Amen! Your Eminence, thank you for confirming what we have felt from his dark world of politics we are in. Please pray for your spiritual children that they may have the Light of Christ in the Holy Spirit to walk within and rejoice in!
His Eminence speaks true about what many call the “uniparty” we have and our duty as Orthodox to work to support policies in accord with Gospel teachings. Yet during the crisis of the last three years, the folks in the Church who went along unquestioningly with the gov’t narratives (that have since fallen apart and been exposed as false) were called by our hierarchs good Orthodox, “loving their neighbors” and “following the science.” Those who brought scientific and spiritual evidence of state & corporate medical corruption tainting the narratives were accused of being influenced by “politics.” It still hurts. It’s still a lie from the pit of hell. Correct me if I missed something, but I have seen no apology or setting the record straight on all that on the part of any of our Synods. Lord, have mercy!
I agree that discussing politics stirs up the passions. However, discussing Christianity with non-Christians or with Christians can stir up passions as well. Christ said that he came not to bring peace but a sword. How do you recommend we witness to others about our faith without stirring up our passions?
"Do not dispute over the truth with someone who does not know the truth; but from the person who is eager to know the truth, do not withold words from him." -St Isaac the Syrian
when we have the capacity to do good together and instead come together to make doing good harder, society loses its connective bounds and people lose faith in community
His Eminence is not necessarily incorrect, generally speaking. Nevertheless, he is still treading awfully close to one side of partisan politics. And I don’t think he’s unaware of that either. 7:20 says it all. “…and…to agitate.” I reckon it’s easy to see where his loyalties lie. This is exactly why bishops should not be from among the pompous throngs of academia. And the only people I ever see scoffing at that are the usual gaggle of Ameridox heretics, joyless and vindictive feminists, liberaldox ecumenists, and other NGO-backed upstarts fighting to bring the poison of worldly progressivist politics into the Church. “Agitate”, indeed. Haven’t we seen enough “agitation”? That is quite literally all these automatons do is “agitate”. It’s all they know how to do. I’m no saint, but somehow, I don’t see how political agitation is in any way remotely compatible with noetic prayer and the love of Christ. We are not called to “agitate”. That is how you end up with journalistic sleaze like Sarah “I’m not a journo, I’m an anthropologist” Riccardi-Schwartz or the most recent NPR hit piece against our Church. This is the end result; garbage in, garbage out.
And yet within living memory this will to compassion was used to murder the faithful and many men besides. Woe to him who forgets it for he courts a Judas Zealot in his spirit in the name of Righteousness. Perhaps it is wiser to start with what is at hand rather than call down perfect forms less we forget the human.
I don't think Jesus was speaking to governments in chapter 25. in Matthew Because it was groups of individuals from the least to the greatest asking when they have done or not done these things. its the acts of individuals within a group or nation that is being judged. Otherwise, a righteous Christian person living under an evil government can be condemned on judgement day, and an evil person living under a righteous government can enter into eternal life on judgement day.
I just came across this video…what a shame that such a person as Alexander has been able to rise to the title of bishop…a holy title for an unholy theology preached by this man…he justifies this by quoting from another spouter of heresy, Kallistos Ware…pray for the Church, that GOD may save it from these heresies…
"Government is violence, Christianity is meekness, non-resistance, love. And, therefore, government cannot be Christian, and a man who wishes to be a Christian must not serve government." - Leo Tolstoy
Why are you quoting a man who left the church, hated the church, and wrote his own gospel? A man who said he'd let a man slit a woman's throat rather than shoot because by shooting he'd certainly take a life whereas the murderer might not slit her throat. Tolstoy was no Christian
Tolstoy was a heretic. You’re clearly confused, fella. This bizarre notion of “Christian pacifism” is not just anachronistic (there was no concept of politicised pacifism until the late 19th century) it is also a massive heresy. No one, literally no one, before the late 1800s would have even been capable of comprehending something so embarrassingly bourgeois liberal as pacifism. They wouldn’t have even been able to wrap their minds around it, it was so antithetical to the general welfare of the people and to the common good. Two things Our Lord was not: a liberal or a pacifist. Period. End of report. Next case. Please stop imposing post-Enlightenment lunacy onto Holy Scripture. It is deeply offensive as well as blasphemous.
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Amen! Your Eminence, thank you for confirming what we have felt from his dark world of politics we are in. Please pray for your spiritual children that they may have the Light of Christ in the Holy Spirit to walk within and rejoice in!
Go figure, the woman who babbles in tongues and slanders the blessed St Ephraim of Arizona gushes over a cleric who called Origen a saint.
Thank you for these wonderful interviews! They have been very helpful as I work towards baptism.
Blessings, Thank You for this Gem.
My bishop. A wise, wise man.
His Eminence speaks true about what many call the “uniparty” we have and our duty as Orthodox to work to support policies in accord with Gospel teachings.
Yet during the crisis of the last three years, the folks in the Church who went along unquestioningly with the gov’t narratives (that have since fallen apart and been exposed as false) were called by our hierarchs good Orthodox, “loving their neighbors” and “following the science.” Those who brought scientific and spiritual evidence of state & corporate medical corruption tainting the narratives were accused of being influenced by “politics.” It still hurts. It’s still a lie from the pit of hell. Correct me if I missed something, but I have seen no apology or setting the record straight on all that on the part of any of our Synods. Lord, have mercy!
Wonderful! Thank you!
I agree that discussing politics stirs up the passions. However, discussing Christianity with non-Christians or with Christians can stir up passions as well. Christ said that he came not to bring peace but a sword. How do you recommend we witness to others about our faith without stirring up our passions?
"Do not dispute over the truth with someone who does not know the truth; but from the person who is eager to know the truth, do not withold words from him." -St Isaac the Syrian
The "passions" spoken of here are the carnal passions; not to be confused with being passionate.
Matthew 25 is such an important lesson from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Wonderful and timely video.
Thank you.
Excellent interview. Thank you Dr. MIDDLETOWN.
How do you keep Secularism out of the church ?
A fantastic interview … 🙏
I want more please 😇👌👏
when we have the capacity to do good together and instead come together to make doing good harder, society loses its connective bounds and people lose faith in community
His Eminence makes too much sense.
PSA Origen is not a saint
His Eminence is not necessarily incorrect, generally speaking. Nevertheless, he is still treading awfully close to one side of partisan politics. And I don’t think he’s unaware of that either.
7:20 says it all. “…and…to agitate.” I reckon it’s easy to see where his loyalties lie. This is exactly why bishops should not be from among the pompous throngs of academia. And the only people I ever see scoffing at that are the usual gaggle of Ameridox heretics, joyless and vindictive feminists, liberaldox ecumenists, and other NGO-backed upstarts fighting to bring the poison of worldly progressivist politics into the Church. “Agitate”, indeed. Haven’t we seen enough “agitation”? That is quite literally all these automatons do is “agitate”. It’s all they know how to do.
I’m no saint, but somehow, I don’t see how political agitation is in any way remotely compatible with noetic prayer and the love of Christ. We are not called to “agitate”. That is how you end up with journalistic sleaze like Sarah “I’m not a journo, I’m an anthropologist” Riccardi-Schwartz or the most recent NPR hit piece against our Church. This is the end result; garbage in, garbage out.
And yet within living memory this will to compassion was used to murder the faithful and many men besides. Woe to him who forgets it for he courts a Judas Zealot in his spirit in the name of Righteousness. Perhaps it is wiser to start with what is at hand rather than call down perfect forms less we forget the human.
I don't think Jesus was speaking to governments in chapter 25. in Matthew Because it was groups of individuals from the least to the greatest asking when they have done or not done these things. its the acts of individuals within a group or nation that is being judged. Otherwise, a righteous Christian person living under an evil government can be condemned on judgement day, and an evil person living under a righteous government can enter into eternal life on judgement day.
I just came across this video…what a shame that such a person as Alexander has been able to rise to the title of bishop…a holy title for an unholy theology preached by this man…he justifies this by quoting from another spouter of heresy, Kallistos Ware…pray for the Church, that GOD may save it from these heresies…
Isn't he an Origenist?
I'm curious what it means to say an "origenist"
@@kadmii someone who believes in the heretical teachings of Origen.
@@paisios2541 is there reason to suspect he believes in such teachings?
@@kadmii yes because he has publicly said that Origen is a Saint and the Ecumenical Council that condemned him is wrong.
He is an origen of many problems
"Government is violence, Christianity is meekness, non-resistance, love. And, therefore, government cannot be Christian, and a man who wishes to be a Christian must not serve government." - Leo Tolstoy
Why are you quoting a man who left the church, hated the church, and wrote his own gospel? A man who said he'd let a man slit a woman's throat rather than shoot because by shooting he'd certainly take a life whereas the murderer might not slit her throat. Tolstoy was no Christian
@@CHURCHISAWESUM
I only deal with ideas, do you want to rephrase your question?
But because Tolstoy said something is it necessarily true ?
@@mavisemberson8737 It's a different way of looking at things.
Tolstoy was a heretic. You’re clearly confused, fella.
This bizarre notion of “Christian pacifism” is not just anachronistic (there was no concept of politicised pacifism until the late 19th century) it is also a massive heresy. No one, literally no one, before the late 1800s would have even been capable of comprehending something so embarrassingly bourgeois liberal as pacifism. They wouldn’t have even been able to wrap their minds around it, it was so antithetical to the general welfare of the people and to the common good.
Two things Our Lord was not: a liberal or a pacifist. Period. End of report. Next case. Please stop imposing post-Enlightenment lunacy onto Holy Scripture. It is deeply offensive as well as blasphemous.
What did Jezus learned you to be part of this corrupt world? Did Jezus start his politic party?
One thing he didn't do was give you the gift of eloquence