I was raised Catholic, left at age 15 and never thought I’d ever go back to anything “Catholic”. I spent 20 years in and out of different Protestant churches. After some significant humbling, I found (or God led me) to research Orthodoxy. I find it fascinating, beautiful and correct. All the priests I’ve listened to are humble and wise. I’m just getting started learning about saints and church fathers. It’s really growing on me.
Protestants coming to Orthodoxy carry a love and devotion, a humbleness before God, a divine wisdom, fruits of Grace; that humbles me, inspires me and serves as a check on me to love the Lord, with all my heart and all my strength through Grace. They inspire me, a Greek, to stand worthy of The Calling. God rest you in peace father Gilgrist.
Hello, I’m from the Purdue area, my dad went to your church a few times many years ago, he is not Orthodox. I’m overjoyed to hear that about All Saints, I grew up in Bloomington and despite all the beautiful art shows and things like that, it is a dark and dead place. Glory to God. What is the growth like? Here at St. Alexis we are getting dozens of catechumens and families, many students research orthodoxy in High School and come to college ready to become catechumens. I have heard many students say they picked Purdue BECAUSE of our church, glory to God!
@@hannahbaker3080 I'll piggyback on this comment, as I have been attending All Saints for over a year now. Just in that timeframe, the amount of converts and catechumens has exploded. Lots and lots of people since I was catechized on Orthodox Christmas. Keep Father Peter Jon in your prayers as the plate keeps filling up. Glory to God for the growth of the Church. ☦️
Precious memory eternal . Fr Peter and all those that were part of the Campus crusaders that converted to Orthodoxy, signaled a revival in the Orthodox Church in America . Orthodoxy is a minority faith and came to the USA late. Fr Peter and so many of those that converted during that time helped to better organise the Orthodox church in America . The Orthodox study bible was a product of Fr Peter and others that enhanced our Orthodox journey . Fr Peter is and was a huge blessing to the Orthodox Church . Glory to God .🙏
15:14 “All you need to start a new denomination is two disgruntled Christians and a pot of coffee.” 😂😂😂 So true. Before becoming Orthodox I was part of a church that formed out of a split from another church in town. I also did some “worship” assistance for two other churches who also were going through or had formed from a split. Then I saw people bounce from church to church within a 5-15 mile radius when they had a conflict with leadership, or weren’t being “fed” anymore, or wanted a different preacher, better worship band or more kids programming. 🤦♂️ Lord have mercy. What we all need is the true Church with the true Faith. Thank God I found Orthodoxy.
If Orthodoxy is the true church of God on Earth an allmighty God should be able to lead all truth loving Christians to Orthodoxy. The reason why Mormons stay Mormons is the fact that God - for one reason or another - refuses to talk to people. Heretics do not know that they are heretics. If God opened their eyes most ( If not all ) of them would leave their heretic churches and sects.
Thank God, after doing deep history research and traveling to various churches (including the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) to study their doctrines and practices, I came to realize that the First Century Apostolic assembly/community established in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria were NOT "Catholic" or "Orthodox". They were led by the Jewish Apostles AND the Families of the Lord (from the line of both Yosef and Miryam, Yeshua's parents). This Assembly/Community never succumb to gentile Roman papacy or Orthodox patriarchate. They preserve the Judeo-Nazarene faith and practices without the gentile and Constantinian innovation and pollution.
@@vtino4825I’ve had friends go down the “Hebrew roots” path, and spent my own time in that mindset, most ended up denying Yeshua and becoming Orthodox Jews or abandoning any form of Christianity or religious Judaism altogether. If they stayed in any form of Christianity, they were mostly just gentiles pretending to be Jewish and were looking backwards to the shadows and prefigurements instead of moving forward in the fullness of what God had been leading Israel (and the whole world) to. They don’t have the Eucharist, they kinda make up their own pseodo Jewish/Protestant worship services in many cases, they aren’t connected historically or relationally to any “Christian” groups, let alone the ancient church (which is the Orthodox faith). The fact that you used the phrase Constantinian innovation demonstrates that you have bought an old lie that both Jews and Protestants use to try to discredit Apostolic Christianity. Constantine in the grand scheme of things only made Christianity legal in the empire. He did not impose new doctrines or teach the faith. If you had done your homework as you claim, you would know that. I pray your heart and mind will be open to being corrected and that you’ll discover the continuity with the temple/synagogue worship and the faith once delivered by Christ’s apostles, all found in the Orthodox Church. God bless you in your journey.
When he said “Purdue” at the end I teared up. Without St. Alexis here, I may not be Orthodox with all her joys and fullness. Thank you Father, pray for me, a sinner. Memory Eternal.
Hanna, we're down 231 from you in Crawfordsville, St. Stephen the First Martyr, OCA. We're a very friendly, open, chatty, coffee drinking parish. We'd love to have anyone visit us! Father Gillquist visited our parish many years ago, such a lovely priest! Memory eternal!
31:01 indeed the devil loves disunity, but he also loves ecumenism. It’s a delicate thing to seek to love the heterodox, but also to maintain the boundaries of the Faith and the Church. We need to give them the “good uneasiness” as St. Paisios said, so that they don’t think we are telling them they are all ok in their heresy.
If you feel this way that means you got a blessed call from the Lord himself.I would highly recommend to find a church that preaches in your native language and talk to the priest.You just have to make the first step toward Jesus and he would do the rest.Then a whole new chapter in this life and the one after would begin.If you need any guidance i would love to help. God bless you.
23:09 Indeed. The sense of lack, the desire for more, is part of why people either don’t come to church that often in evangelicalism, stop going to church, or why they often hop between different churches every few years. I saw that with so many people as an evangelical. It was primarily their friendships that kept them coming, or a commitment to serve. Not saying there aren’t exceptions, but Fr. Peter’s statement has a lot of truth to it.
My dad grew up believing he had a calling to serve God and went to Episcopal seminary, and became a priest, but converted to Orthodoxy in 1975 in response to liberalizations and he bypassed Roman Catholicism seeing the potential for similar liberalizations and also an abandonment of Rome from the ecumenical tradition and idolization of the Pope as vicar of Christ, implying a deficiency in the immanent reality of Christ's presence in the Church. In Orthodoxy, the Church is lead by the Holy Spirit, piloted by Christ and ruddered by the ecumenical canons. About a dozen members of his Episcopal Church found out he was converting and came with him to create a mission, which was briefly mentioned in Fr. Schmemann's journals. Later, he came to Transfiguration of Christ in Denver, and served that parish for 25 years.
I wish I had discovered the Orthodox Church while I was at Purdue. That would have saved us sooo much trouble. Instead, I read Orthodoxy, by GK Chesterton, which probably saved some trouble. Of course, he was a professional troll, maybe not a role model. But he did believe in the bible more than anything or anyone else. But CRU was definitely huge for me. (They didn't like, "Crusade", for some reason.) I think it was more the communal, ascetic life of Cary South that did it, but the community in there was so thick you could barely breathe. But it took me a long time to realize that Jesus Himself submitted to His traditions, that this was absolutely necessary for my salvation, since I was trying to be like Him. Everybody seemed to be the opposite, even most church preachers seemed to want to keep convincing me the Bible was true, or show me that it lined up with modern psychology, and I'm like "ok, i don't care, show me where it deviates, because the modern world is a hundred nightmares." -in loving memory of GK Chesterton, may he rest in Christ.
The Bible is not the foundation of Orthodoxy, but a witness, and an organic component of Orthodox Liturgy which only maintains it's full meaning when used by the church, for the church. Christ didn't tell the Apostles to pass out bibles to the nations. The Epistles and Gospels were the new Tenakh and Torah readings for the Sunday liturgy. Protestantism literally takes a component of the Liturgy, excises it, and dismisses the body that it was meant to serve, and which also pumped blood into. It's like saying that the body needs oxygen, so if we can get a set of lungs we can DO Christianity.
Pastor Joe Wittwer of Life Center in Spokane WA read "Love Is Now" by Mr. Gillquist over 50 years ago. He still says it is the most influential book he ever read. I read it twice.
Does the Pope have to appologize for his predecessor? Obviously there must be acknowledgement. But is there guilt? It seems like it's the same question as whether the American Blacks deserve reparations from the American Whites (or the American Government, depending who you ask)? How long are we allowed to visit the sins of our fathers?
As it is written in the book of life," there is no other name under heaven when men shall be saved. Under the apostolic tradition, I have never seen where any of the twelve apostles teach us or themselves called upon the dead saints to intervene on their behalf in any way. There are two scriptures in the new testament where Mary and Jesus' siblings came to Him and those around tried to create excitement on Mary's arrival. On both occasions, Jesus said anyone who Obeys his father's will, is His mother and brother. Indeed we must honour and revere the mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; He himself, never advocate for His disciples to pray to His mother. Throughout history, there are great men and women of God, whom God has blessed and used tremendously; yet they never prayed in the name of men like Abraham, Elijah, Enoch, job or Daniel They usually refer to or call upon the God of these men great and faithful men whom they called the God of our fathers. In the scriptures St. Paul, the apostle always asked the saints to whom he wrote letters, to pray for him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - to the mother of Jesus. In fact, I desire to know just when did the practice of praying to Mary started. On the cross, Jesus drew the attention of John towards His mother - meaning that John should now take care of his mother. Just imagine John praying to the mother of Jesus. I think she would consider it, idolatry or a great sacrilege. We honour our mothers. We do not pray to our mothers- dead or alive. Jesus implores us to make our request to is father in His name - Jesus Christ- the only human lamb who died,shedding his efficacious blood, for Adam's fallen race.
Been studying Orthodoxy from the sidelines for years now. I struggle deeply with the concept of justification by faith (alone). I just can't understand the Orthodox position on this and I want to please God. Please pray for me.
Ask an Orthodox priest! Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). But also, the only time in ALL of the scriptures where the words “faith” and “alone”/“only” are used together is in James 2-which says that man is NOT saved by faith only. I also have a large quote mine refuting the 16th century man-made German theory known as “Sola Fide” including verses such as 1Tim5:8, John6:53-54, 1John3:15, and a whole lot more. Theosis via communion with Christ in the life of the Holy Trinity is the true doctrine of salvation! And communion with the uncreated God is a great mystery which can best be summarized by the words of the Apostle Philip to Nathanael in John 1:46, “Come and see.” Even the genius St Paul calls this union a great mystery in Ephesians 5:32. ☦️“Some without fulfilling the commandments think that they possess true faith. Others fulfill the commandments and then expect the Kingdom as a reward due to them. Both are mistaken.” (St. Mark the Ascetic - On Those Who Think They are Made Righteous by Works 226 Texts, text #18) ☦️“Just as the thought of fire does not warm the body, so faith without love does not actualize the light of spiritual knowledge in the soul.” (St. Maximus the Confessor - Four Centuries on Love, century one #31) ☦️“We ought to remain in that Church which was founded by the Apostles and continues to this day. If ever you hear of any that are called Christians taking their name not from the Lord Jesus Christ, but from some other, for instance, Marcionites, Valentinians, Men of the mountain or the plain, you may be sure that you have there not the Church of Christ, but the synagogue of Antichrist.For the fact that they took their rise after the foundation of the Church is proof that they are those whose coming the Apostle foretold. And let them not flatter themselves if they think they have Scripture authority for their assertions, since the devil himself quoted Scripture, and the essence of the Scriptures is not the letter, but the meaning. Otherwise, if we follow the letter, we too can concoct a new dogma and assert that such persons as wear shoes and have two coats must not be received into the Church.” (St. Jerome - Dialogue Against the Luciferians, point 28 on New Advent)
An allmighty God should be able to lead all truthloving Christians to the same truth. No one is knowingly a heretic. I listened to a Calvinist pastor who was asked if God has predestined absolutely everything that happens, even the rape of a child. The pastor said that if the rape was not predestined by God it would be a purposeless evil. I could hardly believe my ears. The pastor in question is a very serious and devout Christian. He is very active at street evangelization. Why is God unable to talk to him and lead him to a better understanding of Christianity ?
Appears the Christ is coming back to “Unite” all of us. Everyone. Perhaps more people should take the time to listen in full context to the books of the Ethiopian Bible. We are to all be brought back together. As we know, we are here to learn to love thy neighbors, ALL of them. It’s why we’re told to read those books and use our own discernment. 🕊️🕯️🌈✌🏼💕
Christianity is after all jewish in nature so why would it not be sacramental, liturgical ,, hierarchical Marion , tradition - GOD wants order not chaos - JESUS JESUS JESU all GLORY TO JESUS
What is dicsriped as early church. To bless Mary is different from praying to Mary or any other saints. Jesus clearly stated that those who do the will of God are His mother , brother and sisters. Mary has been chosen by God and when she was told by the angel of this choice, she ; simply said," Let it be unto your handmaid according your will." The scriptures simple, said there is only, only, one mediator between God and man, and that's Jesus Christ - the one whose blood was shed for the redemption the Adam's falling race. John 3:16 said it clearly, for God so love the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God offers His son Jesus to the world, just like He offered the choice for Mary to bring His son into the world. Anyone who receives His son - Jesus in his heart as saviour are just as obedient as Mary who willing submitted to the Father's /Yahweh's purpose for her life.
Hi Pinknight. So you'd never ask a friend to pray for you when you're in need? If you do, and you discovered someone so holy and pure that God Himself chose to be his mother, and through his angel describes as being 'full of the Grace of God'... would you not want to ask for her prayers? If those who have gone before us are alive and part of the church, and two or more are gathered in prayer, is not Christ among us? He is the God of the living. His mother is the Queen of Heaven (Revelations). Quoting 1 Timothy 2:5 as the reason to not ask God's saints for their intercession shows how quoting out of context is a pretext. Nobody would force you to Orthodoxy, but you deny yourself the richness, beauty and fullness of His Church, His bride.... and that which He left for us. If you ever feel something is missing in your journey to Christ... Come and see. Protestants with a real passion for Christ often make the best Orthodox. 🙂 At least read how the holy church fathers explain the book you hold in greater authority than the living body of Christ on earth. Oh, and BTW, for a young orphaned Jewish girl to be found pregnant out of wedlock would have meant great risk of stoning or expulsion from the people. Her response was not some casual 'sure, OK God.. .whatever you want'. It was a total surrender to His will at risk of her life. A martyrdom of sorts - just as St Symeon the old man prophesied about her heart/soul being pierced. When you meet Him with His mother by His side, you're gonna wish you'd investigated more thoroughly.
Let me give you my answer, too. First, let’s talk just a little bit a very brief history. The word Orthodox in itself, came up in about fourth century, and, according to the respected English priest and theologian John Anthony McGucking’s book called Westminster Handbook to Patristic Theology, entered its official use in the year 500. So, the Church built by Christ at the Pentecost in the first century, had NO denominational name at its beginning. But according to Acts 11:26, the disciples were called Christians. And at year 500, this Christian community formed by Christ’s disciples under the authority of His 12 disciples, received the name Orthodox BUT, keep in mind that this name was given by men, NOT by Christ Who built it, and it is NOT in the Bible either. Therefore, the Orthodoxy is, at its very conception, so to speak, nothing else than the continuation of the Church built by Christ, on the foundation of His 12 Apostles, who lived strictly according to the live Word of God. Coming now to the today’s Orthodoxy, talking on its PRACTICES, it is 180 degrees off - without any exaggerations. It is enough to enter any Orthodox church with an open Orthodox Bible in hand, and compare.
Russia has had the democratic voting in of official’s since they stopped being Communist in 1991. So Russian Ivan from Moscow in 2010 already knew what living in a Free country was like. The scenario was not historically correct.
Is this man an orthodox priest? I ask this because he has short hair and no beard and a white collar....I see this for the frist time and this is not orthodox tradition....I do not mean to offend him, just strange to me.
I just looked him up. He is an Archpriest in the Antioch Orthodox Church. I agree, he looks more like a Roman Catholic priest with that collar and no beard.
At the time the Archbishop of the Antiochian jurisdiction in America encouraged this "look" so priests wouldn't appear so foreign in the eyes of westerners. There was also a time following 9/11 where due to wanting to avoid being attacked in misguided xenophobia many Antiochian priests kept their facial hair short or non existent...
Literally correct, and mostly irrelevant. God never trusted any human being born of man and woman more than her. I even venerate her parents, although not very well, since I just started venerating. 🙏Sts Joachim and Anne, well done, please pray for us!
![Lord of Spirits - A Land of Giants [Ep. 7]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zjqchu-XUXE/mqdefault.jpg)
May his memory be eternal. ☦️
I was raised Catholic, left at age 15 and never thought I’d ever go back to anything “Catholic”. I spent 20 years in and out of different Protestant churches. After some significant humbling, I found (or God led me) to research Orthodoxy. I find it fascinating, beautiful and correct. All the priests I’ve listened to are humble and wise. I’m just getting started learning about saints and church fathers. It’s really growing on me.
If you keep reading the early father's you will find the Catholic church and you will comeback to it.
Protestants coming to Orthodoxy carry a love and devotion, a humbleness before God, a divine wisdom, fruits of Grace; that humbles me, inspires me and serves as a check on me to love the Lord, with all my heart and all my strength through Grace. They inspire me, a Greek, to stand worthy of The Calling. God rest you in peace father Gilgrist.
This is my Priest's father I never got to meet him but the Bloomington parish is growing
Hello, I’m from the Purdue area, my dad went to your church a few times many years ago, he is not Orthodox. I’m overjoyed to hear that about All Saints, I grew up in Bloomington and despite all the beautiful art shows and things like that, it is a dark and dead place. Glory to God. What is the growth like? Here at St. Alexis we are getting dozens of catechumens and families, many students research orthodoxy in High School and come to college ready to become catechumens. I have heard many students say they picked Purdue BECAUSE of our church, glory to God!
@@hannahbaker3080
I'll piggyback on this comment, as I have been attending All Saints for over a year now. Just in that timeframe, the amount of converts and catechumens has exploded. Lots and lots of people since I was catechized on Orthodox Christmas. Keep Father Peter Jon in your prayers as the plate keeps filling up. Glory to God for the growth of the Church. ☦️
@@thekinglink906 glory to God! That sounds so relatable and comparable to my parish
Precious memory eternal .
Fr Peter and all those that were part of the Campus crusaders that converted to Orthodoxy, signaled a revival in the Orthodox Church in America .
Orthodoxy is a minority faith and came to the USA late. Fr Peter and so many of those that converted during that time helped to better organise the Orthodox church in America .
The Orthodox study bible was a product of Fr Peter and others that enhanced our Orthodox journey . Fr Peter is and was a huge blessing to the Orthodox Church . Glory to God .🙏
15:14 “All you need to start a new denomination is two disgruntled Christians and a pot of coffee.” 😂😂😂 So true. Before becoming Orthodox I was part of a church that formed out of a split from another church in town. I also did some “worship” assistance for two other churches who also were going through or had formed from a split. Then I saw people bounce from church to church within a 5-15 mile radius when they had a conflict with leadership, or weren’t being “fed” anymore, or wanted a different preacher, better worship band or more kids programming. 🤦♂️
Lord have mercy. What we all need is the true Church with the true Faith. Thank God I found Orthodoxy.
Christianity = of the world but not in it. Christ = idol of hypocrisy. 'The Church' = whited sepulchres and vast dens of thieves.
If Orthodoxy is the true church of God on Earth an allmighty God should be able to lead all truth loving Christians to Orthodoxy. The reason why Mormons stay Mormons is the fact that God - for one reason or another - refuses to talk to people. Heretics do not know that they are heretics. If God opened their eyes most ( If not all ) of them would leave their heretic churches and sects.
Thank God, after doing deep history research and traveling to various churches (including the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) to study their doctrines and practices, I came to realize that the First Century Apostolic assembly/community established in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria were NOT "Catholic" or "Orthodox". They were led by the Jewish Apostles AND the Families of the Lord (from the line of both Yosef and Miryam, Yeshua's parents). This Assembly/Community never succumb to gentile Roman papacy or Orthodox patriarchate. They preserve the Judeo-Nazarene faith and practices without the gentile and Constantinian innovation and pollution.
@@vtino4825I’ve had friends go down the “Hebrew roots” path, and spent my own time in that mindset, most ended up denying Yeshua and becoming Orthodox Jews or abandoning any form of Christianity or religious Judaism altogether. If they stayed in any form of Christianity, they were mostly just gentiles pretending to be Jewish and were looking backwards to the shadows and prefigurements instead of moving forward in the fullness of what God had been leading Israel (and the whole world) to. They don’t have the Eucharist, they kinda make up their own pseodo Jewish/Protestant worship services in many cases, they aren’t connected historically or relationally to any “Christian” groups, let alone the ancient church (which is the Orthodox faith).
The fact that you used the phrase Constantinian innovation demonstrates that you have bought an old lie that both Jews and Protestants use to try to discredit Apostolic Christianity. Constantine in the grand scheme of things only made Christianity legal in the empire. He did not impose new doctrines or teach the faith. If you had done your homework as you claim, you would know that.
I pray your heart and mind will be open to being corrected and that you’ll discover the continuity with the temple/synagogue worship and the faith once delivered by Christ’s apostles, all found in the Orthodox Church.
God bless you in your journey.
People want programs and frills, but don't want to lead or help. Still demanding milk when they should be moving on to meat
When he said “Purdue” at the end I teared up. Without St. Alexis here, I may not be Orthodox with all her joys and fullness. Thank you Father, pray for me, a sinner. Memory Eternal.
Hanna, we're down 231 from you in Crawfordsville, St. Stephen the First Martyr, OCA. We're a very friendly, open, chatty, coffee drinking parish. We'd love to have anyone visit us! Father Gillquist visited our parish many years ago, such a lovely priest! Memory eternal!
@ hello!!! I know some of our parishioners have connections with the churches in Crawfordsville
Rest in peace Father Peter, may your memory be eternal+++
31:01 indeed the devil loves disunity, but he also loves ecumenism. It’s a delicate thing to seek to love the heterodox, but also to maintain the boundaries of the Faith and the Church. We need to give them the “good uneasiness” as St. Paisios said, so that they don’t think we are telling them they are all ok in their heresy.
I am a Muslim and I want to become a Christian
May the loving and personal God the Father reveal Himself to you and make a Way 🙏
@ I am sure that you will show me the right path and make me follow the Christian religion
Go visit a orthodox church
The arms of Christ are open wide. I hope you do my friend.
If you feel this way that means you got a blessed call from the Lord himself.I would highly recommend to find a church that preaches in your native language and talk to the priest.You just have to make the first step toward Jesus and he would do the rest.Then a whole new chapter in this life and the one after would begin.If you need any guidance i would love to help.
God bless you.
23:09 Indeed. The sense of lack, the desire for more, is part of why people either don’t come to church that often in evangelicalism, stop going to church, or why they often hop between different churches every few years. I saw that with so many people as an evangelical. It was primarily their friendships that kept them coming, or a commitment to serve. Not saying there aren’t exceptions, but Fr. Peter’s statement has a lot of truth to it.
My dad grew up believing he had a calling to serve God and went to Episcopal seminary, and became a priest, but converted to Orthodoxy in 1975 in response to liberalizations and he bypassed Roman Catholicism seeing the potential for similar liberalizations and also an abandonment of Rome from the ecumenical tradition and idolization of the Pope as vicar of Christ, implying a deficiency in the immanent reality of Christ's presence in the Church. In Orthodoxy, the Church is lead by the Holy Spirit, piloted by Christ and ruddered by the ecumenical canons. About a dozen members of his Episcopal Church found out he was converting and came with him to create a mission, which was briefly mentioned in Fr. Schmemann's journals. Later, he came to Transfiguration of Christ in Denver, and served that parish for 25 years.
Great video! May his memory be eternal!
I wish I had discovered the Orthodox Church while I was at Purdue. That would have saved us sooo much trouble. Instead, I read Orthodoxy, by GK Chesterton, which probably saved some trouble. Of course, he was a professional troll, maybe not a role model. But he did believe in the bible more than anything or anyone else.
But CRU was definitely huge for me. (They didn't like, "Crusade", for some reason.) I think it was more the communal, ascetic life of Cary South that did it, but the community in there was so thick you could barely breathe. But it took me a long time to realize that Jesus Himself submitted to His traditions, that this was absolutely necessary for my salvation, since I was trying to be like Him. Everybody seemed to be the opposite, even most church preachers seemed to want to keep convincing me the Bible was true, or show me that it lined up with modern psychology, and I'm like "ok, i don't care, show me where it deviates, because the modern world is a hundred nightmares."
-in loving memory of GK Chesterton, may he rest in Christ.
This Father sounds like John Goodman. Love his voice.
A wonderful man! May his memory be eternal!
Amen, to these observations through God’s Grace!
Memory Eternal !!
Great interview/talk
The Bible is not the foundation of Orthodoxy, but a witness, and an organic component of Orthodox Liturgy which only maintains it's full meaning when used by the church, for the church. Christ didn't tell the Apostles to pass out bibles to the nations. The Epistles and Gospels were the new Tenakh and Torah readings for the Sunday liturgy. Protestantism literally takes a component of the Liturgy, excises it, and dismisses the body that it was meant to serve, and which also pumped blood into. It's like saying that the body needs oxygen, so if we can get a set of lungs we can DO Christianity.
God bless his soul and his memory be internal.
Pastor Joe Wittwer of Life Center in Spokane WA read "Love Is Now" by Mr. Gillquist over 50 years ago. He still says it is the most influential book he ever read. I read it twice.
😢😭 Memory Eternal 🙏🏻☦️
Does the Pope have to appologize for his predecessor? Obviously there must be acknowledgement. But is there guilt? It seems like it's the same question as whether the American Blacks deserve reparations from the American Whites (or the American Government, depending who you ask)? How long are we allowed to visit the sins of our fathers?
☦️
As it is written in the book of life," there is no other name under heaven when men shall be saved. Under the apostolic tradition, I have never seen where any of the twelve apostles teach us or themselves called upon the dead saints to intervene on their behalf in any way.
There are two scriptures in the new testament where Mary and Jesus' siblings came to Him and those around tried to create excitement on Mary's arrival. On both occasions, Jesus said anyone who Obeys his father's will, is His mother and brother. Indeed we must honour and revere the mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; He himself, never advocate for His disciples to pray to His mother.
Throughout history, there are great men and women of God, whom God has blessed and used tremendously; yet they never prayed in the name of men like Abraham, Elijah, Enoch, job or Daniel
They usually refer to or call upon the God of these men great and faithful men whom they called the God of our fathers.
In the scriptures St. Paul, the apostle always asked the saints to whom he wrote letters, to pray for him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - to the mother of Jesus.
In fact, I desire to know just when did the practice of praying to Mary started.
On the cross, Jesus drew the attention of John towards His mother - meaning that John should now take care of his mother. Just imagine John praying to the mother of Jesus. I think she would consider it, idolatry or a great sacrilege.
We honour our mothers. We do not pray to our mothers- dead or alive. Jesus implores us to make our request to is father in His name - Jesus Christ- the only human lamb who died,shedding his efficacious blood, for Adam's fallen race.
Been studying Orthodoxy from the sidelines for years now. I struggle deeply with the concept of justification by faith (alone). I just can't understand the Orthodox position on this and I want to please God. Please pray for me.
This may help: blogs.ancientfaith.com/wholecounsel/2019/10/02/faithfulness/
What is it you're specifically struggling with?
Ask an Orthodox priest! Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). But also, the only time in ALL of the scriptures where the words “faith” and “alone”/“only” are used together is in James 2-which says that man is NOT saved by faith only. I also have a large quote mine refuting the 16th century man-made German theory known as “Sola Fide” including verses such as 1Tim5:8, John6:53-54, 1John3:15, and a whole lot more. Theosis via communion with Christ in the life of the Holy Trinity is the true doctrine of salvation! And communion with the uncreated God is a great mystery which can best be summarized by the words of the Apostle Philip to Nathanael in John 1:46, “Come and see.” Even the genius St Paul calls this union a great mystery in Ephesians 5:32.
☦️“Some without fulfilling the commandments think that they possess true faith. Others fulfill the commandments and then expect the Kingdom as a reward due to them. Both are mistaken.” (St. Mark the Ascetic - On Those Who Think They are Made Righteous by Works 226 Texts, text #18)
☦️“Just as the thought of fire does not warm the body, so faith without love does not actualize the light of spiritual knowledge in the soul.” (St. Maximus the Confessor - Four Centuries on Love, century one #31)
☦️“We ought to remain in that Church which was founded by the Apostles and continues to this day. If ever you hear of any that are called Christians taking their name not from the Lord Jesus Christ, but from some other, for instance, Marcionites, Valentinians, Men of the mountain or the plain, you may be sure that you have there not the Church of Christ, but the synagogue of Antichrist.For the fact that they took their rise after the foundation of the Church is proof that they are those whose coming the Apostle foretold. And let them not flatter themselves if they think they have Scripture authority for their assertions, since the devil himself quoted Scripture, and the essence of the Scriptures is not the letter, but the meaning. Otherwise, if we follow the letter, we too can concoct a new dogma and assert that such persons as wear shoes and have two coats must not be received into the Church.” (St. Jerome - Dialogue Against the Luciferians, point 28 on New Advent)
An allmighty God should be able to lead all truthloving Christians to the same truth. No one is knowingly a heretic. I listened to a Calvinist pastor who was asked if God has predestined absolutely everything that happens, even the rape of a child. The pastor said that if the rape was not predestined by God it would be a purposeless evil.
I could hardly believe my ears. The pastor in question is a very serious and devout Christian. He is very active at street evangelization. Why is God unable to talk to him and lead him to a better understanding of Christianity ?
✝️Christus Rex☦️
Appears the Christ is coming back to “Unite” all of us. Everyone. Perhaps more people should take the time to listen in full context to the books of the Ethiopian Bible. We are to all be brought back together. As we know, we are here to learn to love thy neighbors, ALL of them. It’s why we’re told to read those books and use our own discernment. 🕊️🕯️🌈✌🏼💕
Christianity is after all jewish in nature so why would it not be sacramental, liturgical ,, hierarchical Marion , tradition - GOD wants order not chaos - JESUS JESUS JESU all GLORY TO JESUS
In what way is it "all Jewish in nature"?
What is dicsriped as early church. To bless Mary is different from praying to Mary or any other saints.
Jesus clearly stated that those who do the will of God are His mother , brother and sisters.
Mary has been chosen by God and when she was told by the angel of this choice, she ; simply said," Let it be unto your handmaid according your will."
The scriptures simple, said there is only, only, one mediator between God and man, and that's Jesus Christ - the one whose blood was shed for the redemption the Adam's falling race.
John 3:16 said it clearly, for God so love the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God offers His son Jesus to the world, just like He offered the choice for Mary to bring His son into the world.
Anyone who receives His son - Jesus in his heart as saviour are just as obedient as Mary who willing submitted to the Father's /Yahweh's purpose for her life.
Hi Pinknight. So you'd never ask a friend to pray for you when you're in need? If you do, and you discovered someone so holy and pure that God Himself chose to be his mother, and through his angel describes as being 'full of the Grace of God'... would you not want to ask for her prayers? If those who have gone before us are alive and part of the church, and two or more are gathered in prayer, is not Christ among us? He is the God of the living. His mother is the Queen of Heaven (Revelations). Quoting 1 Timothy 2:5 as the reason to not ask God's saints for their intercession shows how quoting out of context is a pretext. Nobody would force you to Orthodoxy, but you deny yourself the richness, beauty and fullness of His Church, His bride.... and that which He left for us. If you ever feel something is missing in your journey to Christ... Come and see. Protestants with a real passion for Christ often make the best Orthodox. 🙂 At least read how the holy church fathers explain the book you hold in greater authority than the living body of Christ on earth.
Oh, and BTW, for a young orphaned Jewish girl to be found pregnant out of wedlock would have meant great risk of stoning or expulsion from the people. Her response was not some casual 'sure, OK God.. .whatever you want'. It was a total surrender to His will at risk of her life. A martyrdom of sorts - just as St Symeon the old man prophesied about her heart/soul being pierced. When you meet Him with His mother by His side, you're gonna wish you'd investigated more thoroughly.
😇🕊️💎♾️
Let me give you my answer, too.
First, let’s talk just a little bit a very brief history. The word Orthodox in itself, came up in about fourth century, and, according to the respected English priest and theologian John Anthony McGucking’s book called Westminster Handbook to Patristic Theology, entered its official use in the year 500. So, the Church built by Christ at the Pentecost in the first century, had NO denominational name at its beginning. But according to Acts 11:26, the disciples were called Christians. And at year 500, this Christian community formed by Christ’s disciples under the authority of His 12 disciples, received the name Orthodox BUT, keep in mind that this name was given by men, NOT by Christ Who built it, and it is NOT in the Bible either.
Therefore, the Orthodoxy is, at its very conception, so to speak, nothing else than the continuation of the Church built by Christ, on the foundation of His 12 Apostles, who lived strictly according to the live Word of God.
Coming now to the today’s Orthodoxy, talking on its PRACTICES, it is 180 degrees off - without any exaggerations. It is enough to enter any Orthodox church with an open Orthodox Bible in hand, and compare.
Russia has had the democratic voting in of official’s since they stopped being Communist in 1991. So Russian Ivan from Moscow in 2010 already knew what living in a Free country was like. The scenario was not historically correct.
He’s just telling a story, it’s not factual, it’s an illustration.
🪷
Is this man an orthodox priest? I ask this because he has short hair and no beard and a white collar....I see this for the frist time and this is not orthodox tradition....I do not mean to offend him, just strange to me.
I just looked him up. He is an Archpriest in the Antioch Orthodox Church. I agree, he looks more like a Roman Catholic priest with that collar and no beard.
Not all Orthodox priests have beards and it is not a prerequisite for becoming a priest.
you cannot offend him. he is dead.
i met him in the early 1980s and believed him to be a good man. 😊
At the time the Archbishop of the Antiochian jurisdiction in America encouraged this "look" so priests wouldn't appear so foreign in the eyes of westerners. There was also a time following 9/11 where due to wanting to avoid being attacked in misguided xenophobia many Antiochian priests kept their facial hair short or non existent...
He can't grow a beard.
We don’t even abort 1 million a year let alone 40, come on
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this talk.
@@Qeduhh365 Was that a global or domestic number? This was recorded 14 years ago, but globally we're well above 40 million a year at this point.
Mary worship is not of God
Good thing the Orthodox don't worship Mary
The Mother of God is not worshiped. She is Holy as the chosen vessel for God.
Literally correct, and mostly irrelevant. God never trusted any human being born of man and woman more than her. I even venerate her parents, although not very well, since I just started venerating. 🙏Sts Joachim and Anne, well done, please pray for us!
Praying to Mary is heresy.
We don’t worship “ Mary “ , we venerate the “ Theotokos “ The bearer of God .