tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post8117243816434354589..comments2023-07-16T05:05:29.285-04:00Comments on Paredwka: Catching the Ball: A Fair and Honest ReformUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-43855231147194809562010-09-04T14:48:28.597-04:002010-09-04T14:48:28.597-04:00Yup, another great post, Ben! I look forward to m...Yup, another great post, Ben! I look forward to more like this.<br /><br />Tim, what you are experiencing is SO FAMILIAR - that famous or infamous 'paradigm shift'...<br /><br />David, the whole West has been trained in cogito, cogito, cogito, head knowledge. We all have a struggle to let that be transfigured into heart knowledge, haven't we?Anastasia Theodoridishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16092531121989260111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-26966636852817521292010-09-03T11:28:38.401-04:002010-09-03T11:28:38.401-04:00Another great post, Ben.
My first exposure to Ort...Another great post, Ben.<br /><br />My first exposure to Orthodoxy as a faith took place September 1994 when I accidentally bought the Way of a Pilgrim. Then nothing until I accidentally bought Dancing Alone in June 1996. I wasn't received into the Church until January 2001.<br /><br />These things take time.<br /><br />Ezekiel's comments about prayer over argumentation I think are important. The answer my spiritual father gave to my question about the Theotokos was to assign me to read the Small Parklesis (Supplicatory Canon in the Jordanville prayer book) every Wednesday, i.e., she's answer my question. Doing is learning, but getting comfortable with attempting any doing is difficult.<br /><br />The other advise my spiritual father had given had two parts, both important: Take your time, but, remember, it's later than you think.123https://www.blogger.com/profile/14514075641944568806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-41145154472067846552010-09-02T12:48:03.874-04:002010-09-02T12:48:03.874-04:00Mr. Harju-
thank you for your kind and encouragin...Mr. Harju-<br /><br />thank you for your kind and encouraging words. Despite the fact that I want to just zoom through everything, I am trying to process things one day at a time. In God's good time, He will lead me where I ought to be (and how to think!).Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09157748079129752535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-69015374959710954022010-09-01T15:55:00.948-04:002010-09-01T15:55:00.948-04:00what comes to mind for me here after reading this ...what comes to mind for me here after reading this post was Fr. Hogg's quick blog post from a while back that said something to the effect of "The Church doesn't need Reform - I do."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-669646821586268292010-08-31T15:57:03.402-04:002010-08-31T15:57:03.402-04:00Ezekiel,
I know what you mean about being more re...Ezekiel,<br /><br />I know what you mean about being more relaxed. Not only do I feel this way, but it's visibly noticeable in every single convert I knew from before and know now. Every single one. <br /><br />Tim,<br /><br />I know what you mean about the "mind-grid." It makes it hard to avoid begging the question. Hang in there. God makes things clear in time. Clarity often manifests when we try to practice the faith - clarity about God and about our own deficiencies. But it comes, and then we start to learn the depths of what that word "salvation" is really all about.Benjamin Harjuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05488550358197684209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-78254474635792286502010-08-31T15:45:56.240-04:002010-08-31T15:45:56.240-04:00Ben, an interesting post to be sure, and, as you m...Ben, an interesting post to be sure, and, as you may know, one that I certainly resonate with!<br /><br />David's reply struck a note: one of the great contrasts between now and "then" (when I was a "confessional Lutheran) is that I'm a whole lot more relaxed. Seems we were always writing another paper or defending another point or longing for an age that I don't think ever existed in the relatively short life of Lutheranism.<br /><br />I find myself praying for others a good deal more, and not having to "win" the current argument or discussion.<br /><br />And I'm so often reminded of the statement made by +KALLISTOS that indicated that the Divine Liturgy remained and was served through all kinds of things!<br /><br />I still wonder and am awed when I read the Holy Fathers ... and the offerings of contemporary Elders and ascetics!<br /><br />Glory to God for All Things!Ezekielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15297200009180074853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-81727582213022037722010-08-31T15:36:40.165-04:002010-08-31T15:36:40.165-04:00Many of your points are some of the same reasons I...Many of your points are some of the same reasons I left the LCMS and joined Holy Orthodoxy. One of things I love about the Orthodox Church is the peace of mind and soul it brings me, and the lack of desire to confront non-Orthodox about doctrinal issues. <br /><br />While I was Lutheran, I actually found myself somewhat sickened by the often combative nature of those (including myself) who sought to defend Lutheran teachings against non-Lutherans. I did not feel the peace of Orthodoxy there, and despite being a somewhat combative armchair theologian myself at the time, I found you catch more flies with honey. <br /><br />It became clear to me that the true Christian faith is a life in Christ, not a defense of head-knowledge, presented as doctrinal talking points. Only Orthodoxy was able to take what I professed as belief and move it from my head into my heart. It became a living thing within me. I could not say the same thing about Lutheranism.<br /><br />There is a great post on such zeal over at this blog that is worth reading:<br /><br />http://pithlessthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/08/on-zeal-for-truth.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617525341761466610.post-82983309741971187522010-08-31T13:52:04.940-04:002010-08-31T13:52:04.940-04:00Good post.
I am inded attempting to let Orthodox...Good post. <br /><br />I am inded attempting to let Orthodoxy talk for itself. But, it is hard. Especially since even though a good portion of how I think and what I believe matches Orthodoxy, I still have my own background and mind-grid (so to speak) that keep wanting to interpret things in a different manner.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09157748079129752535noreply@blogger.com