1.
Church on the Corner

3  September 2011

Dear Souls -

         We had our first Liturgy last Sunday at our new church on the corner. It's easy (or not so) writing here with lofty ideas about starting a small church on the corner. My biggest fear is that our small church will grow large and complex, and my greatest joy is the simplicity of services. We lack an infrastructure, and all we have is what we establish ourselves.

2.
The Beauty of nothing to say...

6  September 2011

Dear Souls -

3.
An Orthodox Cocoon

10  September 2011 (or: nine ten eleven)

Dear Souls -

         Cyber-Orthodoxy is not my favorite place for loitering; it's a puzzling place I prefer to avoid. I was raised in an Orthodox Christian cocoon, and inside this cocoon I learned to retreat from a world of confusing faiths. Hiding out is my specialty.

          I can only speak for myself, but I suspect other Orthodox Christians of my generation were raised in similar cocoons. In this quiet cocoon we retreat from the spiritual confusion of modern America. It's simple hiding in an Orthodox cocoon, when you live amidst a sea of Christians of other sorts. Melding into the background is my specialty.

          Christianity has earned itself an unpopular position within society today. Repairing this accumulated damage requires altering the course of Christianity in a dramatic way; I'm not sure Christianity is up to the task. There exists a spiritual void in popular culture and something must fill the empty space. Evangelical Christianity is running out of fuel: Happy Church only lasts until unhappy souls wander off for something more. Alternative spirituality of various sorts is now the latest fad, and the spiritual landscape of America is a daunting space. Hiding out is my specialty.

           All I know is what I know. I didn't volunteer for the assignment of birth inside of an Orthodox cocoon. My Orthodox faith was a gift from God, and I've never exchanged it for another size or color. I give thanks for this gift everyday, and I hope others around me benefit from this gift. Immersion in the spiritual chaos of society dilutes the peace and quiet of my cocoon. Hiding out is my specialty.

4.
Woe to self-righteousness

nine eleven eleven

Dear Souls -

         Remember, all I know is what I know. And some of what I know may not be all that smart. But I know self-righteousness is dangerous for anyone, and Christians sometimes wander off the path of light and into the darkness of self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is a snake disguised as a dove; this snake is responsible for centuries of Christian mischief.

          The snake of self-righteousness in its ugliest form is an outer skin of narrow-minded moralistic behavior. The snake of self-righteousness is skilled at deception, but you will know them by their fruit: the fruit of a snake is rotten, while the fruit of a dove radiates Love.

          The strongest defense against the snake of self-righteousness is a tarnished armor of humility worn at all times. Americans tend not to value this armor nearly as much as a fine cloak of pride. But if you're blessed, you may have both items in your closet and your selection varies day to day. Only with God's grace do you wear an armor of humility year round. The snake of self-righteousness may try and deceive you into thinking if you follow a series of rules and regulations, then you will acquire a shiny suit of armor. But this is not a linear equation, and the snake manipulates this calculation with a sophistication far beyond your own ability.

           The snake of self-righteousness preys upon a soul's ego. As the snake dines on large portions of well seasoned ego, he grows longer and longer until he wraps himself around the soul's neck. It's an unfortunate situation. Knowing the snakes from the doves takes discernment, and the guidance of a wise soul. Remember, too, the doves may be disguised as ducks. But this is a another story for another time.

5.
History of Silence

17  September 2011

Dear Souls -

             Please excuse my ignorance. And in fact if you truly believe I'm ignorant, I'm relieved of the burden: you no doubt are not here reading! But my rambling thoughts today travel in the direction of the silence of Orthodox women . . . not Momodoxy, but those born and raised within the Orthodox tradition. It's not that modern ex-Protestant women have nothing to say, it's just that their voices do not capture the heart of living Orthodox tradition without lingering traces of a Protestant upbringing. Do not despair, the traces of Protestant residue will vanish over time, but not overnight (unless God takes mercy upon your suffering soul).

              If I search back through the past few centuries, without difficulty I find the writings of many wise Orthodox men, but where are the voices of our women? Is God only spending time in the hearts of men? Or is this what we believe as Orthodox Christians, that men offer more spiritual wisdom than women? Is God only making himself known in the hearts of our Orthodox priests and monks? Why the silence of generations of women raised within the Orthodox Church? Do these Orthodox women after a lifetime within the Church lack any knowledge of God? If so, then why?

               I suspect wise Orthodox souls exist amongst our female laity in equal or greater proportions than they exist elsewhere within the Church. But, you will not hear someone with a heart full of God blabbering away about themselves or their own spirituality. It's not done. The best monks are also the most silent monks. A monastery is set away from the world, not in the center of Manhattan. And a wise Orthodox grandmother is not circulating around cyber-Orthodoxy or publishing her memoir. She is either at home caring for her family and friends, or she is beside you in Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Her priest may or may not know she has a heart full of God, depending on the condition of his own heart. But the women within our Church deserve more, and our Church deserves more from the women. The Church is a living Church, with a living faith within its people . . . people of varying size, shape, and gender.

              Turn around and listen to the voices beside you within our generations of Orthodox women. You may be surprised by what you hear....