Nice!

Rocking Russian grannies to build church with prize winnings

It's a truly wonderful use for the prize money, but I'm still trying to picture six grandmothers in 'red smocks, headscarves and woolly boots' singing disco. A mental image I never thought I'd be trying to picture...

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Probably not

Can ultra-orthodox Jews live with the web?

The Ultra-Orthodox can't live with many, many things that have come about since the industrial revolution, at least part of the time. I don't think that the internet will be that easy for them to open up to...

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Even though

these things can't be explained, I can believe in them.

St. George's Orthodox Church myrrh-seeping icons attract hundreds of believers

The very core of the idea of 'miracle' is the inexplicable nature. Along with it is not just the 'how', but also the 'why'. God doesn't work the way we do. Alas, there have been too many fakers over the years to take things on faith automatically without using a bit of reason.

Still, people are looking for something to pin their hopes on, and faith, also by its nature, very often overrides reason...

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It's a new era in Israel

But some people want to keep it in another era, the era of the Temple...

When women and girls are the enemy

"
Gender is the new battleground as ultra-orthodox Jews try to impose their conservative values in Israel, writes Ruth Pollard in Jerusalem."

Fanatics are fanatics are fanatics, and they all end up using the same tactics. Life may be sacred for these people, but property certainly isn't...

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Close

but not quite.

Ice-cold water washes in Russia’s Epiphany

Jesus wasn't "baptized into the Christian faith in the river Jordan." He was baptized in the river Jordan, true, but there wasn't a Christian faith at the time.

Still, I have to hand it to those courageous Orthodox Christians. It's not likely that I'd be tempted into an icy plunge like that...

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When you read this story,

and you have to follow a lot of links to get the whole story, it raises a huge number of questions regarding this group and these individuals...

Notorious former monastery ordered sold

Such a horrible story, but such a common one, it seems. If you browse the website a bit you'll see that what people have been trying to say is a Roman Catholic issue crosses all religious boundaries, and, I might guess, many non-religious areas as well...

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R.I.P. - Fr. Daniil Sysoyev

Masked Gunman Kills Moscow Priest in Russian Orthodox Church

Go swiftly to God, Fr. Sysoyev, and rest forever in his peace...

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The Russian Orthodox Church...


The Russian Orthodox Enigma

The article referenced in this short article can be found here:

Soul of Russia

They won't be knocking


on Russian doors, I guess...

Russia blocks Jehovah's Witnesses

"Russian president Medvedev is involving chuches on behalf of young people. The Kremlin wants to reinforce relations with the Orthodox, and make the Patriarch of Moscow a point of reference for all religions."

I guess it's pretty obvious what the State religion is, even if it wasn't completely clear before...

Another

State religion...


Orthodox Church Looms Large in Georgia

A new leader

New Russian Patriarch Kirill Elected in Moscow Synod

May he be blessed with wisdom, compassion and kindness...

An iconic article...

Religious icons make the divine present for believers

Good article...

The most important moment...


With Patriarch's death, Russian Orthodox and the ecumenical cause are at a crossroads

Very much at a crossroads - and all at the whim of whomever is chosen as the new Patriarch. Isolationism and a continued nationalism or an attempt at ecumenical co-existence?

All of these people

are an embarrassment to Christianity - Orthodox, Roman or otherwise.

Warring monks threaten destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

I hate to say it (given as I am to favouring beautiful churches and historical buildings and places) but it might be simpler just to let the church collapse and let these warring factions pay the price for their un-Christian behaviour.

One of those

'do as I say, not as I do' type of politicians...

Orthodox Christianity under threat

It's amazing how things are unfair to people until they're in power...

Hmmm...


N.Y. Church Claims 2 Religious Icons Tear

A Greek Orthodox church...

A search led me to this blog

supposedly by a Catholic priest (I say supposedly, because I really don't know if he is or not, and he doesn't sound like many priests I know), commenting rather spiritedly (and negatively) about Br. Robert Lentz, ofm, a contemporary icon writer.

Blasphemous Icons

Fortunately, we have self-styled orthodox Big Brothers, more Catholic than the Pope, on the 'net to keep us informed about who and what is correct in their 20/20 orthodox vision. None of this wishy-washy New Testament 'Love your neighbour' stuff. It's all about the Old Testament Hairy Thunderer! God will smite them and make them pay! God bless the self-appointed protectors of the sheep (and their little flocks)!

When Franciscans Go Bad

Oh Lord, Save Us From California

On the first link above, 'When Franciscans Go Bad' 'Father' Richsteig comments "This appears to be one of those problems that could best be solved by a telephone pole, a cord of wood, a rope, and a match." This really appears to be some of that good old orthodox 'kill your neighbour' attitude that brought the world much killing and atrocities in the name of God. Is this the Catholicism that he wants to bring back? How lovely. (You have to read the comments, they really give you and idea of how some people think. What is it about anti-homosexual people that makes them sound just like Fred Phelps?)

These are bitter, angry people, who seem to have no love in their hearts, but a desire to destroy or see destroyed anyone who doesn't think the way they do. They would welcome a new Inquisition or a crusade. They're the ones with the direct hotline to the Heavenly Father.

We should all pray for these poor souls, whose lives seem spent in bitterness and anger toward so much of our Lord's creation...

Church politics



Moscow patriarchate rips Constantinople over Estonian hierarchy

The Russian Orthodox Church really did learn some things during the Communist regime in Russia...

Them darn Unionists

are everywhere!

Romanian Orthodox priests want to unionize

I think most leaders, Orthodox or Roman, would say that Canon Law prevents Unions for priests. But if you're paid by the State...

UFOs are demonic?

An Orthodox Christian Understanding of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs): The Spirit of Science Fiction

They are to this Orthodox priest...