Seeking the Kingdom: Comparing Two Translations of a Kontakion

Fr Benedict Crawford (Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, McComb, MS) has an interesting post comparing “two translations of a kontakion for Sts. Constantine and Helen (May 21).” Rightly Father points out how in the original Greek, the hymn uses “strikingly military language” that seems to be lost in at least some translations of the text. You can compare the two translations and read the whole of his post here). To his observations–which are excellent–let me add to his observation about the absence of martial language in some translations.

There is a significant difference between the translations regarding the battle that is joined with the Cross. In the first case, the battle is an actual military contest; under the sign of the Cross Constantine is victorious in war. This is lost in the second translation since the battle is internalized and universalized; under the sign of the Cross we are victorious in our ascetical struggle. This second translation–interpretation really–radically shifts the reference at the expense of the historical meaning of the feast.

There is, to my mind, a disturbing tendency among contemporary Orthodox Christians to embrace uncritically secular pacifism and to downplay, if not actively reject, the vocation of the Christian warrior. Yes, pacifism is a legitimate Christian vocation but it is no more–or less–legitimate than the call to serve Christ in military service. Both vocations have produced saints, both can be blessed as “peacemakers” even as both have produced their share of selfish thugs and cowards. “All in all, a disappointment that the OCA text departs so far from the sense of the original kontakion.”

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

h/t Byzantine, Texas

 

 

 

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What is Marriage?

Source:  Online Library of Law and Liberty.

Play

The Supreme Court will soon pronounce upon the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8,

which amended that state’s constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage, and the federal Defense of Marriage Act that was enacted into law in 1996 under then President Bill Clinton. This conversation with Ryan Anderson, co-author with Sherif Girgis and Robert George of the recently publishedWhat is Marriage?, engages the philosophical argument that there is a natural form to marriage which has been instantiated by the western legal tradition in various ways. This lively conversation debates the most basic questions on this subject in a serious and respectful manner. Don’t miss it.

 

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Property Rights in Orthodox Social Teaching

The Catholic apologist Phil Lawler asks “So why does the Pope sound like a socialist?” But immediately after asking, he rephrases the question: ‘Or rather, how have socialists managed to make themselves sound like Christians?” How indeed? “The political Left has been willing to take what it likes from the Bible, while the Right has been unwilling to do so.”  He goes on to say, that socialists

…make their arguments in moral terms, because if the argument is stated purely in practical terms, the socialists will lose. By the same logic, capitalists prefer to state their arguments in practical economic terms. Unfortunately, in doing so, they cede the moral high ground to their opponents. With rare exceptions—one thinks immediately of Michael Novak and of the Acton Institute–defenders of capitalism have not taken the trouble to state their case primarily in moral terms. And that’s unfortunate, because a powerful argument can be made that capitalism, tempered by a Christian moral framework, is the best available solution to the problem of poverty. Continue reading

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Building Bridges Between Orthodox and Catholic Christians

An interview with Archimandrite Robert Taft, SJ, prominent Byzantine liturgical theologian and lifelong healer of Christian relations between East and West

A welcome interview from the always direct and charitable Fr Robert Taft (Building Bridges Between Orthodox and Catholic Christians)!

Yes there is a stubborn streak of anti-Catholicism among Orthodox Christians that needs to be called out and repudiated by all Orthodox Christians of good will. I certainly have encountered this bias in parishes I’ve served and it is a bias that, sadly, is not limited to any demographic within the Church.

One criticism if I may of the interview.

Christopher refers to “the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church.” As I understand Catholic ecclesiology, the One Catholic Church is a communion of Churches that embraces both the Latin rite and the various Churches who follow the Eastern rite. Likewise, the Orthodox Church though a communion of autocephalous local Churches is nevertheless One Church.

Referring to the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches I think obscures the fact that, whatever our other differences, both Churches are simultaneously One Church and a communion of Churches. Too frequently Orthodox Christians trumpet the local Churches at the expense of the One Church even as Catholic Christians emphasize the One Church at the expense of the existence of autonomous, self-governing particular churches in full communion with the Pope that make up the various Eastern Catholic Churches.

So heres the interview.

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

The April 22nd kidnapping of Syrian archbishops Mar Gregorios Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, and the killing of their driver, has reminded us once again of the vulnerability of ancient Christian peoples living in the Middle East. More than 1,000 Christians have been killed to date in the Syrian conflict and more than 80 churches have been destroyed. The majority of Christians in Syria are Greek or Syriac Orthodox or Melkite Greek Catholic. This recent violence in Syria can remind us to pray for suffering Christians in the Middle East and afford us the opportunity to practice solidarity with our Greek Catholic and Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters.

Catholic World Report had the recent privilege of asking Archimandrite Robert Taft, SJ for his perspective on current Orthodox-Catholic relations. Father Taft has been the leading scholar in Byzantine liturgical studies for decades. Taft has devoted his life to preserving the liturgical treasury of the East and building bridges between Orthodox and Catholic Christians. As a young Jesuit, Taft first became interested in the liturgical traditions of the Christian East while teaching at the Baghdad Jesuit College in Iraq (1956-1959).

In 1963, Taft was ordained a Catholic priest of the Byzantine Slavonic (Russian) Rite. He is Professor-emeritus of Oriental Liturgy at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, where he received his doctorate in 1970 and remained to teach for 38 years. The Oriental Institute is the most prestigious institute in the world for Eastern Christian studies.

A prolific writer, his bibliography comprises more than 800 articles and 26 books, including A History of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (vols. II-VI), Orientalia Christiana Analecta, Rome, 1978-2013. Several of his writings have been translated into other languages.

Taft is the personal friend of many prominent Orthodox scholars, living and deceased, like Father Alexander Schmemann and Father John Meyendorff. He has many friends in and ties to the Russian Orthodox community, where he is admired and respected. For example, he directed the doctoral studies for both of St. Vladimir Seminary’s liturgical professors: Paul Meyendorff and Father Alexander Rentel.

CWR: Father Robert, thank you very much for your willingness to share with us some of your recent thoughts on Eastern Christian ecumenism.

Many people who are sensitive to Orthodox-Catholic dialogue noticed that when Pope Francis appeared on the balcony a month ago, he was not only very humble, but spoke of the Church of Rome as the Church “which presides in love” and referred to himself as the bishop of Rome concerned for the Christians of Rome. These past few weeks he has definitely set the tone for his pontificate.

This quotation from the second-century letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Roman Church, “which presides in love,” could not have been coincidence considering Pope Francis’ noteworthy sensitivities to Eastern Christian ecclesiology. Plus, the historically unprecedented response to Francis’ election in the form of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s attendance at the papal installation Mass seems to mark Pope Francis as another welcomed bridge-builder between East and West. As an aside, I think it is beautiful that pontifex means “bridge-builder” in Latin. Perhaps Pope Francis will bring a new understanding of that title through his ecumenical dialogue and his local focus on the duties of the bishop of Rome? Could you comment on how you think Pope Francis’ humble “style” will be viewed by Orthodox Christians? Continue reading

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The Paschal Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon

Source: OCA

To the Venerable Pastors, God-loving Monastics and Devout Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America

“We celebrate the death of death and the overthrow of hell, the beginning of another life which is eternal; and in exultation, we sing the praises of its source.  He alone is blessed and most glorious, the God of our Fathers.”

(Paschal Canon, Ode 7)

Dearly Beloved in the Lord:

The central mystery of the Christian Faith is the glorious Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, through which mankind is offered the gift of another life, which is eternal. This miracle of divine and everlasting life was wrought for us in a most remarkable way, for our Lord accomplished it by voluntarily suffering His Passion, being nailed to the Cross and descending into the tomb and into hell.

Pascha

To the world, suffering is understood as something to be avoided at all costs.  The Cross is perceived as foolishness, while the reality of death is ignored as often as possible. But Christ takes the very things the world fears and uses them, not only to reveal His glory and His power, but to share that power and glory with us. He voluntarily endures suffering to free us from our suffering.  He ascends the Cross to bring joy to a world that is so often shrouded in war, destruction and hatred.  And He willingly endures death so that He might trample it down and reveal that, in the risen Lord, it has no power over us.

Throughout our beautiful Paschal services, we sing of the great paradox of eternal life, revealed and accomplished through death: of mortality, clothed in the robe of immortality; of the Sun of Righteousness shining forth from the tomb; of death being trampled down by death. Christ, Who is Life itself, dies for us, so that we who are dead might live. We no longer fear those things that the world fears, for they no longer have power over us. As Saint John Chrysostom reminds us in his magnificent Paschal homily, “Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He who was prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into hell, He made hell captive.”

Let us, therefore, rejoice in the Risen Lord and be strengthened to face our own struggles with courage and hope, knowing that the Lord is ever with us. As we celebrate the bright and joyous day of His Resurrection, let us exclaim with the Apostle Paul, “O death, where is thy sting? O hell, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).  And let us all partake of the Banquet of Immortality, the Feast of Faith, with joy and thanksgiving.

With love in the Risen Lord,

SIGNATURE
+TIKHON
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

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An appeal to President Obama…

… and his government for the release of two Orthodox Christian Archbishops, namely Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim who were abducted by armed rebels on April 23, 2013 in the suburbs of Aleppo, Syria.  The driver of the Archbishops was murdered and the Archbishops were forced by the rebels to go to an unknown location either in Syria or in Turkey.

We appeal to you beloved in Christ and peace loving people to sign this petition urgently asking the American administration to use all its influence for the release of these two Archbishops and to bring a peaceful settlement to this bloodletting Syrian conflict through a negotiated settlement.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/appeal-president-obama-and-his-government-release-two-abducted-orthodox-christian-archbishops-syria/xNskxL1q

When I signed the petition a few minutes ago, it had only 1,600 of the 100,000 signatures needed to get the White House to act. So please sign the petition, post it on Facebook and Twitter and ask your friends to sign.

Attached as well is a letter from Patriarch JOHN X of Antioch regarding the situation in Syria and the Palm Sunday Procession.   His Beatitude requested all the parishes of the Patriarchate of Antioch to do the following: “Let our processions be this year with candles tied with black ribbons, chanting the hymn: ‘To Thee O Champion Leader….’ Instead of the Hymn ‘Rejoice O Bethany…’ asking the Virgin Mary to keep our Church as a fortified city.”  Please read the full attached letter.

Patriarchal Address for Palm Sunday Part 1 Patriarchal Address for Palm Sunday Part 2

You can find this same letter in many languages, including Arabic, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Antiochpatriarchate.org.

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

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Letter to Secretary of State John Kerry

Source (ACOB)
Saturday, April 27, 2013

Download the Letter in PDF format

The Honorable John Kerry
United States Secretary of State

Dear Secretary Kerry,

We, the Members of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, kindly bring to your attention the urgent and very serious plight of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox Archbishops of Aleppo, Paul Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim, who were abducted this past week by “a terrorist group” in the village of Kfar Dael as they were carrying out humanitarian work. Continue reading

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The Virtue of Chastity

Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, the Commemoration of St Mary of Egypt

Epistle: Hebrew 9:11-14
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45

April 21, 2013: St Ignatius Orthodox Church, Madison WI

Today we thank God for His mercy and love our out in the life of our sister

St Mary of Egypt (Orthodox icon)

St Mary of Egypt (Orthodox icon) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

St Mary of Egypt, a woman as extreme in her asceticism after her repentance as she was in her sin before her repentance.

In her Vita we discover that unlike others who lived the life she did before her repentance, Mary was not motivated by economic necessity. No what Mary did, she did not for monetary gain but because she took pleasure in wickedness. For Mary the degradation of others—even at cost to her own dignity—was the goal.

Understanding this helps us make sense of the Gospel appointed for the feast. Given Mary’s life we might have expected to hear the Gospel of the woman taken in sin (John 7:53-8:11), or maybe of the woman who washes Jesus feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50), or possibly even of parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). But instead of one of these, we hear about how the Apostles James and John try to exploit their intimacy with Jesus to gain an advantage in the life to come over the other Apostles. Continue reading

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More on Humility

Jesus Christ is the standard of what it means to be fully and wholly human. And it is to Christ that we should look to understand what it means to be humble. Unfortunately, we tend to look at our own ideals about Jesus rather than at Him.

But look what St John Chrysostom says about the Jesus in his Paschal Homily:

He has destroyed death by undergoing death.
He has despoiled hell by descending into hell.
He vexed it even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he cried:
Hell was filled with bitterness when it met Thee face to face below;
filled with bitterness, for it was brought to nothing;
filled with bitterness, for it was mocked;
filled with bitterness, for it was overthrown;
filled with bitterness, for it was put in chains.
Hell received a body, and encountered God.

It received earth, and confronted heaven.
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?

Look at the lines towards the end of the quote “Hell received a body and encountered God.//It received earth and confronted heaven.” Far from being weak or a door mat, Jesus is subtle, clever even. And He uses His ingenuity not simply to liberate us from the power of sin and death. No, He “destroyed death” and “despoiled hell.” Hell is made bitter, “brought to nothing; … mocked; … overthrown; … put in chains.” The humility of Jesus is anything but passive; divine humility is strong because it reflects God’s love for us.

Humility makes me strong because it frees me from myself and makes me eager to give myself away on love for the sake of your sake. And this it does not by stripping me of self-worth but by showing me my value in the eyes of God.

In Christ,

+Fr Gregory

 

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Degradation and Humility Are Not the Same

From Dom Mark Daniel Kirby, Conventual Prior of Silverstream Priory in Stamullen, County Meath, Ireland, has a good word about humility:

Sacrament of the Divine Humility
Mother Mectilde speaks often of the anéantissement, the ennothingment of the Son of God in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. The Eucharist is the sacrament of the divine humility. It is the descent to the altar of the Word made flesh, the crucified Word, the glorious Word, risen and ascended into heaven. There, upon the altar, the substance of a little piece of bread becomes the very substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, leaving only the appearance of bread to serve as veil concealing the awful Mystery.

Raised Up by Grace
There is no fall from grace, no fall into disgrace, no descent into the vile gutters of sin that cannot be reversed by the humility of the Son of God adored, received sacramentally, and appropriated to oneself. It is by the humility of His Son — in His passion and in the sacramental state of lowliness assumed for our sakes in the Most Holy Eucharist — that every soul fallen low into sin can raised up by grace, and restored to communion with the Father in the Holy Ghost.

Read the rest here.

During the fifth week of the Great Fast, the Orthodox Church commemorates the life of St Mary of Egypt during the reading of the Great Canon of St Andrew at Compline. According to her vita, Mary engaged in immoral behavior for neither sensual pleasure or love of money. Her motivation was in wickedness for its own sake, her delight in degradation for the sake of degradation. In this see is the antithesis of what we see in Jesus Christ Who in the words of St Paul, humbles Himself to the point of death on the Cross in order that He might raise us up to new life (see Philippians 2).

There is nothing good about degradation, there is nothing good about humiliation and yet God can in His mercy draw goodness from these for us.

Where we often go wrong is imagining that because God can bring a situation to a good end that the situation itself is good. Nothing could be further from the truth however. To make this mistake is to set your foot on the path to perversion, a word that means to subvert or overturn. In the current case what is subverted is our moral sense, our sense of what a wholesome human means concretely.  Yes, it is a good and noble thing to bear patiently with injustice. But the goodness is found in the patient endurance not the injustice.

Moral confusion here is especially damaging in our responsibility to care for others in the weakness. What is laudable (at least potentially) in my personal life is a grievous  even deadly, moral failure when it fosters in me passivity and timidity when I see others being mistreated.

in Christ,

+Fr Gregory

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