Friday, January 2, 2009

Barack Obama's inaugural invocation "controversy"

MSNBC reports on the controversy that is being fueled by media outlets with nothing better to report. Initially it started with President-elect Obama's choice of Rick Warren and the thoughts that it would offend the gay and lesbian communities. But, recent news focused on whehter Rick Warren will use the name of Christ in his prayer.

Warren did not answer directly when asked whether he would dedicate his prayer to Jesus. In a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press, Warren would say only that, "I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray."

What's sad is that MSNBC tries to emphasize that using the name of Christ is an "evangelical" thing.

"For a Christian, especially for an evangelical pastor, the Bible teaches us that we are to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. How can a minister pray any other way?" Franklin Graham said.

When the name of Christ is used to divide, then we are not holding true to His message and teachings. However, using the name of Christ in prayer is clearly imperative, not only for evangelicals but all Christian denominations including Orthodox!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Patriarch Paulos visits Church in India

"Ethiopian Patriarch Abuna Paulose inaugurated the valedictory function of the year-long centenary celebrations of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Movement at a function held at Paumala Seminary on Tuesday. Catholicos and Supreme head of Malankara Orthodox Church, Baselios Marthoma Didimos I, presided over the function."

It's good to see how the Indian church has been eager to interact more with sister churches as of late. Hopefully this trend will continue. I wouldn't mind seeing a Patriarch or bishops from sister churches present for the Bishop ordination that's coming up.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Atheists File Suit Against Inauguration

"We're hoping to stop prayer and religious rituals at governmental functions, especially at the inauguration," Barker told FOX News Radio.
"The inauguration is not a religious event. It is a secular event of a secular country that includes all Americans, including those of us who are not Christians, including those of us who are not believers," he continued.
...
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is the same group that fought to have atheist displays next to holiday displays, most notably in Washington state this year.
He said if Obama wants to hold a private religious ceremony, that would be more appropriate than having religious figures up on stage at his swearing in ceremony.
Peter Sprigg, vice president for policy at the Family Research Council, said it's Obama's decision whether to include a prayer, not the government's.


full article

Well they never seem to get tired of this.

Question: Was America founded as a non-theistic state? Or was it founded as a state where presumably religious people were allowed the freedom to practice religion without a "state Church?" There's clergy on the Declaration of Independence. The Continental Congress opened with a prayer. There's a difference between a secular state and Secularism.

An interesting thing i heard today

Hello everyone,
Today i was reeducating myself into orthodoxy and i came across this lecture/sermon. after listening to it, i was curious to see what you all opinions on it. Being all of you, being passioniate of Christendom, I thought you get a kick too out of this snippet. Please respond back and let share what we feel about this piece of lecture.

Click here to listen

Aint No Party Like a Fr. Greg Party..

You might remember Fr. Greg Malia...from the New York Party Circuit...

Driving from distant Wilkes Barre, Pa. - where bedtimes are early and life is slow - Malia would arrive in clubland and shell out thousands of dollars in tips, send bottles of Dom Perignon to fellow clubgoers and squire cocktail waitresses around town on shopping sprees.

When word got back to the hardscrabble precincts of northeastern Pennsylvania, the Right Rev. Paul Marshall, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, relieved Malia of his priestly duties at St. James Trinity Episcopal Church.

Of course, the Episcopal Church has no monopoly on Priestly indiscretions. That's why we have to accept...the Church is full of sinners...and even if it's full of sinners...that doesn't make the truth less true.

It used to be that you had to confess Islam to get suspended in the Episcopalian Church though.

-Steve K.

Coptic Pope bans phone confessions



"The head of the Coptic Church in Egypt, Pope Shenuda III, has banned confession conducted over the phone for fear that the phones might be monitored and that the confession might reach state security services, the Egyptian Daily News Egypt reported. "

I'm not sure how I feel about phone confessions in general, in view of confession being a sacrament and all.
One could argue that it be allowed in dire situations where the priest is unable to be physically present with the person undertaking confession. Any comments?

Monday, December 29, 2008

OCA

This from the Washington Times reports on members and friends of the Orthodox Church in America gathered Sunday at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington D.C. to enthrone 49-year-old Metropolitan Jonah as the head of the church in North America.

This is clearly a wondrous and joyful occasion, and all our support and prayers to the entire Orthodox Church of America!