Tradition: Part I

What is Holy Tradition?

Perhaps the most important thing to learn about the Orthodox Church is simply that the Church is orthodox. By that I mean the word “orthodox” itself was an adjective long before it was the name given to the Church. This word “orthodox” is generally defined as that which keeps to the original principles of any given system of thought. In the United States, for example, there are those who hold to an orthodox understanding of the US Constitution; an understanding based on how that document was originally intended and envisioned. In a similar way, the Orthodox Church, wherever it may be, makes the claim that it is indeed Christianity as it was once originally envisioned. I am sure many groups with vastly different doctrines and worship styles undoubtedly would make the same claim. The Orthodox claim to orthodoxy, however, runs deeper than the mere assertion of ideological uniformity with the past, to the very means of understanding embodied by what we call “tradition.”

“Tradition” itself is another confusing word trapped by our common associations. We understand traditions as being those quaint little things we have inherited from our distant past. We have traditional Thanksgiving meals and traditional graduation ceremonies. What’s important is that we are paying homage to the past by repeating those old and ancient things that our parents taught us to revere.

This is innocuous enough; in fact very pleasant and comforting. Yet, beyond those “pleasant” things we consciously do to honor our past ritually, we are also subconsciously imbibing a greater tradition. The language we speak has been formed through the processes of history. Every lesson we learn was somehow handed down from the vast bank of knowledge acquired in the past. Even the way in which we perceive objects and facts is shaped by our inherited culture; which is how we know a particular song or painting is indeed “beautiful.” Tradition is more than just the repetition of practices from the past for the past’s sake, but more so the inherited framework of thinking in which we have individually learned to know and interpret facts.

to be continued...

-Steve K.

Movie challenges Coptic restrictions on divorce

An upcoming Egyptian movie has caused a stir over it's portrayal of the struggles faced by divorced women to remarry in the Coptic Church, reports the LA Times.

"Christian lawyer Nabil Gobriel has filed a legal complaint and called on the Egyptian prime minister to ban the movie. “Freedom is not absolute, it must have limits, it should not infringe on religious fundamentals,” Gobriel told The Times in a phone interview. "

Obviously, I would argue that the lawyer is out of line for calling for the banning of the movie. I don't think laws regarding divorce are this strict in the Indian church. Is there not a "canonical standard" on this among the Oriental Churches?

Newly born lion cub named after the Patriarch Kirill

Interfax-religion.com reports that a Lion cub born in the Safari zoo circus in Pyatigorsk will be named "Kirill," after the newly enthroned Russian Patriarch.

“We hurried to name a cub after him – Kirill (or Kira if it turns out to be a girl,)” head of the Moscow travelling circus, which is now on tour in the Caucasus, Gamlet Kasyan was quoted as saying by the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily."

Anyone in favor of starting a petition to get a lion cub in Kerala named "Didymos?"

More bugs from Bill Gates

In this strange story, Microsoft founder turned disease-battling philanthropist Bill Gates released a swarm of mosquitoes at a technical conference to spread awareness of malaria.

All Mac lovers will appreciate the irony of Bill Gates releasing more bugs into this world! We speculate that when you have billions of dollars, one afford to do crazy stunts like this without fear of going bankrupt in penalties and lawsuits!

Regardless, kudos to Bill and Melinda Gates for charitable works, especially those suffering from illness directly linked to poverty.

Victory for suspended Christian nurse

TimesOnline reports on a Christian nurse who was suspended for offering to pray for the health of a patient.

"The nurse who was suspended without pay for offering to pray for a patient's recovery has been reinstated and will return to work in the next few days. "

If this nurse had been using her faith in an intrusive manner, this would have been a different issue. But suspending her for merely offering to pray?? Unbelievable.

Stimulus Money to Go to Pretty Much Everything But Religion

Why stop when you're on a roll?

According to the bill, which the Democratic-controlled House passed despite unanimous Republican opposition, funds are prohibited from being used for the "modernization, renovation, or repair" of facilities that allow "sectarian instruction, religious worship or a school or department of divinity."

Critics say that could include public schools that permit religious groups to meet on campus. The House provided $20 billion for the infrastructure improvements, of which $6 billion would go to higher education facilities where the limitations would be applied.

"What the government is doing is discriminating against religious viewpoints," said Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a Washington-based nonprofit organization that works to advance religious freedom.

full article, Fox

First of all why is school renovation and rebuilding part of an "economic" stimulus package? Is that going to stimulate the economy today, tomorrow, or next week. It's kind of a reach, isn't it?

Secondly, my problem isn't with a government bill not promoting a particular religion. My problem is that these things do and have left the door open to such situations as denying funding to schools which support religious groups meeting on campus. Haven't we already stretched the wording of the First Amendment far enough in creating a "wall" between Church and State.

Actual Wording of 1st Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

No state religion, no prohibition on the free exercise of it. Simple enough?

How about facilities which give equal access to all religious groups? Does an atheist or secular humanist group count as religious?

-Steve K.

White House to Form Faith Advisory Board

Wasn't the NCC useless enough already??

The advisory council is scheduled to be introduced Thursday with the formal announcement of the new White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, according to a religious leader familiar with the details. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the details have not been announced.
...

The religious leader with knowledge of the advisory group said representation from the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is also anticipated.

"Certainly, they'll be encouraged to voice their individual voices," the leader said.

full article, Newsvines/AP

Now I'm not sure exactly what an advisory board does, but I can say that this seems likely to be HEAVILY politicized. Is the LGBT community entitled to a token slot in such a committee? I'm sure there are people who can reconcile both being gay and being Christian, but by the same kind of logic, if there are as many gays as there are Orthodox (or vice versa), would the Orthodox be entitled to a slot on this religious all-star team?

Is social service something that can be done by religious ministries without reference to religious dogma? If not, than how can a committee apportion funds to anti-homosexual faiths (err...most of them) as well as to LGBT-friendly groups?

Here's an interesting article I read a few years back about the state of affairs in Canada that came to mind.