Tag archive for ‘worship’
On morality, hell, salvation and eschatology
When does morality fall into the realm of heresy? What makes the eastern Orthodox understanding of Sin and Hell “different”?
What’s your church like?
Our parish was founded about eleven years ago by a priest and a three families from California. We had inquirers’ meetings in homes for a few months, then set up a chapel and began having daily services.
Is this a Christian creed?
We believe in the Eternal, Sacred, and Mystical God, the Creator of all, who is powerful and all-knowing, who listens, loves, and forgives, and remains willing to be merciful and giving…
Cult of personality
Today at dailydevotions.org:
We could take a cue from Orthodoxy, whose priests stand with their backs to their congregation, leading a liturgy that is neither clever nor impassioned, but simply beautiful, like stone smoothed by centuries of rhythmic tides. It’s an austere ritual, in the sense of — there’s nothing new here; it’s sublime, [...]
The Polyeleos (Psalm 135) in Arabic
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia!
O give thanks unto the God of gods; for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia!
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords; for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia!
To Him Who alone hath wrought great wonders; for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia!…
The Enlightenment and Evangelicals
One of the common complaints against traditional evangelicalism is that it has been held captive by a distinctly Western approach to rationality. The central target of this complaint is the “Enlightenment,” with its emphasis on reason to the detriment of revelation.
Why does God sing?
The Lord your God is in your midst,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
— Zephaniah 3:17
Development of Christian Liturgy
When the Lord Jesus Christ, having gathered his disciples round him to supper on the night before he suffered death, solemnly broke bread before them and blessed a cup of wine and gave them to his disciples, he enjoined them to continue this thenceforward as a continual memorial of his death and passion undergone for the redemption of the world. This command was obeyed from the time that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church shortly after our Lord’s ascension into heaven. We are told, of those who were converted by the preaching of St. Peter on the day of Pentecost, that ‘they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers’.
Justin Martyr describes Christian worship (c.150 AD)
I will relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them…
Kissing: An Act of Religious Devotion
There are no religious laws that require us to kiss a ritual or holy object. There is only the force of custom as it develops through the ages. In varying degrees kissing has become an optional commonplace among the Jews as an expression of religious devotion…
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