I have been going on a binge of your videos now and find that the thing I appreciate most about this channel is the candor. Being in a dogmatic branch of the Church has its safety but also can be stultifying if a person doesn’t have some brutal honesty. I find myself always in a battle between decorum and what is appropriate on one hand and total honesty on the other. Not an easy walk
That's more or less the topic of Friday's video. You might especially enjoy the part about the hymn 'The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Is Ended'. Perhaps I can pin a comment that will fill in the blanks of your question.
One of the concerns that pops up in my wanderings is that much of us are doing what's right in our own eyes and heaping up teachers after our own lusts having itching ears.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts here my friend, your comments concerning remembering that we are creatures I find gives me food for thought. Thank you for sharing.
We have come Full Circle. This reveals we have an End, if we had no End, there would be No Revelations. The Gentiles now Worship as the Jews did at the Temple. Rituals, Rules, Laws, Traditions, Fancy Dress and Grand Titles, the Worship of Structure, and Not its Roots. Thus when the Root of their Religions turns up in the flesh, their Religion Cannot Recognise Him. And When Christ Returns, they shall be Terrified
It is certainly a good read. There is adctually a Shape of the Liturgy Revisited or something. I think that the biggest change is just that folks have realized that the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus never caught on, so although it may be old, it wasn't adopted by the early church. But it gave an excuse for a lot of changes that many people now are regretting.
I really respect that you’ve become (or I suppose remained) open throughout your life. I’m actually trying to put guardrails on myself right now, as someone who just chose to dive in after studying earliest Christianity from a secular perspective the past year. I came to respect a lot about it, & I’ve become enamored with Orthodoxy (but haven’t yet even gone to my local church - very fortunate that there is one here in downstate IL). I always respected but never understood spirituality & have been a hedonistic materialist since young adulthood, as it’s the only thing that ever made sense to me. But I recently discovered Orthodoxy and it clicks with me. It offers a way of life that feels almost designed for someone with my struggles. It’s still very difficult for me to think of myself as Christian - and that’s probably appropriate, as if I am, it’s only in the loosest sense - and that may be the case until or unless I get chrismated in the distant future. My personal issue is that I don’t know how I could ever believe that I possess THE truth. Not just in an anti-ecumenical sense, but that God has not revealed himself elsewhere, that the Buddhists, and Hindus, and countless others, have simply deluded themselves, that the Heavenly King, Comforter and Spirit of Truth is not _really_ everywhere present, filling all things, because the language by which He is understood is different. But I’ve seen the kinds of people who know THE truth, and I’ve never much respected them…I take to the open and the curious. So can I become Christian, much less Orthodox, without becoming what I despise? Could I really be wrong to despise it? Anyway, this is a self-indulgent, rambley way to say that, despite presently seeking to confine myself to a single tradition, it’s helps a deeply insecure guy like myself to see someone rich in faith, rich in knowledge, someone like myself who takes great comfort in history and tradition, remain open to different streams of the faith.
I might suggest that the important thing about orthodox Christianity is what it affirms, that it has been and continues to be a way for people to unite with their creator, rather than worry about the faults of other religions. As it is said in the Liturgy, 'We have seen the true Light. We have found the true Faith, in worshipping the indivisible Trinity; for He hat saved us.'Appreciating Not all religions do arrive at the same place, nor do they try to do so. I think it is insulting to sincere followers of any tradition to say that they are all just the same. At the same time, it can be suggested that the longing for returning to our Creator is the source of religious aspirations, and that it is only the Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus and then the coming of the Holy Spirit that the longing is fulfilled. Cue, I think, St. Augustine of Hippo.
I am Anglican, not "big-O Orthodox" (I am, or strive to be, definitely "small-o" orthodox!), but I would just second what @dalecaldwell has already written, and elaborate that the human religious impulse does indeed come from God, and tends toward God; and that God's indwelling Logos (in Western Christian thought) or uncreated energies (in Eastern Christian thought) does/do suffuse and permeate all of Creation - so it is not surprising that elements of the truth are found in non-Christian religions, and indeed secular thought. All that we have, including all of our intellectual faculties, are gifts of God, after all! As is our life itself. So it stands to reason! That said, as the Christian tradition has long taught, what is suggested, implied, or foreshadowed in Nature - and other religious paths - is fulfilled and perfected in the Christian faith, because only in the Christian faith did that Divine Creative Word (Logos) of God become Incarnate in human flesh for our sakes (see the Prologue to St. John's Gospel), to live an die as one of us (yet without sin), to be crucified for our transgressions, and resurrected for our redemption. So while, as @dalecaldwell points out, Christianity is not simply interchangeable with other religious traditions, what it really does is completes and perfects them (see Acts 17:23): trimming away the parts that are in error, and/or that are damaging to us (physically, psycho-emotionally, or spiritually), and leading us to the fullness of truth. I hope this makes sense!
My own concern about "diet" was indeed one of the issues that led me to Orthodoxy (after a period of Ayurveda practice). My father, by most people's account, was a very consistent Christian, but he was significantly overweight, often ate unhealthy foods (he loved Totino's frozen pizzas "doctored up" with New York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese), and died of cancer at 69. Not to throw stones, but fundamentalist Christianity definitely has a blind spot when it comes to gluttony.
What a powerful closing prayer! And thank you for sharing bits of your journey. So encouraging. Blessings.
thank you for sharing some of your story
I have been going on a binge of your videos now and find that the thing I appreciate most about this channel is the candor. Being in a dogmatic branch of the Church has its safety but also can be stultifying if a person doesn’t have some brutal honesty. I find myself always in a battle between decorum and what is appropriate on one hand and total honesty on the other. Not an easy walk
Dale would be willing to create a video that shares your prayer rule and what books you use daily so that we can all pray communally?
That's more or less the topic of Friday's video. You might especially enjoy the part about the hymn 'The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Is Ended'. Perhaps I can pin a comment that will fill in the blanks of your question.
@@dalecaldwell wonderful! Thank you brother.
One of the concerns that pops up in my wanderings is that much of us are doing what's right in our own eyes and heaping up teachers after our own lusts having itching ears.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts here my friend, your comments concerning remembering that we are creatures I find gives me food for thought. Thank you for sharing.
We have come Full Circle. This reveals we have an End, if we had no End, there would be No Revelations. The Gentiles now Worship as the Jews did at the Temple. Rituals, Rules, Laws, Traditions, Fancy Dress and Grand Titles, the Worship of Structure, and Not its Roots. Thus when the Root of their Religions turns up in the flesh, their Religion Cannot Recognise Him. And When Christ Returns, they shall be Terrified
I enjoyed "The Shape of the Liturgy" - what would you recommend for more recent scholarship?
It is certainly a good read. There is adctually a Shape of the Liturgy Revisited or something. I think that the biggest change is just that folks have realized that the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus never caught on, so although it may be old, it wasn't adopted by the early church. But it gave an excuse for a lot of changes that many people now are regretting.
I really respect that you’ve become (or I suppose remained) open throughout your life. I’m actually trying to put guardrails on myself right now, as someone who just chose to dive in after studying earliest Christianity from a secular perspective the past year. I came to respect a lot about it, & I’ve become enamored with Orthodoxy (but haven’t yet even gone to my local church - very fortunate that there is one here in downstate IL). I always respected but never understood spirituality & have been a hedonistic materialist since young adulthood, as it’s the only thing that ever made sense to me. But I recently discovered Orthodoxy and it clicks with me. It offers a way of life that feels almost designed for someone with my struggles.
It’s still very difficult for me to think of myself as Christian - and that’s probably appropriate, as if I am, it’s only in the loosest sense - and that may be the case until or unless I get chrismated in the distant future. My personal issue is that I don’t know how I could ever believe that I possess THE truth. Not just in an anti-ecumenical sense, but that God has not revealed himself elsewhere, that the Buddhists, and Hindus, and countless others, have simply deluded themselves, that the Heavenly King, Comforter and Spirit of Truth is not _really_ everywhere present, filling all things, because the language by which He is understood is different.
But I’ve seen the kinds of people who know THE truth, and I’ve never much respected them…I take to the open and the curious. So can I become Christian, much less Orthodox, without becoming what I despise? Could I really be wrong to despise it?
Anyway, this is a self-indulgent, rambley way to say that, despite presently seeking to confine myself to a single tradition, it’s helps a deeply insecure guy like myself to see someone rich in faith, rich in knowledge, someone like myself who takes great comfort in history and tradition, remain open to different streams of the faith.
I might suggest that the important thing about orthodox Christianity is what it affirms, that it has been and continues to be a way for people to unite with their creator, rather than worry about the faults of other religions. As it is said in the Liturgy, 'We have seen the true Light. We have found the true Faith, in worshipping the indivisible Trinity; for He hat saved us.'Appreciating Not all religions do arrive at the same place, nor do they try to do so. I think it is insulting to sincere followers of any tradition to say that they are all just the same. At the same time, it can be suggested that the longing for returning to our Creator is the source of religious aspirations, and that it is only the Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus and then the coming of the Holy Spirit that the longing is fulfilled. Cue, I think, St. Augustine of Hippo.
I am Anglican, not "big-O Orthodox" (I am, or strive to be, definitely "small-o" orthodox!), but I would just second what @dalecaldwell has already written, and elaborate that the human religious impulse does indeed come from God, and tends toward God; and that God's indwelling Logos (in Western Christian thought) or uncreated energies (in Eastern Christian thought) does/do suffuse and permeate all of Creation - so it is not surprising that elements of the truth are found in non-Christian religions, and indeed secular thought. All that we have, including all of our intellectual faculties, are gifts of God, after all! As is our life itself. So it stands to reason! That said, as the Christian tradition has long taught, what is suggested, implied, or foreshadowed in Nature - and other religious paths - is fulfilled and perfected in the Christian faith, because only in the Christian faith did that Divine Creative Word (Logos) of God become Incarnate in human flesh for our sakes (see the Prologue to St. John's Gospel), to live an die as one of us (yet without sin), to be crucified for our transgressions, and resurrected for our redemption. So while, as @dalecaldwell points out, Christianity is not simply interchangeable with other religious traditions, what it really does is completes and perfects them (see Acts 17:23): trimming away the parts that are in error, and/or that are damaging to us (physically, psycho-emotionally, or spiritually), and leading us to the fullness of truth. I hope this makes sense!
My own concern about "diet" was indeed one of the issues that led me to Orthodoxy (after a period of Ayurveda practice). My father, by most people's account, was a very consistent Christian, but he was significantly overweight, often ate unhealthy foods (he loved Totino's frozen pizzas "doctored up" with New York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese), and died of cancer at 69. Not to throw stones, but fundamentalist Christianity definitely has a blind spot when it comes to gluttony.