The tranquility of an Orthodox Cathedral. Click here to enlarge.
I came across this fascinating podcast (Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Fr. Andrew Damick) while surfing the net. I’m not an ecumenicalist, leaving that for far lesser minds (like Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church) but I nonetheless find the divisions within Christianity both scandalous and disheartening. Despite such an admission, however, I am relieved that the significant differences between the Orthodox and Episcopal Churches would preclude any eventual compromised confessional unification. Yes, I believe Christianity should be represented by one unified Church, but what we don’t need is to transform the remainder of American Christianity into a division of the Democratic Party, like what has happened to the Episcopalians.
The recrudescence of Protestantism from faith to pentecostalism, evangelicalism, progessivism, and self-help psycho-therapy has been one of the greatest tragedies of American religious life over the past fifty years. And representative of the latter two trends is Schori, who frequently engages in liberal multi-culti speak, homosexual advocacy, and advancing the shibboleth of diversity, even going so far as claiming that the church isn’t a universal creed but rather the manifestation of an individual’s personal feelings:
“We call on all Episcopalians to seek their own conversion toward an ability to see the image of God in the face of every neighbor, of whatever race, gender, sexual orientation, theological position, or creed. God has created us in myriad diversity, and no one sort or condition of human being can fully reflect the divine. Only the whole human race begins to be an adequate mirror of the divine.”*
Conversely, the Orthodox Church maintains universality and the immutability of a faith and doctrine that assimilates the individual within the community of believers. So while Orthodoxy is rooted in Christian tradition and the gospels, 21st century Episcopalianism is rooted in The DaVinci Code.
In the following tabs, I’ve included a link to the Wikipedia entry on Orthodoxy, a link to Ancient Faith Radio, the entire 8-part Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy podcast, and a scrumptious gallery of Orthodox tastiness. Enjoy!
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Update!CNN reports that Los Angeles Episcopalians nominated an openly lesbian priest to become their new bishop: (CNN) The archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Communion, issued a statement Saturday saying that Glasspool’s election “raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole,” according to the Episcopal Church’s Web site. Glasspool’s election is the first choice of an openly gay bishop since the church ended an agreement designed to keep the worldwide Anglican Communion from tearing itself apart. In the wake of the Robinson controversy, Episcopalians called a temporary halt to appointing any more openly gay bishops, to give the church time to hammer out a compromise. They voted this summer not to renew the ban. *** I’ve included the complete article along with additional commentary in the “Update” tab below. |
THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
The Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church, and commonly referred to in English-speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world’s second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members. It is considered by its adherents to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles almost 2,000 years ago. The Church is composed of several self-governing ecclesial bodies, each geographically and nationally distinct but theologically unified. Each self-governing (or autocephalous) body, often but not always encompassing a nation, is shepherded by a synod of bishops whose duty, among other things, is to preserve and teach the Apostolic and patristic traditions and related Church practices. As in the Roman Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodoxy and some other churches, Orthodox bishops trace their lineage back to the Apostles through the process of Apostolic Succession.
The Orthodox Church traces its development back through the Byzantine and Roman empires, to the earliest church established by St. Paul and the Apostles. It practices the original ancient traditions, believing in growth without change. In non-doctrinal matters the church had occasionally shared from local Greek, Slavic and Middle Eastern traditions, among others, in turn shaping the cultural development of these nations.
Orthodox Christians believe that the ultimate goal of every Christian is to become like God, to love perfectly, to become “Little Christs” within Jesus Christ. This process is called theosis or deification.
The Biblical text used by the Orthodox includes the Greek Septuagint and the New Testament. It includes the seven Deuterocanonical Books, which are generally rejected by Protestants, and a very few other books that are in neither Western canon. Orthodox Christians use the term “Anagignoskomena” (a Greek word that means “readable”, “worthy of reading”) for the ten books that they accept but that are not in the Protestant 39-book Old Testament canon. They treat them on the same level as the others, and use them in the liturgy. Orthodox Christians believe scripture was revealed by the Holy Spirit to its inspired human authors. Orthodox Christians also use icons as focal points when venerating the saints in their daily worship, while rejecting three-dimensional statuary. The icon is not venerated in itself, and the Orthodox Church maintains that this is not idolatry, but is a device to identify with the consciousness of the God-created person represented therein.
click here to read the entire entry!
Click on banner to visit Ancient Faith Radio.
ABOUT ANCIENT FAITH RADIO
Our Mission:
Ancient Faith Radio seeks to deepen and enrich the faith of Orthodox Christians around the world with streaming audio programming and on-demand podcasts. We feature liturgical music from a variety of Orthodox traditions, as well as prayers, readings, lectures, and interviews.
Ancient Faith Radio is a division of Conciliar Media Ministries, which operates under the auspices of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. However, it is a pan-Orthodox ministry and thus serves and supports all jurisdictions.
Our History:
Few would guess that Ancient Faith Radio began as a humble experiment on the back porch of the Chicago home of founders John and Tonya Maddex. With John relying on his 38 years of experience in radio broadcasting the traditional way, they were not entirely sure where this project would lead them when they first streamed Orthodox music on the internet over Thanksgiving weekend in 2004. In fact, John was so new to online radio that he initially tried to listen to the music on the same computer he was streaming it from, which resulted in a cacophony of noisy reverb. He quickly acquired a second computer for listening and learned the ins and outs of internet radio. He kept the URL of these early broadcasts private, only sharing it with a few who might provide him with feedback. Eventually, however, Ancient Faith Radio was made public, and, as Tonya describes it, after taking over her dining room, the growth of the station eventually necessitated that they find a larger space in Northwestern Indiana.
John and Tonya said that it did not take long for them to realize that the radio station they were creating in their home needed to come under the guidance and accountability of Orthodox leadership, rather than being an independent venture, conducted in isolation. Thus, they met with the parish council of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago, headed by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon, to introduce them to their idea and invite collaboration. With the help of volunteers from the parish, AFR was now able to broadcast devotional readings, Psalms, lives of the Saints, and other short features to go along with the music. The ministry has since merged with the well-loved publishing organization Conciliar Press, and together they became Conciliar Media Ministries, which, by the way, is a Department of the Antiochian Archdiocese but very pan-Orthodox in its books and programming.
John Maddex’s background in radio included a long career with the Moody Broadcasting Network in Chicago. After his departure from Moody in April 2007, he was able to truly devote himself to developing Ancient Faith Radio full-time. It was then that AFR expanded its programs, particularly the podcasts, adding eighteen programs that first year and now well over 40 podcasts with some of the best-known names in Orthodoxy. With so much quality material being developed, it made sense to designate one station solely for talk programs and another for Orthodox hymnography, particularly since a listener survey showed that many, tuning in during the workday, for example, might not be able to pay close attention to the podcasts at these times, but loved having Orthodox hymnography as the backdrop to their workday.
A surprisingly wide variety of listeners have grown attached to Ancient Faith Radio, both within the Orthodox Church and without. Some listeners are members of the Orthodox Church who live in isolated areas where there are no nearby parishes. These claim that Ancient Faith Radio—with its hymns, hours, scripture readings, and readings of the Saints’ lives—functions as a strong connection to the Orthodox Church in an otherwise disconnected situation. Cradle Orthodox, converts to Orthodoxy, and inquirers alike listen to expand their knowledge of the Orthodox faith through the many podcasts—both archived and current—by Orthodox priests and teachers. Parents, who spend the day at home with children, as well as men and women in the workplace, have commented on how Ancient Faith Radio transforms the time they spend engaged in the details of daily life into an opportunity for prayer, infused with peace.
This beautiful potential of Ancient Faith Radio to bring comfort and guidance to so many people in so many ways makes it truly a ministry of the entire Church worldwide.
This text is excerpted from an article written by Julia Wickes that appeared in the March 2008 issue of The Word magazine. You can read the full text online at Antiochian.org.
The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Georgia. Click here to enlarge.
ORTHODOXY AND HETERODOXY
Orthodox Christianity vs. Non-Orthodox Doctrine
Start date: October 2009 315 minutes, 18 seconds in 8 episodes
Discover how Orthodox Christianity and non-Orthodox doctrine differ and why it matters to your spiritual journey.
link to podcast here
Understanding the Terms
October 6, 2009
In this premier episode, Fr. Andrew provides helpful definitions of such terms as “orthodoxy,” “heterodoxy,” “heresy,” “heretic,” “schismatic,” and—most importantly—”truth.”
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The Essentials of Christian Doctrine
October 13, 2009
Fr. Andrew continues with his first lesson in the series laying out the basic Christian truth about God.
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Orthodox and Roman Catholic Differences – Part 1
October 13, 2009
What is the Orthodox view of papal supremacy, papal infallibility, and the filioque addition to the Creed? Find out about this and more as Fr. Andrew continues his series. This is part 1 of the Roman Catholic topic with part 2 coming next week.
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Orthodox and Roman Catholic Differences – Part 2
October 27, 2009
In part 2 of his discussion of Orthodox and Roman Catholic differences, Fr. Andrew addresses purgatory, indulgences, and more.
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The Classical Reformation – Part 1: Sola Scriptura
November 3, 2009
In the next section of the series, Fr. Andrew begins exploring the “Classical” or “Magisterial” Reformation which adopted the five “Solas.” Today he looks at Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone).
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The Classical Reformation – Part 2: The Remaining Solas
November 10, 2009
Fr. Andrew examines the 4 remaining “Solas” of the protestant reformation and contrasts them with Orthodox Christianity.
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The Classical Reformation – Part 3: Specific Denominations
November 17, 2009
A look at Lutherans, Calvinists, Reformed, Zwinglians, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Wesleyans compared to Orthodoxy.
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The Radical Reformation – Part 1
November 24, 2009
Fr. Andrew turns his attention to some of the more radical expressions of the reformation that sprung up shortly thereafter including the concepts of “believer’s baptism” over against infant baptism, anti-sacramentalism, and the “invisible Church.”
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The Radical Reformation – Part 2
December 1, 2009
In this episode, Fr. Andrew talks about the subsequent denominations that formed after the radical reformation including Mennonites, Amish, Baptists, Brethren, and the Churches of Christ.
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06 December 2009
The religious wing of the Democratic Party, colloquially known as the Episcopalians, marches on to the beat of their own drummer and right over the cliff. What makes Christianity so distinctive, and also so challenging, is that at conversion we are expected to change into a “new man in Christ.” The things that we once enjoyed, if they are “immoral”, are consequently the things we can no longer “enjoy”. The Christian is forgiven of every major sin and every minor vice and is exhorted to avoid temptation and to renounce in his daily life the actions that could return the believer to his previous state. But we are human, something the Left conveniently ignores except in their own religion, and fail nonetheless. But even if we often fail to achieve the high standards of conduct that Christianity requires of us, that in itself is no reason to eliminate those standards. Unlike Islam, which proclaims that murder, rape, war, theft, slavery, etc., is permitted and even encouraged if directed at the non-Muslim; or in Buddhism which teaches that there is no bad act if it assists the Buddhist in attaining enlightenment, Christianity teaches that both love and the law (like reason and faith) are necessary complements for the successful Christian life.
Schori again demonstrates that neither are applicable to her interpretation of Christianity and are, in fact, to be subverted to her more ascendant ideology of progressivism, an ideology in her incapable hands that is proving to be the detriment of both the Episcopal Church’s communion with the international Anglican body and Christian tradition, teaching, and practice.
LOS ANGELES EPISCOPALIANS ELECT LESBIAN BISHOP
06 December 2009
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — Los Angeles Episcopalians elected an openly lesbian bishop late Saturday, the denomination’s news service reported.
The Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool, 55, will become the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church since Gene Robinson took office in New Hampshire in 2004, if she is formally approved.
Conservative factions in the Anglican Communion — a 77-million member denomination worldwide, with the Episcopal Church as its U.S. branch — have opposed the ordination of gay bishops.
The archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Communion, issued a statement Saturday saying that Glasspool’s election “raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole,” according to the Episcopal Church’s Web site.
Glasspool’s election is the first choice of an openly gay bishop since the church ended an agreement designed to keep the worldwide Anglican Communion from tearing itself apart. In the wake of the Robinson controversy, Episcopalians called a temporary halt to appointing any more openly gay bishops, to give the church time to hammer out a compromise. They voted this summer not to renew the ban.
Glasspool, now based in Baltimore at the Diocese of Maryland, is the first openly gay candidate elected bishop since then. The Diocese of Minnesota considered an openly gay candidate for bishop in October, but chose another priest when votes were cast.
Some Episcopal leaders reacted angrily to Glasspool’s election.
The Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon, canon theologian from the Diocese of South Carolina, said the election “represents an intransigent embrace of a pattern of life Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching,” according to the Episcopal Church site.
Glasspool will assist Bishop Diocesan J. Jon Bruno in ministry to the Los Angeles region’s 70,000 parishioners, according to that diocese’s Web site.
She will become one of two bishops suffragan — the second-highest position in the clergy of the diocese — if she is formally approved. The choice requires consent from a majority of the church’s other 108 dioceses.
“If by chance people are going to withhold consents because of Mary’s sexuality, it would be a violation of the canons of this church,” Bruno said, according to the Episcopal Church site.
Glasspool also becomes the second woman bishop in the 114-year history of the diocese — elected only hours after the first, the Rev. Diane Jardine Bruce, 53. She is the 17th woman elected as an Episcopal bishop nationwide, according to the diocese Web site.
“She’s not afraid of conflict and she is a reconciler,” Bruno said, according to the Web site. Glasspool and her partner of 19 years are an example of loving service and ministry, he added.
Her partner, Becki Sander, recently earned a doctorate in social work.
Glasspool, who has been ordained a priest for 27 years, is the daughter of an Episcopal priest, the diocese said.
She and Bruce were among six candidates nominated by a 24-member diocesan committee, according to the diocese.
Bruce is now rector at St. Clement’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Southern California.
Describing herself when she was nominated, she wrote: “At St. Clement’s by-the-Sea, I pastor in a mixed Latino/Anglo neighborhood. Next to million-dollar homes near the beach are buildings with two or three families sharing one small apartment. We offer three services every Sunday: two in English and one in Spanish. I minister to a group ranging from the very wealthy to the very poor. I am most proud of having helped start the Peaceful Warrior Tae Kwon Do Academy for at-risk youth in the neighborhood.”
link to article here
Thanks for the plug!
By the way, for what it’s worth, the lecture series was actually only in seven parts, though AFR is dividing it up into at least fifteen episodes. So, your links above are not to the entire podcast — there’s more to come!