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You Are Not A Machine (Big Announcement!)

For decades I have been animated by the question: in what ways does modern life affect the spiritual life of modern people, and what can we do about it? My doctoral dissertation (The Theological Anthropology and Cosmology of C.S. Lewis: An Orthodox Christian Evaluation) was inspired by this question, for in order to properly answer…

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“As for myself, as long as I live and breathe and am of sound mind…”

“As for myself, as long as I live and breathe and am of sound mind, I won’t cease, especially during these brightest days [of Bright Week], to continuously chant in the worship of my Christ, to lovingly describe nature, and to paint with affection the genuine Greek traditions.” – Alexandros Papadiamandis

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Documentary: “The Great and Holy Monastery of Vatopedi: Truth and Myths”

Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos is one of the (if not the) largest monasteries in Greece. It is located in a verdant valley along the northeastern shore of Athos. I’ve visited the monastery numerous times and have always been blessed by their great hospitality, the beauty of their services, and the peace of their park-like…

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The Orthodox Church Today: A Demographic Study of Orthodoxy in America

I had heard about Alexei Krindatch’s demographic study of Orthodoxy in America awhile back, but had never gotten around to tracking it down. In a recent conversation with a friend regarding the realities facing Orthodoxy in America, he pointed me towards the study. The 2008 study was performed again in 2010, and the results are…

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Orthodoxy and Psychology – Fr. Alexis Trader’s New Book

Fr. Alexis Trader recently released his new book, Ancient Christian Wisdom and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Therapy: A Meeting of Minds. For those of you unfamiliar with Fr. Alexis, he is a priestmonk and spiritual father of Karakallou Monastery on the Holy Mountain, and author of In Peace Let Us Pray to the Lord: An Orthodox…

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The English Premiere of Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev’s St. Matthew Passion

The English Premiere of Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev’s St. Matthew Passion: One Audience Member’s Experience “Thy death, O Lord, we proclaim, and Thy Resurrection we confess. Alleluia, glory to Thee.” ~ St. Matthew’s Passion On Monday, February 7, 2011, the English premiere of the St. Matthew Passion by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev was performed at…

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Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev’s St. Matthew’s Passion in NYC, 02/07/11

[If you are going to be at the concert and would like to write a review of it afterward, please let me know! I would love to post a review of the concert!] YONKERS, NY [SVOTS Communications] — The English-language US premiere of the St. Matthew Passion by the renowned Russian Orthodox composer and churchman,…

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God’s Grandeur – Gerard Manley Hopkins

I recently rediscovered Gerard Manley Hopkins’s excellent poem, “God’s Grandeur.” I first read it as an undergraduate and, as I often find when revisiting art that I loved prior to becoming Orthodox, the truths revealed are often very much Orthodox… God’s Grandeur The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out,…