DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ST. JOHN, ARCHBISHOP OF SHANGHAI AND SAN
FRANCISCO
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WITNESS (USPS 412-260)
is published monthly by St. Nectarios American Orthodox Cathedral,
10300 Ashworth Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98133-9410.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
OCW, 10300 Ashworth Ave. N., Seattle, WA. 98133-9410
Fr. Neketas S. Palassis, Editor Email: frneketas@stnectariospress.com
Telephone (206) 522-4471; (800) 643-4233 U.S. & Canada;
Fax: 206-523-0550
MAY 2007, Vol. XLI, No. 5, (1572)
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. ORTHODOX UNITY? A RESPONSE FROM METROPOLITAN EPHRAIM
2. GETTING DOWN TO THE REAL ISSUES
3. THE TURKISH GENOCIDE AGAINST THE ARMENIANS
4. IN RESPONSE TO: ABETTING TURKISH DENIAL AT THE U.N.
5. NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHERS
6. PASCHAL ENCYCLE OF METROPOLITAN EPHRAIM
7. NEW ITEMS FROM THE BOOK CENTER
When the minds begins to make progress in the love of God, then the
demon of blasphemy starts to tempt it. He suggests such thoughts to it
as no man, but only their father, the Devil, could devise. He does this
out of envy for the God-loving man, in order that, coming into despair
at having conceived such thoughts, he might no longer dare to soar up
to God in his customary prayer.
St. Maximos in The Evergetinos 3(ii).
1. ORTHODOX UNITY ?
A RESPONSE FROM BISHOP EPHRAIM
of the Holy Orthodox Church in North America
How can unity be achieved among the Orthodox
Christians? Our response to this question is quite simple: we must all
earnestly seek "the one thing that is needful" - our eternal salvation.
And this is accomplished through our faithfulness to Holy Tradition.
Our Saviour taught us: Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things Whatsoever
I have commanded you. (Matt. 28:274)
And the Holy Apostle Paul writes: Brethren, stand
fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by
word, or any epistle. (II Thess. 2:15)
Basing ourselves, theref0ore, on the Holy Apostolic
Traditions, the unity and concord that we must have are twofold:
doctrinal and liturgical (which comprises both way of worship and way
of life).
1) Doctrinal unity may be achieved if all the
Orthodox begin again to abide by the decisions and canons of the
Ecumenical and Local Councils. Here, it would be useful if everyone
humbly abandoned their own personal opinions, specifically in regard to
how the church should deal with those that are non-Orthodox ?
especially in the Ecumenical Movement and the World Council of
Churches. If all of us simply re-affirmed the teaching and practice of
the Orthodox Church in this matter, as it is codified and proclaimed in
Holy Tradition, most problems of Orthodox church unity would resolve
themselves.
To better illustrate this point, we will repeat here
what we have written in other publications of our diocese: Since our
diocese adheres to the traditional, ecclesiastical calendar and we have
also been very vocal in our objections to Ecumenism, our clergy are
quite often visited by students, professors, clergymen, and once in a
while, even bishops affiliated with the various new calendar
jurisdictions in this country. These visits are often made with the
purpose of trying to persuade us that the ecumenical path which
their jurisdictions follow in no way compromises the Orthodox Faith.
Virtually without exception, these good people open their defense with
the words, "I believe," "I think," "I feel," or "In my opinion." But
right at this point, we feel compelled to say, "Wait, wait! What you or
I believe, or think, or feel, has no bearing on this matter. The only
thing that is of any importance and has any authority in these matters
is what the Church has always believed, thought, and felt. If we start
going on the basis of what each one of us thinks, believes, or feels,
then we'll become like the Protestants, and in fact, soon we won't have
just four or five hundred denominations as they do we'll have millions.
Each individual will become a church in himself, each one feeling,
believing, and thinking as he sees fit. In this, as in every matter, it
is the Church and its sacred tradition that must teach us, and we must
listen humbly and be instructed."
2) Liturgical unity may be easily achieved if all
the Orthodox simply adopted the Julian calendar again. Since most of
the Orthodox already use this calendar, this particular obstacle to
church unity is not so insurmountable as it may first appear.
In our diocese we have clergy and laypeople from
every possible background one could imagine. Not only have we
come together from different, ethnic Orthodox jurisdictions, new
calendar and old calendar, Greek, Russian, Romanian, Syrian, Ukrainian
and American melting pot, but also from non-Orthodox denominations and
even pagan religions. Many of our clergy who are from Orthodox
jurisdictions have been trained in different theological schools: Holy
Cross, St. Vladimir's, St. Tikhon's, Holy Trinity in Jordanville, and
elsewhere. Yet, we are all of one mind, and one heart, and one soul in
matters of the Faith. Why? Because we have all adopted one criterion:
Holy Tradition, as it s embodied in the Holy Scriptures, the Lives of
the Saints, the decisions of the holy Ecumenical and Local Councils,
and the writings of the Church Fathers.
This is the standard by which we conduct our church
life, correct ourselves in our personal lives, and guide ourselves in
every aspect of our earthly sojourn, striving for that one thing that
is needful: our eternal salvation.
As Orthodox Christians, what other criterion can we
have? But, some may object: even those who follow the traditional
ecclesiastical calendar are divided. This is true, although it is not a
problem unique to those who adhere to the traditional ecclesiastical
calendar, as is evident from the many overlapping new calendar
jurisdictions that exist in this hemisphere and in Europe.
In response to this objection we must admit that
some of the divisions that exist among the True Orthodox Christians are
due to human weakness, personal ambitions, pride, etc. However, it is
equally true that many of the divisions that exist among us are due to
the new calendarists. How so?
When the calendar change was first implemented in
the early 20's, the bishops of the new calendar Church in Greece (and
later in Romania) unleashed a terrible persecution against those clergy
and faithful who refused to follow them in this innovation. The
innovating bishops ordered the police to break up any church services
held according to the traditional ecclesiastical reckoning. Hence, the
police, swinging their clubs, would enter the churches during the
services. Heads were smashed, people were killed, priests were pulled
out of the sanctuary by gendarmes, who walked right through the Royal
Doors; holy Communion was spilled, chalices broken in half. Priests
were stripped of their rassa, shaved, dressed in dirty and ragged
secular clothing and pushed out into the street. Nuns had their habits
ripped off and then they too were pushed out into the street. Churches,
monasteries and convents built by the True Orthodox Christians were
confiscated or bulldozed.
At the same time this was happening, these Orthodox
Christians were told that their children were unbaptized, that the
marriages performed by "old calendarist" priests were invalid, that
their children were illegitimate and had no inheritance rights. Yet,
the True Orthodox Christians saw that the new calendar bishops in
Europe and America accepted the validity of the baptisms, weddings and
ordinations performed by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and others, even
though these people had been separated from the Church for almost one
thousand years, and had espoused innumerable errors and heresies.
Now, how should a traditional Orthodox Christian
assess this situation? How should he have responded to this vicious
persecution, to the fact that his Mysteries were considered invalid
(although he had not changed any doctrine of the Church), and to the
fact that, simultaneously, the new calendar hierarchy recognized the
validity of the sacraments of those who without remorse or repentance
openly taught heresy? What happened then was that the True Orthodox
Christians became divided. Some said that the innovating hierarchy had
initiated a true schism, and therefore that the canons regarding schism
should be applied, and they believed that there was no way that
the new calendar Church could in any way be the Church of Christ, since
it was doing all these terrible and blasphemous things against the
faithful; others said that we should await a synodal decision before
making a final judgment (although, actually, the calendar change had
been condemned already by the Pan-Orthodox Councils of 1582, 1583 and
1593, as well as those of 1663, 1687, 1824, 1848 and others); yet
others said that the people who followed the new calendar did not
really know what was going on, and that it was solely the
responsibility of the new calendar bishops. And so on. And thus, this
became a major cause for the True Orthodox Christians also to become
divided.
Despite all these grievous circumstances that have
occurred and, in certain aspects, are still occurring, the clergy of
our Church and I myself are nonetheless willing to discuss these
matters with any Orthodox Christian clergyman or layperson, so that the
unity that all long for may be achieved.
However, this has to come to pass on the basis of
sound Orthodox doctrine and ecclesiology, and not on the basis of our
private opinions. Any basis other than Holy Tradition is bound to fail,
since it will be an endeavor that is merely human, and not according to
God. In our own diocese, we already enjoy this unity of many different
ethnic usages and customs which, in fact, have enriched the lives of
all of us, and many have incorporated the whole spectrum of the varied
ethnic traditions into their parish and family life. But the one common
denominator to which we all cleave with love is the Holy Tradition of
the Church. We are convinced that this is the answer held out to us by
our Saviour and all the Saints from ages past, and that it is, as we
know from the experience of our own diocese, entirely possible and
attainable. We know that it can, and in fact, does work.
In Christ,
Ephraim, Metropolitan of Boston
Synaxis of the Holy Archangels.
8/21 November, 1990
_________________________________________________________________________
2. GETTING DOWN TO THE REAL ISSUE
by Joseph Bragg
In all the controversy
between the “Old Calendarists” and “World Orthodoxy” today it is very
easy to get lost in all the arguments, canons, quotes, proofs and
counter-proofs coming from both sides. We can easily get caught
up in the controversy and loose sight of what the real issue is that
lies behind it all.
In the final analysis
the controversy is not about who has the most canons or the most quotes
from the Fathers or how this Father or that Bishop or this Saint
responded to this or that controversy at some particular time.
If we peel back the
layers of controversial years and endless arguments, at the very heart
of the matter we will see a battle for a true concept and understanding
of God and our Salvation. Hasn’t this been the essence of
all heresy debates and controversies in the Church? It is
always a battle for the truth about God and our Salvation.
All the changes that
have come about in World Orthodoxy have come gradually, in small
increments, over many years. This makes it hard to see where you
once were and where you now are. It keeps people from seeing the
giant leap and profound changes that all of these incremental changes
can have on our very concept of who God is and what it means to be a
Christian.
We have seen similar
developments in the world. Think, for example, how society thirty
years ago viewed people living together before marriage, having
children out of wedlock or being homosexual. These things were
taboo and people who did these things were actually embarrassed and
tried to keep them hidden. But now, today, there is no shame and
in fact, these things may even have a certain badge of honor associated
with them. The consequence is that society today has a very
different understanding and perception of marriage, child bearing and
sexuality than it did thirty years ago. The sacredness, holiness,
beauty and God-ordained meaning and purpose of life, sexuality and
procreation have been all but lost. These have become foreign
concepts in the mind of modern society when it thinks of these
subjects. Try to talk about this with many today and they will
look as you as though you are speaking a foreign language.
But how did this
happen? One small increment at a time over many years.
While it was happening everyone just thought that a few changes were
taking place here and there that didn’t amount to much. What they
did not understand was that the very concepts of marriage, life,
procreation, and sexuality were being redefined and the very concepts
of Divine purpose and meaning and the Sacred were all being lost.
My dad was born in
1891. He lived from the horse and buggy days to the landing on
the moon. He died in 1978. He used to tell that when he was
a young man all the women wore below the ankle length dresses and if a
woman’s ankle somehow got exposed she was embarrassed and
ashamed. Now, he was seeing women in shorts, pants and bathing
suits. How did this happen? One small increment at a time
over many years. First the dress was shortened to calf
length. Then when society became used to that, it was shortened
to the knee. Then it was no longer a full dress but a tight
skirt. Then when society adapted to that, well you know the rest
of the story. Complete nudity is fully acceptable today and the
knowledge of God and the Sacred in regard to life and living is lost.
Here is another illustration
of how external changes result in the loss of internal knowledge and
basic concepts and beliefs.
I work with a group of
people who are very religious. Most of them are from the mega
church/non-denominational preference with a couple of Roman Catholics,
some Church of Christ and a Baptist or two. The other day one of
them mentioned the Rockettes were in town for the annual Christmas
show. I mentioned that the Rockettes, dancing and strutting on
stage in mini skirts, seemed to me to be totally incongruous with the
celebration of the holy and sacred birth of the Holy Son of God who
came to make us holy. There were two immediate reactions.
One was a look of “what in the world are you talking about?” and
the other was an immediate defense of the show contending they saw
nothing incongruous about it at all since it was all just a joyous
celebration of Christmas. Dancing girls in mini-skirts seemed a
perfectly fine way to celebrate the birth of Christ for some.
How can this be? Many
changes over many years in the protestant world have resulted in very
different understandings and perceptions of God and Salvation. As
I listened to the responses it suddenly dawned on me that there was no
way we would be able to discuss this issue in any meaningful way
because we were coming from two very different concepts of God and
Salvation. They had little or no concept of the holiness of God
and no concept of the meaning of Salvation as theosis (a transformation
which dies to the sinful passions and strives to attain the likeness of
Christ through union with Christ).
Much of Protestantism,
through many years of changes, fads and remaking has now a God who is
secularized, modernized, materialized and consumerized. The sad
thing is that my co-workers do not know that the concept and perception
they have of God and Salvation bears only a faint resemblance to the
God and Salvation of the historic Christian faith.
What is the point?
Back to the Old Calendarists vs World Orthodoxy. It is my
contention that what has happened in Protestantism over many years of
changes and has resulted in a loss of the knowledge of God and
Salvation is also happening in World Orthodoxy.
It is not just about a
change of calendar, the loss of priestly beards and rassos, Hafli’s on
Saturday nights with Holy Communion a few hours later, worldly and
secular bishops who were never monastics and the loss of Confession and
Fasting, Nor is it merely about joint prayers with non-Orthodox,
Masonic memberships or membership in the WCC and NCC. In the
final analysis it is about retaining or losing the knowledge of God and
our Salvation.
Little by little over the
years, World Orthodoxy has been gradually losing a conscious
sensitivity to and awareness of the holiness of God, the Sacred and
Salvation as theosis, much the same as has happened in Roman
Catholicism, Episcopalianism and Protestantism. The average,
typical World Orthodox parish is secularized, socialized and
consumerized. To be sure, some of the externals of Orthodoxy
remain, but the heart and soul of the Orthodox faith is lost, hardly
known and barely desired. The awareness and knowledge of the
holiness of God and the Sacred and the pursuit of Salvation
as theosis exists only in small pockets here and there where a
priest or some of the laity have maintained contact with the Old
Calendarists through their publications or their
monasteries. Where this does not exist in World Orthodoxy,
the true knowledge of God and of Salvation is being replaced by a new,
convenient and user-friendly God and Salvation. While the
externals may appear to be Orthodox, the basic knowledge and concepts
are not the same. Each passing year and each successive change
enlarges the gap between the faith of the Old Calendarists and World
Orthodoxy. Eventually, a generation will grow up in World
Orthodoxy thinking they hold the Orthodox Faith when in fact the heart
and soul was lost long ago. Or has it already happened?
It is my contention that
only in the Old Calendarist churches (not just those who follow the
Julian calendar but those who hold the True Faith) is it possible for
the true knowledge of God and of Salvation to be preserved. Only
there will future generations be able to experience the true knowledge
of God and Salvation as theosis in a living and real way beyond mere
words. This is what is really at stake.
It seems to me that once we
are able to see this as the real issue, there remains little to argue
about.
_______________________________________________________________
3. THE TURKISH GENOCIDE AGAINST THE ARMENIAN
AND GREEK ORTHODOX MINORITIES:
Letter to the International Herald Tribune from the
Hellenic Electronic Center with 35,000 Hellenes
and 25 Hellenic Organizations as Associated members
in the US and abroad
April 21, 2007
The April 13 editorial on the canceled Genocide exhibit at
the United Nations rightfully criticizes the United Nations for
succumbing to Turkish pressure. We would like to point out however,
that in addition to the Armenians, there was likewise a
conspiracy of Genocide directed toward the Greek and Assyrian
populations by the authorities of the crumbling Ottoman Empire. As
early as 1914, Greeks living on the coasts of Asia Minor were
summarily deported into the interior, and eventually Greeks along
with Assyrians fell victim to forced death marches, massacres, and
starvation.
The horrific atrocities of the Ottoman Empire
were acknowledged as can be seen by the initial efforts to free
the Christian populations from Turkish rule. Plans were conceived for
the establishment of an independent Armenian Republic, while
Greece was officially invited by the Great Powers to take
possession of Smyrna and Eastern Thrace. In addition,
Constantinople was occupied by the Great Powers, thus putting an
end to Turkish rule. The later tragedies which led to the burning of
the free Greek City of Smyrna and the massacre of its Greek and
Armenian populations by Turkish nationalists led by Mustafa
Kemal, and the subsequent slaughter of Greeks and Armenians throughout
Anatolia bear witness to the illegal status of the Turkish
Kemalists, and the program for Genocide intended to eliminate
once and for all the native Christian populations whose democratic
demands emanating from the simple desire to merely exist
conflicted with Turkish demands to maintain territory inhabited by
non-Muslim populations.
The subsequent abomination referred to as "Exchange of
populations" by the representatives of the Great Powers led
to the forcible uprooting and destruction of 1,000,000 Greeks from
lands that their ancestors had resided in for 3,000 years. Indeed,
Genocide is the proper label for the policies that were adopted
toward Greeks and Assyrians, as well as Armenians. The cowardly
capitulation to the Turkish Kemalists by the Great Powers stands
as an example of appeasement and cruelty by the West that
condemned entire peoples to unspeakable terror and suffering.
The legacy of this appalling example of indifference to the
suffering of innocents remain with America and Europe to the
present day. Turkish ultranationalists maintain a firm hold on
Turkey, and neighboring states unable to defend themselves such
as Syria and Cyprus have fallen prey to the expansionist legacy
that Mustafa Kemal left behind in Turkey, and that now appears to
threaten the democratic ambitions of the Kurds in Nothern Iraq
who are being targeted by the Turkish paramilitary State.
Theodore
G. Karakostas TKarakosta@aol.com
Member
of HEC Executive Council
_______________________________________________________________________
4. IN RESPONSE TO
ABETTING TURKISH DENIAL AT THE UNITED NATIONS
International Herald Tribune, France
April 13 2007
More than 90 years ago, when Turkey was still part of the Ottoman
Empire, Turkish nationalists launched an extermination campaign there
that killed 1.5 million Armenians.
It was the 20th century's first genocide. The world noticed, but did
nothing, setting an example that surely emboldened such later
practitioners as Hitler, the Hutu leaders of Rwanda in 1994 and today's
Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
Turkey has long tried to deny the Armenian genocide. Even in the
modern-day Turkish republic, which was not a party to the killings,
using the word genocide in reference to these events is prosecuted as a
serious crime . Which makes it all the more disgraceful that United
Nations officials are bowing to Turkey's demands and blocking this
week's scheduled opening of an exhibit at UN headquarters commemorating
the 13th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide - because it mentions the
mass murder of the Armenians.
Ankara was offended by a sentence that explained how genocide came to
be recognized as a crime under international law: "Following World War
I, during which one million Armenians were murdered in Turkey, Polish
lawyer Raphael Lemkin urged the League of Nations to recognize crimes
of barbarity as international crimes." The exhibit's organizer, a
British-based anti-genocide group, was willing to omit the words "in
Turkey." But that was not enough for the UN's craven new leadership,
and the exhibit has been indefinitely postponed.
It's odd that Turkey's leaders have not figured out by now that every
time they try to censor discussion of the Armenian genocide, they only
bring wider attention to the subject and link today's democratic Turkey
with the now distant crime. As for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and
his inexperienced new leadership team, they have once again shown how
much they have to learn if they are to honorably and effectively serve
the United Nations, which is supposed to be the embodiment of
international law and a leading voice against genocide.
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISEHRS
The issue for April, 2007 was published but not mailed except to
Libraries and a few clergy. We are attempting to catch up within a
month and resume normal mailings. We would be happy to send copies upon
request. A donation of $1 for postage and envelopes is appreciated.
______________________________________________________________________
6. THE HOLY ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF BOSTON
His Eminence, Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston
PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL
Of
His Eminence, Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston
My Beloved Orthodox Christian, Christ is risen!
A short time ago, I was
reading a paschal homily written by St. Symeon the New Theologian in
the 11th Century. St. Symeon was the abbot of the Monastery of St.
Mamas in Constantinople. He reposed in the year 1022. He wrote many
spiritual treatises, and is probably best known among the faithful for
his exceptional and most compunctionate communion prayer, “From lips
tainted and defiled, from a heart unclean and loathsome
”
As I mentioned above, he
wrote also a very profound paschal homily for the benefit of his monks
at the Monastery of St. Mamas. With your permission, I would like to
quote a significant portion of his homily. So, in a true sense, this
year’s Paschal Encyclical is actually delivered to you by this great
Saint of the Church!
This is what the Saint says
in part:
Most men believe in the
resurrection of Christ, but very few have a clear spiritual vision of
it. Those who have no vision of it, cannot adore Christ Jesus as the
Holy One and Lord. As it is written, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’
except by the Holy Spirit” [I Cor. 12:3], and, elsewhere, “God is
spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”
[Jn. 4:24].
The sacred hymn which is now daily on our lips does
not say, “Having believed in the Resurrection of Christ,” but “Having
beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus,
Who is alone without sin.” How is it that the Holy Spirit moves us to
chant, “Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ,” when we have not
seen it, when Christ rose once a thousand years ago, and even then
without anybody’s seeing it? Surely the Church’s hymn does not want us
to lie? Far from it! Rather, it urges us to speak the truth, that the
resurrection of Christ takes place in each of us who believes, and not
once, but at every hour, when Christ arises in us, shining with the
radiance of divinity and incorruption. For the light-bearing Spirit
shows forth to us the Master’s resurrection; He grants us to see the
Risen One Himself. Therefore, we chant, “God is the Lord, and hath
appeared unto us,” and we allude to His second Coming and add these
words,
“Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.”
So, in those to whom the risen Christ has been revealed, He is
endlessly beheld spiritually, and they see Him with spiritual eyes.
When this happens to us
through the grace of the Holy Spirit, He raises us up from the dead and
gives us life. He grants us to see Him, Who is immortal and
indestructible. More than that, He grants us clearly to know Him Who
raises us up and glorifies us with Himself, as the divine Scripture
testifies. These, then, are the divine mysteries of the Christians.
This is the hidden power of our Faith, which unbelievers, or those who
believe with difficulty, or rather believe in part, do not see or are
not able to see.
Unbelievers, those who
believe with difficulty, or believe in part, are those who do not show
their faith through works. Apart from works the demons also believe and
confess Christ to be God and Master. “We know who you art,” they say,
“thou art the Son of God,” and elsewhere, “These men are the servants
of the Most High God.” Yet such faith will benefit neither the demons
nor people. This faith is of no use, for it is dead, as the divine
Apostle says, “Faith without works is dead,” just like works without
faith. Why is it dead? Because it does not have within itself the
life-giving God. It has not acquired Him Who said, “He who loves Me
will keep My commandments, and
I and the Father will come and make Our abode in him” [Jn. 14:21, 23],
so that, by Our presence, we may resurrect him who has attained faith,
and, that We may give him life, and grant him to see Christ, Who has
risen in him and Who has raised him up. This is why faith without works
is dead, or, rather, they are dead who have faith but no works. Faith
in God is always alive, and since it is a living thing, it gives life
to those who come with intent and receive it. And this life is shown
forth in works of love. Amen.
Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
Your fervent suppliant unto God,
?
+Ephraim, metropolitan
Pascha, 2007
Protocol No. 2516
______________________________________________________________________
7. NEW ITEMS FROM THE BOOK CENTER
(AVV) AVVAKUM THE BAREFOOT by Fr. Theodoretos the Hagiorite.
The account of the life of one who lived sublime combination of great
asceticism and “community” work., in other words, of practical love
towards his fellow man, whether a monk or a lay pilgrim. Paper
94pp . e$10.00
(CFR) CONCERNING FREQUENT COMMUNION OF THE IMMACULATE MYSTERIES OF
CHRIST by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, translated by Fr. George
Dokos. Includes and Explanation of the Lord’s Prayer, an apology
for frequent communion, answers to objections and clarifications of
misconceptions, and two appendices on the Divine Eucharist. Contains
scriptural and subject/names indices. 241pp. Paper
d$17.00
(OCH) ORTHODOX CHURCH HISTORY (Teacher’s Manual). An excellent
manual for Sunday School teachers and home-schooling parents on the
broad history of the Church from Old Testament times (mentioned
briefly) through the modern era. The outlines in each chapter are
brief, with notes and questions for the teacher. Black & white
illustrations and icons. 208pp. Paper e$15.00
(OOC) ORDER OF CREATION, ORDER OF REDEMPTION: The Ordination of Women
in the by Fr. Michael Azkoul. A review of the theological and ecclesial
facts defining the place of women in the Orthodux Church, based on the
Scriptures, the Fathers and the Canons. A concise and traditional
exposition of the subject. 102pp. Paper d$10.00