
Garden Room Q & A in the Garden Room at Daniel Chapel, Furman University:
Questions are inaudible due to the setting, but
Metropolitan Johah's answers are clear and quite fascinating,
especially his remarks related to his own spiritual experience.
Fr. Jonah, later Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America, first gave the talks now summarized in this text: Do Not Resent, Do Not React, Keep Inner Stillness, at the St. Mark's Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA. Here are links to the original talks.
The Path to Prayer: Part 1: Do Not React
The Path to Prayer: Part 2: Do Not React Q&A
Path to Payer Part 3 Do Not Resent
Path to Prayer Part 4: Do Not Resent Q&A
The Path to Prayer: Part 5: Keep Inner Stillness
Rt. Rev. Meletios (Weber) has been the pastor of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox
Church in Santa Cruz, California since 1994. He was received into the Orthodox
Church by Bishop Kallistos Ware in 1971. He was educated at Dulwich College and
Oxford University in England, and has a doctorate in psychological counseling.
He studied Theology at Oxford and the University in Thessalonica,
Greece. He has been an high school teacher and a university professor. He was
tonsured a monk at the Community of St John on the island of Patmos in 1978.
Fr. Meletios has served the Orthodox Church in Greece, Great Britain, Montana,
and California, and the Netherlands. In June 2008 Fr Meletios was named abbot
of St. John of San Francisco Monastery (Manton, California).
1. Monasticism
in the Contemporary Church
Q&A on Contemporary Monasticism
2. Being Present in the Presence: Heart & Mind in the Practice of
Prayer
Fr. Daniel Byantoro was the first Indonesian Orthodox Christian in the current era. He has converted over 2,000 to Christianity. Gordon Walker has said of him: "He is truly gifted by God to be an Apostle to Indonesia.
Fr. Daniel has just given three talks in our area. Are three are available here!
1. Furman University (8/1/09): Islam and Orthodox Christianity
2. Toccoa Falls College (8/2/09): How the Qur'an Pointed Me to Christ
3. St. Timothy Orthodox Church, Toccoa (8/2/09): From Islam to Orthodox Christianity
C.S. Lewis on Education & the Human Person
Lewis scholar, Deacon Andrew Cuneo's Phd in English is from Oxford University, England.
Dn. Andrew recently spoke at the Bird & Baby Philosophy Club, at 1008 W. Poinsett St., Greer, SC, drawing his insights from Lewis' book, The Abolition of Man. Many thanks to Dr. Cuneo for his permission to add his presentation to this webpage!
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Pictures from the 50th Wedding Anniversary Thanksgiving Service